La Tsia
The La Tsia are a tribe from the Southern Horn of Natua who rule over much of the jungles - and savanna (although they traditionally prefer the jungles) - present there, as well as the entirety of the Northern Horn. They are often an isolatory people, not dealing often with outsiders such as those from Tajj Neta, who would just as often trade with them as they would do them harm and take their lands. However, they do enact trade with several of the tribes of the Tanadszomo Mountains, especially in the city of Tentened. They are naturalists, and fierce defenders of the lands they call home; those who have fought them and lived to tell the tale say that it is like fighting the jungles themselves. On a technological scale, most would not consider them particularly advanced, however they seem to have no trouble making war when it is brought to them, either by nations or by rival clans. Of the natural world they speak of its many songs, such as the song of water in a stream, or the song of wind bristling the leaves of trees, and these songs they revere as words from the gods themselves, for they take no gods other than the world they see before them.
Structure
The La Tsia, although their lands are vast and their armies strong, do not number so highly: only some 200,000 across all its reaches, from the Northern Horn at the Bay of Kotok Nas to its southern borders with the many other clans of Lashala. Still seen as one tribe, the La Tsia are led by one River Lord - in their tongue of La Tsia, the Kâ Sia Lan. The Kâ Sia Lan reigns supreme in his tribe, but may assign duties to others as he sees fit, including assigning the rule of entire areas of land to other individuals. There is no formal structure for this, however, and the governmental structure of the La Tsia is largely undefined, with matters of judgment often being settled on the spot, with nothing to say of formalized processes of trial.
Culture
La Tsia culture is very closely tied to the La Tsia homelands. Primarily this involves the jungles of the Southern Horn, although for those who live in the temperate shrublands of the Northern Horn, this is also true. Many cultural ideals cling to the idea of nature reigning supreme over all, and condemn any interference in the natural cycles of nature as a crime. This aspect of their culture can be related to the Tajj Netan ideal of Kainyal, although it is of much higher importance for the La Tsia.
Aside from their near-limitless respect for the natural world, the La Tsia have a rich and deep cultural heritage, which dates back many generations, long before any record-keeping was done in Lashala. It is said that their ancestors were nomads who wandered the jungles freely in small groups, taking only what they needed and seldom leaving more than their footprints behind. This has changed in the modern day as many La Tsia now aspire to make permanent or semi-permanent settlements, although there are some who still go by the old ways. Although communities are generally small within La Tsia territory, they are continually connected to one another by means of messengers and all swear fealty to their River Lord, and will come to his aid when necessary for the protection of their mutual culture.
One should not draw the conclusion that the La Tsia are an innocent or cold-tempered people just because of their appreciation of the beauty of nature. For they also appreciate the cruelty and honesty of nature, and take many lessons from the creatures they share their lands with. From the ants, the La Tsia learned to make slaves of the weak and captured; from the snakes, they learned that subtle poisons are often more effective than obvious fangs; and from the tigers and jaguars, they learned the art of stealth, both in battle and in politics. The La Tsia are a cunning force not to be underestimated, who will live and die fiercely for their values.
History
For many generations, the La Tsia have roamed the jungles and savannas of the Southern Horn of Lashala. In the old days, they were but a small clan, but thanks to the great deeds of the first River Lord, they were able to claim much of the land for themselves and proliferate freely throughout it. In more recent centuries, the lands of the Northern Horn were taken, although they are much less densely populated than the La Tsia lands in the Southern Horn, despite containing more fertile soils and being better positioned for international diplomacy.
Demography and Population
The La Tsia are an ethnically homogenous civilization, hosting only their indigenous. Outsiders would be quickly identified and would be unwelcome in their society. Their total population is in the range of 1.2 million people.
Military
The military of the La Tsia is by design disorganized, with each community within their territory having its own fighting force and method of organizing it. In some ways it is a farce to even consider all of the fighting forces of the La Tsia as one military, although no honorable community would stand by and let another be invaded by any outside force; if it did, it would soon find itself under fire from its neighbors anyway.
The only fighting force which could well and truly be considered a part of the La Tsia military is that of the Kâ Sia Lan's Frog Warriors: an elite group of fighters hand-picked by the River Lord to patrol the lands with him and fight at his side. Frog Warriors get their name from the incredibly effective camouflaged armors that they wear, which make them as impossible to spot as a frog in a bath of mud. Furthermore, they take vicious mounts, such as spinosaurs or canopy sphinxes, which they raise themselves from the egg.
Agriculture & Industry
Even though many of the La Tsia people have now taken it upon themselves to establish permanent settlements, there is still no agriculture to be heard of within their borders. Agriculture is seen as an affront to nature and unholy, and all cultivation of food is done through harvesting and hunting what occurs naturally. There is no other industry to speak of as no goods are regularly imported or exported into La Tsia settlements.
Education
Those lucky enough to receive an education usually receive it from a local Earthmaster, who take only the most promising apprentices and pupils under their wing. Earthmasters are the sages of the wilderness, who know all there is to know about the world's many organisms, and are said to have walked every meter of the great jungles of Lashala. They train students in the ways of animal handling and identification, medicine, botany, and stealth, so that they make walk the earth themselves someday and be safe amidst its many secrets, and uncover them for themselves. Aside from this, there is no formal education for La Tsia tribesmen and women.
Infrastructure
Little infrastructure is needed for the La Tsia, as they are comfortable navigating nature as it is, and do not feel the need to slay trees and plants to create wide, ugly roads. If speed is a necessity, boats are used to traverse the rivers of the jungle, but otherwise travel is done on foot on the forest floor, and vegetation is cleared for passage only where absolutely necessary.
Tenets of Faith
The La Tsia hold no deities, instead clinging to the ways of nature. The principal belief among their people is that the earth itself is the only source of divinity in the universe, and that their sacred duty is to hear and understand its calls. The jungles they were given as their birthright, and one's best interest is to know his jungle like no other; to know each of its creatures, each of its many flowers and funguses, and to walk every meter as though it were his own. Among the La Tsia are many naturalists, biologists, and scientists, who make capture of the jungle's many lives, boasting fabulous menageries and majestic gardens of learning, so that others may come to them for knowledge of the natural realm. Still many others spend much time as nomads, wandering their portion of the jungle until they know it as the skin on their own bodies. Not only does this respect and wonder of nature make the La Tsia a brilliant and grounded people, it makes them nearly undefeatable in the face of their foes, who can never help to know their lands as well as they do.
The closest thing to a pantheon which the La Tsia have are the Lajsia Bujrai, whom they do not worship, but instead respect as their otherworldly kin: an ethereal reflection of their practices and their virtues.
Ethics
The order of nature is a sacred thing, and not one to be trifled with. One must never forget his place in nature, and one must never show mercy for a living thing, for nature herself is merciless, and many decisions are not for men to make. Those who would die of disease may be left to die, and seldom will a man be grieved for falling at the hands of a greater beast such as a tiger or a snake which befalls him. All men are part of the dance of nature, and one must live this truth until the end.
Worship
The La Tsia make no time for worship, for they have no gods to worship. Instead, time is spent in study of their world, whether ranging over the land or familiarizing oneself with its many inhabitants.
Type
Geopolitical, State
Demonym
La Tsia
Leader Title
Government System
Tribalism
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Kenkosi
Deities
Location
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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