Sa-kemet Tribes
Summary
Since time immemorial, the various nebusah and muurun tribes have wandered the deserts and arid regions of Sa-kemet. At times allies, other enemies, theirs is a conflict of resourcess that ever polarized their relationship. In time, the nebusah left behind the nomadic lifestyle in favor of settling down, delving into intellectual and magical pursuits. From these arose their cities, the greatest of all being Atenkhet. The muurun, however, largely scoffed at such efforts and took toward enjoying all the now largely uncontested resources for themselves. Their numbers swelled, and as the nebusah succeeded in cultivating their homelands, the tribes took note of their success. Trade and raiding alike became the language they spoke, with all sorts of engagements across the deserts. So they remained, at least until one particular muurun arose to power. Upon her settled the name and title of Great Khanum, a tribal leader with such military strength and strategic prowess she single-handedly bludgeoned every tribe into submission. Armed with their numbers, she set out across Sa-Kemet, capturing everything worth owning and razing anything that dared to resist. By the end of the first decade, few places in Sa-kemet remained outside of her banner, Atenkhet the most notably strange exception. The muurun horde branched down toward Immensio while another branch broke into Temu. It grew in size year by year, claiming new grounds for the exploding populations of muurun and their khanum's rapacious appetite. When these lands fell under the banner, she marched them further and further. Lophern joined her ranks, and soon the intersecting mountains of Etzli Cuauhtla, Aerthen, and Votyoger were in her sights. At such a time was when the Great Khanum met the-then unknown Imperious, and lost horrifically against her. With her defeat, Imperious rose up, creating the Imperium as her dream of global conquest kindled to life. Without their world-shaping leader, the tribes splintered apart as ancestral lineages and cultures boiled to the surface. Many tried to claim successorship, few were even marginally capable of doing so, and many more still simply wanted to consolidate their holdings. Those in the direct path of the Imperium had little choice but to be consumed by it, frightening away many more to run across Veltrona and escape the dragons. In the end, many of those born in the deserts retreated back there, hiding underneath Atenkhet's unwavering bulwark as it came to blows against Imperious' expansionism. These two sides, as ever it was with them, soon stood side-by-side, keeping Sa-Kemet away from the Imperium's grasp all the way up until it's downfall. The tribes who survived the Great Darkness tentatively set out again across the deserts. Having once known greatness that dragons feared, and living in the shadow of Atenkhet, they endeavored to create their own powerful identities. Nomadism as an idea waned, and although traditionally maintained, more solidified settlements started cropping up. The various tribes eventually established their own informal borders, broadly chopping up Sa-Kemet into twelve enormous regions they inhabited. Being a prideful people, the muurun took to solving problems in their ways, and so they have ever remained.The Twelve Tribal Regions
Jorrenta
Located in the far western reaches of Sa-Kemet, on the border of Akpahm, the Jorrenta occupy the relatively smallest portion of land. However, between parts of the Shimmering Ocean and Akpahm to the north, they have plentiful food and generally accessible, if processing required, water sources. They have more time for luxuries and crafts as a result, and so spend a lot of time making all kinds of artistic wares. They traditionally function as merchants, stretching up north then heading down along the coastline. While geographically distant on a map, the tribe has frequent contact with others, particularly Atenkhet and its relatively near-coastal position. They will also infrequently visit the Poledar and Rasara regions, and became the main artery through which anyone going west would utilize. Even more rarely they'll reach into Temu, especially if they're in need of processed goods they can't acquire elsewhere.Poledar
In the northwestern corner of Sa-Kemet is the largest freshwater sea, cradled by divine mountain ranges that give it a harsh and punishing landscape. Claiming blood lineage to Poleva, the Poledar believe themselves her holy people, and so jealously guard the sea from tampering or unlawful drinking. While originally extremely isolationist, the Great Khanum broke their back and forcefully opened the tribe up. Marvels like solar obelisks and the Black Pyramid also radically changed their perception of water's holiness. They routinely send out their priestesses across the deserts, usually to act as cleansers and sanctifiers of water sources. As the available waters expanded, they took on more roles, like healing outsiders, which made them imminently popular. They eventually got co-opted into those occupations due to overbearing demand, and peoples' associations with water's mystical values. In many respects a 'neutral' tribe, they're afforded great accommodations as long as they stay in their lane about their religious duties.Korim
The dominant tribe in the southeastern face of Sa-Kemet, on the border of Immensio. They are famously belligerent, acting as the (literal) gate keepers between the two continents. While it depends which clan in the tribe one encounters, for the most part they either pursue ritual combat or extortion. It is said their ancestors were great plains huntresses from Immensio, and seeking greater prey, they went to the deserts to hunt the kelansahdar. So it is the Korim swing between the two lands, maintaining their proud, quasi-militaristic lifestyle. Their bachelorette warbands are some of the most rowdy around, but their expectations for potential eligibles is quite daunting. In that respect, they're famous for running a policy of, 'if they cannot defeat me, they are not worthy'.Pajen
A mountainous tribe that largely lives in the eastern divine mountains, they're generally isolated more because of where they live than by manner. Exceptional miners, mountaineers, and hardy people, the Pajen are constantly working to tame their mountains. They've actually built a string of micro-cities along the whole range, which the bulk of the tribe migrates between over the course of a year. There is some arguments about their size, as splinter clans and smaller tribes often shoot off of the Pajen. While they don't boast about owning the whole range, so many people draw blood relations back to them they practically do anyway. Their draconic heraldy is particularly notable, as the Pajen's great ancestors actually brokered deals with dragons who live in their mountains. Some are claimed to have beaten dragons, others wooing them with their peerless beauty–something the dragons there are a bit tight lipped talking about.Nesubu
Living at the base of the Pajen's mountains, the Nesubu flex between traders and large-scale, mobile herders. What weather does pass over Sa-Kemet hits the eastern mountains, dumping a little rainfall that's enough to liven up the steppes. The Nesubu largely operate at a clan level, split off across the vast veltron so as to best utilize the sporadic weather. Later, the arrival of solar obelisks helped to centralize their lifestyle. They run and maintain a tremendous chain of obelisks, perhaps the greatest actual solar farm in all of Sa-Kemet. With the Pajen's expert engineers to help, the Nesubu maintain liquid mana production that fuels their tribe at large. Many traders, seeking the precious resource, make their way to them as well. In many respects, they're the easiest ones for anyone from Temu or Immensio to reach.Rasara
A largely northern tribe that swings between the Poledar and Nesubu territories, they tip-toe on the border of the vast deserts. Chiefly being herders, they follow the flourishing steppes and savannahs as they spring to life. This does often take them on a northern swing into Temu, where they meet with the the Safu Freehold every other year. Maintaining one of the largest animal stocks around, practically anything tameable in Sa-Kemet can be found in their herds. They command some of the best beast tamers and hunters, with knowledgeable lore keepers that can make even Atenkhet's scholars blush stupidly at. As a result, trade caravans branch off frequently with sturdy young adults, graze-migrating toward the other tribes to sell them. They usually end up acting as an intermediary for things like letters and gifts, which put the Rasara in an enviable, diplomatically favored position for many tribes.Umdapol
The neighboring tribe to the Korim, the Umdapol live on the southeastern coastlines, stretching in a westward direction. The tribe has a bit of history with the shermadi in particular, as it is said ancient love between them and the muurun bloomed. Taking to the ocean, the Umdapol built great ships to live aboard, and would migrate along the coastline with the shermadi. In times of bad weather, they would flee to secret coves and capes to ride them out in. As the tribe grew in size both on land and water, they became renowned for their fishing goods, and salt especially. Being worth more than any kind of coin for many people, the Umdapol's salt production remains a measure of wealth and envy to many others. As Atenkhet's naval prowess has expanded, they've come into far more frequent contact with them, and thus more trade. Of all the tribes, the Umdapol are enjoying a proverbial golden age in spite of the rough living being on a coast entails.Musupol
Once a branch of the Umdapol tribe, the Musupol moved farther west due to familial disputes. They once lived in the south-central coastal region, but failing to keep their shermadi members, fared much worse on the water than the Umdapol. They got by through salt farming and trading it deeper in the deserts, especially to the-then unknown Atenkhet. When the nebusah' mega-city began expanding, the Musupol ended up displaced by its growing influence. Further tensions led to violence, and the Musupol struggled to endure. However, when the Black Pyramid finished, and mighty rivers of fresh water flowed out, the nebusians extended a curious offer. The life rivers would flow past their borders, as 'Poleva herself dictated they must', but the nebusah could not afford to maintain proper river support structures. They offered the job to the Musupol, who took it eagerly as it gave them uncontested control of a new, massive fresh water source. Since then, the Musupol have followed the life rivers and their tributaries, tending to the abundant greenery that grows from them in otherwise barren and dead veltron.Atohmix
A mining-and-scavenging tribe in the southern regions beneath the Jorrento, living in the southwestern reaches of Sa-Kemet. They famously live to follow after the dry storms that start and end in Sa-Kemet, hunting for the flash-creation of crysium during large mana events. Originally a small tribe, the rise of Atenkhet became their solid source of business as the Atohmix labored to provide the nebusah their raw resources. In return, they were the first tribe access to the fresh water powers of the pyramids and obelisks, becoming a foundational core of their future growth. Since then, they've pivoted into being a sort of 'unofficial' member of Atenkhet, living in the deserts and arid regions around the vast mega-city. While maintaining their nomadic mannerisms as much as they can, they do depend greatly upon Atenkhet's life rivers, as well as regular trade. With the ascension of Pharaoh Aramix, the Atohmix have received special grants, solidifying their position as unofficial members of Atenkhet proper. In this way they are also protected by its laws, and Aramix's strict enforcement saw the end of those exploiting them for free slave labor. In honor of this virtuous deed, the tribe renamed itself to the Atohmix, something to the effect of 'followers of Aramix'. It would be humorously ironic later on that Aramix's new found immortality essentially meant the tribe would be stuck following her. It devolved into a long standing issue where Aramix would offer them a polite escape from their perceived duty, but the tribe's many generations has ever refused to do so.Uru
One of the three heartland tribes, the Uru rotate between the four massive oasies within the heart of Sa-Kemet. The exact order varies, but as they do not trespass on the true heart of the deserts, they have fixed options in that regard. The Uru get by on being good conservationists as well as traders, meeting with groups on the fringes that are too under-equipped to survive the deserts proper. They have an unusually high amount of mertakan members, as the tribe's constantly active lifestyle is ideal for their traditional hunting. They're better known as nomadic traders, and a truly frightening amount of wealth circulates through their massive tribe. They end up running frequently into the Musupol, Rasara, and Atohmix tribes, creating a complex, interweaving social network that rachtoh would love to gossip over. Information, as a result, is also one of their prime commodities. Most of Sa-Kemet's technologies end up flowing through them in one form or another. Some technologies long since thought lost live on in their mobile archives, and all kinds of scholars try to get in to find them again.Foutum
One of the three heartland tribes, the Foutum are regarded as strange and unusual among all their peers. Deeply spiritual, they navigate through the entirety of Sa-Kemet by the visions of their various priestesses. They are especially attuned to the whims of the red moon, and venerate Zolkalkehtum as their patron deity. They generally keep to the heartlands, navigating impossibly harsh terrain with an enviable ease. As their numbers are on the smaller side, it's harder to find them if one is even lucky enough to cross their path in the first place. They trade in all kinds of exotic materials, some of which they shouldn't even have access to in any sane way, yet the goods are there all the same. Crysium-based goods, especially, are some of their top wares and some possess craftswomanship with one-of-a-kind inventiveness. Given the unusual number of harpies in their ranks, many suspect the tribe has a deeper, hidden connection to Prak.Ahdarqi
One of the three heartland tribes, and often considered the true mistresses of Sa-Kemet's heart. In ancient times, a tribe of muurun were saved by Abasahdar. Inspired by the god's courageous stand against Kalarahdar, they swore to aide him in slaying the Ever-Devouring Serpent once and for all. Indeed, they believe doing so will cure Sa-Kemet of a great evil, and perhaps usher in a new green age where the deserts recede. To such an end they devote themselves to martial and veltronly prowess, seeking supreme mistressy enough to slay such a formidable god. Essentially warrior monks from birth to death, the tribe live harshly and survive despite terrible odds. No more than them is feared across Sa-Kemet, especially those who have tamed and become riders of the kelansahdar serpents. Like Abasahdar, they regard themselves as saviors, and so protect those foolish enough to wander within Sa-Kemet's heart. Reputation is often more fearsome than reality, however. The Ahdarqi maintain their own city within Sa-Kemet's heart, a literal oasis in a place otherwise too desolate to survive. Partially underground, it could be called a respectably large and accomplished place. Their unifying mission to slay Kalarahdar and the sheer difficulty involved with that has forced them to innovate greatly. Only in recent generations have they started to seriously entertain the idea of outside help, either in knowledge or through arms. In that respect, many of the roaming Ahdarqi leaving the heartlands makes far more sense. Few people would seriously entertain the notion of killing a god the same way they do, though.Structure
The tribes at large maintain their own independent 'organizations', usually in the form of clan identity followed by blood lineage. More pressing specifics, like a grand 'tribal leader' is a more incidental facet than a norm. For example, in matters of importance to the whole tribe, a leader may be chosen through a variety of methods (combat, debate, group vote, etc). Or, if the matter is not too pressing, it will be disseminated throughout the tribe for input and larger group consensus. It can be seen as mixing the ideas of direct and representative democracies to some extent. However, those with great merit or achievement to their names, or impressive social/political clout, can throw weight around in the tribe's affairs.
Actually untangling how the tribes' peoples arrange themselves is an entire art unto itself. Microcosms can form from intense social and political entanglement, their lives measured by the people who made them. Some are secretive, others sworn by blood, many more opportunities of convenience, fortune, or mutual success. Like a tangled ball of yarn, every thread has a sense to it in a greater, churning mass that can make outsiders go mad trying to work through. It can be no surprise rachtoh and mertakan love being there.
As an after effect of the Great Khanum's legacy, there is a superstition throughout the tribes of another great leader emerging. Some dream of recapturing, or exceeding, her legendary prowess to unite all the tribes together again. The purposes for this, however, vary greatly and often conflict with one or more tribes' goals. Any inheritor to the Great Khanum, thusly, would have to do more than mere martial prowess–they would have to be a personality that truly captures the essences of the tribes.
Demography and Population
Religion
One of the binding threads between all the tribes is their generally adjacent concepts of faith. Ancestor worship intermixes with divinity on the regular, either a mortal ascending or some nebulous being having always been there instead. The hows and whys vary between the tribes in their intensities, such as the Poledar being very aligned to Poleva, the Ahdarqi with the twin serpent gods, and those like the Korim that are pious as they need or believe can help them. For the most part, regardless of which tribe, there is a common understanding of who is where and does what, minus ancestors and other arguable things.
Uatkara arose along with Atenkhet, and became a polarizing thing throughout Sa-Kemet. Many drew relations to it, intentionally or not, such was the weight it carried. For the tribes, it arranged their nebulous goddesses into a more stone-solid hierarchy and arrangement. Arguments invariably followed about who was more important (or not), but it gave form to the common architecture the tribes shared between them.
Teachings of Uatkara spread out, changing shape, form, and sometimes meaning as it was reinvented into the mythos of every tribe. Ultimately, their religious ideals and Uatkara remain distinctly separate, but there is a lot of cross-stitching that leaves them much closer together than may be apparent.
Agriculture & Industry
Land farming as a whole doesn't exist across Sa-Kemet unless found from the life rivers of Atenkhet, or the mountains of the Pajen. Instead, many tribes maintain small, mobile pot farms that grow vitally necessary fruits or vegetables. Usually having herd animals, they follow along the herds as they graze and migrate.
When new water sources become available, the tribes stock up and refresh their farms. Long-lasting foods are the most usually grown, with short lived items like fruits being raised for special events (birthdays, annual celebrations, etc). For those with access, sea goods in the form of fish, salt, and other edibles are staple items they go out of their way to collect again.
Being largely nomadic, no real concept of heavy industry exists among the tribes–save the Pajen. Instead, they are inventive with what Sa-Kemet provides, and keen to exploit rare opportunities when they appear. A good example being that mobile smithies can be setup rapidly near viable mining locations, or when a good deal of salvage becomes available.
Fast refining and processing lets them then craft needed metal goods, often weapons or useful items like clips, binding anchors, and the like. There is an entire art to their methodology, and their resourcefulness has been key to how they've all survived throughout the generations.
Their crafts at larger, however, are greatly desired no matter where they go. There are the practical ones: weather robes, ear muffs, special crysium-lined vests for temperature, hand-shovels, hunting knives, and so on. Built with generations of know-how and ability, even a simple piece is reliable enough to bet one's blood upon. Any good survival kit has stuff made from the tribes.
Artisan crafts are where the true soul of the tribe can be found. Tailors weave threads from plant to animal fibers woven into sturdy cords, dyed with all the colors imaginable. Then woven into multi-functional, yet beautiful attires, they emphasize form and function in perfect harmony.
There is little room for waste in one's wardrobe, after all, since they or their pack animals must invariably carry it along to the next location. It can be hard to say how many attires a tribe person has, for add-ons, accessories, and changeable connections means one 'attire' can encompass dozens of parts. All of which are changed according to need or circumstance.
Rugs and blankets combine the idea of 'painting' together, being beautiful art pieces as much as practical, usable items. Jewelry of exotic minerals and animal parts, carefully fashioned through time and attentive detail, form beautiful compliments and can yet carry help for magical purposes. Pottery and greater clay works hold the wealth of the tribe as much as its knowledge, carrying stories painted across them throughout the generations.
Their medicinal goods have long gone through trials by fire, and some are so capable there are a fair number of foreigners willing to trade for them. Indeed, in the hands of the tribal craftswomen, each and every thing made is hand-crafted and cared for to its maximum potential. The prices they can command, as a consequence, can sometimes be quite fearsome.
Education
For the most part, the life of a priestess is also that of a teacher. The living bodies of knowledge in a tribe, clan, or family, they are charged with lore keeping and educating everyone who comes seeking it. Because it is so dependent on that person's ability and personality, educational generations are both distinct and quite varied in actual quality. A person's knowledge depends heavily on impressing their teacher and receiving their tutorship, so many people try to cultivate good and lasting relationships with them. It invariably makes their position a venerable one, but it can be a problem when a teacher decides to act up or suffers a calamity.
Generally, families pass down their own know-hows, and practical experience fills in the gaps otherwise. The ways of Sa-Kemet are not mysterious to them, simply requiring practical and straightforward solutions to handle. Many of these learnings are kept in various mediums: scrolls, books, paintings upon pots or rugs, and so forth. Unless they are hand-copied over to another family, they are usually only found there as a result. It's left to the ones who have to carry the goods what is worth keeping or not, there is only so much space.
The draconic invention of the torzei became that much more important to the tribes as a result. Being able to store incredible amounts of information in a reasonable size, a single torzei could embody the collective knowledge of the entire tribe. The priestesses, thusly, desire them almost more than their own lives, so great is their usefulness.
It led to a sort of knowledge schism, where priestesses with a torzei would catalogue everything, and those who opposed it. Mostly, they were afraid of putting too much trust in a single thing, because if the torzei was lost, everything with it would be as well. They usually settled on a hybrid solution, with the torzei a foundational bedrock while the tribe maintains its own traditional methods.
Type
Geopolitical, Nomadic tribe
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Government System
Tribalism
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Traditional
Location
Neighboring Nations
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