jc_madden
01-27-2005, 03:46 PM
On the eastern border of the Numari Empire where the Gilatha Steppes end abruptly at the foot of the immutable Hlorand Peaks there lies a city of splendors; "Zethuar, Star of the East." Zethuar marks the end of the long pass through the Hlorand Peaks into Fengshu Province the westernmost fiefdom of the Sho Kingdom. Zethuar is the center of trade for the Numari and embassy to the Sho; it is also the largest of a loose confederation of city-states bound together for protection against the marauding Yeksh horde in the hills to the north.
Zethuar is ruled by a counsel of five Nobles from the merchant houses, members are chosen by election. Among the five there is a delicate balance of power, no law may be passed without a majority vote so three of the five must agree. Back-alley deals, murder, and blackmail are not uncommon in Zethuar though these things are rarely spoken of. The power struggle in Zethuar is a subtle one and a game with high stakes. It takes guile and cunning to make it big in Zethuar. Do you have what it takes to earn fortune, power, and glory; and keep your head?
Nobility
Unlike other cultures Nobility in Zethuar is not merely hereditary per se. Owning land is the only way one becomes a noble, being born into a landed family grants one noble status but that status can be taken away. The reason is thus: If a noble suspects his heir’s plot his demise he simply takes them out of his will, and thus his death become their damnation. Hence brute force becomes the tool of the common man, whereas the Nobility wields the land as it should be.
The Yeksh
The Yeksh are an enigma to most men. They are not completely unlike man but then again very different. The Yeksh have remained as they are now for thousands of years. They are not builders they do not create they only steal. They are fiercely loyal to their own but distrustful of others and highly xenophobic. They raid nearby communities, take what they want and then disappear into the night. They never leave their dead behind. Physically the Yeksh are powerfully built humanoids having sandy brown skin, small black eyes, and a sharp under-bite marked by two enlarged canines; many bear ritual scars as is there custom. Their religion is totemic.
The yeksh dress plainly in robes made of simple fabrics in earthy tones. They seem to shun wearing bright colors of any kind. They often wear a head wrap that often drapes down to be used as a scarf/face covering. In terms of jewelry and armor they wear a peace-meal collection of styles from their spoils of war.
In battle the Yeksh favor hit-and-run tactics to all out assaults, they are very cunning and posses a canny sense for tactics. They are experts at pitting smaller numbers against larger forces and coming out ahead.
The Zeth
The Zeth (as the people of Zethuar are known) are an olive-skinned people, with curly dark hair and largish noses. They favor creature comforts like perfumed oils and eye makeup for both men and women. Culturally they bear the most similarities with early Mesopotamia. They are possessed by a deep sense of honor but only in the external sense, they have many customs and rituals and are easily offended. Their customs and traditions are set down by the Toque; an unwritten code that symbolizes their dignity. The Toque denotes things such as how one bow to their betters and where one stands in the presence of their family. The Zeth have no gods instead they pay homage to their ancestor spirits.
The Zeth typically dress in loose layers that tend to keep them cool in the hot days and warm in the cold nights. The typical garb consists of a one piece cotton or canvas robe fastened with a knotted cord belt and then a darker colored poncho draped over that in cooler months the poncho is made of dyed wool. Their garb makes it easy to conceal things on their person. Though they favor more muted, conservative colors than some cultures they do not bear the same stigma against bright colors as the Yeksh. Zeth holy men wear robes dyed saffron yellow and it is considered taboo for others to do so.
Zethuar arms and armor tend to be simple and functional. Most people carry around a small ornament curved knife for utility purposes. In battle they most often wield curved slashing swords with a single blade along the curved edge. Most foot soldiers wear sparse cured leather pieces that cover the chest, groin, forearms, and shins. More experienced and higher ranking soldiers wear complete suits of laminated leather plates shod with iron. Zethuar cavalry often wear heavy mail fashioned from bronze plates.
The Numari
The Numari Empire itself comprises many different cultures and lands. The Numari people though are steeped in history and tradition. Originally the Numari lands were crowded and poor for farming. This led to a regimented society that needed to expand to seize enough land to feed its growing population. They became known for being Warrior-Philosophers and remain so to this day. Physically they are tall and wiry possessing lean muscular bodies and generally sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes though other variations are not uncommon (through interbreeding). Numari nobility is hereditary unlike the Zeth and cannot have it taken away, Numari Nobles have a predisposition for red hair and grey eyes, and they claim this is from their divine ancestry. If you can imagine a combination of Greek and Norse culture you might have some insight into ways of the Numari. The Numari way of life is all about the moment and the pleasures of life, they prefer to have slaves do most of the labor freeing up their time for more esoteric pursuits. Though polytheistic they worship the gods of War and Love above all others.
The Numari peoples typically wear a tunic that’s color and pattern denote the family that person belongs to, though commoners can only afford single color items. The tunic is affixed at the left shoulder by an ornamental brooch though unofficial its intricacy and value are often used to measure the worth of the individual wearing it. It is considered uncouth to upstage one’s betters by wearing a more extravagant brooch. In the cooler months the people wear tight knitted leggings under their tunics.
The crafting of arms and armor is where the Numari truly excel and it is this craftsmanship in their weapons of war that has allowed them to dominate the entire western side of the continent. Foot soldiers usually bear single headed hatchets or small strait thrusting swords and often employ a shield to great effect with this combination. Longer straight blades are not uncommon with the higher ranks. For protection most wear leather frock that goes down to the knees, the higher the rank of the soldier the more steel plates are affixed to it. Lower ranking soldiers often take to stitching coins or other small metal objects to their frocks. The Numari cavalry (whom are renowned) take to wearing more heavy complete suits of steel armor, usually consisting of interlocking scales across the chest and thighs.
They are master strategists and highly mobile and organized. The Numari have pioneered most of the techniques of war including tight formation fighting, and the used of siege equipment.
The Sho
Only recently discovered by the Numari little is known about the Sho. Some have called them the ghost people because many of the Sho paint their faces white (a tradition among the Numari reserved solely for mourning the dead). They are believed to be a quiet and non-aggressive people eager for trade with the west. Though very hospitable in the trade center of Fengshu no outlanders have been allowed to pass outside of that province’s borders or travel unaccompanied by a Sho. Many of the commodities that are common in Numari lands are rare in the Sho Kingdom like Perfume, Olives, Dates, as well as exotic furs. The Sho in turn trade silver, spices, and silk which are all valued among the Numari. Physically they are tall and lithe possessing elongated fingers and nimble frames they are tan skinned with black hair and eyes. Many of the Sho paint their faces white occasionally with black dots adorning the face (either the cheeks or the forehead). There are many parallels between the Sho and various Asian cultures thought there are several distinct differences both physically and culturally, at this point so little is known about the Sho that it’s anyone’s guess. The Sho revere spirits of the land believing that all things have an essence.
The only Sho ever seen are pilgrims, monks, and merchants. They all seem to favor cotton or silk gowns that nearly touch the ground that are often very ornate in pattern and rich in color. These gowns often time have low collars that button under the chin. A modest people it seems they prefer to keep most of their bodies covered. Occasionally a glimpse of what is presumed to be a Sho soldier is glimpsed guarding and important Sho merchant, the bulk of some sort of armor can be seen underneath the typical flowing robes, and a blade hangs from the hip. Long, thin, and curved slightly at the tip the elegant swords of the Sho bear a sharp point and a single blade along the curved edge with a groove running down the length of the weapon on either side opposite the edge.
Sorcery in Zethuar
The secrets of sorcery are highly guarded in the Numari Empire and rightly so, in the wrong hands a miss cast spell can be fatal. In order to safeguard the secrets of sorcery and maintain a balance of power the art of sorcery is broken into categories known as Traditions. Among the Numari there are four Imperial Traditions; that of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. The following Incantations are known to all of the four Traditions; Blue-Blooded Heart, Cat’s Eye, Eldritch Shield, Firewalker, Mage Light, Spirit Servant, The Sense, Valor, & Wisdom of the Ancients. Each tradition also knows all Incantations of its Element. A sorcerer may of course attempt to learn and cast any incantation however there a few drawbacks. First Sorcery leaves a mark on all who use it visible by using “The Sense” each Tradition has its own mark and thus each member of the Tradition is clearly identifiable to the other. If a sorcerer should be discovered bearing the mark of another Tradition he must submit to “The Censure.” Failure to submit is punishable by death. The Censure is the complete and utter removal of the Sorcerer’s powers. It takes the High One of a Tradition to enact this punishment and it is irreversible. Only the High One of each Tradition is taught this powerful and complicated Incantation. The second problem is that no one in their right mind would ever teach someone not of their tradition an incantation thus all incantations not of the sorcerer’s Tradition must be Abstracted. Casting an Abstraction is dangerous and illegal in Numari and Zethuar, punishable by the removal of a hand.
There is another Tradition among the Numari though it is never spoken of and is very illegal; The “Dark Way”. Any incantation that manipulates the mind of another controlling them or causing fear is considered vile and despicable. (Using the “Dark Way” also creates a Mark though the nature of the “Dark Way” is secretive thus it is more difficult to use The Sense to spot the Mark of the “Dark Way”) Punishment for using the “Dark Way” or bearing it’s mark is always death.
The Yeksh are known for their animalistic magic’s possessing powers granting them the strengths of their animal totems (many Element: Anima incantations) though not much else is known of their shamans or their ways. Totemic magic does not come with the Mark as the Traditions do so conceivably one could safely learn (if they could distill it without getting caught) those Incantations though it isn’t likely that a Yeksh shaman would ever teach an outsider such things.
Absolutely nothing is known of the magic of the Sho or if they posses any.
Zethuar is ruled by a counsel of five Nobles from the merchant houses, members are chosen by election. Among the five there is a delicate balance of power, no law may be passed without a majority vote so three of the five must agree. Back-alley deals, murder, and blackmail are not uncommon in Zethuar though these things are rarely spoken of. The power struggle in Zethuar is a subtle one and a game with high stakes. It takes guile and cunning to make it big in Zethuar. Do you have what it takes to earn fortune, power, and glory; and keep your head?
Nobility
Unlike other cultures Nobility in Zethuar is not merely hereditary per se. Owning land is the only way one becomes a noble, being born into a landed family grants one noble status but that status can be taken away. The reason is thus: If a noble suspects his heir’s plot his demise he simply takes them out of his will, and thus his death become their damnation. Hence brute force becomes the tool of the common man, whereas the Nobility wields the land as it should be.
The Yeksh
The Yeksh are an enigma to most men. They are not completely unlike man but then again very different. The Yeksh have remained as they are now for thousands of years. They are not builders they do not create they only steal. They are fiercely loyal to their own but distrustful of others and highly xenophobic. They raid nearby communities, take what they want and then disappear into the night. They never leave their dead behind. Physically the Yeksh are powerfully built humanoids having sandy brown skin, small black eyes, and a sharp under-bite marked by two enlarged canines; many bear ritual scars as is there custom. Their religion is totemic.
The yeksh dress plainly in robes made of simple fabrics in earthy tones. They seem to shun wearing bright colors of any kind. They often wear a head wrap that often drapes down to be used as a scarf/face covering. In terms of jewelry and armor they wear a peace-meal collection of styles from their spoils of war.
In battle the Yeksh favor hit-and-run tactics to all out assaults, they are very cunning and posses a canny sense for tactics. They are experts at pitting smaller numbers against larger forces and coming out ahead.
The Zeth
The Zeth (as the people of Zethuar are known) are an olive-skinned people, with curly dark hair and largish noses. They favor creature comforts like perfumed oils and eye makeup for both men and women. Culturally they bear the most similarities with early Mesopotamia. They are possessed by a deep sense of honor but only in the external sense, they have many customs and rituals and are easily offended. Their customs and traditions are set down by the Toque; an unwritten code that symbolizes their dignity. The Toque denotes things such as how one bow to their betters and where one stands in the presence of their family. The Zeth have no gods instead they pay homage to their ancestor spirits.
The Zeth typically dress in loose layers that tend to keep them cool in the hot days and warm in the cold nights. The typical garb consists of a one piece cotton or canvas robe fastened with a knotted cord belt and then a darker colored poncho draped over that in cooler months the poncho is made of dyed wool. Their garb makes it easy to conceal things on their person. Though they favor more muted, conservative colors than some cultures they do not bear the same stigma against bright colors as the Yeksh. Zeth holy men wear robes dyed saffron yellow and it is considered taboo for others to do so.
Zethuar arms and armor tend to be simple and functional. Most people carry around a small ornament curved knife for utility purposes. In battle they most often wield curved slashing swords with a single blade along the curved edge. Most foot soldiers wear sparse cured leather pieces that cover the chest, groin, forearms, and shins. More experienced and higher ranking soldiers wear complete suits of laminated leather plates shod with iron. Zethuar cavalry often wear heavy mail fashioned from bronze plates.
The Numari
The Numari Empire itself comprises many different cultures and lands. The Numari people though are steeped in history and tradition. Originally the Numari lands were crowded and poor for farming. This led to a regimented society that needed to expand to seize enough land to feed its growing population. They became known for being Warrior-Philosophers and remain so to this day. Physically they are tall and wiry possessing lean muscular bodies and generally sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes though other variations are not uncommon (through interbreeding). Numari nobility is hereditary unlike the Zeth and cannot have it taken away, Numari Nobles have a predisposition for red hair and grey eyes, and they claim this is from their divine ancestry. If you can imagine a combination of Greek and Norse culture you might have some insight into ways of the Numari. The Numari way of life is all about the moment and the pleasures of life, they prefer to have slaves do most of the labor freeing up their time for more esoteric pursuits. Though polytheistic they worship the gods of War and Love above all others.
The Numari peoples typically wear a tunic that’s color and pattern denote the family that person belongs to, though commoners can only afford single color items. The tunic is affixed at the left shoulder by an ornamental brooch though unofficial its intricacy and value are often used to measure the worth of the individual wearing it. It is considered uncouth to upstage one’s betters by wearing a more extravagant brooch. In the cooler months the people wear tight knitted leggings under their tunics.
The crafting of arms and armor is where the Numari truly excel and it is this craftsmanship in their weapons of war that has allowed them to dominate the entire western side of the continent. Foot soldiers usually bear single headed hatchets or small strait thrusting swords and often employ a shield to great effect with this combination. Longer straight blades are not uncommon with the higher ranks. For protection most wear leather frock that goes down to the knees, the higher the rank of the soldier the more steel plates are affixed to it. Lower ranking soldiers often take to stitching coins or other small metal objects to their frocks. The Numari cavalry (whom are renowned) take to wearing more heavy complete suits of steel armor, usually consisting of interlocking scales across the chest and thighs.
They are master strategists and highly mobile and organized. The Numari have pioneered most of the techniques of war including tight formation fighting, and the used of siege equipment.
The Sho
Only recently discovered by the Numari little is known about the Sho. Some have called them the ghost people because many of the Sho paint their faces white (a tradition among the Numari reserved solely for mourning the dead). They are believed to be a quiet and non-aggressive people eager for trade with the west. Though very hospitable in the trade center of Fengshu no outlanders have been allowed to pass outside of that province’s borders or travel unaccompanied by a Sho. Many of the commodities that are common in Numari lands are rare in the Sho Kingdom like Perfume, Olives, Dates, as well as exotic furs. The Sho in turn trade silver, spices, and silk which are all valued among the Numari. Physically they are tall and lithe possessing elongated fingers and nimble frames they are tan skinned with black hair and eyes. Many of the Sho paint their faces white occasionally with black dots adorning the face (either the cheeks or the forehead). There are many parallels between the Sho and various Asian cultures thought there are several distinct differences both physically and culturally, at this point so little is known about the Sho that it’s anyone’s guess. The Sho revere spirits of the land believing that all things have an essence.
The only Sho ever seen are pilgrims, monks, and merchants. They all seem to favor cotton or silk gowns that nearly touch the ground that are often very ornate in pattern and rich in color. These gowns often time have low collars that button under the chin. A modest people it seems they prefer to keep most of their bodies covered. Occasionally a glimpse of what is presumed to be a Sho soldier is glimpsed guarding and important Sho merchant, the bulk of some sort of armor can be seen underneath the typical flowing robes, and a blade hangs from the hip. Long, thin, and curved slightly at the tip the elegant swords of the Sho bear a sharp point and a single blade along the curved edge with a groove running down the length of the weapon on either side opposite the edge.
Sorcery in Zethuar
The secrets of sorcery are highly guarded in the Numari Empire and rightly so, in the wrong hands a miss cast spell can be fatal. In order to safeguard the secrets of sorcery and maintain a balance of power the art of sorcery is broken into categories known as Traditions. Among the Numari there are four Imperial Traditions; that of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. The following Incantations are known to all of the four Traditions; Blue-Blooded Heart, Cat’s Eye, Eldritch Shield, Firewalker, Mage Light, Spirit Servant, The Sense, Valor, & Wisdom of the Ancients. Each tradition also knows all Incantations of its Element. A sorcerer may of course attempt to learn and cast any incantation however there a few drawbacks. First Sorcery leaves a mark on all who use it visible by using “The Sense” each Tradition has its own mark and thus each member of the Tradition is clearly identifiable to the other. If a sorcerer should be discovered bearing the mark of another Tradition he must submit to “The Censure.” Failure to submit is punishable by death. The Censure is the complete and utter removal of the Sorcerer’s powers. It takes the High One of a Tradition to enact this punishment and it is irreversible. Only the High One of each Tradition is taught this powerful and complicated Incantation. The second problem is that no one in their right mind would ever teach someone not of their tradition an incantation thus all incantations not of the sorcerer’s Tradition must be Abstracted. Casting an Abstraction is dangerous and illegal in Numari and Zethuar, punishable by the removal of a hand.
There is another Tradition among the Numari though it is never spoken of and is very illegal; The “Dark Way”. Any incantation that manipulates the mind of another controlling them or causing fear is considered vile and despicable. (Using the “Dark Way” also creates a Mark though the nature of the “Dark Way” is secretive thus it is more difficult to use The Sense to spot the Mark of the “Dark Way”) Punishment for using the “Dark Way” or bearing it’s mark is always death.
The Yeksh are known for their animalistic magic’s possessing powers granting them the strengths of their animal totems (many Element: Anima incantations) though not much else is known of their shamans or their ways. Totemic magic does not come with the Mark as the Traditions do so conceivably one could safely learn (if they could distill it without getting caught) those Incantations though it isn’t likely that a Yeksh shaman would ever teach an outsider such things.
Absolutely nothing is known of the magic of the Sho or if they posses any.