Ursumar
One of Ærellion's premier civilizations, the Ursumar are humans who have long been known as the Empire Builders. For most of their history their various subcultures have been united into a single political entity, as far back as the 1000s BC, which is one of the earliest emergences of a strong, unified human culture. The current entity in control of most Ursumar is the Divinity of Bēlqūašdu, though that state has taken major territorial losses and suffered an even greater loss of influence following the Third Rise of the Tögsgölgüi Ord. For the first time in history, many of the Ursumar lords do not pay even lip-service to a Divine Emperor. Nonetheless, the Ursumar are a tightly-knit culture, with only minor differences between their different subgroups. The Ursumar are a very faith-driven people and honor their gods often. Ursumar would be considered white based on their skin color, but definitely not pale. They have darker hair and brown eyes, though some do have hair that is a bit lighter.
The most prominent group of Ursumar are the Ašarēdan. Living in the northern sector of Ursumar civiliation, they have long been the dominant group of Ursumar. The previous three divinities have all been led by the Ašarēdan, and they have come to be seen as natural leaders of the Ursumar. As one of the northern groups, they are prominent militarists, as they have needed to keep the centaurs at bay for many centuries. Their settled zone in roughtly the center of Berīt Narūm is key to their success, as the region is between the northern drylands and the southern savanna, where agricultural output is lower. They also have a small amount of regional forests, which provide them with quality wood. Therefore, with a temperate agricultural region bounded by mountains on most sides, their population has long been very high. This region is noted for its excellent agricultural output, which supplies much of the rest of the Ursumar with quality food, though its cash crop potential is limited. The Ašarēdan are also noted for their paper and cloth production, which is exported to the rest of the Ursumar market. Lastly, they are also the spiritual authority of the ursumar- the possession of the major cities of legend and a number of other holy sites makes the Ašarēdan unassailable in this regard.
Just east of the Ašarēdan, the Tḫūmat populate the less fertile western Arndzvord, which has more of a savanna type terrain and is thus not as fertile. Although at a similar latitude as the Ašarēdan settlements, the mountains of Arndzvord being further north have left the region much more dependent on seasonal rains, since they don't sit as close to the windward sides of the mountains. They have struggled against the Talpehlari to their east in the past, but this threat was removed during the Bēlqūašdu period. This has led to some intermarriage between the Ašarēdan and their former foes, leading to the birth of the Abrāshi. Due to the support by Bēlqūašdu given to the eastern provinces during their reign, the Ašarēdan are staunch Imperial Loyalists for the most part, supporting the Divinity in its darkest days.
The Abrāshi are urukai, and are the only major group of Ursumar which are not mostly human. They are most commonly found throughout the borders of the former orcish autonomous region, especially on its border with Bēlqūašdu proper. The autonomy, called Amzidob after the orcish inhabitants, became home to a number of urukai over time as well. Due to the Amzidob actively seeking to integrate themselves with the Ursumar to work against imperialist Talpehlari to their east, the Abrāshi were brought much close to the Ursumar than their Orcish side, especially since the Amzidob began adopting Ursumar culture as well. They became active mediators between the Amzidob Autonomy and the central government, and rose to command a number of important military positions as well due to their trusted nature. Many of the Amzidob regiments which fought against the Tögsgölgüi Ord were actually under the command of Abrāshi officers. However, with the situation in Bēlqūašdu precipetous and most Abrāshi predicting its collapse (like the human lords), they defected and declared Amzidob independent. This failed after invasions from the north, and Bēlqūašdu took control once more over the Abrāshi-majority borderlands, while the rest of the population was overtaken by Minotaur mercenaries.
Along the coast of the greatest of the lakes reside the Bidanites, who make up the majority of independence claimists. As traders, plantation lords, and even slavers, they are rich in both material wealth and soft power, far more than other Ursumar. In happier times, their tempered avarice has made the state obsecene amounts of money, and they have always been quick to oppose any Divine Emperors who seek to oppress the people and whose heavy-handedness threatens the economic situation of the state. Nonetheless, many believe they have actually jumped the gun by initializing rebellion, and that their merchant lords have done this for selfish gain. After all, it's important to consider that their wealth is just as unequal as the rest of the Ursumar. This is especially noticable in the nation of Binašru-ku, where the Bidanite Ursumar majority has long oppressed the Aimaur minority and used them as cheap labor with little regard for their conditions. This problem, while exacerbated in Binašru-ku, is present in nearly all the Bidanite plantations, which could spell issues if the slaves start getting ideas of liberty or even simply siding with Bēlqūašdu.
In the eastern savannas of the Yvalāntu and Ziyn'yašk regions, as well as a few sparse settlements in Jangalavaal are the Kašātu whose presence was established by Ursumar soldiers settling in the lands conquered there. A very strong and tenacious people group, they can trace their roots much further back than recent conquests. The Kašātu are descended from tribes of Ursumar which settled the region in prehistory, coming into contact with the Iajephic - Alyubians peoples also settling the region at a similar time. The region was for many years ruled over primarily by Iajephic tribal confederations, though a few Ursumar states also held sway at times. The majority of these tribes paid lip service to the authority of the Divine Emperors, but few ever paid any real tribute. This changed when the Divinity of Ashēryku conquered the region due to its support for the preceding divinity (that of Latter Bāblus). Soldiers sent to pacify the region intermarried with the already existant Ursumar peoples there and helped them settle down and establish control over the Iajephic. This combination of soldier and settler came to be known as Kašātu, a term which carried over as the Kašātu founded settlements further and further south, though their presence remains slim in the south.
In contrast, the northern Ursumar are largely composed of herders and nomads. Known as the Sēršābar, they inhabit the northern parts of Berīt Narūm, where the land is drier and therefore much less fertile. While some crops can be grown here along rivers, by and large it is too close to the deserts of the north to be good soil. Instead, it is mainly a shrubby land which is used for grazing of sheep or cattle. The Sēršābar are insterspersed with a number of Iajephic clans within the region as well, and many of them have some Iajephic blood. However, they are firmly Ursumar in culture and belief, and have stood firm in their support of the Ursumar in the past. Thier lands, on the border of the centaur menace, have always been dangerous, and the northern part of their lands have recently fallen to the Tögsgölgüi Ord. Resettled with orcs, the northern tribes have been forced to flee, causing issues of land management, and many have been forced to settle far from their ancestral homeland. This has motivated many young men, raised on tales of defeat, to train militarily in the hope that they might reclaim their fathers' lands.
By far the most disparite of the Ursumar are the Ganumaneš. During the time of the Divinity of Ashēryku, they fled to and conquered much of the far-off lands of Junyeong and Bakatyeong, creating a divergent culture. While many of them have syncreticized with or assimilated into the local poulation and become known as the Suijuiyun, there are still some who follow the old ways. In addition, many of their nobility have pure or near-pure Ursumar blood, which preserves their historical culture. The Ganumaneš are considered conservative in terms of dress, speech, and in some cases religion, since the modern changes to these cultural factors have not crossed the steppe.
The most prominent group of Ursumar are the Ašarēdan. Living in the northern sector of Ursumar civiliation, they have long been the dominant group of Ursumar. The previous three divinities have all been led by the Ašarēdan, and they have come to be seen as natural leaders of the Ursumar. As one of the northern groups, they are prominent militarists, as they have needed to keep the centaurs at bay for many centuries. Their settled zone in roughtly the center of Berīt Narūm is key to their success, as the region is between the northern drylands and the southern savanna, where agricultural output is lower. They also have a small amount of regional forests, which provide them with quality wood. Therefore, with a temperate agricultural region bounded by mountains on most sides, their population has long been very high. This region is noted for its excellent agricultural output, which supplies much of the rest of the Ursumar with quality food, though its cash crop potential is limited. The Ašarēdan are also noted for their paper and cloth production, which is exported to the rest of the Ursumar market. Lastly, they are also the spiritual authority of the ursumar- the possession of the major cities of legend and a number of other holy sites makes the Ašarēdan unassailable in this regard.
Just east of the Ašarēdan, the Tḫūmat populate the less fertile western Arndzvord, which has more of a savanna type terrain and is thus not as fertile. Although at a similar latitude as the Ašarēdan settlements, the mountains of Arndzvord being further north have left the region much more dependent on seasonal rains, since they don't sit as close to the windward sides of the mountains. They have struggled against the Talpehlari to their east in the past, but this threat was removed during the Bēlqūašdu period. This has led to some intermarriage between the Ašarēdan and their former foes, leading to the birth of the Abrāshi. Due to the support by Bēlqūašdu given to the eastern provinces during their reign, the Ašarēdan are staunch Imperial Loyalists for the most part, supporting the Divinity in its darkest days.
The Abrāshi are urukai, and are the only major group of Ursumar which are not mostly human. They are most commonly found throughout the borders of the former orcish autonomous region, especially on its border with Bēlqūašdu proper. The autonomy, called Amzidob after the orcish inhabitants, became home to a number of urukai over time as well. Due to the Amzidob actively seeking to integrate themselves with the Ursumar to work against imperialist Talpehlari to their east, the Abrāshi were brought much close to the Ursumar than their Orcish side, especially since the Amzidob began adopting Ursumar culture as well. They became active mediators between the Amzidob Autonomy and the central government, and rose to command a number of important military positions as well due to their trusted nature. Many of the Amzidob regiments which fought against the Tögsgölgüi Ord were actually under the command of Abrāshi officers. However, with the situation in Bēlqūašdu precipetous and most Abrāshi predicting its collapse (like the human lords), they defected and declared Amzidob independent. This failed after invasions from the north, and Bēlqūašdu took control once more over the Abrāshi-majority borderlands, while the rest of the population was overtaken by Minotaur mercenaries.
Along the coast of the greatest of the lakes reside the Bidanites, who make up the majority of independence claimists. As traders, plantation lords, and even slavers, they are rich in both material wealth and soft power, far more than other Ursumar. In happier times, their tempered avarice has made the state obsecene amounts of money, and they have always been quick to oppose any Divine Emperors who seek to oppress the people and whose heavy-handedness threatens the economic situation of the state. Nonetheless, many believe they have actually jumped the gun by initializing rebellion, and that their merchant lords have done this for selfish gain. After all, it's important to consider that their wealth is just as unequal as the rest of the Ursumar. This is especially noticable in the nation of Binašru-ku, where the Bidanite Ursumar majority has long oppressed the Aimaur minority and used them as cheap labor with little regard for their conditions. This problem, while exacerbated in Binašru-ku, is present in nearly all the Bidanite plantations, which could spell issues if the slaves start getting ideas of liberty or even simply siding with Bēlqūašdu.
In the eastern savannas of the Yvalāntu and Ziyn'yašk regions, as well as a few sparse settlements in Jangalavaal are the Kašātu whose presence was established by Ursumar soldiers settling in the lands conquered there. A very strong and tenacious people group, they can trace their roots much further back than recent conquests. The Kašātu are descended from tribes of Ursumar which settled the region in prehistory, coming into contact with the Iajephic - Alyubians peoples also settling the region at a similar time. The region was for many years ruled over primarily by Iajephic tribal confederations, though a few Ursumar states also held sway at times. The majority of these tribes paid lip service to the authority of the Divine Emperors, but few ever paid any real tribute. This changed when the Divinity of Ashēryku conquered the region due to its support for the preceding divinity (that of Latter Bāblus). Soldiers sent to pacify the region intermarried with the already existant Ursumar peoples there and helped them settle down and establish control over the Iajephic. This combination of soldier and settler came to be known as Kašātu, a term which carried over as the Kašātu founded settlements further and further south, though their presence remains slim in the south.
In contrast, the northern Ursumar are largely composed of herders and nomads. Known as the Sēršābar, they inhabit the northern parts of Berīt Narūm, where the land is drier and therefore much less fertile. While some crops can be grown here along rivers, by and large it is too close to the deserts of the north to be good soil. Instead, it is mainly a shrubby land which is used for grazing of sheep or cattle. The Sēršābar are insterspersed with a number of Iajephic clans within the region as well, and many of them have some Iajephic blood. However, they are firmly Ursumar in culture and belief, and have stood firm in their support of the Ursumar in the past. Thier lands, on the border of the centaur menace, have always been dangerous, and the northern part of their lands have recently fallen to the Tögsgölgüi Ord. Resettled with orcs, the northern tribes have been forced to flee, causing issues of land management, and many have been forced to settle far from their ancestral homeland. This has motivated many young men, raised on tales of defeat, to train militarily in the hope that they might reclaim their fathers' lands.
By far the most disparite of the Ursumar are the Ganumaneš. During the time of the Divinity of Ashēryku, they fled to and conquered much of the far-off lands of Junyeong and Bakatyeong, creating a divergent culture. While many of them have syncreticized with or assimilated into the local poulation and become known as the Suijuiyun, there are still some who follow the old ways. In addition, many of their nobility have pure or near-pure Ursumar blood, which preserves their historical culture. The Ganumaneš are considered conservative in terms of dress, speech, and in some cases religion, since the modern changes to these cultural factors have not crossed the steppe.
Major organizations
Divinity of Bēlqūašdu, Grand Republic of Annišāḫūtu, Ešērate of Aḫīalbu
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