Grasslands of Wahm
The Grasslands of Wahm are wide open plains stretching hundreds of miles in each direction, extending from the Kufa Mountains in the north to the region of the Channel Lakes in the south, and from the Central Uplands on the east all the way west to the Sinnar Ocean. Though portions of southeastern Alcaldar and southwestern Meroë are also plains, they are not typically considered to be parts of the grasslands.
The largest river in the region is the Wambatu, which runs through the southern portion of the grasslands. Other rivers also flow through the area, of course, but none pulls from such a large area as the Wambatu.
Throughout the grasslands are rolling hills, some of which can be rather steep, dropping sharply into one river valley or another. Rivers and streams in the grasslands are fairly easy to locate, since among the fields of grasses reaching to the horizon, lines of trees follow along the edges of any water source. Some areas have rocky hills and occasionally entrances to caverns where underground water has worn away the rock, though these are not evident from the surface; they are usually discovered by accident if at all.
The grasslands are populated in the north by various nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, such as the Maqhawe, Mkuntho, and Moglai, and by the more-settled Metwano and Mwandu tribes south of the Wambatu River.
In the south, the Metwano tribes are farther west and so they have had the most contact with the Alcaldrich near the Channel Lakes who explore north from their base at San Caseo. Many villages have set up profitable trading relations with the city, sending their wool and woolen goods, and getting leather from the Moglai and Maqhawe that they then trade to the merchants at San Caseo. The Mwandu tribes are farther east and tend to stay close to the Wambatu. They are prolific farmers and do some trading with people from across the river, but they prefer to let the traders come to them rather than seeking out opportunity in a strange area.
North of the river are the Moglai, who range along the Wambatu and some distance north. The Moglai are more proficient farmers than the two tribes farther north and tend to herd in a more restricted range, but they are considered to be among the semi-nomadic grasslands tribes as they leave their homes for months at a time to find good pasturage. Farther north, the Maqhawe in the west and the Mkuntho in the east range through huge areas with their flocks and herds. The Maqhawe especially come into contact (and sometimes conflict) with the Alcaldrich in their home country, particularly the city of Alicantato. The Mkuntho do trade at Alicantato, but they also range far to the east and trade with those in the country of Meroë.
All the tribes of the Grasslands of Wahm have some similarities. They tend to have close-knit communities, without entering into active rivalries with other related tribes in the area. They all enjoy a good song or story, with most of them being naturally good singers. Their basic system of belief is fairly simple: Father Sky and Mother Earth, Brother Horse, Little Pajero the trickster, and Hungry Fire who sometimes seems to threaten the whole world. To this the northern tribes have added a few deities they learned from the Hyperboreans, such as Kamien of the Rivers and Telophus, who turns the seasons.
The northern tribes differ from those south of the Wambatu in that they are much less settled. Although they have home territories, they travel widely with their herds and flocks and depend on their strong horses in many ways. Animals they herd include sheep as well as the longhorned cattle, and sometimes horses. Most horses run in wild herds, and The Plains’ tribes make it a point of pride to capture and tame horses for their own use and also to sell to appreciative buyers. Currently, the Maqhawe have the best reputation in this area, though many people from each tribe are excellent horse trainers. Given that most people of the tribes have a chance to ride horses even before they can walk, almost all are good riders and many are superb. Some horsemen from the estancias of Alcaldar may ride as well as The Plains’ people, but very few.
Region
Grasslands of Wahm
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