Al'salaan
The Al'salaan are a people with a long history of war and conquest, yet who also have a rich and deep culture which has lasted for generations. They are also a deeply religious people who once held a number of shamanistic traditions similar to the Lixsnagn Pantheon, but who have since come together and started following the Illahic faiths. In the 1000 years since, the Al'salaan have formed several united, successive empires, which have spread the Illahic faith throughout the realm and dominated the other regional ethnicities. However, infighting between the Al'salaan led to the empires successively weakening. This led to their frontiers being unguarded, and during the years 1855-1906 the Al'salaani were shattered by invasion from the Edemalik Orcs. Since this day, the Al'salaan have been divided into warring principalities fighting over the scraps of their once grand states. Their population has gone into serious decline, and many have returned to a tribal state, herding throughout the region. Due to their shattered state, a huge variance in culture and ethnicity can be observed throughout the Al'salaani peoples as tribal identity and loyalty to local rulers clash. However, all Al'salaan share common characteristics and traditions, and see each other as belonging to the same people group.
One important tradition in both government and marriage among the Al'salaan is the exchange of daughters. In the traditional bond between a ruling lord and his powerful subjects, each one will grant the other one of his daughters as a concubine. This is done to ensure that there are stronger ties between the two, and to reinforce their supposed loyalty to one another. However, the social rules regarding this tradition are quite specific. Typically, a subjugated lord will not send his eldest unmarried daughter away (especially if he has just one daughter) and instead will select the most beautiful among them in order to gain status with his liege. It can be taken as a slight if he instead sends a young, plain daughter, though if he choses to send an older daughter than the most beautiful one this can be interpreted positively. It's also considered acceptable to abstain from this tradition if the ruling lord does not have any unmarried daughters or if the subject's daughters are already planned to be married to another. It's bad taste to cut off an engagement to gain status. If a ruler doesn't have any unmarried daughters, sending one of your own to him with no surety of compensation is seen as a great loyalty, and can often be just as effective in tightening bonds. However, it can also be a slight, especially when older subjects send a young liege their older daughters, as if to say they don't need your loyalty. It should be noted that the Al'salaan do not practice child marriage, and though they are not above engaging a child to an adult, the child always remains with their mother until adulthood. Thus, children are not considered when counting a lord's daughters for this tradition, since they can't actually be exchanged. One of the most famous groups of Al'salaan are the Ba'wadite. The Ba'wadite are Al'salaan who have never settled down, and maintain a strong tribal attachment. There are many Ba'wadite tribes found all across the Al'salaanic world, as many moved their entire tribes to populate and conquer new regions during the times of the Holy Successorship Empires. Most Ba'wadite live by a strong code of honor and only loosely follow the Illahic faiths, having mainly converted for conquest. A pastoral group, they mostly make their living raising animals such as sheep, donkeys, camels, or cattle. The most concentrated regions of Ba'wadite population are in the various deserts scattered about the Sahib Khasaal and Sahal Sahira. Such tribes often clash with the Iajephic tribes found in these regions. The Ba'wadite are often treated poorly be centralized governments as they are a proud and unruly group, with few of their income making its way into the royal coffers. However, they can also be a potent military force as long as they are promised loot.
Besides the Ba'wadites, the Ra'aewun are the most nomadic group of Al'salaan. As a mostly pastoralist group, they are found most commonly in Sahib Khasaal's driest regions, where they herd animals. Ra'aewun merchants are also an important part of tranferring goods from the interior of Sahib Khasaal to the coastline. They are known as devout follower of the Al'shahri sect of Illahism, as they
Dwelling in and around Sahib Khasaal's agrarian centers, the Al'arjana are often in close contact with the Ra'aewun, as typically the riverine regions of Sahib Khasaal's valleys will be densely populated by Al'arjana while the outskirts are settled by Ra'aewun and Ba'wadite. The Ra'aewun, owing to their agrarian practices are much more centralized than the preceding groups, and thus have formed proper kingdoms from the ashes of the Successorship Empires.
Distinct from the preceding groups, the Al'amfuret are a group of Al'salaan who mostly live in highland regions where they herd sheep and other animals, similar to the Ra'aewun. However, the Al'amfuret are usually considered less devout, and less warlike, preferring to keep to themselves. Some Al'amfuret settlements can also be found in and around the Sholi lands, as they were often persuaded to move into these regions following their conquests.
This is pretty much the exact opposite of the Al'sahlia, a coastal group of Al'salaan. In the pre-Illahic times they usually kept to seaside city-states with the agrarian regions around them being brought under cultivation, but over time their population gradually moved inland, where they came into conflict with the Ra'aewun. In modern times, the two groups live in much less fraught conditions, being united by faith and generally on good terms.
To the north of the Al'sahlia, the Sha'malin live in the fertile plains on the border of Sahib Khasaal and Khŭlmozhi. They are generally a mix of the various preceding Al'salaani peoples, as they mainly came to populate this region after the establishment of the Holy Succesorship Empire. The Ynipshar residents were easily assimilated by the Al'salaani, and the melding of cultures fromed the Al'sahlia.
In a similar situation, the I'llaan are Al'salaani who live in the Ægyian region, where they have intermarried and formed a distinct subethnic group. The I'llaan are the backbone of the Al'salaani-controlled states in the region, making up the upper class, and have generally replaced the indigenous upper class in the region via both conquest and marriage.
The final group of Al'salaan are the Mal'aiq, those of the family of Jafar Illahia, the founder of the Illahic faiths. Elevated via patronage, and due to the harem policies of the Al'salaani elite, the Mal'aiq swelled greatly over time under the served as a separate class and ethnic group in their own capacity. Well educated and often leaders in the arts and science, they are present in most Al'salaan-populated regions, especially concentrated in the Ra'aewun lands (as Jafar was Ra'aewun). The Mal'aiq are also critical as a group because the Al'fatimi sect believes that only those with the blood of Jafar can rule as emperor. The Mal'aiq, having his blood, are critical to form ties with if one wihes for their family to eventually come to rule. This has been key for the orcish conquerors, and many Mal'aiq families have migrated to their lands and formed marriage ties in order to reap the rewards and influence.
One important tradition in both government and marriage among the Al'salaan is the exchange of daughters. In the traditional bond between a ruling lord and his powerful subjects, each one will grant the other one of his daughters as a concubine. This is done to ensure that there are stronger ties between the two, and to reinforce their supposed loyalty to one another. However, the social rules regarding this tradition are quite specific. Typically, a subjugated lord will not send his eldest unmarried daughter away (especially if he has just one daughter) and instead will select the most beautiful among them in order to gain status with his liege. It can be taken as a slight if he instead sends a young, plain daughter, though if he choses to send an older daughter than the most beautiful one this can be interpreted positively. It's also considered acceptable to abstain from this tradition if the ruling lord does not have any unmarried daughters or if the subject's daughters are already planned to be married to another. It's bad taste to cut off an engagement to gain status. If a ruler doesn't have any unmarried daughters, sending one of your own to him with no surety of compensation is seen as a great loyalty, and can often be just as effective in tightening bonds. However, it can also be a slight, especially when older subjects send a young liege their older daughters, as if to say they don't need your loyalty. It should be noted that the Al'salaan do not practice child marriage, and though they are not above engaging a child to an adult, the child always remains with their mother until adulthood. Thus, children are not considered when counting a lord's daughters for this tradition, since they can't actually be exchanged. One of the most famous groups of Al'salaan are the Ba'wadite. The Ba'wadite are Al'salaan who have never settled down, and maintain a strong tribal attachment. There are many Ba'wadite tribes found all across the Al'salaanic world, as many moved their entire tribes to populate and conquer new regions during the times of the Holy Successorship Empires. Most Ba'wadite live by a strong code of honor and only loosely follow the Illahic faiths, having mainly converted for conquest. A pastoral group, they mostly make their living raising animals such as sheep, donkeys, camels, or cattle. The most concentrated regions of Ba'wadite population are in the various deserts scattered about the Sahib Khasaal and Sahal Sahira. Such tribes often clash with the Iajephic tribes found in these regions. The Ba'wadite are often treated poorly be centralized governments as they are a proud and unruly group, with few of their income making its way into the royal coffers. However, they can also be a potent military force as long as they are promised loot.
Besides the Ba'wadites, the Ra'aewun are the most nomadic group of Al'salaan. As a mostly pastoralist group, they are found most commonly in Sahib Khasaal's driest regions, where they herd animals. Ra'aewun merchants are also an important part of tranferring goods from the interior of Sahib Khasaal to the coastline. They are known as devout follower of the Al'shahri sect of Illahism, as they
Dwelling in and around Sahib Khasaal's agrarian centers, the Al'arjana are often in close contact with the Ra'aewun, as typically the riverine regions of Sahib Khasaal's valleys will be densely populated by Al'arjana while the outskirts are settled by Ra'aewun and Ba'wadite. The Ra'aewun, owing to their agrarian practices are much more centralized than the preceding groups, and thus have formed proper kingdoms from the ashes of the Successorship Empires.
Distinct from the preceding groups, the Al'amfuret are a group of Al'salaan who mostly live in highland regions where they herd sheep and other animals, similar to the Ra'aewun. However, the Al'amfuret are usually considered less devout, and less warlike, preferring to keep to themselves. Some Al'amfuret settlements can also be found in and around the Sholi lands, as they were often persuaded to move into these regions following their conquests.
This is pretty much the exact opposite of the Al'sahlia, a coastal group of Al'salaan. In the pre-Illahic times they usually kept to seaside city-states with the agrarian regions around them being brought under cultivation, but over time their population gradually moved inland, where they came into conflict with the Ra'aewun. In modern times, the two groups live in much less fraught conditions, being united by faith and generally on good terms.
To the north of the Al'sahlia, the Sha'malin live in the fertile plains on the border of Sahib Khasaal and Khŭlmozhi. They are generally a mix of the various preceding Al'salaani peoples, as they mainly came to populate this region after the establishment of the Holy Succesorship Empire. The Ynipshar residents were easily assimilated by the Al'salaani, and the melding of cultures fromed the Al'sahlia.
In a similar situation, the I'llaan are Al'salaani who live in the Ægyian region, where they have intermarried and formed a distinct subethnic group. The I'llaan are the backbone of the Al'salaani-controlled states in the region, making up the upper class, and have generally replaced the indigenous upper class in the region via both conquest and marriage.
The final group of Al'salaan are the Mal'aiq, those of the family of Jafar Illahia, the founder of the Illahic faiths. Elevated via patronage, and due to the harem policies of the Al'salaani elite, the Mal'aiq swelled greatly over time under the served as a separate class and ethnic group in their own capacity. Well educated and often leaders in the arts and science, they are present in most Al'salaan-populated regions, especially concentrated in the Ra'aewun lands (as Jafar was Ra'aewun). The Mal'aiq are also critical as a group because the Al'fatimi sect believes that only those with the blood of Jafar can rule as emperor. The Mal'aiq, having his blood, are critical to form ties with if one wihes for their family to eventually come to rule. This has been key for the orcish conquerors, and many Mal'aiq families have migrated to their lands and formed marriage ties in order to reap the rewards and influence.
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