Pulva Ark
Geography
The Pulva Ark is a region usually defined as stretching from the mountains, where one of the Shuk Osh's last great tributaries starts, following the Zhohzh Aekaesr to join with the Northernmost of the Mesa's Great Five Waterways. The land along the river is largely made up of two basins, sorrounded by mountain ranges, until the join with the river. At that point, the mountains fade away, giving rise to a highland steppe that continues back up the Shuk Osh. The southern part of the Low Peaks of Zhatar act as the effective Northern and Western border of the Borderlands. Smaller mountain ranges jut out of the Low Peaks and forcing the tributary to bend around it, splitting the region into the two river basins, the mountains known collectively as the Pittou Sarkash Mountains. The mountains to the East, the Tsiuish Gajdh Mountains start as the Low Peaks before becoming their own smaller, distinct ranges, before fading into the Amchu Highlands.
Calling the river that defines the land a tributary does it a disservice, as it is a massive river in its own right. Flowing from the Northern Mountains, most of the major cities in this region lie along its path. In the Northern Bastacur Basin, the great city of Bastacur acts as the heart of the region. Farmlands extend out from it and along the river, but as one gets further out, the more they'll see desolate steppe and highland, before the mountains and hills.
In the south, the Xondibian Basin acts as the main entry point from the Empire of Laran. The Xondibian Basin is much less fertile than the Bastacur Basin, suspected to be due to its distance from the Rotbringer's Cathedral. The Old River becomes much more similar to the canyon rivers found throughout the rest of the Mesa, where in the Bastacur Basin it is much more comparable to the Baeaa in the Desert of the Saviour.
Calling the river that defines the land a tributary does it a disservice, as it is a massive river in its own right. Flowing from the Northern Mountains, most of the major cities in this region lie along its path. In the Northern Bastacur Basin, the great city of Bastacur acts as the heart of the region. Farmlands extend out from it and along the river, but as one gets further out, the more they'll see desolate steppe and highland, before the mountains and hills.
In the south, the Xondibian Basin acts as the main entry point from the Empire of Laran. The Xondibian Basin is much less fertile than the Bastacur Basin, suspected to be due to its distance from the Rotbringer's Cathedral. The Old River becomes much more similar to the canyon rivers found throughout the rest of the Mesa, where in the Bastacur Basin it is much more comparable to the Baeaa in the Desert of the Saviour.
Ecosystem
The ecosystem and climate of the Pulva Ark are not friendly to most. Both of the Basins are relatively dry environments, at times resembling desert and steppe more than fertile river valleys. Outside of the organized agriculture, most of the plantlife is dedicated to being drought resistance. The Southern Bastacur Basin has a large pine forest, with poplar and willow trees becoming more prevalent the further north one goes. In the Xondibian Basin, large plant life is even more sparse, with grass and shrubs as the most common form of flora.
The primary predators of this area are Jackals and Wild Dogs, as it is with the rest of the Dead Ones Mesa. Large birds of prey such as the Asinmi Great Hawk roam the skies but tend to stick to the mountains unless tempted by a large flock of Asinmi Great Ram. The ecosystem in the Bastacur Basin is largely what would be expected in a fertile steppe and desert environment.
The Xondibian Basin is far more similar to the rest of the Mesa. While the northern end near where the river curves around the Pittou Sarkash Mountains is stil fertile fields, extending downward to a third of the basin. Following the end of that is a slow transition into the red cliffs of the Mesa, before the southern third is made up entirely of Mesa top, the east becoming the Amchu Highlands, with ecosystems and climates to match.
Little is known about any of the mountain ranges, as Larani scientsits and record keepers are rarely allowed access to local information sources, and those that try to find more themselves usually wind up dying in the wilderness.
The primary predators of this area are Jackals and Wild Dogs, as it is with the rest of the Dead Ones Mesa. Large birds of prey such as the Asinmi Great Hawk roam the skies but tend to stick to the mountains unless tempted by a large flock of Asinmi Great Ram. The ecosystem in the Bastacur Basin is largely what would be expected in a fertile steppe and desert environment.
The Xondibian Basin is far more similar to the rest of the Mesa. While the northern end near where the river curves around the Pittou Sarkash Mountains is stil fertile fields, extending downward to a third of the basin. Following the end of that is a slow transition into the red cliffs of the Mesa, before the southern third is made up entirely of Mesa top, the east becoming the Amchu Highlands, with ecosystems and climates to match.
Little is known about any of the mountain ranges, as Larani scientsits and record keepers are rarely allowed access to local information sources, and those that try to find more themselves usually wind up dying in the wilderness.
Natural Resources
The Bastacur Basin is notable as a food production center, with many of its products supplying the entire Mesa. In addition, the deserts in the west are litered with old tombs, Lati and otherwise, attracting many artefact hunters and the related guilds that follow. The herds of Asinmi Great Ram are also a major boon, as their wool is reknowned among those who deal with rare ingrediants for its insulatory and waterproof qualities, especially for its weight.
The Xondibian Basin is more sparse in terms of organic resources. The herds of Ram, guided by the nomadic Xondibian, Koze, and Asinmi Pruu do exist, but not in numbers comparable to the Bastacur Basin and certainly not the Amchu Highlands. The area is also much less fertile than its Northern brother. As such, most of the value in the Xondibian Basin comes from the mining operations that take place along the fringes of the basin, near the joins with the mountains. Large deposits of everything from Iron to Copper to Gold to Silver to Platinum have been found there, making it an extremely exploitable land.
The Mountains all put the Xondibian basin to shame in terms of prevalence of minerals, however due to the hostile nature of both the land and the locals, the wealth is largely unexploited.
The Amchu Highlands contain little beyond the herds of ram, sheep, and horses. However, those exist in such quantities that many of the tribespeople could be considered wealthy by settled standards.
The Xondibian Basin is more sparse in terms of organic resources. The herds of Ram, guided by the nomadic Xondibian, Koze, and Asinmi Pruu do exist, but not in numbers comparable to the Bastacur Basin and certainly not the Amchu Highlands. The area is also much less fertile than its Northern brother. As such, most of the value in the Xondibian Basin comes from the mining operations that take place along the fringes of the basin, near the joins with the mountains. Large deposits of everything from Iron to Copper to Gold to Silver to Platinum have been found there, making it an extremely exploitable land.
The Mountains all put the Xondibian basin to shame in terms of prevalence of minerals, however due to the hostile nature of both the land and the locals, the wealth is largely unexploited.
The Amchu Highlands contain little beyond the herds of ram, sheep, and horses. However, those exist in such quantities that many of the tribespeople could be considered wealthy by settled standards.
History
The area now known as the Pulva Ark, the home of the Asinmi Pruu, chosen by their old gods, used to be inhabited primarily by the Xondibian. They lived tribally on the land, raiding the Larani in the South until a reprisal pushed them out. This happened shortly after the oldest records to be found were written, suggesting a population migration into the area alongside attempts to push the Xondibian out. The attempts would be successful, as the Xondibian are now primarily found in the Amchu Highlands north of the Shuk Osh.
Whoever the new inhabits were, their current whereabouts are unknown, as no similar langauges have been located anywhere in the Mesa. All that is known is that their peak coincided with the construction of the Rotbringer's Cathedral in what is now Bastacur. Current scholars beleive the tribe that inhabited the Pulva Ark at this time were followers of the Blighted Star, and it was their magics that caused the Bastacur Basin to become so fertile. At some point, internal strife caused an exodus, with the tribe of the Blighted Star abandoning the region. In from the Sotteran came the Asinmi Pruu, who found a fertile, largely uninhabited region and called it home.
Some remnant of the old tribe may exist in the mountains, but the Pulva Ark has been the Asinmi Pruu homeland since before the time of Bia. In the time since, tribes of ethnic groups such as the Koze, Dituu Ulush Murk, and Larani. Specifically, the Qoklash Osh variety of Larani, hailing from the central Shuk Osh, migrated up the Zhohzh Aekaesr and helped expand Bastacur.
The arrival of a major Larani presence meant the Pulva Ark was dragged into the Lati's Empire and thus their politics. Currently, the Pulva Ark is defined as a constituent kingdom of the Empire of Laran, with the title Olash of the Pulva Ark having been tied into the larger realm of Ash Muuk Khantse since the 500s YS.
As of the end of the Long War, the region is ruled directly by the appointed Baewu Sa, a Qoklash Osh Larani. A small Qoklash Osh Imperialis minority exists, largely in Bastacur and some of the villages sorrounding it. Larani presence is not restricted to just that, as communities of Qoklash Osh who pray to the Cult of Ninazu, commonly known as the Blood Cult, are commonplace. While still a minority, they at least double the numbers of the Imperialis Larani. The Blood Cult Larani are found most commonly in the Pittou Sarkash Mountains, the Bastacur Basin, the Tsiuish Gajdh Mountains, and in the city fo Bastacor itself, in equal numbers with the Imperialis there. The Asinmi Pruu outnumber all other ethnic and religious groups, standing at about 45-50% of the population, near universally following the Blood Cult or a local Lati cult pantheon, usually a mix of both. They can be found all over the region, into the Sotteran that connects to Bastacor. The other groups of the region, the Xondibian, Koze, and the Dituu Ulush Murk are about 10-15% of the population each, inhabitting the entire region in small sparse numbers. The Xondibian are most concentrated in the Amchu Highlands, while the latter two nomadic groups also have ancestral lands extending into the Sotteran at various points.
Whoever the new inhabits were, their current whereabouts are unknown, as no similar langauges have been located anywhere in the Mesa. All that is known is that their peak coincided with the construction of the Rotbringer's Cathedral in what is now Bastacur. Current scholars beleive the tribe that inhabited the Pulva Ark at this time were followers of the Blighted Star, and it was their magics that caused the Bastacur Basin to become so fertile. At some point, internal strife caused an exodus, with the tribe of the Blighted Star abandoning the region. In from the Sotteran came the Asinmi Pruu, who found a fertile, largely uninhabited region and called it home.
Some remnant of the old tribe may exist in the mountains, but the Pulva Ark has been the Asinmi Pruu homeland since before the time of Bia. In the time since, tribes of ethnic groups such as the Koze, Dituu Ulush Murk, and Larani. Specifically, the Qoklash Osh variety of Larani, hailing from the central Shuk Osh, migrated up the Zhohzh Aekaesr and helped expand Bastacur.
The arrival of a major Larani presence meant the Pulva Ark was dragged into the Lati's Empire and thus their politics. Currently, the Pulva Ark is defined as a constituent kingdom of the Empire of Laran, with the title Olash of the Pulva Ark having been tied into the larger realm of Ash Muuk Khantse since the 500s YS.
As of the end of the Long War, the region is ruled directly by the appointed Baewu Sa, a Qoklash Osh Larani. A small Qoklash Osh Imperialis minority exists, largely in Bastacur and some of the villages sorrounding it. Larani presence is not restricted to just that, as communities of Qoklash Osh who pray to the Cult of Ninazu, commonly known as the Blood Cult, are commonplace. While still a minority, they at least double the numbers of the Imperialis Larani. The Blood Cult Larani are found most commonly in the Pittou Sarkash Mountains, the Bastacur Basin, the Tsiuish Gajdh Mountains, and in the city fo Bastacor itself, in equal numbers with the Imperialis there. The Asinmi Pruu outnumber all other ethnic and religious groups, standing at about 45-50% of the population, near universally following the Blood Cult or a local Lati cult pantheon, usually a mix of both. They can be found all over the region, into the Sotteran that connects to Bastacor. The other groups of the region, the Xondibian, Koze, and the Dituu Ulush Murk are about 10-15% of the population each, inhabitting the entire region in small sparse numbers. The Xondibian are most concentrated in the Amchu Highlands, while the latter two nomadic groups also have ancestral lands extending into the Sotteran at various points.
Alternative Name(s)
The Borderlands; The Birthplace; Home of the Asinmi Pruu;
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