Nata-Fii
Nata-Fii (from Zean: People of the Swallow) are the pioneer settlers of the Jaba-Dal (Zean: Breathless Marsh) and their descendants.
Nata-Fii come from the pioneers taking part in the Green (Zean: Mara) initiative. Under the leadership of Kasmev the Green, a tribe-unaffiliated chieftain and merchant with extensive network of contacts, the Green ventured to create footholds in the deadly swamp. They began by slowly mapping the border of the marsh during the days and evacuating by night. While not short on supplies thanks to trading the unique fauna and flora specimens found in Jaba-Dal, the progress was arduous. In the year 112 BU, the Green were joined by several dozen Changed, escaping Enevir (Zean: Anti-Change) persecution. With the help of many talented craftsmen, the Green changed their approach to more aggressive, and made first direct attempts to plug the gashes in the earth, from which the toxic vapor emanate. Several treehouses were established, serving as resting places during the night. This is when pockets of safe areas were discovered, hours of travel deep into the marsh. The only thing they had in common were massive trees, covered by nests of what is now called the Fii-Mara (Zean: Green Swallow). Soon after, the Green changed their name and established a new tribe: Nata-Fii.
Nata-Fii started as a nearly perfect cross-section and mixture of Zean characteristics, skewed only towards more Changed than average in a population. They are also the youngest of the three largest tribes. Because of that, pointing out a Nata-Fii in a crowd is not easy. The number of Nata-Fii increases slowly, as not everyone makes the decision to bear a child in the confines of the capital city. There is, however, a constant stream of merchants, travelers and criminals escaping justice knocking on their door. This forced Nata-Fii to devise a screening process applied before allowing entrance into their settlements and joining the community.
Nata Fii currently occupy two cities: the capital, Har-Fii (Zean: Seat of the Swallow), and a new settlement of Southern Post.
Har-Fii is a marvel of architecture and engineering. The city was built and improved upon over a period of 250 years. Three massive stone columns, dozens of meters high and across, hollow and interconnected with bridges, are its center. Buildings and hundreds of swallow nests cling to the stone walls in- and outside. A series of large lifts allows for transportation of people between floors. Plugging the gashes to block the toxic vapor was ultimately unsuccessful. In the best case scenario, the gash started leaking after a period of time, in the worst, accumulated gas burst through the ground in a new and unexpected spot. Because of that, gashes in vicinity of Har-Fii were built upon rather than blocked. High chimneys sprawl from the ground and release the vapor high into the sky. During nights, any vapor that reaches the top of the pillars pours into large reservoirs and harmlessly evaporates by next dusk. The entirety is heavily supported by incorporation of sefia, the largest concentration present in the eternal stone pillars themselves. The walls and vapor chimneys need constant maintenance, done by people known as Chimneysweeps.
The Southern Post is planned to have similar design to Har-Fii, but to use all the current masonry and architectural techniques. Presently, only half of one pillar is erected, but is already a vapor-proofed and allows for majority of the builders and their families to live there without worry.
History
Nata-Fii come from the pioneers taking part in the Green (Zean: Mara) initiative. Under the leadership of Kasmev the Green, a tribe-unaffiliated chieftain and merchant with extensive network of contacts, the Green ventured to create footholds in the deadly swamp. They began by slowly mapping the border of the marsh during the days and evacuating by night. While not short on supplies thanks to trading the unique fauna and flora specimens found in Jaba-Dal, the progress was arduous. In the year 112 BU, the Green were joined by several dozen Changed, escaping Enevir (Zean: Anti-Change) persecution. With the help of many talented craftsmen, the Green changed their approach to more aggressive, and made first direct attempts to plug the gashes in the earth, from which the toxic vapor emanate. Several treehouses were established, serving as resting places during the night. This is when pockets of safe areas were discovered, hours of travel deep into the marsh. The only thing they had in common were massive trees, covered by nests of what is now called the Fii-Mara (Zean: Green Swallow). Soon after, the Green changed their name and established a new tribe: Nata-Fii.
Demographic
Nata-Fii started as a nearly perfect cross-section and mixture of Zean characteristics, skewed only towards more Changed than average in a population. They are also the youngest of the three largest tribes. Because of that, pointing out a Nata-Fii in a crowd is not easy. The number of Nata-Fii increases slowly, as not everyone makes the decision to bear a child in the confines of the capital city. There is, however, a constant stream of merchants, travelers and criminals escaping justice knocking on their door. This forced Nata-Fii to devise a screening process applied before allowing entrance into their settlements and joining the community.
Location
Nata Fii currently occupy two cities: the capital, Har-Fii (Zean: Seat of the Swallow), and a new settlement of Southern Post.
Har-Fii is a marvel of architecture and engineering. The city was built and improved upon over a period of 250 years. Three massive stone columns, dozens of meters high and across, hollow and interconnected with bridges, are its center. Buildings and hundreds of swallow nests cling to the stone walls in- and outside. A series of large lifts allows for transportation of people between floors. Plugging the gashes to block the toxic vapor was ultimately unsuccessful. In the best case scenario, the gash started leaking after a period of time, in the worst, accumulated gas burst through the ground in a new and unexpected spot. Because of that, gashes in vicinity of Har-Fii were built upon rather than blocked. High chimneys sprawl from the ground and release the vapor high into the sky. During nights, any vapor that reaches the top of the pillars pours into large reservoirs and harmlessly evaporates by next dusk. The entirety is heavily supported by incorporation of sefia, the largest concentration present in the eternal stone pillars themselves. The walls and vapor chimneys need constant maintenance, done by people known as Chimneysweeps.
The Southern Post is planned to have similar design to Har-Fii, but to use all the current masonry and architectural techniques. Presently, only half of one pillar is erected, but is already a vapor-proofed and allows for majority of the builders and their families to live there without worry.
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