The modern region of
Greater Yenaria is one of political and religious rivalries between nations and cultures stretching back hundreds to thousands of days. The religions of
Gran Saminism and
Barsaminism explain the spirit world in radically different ways. The
Yenari Empire struggles to maintain internal cohesion as revolts and unrest disturb the political hierarchy. The former area of the
United Delfic States has become a series of independent states and the cities are all attempting to remain independent and control their unruly citizens. Finally, the
The Delnari Coalition controls of most of the major trading routes that access the rest of
Didome.
The Greater Yenaria Region has a long and complicated
history. The region is one of the locations where the
The First Descendants alit from their heavenly palaces. Many of the myths and legends of the
The First Descendants are told in the collected religious works of
Barsaminism and
Gran Saminism. Many of the settlements and cultures claim to trace their history back to the
The First Descendants. For example, the holy city of
Nil is located at the base of a 25 km wide crater; the crater was supposedly the site of the first city
Promethus and the was destroyed when the spirit
Herms convinced the demi god
Lok to crash the
Palace of Barsamin into the city. Because of its location
Nil has been a holy site and a destination for pilgrims from across the region for thousands of days.
Recently, the
Yenari Empire led by and great father and advised by the priestesses of
Gran Saminism recently defeated the
United Delfic States ending a hundreds of days long rivalry. The empire then suffered from multiple internal conflicts. First, the tribal
Tern Bas lost their place of prominence as more advanced technology replaced their dominance in the Yenari military. The
Tern Bas revolt led to revocation of their sacred land within the empire an opened it up to colonization by
Yenarian settlers seeking to escape the overcrowded lake and river cities. Second, the Empire has also struggled to maintain control over their newly conquered territory as their territory in the
Fertile Shar follows the older
Barsamic religion and strongly objects to the religious fervor of the
Yenarians.
The former area of the
United Delfic States did not fair better. When the
United Delfic States were defeated by the
Yenari Empire, the empire had to face the revolt of the
Tern Bas in 4438 and thus were not able to retain control of much of the territories of the former
United Delfic States. This caused the whole area to become a very unstable mix of former states and independent cities. The
Nos Delian uprising in 4497 preached of a government run by the common people. The uprising has swept through the city of
Delian and into the surrounding territories. Many of the of former delfic cities and states nervous about this radical new philosophy and actively trying to suppress the ideas in their citizens.
Finally, the third major power in the region is the
The Delnari Coalition . The coalition has controlled many of the trade routes leading out of the region for hundreds of days. Yet the city of
Delnari itself has dominated the regional trade for over a thousand days, either independently or as a subject of one the various ancient nations. While they were sympathetic to the
United Delfic States during its many conflicts with the
Yenari Empire, the coalition mainly looked after its own trading influences. The coalitions success has allowed them to amass an astounding amount of wealth and power.
Economic, Political, and Social Dynamics of the Greater Yenarian Region
The
Tresbort Lakes and the surrounding river system have provided the region with strong river based transportation network connecting the plentiful resources of the region. Over the following thousands of days the people in
Greater Yenarian region have used the rivers and lakes to trade and travel throughout the area. Access to the lakes have brought people together, allowing pilgrimages easy access to the holy city of
Nil. But the lake system has driven people apart; the
War of 200 days was in part about the
United Delfic States attempt to maintain its access to the lake and river trade. Finally, the lakes have allowed the elites of each nation to control the trade on the lakes and benefit from the resources surrounding the lakes; weather it is the mountain sanctuaries of the
Vordenlan royals, or the old senators of the city of
Delfi controlling access to the
Great Portage which allowed ships to bypass the
Den Shar marsh.
While in the past the nations and empires in the region have clashed in large multi day conflicts. Now the nations of
Greater Yenaria dealing with their internal politics. The
Independent Delfic Cities control their small populations with draconian methods while touting the old ideals of self governance the
United Delfic States were based on. The
Yenari Empire is still ruled by theocratic priestesses and the noble fathers of the empire, but many people from the lower classes have left the oppressive cities for the formerly sacred open plains of the
Tern Bas.
The Delnari Coalition maintains their dominance in global trade but has recently had to deal with a rebellion from the
Denites and the
Mar Alliance in the coastal marsh of the
Den Mar.
With the exception of the
Tern fathers of the
Yenari Empire, the power of most nations has been held by a small class of matriarchal women; like the matriarchal trading families of the
The Delnari Coalition , the aristocratic city councils of the
Independent Delfic Cities, or the exclusively female priestesses of
Gran Barsaminism. However, the class based social order is being challenged by various social movements and uprising. For example, many of the elites in the
Greater Yenarian region worry that the populism of the
Nos Delian uprising could spread to their area, or the flight of the lower classes of the
Yenari Empire to the plains of the
Strepslim.
The gender dynamics vary greatly in the different nations of
Greater Yenaria. The
Yenari Empire and
Gran Barsaminism has extremely strict gender roles with only heterosexual relationships permitted, and any other type of sexual interaction is criminalized with the penalties of branding and castration. In contrast, the
Delfians of the
Independent Delfic Cities still consider same sex relationships improper but no one is punished for them. Although the revelation of one still would cause a sandal. Yet the cities still maintain a strict caste based matriarchy where men are lack most of the political power. In opposition to these notions of gender, the
Delnarian and
Vordenese people open encourage same sex and polygamous relationships. The society is based around family units of multiple women in a relationship with a few men, and a large underclass of men who believe the bond of brothers,
Comate, is stronger than any heterosexual relationship. Throughout Yenaria's history, these wide ranging beliefs about gender dynamics has created tension and conflict between nations and cultures.
The
Greater Yenarian region is home to many different cultures, but their are a few common themes among the different cultures and nations. First, the region has a long history of military conflicts. Thus, to differing degrees the nations in the area have developed strong martial cultures. Whether, it is the navel superiority and strong defensive mentalities of the
Independent Delfic Cities developed in the
War of 200 days, or the
Yenari Empire technologically outdated and idealized view of a bulky
Tern Bas warrior astride a giant
Dreck. Second, the
Tresbort Lakes area was the cradle for two of
Didome major religions,
Barsaminism and
Gran Barsaminism. The people in the region are deeply connected to their religion. Finally, the art produced by the artists in the region focuses on these two themes, from the ancient
Vordenlan stone statues commemorating their war hero BLANK BLANK, to the intricate
Delfian porcelain depicting religious
Barsaminic scenes like the
Barsamin's imprisonment by the demi god
Lok.
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