The Peoples of the West

The West is populated by several distinct cultural groups which have spread throughout history. It has been argued that there are no native cultures or tribes in the West, but rather many settlers which made their home there. The scholars of the Rankian people would argue otherwise, but most believe that the West was never the original home of man.

Cultural Dispersement in the West

Among the Karthian people there are three distinct tribes that have merged culturally, but not one in my estimation always made its home in the West. It is well known that the Bravs invaded and conquered their way across the south, coming out of the Unknowable East, but it has also come to my attention that the people they conquered, the Malins and Rankians, have their origin in the deep deserts to the south.

This pattern is also seen in the Vors, who like the Rankians claim to be natives to the West. While the Radans, Torans, and Falkans are ancient cultures, they do not have any stronger claim to being a native than anyone else. Their pre-Orthodoxy mythology centers on a great voyage to a promised land out of the distant West. I argue that this tale holds more truth than fanciful lies.

In the Noderins and Sarls a similar story of a great journey is told, only in both their cases they arrived from the north over the Great Ice from Ultima Thule. In the case of the four Noderin tribes of the Navari, Isoli, Eskari, and Omeroni, they continued south to colonize and conquer. The Sarls, on the other hand, seemed more interested in staying put, though their butting up against the Valadarins and Norderins may have had more to do with this complacency than anything else.

The Valadarins, like the Narrlachi who represent the latest migration to the West, arrived out of the Unknowable East, bringing a story concerning the seeking of a promised land during a flight from slavery. The Taroths tell a tale of giant men ruling them like cattle, but the Daskans, Jenks, and Toloskans all share a tale of dark pale masters consuming the people and drawing power from them until they fled west. How much of this is truth I do not know, but it does continue the theme of my thesis.

The Narrlachi, comprised of the Narrltar, Griktar, and Ashtar tribes, are perhaps the only out lier as they did not arrive seeking a promised land, but invaded from the fringes in search of conquest. For many centuries, their presence was felt in Toloska and the Empire as raiders and sometimes petty conquerers. I can only assume, based on their sudden arrival on the stage of history centuries ago that they too arrived from the distant east in search of something better. It is a pity that no scholar thought to document their culture at the time.

Cultural Spheres

The West is currently split into six spheres of influence, each representing the dominate culture of those regions. Where these spheres of influence meet, a mixing of conflict and assimilation occur. Typically the political and religious interests are at odds, while the financial interests work some form of compromise.

The Noderin cultural sphere dominates the Riges of Navaren, Isoli, Omeron, and Eskar. Each of these regions is governed by a Noderin descended tribe. In the unified Riges of Navaren and Isoli, the people are almost entirely of Noderin extraction, hailing from the Navari and Isoli tribes. The Rige of Omeron is a mix of a Tarathan peasantry and an Omeroni ruling class that hardly mixes with the Valadarins they have come to rule. Eskar, on the other hand, is a true mixing pot of Eskari, Navari, and the Karthian tribes of Bravs and Malins.

The Valadrin cultural sphere hugs the southern coast of the Northern Sea in the Koronas of Taratha, Jenka, and Oldaska. Both Taratha and Oldaska are strongly uniform in hailing from the Tarathan and Daskan tribes, though the eastern provinces of Oldaska are populated by Sarls. The smaller Korona of Jenka is populated by Jenks and Toloskan refugees who have fled their shattered homeland, which is now dominated by the Narrlachi.

The Narrlachi tribes cut through the center of the West, ruling from the Great Khanate on the border of the Unknowable East to the coast of the Great Ocean. Here a great deal of cultural mixing occurs as the Ashtars, Griktars, and Narrltars rule over Toloskans in the Tolor Khanate, and Falkans in the Falkaz and Voru Khanates.

At the very heart of the West lies the last gasp of the once dominate Vorish culture. In the Vorian Empire and the March, Radans, Torans, and refugee Falkans war with their religious rivals to the south and east, and the invading hordes to the north and west. It seems only the strength of the Orthodox Church, which is based in the ancient city of Tor, has kept these people from being swept away into history.

The outer edges of the West are the home to two widely different cultural spheres. In the northwest, the fractious clans of Sarls make up what is known as Sarl country. Dominated by the Latagal, Samagal, and the Selegal tribes, these people live in a manner not dissimilar from that of the Valadarins before they adopted the Orthodox faith.

In the south and southeast lies the Most Holy Empire of the Prophet and its lesser cousin the Kesis of Bravich. Here Bravs, Malins, and Rankians serve the will of the Prophet in a country that varies in climate from scorching desert in the south to humid subtropical climate in the northeast. The people of the Amdati faith, as they call themselves, appear to be on the rise, having successfully maintained control of the Holy City.

The Karthians

An amalgam of three distinct cultures coming together, the Karthian people are unique in the West. The Rankians, claiming to be the first people to settle in the West after the great Apocalypse of Imrak, built and destroyed kingdoms for centuries. Eventually they fell to the might of the nomadic Malins, who rose up out of the deep desert to build the Sharizaran Empire, which vied for centuries with the Vors for dominance in the West. Finally, not long after the dawn of the Common Era, the Bravs invaded from the Unknowable East, conquering and intermingling with both great cultures.

In general, Karthians are tall with dusky skin and thin limbed. Their hair color tends to be jet back, with the style different by each caste. Slaves shave their head, priests wear it long, warriors braid their hair, and peasants and freemen wear it short. This hair-style pattern is followed by both men and women and both sexes often use scented oils in their hair.

The mixing of three vastly different cultures has led to the growth of a unique society in the West. A highly structured caste system has evolved, first with the warrior at the top of the structure, and later, as the Amdati faith swept over the people, the priest took the pinnacle. This further evolved into a tripod of groups sharing power, standing on top of the backs of freemen and peasants.

Karthian society is segmented both by ethnic group and social standing. Traditionally, the Malins occupy the priestly class, the Bravs fill the ranks of the warrior clans, outsiders fill the ranks of the slave-soldiers, and the Rankians, along with the poorer Bravs and Malins, make up the backbone of Karthian society by filling the roles of freemen and peasants.

At the top of the social pyramid is the Kale Kesis, the lineal descendent of the Prophet, Amdati al-Badiya, though the line no longer can claim direct paternal links. He is at once the secular ruler of the Empire and the spiritual overseer. In this way, even though Bravich is its own country, the Empire still maintains nominal authority through the church.

Just below the Kale Kesis sits the Zar and the Yusek. The Zar is the head of the warrior clans, elected to treat with the Kale Kesis and Yusek, oversee their interests, and lead them in times of war. The Yusek is the head of the slave soldier army that guards the priestly class. Throughout imperial history, these positions have gained or lost power and at times have ruled through weak Kale Kesis.

At the next level of society sits the Kesis and Sekbanba A’as. The Sekbanba A’as command all the clans within their region, which is roughly analogous to the region the Kesis oversees. The Kesis is the supreme secular and religious authority of a province, working with and against the locak Sekbanba A’as depending upon the circumstances.

Beneath the Kesis and Sekbanba A’as sits the rest of the warrior clan members and priestly hierarchy. Each is stratified to fill religious, secular, and military roles. The vast majority of the two castes reside at this level. While technically not at this level, the slave soldiers also fill this rung on the societal hierarchy, holding lesser or greater power depending upon the province.

The Freemen, made up predominantly of Rankians, are the economic engine of Karthian society. Those that did not join the diaspora at the dawn of the Sharizaran Empire settled into a comfortable place in society working the needed trades, selling goods, and providing taboo services like banking. Their position in society is tenuous as they are considered outsiders for their refusal to leave their ancient, secretive religion. However, they fill a much needed niche, and while there are at times pogroms against them, they are on the whole much safer in Karthian society than outside of it.

At the bottom of the social ladder stand the peasants who, while powerless, hold the entire structure together. On the whole, they are poor, ill educated, and beholden to whoever owns their service, they are little better than slaves. They work the land, fish the seas and rivers, or tend livestock with little chance of ever bettering their station or the lot of their family without benevolent action taken by their betters.

The Narrlachi

Out of the Unknowable East the Narrlachi have always raided the West. For centuries, the land they claimed as their own in the West was simply the Keszi Pass and the Thule Plains. It was not until the tribes were united by the Great Khan and forged into a mighty army did they accomplish their great feat of dominating the central plain, conquering Toloskan and Falkia.

The core of Narrlachi society is the clan, a unit based upon a patriarchy. The clans are grouped together into greater ethnic groups, the three great tribes of the West, the Ashtars, the Griktars, and the Narrltars. Members of each clan are not allowed to intermarry, forcing young men to choose brides from other clans.

In their clans, polygamy is normal, though the first wife is always the most important. The ban on inter-clan marriage is such that it requires a large population of women, which has fosted the practice of bride abduction. This has been the source of more than one blood feud, but the advent of the Great Khanate, such wars have been quashed by the Khan’s retainers.

A short people in general, most favor a light brown skin tone. Their hair color tends to be jet back or deep brown, worn long by the women and either close cropped or completely shaved by the men. The men wear thick mustaches and only the oldest wear beards. They, like many tribal cultures, tattoo their bodies to commemorate different events in their lives.

The Narrlachi tribes have a social structure centered on self-governing patriarchal clans. Each clan is bound to a greater tribal leader, the Subo-Khan. The Subo-Khan is in turn bound to the Khan. Each of these ties is a bond of either blood or shared battle experiences.

Narrlachi society is unique in that is has adapted itself to accommodate the people it has conquered. Instead of simply regulating those who are not Narrlachi to the role of slaves or outsiders, the Narrlachi embrace them, placing them within their social hierarchy.

The khanates are also a place in which there is significant social mobility. Those who seek to better themselves are both rewarded and encouraged to achieve. Those who show skill and ambition often rise rapidly, much like the Great Khan, who was once a slave.

At the top of the Narrlachi social ladder is the royal family of the Great Khan. They hold the power of life and death over their subjects, but only as far as their laws allow. Unlike other societies, the law is separate from the ruling class and all people are its subjects.

Beneath the royal family sits the Noyars, a kind of nobility. They are made up of the clan chiefs and military leaders of the Great Khan’s army. Noyars are elected for life to their position by all of the men of majority age in their respective clan. Most are professional soldiers that have earned their rank in battle, but at times great scholars or strategists have found themselves raised to this position.

The Bahadurs are the next level on the social ladder and is held either by great warriors, men of great trade skill, or great education. Some act as advisors to the Noyars, some are wealthy ranchers, and some as commanders in the khan’s army.

The clergy are afforded a special place in Narrlachi society regardless of their faith. Among the Narrlachi, all holy men are regarded with respect, are protected and encouraged in their actions so long as they do not work against the khans. It is this reason that both the Orthodox Church and Amdati Church have sent missionaries into the Great Khanate.

Narrlachi peasants are similar in nature to the peasants found in Valadarin society, free of bondage to the land or a lord. Unlike Valadarin peasants, farming is the exception and the rule is horses and cattle. They are expected to know how to fight with spears and bows from horseback, as all men of majority age join the military in times of war.

The Norderins

The Norderins originated in the frigid north, but whole tribes have since raided, conquered, and settled throughout the West. The northern Riges of Isoli and Navaren are dominated by the Navari and Isoli tribes, the Isle of Drengot, once a Tarathan stronghold, is now the Rige of Omeron, and the Eskari have conquered all the petty states in the Alhab region.

Like other tribal peoples, their society is built on a warrior-based aristocracy. The key difference is that gender is not a factor in defining this class of people. Such a structure fosters independence, which has made the creation and maintenance of a central authority very difficult. All Noderin nobles see themselves as equals or better than any other.

The Noderins were once famous for their blonde, nearly white hair. After centuries of colonizing other lands this is no longer true, though it is believed that children born with blonde-white hair are bound for greatness. All hair and skin colors are possible because of the mingling of the Noderins and those they conquer. The one constant is that all warriors still wear their hair long in a single braid that is only cut as the result of a defeat in battle.

Noderin society is somewhat unique in the West as it is split into three social groups. The three groups are broken into those who fight, those who work, and those who serve. These three social groups have not changed for a thousand years.

It is the only society to be without a distinct religious social class. This is mostly because of the lack of a historical organized religion. Holy men of all kinds within Noderin society are members of the social class in which they were born. Individuals are not prohibited from moving up or down, but it is frowned upon when one of "those who serve" is freed.

In the Norderin religion, the only way to reach the Halls of the Gods was to die in battle, which led to the creation of a noble class made up entirely of professional soldiers. The constant fighting between the noble clans is vicious and no Noderin noble is without a set of enemies.

There is very little stratification among Noderin nobles, with the Konge at the top, the Hertug just below, and Jarls ruling the innumerable clans that dominate society. The Konge typically is the most powerful member of the most powerful clan. He is often supported by the Hertug, who typically, though not always, is a relation of the Konge. The quarrelsome Jarls are as varied as possible, with some masters of large powerful clans and others little better than mayors of small villages.

Those who work sit at the next level in Noderin society and make up its backbone. They are all tied to a clan and are trained to fight, but make their living at a trade or by selling goods or services.

Those who serve, or slaves, populate the bottom rung of Norderin society. Most slaves are captives that have been taken in battle and forced into bondage. Some are of Noderin decent, but most are foreigners or descendents of foreigners. It is considered the gravest insult to force a captured Noderin into bondage. Only those who truly have contempt for their enemies take Noderins as slaves.

The Sarls

The Sarls have a myth that states their ancestors freed humanity from the yoke of the Jotun that once ruled men like drovers rule cattle. It was the Sarl tribes that slew the Jotun and took their land as their home. Eventually, the great moving ice of the north pushed them south into territory ruled by the Noderins, Valdarins and Narrlachi. This territory they conquered is not called Sarl Country.

A fair skinned people, often covered in blue-tinted tattoos, they typically have pale blonde hair. The men favor great beards and long hair, both of which they braid. Sarl women wear their hair in long braids until they take a husband, after which, they wear it loose and closer cut. Striking green eyes are common, with blue or gray eyes said to be the sign of the favor of the gods.

The Sarls are a tribal people who’s culture centers on war as a form of worship. Their gods are dark and malevolent, demanding warfare as worship. It is for this reason that Sarls constantly raid the lands of the Norderin. Narrlachi, and Valadarin peoples. When raiding outsiders proves too difficult, they often turn on rival clans for worship.

The Sarls are a tight knit tribal culture centered on large extended families that often live within the same house. Bound to other families by blood, they form clans that range in size from dozens of members to thousands occupying a town. Each clan then has ties to other regional clans, forming one of the three tribes, the Latagals, the Samagals and the Selegals.

Each tribe of Sarls is headed by an Orus Vadas. He is the most powerful warlord of all the clans of the tribe, winning his position by his success in great battles. His position is only maintained by success, which leads to periods of stability alternating with periods of great instability as many clan leaders fight for the position.

The clans are ruled by a Vadas who earned his position in single combat against the previous Vadas. There are very few old Vadas in Sarl Country, and the few that do still rule their clan are the most dangerous warriors alive.

Outside of the Vadas and Orus Vadas, there is very little hierarchy within Sarl society. Everyone fights. Man and woman, smith and farmer all are expected to worship their gods and are equal in their eyes.

The Valadarins

The Valadarins originated in the far eastern plains beyond the Keszi Pass, but since have migrated and settled throughout the northern and central regions of Evrupa. The last major migration of Valadarins occurred late in the second century when the Daskans settled in what is now Oldaska.

Regardless of ethnic group, Valadarins typically have red-blonde hair, though deep brown and black are common among Toloskans and Jenks. The men wear their hair long and grow beards or long mustaches. In Oldaska, they still maintain the ancient practice of braiding their hair before combat. Their complexion is light brown among the Toloskans and Jenks, while the Tarathans and Daskans are medium to fair with blue eyes being common.

The Valadarin nations of Taratha, Oldaska, Jenka, and lost Toloska and Zerem evolved from the system of self-ruling localized clans that where in place when they migrated to the West. This decentralized structure did not create a framework for a system of vassalage with a channel for the exercise of central authority found in Karthian and Vorish nations. Instead it gave rise to the current system of strong, independent magnates called Pans, who have nearly equal standing with the Koronn (King).

Valaradin societies are unique among all others in the West as they have a large noble class. Of the entire population of Valadarin people, nearly twenty percent are from distinguished families, opposed to the more common five percent found among other societies. It is also possible for commoners to improve their station. Men can be declared members of the gentry after distinguishing themselves on the field of battle, though there are other methods of gaining distinction.

In the Valadarin social structure the highest estate is that of the gentry, which has several levels. At the top are the Pans, who are the true power in society. They command vast estates, control thousands of peasants through their rent, field their own small armies, and govern collectively as the Sejm, a parliamentary body.

Legally they are obligated to perform military service for the Koronn, to support his court financially, submit to his tribunals, and follow his edicts. The reality is that the consistency of their adherence to their legal obligations depends entirely on the strength of the Koronn and his control of the Sejm.

The Koronn is a predominantly hereditary position of authority in a Valadarin nation. At times of crisis when Koronns die without heirs the Sejm in consultation with the bishops and archbishops of the Orthodox Church, meets to elect a new Koronn. Because of this and the fact that there is no extensive system of fealty, he must rely upon either the good graces of the Pans, or his own wealth, skill, and strength of personality.

The lesser gentry are broken into two groups, the landed and the landless. The landed gentry are families with proud names and small estates. They are often tied to one of the greater families. The landless gentry are generally men of ancient lineage without estates, surviving as courtiers and soldiers. They are often used by the Koronn to fill the various administrative and military positions of authority needed to run the state.

The clergy in Valadarin nations are often younger sons from noble families. They are the keepers and dispensers of knowledge, spirituality, as well as temporal power. They are the state within the state, influencing all levels of society. It only fails to dominate because of the fractious nature of the church. Some are loyal to the Patriarch in Tor, some to their families, and some to whoever offers the best bribe.

Valadarin freemen are split between merchants, craftsmen, and minor landholders. Merchants are effectively nobles without ancient names or respect. Well educated, and often wealthier than most members of the gentry, they are blocked from changing their station because of the nature of their work. It is this reason they often marry their children into noble houses to gain both distinction and to maintain their wealth.

Craftsmen are most often found in the towns of Valadarin nations and make up the second largest segment of the population. Organized into guilds that both self-regulate and collectively negotiate with the Sejm and Koronn, they have a near stranglehold on some markets.

Minor landholders are only found in rural regions. They, or one of their ancestors gained their independent status either through clever service to the gentry or by some great act of courage. However, their prosperity rests on a knife’s edge. Rarely able to produce any form of true profit, even the smallest mishap can send them spiraling into poverty.

The lowest rung of the Valadarin social ladder is also the largest. Working the land for the gentry, the peasants maintain more independence than peasants in other societies. They are not tied to the land or the gentry and are free and able to rise above their current station should the opportunity arise. Many distinguished families were founded by hard working and enterprising peasants.

The Vors

The Vors claim to be the first men to have settled in the West. They built the great city-states of Santader, Alabrada, and Carbella whose culture, science and medicine shaped the West for a thousand years. Later, these city-states would merge to form the Vorian Empire, the great rival of the Sharizaran Empire. Their struggle with one another would become the defining character of the two hundred years prior to the dawning of the Common Era.

The Vors of today look much as their ancestors did. Their skin ranges from deep to light olive in tone. Their hair tends to be darker, particularly in regions abutting traditionally Karthian territories, but blonde and light brown are not uncommon. The men wear their hair short, often with a goatee or mustache, always waxed. Women wear their hair long, but pulled up to reveal their shapely necks.

The Vorian Empire, the last Vorish nation has a social hierarchy that has not changed much for almost a thousand years. Rigid in its structure, the imperial hierarchy was reflected in the now destroyed Falkia, Kav, Novia and Talljo. To those who possess little, Vorish society is harsh. To those who have wealthy, and more importantly a name of distinction, the society is wonderful. It is all but impossible to move up the social ladder.

At the pinnacle of Vorish society is the Duque Primero. He wields ultimate power over the empire, sitting at the head of a vast imperial bureaucracy that is strongly tied to the Orthodox Church. He commands both vast personal wealth, as well as the fealty of the powerful Duques, who sit at the second rung on the Vorish social ladder.

The Duques rule over the ten military districts that divide the empire. In the time before the Common Era, these were appointed positions made by the Duque Primero to his most trusted associates. In the Common Era they are now hereditary holdings that in most cases have stayed with the same family for hundreds of years. While they hold these lands in fealty to the Duque Primero, they often dictate policy because of the power they hold.

Beneath the Duques on the social ladder sit the Comjeros. They are a diverse part of the gentry, with some having small estates and little influence, while others are nearly as powerful as the Duques they hold fealty to.

The Praefectos and Praefecto Primeros make up the lowest rung of the Vorish gentry. Praefecto Primeros command small land holdings, some no bigger than a manor home and a village. Praefectos can hold land, but most take positions in the households of greater nobles or in the imperial bureaucracy.

The clergy in Vorish society spans the entire spectrum of society and is so intertwined with it that it is difficult to say they hold a place in the social hierarchy at all. The Orthodox Church holds a special place in Vorish society, and in many ways is society. The priesthood’s position molds the worldview of each level, from the lowest peasant to the Duque Primero, who takes his advice from the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church.

At the next level of Vorish society sits the freemen. Freemen are the few commoners that have won their freedom from a life of servitude. They have either gained it through service to a benevolent member of the gentry or have taken it by force, living their life as an outlaw. Those who have earned their freedom become merchants, craftsmen

Peasants occupy the lowest and most populous rung in Vorish society. Generally they are hereditarily attached to the manor of a noble in a state of semi-bondage. Their lives are little different to that of slaves. The only difference is that they hold a body of rights held sacred under imperial law. Within those confines, they have the same rights as the most powerful member of the gentry or clergy.