The Urken.
Once a vast collection of humble clans and warring tribes, the Urken currently inhabit the colossal and geographically diverse country of Urkenthest, a land with a frigid south, temperate north, heavily forested east, and a west country full of mountains, and seabirds.
The Urken are a strong and diverse people, with more than five distinct species included in their enormous populace. Warriors and engineers, farmers and mages, priests and factory workers. Urken come in many different shapes but almost all of them are bound by the same principles: honor, honesty, respect, and perseverance. This combination of ideals has caused the Urken to grow into a people who hold an abiding love for family and for the world that surrounds them. They use only what they need and provide nigh unquestioning support for those dear to them.
Unfortunately that same diversity and loyalty has made the Urken a strained and fractious people prone to committing acts of violence and treachery in the name of those they love. For thousands of years Urkenthest was ruled by clans and sects, all of them distinctly Urken but deeply divided. Only the formation of the Urkenthestine Empire managed to unite the Urken for any significant period of time, and it didn't even last ten generations. Now they are divided once more, former serfs (known as Vuukkelldii) rising against the nobles that ruled them and the last empress struggling to retain what power she has left.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
Almost all Urken names are unisex, as they are typically used to describe aspects of personality and character instead of conforming to some sort of gender ideal. In the past gender specific names were more common in certain areas of Urkenthest, such as in the venerable south where middle names such as Vra/Var (male) and Vas (female) were originally used. However it is more common for Urken names to be a combination or purposeful misspelling of words or phrases.
Despite the lack of gender specific names there is still a decent amount of variety in Urken names, with said variety stemming from the cultural diversity of the Urken as a culture. For example: many Urken from the southern reaches still bear names originating from the ancient tribes that dwelt there before the clans came into being. Most of these names are comprised of three short parts, with the middle part being Var, Vra, or Vas, depending upon the biological gender of the person it belongs to. First and last names in the south typically look like a collection of three to five consonants with the odd vowel throne in at the beginning, middle or end. Most southern names are derived from ancient tribal tongues and their definitions are seldom remembered. Drtr Vas Pldres is a pretty common name for southern women related to the Pldres family or clan, and as you can see, most of its components are rife with consonants and poor when it comes to vowels. However it must be noted that there are frequently a number of unwritten vowel sounds within southern Urken names that can drastically alter how they are pronounced. For instance, the name we just saw would likely sound something like Deerteer Vass Pleddresse, but that doesn't exactly come across in its written form.
Eastern names are interesting because they have been influenced a number of languages hailing from central Urkenthest, southern Urkenthest, the earthwomb elf or mydderlach communities easterners live beside, or even nations across the eastern mountains. Because of this eastern names can vary greatly depending upon the community or clan they originate from. People with an elven lineage like Laertall Thwei typically possess longer first names filled with vowel sounds and shorter second names that begin with a mash of consonants and end with one or two vowels. Mydderlach names often slithery and sibilant like Iithfarr Selesent, as befits such a subtly cunning species. Lastly, the monikers that hail from over the eastern mountains typically carry a hard edge and bear a strictly segmented structure, as demonstrated by this example: Tlarok-Pret-Bol. However it is quite uncommon to encounter an eastern Urken who bears such an exotic name.
Northern and central Urken names are quite similar due to the close relationship the peoples of those regions maintained throughout the years. They both favor long names that flow and roll like foothills and streams, with long, drawn out vowel sounds and firm yet gentle consonants. Trriilaan Balluuraa, the last emperor of the Urkenthestine Empire before its decline will serve as our example for today. Note that the r's following the first letter of his name should be rolled when said aloud, and that every double vowel is simply a lengthened version of a singular vowel sound. Two a's still sound like "ah", and two i's still sound like "ee", but these noises are longer than they would be ordinarily. Double consonants on the other hand produce a shorter but more intense sound, as if emphasized... unless they are r's, which are rolled as stated previously. Most northern or central Urken names follow these guidelines, and those that don't likely hail from a different region of Urkenthest and comply said region's rules.
Western names, curiously enough, share a number of similarities with elven names typically found in eastern Urkenthest, despite the minuscule elven presence in the western regions. Two of the few differences between the naming styles is the more consistent use of th (pronounced as t) in western names, as well as the increased number of vowels in western Urken family/last names. Apart from that there is very little that separates the two subcultures when it comes to names.
Family names
Family names carry great importance in Urkenthest, as Urken care deeply for their families and typically share a strong bond with them. In the past some families rose up to form ruling clans, causing their names to become more important still. But clan rule has been abolished in much of Urkenthest, and even regions that still honor the noble families don't afford them the same respect or reverence they once commanded.
For a woefully insufficient guide on how to create an Urken family name I suggest you read the unisex names section or peruse the field detailing major historical figures. For the former should give you some idea of the rules you must follow when making one and the latter will provide examples from multiple eras of Urken history to draw on if need be.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Urkenthest features four language groups worthy of note: the west, the east, the south, and a combination of the north and center. You see, due to their shared climate, close proximity, and greater number of large towns and cities the northern and central regions of Urkenthest have something of a shared cultural lineage, with their peoples bound together by a long series of trade agreements and intermarriages. This has made the linguistic differences between the inhabitants of both territories quite insignificant, little more than minor changes in inflection or pronunciation, and they have played an important role in spreading it throughout the remainder of Urkenthest. Powerful both commercially and militarily due to their large populations, these two zones have spread their influence into the far corners of Urkenthest throughout its history. Because of this Sprriiudennallbaatra has become both the language of trade and civilization, spoken by merchants and politicians alike, as well as those wishing to converse with members of either party. Although its name roughly translates to "the tongue of rivers, hills, and sky", Sprriiudennallbaatra is also the tongue of uniters and empire-builders, as it was a coalition of central and northern clans that first joined all of Urkenthest's regions under a single monarch. Nowadays it is known as well for its connection to the Urkenthestine Empire as it is for its heart-wrenching poetry and song. It is a beautiful tongue but it wields a nagging authority in the minds of most who hear it. *Note: more details on Sprriiudennallbaatra are offered in the art and architecture section and it is likely to receive an article of its own in the future.*
Western Urkenthest is a rough and rocky place, separated from the rest of the nation by a wall of cliffs and mountains and pinned against those crags by the interminable tides of the sea. Urken that live there seem to develop a form of stoic solemnity that others tend to mistake for sourness or a grim outlook on life. However that could not be further from the truth. Western Urken are deeply introspective people, reading their own thoughts and emotions as easily as a book, and reading those of others with only marginally more effort. It is said that people from that near-barren coast are capable of having long conversations without uttering a single word, with both participants fully understanding the meaning of the other by noting slight adjustments to their posture or looking into their eyes. They don't have to say anything, because when they look at each-other they see incarnations of the sentiments they themselves have held so many times before, recognizing emotions and concepts as you might a friend you haven't seen for a few days or more. They can speak and sing in Sprriiudennallbaatra quite wonderfully but western Urken tend to prefer silence, for they seldom have a need for words.
Southern Urkenthest is dark, cold, and most importantly unwelcoming to traders and diplomats from the north, though some still gather the courage to visit on occasion. Because of this limited contact with fluent speakers of Sprriiudennallbaatra the southern Urken have mixed and altered the imperial tongue to their liking. Long words are a strain on the throat in the cold and some terms or phrases from languages native to the land are seen as superior to their northern alternatives in terms of sound or precise definition. Quite a few northern words are even said together without an intervening pause, linking nouns and verbs to chosen adjectives and making them into a sort of compound word. After conversing with visitors from the south some northern or central Urken have written long, mournful accounts of what they see as the tragic mauling of their perfect language, going on for pages about the irredeemable alterations in sentence structure and pronunciation alone. Despite the dismay of their northern kin, Urken of the southern reaches have incorporated this shortened, mongrel tongue into their culture and way of life. Songs they sing to keep warm are written with its rapid cadence in mind, with many older ditties and battle chants remade to accommodate it. To northerners these compositions may sound harsh and clipped, but they move with a life and vigor that few of their songs can match.
Eastern Urkenthest is a haven for ancient life. Earthwomb elves and towering Mydderlachs live side-by-side with humanity, with a host of other creatures out of myth and legend lurking in the rolling mists. There Sprriiudennallbaatra is spoken most commonly as a secondary language, a means of communicating with merchants and outsiders, nothing more. Most eastern Urken prefer to speak like the elves, the birds, or sometimes even the trees, communicating through primeval expressions the rest of the world has forgotten. Clans and tribes of old spoke as they do, learning from the older beings that surrounded them and mimicking the signals they heard on the wind. Much has changed in Urkenthest, but the passage of time have left its eastern fringes all but unscathed, preserving this shadow of a distant past for just a little while longer. Enshrined in the realm of ancients, the eastern Urken have accepted the language of the new empire and moved on. They pay lip-service to whatever lord may claim ownership over them and wait for the time of occupation to pass... it always does.
Culture and cultural heritage
Urken culture is one of respect, dedication, and art. They dedicate themselves to each-other and to preserving and commemorating the beauty of nature, taking as little as they can and pouring great effort into what they harvest. Every Urken factory is constructed with the utmost care and a level of pre-planning most other cultures would find agonizing. No detail, is disregarded or forgotten and every mechanism is refined to operate with maximum efficiency, a process that could take years if it was undertaken by a less determined and ingenious people. Urken engineers are known to be some of the best in the world, not because they make things quickly, but because what they produce is worth the wait. In their mind even the tiniest scrap of ore pulled from the earth is a gift that must be cherished and put to good use, forging it into a sub-par item would be a grievous insult to the land that gave it to them. This attitude has seen tourists mistake Urken industrial complexes for palaces and Urken fields for gardens, as both are constructed with an elegance and care most people would associate with the trappings of nobility.
Urken art, though sometimes disparaged as being simplistic and occasionally naive in its themes and philosophies is of undeniably high quality. Foreign art critics have said there must be something in the water, something that causes those that drink it to see nature and its marvels more clearly than anyone else, something that guides their hand when it holds brush, chisel or pen. They say this water-born affliction grants the Urken a stronger connection to their artistic soul than any could ever dream of, allowing them to take pure, unadulterated emotion from their minds and put it into their work. This description is rather hyperbolic of course, as many of the world's nations have managed to produce art and artists that meet or surpass the standards set by Urkenthest, but Urken art still holds an undeniable power over the psyche.
However perhaps the most generally impactful aspect of Urken culture is its apparent obsession with combat and its refinement as an art form. For though they might surprise their neighbors with the incredible efficiency of their factories or bring them to tears with tragic ballads they are best known as a culture of warriors and generals. They have warred amongst themselves fro hundreds, possibly even thousands of years, clan against clan and sometimes even clans against themselves. Strife and battle were ever-present threats during their development as a people so they adapted to them. Every Urken was (and still is) taught how to fight, beginning shortly after they learn to walk. Training of this nature can be hard on children of that age and it is not uncommon for Urken youths to develop a certain animosity towards their most frequent sparring partners and rare for Urken to reach adulthood without a few scars or small injuries. However this practice (which might well be viewed as cruel by those from other nations) was a vital part of equipping a young Urken to survive on their own in a nation filled to the brim with anger and often senseless violence. Urken may possess skills soldiers of other nations might envy, but many of them lived in times when such abilities were needed to ensure survival. They may be some of the best and most numerous soldiers in the world, but the Urken do not live the way they do by choice... they do so because they would likely have perished if they did not.
Shared customary codes and values
There are few words that define the Urken as a people quite so well as respect. Respect causes them to look beyond the appearances of those they meet and withhold judgement until they know they full story. Respect for the world they inhabit sees them take as little as they can and give back what they are able to, all the while thanking nature for its noble sacrifice. Respect counsels them to act honorably in times of both war and peace, whether they are facing one-another in battle or tending to its results. Urken also possess a shared love of family and a desire for openness and transparency in their relationships, but ultimately it is an abiding respect for one-another that gives birth to these sentiments.
Average technological level
As with most ethnicities of the known world the Urken have drawn a vast amount of their technology from ancient archives and relics buried beneath the earth, the last vestiges of a bygone age obscured by myth and heroic legend. Factories, airships, trains, mechanized suits of armor, guns and the protection needed to counter them, all of these and many more have been reverse engineered from existing relics, their workings based older, more advanced examples.
This reliance on reverse engineering has led to a peculiar inequality between the different branches of technology the Urken make use of, and a similar gap between Urken culture and the items or machinery it sometimes makes use of. For instance, it is not uncommon to find Urken engineers and relic specialists playing a role that is part mechanic and part priest, as much a religious figure as a scholar of ancient mechanisms.
In Urkenthest machines are treated with reverence most reserve for deities or demons, figures of power attended by swarms of mortal servants. Some of these devices are venerable artifacts from the world that came before, dredged from the bottom of rotting crypts and moldering fortresses, whilst the majority are merely imitations based on their arcane designs.
Magic and technology have been the only sources of matter in this world since its inception, and Urkenthest is not exempt from that rule. In ages past, if a clan leader commanded a coven of unmatched spell-casters none could stand before them, and the same is often true in the modern day, except for the introduction of technology, a power that can (but does not always) match or even overpower magic. For years the dynasties of the Urkenthestine Empire controlled their vassals by deciding who could, and could not, own or exploit the relics of bygone days. They ensured their economies were the more efficient and their soldiers better armed than anything Urkenthest's other clans had to offer. Even now this practice has allowed a shard of that same empire to persist, even with all the rest of Urkenthest set against it. For though its legions are outnumbered ten to one and the lands it holds are minuscule compared to those held by their foes, the technology they hoard and the brilliant minds they command give them the edge they need to even the odds.
Urkenthest is at once traditional and industrial, rural and urban, advanced beyond its years but still wrapped up in the mysticism of its past... and the Urken are no different.
Common Etiquette rules
As it is in our culture, giving thanks is a part of everyday life for the Urken. They give thanks to their gods for whatever act of mercy or kindness they have bestowed. They give thanks to merchants, laborers, and artisans for services granted and items received, although some people might consider the currency exchanged thanks enough. They even give thanks to the members of their family or clan for fulfilling their allotted duties, for no act is too small or mundane to be worthy of gratitude. Life in Urkenthest is not always easy, but sometimes all it takes to keep a person going is a few kind words and a thankful grin.
In Urkenthest it is considered courteous to speak plainly and truthfully. Sarcasm is incredibly difficult to translate into their language and lies are not taken lightly.
Most regions of Urkenthest have customs against speaking or producing excessive noise while a meal is being eaten. Such times are reserved for quiet thought and the enjoyment of the meal itself, but in the period of rest directly after the meal conversation is not only allowed but encouraged. Due to the often busy nature of Urken life families seldom find time to relax and spend time together outside of meal times, so these shared moments are cherished above almost all others.
In most portions of Urkenthest there is some form of salute offered by commoners to members of noble clans or clan members to those of greater status within the clans themselves. This salute varies based upon the clan or the province that clan is located in and can range from total prostration to a hand raised palm outward with the first two fingers bent to meet the palm. It is no longer customary in most of Urkenthest because of the Vuukkelldii rebellion but may be expected in loyalist hold-fasts or backwater communities that have not yet adapted to the current geopolitical trends.
Common Dress code
As stated among their ideals, Urken wear masks (often ornate ones) to hide their faces and allow their voices and decisions tell those around them who they are, rather than rely on appearances. Traditionally such masks would be carved from wood and either painted or lacquered to prevent rotting, occasionally using a combination of both. Masks made in the old way often bore carvings of natural beauty or depictions of history and legend, with a few bearing poems or mystical script. These days such masks are worn almost exclusively by the loyalists of Caddreikk Urkenthest and Urken from the colonies who are somewhat out of touch with their homeland. In much of Urkenthest wooden masks have been replaced by those forged from steel, copper, gold, iron, silver, and a variety of other metals. They are simple and unembellished, designed to emulate the mask worn by the Voice of Change, the enigmatic figure who began the Vuukkelldii uprising that fractured the Urkenthestine Empire, who later revealed himself to be Aujeek of Clan Offryinn.
With this new style of mask Aujeek also brought a new style of dress, popularizing a strict, militaristic appearance. In place of loose trousers he wore sheer, modest, pants, his shirt was more conservative that the billowing tunics of old, and his coat made the flowing robes of old look lavish and excessive. Instead of sandals or wrappings his feet were covered by boots of glistening black leather, with his hands protected by gloves of a similar material. In fact black was the dominant color (or lack thereof) in every article of his clothing, disrupted only by small rows of gilded buttons, his golden mask, and a gold-plated belt-buckle. This stood in stark contrast to the garb of Urken in years past, much of which had been colorful enough to border on garish, and it was in this defiance of time-honored practices the uniform made its message clear. Its wearer stands as a blatant contradiction of the old imperial values, putting their faith in modesty and pragmatism instead of relying upon flippant extravagance. Nowadays this uniform and its message are more popular than ever, clothing more than half the nation in dull, unassuming colors and bright, burnished masks, symbols of hope for a better, more equal future.
However, despite the pressure to alter it or cast it by the wayside, most Urken have held onto a piece of clothing more closely associated with the Urkenthest of old than anything else: the Suurkiaa. This ribbon of heavy fabric can be more than six inches wide and up to ten feet long depending upon the style. It is typically worn over other clothing such as a robe or tunic and trousers but is capable of covering most of the body quite adequately. When wrapped and twisted properly a Suurkiaa can take the shape of a gown, a cloak, a skirt, a cape, a pair of pants, or even something as mundane as a broad belt. For hundreds of years Suurkiaas have been used to represent the status and familial connections of their wearers through the hue of their fabric and the symbols woven into it. Members of noble clans frequently purchased new Suurkiaas that better portrayed their personalities and beliefs, but though they altered the size, shape, and style of their Suurkiaa, they never changed the color. That color marked them as a part of their clan, as a part of their family, and family is not something Urken can easily set aside. So though Aujeek may have laid down the yellow Suurkiaa of Clan Offryinn when recreating himself as the Voice of Change, the majority of his followers were not prepared to make a similar sacrifice.
-----------------
Depending on where they go, visitors to Urkenthest, or remnants of the Urkenthestine Empire may come away with wildly varying impressions of the clothing worn by the locals. Those who enter southern or central Urkenthest will likely regard the Urken as a grim, drab people who dress in a practical but dreary manner, while tourists in the north of Urkenthest or one of the recently imperial colonies might swear they had never seen so many wondrous color worn or met such free-spirited people... after they passed border security of course. And though both perceptions would be more or less accurate, they fail to capture the full picture. For during these times of war and hardship there is no cheer without an underlying current of sorrow, and no misery that lacks the faintest mote of hope for a better future.
Art & Architecture
Art:
Urkenthest is a vast land brimming with natural beauty, a quality that is not lost on its inhabitants. Trees, mountains, fields of barley and cliffs lined with shards of ice sharper than swords have appeared in artwork of the Urken people for years beyond reckoning. Northern artists have hiked for weeks, following the course of Yaaldaa Huurraai, the mighty river that feeds Lake Voddyoll, creating a new painting each night by the last rays of a setting sun before falling asleep, letting the night winds dry the mix of dies and pigments on their canvas. Followers of the primal sea have journeyed to the west of Urkenthest to gaze upon the cave portraits crafted by the hands of fisherman long ago, captivating relics of chalk, salt, and blood. To the east lie mountains that pierce the clouds, their formation and departure providing a tempting muse for poets of the clans that live below. And during the hardest winters of the frigid south Urken have sat around the fire and carved what they have seen into wood and bone, both things they saw in the world outside and the vision that came to them in the depths of slumber.
Urken have long held the natural world in reverence. It is wonderful to look upon but dangerous to touch, commanding in its majesty yet all but defenseless against the march of progress. It is this duality that has led the Urken to become so deeply bonded with the land around them, that caused them to incorporate it into their very way of life and try their best to protect it from harm. They honor and imitate the untamed and primordial aspects of the land in their art but often do so in very different ways.
Northern Urkenthest is home to vast fields, deep lakes, forested foothills, and great rivers making their way from the mountains to the sea. Urken that might call themselves "northern" could hail from a bustling port city, a farming village in the middle of the plains, or a quiet town hidden amongst the trees or between a pair of mountainous peaks. They might live on or beside a river, fishing from its currents, or in a valley so thickly wooded they must scale a tall tree to see the sun. As you might imagine this has diversified and enriched the artistic community of northern Urkenthest. Its great cities have become melting pots of perspective and muse, allowing for the exchange of ideas and the melding of artistic vision. Scholars have theorized that Sprriiudennallbaatra, the best known language of Urkenthest, was forged through the mixture of poetry and ideologies from many of the regions ancient clans. It was designed to emulate the rhythmic flow of nature, to rush down like the water and rise again like the hills before forsaking the earth and taking to the skies. Northern Urkenthest has a reputation for producing some of the worlds most stirring and beautiful songs and poetry, this language is the reason for that acclaim. Multitudes of other inspiring works have sprung from the minds of northern Urken that lie beyond the realm of words, spoken or sung. Paintings, tapestries, wood-carvings, dances, and even martial arts forms, the north has made undeniably wondrous examples of them all, but it is for sonnets, ballads, and poems that it will be remembered.
Western Urkenthest is not typically considered an artful place, let alone one that appreciates fine art in general, but this impression is far from accurate. For though they are often gruff, dour, and weathered, western Urken are not blind to the raw power and majesty of their surroundings. For hundreds of years they have tried to capture the enthralling, mesmerizing effect of the waves. Their dances are an alternation of slow, intimate, maneuvering and sudden bursts of furious energy and their depictions of historic voyages frequently put more effort into the swells ships of the past road upon than the vessels themselves. Carvings and cave drawings thought to be thousands of years old portray the sea as a vast, unthinking, unfeeling entity in who's grasp kings and fishermen are drowned or tossed ashore without preference or discrimination. Western Urken have been documented as being some of the most accepting of visitors from other lands or fellow Urken from a far-off corner of the nation. Some have suggested that this is due to them seeing all those they encounter as equally insignificant compared to the power of the sea. Examination of their literature sees this sentiment spring up over and over again: that when we stand next to the sea we become little more than ants at the feet of a titan, those who see themselves as masters of the world realizing the absurdity of their delusions. After reading a western Urken poem or taking in one of their murals some have been stricken with a feeling of powerless emptiness, walking away with a shadow of deep humility on their hearts and a thoughtful furrow in their brows.
Urkenthest's southern reaches range from icy tundras to frigid hellscapes that spell doom for all but the hardiest forms of life. In times past the native clans of Urken would spend their spring preparing for summer, spend their summer fighting one-another and planting crops for the fall, spend their autumns harvesting crops and storing supplies for the winter, and spend their winters surviving. This exact schedule would only work in the more temperate areas of the south but that was where most Urken lived anyway. Life was tough and things had to get done when the seasons allowed, so it was only during the long lights of winter they managed to find the time for non-essential activities such as art and music. As the wind whistled unabated in the blackness, families would gather around their fires to sing, dance, whittle, and tell tales they heard from merchants the previous summer. Many a rousing, frolicking ditty and fitful, frenzied tune was born under such circumstances, along with the dances they would later be partnered with. They were jerky and unnatural in the eyes of their northern kin, both vocally and physically, devoid of conventional grace and lacking in restraint. Southern Urken speak a shortened, clipped version of the northern tongue, mixed with words and phrases from the languages of their tribes from days long past. This mode of speech is sharp, quick, and often harsh, but for what it lacks in elegance it makes up for in speed and enthusiasm. Rowdy jigs and irreverent songs of merriment and misunderstanding are as much a part of south Urken art as wooden figurines and intricate scrimshaw, gaining fame throughout the known world for the fire they place in the hearts and lungs of those that perform them.
Eastern Urkenthest, a land mysterious even to other Urken. Hidden by trees and the ensorcelled realms of earthwomb Elves, the eastern clans are part of Urkenthest in little more than name, and it shows. Blessed with skilled earth mages and discontent with most conventional forms of personal expression, eastern Urken have taken to remolding stone, earth, wood, and sometimes even flesh through magic. They have molded still-living trees into perfect replicas of long-dead emperors and clan leaders and crafted the likeness of mythical beasts from solid stone using nothing but their hands. Some have even gone so far as the reshape their bodies or the bodies of others. These modifications could be as mundane as reforming their face to resemble a figure from history or as drastic as layering their skin with scales and replacing their eyes with those of a serpent. Common art forms such as painting and poetry still exist in the east, and it has produced many fine examples of them, but they are not where eastern Urkenthest finds its artistic legacy. That legacy lies in the forests of reshaped trees, the cliff walls of which not an inch of undecorated rock remains, and the humans, elves, or woodland creatures that have become something besides what they were... some would say something more, others something less. Additionally, eastern Urken are known to be the best tea-brewers in the nation, though they are quite secretive in regards to their methods.
Architecture:
In the north, east, and south it is common for Urken to perform a lengthy ceremony when they fell a handful of trees for a new house or begin digging a new mine, planting new saplings as they go and ensuring none of the sock or soil go to waste. Those in the west have been known to utter words of thanks to their chosen god of the sea for each fish they catch and pray to the woods themselves whenever they go inland to find timber for a new ship. Because they gather comparatively few resources, it should come as no surprise that Urken put a great deal of care and detail into the pieces of nature they do see fit to harvest. There is no such thing as an unadorned Urken dwelling. Walls, floors, chairs, tables, beds, and even rafters are carved or chiseled with intricate depictions of untamed beauty or ancient legends. Some houses in the western or eastern mountain ranges even have the histories of previous occupants hewn into their masonry, sobering reminders of the times such residences have seen. Every branch, every stone, every gem pulled from the earth, they are all exposed to the same passion and workmanship one might normally reserve for an item requested by a king. When browsing a traditional Urken market the selection of items for sale will likely be far from large, but every item down to the last iron spoon will be of most uncommon craftsmanship and made to last.
Apart from the apparent and omnipresent level of quality there is no general way in which one might describe Urken architecture, as it can vary wildly from region to region.
In the south all but the wealthiest Urken dwell in hollowed hills supported by wooden beams carved in the likeness of roots, ribs, branches, or some other natural element. Noble Urken from this region have been known to raise long, low halls of wood, earth, and stone with sloped walls and thick supporting arches the cross from one side of the building to the other. No matter the status of the owner, southern Urken homes and other establishments are almost invariably bedecked with furs, equipped with a chimney to filter out smoke, and made with enough space to facilitate the habitual martial training Urken are known for. After all, it is commonly accepted in southern Urkenthest that only a fool makes war in winter or the autumn that precedes it, but that's no excuse not to ready oneself for whatever battles the summer may bring. One last common feature of a southern Urken dwelling is a small room set aside for the smoking, salting, and other preparation of meat, which is a popular food source in such frigid conditions. Many other Urken sub-cultures keep chilled, subterranean cellars for the storage of meat, but those in the south often joke that digging a pit sounds like a lot of work when compared to going outside.
In the west Urken are more commonly known for carving their dwellings into cliffs along the ocean, sometimes little more than twenty feet from the shore. Some of these burrows were formerly caves, but many of the others took years of labor to carve into unyielding rock, which explains why western Urken tend to feel more strongly about their homes and possessions than others from farther inland. Some western Urken build their villages out of wood and perch them atop the or on the sheer walls of the cliffs, while others build them on stilts in some of the calmer bays or near river mouths. However the years have seen many such settlements washed away by wind, rain, and tide while the houses carved in solid stone looked on unfazed and undamaged. Rock shares the endurance and tenacity of the western Urken themselves, and like stone they can be cold and unfeeling at times but grow infinitely warmer at the offer of song, fire, and food.
Central Urkenthest is primarily flat planes and low hills with comparatively little in the way of trees. This has caused the central Urken equivalent of a house to look more like a timber-framed tent than anything else. Domed and low-slung, these hardy little pavilions are shielded from the winds by thick hides and given structure by gorgeously whittled and polished wooden supports. They are often clustered around hills like children seeking asylum behind their mother's skirts. Many central Urken buildings are painted with a variety of different motifs, with some being clan emblems and others representing aspects of nature.
Blessed by warm weather and plentiful lumber, northern Urken tend to create large, open, and airy structures with sizable windows and inner courtyards for gardening and relaxation. Whether they are found on the sun-warmed rocks along the coast, the forested hills of the mainland, or the feet of the last few mountains, northern Urken buildings never fail to achieve a certain elegant serenity. Both their wood and their stone are shaped into sweeping curves and capped with artful flourishes. Walls are decorated with murals both carved and painted, with carvings often fitted with metal inlays to add color and flair. Doors and windows on such buildings range from tall and angular to short and round but are unusually big regardless, allowing air and light to enter freely and easily. Additionally, northern Urken have been known to paint the wooden elements of their homes or places of business, however this practice is most common amongst nobility and those closely associated with them.
Eastern Urken have an only slightly unfair reputation for being reclusive and unusual. They just so happen to share the thickly forested regions along the continents central mountains with a sizable community of Earthwomb Elves and have managed to develop a strong mutual relationship with them, with a few reports going so far as to suggest that most eastern Urken have more than a little bit of of Elven blood in their veins. Even if one were to dismiss this aspersions it would be quite difficult to argue that eastern Urken have remained unaffected by their contact with this particular species of Elf. For instance their population contains an uncommonly high number of skilled earth mages, allowing them to create houses from living trees, mold and stretch stone like clay, and even make their homes in compartments within some of the enormous beasts that inhabit that region. In a way they are the most harmonious sect of a culture that prides itself on its harmony with the natural world. They have no need to destroy life to house themselves, they hunt only what they need to survive, and they have almost entirely forsaken the use of minerals in their tools, armor, and weapons.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Although the times at which they do so may vary from region to region, all Urken that hold their gods close set aside time to worship them. This could take the form of entire communities gathering in a local temple to hold a grand ceremony with sacrifices and hymns sung in honor of the divines, or a family huddling around their household shrine to offer prayers and gifts in relative private. Regardless of their methods, there are few Urken that do not feel the need to interact with their deities in some way. Urken that make their living through travel have even been known to carry a satchel filled with effigies they can pray to when away from home.
Dueling is a long-standing Urken tradition, though it is more and more uncommon in this age of empires and conformity. In the past challenges were typically issued by the members of noble clans with the intent to kill or shame an individual from another clan, discipline a Vuuk for talking back to them, or forcibly advance their position within their own clan if such things were permitted. Every once in a while a clanless Urken would challenge another or one of the nobility in an attempt to prove their worth, avenge a fallen loved one, or some fulfill some other agenda, but these occurrences were rather uncommon. No that most of Urkenthest's noble clans have been officially dissolved or driven out dueling is quite infrequent, but that does not mean the tradition has been wiped out entirely.
In Urkenthest it is customary for the elderly to go before the young. This applies if they are waiting in line at a restaurant, purchasing fruits at a market, entering a temple, etc. For as the Urken say: "Those with more time can afford to wait for those with less.".
As mentioned previously, for hundreds of years Urken have been trained to fight and defend themselves from a very young age. It is likely that this tradition only became as widespread as it is because of the often prickly and pugnacious nature of Urkenthest's native peoples. It was hard to go abroad in the old days without being attacked, robbed, and possibly killed by one warband or another, and it was seen as shameful to decline a challenge to a duel if one was offered. Despite the passage of time and the rise and fall of a great empire on Urken soil Urkenthest is still not much safer. Vuukkelldii and Caddreikk soldiers are shipped off to the front line in droves and the lands they leave are frequently raided by pockets of loyalists and insurrectionists respectively. Creatures out of myth and nightmare have begun emerging from the shadows to taunt and torment the Urken while they are at their weakest and most distracted. Strange people bearing prehistoric masks have been seen wandering into towns, shouting questions in unknown languages and waving artifacts mysterious to all but the wisest and most ancient of sages. Time may have tamed the rest of the world but Urkenthest has resisted the bit and bridle and those that live in it would do well to remember how to defend themselves.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
On the next sunny day following their birth northern newborns are lain on flat, sun-warmed rocks for up to ten minutes so they can become accustomed to the sun's light and warmth. Afterwards they are briefly immersed in the nearest river so they may feel the strength of its current and the refreshing coolness of the water. If they are born during the winter, northern babies will be subjected to this process the following spring.
In the east newborns are taken into one of the deepest and wildest portions of the surrounding forests and left there overnight with a selection of family members acting as sentinels. Comforting the child during this rite is forbidden, as well as interacting with it in any way besides feeding it or sheltering it in case of rain. This ritual is supposed to instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world and is repeated at intervals as the child grows older, with children as young as seven left in the woods without the protection of their family so they can more fully immerse themselves.
Western babes are traditionally fed a small glass of salt-water and a mouthful of mushed fish to ensure they know the taste of the sea.
The south is cold beyond the imagination of one from the temperate north, and children are a precious commodity that is wrapped up and warmed as soon as they are delivered, nothing special, just practical.
Central Urkenthest is primarily made up of bountiful fields, planes, and orchards. Babies are taken for short hikes through such environments to get them used to the wind and sun, both of which will figure generously in their future.
Coming of Age Rites
Urken youths are challenged enough their education, their martial arts practice, and life in general, their elders see no need to put further strain on them. Perhaps the closest thing to a coming of age ritual found within Urken society is The Masking. During this ceremony young Urken who have reached physical maturity are allowed to unwind the cloth wrappings that had hidden their face previously and done a mask made exclusively for them. Once an Urken dons their mask they are considered a full adult and are given the freedom to marry, join the military, travel abroad, or even leave to start their own family.
Funerary and Memorial customs
In Northern, central, western, and eastern Urkenthest, it has always been a widely practiced tradition to bury the deceased in mounds of earth with the seed or sapling of some manner of tree upon their chest, providing the young tree with fuel for growth and giving those to come a beautiful and long-lasting reminder of their ancestors. In the south this method if interment was impossible due to the unforgiving climate, and in truth western peoples that bordered the coast were just as likely to bundle up their dead with rocks and send them to sleep eternally in the depths as they were to plant a tree on them. Southerners have been known to create subterranean crypts, catacombs, and mausoleums for their dead but it is more common to incinerate their remains on a funeral pyre. This sacrifice of firewood shows how deeply the southerners care for their dead and ensures the deceased will leave the world well and truly warm.
Common Taboos
Never disturb the dead lest you wish to join them.
Do not remove an Urken's mask without an invitation.
Refrain from insulting the family, spouse, clan, village, town, leader, guild, gods, or friend of an Urken unless you plan to back up your claims with convincing evidence or sharpened steel.
Lies and trickery are frowned upon and will likely result in either a brawl or duel if used.
Never misuse or mistreat nature without cause. Entire legions have been banished for using unnecessary amounts of flame while campaigning in forested or agricultural regions, and you are far less significant.
In regions under clan rule it is considered a punishable offense to remain silent when someone from a noble clan speaks to you. Even a surly response is considered preferable to none at all.
Practicing magic with destructive potential, while not strictly taboo, will be seen as incredibly suspicious if done without an apparent reason. Like-wise, using fire-arms outside of designated ranges will be seen as a deliberate disturbance of the peace and considered a punishable offense.
Never place yourself before someone who is evidently older than you. For in their eyes you are young and more than capable of waiting your turn.
Do not pass judgement on an Urken for their appearance or a few pieces of their behavior. Urken believe such behavior is indicative of a narrow mind and shallow personality.
Common Myths and Legends
Urkenthest is a titanic nation with a multitude of subcultures and sects within it, however since I do not have all the time in the world I will only summarize a few stories from each of its five primary regions to give you examples of how and what kind of tales are told within them.
North:
The Viper and the Worm: In this story, a worm attempts to eat from the corpse of a mouse killed by a viper. This viper sees the worm and challenges it for the right to eat from the mouse. Of course the viper wins the duel, but when it returns to the mouse's corpse it finds it was devoured by the rest of the worm's clan when it was not looking. Cursing, the viper slithers off to find prey elsewhere. This tale is meant to impress the importance of family upon young children and explain that sometimes sacrificing oneself for the greater good is the best course of action.
The Stream and the River: Here is a tale of a small stream and a mighty river, both of which are attempting to break a dam but are unable to do so. They struggle and stretch but cannot budge it, with both parties mocking the others efforts and claiming they can do better. It is only when a Heron suggests that the stream join the river that the damn is broken and the now united rush of water makes its way to the sea. In most tellings the stream helps guide the might of the river and shows it the weak places in the damn. Urken tell this story help justify the power of the clans and explain that humanity is at its strongest when it is united, a rather ironic message considering the frequently divided nature of Urkenthest and Urken society as a whole.
The Wood Merchant and the Ancestors Grove: This is the story of a wood merchant who had his wood-cutters harvest so much lumber they soon cut down all the forests for miles around, all save a grove with thousands of Urken from ages past buried beneath its soil. Needless to say the wood merchants greed got the better of him and he ordered his cutters to harvest it as well. This disturbance caused the dead to rise from their mounds and tear the cutters and the merchant limb from limb, planting arms, fingers, ribs, skulls, and other pieces of them in the earth to replace the woods they destroyed. The story says those body parts grew into tall, thin trees with bark the color of yellowed bone and crimson or purple leaves. This is intended to explain the existence of several northern forests containing trees with these same characteristics and also acts as a warning to treat nature with respect or suffer the consequences.
West:
The House of Stone: In this tale two women arrive on the shores of western Urkenthest and start building their homes. One takes months to carve hers out of a nearby cliff face while the other builds a wooden house on the shore in a matter of weeks. The second woman lampoons the first for wasting so much time making a cold, hard cave when she could have built a warmer home far more quickly. The first woman ignores these jibes and perseveres eventually finishing her house and moving in. Soon after a great storm comes and shatters the house the second woman built upon the shore, leaving the solid stone of the first woman's house untouched. Anecdotes of this sort are common in the west. They teach children the value of hard work, determination, and patience, and instills them with a healthy fear of the sea.
The Fisherman and the Ocean Spirit: This folktale speaks of a fisherman who managed to trick an ocean spirit into becoming his servant. The fisherman discovered that (amongst other things) the spirit was capable of bringing him as many fish as he wanted. At first his requests were humble and only intended to feed him and his family, but things soon got out of hand. Eventually the fisherman began telling the spirit to bring him enough fish for entire cities so he might sell them and grow rich as a result. In time he had the spirit gather so many fish that the local seabirds and aquatic predators began to grow hungry, when they asked who it was that took all the fish the ocean spirit pointed to the fisherman. Then the fisherman was set upon by the seabirds he had starved, and when he dove into the water to escape them he was torn apart by equally hungry sharks, eels, and other predators beneath the waves. This parable's message is clear: take only what you need and do not interfere with the workings of nature.
The Empress of the Sea: In this legend a great empress who hailed from over the mountains seized control of a portion of the western coast. She claimed she had sworn an oath to her father that she would conquer all that laid to the west of her family's lands, never stopping until she reached the end of the world. When she reached the shoreline her armies thought their campaign was finally over, but she said her oath had not yet been fulfilled. She rallied her soldiers and marched into the ocean, slashing and cutting at it until a wave rose up and swept her into its icy depths. This folktale teaches humility in the face of powers beyond ones control and reminds Urken children that the sea is something to be feared and respected. It is not human, and therefore it will feel neither guilt nor pain as it drags you into its crushing embrace.
Central:
The Scholar and the Singer: This legend's two main characters, the afore-mentioned scholar and singer bear witness to a duel between the heirs of two powerful clans. Both of them recorded the events of the duel but the singer embellished them and the scholar did not. The scholar was not pleased by the liberties the singer had taken, saying they were blatant lies and deception, and the singer was disgusted by how dry and factual the notes taken by the scholar were. Unable to bear the thought of the others account making it into the hands of the public they agreed to a duel: the victor would spread their version of events and the others would be destroyed. Unfortunately they were too evenly matched and perished on each-others blades. Both accounts were burnt, eradicating a fragment of history and ensuring a piece of valuable knowledge was lost forever. This story reminds Urken children that the preservation of knowledge is more important than the methods used to preserve it and that life is more valuable than any ideal.
Shonnii and the Basking Cats: This story details the increasing frustration and despair of the central Urken sun goddess Shonnii, who feels as though her efforts earn her nothing but grumbled curses from the farmers and other individuals caught in the sun's light. She begins to consider darkening the sun as it is no longer appreciated, but stops when she sights a group of cats basking in its rays. They looked too content or peaceful to disturb so Shonnii decided to leave the sun in the sky and carry on with her duties. Likely this tale was intended to remind Urken youths that every good deed is appreciated by someone, and many who do not show their appreciation would feel the loss of such services more sorely than they realize.
The Jackal and the Burning Brand: A folktale of a jackal that steals a burning length of wood from a fire because of its fascinating beauty. The jackal takes the brand back to his pack's den and accidentally sets fire to it, killing all within. The lesson that can be gleaned from this parable is that some things, whether they are objects, ideas, people, or powers, while immensely attractive, can bring death and ruin to your and those you love. Stories such as this are often told to aspiring mages or young Urken that long to search ancient ruins or acquire some prestigious yet controversial position in the local government. They are cautionary tales, warnings that urge all those seeking knowledge or strength to think twice before they pass a point of no return.
South:
The Family Recipe: Southern Urken love stories of ghosts and murderous monsters, but they enjoy such tales that end with a comedic twist even more. This is a story of that nature. It tells of a man's fright when he walked into his kitchen and saw a withered, armored corpse stomping around and rifling through cupboards. Panicked, the man fled from his house to get help with the undead horror running behind him, roaring in an ancient language. Unfortunately the man not only forgot his cloak but also lost his way. He took shelter in a seemingly abandoned cave and was promptly eaten by the inhabitant. Seeing the man's demise the reanimated cadaver expressed its dismay, saying it had smelled the man's cooking from its tomb and thought the dish could be improved with the help of an old family recipe. If this tale has a moral it is to not always take things at face value and make sure you know what's going on before making a hasty decision.
The Ferret, the Wolverine, and the Falcon: This story tells of two bitter rivals, the ferret and the badger, both of which have killed members of one-another's families in the past and have moved their burrows to separate themselves. The ferret and the badger go out each day to search for the others burrow so they might slay them. Every day they ask the falcon if she has seen the other but every day she answers no. They call her blind and dimwitted, claiming that is why she cannot see where the other is hiding, but in reality she can see the dens of both the ferret and the badger who unwittingly dug their burrows on the opposite sides of a large boulder. Every day they set out to search for the other but never do they think to investigate the area closest to them. The falcon finds the whole situation far too funny to end it by telling either one of them the truth so she claims to see nothing, when in fact she sees everything. This story is a reminder to look at the big picture and to take even the smallest details into account. For some cultures living from moment to moment is enough, but when you're trapped in a smokey, wind-battered house for several months of the year it helps to look beyond the present to the brighter, warmer future beyond.
The Vengeance of Dreigg Vra Br: One of the southern Urken's darker tales, this legend speaks of Dreigg-Vra-Br, a betrayer god from a tribal pantheon worshiped long before northern influence began to grow in the south. This god warred against his fellow deities, creating some of the most inexplicably dangerous locales in southern Urkenthest as he did so. Eventually he was banished and has not been seen or felt since, but the legend states he will return some day to take his vengeance on the gods and the peoples they rule. It says he will resurrect the Dreigg-Un, fell beings that served him during his previous conflict so they might wreak havoc and bring terror to the world once again. There is no real moral to this story, but it does encourage the southern Urken to remain steadfast in their worship of the elder gods so they might have the strength to fend off Dreigg-Vra-Br when he returns in search of revenge.
East:
To Young Hawks and the Eagle Sages: This fable tells of a group of young hawks that are learning how to fly. They flap and flutter to no avail, but when a kindly old eagle perched nearby offers to share her wisdom they refuse, vowing to become better flyers than her or any of her kind. Wishing to prove hawks are the superior flyers they chose ever more perilous ledges to leap from, injuring themselves more and more each time. Eventually they smashed themselves on the rocks below, never to rise again. This tragic fable tells eastern youngsters to never refuse good advice, even if it comes from a member of another clan or another species. It partially is thanks to stories such as this that the eastern Urken have developed such a strong and intimate relationship with the elves and other species that occupy the surrounding lands.
The Doom of the Half-Elven: A cautionary tale about a small group of eastern Urken that were a little too careless about the truth of their half elven blood-line in a community of xenophobic northern Urken. Those poor half-elves were labeled as abominations and promptly murdered at the command of several local priests. A stark reminder to keep things of that nature hidden until you know how those around you will react.
The Sentinel Cured With Life: This is an equally heart-breaking story of an elven warrior that was mortally wounded while defending her wife and adopted sons. As it was the only way to save her life the warrior was bound to a mage-bred carapace, a chitin-plated organism that covered her body like a suit of armor. This carapace had enough healing properties to keep her from dying but not enough to mend her wounds. In the armor she could walk, talk, see, hear, smell, and even touch to a certain extent, everything she could do before, but there remained an immovable wall of chitin and muscle between her and the ones she loved. If she removed the carapace she would perish, and that was something her wife would not allow her to do, but the life she lived was not the one she wanted. Her new armor not only staved off death, it also extended her lifespan by more than a hundred years. For the remainder of her natural life she watched her sons grow up and her wife grow old. They still talked and loved each-other fiercely despite the separation, but every moment of joy brought the warrior pain beyond description. When her spouse finally passed the warrior lingered on, standing sentinel over her wife's remains until her carapace too died. Then at last she was freed from her curse of life, then at last she went to be with her partner once more. This story warns of the sacrifice one must make if they follow the path of the warrior as laid out by the Earthwomb Elves. Using magic to prolong one's life is seldom without cost and not an action to be undertaken lightly.
Historical figures
The Urken are a numerous and diverse people. Their recorded history goes back hundreds, sometimes even thousands of years, creating veritable mountains of scrolls and volumes covering it. These writings mention a mighty host of figures responsible for making Urkenthest the nation it is today. So many are they that it would be quite impractical to provide even the briefest description for each one. Therefore this segment will lightly touch upon a handful of individuals from a few different periods of Urken history: Ancient, Enlightened, Pre-Unitary, United, and Post-Unitary. Ancient history is by far the oldest and documents the early Urken rulers and tribes, as well as many of the powerful relics that littered the land in those days. Enlightened history covers a period of advancement and originality for the Urken, wherein they master the smelting and forging of metals, adopt common languages and writing systems, and attempt to recreate or copy the technology found within the relics of old. Pre-Unitary history is the time between the enlightened period and the unification of Urkenthest, which sees the establishment of the nations most prominent clans and traditions. United history includes both the unification itself and the years of imperial rule that followed, and so it will bedivided into two sections to better reflect this. It is perhaps the best documented period of the lot. Post-Unitary history is currently short and stunted as it officially began after the assassination of Emperor Trriilaan and the start of the Vukkelldii Rebellion. Historians contributing to it primarily focus on the ongoing conflict but some discuss the changing socioeconomic status of Urkenthest and the sects within it. However it still has far fewer historical figures of note than the other periods of history due to its still short existence.
Ancient:
Brthtwae Vas Ob: A southern chieftess that led her people through a swathe of what is now central Urkenthest before ending up in the western forests. There the records say she initially attacked the native elf population but later made peace after facing unfavorable odds in the ensuing conflict. It is theorized that her tribe is the main progenitor of the eastern Urken as we know them today for there are still fragments of the language her people would likely have spoken hidden amongst the eastern lexicon. Some legends say she mated with an elven monarch to produce the first half-elves but the veracity of these claims has yet to be proven.
Mallun Weerth: A particularly canny warlord of central Urkenthest who may have carved out the region's first great empire, dominating a broad band of central Urkenthest and a sizable chunk of the west as well. Many accounts suggest that he actually built the port-fortress of Mahtherun (location) and used it to launch raids on coastal settlements of passing ships, as well as potentially sending an expedition or two to discover land beyond the sea. However most historians are skeptical of this as Mahtherun (at least the original pieces) seem far older than the articles suggest. It could be that he found the fortress already built and began to use it for the previously stated purposes but there is little evidence for or against this hypothesis.
Vaald Arrdwcaa: A northern queen renowned for her mastery of relics and gift for diplomacy. She may very well have been the first to successfully make contact with cultures from neighboring islands and even other continents. This is all but proven by a set of bronze armor found in her crypt (crypts and tombs were common at the time) which seems to be crafted in the style of Deshbuyikki armor from around that period. A few other items found within her tomb are thought to come from other cultures located on nearby islands of continents but their remains are so eroded and rusted it is difficult to be certain.
Hollan Jaal: A central Urken sun mage so powerful he attracted a following of more than ten thousand people, all of which believed he was either a god of the sun or maybe even a physical incarnation of the sun itself. Documents concerning him tell of how he used his loyal servants to carve out a theocratic empire amongst the western foothills, constructing grand temples that looked east across vast golden plains. Many of those temples and the smaller structures built for housing and storage still stand, with the largest containing none other than Hollan Jaal himself, encased in a massive slab of beautifully cut glass and perfectly preserved. Although utterly still, the body of Hollan Jaal looks disturbingly fresh and life-like, as though he was interred only the day before... as though he continues to live and breath when no-one's looking.
The Blade of Chaos: No source can say for certain who or what this apparently immortal assassin was or what eventually put and end to their murderous vendetta. Records tell us it was human-shaped and roughly human sized but even that is frequently questioned due to the suit of armor worn by this individual... if it was an individual. Their armor was a slick, oily black and seemed to melt into every fragment of darkness it came across, making the exact size and shape of the wearer nigh impossible to determine. This near-invisible suit of armor (which was likely some sort of relic) was very useful when The Blade decided to indulge in their favorite past-time: killing rulers. Kings, queens, emperors, chieftesses, princes, and even spymasters capable of pulling the strings of an entire nation. They were all at risk when the Blade of Chaos was on the prowl. As this famed killer was never captured or slain we have no clues regarding the ultimate goal behind their murderous escapades. Therefore most historians have written them off as a crazed radical thinker that wanted to return the world to chaos. Records say The Blade was responsible for more than seventy-nine murders over the span of roughly four hundred years but it is likely that upwards of two-hundred other assassinations went unrecorded and unremembered. Sinister sects exist in some parts of Urkenthest that worship the Blade of Chaos as a God of war, revolution, and murder, with a few of these sects claiming The Blade was the real driving force behind the Vuukkelldii Rebellion.
Enlightened:
Yoold Baaraal: A northern scholar and devout follower of Kaaltt, a northern Urken deity related to knowledge and it's preservation. In accordance with the tenets of his god, Yoold journeyed throughout Urkenthest in search of knowledge. It took many years but Yoold did eventually provide us with the most comprehensive collection of Urken history, language, religion, and culture of that time, a feat that would go unmatched until the United Era. It is also thought that Yoold aided the spread of Sprriiudennallbaatra, for it was the only language he spoke and he wrote his book, Fragments From Afar in it, forcing all those who wished to read it to first become acquainted with Sprriiudennallbaatra.
Cft-Var-Kr: A southern weapon-smith who is thought to be the first Urken to successfully create a working firearm by reverse engineering a relic weapon's design. Allegedly this process required a number of months and would not be efficiently stream-lined for years to come.However his work is still cited as being some of the most pivotal in Urken military history. It heralded unprecedented advances in weaponry, armor and tactics, changing how war was fought and necessitating the development of new technologies intended to counter it.
Siimdoor Vaalth: A central Urken smith, historian, and engineer apparently responsible for the first working factory. Accounts say she gradually converted her workshop into mass-production center for a particular style of iron beam she had taken a liking to. Although this set-up was limited their was no denying its efficacy, and it was not long before the leaders of clans both near and far began asking her to build them a similar contraption. She vanished shortly after this stream of inquiries began to pour in, seemingly taking her blueprints with her or destroying them. Many believe that she was actually killed by a clan agent and the plans were stolen to empower the industry of their clan, but there is little evidence for or against this theory. It is also worth noting that Siimdoor's technology still became common thanks to the efforts of other talented craftsmen who studied her primitive factory, which remained mostly operational.
Naldrae-Jal-Urt: An eastern fanatic who spent many years in tunnels under the eastern mountains befriending the local Wyrm population and learning the secrets of their silk. In time he would emerge, clad head to toe in an intricate weave of Wyrm silk. He claimed to be their chosen servant, a faithful follower of the Wyrms come to spread word of their wisdom and majesty. He was as charismatic as he was fanatical, slowly building a cult of devotees that he promised would one day become encased in Wyrm silk as he was. Then he and his followers disappeared for a time, only to emerge from the tunnels months later clad in Wyrm silk and wielding blades of sharpened bone. Naldrae declared a holy war on those who did not heed the wisdom of the Wyrms, slaughtering several villages and forever ending the rule of more than dozen eastern clans. The silk suits worn by him and his cultists were capable of absorbing a number of bullets and all but invulnerable to most melee weapons, but eventually they were brought down. Needless to say, Naldrae remains an unpopular name in the east.
Raeltha Undin: A western queen who used earth magic to bind herself to a vast leviathan. She merged with it both physically and mentally, using its voice to giver her subjects one last command: follow me. Although some remained behind most of those under her rule took to their ships and followed in her wake, with a handful of vessels lagging at the column's rear returning to tell of what transpired. The crews of these vessels said she led the other ships into the open ocean, travelling for days until they found a jagged stone outcropping. After they anchored near this spire of rock she used the beast's innate magic to conjure a whirlpool, dragging them into the depths and out of sight, presumably killing them. No-one has been able to ascertain the veracity of these accounts as no trace was left of the queen's fleet and the leviathan itself has not been seen since.
Pre-Unitary:
Uulaan and Greytt Offryinn: Uulaan and his husband Greytt are the documented founders of Clan Offryinn. Although they would eventually hold sway over much of southern Urkenthest, these two are thought to have hailed from the north-most borders of that region. This seems likely as their names are more northern in style and they were known to radiate a calm refinement that most southerners simply don't have. Since its establishment Clan Offryinn has become the dominant commercial force in southern Urkenthest, as well as a capable mediator for disputes between smaller clans.
Laertall Thwei: The founder of Clan Thwei, Laertall was renowned for her skill in the art of earth magic, particularly when it came to shaping and moving earth or stone. Using this talent she created RoulThwei, the fortified town and attached citadel that would become her clan's seat of power for hundreds of years to come. Records say she gave preference to earth mages and half-elves when filling the clan's ranks, a tradition still observed to this day. Clan Thwei has become famous for its immensely powerful and learned earth mages, as well as the plethora of creatures its more biologically attuned magic users have created.
Brollaan Vaalthirr: A northern engineer and historian who claimed his family was descended from none other than Siimdoor Vaalth. He established Clan Vaalthirr, which focused most of its efforts on creating and perfecting technologies related to production and manufacture. It is quite possible that Clan Vaalthirr was instrumental in cementing northern Urkenthest as the industrial power it is today. Many of the largest and most efficient northern factories, foundries, and ship-yards bear the flames and molten metal of Clan Vaalthirr and they likely had a hand in the construction of many more.
Taal Oordwett: A central Urken warlord who created the militaristic Clan Ordwett. Using her home village as a base of operations, Taal gathered, trained, and equipped a legion of highly skilled mercenary troops. For many decades to come she would be the "king-maker" of that region. Whenever war began to brew those preparing to fight would send envoys to her bearing gifts of currency and precious relics, hoping to bring her to their side. She would eventually perish from an unknown disease but her children found the courage and charisma needed to keep her mercenary empire together. Clan Oordwett has trained some of the most fearsome warriors in Urken history and wields enough political clout to end wars before they even begin, merely by threatening to choose a side.
Praeldt Fiio: A western sea mage of great power. Calling on the power of the waves he carved a towering port town from the western mountains. He named it Fiio-goch, and his descendants still walk its smooth, water-worn halls, hide behind its walls, and urge trading vessels to put in at its sheltered harbor. Clan Fiio was declining in power even before the rebellion due to the decrease in ocean traffic but for a time it was the most prominent commercial power in the west. Fiio-goch holds a fairly northern position upon the coastline, making it a likely destination for merchants from the isles or other continents. The invention of airships put a sizable dent in Clan Fiio's profits, but Fiio-goch still stands as a stalwart beacon for merchants and travelers alike, offering warmth and safety beside the roaring tide.
United(Unification):
Tllothii Vuuhaa: A northern clan leader and collector of relics who would come to hold many titles: The Sable Demon, The Man-shaped Wyrm, the First Emperor, and the Uniter, amongst others. Clan Vuuhaa had been the dominant military power in northern Urkenthest for a number of years before the ascension of Tllothii, but his predecessor had done little but maintain that status... Tllothii had grander aims. As a youth he had studied history and philosophy and used the knowledge he gained to examine the world around him. With more and more of the planet becoming known to Urkenthest and Urkenthest to it, Tllothii was able to observe much of the world's geopolitics, and he did not like what he saw. Everywhere he looked he saw strength through unity and prosperity through expansion, yet when his eyes turned to Urkenthest they saw only division, strife, and woefully stagnant borders. When it came time for him to take up the Suurkiaa he knew what he had to do: bring all of Urkenthest under his banner for its own protection and nourishment, so it could become the empire it needed to be.
Tllothii led his troops into battle from within his personal relic war-machine, The Just End, but preferred to settle matters in a more civil fashion through diplomacy and charisma. He managed to win the loyalty of Clan Oordwett in the early days of the unification, and gained the quick surrender of other prominent clans such as Offryinn and Thwei without significant bloodshed. Even by his enemies he was well regarded for his tactical prowess and disarming wit. Tllothii never fought a battle when he could avoid it, but when conflict was forced upon him he waged war in the most honorable way he could. Even after the bloodiest campaigns he maintained the discipline of his troops and offered favorable terms to his foes. For though he may have defeated them they were not his enemies, they were Urken, they were the people he intended to save. His methods may have been harsh on occasion, and the peoples who would one day fall under the rule of the Urkenthestine Empire likely did not view him all that favorably, but Tllothii Vuuhaa brought Urkenthest into a golden age of culture, industry, and military might, and the Urken will not forget him.
Belthass Craill: An eastern clan leader and high priest of Jolo-Jrenn who was the twin deity of both life and death worshiped by many species of that region, including humans and elves. He was instrumental in bringing the east into Tllothii's new empire. Other clan leaders of the region objected to the limits joining the empire might place upon their freedoms, but Belthass reminded them that all things pass with time, and that it was better to bow in the shadow of the trees now then kneel amidst their scorched remains. Records say he played an active role in the negotiations between Tllothii and the eastern clans, and may have helped secure favorable terms for those that chose to join the new empire.
Jaaeldess Oordwett: An heir to the leadership of Clan Oordwett who mounted a successful coup and allied her clan with Tllothii Vuuhaa. Clan Oordwett had grown rich off infighting and border skirmishes and would have likely opposed Clan Vuuhaa's unification if not for the strong spirit and indomitable will of Jaaeldess. She managed to look at the big picture that lay beyond her clan's narrow view of the world, and it is quite possible that the unification would not have happened if she had not done so.
Graalthwa and Graalthwae: Two seemingly western Urken girls washed up by the waves and taken in by local villagers. Identical twins, the young women (who were around 16-18 years old) are said to have been almost disturbingly beautiful and free from any natural imperfection. Rumors soon began to circulate, along with stories saying they were the sea's own daughters come to guide the people of western Urkenthest in the time of coming turmoil. Clan leaders from up and down the coast came to visit and converse with them, and many swore undying fealty before returning to their homes. Graalthwa and Graalthwae became the unofficial queens of the western coast in a matter of months, but they did not seem to feel the stress such titles typically bring. They urged their subjects to stand against the northern invader Tllothii as cliffs stand against the waves, indomitable and unyielding. Using sea magic of surprising power the twins created weapons, armor, and even fortresses from enchanted ice that did not melt and only broke after enduring great harm.
Who or what Graalthwa and Graalthwae truly were remains a mystery. Perhaps they were the escaped creations of some ocean-obsessed earth mage, or maybe they were the half-elven off-spring of a Seafoam elf and a human? It is also possible that they actually were daughters of the sea, but no-one can offer solid evidence confirming this theory. Whatever they were they were eventually killed in the fifty-third siege of Mahtherun, the last great battle of the western campaigns. Their bodies were returned to the sea in caskets carved from black stone, caskets inscribed with prayers of westerners hoping to avoid any retribution the ocean might unleash.
Teryg-Var-Crw: The most stubborn of the southern clan leaders, and the last bastion of divided Urkenthest. As a southerner, Teryg held a deep mistrust of anybody hailing from the north, let alone conquerors and empire builders. Using guerrilla warfare he made the northern legions bleed for every step they took, extending the conflict for almost a year and inflicting massive casualties, but eventually he was overwhelmed and defeated. Teryg was executed as punishment for the death and misery his actions had caused, but his descendants were allowed to keep their lands and titles as a show of good faith. For years an entire imperial legion was stationed in southern Urkenthest, with the stated goal of keeping the peace and enforcing the emperor's decrees, but many suspect that its true purpose was to keep eyes on the remnants of Clan Crw, in case they developed a taste for vengeance.
United(United):
Empress Golaann Vuuhaa: Granddaughter of Tllothii and empress of Urkenthest. She is attributed with the formation of the Wyrm-Coil Guard and the launching of several expeditions intended to find and claim new colonies for Urkenthest. Both the guard and the crews sent out across the waves were comprised of Urken from all over the nation, making it clear that they served Urkenthest as a whole, not any one part of it. Golaann's decrees and reforms more than doubled Urkenthest's societal cohesion, breaking down the barriers between its peoples and giving them common purpose. Though her grandfather is undoubtedly the one who united Urkenthest she is the one who held it together after he had gone.
Gallataas-Jal-Korrun: An eastern earth mage and anti-imperial freedom fighter, who unleashed a powerful stone curse on the city of Foluundaa in central Urkenthest. Reports indicate that she attempted to form a terrorist group by gathering other discontented easterners but encountered unexpected resistance from the local population. Although it was eventually contained the stone curse she planted in Foluundaa rendered vast portions of the city uninhabitable for those without protective wards and petrified hundreds of people, civilians or otherwise. Gallataas was apprehended and executed almost immediately and earth mages in the eastern provinces were closely watched for many years to come.
Pokkoll Vuuhaa: Urkenthest's 8th emperor, Pokkoll is remembered for his reinforcement and modernization of the nations infrastructure. His rule saw the creation of vast road, canal, and rail-road networks, as well as the construction of many new fortresses, factories, and mines. Urkenthest became an economic giant under his guidance, and the increased access to transportation he provided allowed the population to move, mingle, and homogenize like never before.
Vvaeltt Wollann: A western artist who became renowned throughout much of the known world for his harsh yet captivating art-style. He painted exclusively on animal hide, mixing his paints only from materials that one of his ancient ancestors would have had access to. These substances include tallow, chalk, powdered stones or shells, dried and ground seaweed, hair, and blood (frequently his own), amongst other things. Every one of his works presented a brutal and terrifying world, a world that inspires the same fearsome awe a hurricane does when it rips apart a fleet sitting at anchor. He created a flawless combination of dread and amazement, temporarily removing those that looked upon his works from the warmth and safety of their modern lives and transporting them to a period of history were human mastery of nature was a bizarre and laughable notion.
Ollinn Balluuraa: The leader of a respected northern house and the 17th emperor of Urkenthest after the passing of Ciillorii Vuuhaa, who left behind no children to carry on her line. There were brother, sisters, cousins, and other relatives to Ciillorii who could have taken her place, but most of them bore an affliction similar to hers... a stubborn disease that culminated in death. To prevent a shattering of Urkenthest she entrusted her empire to Ollinn, who had served her faithfully as both adviser and general. She guessed that his tactical skill would be tested shortly after her death... and she was not wrong. It took five long campaigns but Ollinn did manage to keep Urkenthest together and establish the Balluuraa Dynasty.
Post-Unitary:
Trriilaan Balluuraa: Twentieth emperor of Urkenthest and last emperor of the Urkenthestine Empire as it was. Although he showed great skill as a diplomat and politician he was too passive and proved reluctant to change old traditions and backwards imperial customs. This made him an unpopular figure amongst the increasingly educated and largely discontent Vuukkelldii, and even earned him the ire of a few minor houses that still suffered under outdated regulations. Rebellions rose and fell again, some quashed by the legions and others dealt with by the Wyrm-Coil Guard itself. Insurrection and strife ran amok in every part of Urkenthest but still Trriilaan dreaded to alter ancient laws for fear of the repercussions such actions might have. Perhaps it is only fitting that an emperor who spilled blood through inaction had his own blood spilled when his guards were unable to take action in his defense.
Emperor Trriilaan is remembered many different ways by many different people. To some he was a weakling who could not do what had to be done, whilst others see him as a tyrant that upheld the old ways and slaughtered all those that took change into their own hands. However those that really knew him weep in remembrance of a man both wise beyond his years and pitifully naive, a being with the intellect needed to understand what lay before him who lacked the confidence and initiative required to act upon what he saw.
Broggnottii Balluuraa: The eldest daughter of Trriilaan and the current empress of Urkenthest. Formerly the head of her fathers personal guard she now commands the crumbling fragment of a realm he left her. Reduced to a few islands and the majority of northern Urkenthest, the Urkenthestine Empire is a grim shadow of its former self, battling against the hordes of Vuukkelldii trying to complete its destruction. Broggnottii is a peerless warrior and superb strategist but will that be enough to keep her from sharing her father's fate?
Aujeek Offryinn: Once the clan leader of Clan Offryinn, he is the true mastermind behind the Vuukkelldii Rebellion and has given up all official power to act as a "humble advisor" to the Vuukkelldii Enclave of War and rule Vuukkelldeikk Urkenthest from the shadows. For years Aujeek was known as a master manipulator and superior orator, but the Vuukkelldii Rebellion was truly a testament to his skill. He resides now in an ancient fortress mansion belonging to some forgotten clan leader of ages past, observing the new Urkenthest he has created and pulling on the threads of his vast web if ever an element of it falls out of place.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Beauty does not matter, all Urken wear masks of wood (traditional) or metal (progressive) to hide their faces, so that they may be judged on their actions and speech, and by them alone. However, oddly enough, these masks are often gorgeously designed and painted, becoming, in a way, an alternate form of that which they are used to supplant. Urken also typically wear clothing that both covers the body entirely and hides its exact shape through a loose fit, although this second point applies mainly to civilian clothing.
Gender Ideals
Although most cultures of their world discovered the folly of discrimination based on gender or sexual preference long ago, the Urken are considered particularly egalitarian. In their culture men are expected to play as large a role as women when it comes to the birthing and raising of children, leading husbands, uncles, brothers, and other male relatives of pregnant women to take up the role of nurses and assistants when she gives birth. After the delivery it is common for the baby to be cared for as much by the mothers family as by the mother herself, allowing her to rest and regain her strength. Urken children are seldom raised by a singular individual and often find their needs tended to by much of their immediate and extended family, with other members of the community often providing additional guidance and support.
Urken marry as equals. They are equally responsible for protecting and supporting one-another, caring for their children and their home, and taking care of the chores. It is not uncommon for men to do more of the heavy lifting or hard, menial labor, but it is not irregular for women to engage in such tasks as well. After all, these are Urken women, strapped with lean muscle from years of martial training and traversing the cliffs, valleys, and fields of Urkenthest, very much unlike their more typically feminine counterparts in Mykolae and Gernot. Tasks are assigned to those that can perform them, all other requirements are left by the wayside.
Courtship Ideals
In contrast to their concealing garb and hidden faces, the Urken are frequently talkative and open about their thoughts or opinions. Naturally this tendency is not as strong in some regions of Urkenthest such as the bitterly cold southern reaches, but it persists all the same. Because of this willingness to share ideas and feelings it does not take long for Urken to discover how they feel about each-other. For though they might change and warm to one-another over time, Urken that support conflicting ideals seldom end up nurturing any sort of deeper romantic connection.
This mental and emotional openness makes Urken courtship a somewhat rushed affair from the perspective of most other cultures. One social interaction might lead to the discovery of shared interests or a similar worldview, which could in turn spark a series of increasingly private conversations and debates. After becoming familiarized with each-other psychologically, both potential lovers must decide if they want to get to know the other physically as well. Often this will culminate in the making of love and a continuation of the relationship, but it is not unheard of for Urken who reach such a point to decide they are better off as friends than as partners.
During courtship Urken value honesty and sincerity above all else. Any secrets held back during the initial string of discussions are likely to be discovered later on and risk destabilizing any relationship that may have been established, so are therefore better to reveal early on in the proceedings. Obviously love and compassion are a necessary ingredient in a process such as courtship, but they tend to develop more quickly between those who have spoken of themselves transparently and without guile.
*Note: The description of Urken courtship rituals and the associated ideals is primarily based off of the traditions practiced by Northern, Eastern, and Central Urken and do not necessarily reflect the practices of Southern and Western Urken as a result. Both of the under-represented groups tend to be less open and more pragmatic, marrying because of complimentary skill-sets or a shared passion for a handful of subjects instead of attempting to discover every aspect of their future partner. These traditions likely developed due to the smaller populations and harsh conditions found within the regions these ethnic sub-group occupy, both of which leave young people with fewer options and less room for dilly-dallying.*
Relationship Ideals
Deception and trickery are despised amongst Urken (although that has not prevented some of them from practicing it), if they take a liking to someone they will probably say so, and vice versa. Urken can tolerate just about anyone if they set their mind to it, but if they develop feelings for someone (romantic or platonic) the friendships those feelings forge can last a lifetime.
When attempting to find a friend in Urken territory, it is important to voice your opinion topic clearly and sincerely if asked, partially because they will probably know if you're lying and partially because this typically makes bonding with an Urken easier. If they don't agree with your views they will likely leave and speak with somebody else ,provided your opinion wasn't too offensive, in which case they may challenge you to a duel. However, if they sense you are a kindred spirit or in some way similar to themselves they will be eager to continue talking and getting to know you, sparking debates of questionable friendliness if they uncover a facet of yourself they find objectionable.
At the end of the day, it is the act of sharing ones thoughts and beliefs honestly and without shame that is most important when earning the trust or companionship of an Urken. You can slather them with flattery and smiles all day long but a few sentences spoken with confidence will achieve just as much or more in the eyes of the Urken. This is a practically universal truth, whether you happen to be looking for someone to share some tea or the rest of your life. In Urkenthest cold, clear water catches more flies than honey.
Major organizations
At the moment there are two major political organizations of note within Urkenthest and Urken culture: Caddreikk Urkenthest, a crumbling fragment of the Urkenthestine Empire, and Vuukkelldeikk Urkenthest, a loosely united conglomerate of Urken-held territories once under the empire's control.
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
Related Items
Languages spoken
Related Locations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments