Sjánans
Hritt: Sjánpá /ʃaunphau/
Nartasic: Sánam /sauːnam/
The Sjánans1 are the inhabitants of Sjáná in the northern Sjorg Desert of southeastern Dragonía, and one of the region's most powerful groups of Krekkúxes, Gobíls who have ruled most of the desert since the fall of the Órax Empire. Most of the population is concentrated on the southern shore of the lake Hegal, while the northern part is ruled by the city-state of Pattra.
Unlike the Pattrans, who managed to resist the Óraxes for millennia, the sjánans are descendants of slaves who only managed to keep some of their traditions alive in secret, and thus their culture is a mixture of these fragments of native folklore and beliefs, certain Órax and Pattran customs as well as entirely new ideas developed over the last few centuries, similarly to most other Krekkúxan groups.
The Sjánans1 are the inhabitants of Sjáná in the northern Sjorg Desert of southeastern Dragonía, and one of the region's most powerful groups of Krekkúxes, Gobíls who have ruled most of the desert since the fall of the Órax Empire. Most of the population is concentrated on the southern shore of the lake Hegal, while the northern part is ruled by the city-state of Pattra.
Unlike the Pattrans, who managed to resist the Óraxes for millennia, the sjánans are descendants of slaves who only managed to keep some of their traditions alive in secret, and thus their culture is a mixture of these fragments of native folklore and beliefs, certain Órax and Pattran customs as well as entirely new ideas developed over the last few centuries, similarly to most other Krekkúxan groups.
Language
Their language, hritt, belongs to the northern branch of Krekólic, and is now used widely enough by different Krekkúxan merchants and travelers to be considered a lingua franca of the Sjorg Desert, written using a simplified Pattran alphabet.Religion
Sjánan religion is centered around the worship of certain animals native to the desert, each of which is associated with a particular virtue and often deity. The most notable ones are Akrag Birds (aggark) which symbolizes fertility and the earth god, and Glar Lions (tará), which are sometimes raised by rulers or shamans to hunt antelopes, and given a warrior's funeral upon death. Níróg Beetles (girx) represent bravery, vigour and the goddess of war, whom sjánans honour through special wrestling known as girxnat, where competitors wear cloaks and use techniques that imitate the animal's coloration and moves.1Original icelandic: Sjánar, singular: Sjáni.
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