Tza Prairie

The region known as the Tza Prairie, or sometimes Th'akh Heartlands, and its surroundings.

Overview

The Tza Prairie, or Tza Basin, is a region of Moghes located northward of the Mogheserian Sea, surrounded by a massive mountain range, with a small saltwater sea at the lowest point of the basin. This mountain range has protected the Prairie from many of the effects caused by the nuclear exchange of the contact war, and for most of history has been a shield against outside invaders, war, and conflicts that otherwise would have spilled over into the prairie. Despite not being within the protective enclosure created by the mountains, the city of Kutah is considered to be part of the Prairie, as it was founded and settled by pioneers from over the mountains thousands of years ago. The Prairie is also the birthplace of the Th’akh faith, at one point having a large number of temples, and is sometimes known as the Th’akh heartlands.

The Tza Praire politically is defined by the Hutay’zai Clan. Headed by Overlord Azui Hutay’zai, this clan came to fame after Azui’s father, who fought for the traditionalists, was killed during the contact war, allowing his son to ascend to the throne. Azui would use his new position on top of the throne to make peace with the Hegemony, pledging fealty to Clan Izweski, in exchange for promising to help win the now nuclear conflict, keeping his family's realm safe from the war, and from being broken up. The rest of the nobility of the Prairie defected alongside the Hutay’zai, and ever since have been loyal vassals to him and the Hegemon. Azui would eventually ascend to become one of the Overlords of Moghes, using the Praire as his main base of power. For this reason, the Praire is still home to some of the most traditionalist Sinta within the Hegemony, despite being Th’akh, and are the least influenced by the outside galaxy.

Before the contact war, the primary industry of the Tza Prairie was built around power generation. By damming the massive rivers that flowed from the mountains into the sea at the basin, the people of the Prairie managed to output massive amounts of electricity for the time, which was carried by overhead lines over the mountains to the Skamander Peninsula and the now Torn Cities. However after the contact war, with many skilled workers being called up as Levies to defend the mountains against invasion originally from the Hegemony, and then from the traditionalist coalition; as well as the introduction of fusion generators to Moghes, saw the dams of the prairie become useless, resulting in their slow deterioration through lack of maintenance. Today, barely any of the dams remain, the only testament to the fact they were ever there is the twisted rebar and eroded concrete in the rivers. The Prairie’s industry has instead switched to primarily fishing in the Tza Sea, where incredibly strict rationing(?) has left the sea with a stable population of fish, a rarity on post-collapse Moghes. This stability has resulted in the region's fish being one of the last reliable food sources on Moghes, and with the famine ongoing in the Hegemony, the region has been flooded with extra workers, and accountants to ensure it remains so. Warriors, on the other hand, can be mostly taken from within the region itself.

Culture

A Photo taken within the mountain range that surrounds the prairie, showing one of the massive rivers that eventually flows into the Tza Sea.

Due to the isolation and size of the Prairie, nearly all the population within it practices its culture. Those that do not are shunned and normally forced to leave the Prairie. While this culture is followed extensively by the peasantry, many nobles within the Prairie do not follow it to the same degree, using crutches such as technology or others to keep their edge.

Being one of the most ancient and protected parts of Moghes the Tza Prairie has a culture that dates back thousands of years and has gone on to influence nearly the entirety of unathi society. Despite many societal upheavals and drastic changes to the Unathi as a species, this culture has managed to survive with its core traditions intact most likely due to the very attributes they hold in high regard. With its roots firmly in the most basic of desires, the desire to survive and prosper, being raised in the Prairie is to be constantly told the highest attributes in life are pure determination and grit, for with them a Sinta can accomplish anything. This has led to many Sinta from the Prairie being nothing but stressed for most of their lives, always attempting to push themselves further and further until they go too far and crash. Those who fail to pick themselves back up from these crashes themselves are considered to be too weak and lazy, and generally shunned by the population, while those who do are rarely given any praise, for it is just what needs to happen. Secondary to these values are resourcefulness and physical strength, which has led some to have incorrect perceptions about the way those of the Prairie view life. Unlike a society that values naught but pure strength, many in the Prairie view those who cultivate and challenge nothing beyond their physicality as only doing half the work a true Sinta needs to do, and therefore lazy. If the mind is not challenged along with the body, one becomes imbalanced and will eventually fall. To push those in the Prairie to their absolute limits, as a Sinta grows up they will be given a set of challenges, mostly devised by their parents, or passed down through clan traditions.

At The Mercy of the Mountains

The mountains that surround the basin which the Sinta of the Prairie call their home are the beating heart of tradition and culture within the Prairie. With the peaks piercing the clouds, they present an environment rarely found on Moghes, and the perfect place to test a Sinta to their limits. For this reason, the mountains have never been truly mapped, and no proper trails exist beyond the road and rail line that connects the Prairie with the rest of Moghes. Every clan will have a peak they call theirs, by tradition far above the tree line. Given the limited peaks that reach high enough however most peasant clans “share” a peak with one or more clan(s), while noble clans tend to have peaks to which they can fully lay claim. These claims are never enforced, as the mountains are viewed to be the challenge for all those who wish to test themselves. The highest peak in the range, known as Jakali’s Nest, is claimed by the Ozmakali clan who rule Tzonia. It is believed the name derives from pre-Th’akh religion when nomadic unathi could see the rising mountain on a clear day and believed it is where a powerful spirit god would observe the world, uncaring in the sky. Ascending a clans mountain to the summit is seen as The final action of a Sinta before they become an adult and a full member of the clan as well as a penitent action for perceived misdeeds.

Education

Young Ages

By the time a hatchling has learned to walk and talk, a peasant will be assisting their parents in whatever work they may do. This form of challenge used to be more popular amongst the nobility, but has in recent times has fallen off heavily, in favor of more time for a hatchling to develop within a protective environment. The time spent with their parents is supposed to fortify the hatchling and show them the ways of the world early on in life, so that they may begin to explore their place and desires. They will accompany their parents everywhere, to the market to purchase foods, fish, forge metal, or whatever it is their parents do. Somewhat ironically, this means that many peasant children will see more of Moghes than those born into nobility, who mainly stay within the protective keeps of their clan. Parents begin to instill hard working values such as determination and self-control into their hatchling, and those who attempt to resist this installation are either simply outcast, or pressured through physical and mental means until they bend. This practice is viewed many in the more enlightened areas of Moghes such as the Skamader Pennisula as little more than child abuse, and many petitions have been made and presented to both the lords of the land and their overlord attempting to halt the practice. However, none have yet succeeded. Failing to bring up a hatchling in the ways of the prairie, has ironically been used as reason for relocating the hatchling to a different family by the local watchmen. A hatchling's youth is considered to end around the age of 9, when they and those sinta in their village or city do the work of their parents for a full day. This day is called the Hatchling’s Anointment.

Early Teens

Once a hatchling has completed a Hatchling’s Anointment, they are considered no longer a child, but not yet an adult. Many Sinta apply for guild apprenticeships at this time, more on which can be found Unathi Guilds here. This is also the point when clan elders begin to become involved in the education of the young Sinta. Peasant Elders are known to be far more strict than those of the nobility. They take over from the parents and begin to school the juveniles who are of age. One of the first things done by nearly every clan within the prairie, noble or peasant, is an explanation of the clan's traditions, and why the values their parents attempted to instill are so important. Those who were floundering or beginning to crack under the pressure will at this point either learn to deal with the way of life of the prairie, or break and are disowned by their clan for disrespecting their elders. Clan elders will usually give those they know to be struggling extra tasks outside of normal routine, with the driving idea being forcing a Sinta to “catch-up” to their peers. With the threat of being disowned a constant sword of damocles over the heads of those struggling, most manage to mend their ways in the eyes of their elders. Those who will not or cannot are given a final test. They must complete a Penitent Journey to their clan's mountain. Unlike most penitent journeys, a modern piece of equipment is given out, a simple satellite locator with an SOS function. Should the penitent young sinta be unable to withstand the journey, they can simply click a button, and other members of the clan will begin to make their way to rescue them. This makes the penitent journey more a test of self-control and discipline rather than one of physicality, for if the button is pressed, the penitent will be disowned and sentenced to the life of a Guwan by their clan. Many take this route, preferring life, however horrid, to the cold embrace of death. Many more have died atop summits, starved and frozen attempting to earn the recognition of their clan, eventually doing so and being cremated on pyres so that their soul may continue.

Clan Elders, after they believe their pupils to have been schooled enough in the ways of the clan and possessing the right mindsets will start something similar to a contemporary school. For the peasantry, this is done on days of rest or at dusk, as working parents will still need all the hands they can find for the chores of the day. The nobility on the other hand will tend to have this school consistently throughout the week, as they have much more time they can spend learning. Classes for the peasantry will include basic skills such as how to repair tool or other pieces of equipment that have broken, how to do basic first aid, and how to fulfill the obligations required of them by their faith and clan. Classes for the nobility will include maths, protocol, the political nature of the Hegemony, the condition of the wider spur, and other more intellectual pursuits. Due to the Th’akh faith of the Prairie, these classes are given to both female and male unathi, however male peasants are given extra classes in basic fighting to prepare them for the levy should it be called up; and male nobles given fighting and tactics classes incase they should need to lead the levy. Those in apprenticeships will also receive these classes, and extra help from clan elders with their apprenticeship. Those in clans and villages with shamans who believe in the soul of the fishermen and have a soul of the fishermen will be given extra instruction on hard skills by the clan elders, and will usually be shunted into an apprenticeship for a hard trade as quickly as possible. Teachers from outside the Prairie are rare, but the occasional pilgriming shaman will sometimes be invited to teach a class about the faith.

By the time a Sinta has reached the age of 15, they will have completed their education by the clan elders, and they will be announced eligible for ascension after the Trials of Riz’dabari. This trial involves a hunt of a certain type of beast or Sinta, and is meant to show an almost adult Sinta why the skills they learned are so important. Common hunts for peasantry include hunting a herd of wild Hegeranzi, or clearing out a Siro nest in the mountains. If a peasant clan has too few teens to effectively do either of these, they may partner with another clan in a similar position, or ask a bigger clan to allow their juveniles to accompany them. A noble hunt commonly involves hunting wild Tul’s or even a Guwandi if the teen is thought strong enough. However in more recent years due to the growing issues of the wasteland and delicate food supply, hunting animals for a test when they can be left alone to reproduce to then create more food is frowned upon, it has become more and more common for teens to attach to the Levies and go hunting other Sinta. Originally thought up by Lord Ozmakali as a way to show his heir how to command armies, he marched over the mountains to the aid of Overlord Hutay’zai, hunting down a Gangawaryn band that had raided a mining operation south of Kutah near the Torn Cities. Upon hearing this news, many peasant clans pleaded with Lord Ozmakali to allow them to also send their sons and daughters with part of the Levy to hunt those who have no honor in the wasteland. Lord Ozmakali readily agreed, and now teenagers march along their fathers over the mountains to the Tzuszah Wastes or the T’kaza dustbowl to hunt their new prey. The only requirement of this challenge is survival, it is meant to show the fragility of life; the reason a Sinta must have the self-reliance, grit, and discipline to survive no matter the odds against them.

Ascension to adulthood

Ascension to adulthood is a year after a Sinta has completed their first successful hunt during the Trials of Riz’dabari. At this point due to either their persistence or their conformity, they are viewed by the clan as being good enough to join its ranks. This thought and feeling remain, which is why, unlike other tests, ascending to adulthood can be attempted as many times as a Sinta needs to accomplish it. The test, known as The Lonely Crusade, is a long and arduous hike through the mountains which surround the Tza Sea ending at the clan’s mountain on the new year. Participants are given limited maps of the mountain range, and whatever gear the clan can furnish them with. For this reason, nobles are easily able to complete the test given their technologically advanced equipment, compared to the peasantry. The length of the journey varies from clan to clan, but the general time frame is about a month where the aspirant is all by themselves making their way along the mountain range. This is the ultimate test of a Sinta’s self-reliance, discipline, and grit, as the distance to be covered will be near impossible to complete within the given timeframe. Aspirants are also commonly required to retrieve certain items along their route and carry them to the end. This could be a rock from the summit of a certain mountain that is far out of the way of the optimal route of travel, or logs with which to build a fire on the summit of their clan's mountains. These extra challenges will usually not be known until the very moment the test begins, and are to show that however well they’ve been educated or how determined they are, life will always find a way to be difficult, and the requirements to succeed will not always be straightforward. Lying about having completed this ascension is the biggest dishonor upon a Sinta, and will most likely lead to whoever has done so being declared Guwan.

The clan in its near entirety will hike up the mountain to greet the aspirant on the new year, carrying supplies for the celebration of their new member. However, very few Sinta complete their Lonely Crusade on their first try, even nobles. Those that do are wildly celebrated by their clan, and go on to become icons within their villages. A vast majority of Sinta take at least three tries to complete their lonely crusade, with the record being 51 tries. As the trial can only be done once every year, this means that many Sinta within the Prairie are not considered full adults until they are 18-19, later than most unathi. It matters not to the clans however, who will patiently wait days or weeks after the aspirant should have arrived, to greet them with open arms for merely having completed the challenge. Some wait for months, constantly having at least one member waiting on the summit for their kin to return, only to eventually come to terms with the fact that they will unlikely see them again in this life, and search for their body so that they may be properly buried. For those who succeed, on their first try or not, await celebration from their clan. Celebrations differ from clan to clan, however, nearly all are joyous occasions, with praises lauded on the successful aspirant. Noble clans, who have their summits to themselves, will have their new adult’s name chiseled into the rocky summit so that it may remain there forever. This has led to some summits, particularly those of ancient noble clans having tens of thousands of names chiseled onto them. These are the most complete records of clan members and lineage post-contact war; using population science, it is also estimated they date back more than 3 millennia and started shortly after Unathi ceased to be a nomadic species.

Challenges

The snow caps of the mountains stretch far above the Tza Sea, making climbing them incredibly difficult feats.

Penitent Journeys

A penitent journey is a journey to a clan’s peak by a member who has failed the clan in some way. This could be committing a crime, forsaking the clan for another without permission, or simply not living up to the expectations of the clan. The difficulty of the journey depends on the infraction committed, with lesser infractions merely requiring a quick summit, followed by an immediate return, and heavy infractions being essentially death sentences, demanding weeks on the summit with whatever can be carried in. Equipment beyond a backpack and minor provisions are rarely provided to the penitent, as it is seen as making the journey less painful, limiting the impact.

Holidays

Hatchlings Anointment

Held on the last day of Versakh, the human date of May 22nd this is a day where young children, all about nine years old, use what they have learned so far in life at the side of their parents to fulfill what would normally be their parents duties. This is not a total change, Watchmen and other key positions will still be adults, but accompanied by several children who will be the ones to deal with the day-to-day minituate of those jobs. For those parents and adults who no longer need to work, it is a day of rest and socializing before the upcoming season of work in Kasavakh. At dusk, after the work day is complete, festivals are held in all towns as a final celebration and time of relaxation before the work begins. Common activities are sunbathing, drinking, and socializing in public places. After this holiday, a Sinta will no longer be considered to be just a hatchling, but a young teenager who can handle more responsibility.

Trials of Riz’dabari

Beginning on the first day of Versakh, on the human date of January 7th the Trials of Riz’dabari are a massive hunt throughout the Prairie, now primarily organized by the Ozmakali clan. Partial levies are called up from clans who have young sinta of age for the hunt, and forces marshaled together. Hunts were normally the hunting of animals, as the name suggests, but as of recent years, most of the hunts have taken place around the Tzuszah Wastes around the City of Kutah, attempting to exterminate the Gangawyrn menace there. While these are not safe affairs, very few of the teenagers who participate have perished in the hunts. Some bear scars, while others bear more permanent marks such as missing toes or fingers. The IAC has repeatedly denounced these hunts and pleaded with the Hegemony to ban them outright, not only due to putting children into harm's way, but causing unnecessary suffering throughout the wasteland. The hegemony has never replied to one of these pleas, and shows no sign of forbidding the hunts. For those not on hunts, the work continues as always, with the only thing of note being a celebration on the eventual return of the hunters, congratulating them on their good work and prowess.

Glizkin’s Remembrance

In the very middle of Kasavakh, on the human date of August 16th Glizkin’s Remembrance is a day of rest and reflection on the work so far completed during the season. Named after an ancient unathi who may be more myth than reality, Glizkin was supposedly a member of a prominent clan within the Prairie. Raised with the same practices used now, Glizkin got to his day of ascension without much issue, and attempted to fulfill his Lonely Crusade. He failed his first time, which was not unheard of, however, what is unheard of is that he failed, the next, the next, the next, and continuously, until he was old and still attempting his Lonely Crusade. Many thought he would never achieve it, and shook their heads at his stupidity for continuously trying. However, after 51 separate attempts, Glizkin finally managed to complete his Lonely Crusade, at the age of 67. He was met with joyous bellows and love from his clan, and has come to be an icon of the determination and grit every Sinta should strive to have. He passed away before the next year was out, and the day of his death became Glizkin’s Remembrance.

Day of Ascension

The final day of the Lonely Crusade is marked by the Day of Ascension, during which all Sinta who passed their Lonely Crusade are now considered Adults. On this day nearly all Sinta who belong to clans and are not immediately tied down by their work will hike up to the peak of their mountains, waiting to greet their kin. It is normally held on the first day of Travahk, or November 10th. Those that succeed arrive to wild celebration, while those who do not find a more subdued celebration awaits them upon the summit. Once these celebrations are complete, the hike down commences, and life returns to normal for most of the clan.

Art

One could be surprised that traditional art among the inhabitants of the Tza Prairie revolves around something as apparently sweet as flowers. That would be misunderstanding the entire reason behind the presence of these flowers, of course. Vegetation high in the mountains is rare, and the few plants that get to truly thrive in this harsh environment are as hardy as its inhabitants, thus the s’erki mountain flowers (meaning “rock petals” in Sinta’Azaziba) have become an integral part of arts in the Prairie. Some rare unlucky clans would occasionally be lacking proper “objectives” for their Trials of Riz’dabari, and they would, in the past, instead ask their young men to go gather large numbers of s’erki flowers. Once brought back, these plants, while not edible, could be crushed for pigments, with colors varying between tones of purple, and in rare cases, orange. These colors were applied to clothes but also used to decorate structures, and even make the occasional rare paintings. Originally, the pursuit and mastery of arts were rarely considered by prairie locals, and though art itself was not frowned upon, the practice of such things seen as frivolous in the face of proper work was taking the risk of being seen as lazy and dishonoring one’s clan. That is, until around five centuries ago, when the use of s’erki flowers for pigmentations started to grow more popular around five centuries ago, with most of the prairie’s clan welcoming this new tradition. Becoming a dedicated artist became more accepted from then on, at the condition of course that their art would be of quality (quality generally estimated by the S’erki Guild, formed soon after the popularization of the flower’s use, dedicated to the gathering of the flower, as well as its processing, use, and even export to lands all across Moghes) and that the artist would go out and gather flowers themselves. In any case, most of the traditional art in the prairie would revolve around the depiction of mountains and valleys, landscapes common to the locals of the Tza prairie. Though there can be more colors, most pieces try to rely as much as possible on the S’erki’s orange and purple colors, as the more it is present, the more the artist shows their hard work in gathering as many flowers as possible. Aside from visual arts, singing is also popular, and more accessible to most inhabitants of the Tza Prairie. Signature “Tza Chants do not employ any instruments, yet are not strictly a capella. Along with deep, guttural intonings accompanying the main singers, these chants are often accompanied by stomping, clapping, tail-thumping, or claw-tapping, any sound that could be made all the while work could be done.

Food

The Sinta of the Tza Prairie, like most Sinta across Moghes, eat primarily fish, caught in the sea that the mountains surround. Where they diverge from the rest of Moghes is the seasoning they place on their diet of protein. The mountains that surround the Prairie have a unique ecosystem that provides a bounty of unique mountain berries, herbs, and other fresh flavors that the people of the prairie use to season their foods. The result of this is the prairie’s dishes being known to have a clashing taste of sweet berries with salty, flavorful herbs that mix within a Sinta’s palette with different levels of intensity. Food is usually prepared and eaten communally within a clan for two meals, those being the mid-day meal, and the evening meal. The morning meal is usually left-overs from the previous nights evening meal, and eaten during or on the way to whatever work a prairie Sinta may have.

Entertainment

The Sinta of the Tza Prairie, even in their time of relaxation, persist in the spirit of determination and self-improvement that is their characteristic trait. Their love of challenges extends to their entertainment, with most such activities being competitive - pitting Sinta against one another in some capacity. Wrestling is a popular pastime among the men of the Tza Prairie - some Sinta historians have speculated that the original inspiration for the Zandiziite Games lies with the wrestling contests held by some of the Prairie’s mountain clans. Whether or not this is true, Zandiziite competitors from the region have always been watched with a keen eye by enthusiasts of the sport, with warriors from the Prairie having claimed the title of champion many times since its ancient origins. Similarly in the spirit of challenging oneself, mental challenges such as puzzles and riddles are a popular contest in the Prairie, and often feature in the region’s folklore. Tales of heroes outwitting malicious spirits and monsters are common, often in games of riddles presented to the protagonist. At times of celebration, contests both mental and physical are common, with young Sinta clamoring to demonstrate their worth against these challenges. Among the young men of the Prairie’s noble clans, duels for sport are common, whether in unarmed combat or with weapons. These are usually fought to first blood or submission, and serious injury or death rarely comes from it. While some are dismissive of this as puffed-up hatchlings wasting their own time, the sport has achieved quite a following in the region, and consistently scores highly on Unathi television ratings. While not as popular, noblewomen of the Prairie engage in similar contests of honor, usually seeking to demonstrate their mental acuity against an opponent through complex puzzles or some similar trial. Perhaps surprisingly, the Tza Prairie has a surprisingly vibrant culture of cinema. Largely produced in Kutah, filmed adaptations of ancient stories are commonplace. These are generally celebrated by the locals and considered somewhat inscrutable by those not already familiar with the culture that they’re steeped in. One Tza film has achieved widespread success, however - The Lonely Crusade, an adaptation of the tale of Glizkin. While the specific rituals are obscure to the wider Hegemony, the tale of the old Sinta’s final climb struck a chord in the hearts of Sinta all across Moghes and beyond, and achieved favorable reviews, and there are rumors of an official Tau Ceti Basic version being released for non-Sinta audiences. However, some locals claimed that the film made unthinkable changes to the ancient tale, namely the addition of a young nobleman on his first Crusade acting as a ‘sidekick’ of sorts to Glizkin.