Jhasanhian
The Jhasanhian are a mostly tribal people group with some small nascent nation states. Jhasanhians are culturally distinct and follow the Bāla faith. For many years they were forced to pay tribute to and their customs were trampled by the Karadatra Empire, which has led to significant hostility towards the Indhiri within their communities. The Jhasanhian, unlike most other human ethnicities in southeastern Ærellion, are not a Jhasdic people, though this is a common mistake given the prefix of their name. In fact, "Jhasanhian" translates closely to "Non-Jhas". The Jhasanhian descend from settlers from south Ærellion, and their closest relatives are the Aimaur peoples. Jhasanhian settlers first arrived in the region they now inhabit some 3-4000 years ago, probably shortly before the ethnogenesis of the Jhas themselves. Several tribal confederations assumed a short-lived hegemony over western Daunastiya before being pushed into their fringes and marginalized by the light-skinned migrants from the west. Surviving in the peripheral jungles into the present, the modern Jhasanhian can be divided into three different groups; Dakhiyaan, Khinionkla, and Janadaala.
The most prominent Jhasanhian culture is that of the Dakhiyaan. They are not united whatsoever, with their lands a patchwork of several different tribes. They live in the southern jungles of Daunastiya, where they have long been under the control of Indhiri lords who have exploited them for their resources, namely their people, who have been sold into slavery whenever debt-slave quotas are short and the demand for new blood is high. This has left their population artificially lowered for centuries, allowing the neighboring Jhasdic peoples to slowly but surely carve into their lands. Although the Dakhiyaan have managed to secure de jure independence from the Karadatran Empire, their peope continued to be targeted by slave raids, and until the Empire totally falls the threat of a Jhasanhian reprisal is low for the perpetrators. However, the Dakhiyaan liberation continues to move along slowly, with the Dakhiyaan tribes of the [tbd] highlands recently throwing off the bonds of the Mamalk state of Kendryika and seizing the formidable [tbd] fort, though those who revolted outside the highlands found themselves back under Karadatran control as that nation's ambitious subjects gobbled up the remnants of Kendryika.
Just north of the Dakhiyaan, the Janadaala are a closely related people group who can only be found in the Floating Marsh of lake [tbd], which they have managed to defend from invaders since the collapse of Karadatra. Much like the other Jhasanhian tribes, the Janadaala were considered lesser peoples and placed under the control of local nobility for them to exploit as they saw fit. Although suffering greatly in the loss of their lands to settlers of both the Rabasaji and Indhiri variety, the Janadaala managed to hold on to the unattractive (to settlers) marsh, though much of their formerly expansive lakeside hunting and fishing grounds have been seized for use by Jhasdic peoples, their farms once staffed by the very Janadaala who formely controlled the lands. Eventually, the slave castes of these lands would largely be replaced, and the Janadaala footprint was limited to the marsh. Despite their tough circumstances, they remain able fishers and hunters.
Although not as populous as the Dakhiyaan, the Khinionkla are probably the most famous of the Jhasanhian ethncities. Living to the north of Karadatra, they are descended from migrants who took a different route than either the Dakhiyaan or Janadaala. The Khinionkla are a semi-matriarchal group as well as the founders of the Bāla faith, giving them a reputation for being innovative. Their population is concentrated in the western Apastajaii region, where the jungles are thickest. This is becasue the Khinionkla are totally at home in the jungles, masters of their use in defense and in tropical city planning. Many parts of the jungle which appear uninhabited are actually settled by the Khinionkla in large numbers, but their architecture blends in so well as to be nearly indistinguishable from the virgin forests. They are often hidden or glamored with spells, making it even harder to find their settlements. Still, during the rise of the Karadatra Empire, the tribes consented to paying tribute, providing the Empire with berserkers and spies. However, their willing support would end shortly, as the second ruler, Ghavalesh the Lawmaker, attempted to enforce patriarchal norms and polygamy on them. Despite being subjugated by the Karadatra Empire for almost 500 years, they refused to fully submit to this policy, leading to numerous conflicts in the region. Following the disastrous reign of Dhavalend, who invaded and killed many Khinionkla, they halted tribute payments. This brave defiance makred the first people group to do so, and heralded the slow decline of the Karadatra Empire. Since then, the Empire has relied on their border marches to keep the Khinionkla at bay, though the Khinionkla hatred of the Indhiri means that raids remain common. Following the end of their relations with Karadatra, the Khinionkla relied heavily on trade with the Ghuraki, but the fall of many of these states has left them with fewer trade partners than ever, and contributed to their isolation. Although some Khinionkla remain in parts of Apastajaii which are controlled by Karadatra, and Khinionklan berserker slaves are greatly valued for tournaments and combat, overall the majority of Khinionkla are free of Indhiri oppression.
The most prominent Jhasanhian culture is that of the Dakhiyaan. They are not united whatsoever, with their lands a patchwork of several different tribes. They live in the southern jungles of Daunastiya, where they have long been under the control of Indhiri lords who have exploited them for their resources, namely their people, who have been sold into slavery whenever debt-slave quotas are short and the demand for new blood is high. This has left their population artificially lowered for centuries, allowing the neighboring Jhasdic peoples to slowly but surely carve into their lands. Although the Dakhiyaan have managed to secure de jure independence from the Karadatran Empire, their peope continued to be targeted by slave raids, and until the Empire totally falls the threat of a Jhasanhian reprisal is low for the perpetrators. However, the Dakhiyaan liberation continues to move along slowly, with the Dakhiyaan tribes of the [tbd] highlands recently throwing off the bonds of the Mamalk state of Kendryika and seizing the formidable [tbd] fort, though those who revolted outside the highlands found themselves back under Karadatran control as that nation's ambitious subjects gobbled up the remnants of Kendryika.
Just north of the Dakhiyaan, the Janadaala are a closely related people group who can only be found in the Floating Marsh of lake [tbd], which they have managed to defend from invaders since the collapse of Karadatra. Much like the other Jhasanhian tribes, the Janadaala were considered lesser peoples and placed under the control of local nobility for them to exploit as they saw fit. Although suffering greatly in the loss of their lands to settlers of both the Rabasaji and Indhiri variety, the Janadaala managed to hold on to the unattractive (to settlers) marsh, though much of their formerly expansive lakeside hunting and fishing grounds have been seized for use by Jhasdic peoples, their farms once staffed by the very Janadaala who formely controlled the lands. Eventually, the slave castes of these lands would largely be replaced, and the Janadaala footprint was limited to the marsh. Despite their tough circumstances, they remain able fishers and hunters.
Although not as populous as the Dakhiyaan, the Khinionkla are probably the most famous of the Jhasanhian ethncities. Living to the north of Karadatra, they are descended from migrants who took a different route than either the Dakhiyaan or Janadaala. The Khinionkla are a semi-matriarchal group as well as the founders of the Bāla faith, giving them a reputation for being innovative. Their population is concentrated in the western Apastajaii region, where the jungles are thickest. This is becasue the Khinionkla are totally at home in the jungles, masters of their use in defense and in tropical city planning. Many parts of the jungle which appear uninhabited are actually settled by the Khinionkla in large numbers, but their architecture blends in so well as to be nearly indistinguishable from the virgin forests. They are often hidden or glamored with spells, making it even harder to find their settlements. Still, during the rise of the Karadatra Empire, the tribes consented to paying tribute, providing the Empire with berserkers and spies. However, their willing support would end shortly, as the second ruler, Ghavalesh the Lawmaker, attempted to enforce patriarchal norms and polygamy on them. Despite being subjugated by the Karadatra Empire for almost 500 years, they refused to fully submit to this policy, leading to numerous conflicts in the region. Following the disastrous reign of Dhavalend, who invaded and killed many Khinionkla, they halted tribute payments. This brave defiance makred the first people group to do so, and heralded the slow decline of the Karadatra Empire. Since then, the Empire has relied on their border marches to keep the Khinionkla at bay, though the Khinionkla hatred of the Indhiri means that raids remain common. Following the end of their relations with Karadatra, the Khinionkla relied heavily on trade with the Ghuraki, but the fall of many of these states has left them with fewer trade partners than ever, and contributed to their isolation. Although some Khinionkla remain in parts of Apastajaii which are controlled by Karadatra, and Khinionklan berserker slaves are greatly valued for tournaments and combat, overall the majority of Khinionkla are free of Indhiri oppression.
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