Kusharites
The Non-Magi humans and Kushar.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Female names are similar to male noble names, but often simply add "a" to the end to denote femininity. Syeda, Mezera and Ezima are common names among noble and common women alike. Astratia, Salbalara, Balara and Metherzima are other prominent names of noblewomen. In addition to these, the names and flowers and precious stones are often used for noblewomen, while rarely being used for men. Wara (meaning "rose"), Zahra (meaning "flower"), Layith (meaning "Lilly") and Gyadu (meaning "ruby") are all popular noblewomen names.
A number of commoner women are also called by the names of flowers and special stones, but feminine variations of common male names are far more frequent, including Zugaha, Azuka, Oraura, Shezima, Muurhata, Huuda, Huzima, Yalaara, Uta, Uoa, Uozima, Ija and Halara.
Masculine names
Popular male names for commoners and nobles alike reference past heroes. Syed is among the most popular male names, as is Mezer (name of the first Obazim - Emperor). Ezim (meaning "Great") and Zugah (meaning "strong") are popular among common and noble men alike. Prominent names among nobles includes Astrati (meaning "of the stars"), Salbalaar (meaning "blessed one of the Sun"), Balaar (meaning "blessed one") and Metherzim (meaning "great master").
Often used commoner male names range from names of animals (such as Azuk - meaning fish, and Oraur - meaning camel), through names of valued qualities (such as Shezim - meaning intelligence, Muurhat - meaning tenacity, Huud - meaning work, and Huzim - meaning great work) to descriptions of physical features (such as Yalaa - meaning tall, Ut - meaning short, Uo - meaning big, Uozim - meaning huge, Ij - meaning small and Halaa - meaning healthy).
Family names
Only royalty, nobility and prominent merchant families tend to have surnames. Commoners tend to just have one name. Surnames tend to hearken back to the founder of the family, with this often referencing the old clan, location of sacred animal name among nobility, or what they traded in in the case of prominent merchant families.
The Royal family is the House of Azuk. The surname Azuk means fish, and derives from the fact that the house's founder, Syed, was a common fisherman who helped unite the Kusharites against the Magi. The Royal banner shows a school of 5 green fish on a blue field, one fish leading - followed by two - followed by three, representing the common people of Kushar united behind the fisherman Syed to defeat the Magi. The house's words used to be "Together we are unstoppable", and remained so throughout much of Kushar's Golden age for the non-Magi. The words were changed long ago to be "Chosen of Ume", referring to the belief that Syed was chosen by the One God, Ume, to lead all people against the demonic forces of Magic. The new words are not nearly as popular with Kusharite commoners.
A prominent and very wealthy Merchant family of Zahab, which means gold and traces back to their gold trading roots. Merchant families do not always have mottos, but the house of Zahab do. There words are: "If it glitters, we shall have it!"
A prominent noble family are the house of Nar, a house that can trace its roots back to the kings of old. The simple surname "Nar" simply means "from the soil", and reflects the house's old farming roots. The house banner shows a sheaf of yellow wheat against a red background, with the red representing both the soil and the blood spilled upon the soil to protect it. The House motto of "Blood and Soil" represents the houses ancient and often violently extreme views.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The major language of Kushar is Kushari, although it has many local dialects:
Bastard-Kushari / Zhyalayi is spoken by commoners and traders in the capital of Kushar. This creole language is influenced from coming into contact with different languages from all over the world. As a result it is a constantly evolving and ever changing dialect, and one that changes from person to person.
High Kushari is the dialect of the nobility and the high ranking clergy. It tends to be far more difficult to follow and far more pretentious. Its use is the sign that someone is wealthy, and likely a good target to try steal from.
Old Kushari is the older dialect of the language, one that represents pre-conquest influences. This language is also where many old place names and local Magi names emerged from. While there are many similarities with the other dialects, there are some distinct and arcane old names and terms. Tends to be the language written on old ruins and spoken by those in isolated old areas.
Seerasi-Kushari is the dialect spoken by those deeper in the Seeras desert. It is influenced by interactions (both friendly and otherwise) with the nomadic herders, traders and warbands of the desert, often taking on a far shorter and more precise nature.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Non-Magi humans and Kushar moved from the Deserts of Seeras into the fertile valley of the Salesh Ezim (The Great River) some 6 500 years ago, settling up farming settlements all the way up and down along the valley, and establishing fishing villages along the coast.
They named their land Kushar, meaning "Fertile Earth" in their tongue (Kush= fertile / good, Ar = earth, soil, dirt), and became known as the Kusharites.
As their settlements grew, local strongmen began to rise to lead the small villages and towns, becoming known as Orams (Kings). These various small towns and villages would form alliances or war against one another for control of increasingly larger territories, with early kingdoms brought together by these alliances and wars, leading to early cities developing.
On the coast, at the mouth of the Salesh Ezim, the town of Zhyalay developed, emerging as a trading hub, with merchant ships stopping to resupply and mend damage after long periods at sea. Soon Zhyalay emerged as Kushar's most prosperous and influential city.
The trade at Zhyalay attracted many people to come to Kushar, seeking wealth, glory and power. Amongst these were a number of new Magi. Magi had existed in Kushar before, wise men and women who mastered control of arcane and powerful arts, helping them and their clans prosper. The influx of new Magi from distant lands allowed the Magi to share their secrets with one another however, learning from one another and growing their powers as a result.
The Kusharites remember all to well the legacy of the Magi all to well. They remember how the helped unify Kushar into one nation by aiding Orams in wars that united all Kushar into one Empire. They remember how they grew powerful and proud, deposing non-Magi Emperors who got in their way. They remember how the came to rule for centuries, mastering arcane arts to extend their lives. They remember how some of them came to resurrect the dead from the earth, unleashing armies of skeletons and plagues of terror upon all who opposed them. And they remember Lucius Ferrum, a Magi who mastered all 13 Schools of Magic, and who sought to use them to dominate all the world.
But Lucius is gone now, locked away with 13 Keys, trapped where he can never return from.
In the aftermath of his defeat, the Heaven Arch-Mage Anorus murdered the royal family of Kushar in an attempt to dominate all the land. Tired of Magi domination, the Kusharites rallied behind Syed, a common fisherman, and murdered Anorus and all the Magi they could find, banishing all the rest to the outskirts of society.
Under Syed and his heirs, the Empire of Kushar enjoyed millennia of glory and power, but this too has slowly faded, weakened and undermined by petty infighting and corruption. Today the Empire of Kushar is shadow of its former glory, and it is its merchants, adventurers and officers who bring about change and innovation, while the royalty and nobility lounge in their extravagant palaces, leading lives of lazy luxury.
Meanwhile the common people of Kushar struggle under severe economic hardship, struggling to survive and thrive in a harsh landscape with an ever-growing population.
What is worse, rumours abound of a stirring power. Whispers of a dark strength growing far to the north in the frigid and isolated island of Malaa. Word that the Magi are returning once again, seeking to wrestle power back from the non-Magi and unleash a terrible revenge upon them.
Do not let their appearance fool you, for while the Magi may look like humans, taking the form of ordinary men, women and children, in truth they are monstrosities, foul beings who draw their arcane powers from Demonic forces. They must be stopped, ripped out and destroyed, root and stem, or else all the world will fall back into darkness.
Average technological level
The Kusharite society mastered the wheel, irrigation, sailing, navigation and the domestication of many animals (including goats, cows, camels and horses) millennia ago. They similarly engaged in advanced astrology, working out the number of days in a year, and engineering, building vast monuments, temples, walls and pyramids. In ancient times, when still working with the Magi, the Kusharites even built Floating Pyramids. Since the massacre of the Magi these have all crashed back down to earth however.
Kusharite Steel is of a decent and strong quality. Kushar is known for its bread, goldsmithing, wine and artistry. Its ships are notably strong, fast and durable, yet not as quick, big or powerful than those of several other nations.
Kushar used to embrace magic, but was at the forefront of the Magi massacres and purges. Magic has been illegal in Kushar, on pain of death, for millennia.
Common Etiquette rules
It is etiquette that a man enter through a doorway before a woman, the idea being that this is both out of respect for thee man and so he can protect her is there is a threat inside.
This tends to be very important among the conservative elite and middle-class, but is rarely recognised among poorer civilians and actively undermined by financially independent women, who tend to insist on entering through doors first as, in the words of Pirate Captain Halara the Bloodthirsty, "if there is any threat in there I'll cut both his heads off".
Common Dress code
Generally loose fitting clothes due to the heat. More extravagant among the wealthy. Simpler among the poor and the clever.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The drinking of wine and smoking of Maadbaxo (Cannabis) are both common at celebrations and parties, although both are forbidden among the Sacred Sisters and religiously conservative families.
Common Taboos
Magic is deeply and utterly despised by most, particularly by the religious.
There is a growing resurgence of interest in magic among some experimental elites, who view it with fascination, and among the poorest in the cities, who despise the nature and structure of the society anyway.
Historical figures
Mezer the Unifyer - First Orazim of the Orazimdom of Kushar - Conquered and united all the land.
Arch-Mage Unam the Powerful - Mage of Heavens and First Arch-Mage, aided Mezer in his conquest.
Arch-Mage Surosi the Eternal - Mage of both Heavens and Life who overthrows the Orazim who tries to undermine his power and puts his magic-friendly young nephew on the throne. Masters the secrets to extended life through Life Magic, and lives and essentially rules the land for some 500 years. Brutally suppresses multiple rebellions with the aid of his brother and son.
Arch-Mage Tesh the Diabolical - Mage of both Hell and Undeath. Brother and ally of Surosi. Masters secret to extended life throw Magic of Undeath. Grows ambitious and overthrows and murders Surosi. Raises an undead army when a number of Magi and humans rise against him. Deposed after some 300 years by an alliance of non-Magi and Magi, defeated by the combined power of Suhor and Lucius Ferrum.
Arch-Mage Suhor the Great - Magi of both Air / Storm and Life. Son of Surosi. Defeats his uncle Tesh with the aid of non-Magi and Magi alike, including the brilliant Magi Lucius Ferrum. Rules for 98 years. Towards end of reign allies with King Aeris of the non-Magi to defeat Lucius Ferrum when he and his "Bringers of Glory" seek to dominate the entire world. Seals Lucius behind the door with the aid of 12 other Magi. Created the Key of Storm. He is destroyed by Lucius in the process.
Arch-Mage Anorus the Proud - Magi of Heaven. An ally and friend of Suhor. Helps to defeat and imprison Lucius Ferrum. Created the Key of Heavens. Becomes Arch-Mage following Suhor's destruction. Wipes out the royal family of Kushar in an attempt t cement his direct rule. Fought with various Magi schisms. Ruled for 76 years. Deposed and murdered by a mass non-Magi revolt led by the common fisherman, Syed.
Orazim Syed the 1st, the Saviour, of the House of Azuk - A common fisherman who helped rally the commoners of Kushar to depose and kill Anorus and massacre the magi they could find. Named Orazim as a result. Sets about initiating the Golden Age of the non-Magi Empire of Kushar.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
It is become considered as fashionable, certainly by the elite, to show off their wealth, and they often wear the finest silks and gold amulets, or build extravagant marble homes with elegant designs. The more middle class merchant and tradesman families have followed this fashion, and similarly try to display their wealth, although this often looks far less fancy and a lot more desperate.
While some poorer people try follow the fashion, wearing the most valuable items they can in public, this often simply leads to them being robbed and / or killed. A poorer individual wearing their valuables has thus become a sign that the person is either stupid, a skilled warrior or a violent criminal.
Cleverer poorer individuals tend to hide or conceal their wealth and make themselves look poorer than they are, sometimes actively dressing in rags if travelling through a dangerous area. Somewhat of a counter-culture movement has emerged among some commoners to actively dress simply and humbly as a way to subtly chastise the over the top extravagance of the elite.
Gender Ideals
Beards are considered a sign of experience and wisdom among men, although the stifling heat can often make them impractical, particularly in the desert. Long hair among women is similarly considered valuable, with noblewomen often growing their hair long or wearing extravagant wigs to show off their wealth. Slaves and servants to keep nobles cool are often required due to this.
Countered with this, many poorer men and women actively shave their hair and beards as much as possible, as it is both more practical in the heat and suggests they are less wealthy (and so less of a juicy target for theft).
Among the clergy, Priests are expected to shave their heads as a sign of humility before Ume, but to grow their beards as long as possible and not to shave as a sign of their devotion to Ume. The clergy refuses to allow women to be Priests, but women may become Sacred Sisters of Syed. Sacred Sisters are expected to shave their hair as a sign of their devotion to and humility before Ume, and are expected to cover up all their features as a sign of humility.
Some non-clergy women have chosen (or been forced by overbearing husbands or fathers) to cover up their hair as a sign of their humility. Others have gone the complete opposite route, with long uncovered hair on a woman, particularly when paired with shorter simpler clothes, often being seen as a sign of rebellion against the Temple.
Female Prostitutes and sex slaves tend to have long hair and be dressed in as few clothes as possible by their pimps or masters as a way to mark them as opposites of the Sacred Sisters, and to draw in clients.
Male Prostitutes and sex slaves tend to be shaved and dressed in as few clothes as possible for a similar reason, with body types from muscled hunks to innocent boys selected, depending on the taste of the clients and perverts that seek them out.
Courtship Ideals
Among the elite, and even the middle class, marriage is still viewed as a political act. Men can marry multiple women, but the reverse is viewed as wrong. Noblemen tend to be encouraged to be sexually experienced before marriage, sleeping with prostitutes, sex slaves or common women. Comparatively, noblewomen are expected to be innocent virgins until their wedding night, and are often viewed simply as wives and mothers. Thus noble couples to be married often only meet on their wedding day, and only spend time together if and when they get to know and like one another.
A number of noblewomen have actively tried to buck this trend, with some wealthy women surrounding themselves with entire harems of male and female sex-slaves, sleeping with multiple partners and travelling the world. These independently wealthy women tend to be Hostesses of Pleasure Palaces, Wealthy Assassins, Crime-Lords or else talented ship captains, merchants or mercenaries (all uncommon and who face massive discrimination from their male counterparts, but who exist nonetheless). These women tend to be far more assertive in their courtship with men and women, if they bother to have a relationship at all. Despite, and perhaps because, these independently wealthy women are a rarity and are despised by the clergy and conservative elite, they are often viewed as highly desirable to many men, often being fetishised and having prostitutes being modeled after them.
Among the poorer population, marriage is a far less strategic act, as there is far less in terms of the gaining of possession,and is done far more often for love and companionship. Parents do still tend to want their children to marry up, and there are sharp classist attitudes. Courtship here is more about proving to one another that they love and care forone another, and proving to their parents that the couple can support themselves and their children.
Amongst orphans and the poorest beggars however, courtship is viewed as being purely for the beauty of love in an otherwise harsh, violent and brief life. Courtship here tends to be direct and passionate, but rarely takes the form of an actual marriage, often rather just sleeping with one another, living together, sharing stolen and / or begged scraps and trying to keep one another alive and out of jail.
Relationship Ideals
The Conservative belief is that men should provide for and protect women, and that women should in return respect and bear children (especially sons) for men.
This view is popular among the elite and middle-class men of society, although a number of noblewomen resist it, particularly independently wealthy women. Among these women, the belief is that women should be able to play a more active role in shaping their own lives.
Among the poorer members of society, men and women generally marry more for love, and both partners often have to work full-time to support themselves and their family. Here the dynamics are more equitable, although a male dominated society still tends to reserve certain jobs for men (soldiers, miners, construction workers, sailors, fishermen) with other jobs for women (washerwomen, domestic workers, seamstresses, cooks). Farmers / farmhands is one of the few non-gendered roles, although owners of wealthier plantations are almost exclusively wealthy men.
Relationships are the most egalitarian among the poorest in society, with the poorest couples often having to work menial jobs, beg or steal near endlessly to support themselves and one another.
Major organizations
Most Kusharites are part of the Orazimdom of Kushar, although a number are found outside of its current borders in the Seeras Desert and in parts of its former Empire. Its merchants can be spotted at nearly every port in the known world.
The major religion of the Kusharites is Syedism. Syedism preaches that there is just one God, Ume, who created the Heavens and the Earth. The story says that an evil demon, Githrak, then arrived from the void of chaos and tried to invade the world with an army of demons. Ume and his Heavenly Warriors defeated Githrak and his demons, driving them back into the void.
Githrak is said to have then introduced Magic to the world, with his demons spreading it. All Magi are thus viewed as demonic under Syedism. The Magi Tesh, Lucius Ferrum and Anorus in particular are viewed as the three foulest demons to have ever existed, other than Githrak himself.
Syedists believe that Ume spoke to the non-Magi hero Aeris about defeating Lucius Ferrum, with Aeris working alongside the Magi Suhor only out of necessity, and to exploit the demon's infighting. It is said that Suhor then betrayed and killed Aeris right after they sealed Lucius Ferrum away, with Aeris killing Suhor in response with his final blow.
It is said that Ume then spoke to the fisherman Syed, and gave him the inspiration and strength to slay Anorus and drive the Magi into exile. Syed and his heirs are thus viewed as sacred warriors chosen by Ume himself.
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
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