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| {{Navbox Lore}} | | {{Navbox Lore}} |
| {{Navbox Unathi Lore}} | | {{Navbox Unathi Lore}} |
| [[Unathi]] history and society has a long list of notable individuals and heroes that are known across [[Moghes]], or who's fame has become a household name in both Moghes and [[Ouerea]].
| | = 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. |
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| ==Myths and Legends==
| | 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. |
| The majority of Unathi legends follow the feats of individuals and their impact on the world. They stress the importance and abilities of single individuals, and carry with them moral lessons that tend to reinforce Unathi cultural ideas. | |
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| === Kazani: the First Guwandi ===
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| Kazani Guwandi, born '''Kazani Kaxedun''', is an ancient figure who is believed to have been born sometime between '''300 BCE to 20 CE'''. Born before the Sarakus Hegemony, he was the first of two sons of a small noble family that ruled over the village of Kutah. He was raised as the heir to his Clan’s lands and spent his youth in a comfortable life in luxury. Coming into his teenage years he began to fall subject to fits of rage, often exploding on people and physically attacking them for even the smallest provocation and earning a reputation as a brutal person. His father sent him to be trained as a warrior in the hopes of giving him an outlet for his anger. He was trained for years as his instructors tried to bring discipline to the Prince. During training he would fly into a berserk rage and maul his sparring partners. After nearly killing one of them, his father finally just sent him off with the army to fight their Clan’s enemies in the constant battles they fought to defend their lands.
| | 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. |
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| Kazani became a feared warrior within just a few years. He would work himself up into a frenzy before battle, gnashing his teeth and screaming at the enemy. He was known to charge without orders, smashing into the enemy lines and hacking away at them with his sword and bashing them with his shield. He quickly rose to command the Kaxedun army in his '''late 20’s''', and always personally lead from the front line and was the first to make contact with the enemy. Under his leadership and with his seemingly unstoppable strength the Kaxedun clan quickly expanded and seized much surrounding territory. By the time Kazani inherited the role of Clan-Leader once his father died, '''he was barely in his 30’s'''. Despite his prestige and power however, he was never offered a wife as all Clans knew of his violent ways and refused to allow their daughters to be put at risk at the hands of such a savage person.
| | = Culture = |
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| His brother, Trazli Kaxedun, one day came to his brother and demanded that he be given half of the Clan’s lands to govern himself. Trazli had no lands of his own, and had grown jealous of his older brother. This set Kazani into a rage and he attacked his brother immediately, killing him on the spot.
| | 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. |
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| When the rage subsided, Kazani looked on the body of his brother and realized what he had done. He dropped to his knees and wept for the Ancestors to forgive him.
| | 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. |
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| He soon abandoned his Clan, renouncing all of his titles and possessions. He wandered off into the wilderness, taking on the name Guwandi, which loosely means ‘clanless gladiator’. He travelled the globe, looking to die in battle to redeem himself. With each duel he fought, he hurled himself into it intent to win. He knew that if he simply meekly accepted death that he would never redeem himself for his fratricide. Kazani spent years trying to die in battle. For an entire decade he walked Moghes, slaying foe after foe. He grew increasingly desperate, provoking entire bandit parties, town militias, and even whole armies to face him in the field, alone. Each time he fought viciously’, often over entire days without rest, his sword never dry.
| | == At The Mercy of the Mountains == |
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| | 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.]] |
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| | = Education = |
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| By the time he was '''40 years old''' and reaching the twilight of his life, he looked back upon his many conquests and uncountable victories, and wept. Kazani was cursed to be unbeatable, and knew he would never find peace or redeem himself before the Ancestors.
| | == Young Ages == |
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| One day Kazani came before a wandering shaman in the unknown wilds. Kazani was desperate for a fight, and fell to his knees before him. Kazani explained his curse and begged the shaman to lift it so he could die in battle. The shaman listened intently and finally asked what Kazani would to have done with his remains when he died. Kazani said he wanted to be buried at his Clan’s former estate next to his brother. The shaman agreed, and said he would lift Kazani’s curse if Kazani would fight him to the death.
| | 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]]. |
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| | == Early Teens == |
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| Kazani, despite knowing the shaman would surely die, was desperate enough to accept. When they began the duel, Kazani hurled himself at the shaman. But the shaman deftly dodged out of the way and struck Kazani in the back of the head with his walking staff. Kazani fell forwards and hit his head on a rocky outcropping, killing him instantly.
| | 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 a 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. |
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| | 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. |
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| Slain by one of the High Elders of the Akhanzi order, Kazani was finally found to have died in battle and his sins redeemed. He was reunited with his brother and the Ancestors and they joined Sk’akh to live in the eternal afterlife.
| | 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 to hunt 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 which 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. |
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| | == Ascension to adulthood == |
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| ===Tryazali Kres'ha'nor===
| | 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 remains, 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 |
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| Tryazali was born in 949 CE to a minor noble family in what is modern day Baandr. He is credited in Unathi myth as founding the first Hegemony. Information about Trizarki comes from the epic The First Prince and the Night Queen written 1572-1602 CE. According to the epic, when Tryazali was 26 he became separated from his hunting party out in the mountains. He wandered for five days and five nights, unable to find food, water, or shelter. As he was about to die of exposure he was saved by a mysterious tribe of all-female warriors. After he had been nursed back to health by three of the tribe's healers he was taken to meet with their queen, who styled herself The Empress Of Night. She was a ruthless and cunning leader with an azure-colored hide and pure white eyes who claimed to possess magical abilities and a strong spiritual connection to the ancestors. She had been known to lead her tribe of warriors on various raids of the neighboring cities and keep her village hidden in the deep forests in the mountains. After her talks with Tryazali, she demanded that he repay the debt he owed them for saving his life. She tasked him with the rescue of her eldest daughter, who had been kidnapped by a nobleman in S'th. The Queen promised many blessings for the safe return of her child Raz'ha, but warned Tryazali that should he deviate or try to escape from his debt, she would place a curse on him that would doom him and his clan for as long as they tread upon Moghes.
| | The clan in its near entirety will hike up the mountain to greet the aspirant on the new year, carrying supplies for 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 some summits, particularly those of ancient noble clans having tens of thousands of names chiseled onto them. These are the most complete records of a clans 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. |
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| Tryazali eventually learned the whereabouts of the princess, who was being held as a slave to the Lord of S'th, Taraz Jy'haza, keeping her as an exotic curiosity due to the color of her hide, which was a rich azure color. Tryazali would later storm the Lord Taraz's castle and demanded a duel for ownership of Raz'ha. Lord Taraz rebuffed him and sent out his own soldiers, but one by one they fell before the skilled Prince. Eventually Lord Taraz accepted the challenge after overhearing whispers of cowardice amongst his court. According to the epic the resulting duel lasted two entire days before Prince Trazali slew Lord Taraz. Victorious, Tryazali then proclaimed himself the new Lord of S'th, liberating the city and freeing Raz'ha. Before returning her to her mother, the two ended up falling in love, and she elected to remain with Tryazali, becoming queen of S'th and taking the name Kres'ha'nor with her mother's blessing. Tryazali expanded the influence of S'th and eventually created the First Hegemony. He died at the age of 53, in the year 1002 CE. The Kres'ha'nor Hegemony after him continued to grow and dominate most of Moghes.
| | = Challenges = |
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| | == 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. |
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| ===Shizarsa Ksi'ka=== | | = Holidays = |
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| Ksi'ka is believed to have been born in '''1632 CE''' to the leaders of a small tribe outside Darakath. She was bethrothed to a hunter from another village but even from a young age she resented this fact. She is known to have been a wild child, picking fights with other children. When she was 17, before the planned wedding day, she fled her village with her father's sword and crossbow. Outraged, her betrothed, Karask, sent several expeditions after her to arrest and return her. Ksi'ka managed to wound a hunter sent after her with her crossbow but her inexperience with combat lead her to being quickly disarmed and arrested. As she was being escorted back her group was ambushed by bandits and she was kidnapped yet again. Shizarsa was held as a captive of the bandits, who forced her to cook, clean, and otherwise act as a maid for their enclave. According to legend she struck a friendship with one of the bandits and he agreed to train her to defend herself.
| | == Hatchlings Anointment == |
| | Held on the last day of Versakh, the human date of [[FILL SOMETHING IN HERE]] 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. |
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| When she was 27 Ksi'ka killed the leader of the bandits and began leading the men herself. She became an infamous bandit, harassing traveling merchants. One day she even attacked Karask's village, killing him and freeing a woman he had taken as another wife in her place.
| | == Trials of Riz’dabari == |
| | Beginning on the first day of Versakh, on the human date of [[FILL IN HERE]] 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. |
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| Her fame and power grew until she controlled a small petty kingdom that surrounded Darakath and with dozens of kills under her belt. Fearing the barbarians ravaging the countryside Lord of the city sent out his eldest son, Gri'zarsuth, to lead 48 of the city's soldiers to find the bandit enclave and destroy it.
| | == Glizkin’s Remembrance == |
| | In the very middle of Kasavakh, on the human date of [[FILL IN HERE]] 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. |
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| Eventually Gri'zarsuth and his men managed to ambush Ksi'ka's camp and slew or captured the majority of her men. According to legend Ksi'ka managed to kill four men and was the last one standing. Gri'zarsuth managed to knock her out by hitting her in the head with the flat of his sword.
| | == 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. 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. |
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| Ksi'ka was considered a wild savage by everyone in the city when she was dragged to the dungeons in chains, but Gri'zarsuth fell in love with her. He begged his father four times to spare her, and four times he refused. The day before her execution Gri'zarsuth begged again, saying that he could civilize Ksi'ka. Finally his father relented on the condition that he be able to civilize Gri'zarsuth within a year.
| | =Art= |
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| Ksi'ka's wild spirit was reigned in by Gri'zarsuth over the following year, and the barbarian savage was transformed into a proper princess. At the end of the year she was brought before Gri'zarsuth's father, who marveled at the change a man could bring such a wild woman. She was allowed to live, and eventually married Gri'zarsuth.
| | 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. |
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| == The Contact War == | | = Food = |
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| ===Don'zai Azarak===
| | 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. |
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| Don'zai Azarak was born on 2408 CE in the former city of Darakath, the capital of the Azarak Kingdom, which also briefly served as the capital of the Traditionalist Coalition during its existence. His parents, King Yuiz Azarak and Queen Kwina Azarak, gave him two siblings, both of which were sisters, and his family all followed the Tha'kh faith.
| | = 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. |
| Prince Azarak received extensive education from a young age, showing promise and charisma. When he was 16 he was sent to the University of Darakath to become an Apprentice for the Guildmaster of the university, where he also received his education. While attending university he would be bethrothed to his future wife, Princess Wei'za from the northern kingdom of Izgwani, and they would marry when they were both 20, in 2428.
| | 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. |
| They had two hatchlings six months after the marriage ceremony, giving Don'zai two children; the male Don'ziki and female Yuiza. Don'zai immediately fell in love with his children and became famous for his elaborate and lavish displays of affection. Using his influence as Prince and heir of the Kingdom he managed to persuade the University of Darakath to rename two new campus buildings after his children. He also spent excessive funds on having the baby rooms renovated with elaborate decorations and furnishing, famously including a small fountain in his son's room and hydroponic trays growing a variety of colorful, exotic plants in his daughter's room.
| | 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. |
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| Don'zai's father died when he was 24, in 2432, and Don'zai was crowned King. Though he professed a desire to continue his studies and delegate matters of state to his staff, the unprecedented event of alien life visiting Moghes forced him to take a leave of absence from his studies and take on official duties as King.
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| The human and Skrell expedition that made contact with Moghes in 2433 was done in the Izweski Nation, which was the world's sole superpower and Hegemony.
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| Knowing they had the only functioning spaceports and access to the greater galaxy, Don'zai sent repeated requests to the Izweski to have an Azarak representative sent to humanity and the skrell to speak for his Kingdom but each time he was rebuffed, with the Izweski taking on a patronizing and condescending attitude to his Kingdom.
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| Azarak called a summit of all world leaders in late Versakh (April relative) of 2433. The summit took place in Tisxaclas, the capital of his allies, the Izgwani, where he gave his infamous speech and single-handily managed to become a global icon and the poster boy of the anti-Izweski bloc.
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| During the global crisis that had erupted after the Izweski had colonized Ourea, in which humanity and the skrell had practically taken charge of, Don'zai Azarak was one of the leading figures that would come to found the Traditionalist Coalition. He personally served in the conflict, becoming an artilleryman in the Azarak 1st Retinue, his family's private levee. Images of him manning an artillery cannon in active battle were turned into propaganda pieces and he became known as the King on the Battlefield.
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| It's not known if Azarak approved a nuclear weapons program or even authorized the deployment of their use, but following the atomic attack on Da'ha'den on September 5th, 2439 and the following nuclear exchange his whereabouts became unknown as the 1st Retinue was hit by an Izweski atomic bomb while stationed outside Res'karum. Originally the Retinue had been warned about the impending attack and were attempting to retreat away from the military base and disperse into the countryside.
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| King Don'zai Azarak spent the week on a journey back to Darakath, facing incredible danger as command and control began to collapse across the planet. He became separated from his retinue and was forced to travel alone, most of his travel spent on foot.
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| Don'zai managed to make it back to Dakarath, which had been spared from atomic attack by virtue of its defenses. However his journey saw him afflicted with severe radiation poisoning, and he spent the remaining duration of the Contact War too weak to be effective, effectively bedridden.
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| Don'zai refused all medical treatment, forbidding a doctor to enter the grounds. When his wife tearfully begged him to let the doctor in to provide anti-radiation treatment, he is quoted to have said,
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| "I will die in in my own home on my own terms. I refuse to die at the axe of the Izweski."
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| Don'zai died of severe radiation poisoning on 2441. In his final lucid moments, his final words are said to have been,
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| "Care for our children, Wei'za."
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| == Contemporary ==
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| === Not'zar Izweski, ''Izweski Hegemon'' ===
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| [[File:Not'Zar.png|thumbnail|Portrait of Not'Zar Izweski, circa 2458.]]
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| At 22 as of 2460, Not'zar is the second oldest child to the Hegemon and his First Wife. He become the new Heir to the Hegemony after the death of his brother in a shuttle crash in may of 2458. Not'zar Izweski chose to seek an education in Sinta'studies (Unathi Humanities) and pursued a bachelors in Sinta'Philosophy in the University of S'th before his duties as Lord-Regent forced him to suspend his studies.
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| As an infant he was struck with The Rot, a deadly viral infection passed from breeds of Moghean birds that almost claimed his life as an infant. The next 5 years were spent on a hospital bed as a sickly child barely clinging to life. The Rot causes Unathi scales and even the rest of the hide to rot and fall off, leaving open wounds and necrotic tissue while it also harms muscle growth while weakening tendons. Every day specialized surgeons had to remove more and more infected tissue to contain the spread of the Rot.
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| Not'Zar survived the disease and spent his entire childhood in physical rehabilitation. He was unable to stand at all, and his condition was an open secret - the Hegemon S’kresti refused to let Not'Zar socialize with anyone outside the castle courtiers. S’kresti was deeply ashamed at having a crippled son. When Not'Zar was 13 he told his father than he wanted to stop rehabilitation because it wasn't working and he was still unable to walk. S’kresti dramatically pulled him out of his wheelchair and dangled Not'zar out a castle window, telling Not'Zar that if he ended the rehabilitation then he wouldn't have a cripple for a son. The incident made a fearful Not'Zar continue the rehabilitation, and after years of more grueling rehabilitation he was able to walk once more when he was 15.
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| While he was able to keep all of his limbs and regained the ability to walk with assistance from his cane, it's believed that his continued physical weaknesses from muscle damage and general weakness leave him unable to meet the standards of physical fitness to join the military and military academies that are traditional for Izweski to graduate. In addition, he is constantly battling aches from the weaknesses in his muscles and bones, needing oxycodone to get through a typical day.
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| Not'zar Izweski is extensively traveled, entering the core of human space for the first time when he was 16. Many close to the young Prince have said he indulges heavily in human and skrell cultures. In his Creative Writing Workshop at the university he created several illustrated fantasy stories which were popular with the human expats studying abroad on Moghes, which include "Mecha Battle on Luna's Torment".
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| His true potential wasn't fully realized until the fateful events of May 6th, 2458. On that day his brother Yakt and his wife died in a shuttle crash. During the funeral Not'Zar's father became inconsolable and eventually fell into a deep depression culminating into a coma. Legally Not'Zar was now the heir, but a brother in-law, S'linzar, quickly seized the moment and declared himself the Lord-Regent before Not'Zar could seek his claim.
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| The succession crisis split the Hegemony down the middle and Not'Zar quickly had to maneuver the dangerous political climate. Not'Zar had his immediate family quietly flee Moghes. Not'Zar spent the rest of May navigating court intrigue and rallying support for his claim. He managed to retain an alliance with Lord-Admiral Trazarial Yizarus. Yizarus had the unique strength of commanding the HMV Cataclysm of the 1st Fleet; the most powerful warship in the Hegemony. Ickza attempted to purge the government of Not'Zar loyalists but was unable to drive a wedge between the stubborn Trazarial despite declaring Trazarial a traitor and seizing all his assets on Moghes. These events lead to a dramatic stand-off in orbit of Moghes, as the loyalist 1st Fleet stared down the 2nd Fleet, commanded by Yizarus' brother Azikyui.
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| Through clever political posturing, Not'Zar managed to hold onto his claims for long enough that he had secured enough allies to create a serious threat to the Ickza's power. Rather than risking a full blown civil war, Not'Zar cleverly took advantage of S'linzar's pride by calling him weak and challenging him to a duel. The proud S'linzar agreed, and in a key mistake, allowed Not'Zar to bring to battle 'whatever he could carry'.
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| Not'Zar took advantage of this by showing up to the duel in a combat mech before a large crowd of the Hegemony's most powerful nobles. The battle was short, with Not'Zar draining S'linzar's breacher suit and leaving his in-law helpless.
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| S'linzar surrendered and ceded his claims and titles, restoring the title of Lord-Regent to Not'Zar.
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| During his reign, Not'Zar has shown an unwillingness to use force to resolve disputes. He is also openly critical of ancient Unathi customs and traditions, and his desire to trust in an inherent goodness in Unathi has made him come off as patronizing and naive. However, Not'Zar is by no means as a coward. When the Maraziite Order besieged his family's personal castle in Skalamar, he stood firm and repelled several attempts by the inquisition to breach the gates. However, Not'Zar's cool head prevailed as he forbade the city garrison from interfering, which he feared would have spilled out into open violence throughout the city.
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| His negotiations with High Priest Unzi have directly lead to the Sk'akh church being given legitimacy as a political force.
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| Despite holding onto alliances with key supporters, Not'Zar's position remains tenuous. The young nobleman is struggling to remain a moderate in a dangerous and polarized regime. He remains committed to giving Unathi a place in the galaxy and gain respect from the greater empires of the humans and skrell, but his moderate and progressive policies threaten to cause more instability and resentment from the nobility.
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| === Hizoni Razi, ''Izweski Spymaster'' ===
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| [[File:HizoniSpymaster.png|thumb|Hizoni Razi in her spymaster regalia, sporting a silver crown. She is known to flaunt her wealth often, and keeps an air of elegance around her.]]
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| Perhaps the most feared woman or Sinta within the Hegemony, Hizoni controls a network of informants, spies, and assassins that stretches across the surface of Moghes and even across the stars to distant colonies. She was born in 2440 on Ouerea as the third daughter to Guildmaster Keicacu Razi, headmaster of the Merchants Guild and owner of Razi-Snax. As an azure, she has been seen as the beauty of her clan and gained the most attention— earning her an education in the ways of women from her mother and caretakers. After her teachings, she was put into diplomatic situations to defend the Merchant's Guild from hostile subterfuge. Her upbringing allowed Hizoni to grow up within the halls of power, acquainting herself with the elite of the Hegemony during the final days of the Contact War. She rose to prominence when she defended the Hegemon from two would-be assassins by slaying both and destroying the murder plot. Since then, on top of her elevation to the Hegemony’s Spymaster, Hizoni has found herself enjoying a ''very'' close relationship with Not’zar, though nothing official has been announced between the two.
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| Hizoni’s political pursuits and leanings are unknown; she will seemingly flop back and forth between different camps depending on the issue, always remaining unpredictable. Many speculate this is the result of political maneuvering, giving her support to a cause for favors in return, which she uses to shore up the Hegemon’s precarious position. She does not openly front any group, and it is unknown if any beyond her spies plead their cases with her. Her relationship with her brother Sakax is strained, and it is speculated that the two have all but cut off contact with each other.
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| The most powerful woman in the Hegemony with the least media presence, much of Hizoni’s life is a mystery to the outside world, even after bards began to try and watch her every move due to her relationship with Not’zar.She rarely speaks publicly, preferring to instead use one of her vast retinue of other spy’s to speak in her stead. Many view her as duplicitous and untrustworthy, though in the same breath many also admit that a spymaster should probably be so.
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| === Azui Hutay'zai, Overlord, ''Lord of the Wastes'', and ''Izweski Master of Rivers'' ===
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| The only Tha’akh Hand of the Hegemon, Azui Hutay'zai fills the position of Not'zar's [[Unathi#The_Master_of_Rivers | Master of Rivers]], overseeing the economy of the Hegemony from his estate on the shore of the Moghresian Sea near his clan's former lands of the Torn Cities. Originally fighting for the Traditionalist Coalition during the Contact War, his father died when the war went nuclear, bathed in the fires that destroyed most of the clan's ancestral land. Azui, who had been leading his clan's forces along the coast at the time, ascended to the throne of his kingdom. There, he would strike a deal with the Hegemony to pledge fealty to clan Izweski and ensure his remaining non-polluted lands would be safe in the hands of the new masters of Moghes, in exchange for his clan being allowed to continue to rule over what it had left of its ancestral lands. After his peace deal and the conclusion of the Contact War, Hutay'zai became one of the most powerful landed nobles within the Hegemony. He set up a new estate on the coast and would use it as a base of operations to continue mining operations within the radiation-blasted lands surrounding the Torn Cities, using the peasant refugee population as an ample workforce with help from the mining guilds. The resources imported into his lands over from these mining operations in the Torn Cities have become even more important to the Hegemony as the scarcity reigns, as they do not require interstellar travel to reach the ever-hungry factories of Jaz'zirt, on the southern side of the sea.
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| Eventually, as the Traditionalist block swelled in the face of Not'zar's reforms and progressive attitude, he would become one of the two overlords of Moghes, coming to be called by many as '''"Lord of the Wastes."''' His lordship extends throughout the Wasteland, officially managing the scattered Hegemonic outposts such as Camp Integrity and Camp Izweski's Honor, as well as supposedly managing the Sinta living in Wasteland communities. However, due to the nature of the Wasteland, this authority is essentially non-existent outside of Hegemonic-controlled outposts, making his overlordship only one in name.
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| Azui is known to be one of the most traditional Hegemonic lords, ruling over lands with the minimum of modern amenities; what little modernity his land has is concentrated with the nobility and mining guilds. His appointment as a Hand of the Hegemon, and as one of the two Overlords of Moghes, was a political move made to appease the Traditionalist block which has continued growing after the end of the Contact War. This has made him the unofficial spokesperson for those in the Hegemony who consider themselves Traditionalists and for bringing their concerns before Not’zar whenever he can. However, contrary to what some might say, Hutay’zai has a dogged loyalty towards the Hegemony, believing it the only way Sinta can progress in this new galaxy while keeping what scraps of their tradition they can intact.
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| Azui is the primary proponent of mercantilism within the Hegemony, advocating for an expanded program of colonization and stricter trade laws with the wider Spur. He believes that further openness, both in trading resources and culture with the Orion Spur, will spell the death of the Hegemony. It is widely known that Azui resents Hephaestus Industries having status as a guild in the Hegemony and will use any measure that might curtail their power.
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| A meticulous planner, Hutay’zai writes out all his speeches before giving them every time, and sticks to them no matter what. His speeches are rarely followed by a period of questions, and he sets expectations for how his speeches will go. Should his speeches not go the way he thinks, he is prone to become angry and lash out at those around him, mostly whoever isn’t playing by his script. This has led to Hutay’zai fighting members of the audience several times while he gives his speeches, almost once in Skalamar itself. His lifestyle is one fit for an overlord, with extravagance and abundance, even in the midst of a famine. He tends to become rambunctious at feasts and other events when he’s had time to drink, and will go on long winded rants about anything. He’s a doting father and grandfather, giving his children and their children all they could want in the world. This has caused most other nobles to look upon Hutay’zai’s children as spoiled brats.
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| === Mizaruz Izweski, Lord and ''Izweski Lord's Claws'' ===
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| Originally of clan Gri'zan, Mizaruz was born in the city of Baandr, eventually inheriting it and the lands surrounding it after his elder brother passed away without producing an heir. Given his status as a second son for most of his life, he was brought up from a young age with the intention of joining the clergy of Sk'akh. When his brother died while Mizaruz was around the age of 12, his education would shift dramatically towards ruling his realm; however, the young Sinta never forgot his religious education, keeping up theological studies for most of his life. He went on to make a name for himself during the Contact War by fighting several engagements against overwhelming odds and succeeding without the normal technological advantage the Hegemony had. Mizaruz was known as an amazing tactician and inspirational icon to his men, counseling them in religious matters on marches and leading them fiercely into battle. Shortly after the Contact War, Mizaruz was married into the Izweski clan and ascended to become a Hand of the Hegemon, specifically become the [[Unathi#The_Lord's_Claws |Lord's Claws.]] Though his actions during the war and loyalty are laudable, his time as the Lord's Claws has been lackluster. His tactical knowledge has not translated well to giving advice to the Hegemony's military on a strategic level, as he consistently fails to properly grasp supply chains on a grander scale, the intricacies of the levy system, and the new frontier of space. However, for most things, those Sinta that work beneath him manage to effectively cover for him, ensuring that the military has competent efficiency. However, if a disaster were to happen and Mizaruz were caught unprepared, it's unclear if his loyalty and new clan would be able to save him from the reckoning. His diplomacy is viewed with admiration by many Sinta; he has constantly proved himself apt at striking deals and averting crises with other nobility as well as alien states.
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| Mizaruz supports the policies Not'zar supports: furthering ties with the xeno, the expansion of modernization programs, and usage of force as a last resort, a somewhat strange trait for his position. This undying support for Not’zar has made him the mascot for those who similarly fully believe in the Hegemon: those who share his undying loyalty bring their concerns to him, most of which are about the Hegemon's still-precarious political position. His reputation as a theologian has also helped keep relations between the newly-formed Church of Sk’akh and the state milder than in the past.
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| Not the planner Hutay’zai is, Mizaruz lives his life seemingly from moment to moment, never making any real long term plans except when forced to by circumstance or his Hegemon. This carries over to his public life, where he’s known to give speeches and answer questions with no notes, preparations, or anything. Most view him as honest because of this, if sometimes a little too naive. He raised his children with minimal input from himself, and generally, most turned out alright. One of his daughters ended up marrying a peasant and causing a scandal but Mizaruz dealt with the situation in the moment, like he always does.
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| Mizaruz is the main proponent of the "New Model War" that worked so well for the Hegemony during the Contact War. He has issued many studies on ways which the Hegemonic Fleet and Army could be improved, yet due to both his own incompetence and the influence of others within the military establishment, very few of his reforms have gone through.
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| === Seleta Sarnac, Lady and ''Izweski High Speaker'' ===
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| Hailing from the southern untouched lands, the lands owned by her father that Lady Sarnac grew up on encompasses the city of Razir, and much of the territory surrounding it, a majority of which have been claimed by the wasteland following the contact war. Born shortly before the contact war, Setelta is the youngest hand of the Hegemon, at around thirty four. She is also one of the two female hands of the hegemon, and fills the position of [[Unathi#High_Speaker | high speaker.]] It is obvious that she was given her position for political reasons, an exemplification of Not’zars more progressive policies, by allowing a female beyond his spymaster to advise him on how to rule the nation. While she holds no lands her brother, Lord Sarnac, holds the key southern regions around Razir, as well as the city itself. Her brother is known to be disappointed that he was not offered the position of high speaker, but is indifferent to it as long as his clan is represented within the highest levels of the Hegemony, by either male or female.
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| Lady Seleta is the face of Hegemonic progressivism, fighting against established traditions and gender roles at the highest level. This has gained her both a loyal following of younger Sinta, and the wrath of the older, more traditional Sinta, who see her as a threat to everything they know. These followings are only amplified by her appearance at Not’zars side at nearly every public event, arranging things to run smoothly, fashioning the Hegemon’s image into one of power and stability.
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| A public speaker to the core, Ms. Sarnac presents a curated version of herself that she wishes others to see at all times, whether at home or in front of the biggest crowd on Moghes. The version is a Unathi with sharp wits, trustworthy despite being a woman, and keeping both intact while answering questions without answering them hundreds of times over. She has no children, and barely anything is known about her home life, so curated her media presence.
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| As High Speaker Seleta has strived to do what she can to shore up the Hegemon’s position, attempting to establish a universal love for him among the common Sinta, both Guildsmen and Peasant. Both her and the Hegemon have received the wrath of some nobles for this, as they fear their subjects will start to be more loyal to a personage beyond themselves. Her success in this is unknown, and only a massive crisis could reveal how much loyalty she has gained for the Hegemon among the common people.
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| === Clan Lord Sakax Razi, ''The General'' ===
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| As the third son of guild master Keicacu Razi, Sakax's lot in life started with making a name for himself within the military of the Hegemony. Unable to inherit any titles, and lacking the guile of his sister, Sakax threw himself fully into mastering the Sinta art of war, determined to fight as his ancestors had before him. This determination resulted in him shooting through the ranks of the Hegemonic military throughout the Contact War, being given more and more responsibility. Now he is Clan Lord of what is essentially a Hegemony military base between Skamander and Imas'hi, commanding his own set of Kataphract and clan warriors. He is known to be a grim but honorable man and has a hatred for all Sinta who fought the Hegemony in the Contact War, blaming them for the ruined state of the species and their home. The few times he has spoken with '''Azui Hutay'zai''' has almost ended in a physical conflict between the two. For this reason, Sakax is regularly left off of invite lists for functions where the Overlord will be in attendance, including most formal meetings involving the economics of the Hegemony.
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| Sakax exerts all of his influence confirming that the Hegemony's military never fully adopts the "New Model War" beyond tactics developed during the Contact War. He believes that the lifeblood and culture of the Unathi is inherently tied to the military and that the two should be reflections of each other. He is the primary proponent behind borderline suicidal tactics in space such as ramming, and given the Hegemony has not fought a major naval engagement within space under his command, they are not yet able to prove his tactics defective.
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| Sakax has little media presence outside of bards who focus on military matters, his primary area of responsibility. Many sagas have been chronicled about his accomplishments and the accomplishments of the men under him, giving him larger than usual influence among the population.
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| === Clan Lord Juyzi Izaku, ''The Maddened'' ===
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| Ruling over the city and associated lands of Mudki, Lord Izaku is the most old-fashioned Hegemonic lord, to the point of radicalization. He does not put any effort into modernization and believes the Unathi can surmount the challenges posed by the state of their homeworld the same way they always have: through brute force. His lands are in a constant state of famine as clean water and fertile land are in short supply, and the mountainous terrain that surrounds it offers little beyond protection against the climate of the Wasteland, though sadly not its inhabitants. Gargawyn raids are common, and Lord Izaku seems unable to effectively mount a defense. Due to all these factors, Mudki is slowly turning into a ghost town as many Sinta take whatever they can and flee for the rivers of Res'karum or further into the heartland of the Hegemony, with some even ending up off-world in human space. Many of his former subjects curse his clan, hating him for his stubbornness.
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| Lord Izaku has borderline reactionary tendencies, believing that any further modernization or acceptance of the xeno will lead to the death of all that is Sinta. He has at several times made overts threats against his lord, Not'zar Izweski himself, stating that should Not'zar continue his policies, he will consider him to be dishonorable and his pledge of fealty be null. What would happen should Not'zar cross a line in Juyzi's eyes is anyone's guess.
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| Izaku is one of the most crazed Sinta to hold a throne on Moghes, sometimes seemingly frothing at the mouth when giving public speeches. He speaks to whoever will give him a platform, from the lowest bard to officials from the Hegemon. Very little is known about Izaku outside of his crazed stances on tradition, as few are willing to speak with the Lord of Mudki for longer than needed, and none want to give him a lage platform.
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| === Lord Glatazk Yu'huni, ''The Pious'' ===
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| Hailing from the religious city of To'ha'dat, Lord Yu'huni was raised in the heartland of the Th'akh faith as a devout worshiper. However, at age 18, he converted to the religion of Sk'akh and has been one of its most fanatical followers since. Almost losing his position as heir for his clan lands, he kept it through a combination of trickery and might while maintaining ample support from the more centralized Sk'akh church. His first decree was that all who wished to remain in his clan must convert to Sk'akh and must remain faithfulness to their new religion. Because of this, clan Yu'huni has become the most fanatical clan in the process of losing a notable amount of its members, completely loyal to the central Church even in the face of their duty to the Hegemon. This was most apparent during the religious crisis in 2460, where clan Yu'huni expressed their support for the Sk'akh Church against the Hegemon to other clans. The reputation of clan Yu'huni is still stained by the scandal to this day.
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| As the most pious of all Hegemonic Lords, Glaztak can be found often giving speeches at religious events, occasionally at the request of the Church of Sk’akh. His speeches are essentially written by those priests he trusts and is close to, their words coming out of his mouth at almost every occasion. He has no children of his own but considers all those pious sinta who have joined his clan to be his children, spoiling them with gifts and luxury, which has in turn caused many more to eye the potential to become a Yuhuni with serious consideration.
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| Lord Glatazk offers any Sk'akh worshiping Sinta a place in his clan, so long as they originate from the Th'akh Heartlands. This takes the form of an application system, where a Sinta has to answer several questions about their religion, their views on the Church and Hegemony, and acquire several references from co-workers that show their piety. Many faithful Sinta strive to be accepted, yet only the truly fanatical pass his scrutiny.
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| === Lord Admiral Trazial Yizarus, ''Izharshan's Bane'' ===
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| One of the most well known Unathi in the Hegemony, Lord Admiral Yizarus is the bloody left hand of Not’zar, the competent, terrifying, skilled military leader contrasted against the ineptitude of Not’zars Claws, Miz Izweski. There is speculation as to why Yizarus was not chosen as Not’zars Claws, with some believing he turned down the offer to remain above the fray of politics, which he has a known distaste for, and other more skeptical spectators believe Not’zar did not want such a powerful force so close to the throne that he sat upon. No matter which route of speculation is correct, Trazial Yizarus has contented himself being one of the gun barrels holding Not’zar in power, with himself at the head of a clan that claims the loyalty of most of the officer corps of the Hegemonic Navy. He wields immense power over the organization, leading one of the Fleets himself, the 1st Fleet, currently in orbit of Moghes. This has given him significant power over the rest of the military apparatus, and levies, lords, and even Kataphracts will normally fulfill any request he has without delay.
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| Born into the Yizarus Clan, Trazial from the moment of his birth was destined to fight in battle, whether it be on land or in the void of space. When the Hegemonic Navy was formed, his clan as a reward for their loyalty to the Hegemony during the Contact War and their ample supply of trained fighting men, were granted the honor of being some of the first captains and officers of Hegemonic Military Vessels. Trazial, having come of age shortly after the end of the contact war was given one of these positions, and quickly his skills, helped along by his harshness of failure, saw him rise to the very top of the Hegemonic Navy. He became a minor celebrity amongst the rest of the population after a fleet under his command killed the feared pirate lord Izharshan, after Izharshan’s Raiders destroyed the newly built Cataclysm class dreadnought. This fame ensured his final promotion to Lord Admiral of the Hegemony’s First Fleet, after the second was constructed. Crisis after crisis he proved not only his skill, but his loyalty to the Izweski clan, most of all during the Succession Crisis in late 2458 when he refused to break Not’zars faith and helped the fledgling Hegemon ascend his rightful throne. Eventually after much trial and tribulation, he was cemented in his role as Not’zars left hand, the reliable force of power Not’zar could always turn to when it was needed.
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| Trazial is known to be a man of few words, with bluntness and quickly getting to the point, speeches he gives rarely last more than a couple minutes. He leads a rather Spartan lifestyle, not having many comforts a noble of his station would normally, sleeping little and exercising regularly. He rarely drinks, and many other nobles consider him too uptight, not even letting much out at feasts. His family is frayed from this stoicism and spartanism, as he tried to raise his sons to follow his lifestyle but failed miserably, resulting in one being a wash out, and one being unable to cope and falling into a depression.
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| [[File:HighPriestUnzi.jpg|thumb|left|Once the court chaplain for the Izweski, High Priest Yizra Unzi used a cult scare in 2458 to rapidly elevate his power and centralize the Sk'akh church, becoming the official leader of the Church and commander of its militant inquisition, the Maraziite Order.]]
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| === Yizra Unzi, ''Exiled High Priest'' ===
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| Yizra was born in 2407 in the city of Skalamar and raised by a wealthy, orthodox Sk'akh family. His father was a Priest for a large local church and helped the young Yizra through his studies to gain a Doctorate in Sacred Theology, becoming a priest by 30. His father's influence helped him rise the ranks of the Church quickly, and he inherited his father's church by 32 when he passed. One of the responsibilities of Sk'akh priests was diagnosing many ills that could be blamed on malicious spirits. Families in Skalamar would bring the mentally ill to the churches to ask if they were genuinely mentally ill or possessed by evil spirits. The mentally ill were often disowned or kept locked up in private Guild institutions, never to be heard from again to avoid embarrassing the family. A priest declaring them possessed kept the Unathi in the care of the Church, so Yizra became a champion for the mental health community in the city because he would always diagnose them as possessed in order to take them under the care of his Church for long-term treatment and care.
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| His popularity with the city gave him enough influence to be appointed the new Izweski chaplain when the former retired. He was put in charge of all the ceremonial festivities of the capital city of Skalamar, but he still made time to give sermons in his Clan's church. The Church at this time was organized but there was not a lot of formal control or bureaucracy - it was held together by traditions and expectations.
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| Yizra was rather quiet during and after the crisis' of the Ouerean colonization and the Contact War outside advocating for a peaceful resolution or quick Izweski victory. During the war however he donated nearly all of his wealth to various charities that looked after disabled veterans of the war along with rebuilding efforts for villages ravaged by the conflict.
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| The turning point of Yizra's career came in 2453. As Yizra was walking from the Izweski Citadel to a charity to meet with the leaders, a group of Unathi in cloaks approached him on an isolated street. They engaged in a brief theological discussion before trying to convince him to join their movement. He refused repeatedly and tried to get past them, making them grow agitated. They started grabbing him and trying to drag him into the alley to kidnap him. His shouts were heard by nearby Watchmen, who rushed to the scene and caused the assailants to flee. They chased the assailants into an alley that lead to a dead-end, but they had disappeared into thin air. The only thing left behind was a single piece of bloody manuscript with a strange, illegible scribbling on it.
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| The incident deeply concerned him and he began reaching out to his contacts throughout the city. Through sympathetic law enforcement he discovered that there's been a spate of disappearances and murders throughout the city going back as far as 2433. After enlisting the help of several priests and private detectives he compiled all of the evidence that pointed to a massive, unprecedented underground cult movement being responsible. He took the findings repeatedly to law enforcement and various Lords, but all rebuffed him, saying either that he was being zealous or that he had no authority over secular matters like law enforcement.
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| So Yizra went public with his findings, stoking the flames of a Cult Panic that swept Unathi space in 2458 to become High Priest, assuming total control over the entire Sk'akh faith. He consolidated his power and also founded the Maraziite Order, a military order under the command of the High Priest with the right to bear arms and dispense justice against spiritual threats to the Hegemony. In its short existence it has arrested several hundred individuals and seized many tomes and documents that Mariziite authorities claim are evidence of cult involvement.
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| Yizra had become single-minded in his goal to eradicate the threat of the occult from the Hegemony. His growing zeal and conviction has led him to behave more ruthlessly, believing more and more in the ends justifying the means.
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| He's never been recorded disparaging the Th'akh faith (outside general theological disputes) but he has overlooked Maraziite persecution of Th'akh shamans during his tenure.
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| For skeptics it's unclear how genuine Yizra's intentions are, and he's often painted as a paranoid zealot.
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| The cult the Maraziites fought remains a vague enigma, and they aren't fully sure if it's a single movement or several. What scant physical evidence they gain from arrested cultists is written in a code that no one has been able to break, and no cultist has revealed secrets under interrogation. Though he hasn't admitted it to anyone except a few Chapter Masters of the Order, not even Yizra fully understood what they were fighting.
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| Eventually in 2462, High Priest Unzi found himself on Trial for the crime of kidnapping the Heir to the Hegemony, the supposed reborn Yakiz Izweski. Presiding over the Trial was Not’zar, who eventually sentenced the now former High Priest to exile in the Wasteland, where he has been ever since. No-one knows exactly what became of Yizra, but rumors and speculation swirl about his current whereabouts and plans to once again take the reigns of the church.
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| [[File:Akhandi.png|thumbnail|Portrait of Vuthix Akhandi, circa 2459.]]
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| === Vuthix Akhandi, ''Elder Shaman'' ===
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| Vuthix Akhandi is one of the most well known Elder Shaman of the [[Unathi Religion|Akhanzi Order]], and is the face of the Akhanzi through recent history. He is the first Elder Shaman to advocate a mass evacuation of the Order from [[Moghes]] to escape the [https://forums.aurorastation.org/viewtopic.php?p=97555#p97555 Iron Crusade], a massive attack on all Order temples. He is currently living in Mendell City, [[Tau Ceti]] in the newly built Akhanzi Library.
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| Vuthix Akhandi was born in '''2405''' into the now extinct clan Slithiss, which resided in the once fertile lands east of Mudki. He felt the calling to be a shaman at an early age, but his clan members did not hold high respect to him for the role was largely ceremonial and often more political token than a respected profession to the Slithiss clan. He tried over several years to enact reforms within the clan, to increase spiritual idealism within, before finally growing frustrated with the lack of interest from his Clan's leaders. Vuthix began casting what influence he had to travelers, and in his early twenties, received an invitation to join the Akhandi Order from a shaman on a pilgrimage through his home lands that he had the pleasure to speak to. The decision to abandon his clan and renounce all title to it was not a difficult decision for Vuthix, and he formally renounced his affiliation with the Slithiss clan soon after, beginning his own pilgrimage to the mountain temple far to the southwest. There was no further significant contact between Vuthix and his former clan for the next four decades as he learned various teachings of the Akhanzi as an acolyte, then a shaman, and now an Elder Shaman.
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| During the [[Contact War]] in '''2438''', the lands of his youth suffered heavy bombardment from atomic weapons, and fearing his ancestors were dead, went out and found his childhood home was now a radioactive crater. He scoured the surrounding area, where he managed to find a group of survivors - and a nephew and niece - within the wreckage of a Sky Behemoth. He gave the survivors treatment and spiritual healing to help them survive the fallout, and gave them guidance and care as he led them back to his temple with in the mountains where they would be safe. The two remain the only living connection Vuthix has to his old clan name. Both of them have decided to take the title Akhandzi and join their uncle in the Order.
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| In '''2459''', the Maraziite Order enacted a major attack on all Akhanzi temples, burning thousands of years of ancient scrolls, texts, and teachings. This Iron Crusade forced many of the Elder Shamans to leave Moghes, with Vuthix saying, "They can not truly steal our ancestral home - for our ancestors are within us, not just on Moghes. Wherever we as Sinta go, our Ancestors follow - within our spirits."
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| Vuthix then came to Tau Ceti with hundreds of other Shamans and hundreds more acolytes all holding as many scrolls as they could. Under the guidance of Vuthix, the Akhanzi Order has made a new spiritual temple and library in Mendell City where they teach any and all who ask to learn.
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| [[File:Siakh.png|thumbnail|left|Portrait of Juzida Si'akh in the middle of a firebrand sermon, circa 2457.]]
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| === Juzida Si'akh, ''Prophet of Flame'' ===
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| Juzida was hatched '''Juzida Aizahi''' into a small family in 2409. His father ran their villages' church and raised Juzida as an orthodox member of the faith. He was sent to the neighboring town of Ouairu for schooling in the small university there. He received a basic theological education and pursued a Doctorate in Sacred Theology with the intent of overseeing his village's church with his father. His studies ended on '''2437''' with the outbreak of the Contact War. His father died in the early stages of the war while acting as a Chaplain in the Izweski army. Juzida took on the mantle of Priest and struggled to maintain his small church as an unassuming, technically unqualified priest for those 2 years.
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| It was shortly after his 30th birthday in the spring of '''2439''' that the '''Contact War''' went nuclear. His village received no prior warning. Juzida was in the basement of his church taking inventory when the ground began to shake and there was a sudden, unearthly roar that knocked him flat and caused sections of the basement to cave in. Juzida quickly left and emerged from his basement to a hellish landscape of brimstone and devastation. His entire village was completely gone and it was as if nothing had ever been there. In the distance Juzida saw the rising mushroom cloud heralding the apocalypse. It was here that Juzida fell to his knees and received divine revelation as Sk'akh spoke to him directly. Sk'akh told Juzida that the Unathi species had become too sinful and corrupted by evil and that the missiles streaking through the sky were the bringers of Judgement Day. Sk'akh told him that everyone that died within the new few hours from the fires of atomic bombs would be cleansed of sin and join her in the afterlife, while all those left behind would be abandoned as Sk'akh wrote off the Unathi species and condemed them to forever reincarnate on Moghes, trapped on the hell that they had created for themselves. Sk'akh finally warned Juzida that she would only consider saving the species if they proved their worth by rebuilding and purifying Moghes, and that Juzida would be the '''Final Prophet''' to represent Sinta'Unathi and prove to Sk'akh that the species was worth saving.
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| Juzida immediately abandoned his clan name and took on the last name '''Si'akh''', which loosely means '''Prophet'''. Juzida Si'akh spent the rest of the Contact War wandering the wasteland, initially unsure about how to handle his monumental life goal. He watched as civilization collapsed in the face of the apocalypse, and how survivors and tattered remnants of the old kingdoms were fighting a desperate war of survival. His travels had him exposed to the greed, selfishness, and brutality consuming Sinta'Unathi in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. But he also saw glimmers of charity and good deeds that cemented his hopes that his people could be redeemed in the eyes of Sk'akh.
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| Taking these experiences Si'akh preached his doctrine across the Wasteland. With the end of the world having happened, his message resonated well with the survivors who desperately looked for answers as to why Sk'akh would allow this to happen. By '''2450''' his congregation was up to several thousand, and his entourage traveled the Wasteland with him, and it was from this point that Si'akh began to deal with persecution from the Izweski, who chased him out of their lands wherever they found him.
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| By '''2457''' Si'akh had survived several asassination attempts, but coincidences (or divine intervention) had foiled all of them, and he claims it is because he is literally immortal and unable to be killed until his mission is complete. The same could not be said for his followers. The Followers of Si'akh were violently persecuted, leading Si'akh to form '''The Reavers of the Flame''', an armed religious order tasked with defending the faithful and guarding pilgrimage routes from marauding bandits or Izweski incursions.
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| Si'akh is passionate, fiercely devoted to his beliefs, and unwavering in his committment to see the Sinta'Unathi species redeemed. He is known to be extremely giving, immediately handing off any food or water given to him to someone more needy than he. His followers have periodically had to directly confront him and beg him to eat after he goes several days refusing to eat. And while he insists he is Sk'akh, his single-minded mission to completely overthrow the traditional order of Unathi society has caused him to be branded a radical heretic. He has experienced so much prejudice and violence that he has become very radicalized and unwilling to consider deviating from his life mission.
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| === Emzal Paossini, ''Creator of Paradigms'' ===
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| Born by a surrogate to two fathers in 2419, Paossini was once the product of marriage uniting two powerful traditionalist clans. Seeking a scholarly pursuit instead of becoming a spy as her parents wanted, she began her career of religious history by developing an almost obsessive fascination with the old ways of the Sinta’Mador. When the war came about, both of her fathers were sent to the slaughterhouse, and she was left largely without a family. This left Paossini a bitter and closed-off woman. Her words turned to fervent prayer as she asked what to do, unsure of her purpose and what to do with the hatred inside her. The spirits murmured in her ears, and after landing on Ouerea, she realized prosthetics were an advanced form of the ancient and rudimentary golems and crypts utilized by the Sinta’Mador. After rejecting their old name and claiming the soul of a fisher, neither a warrior nor healer, the remnants of the clans of their fathers labeled them as ‘Guwan’—not like Paossini cared or took up the name, anyway.
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| Though not an official leader of the religion, Paossini is widely regarded as the Progenitor of the Aut’akh. From them, all of the first Mador rituals, runes, and modernized alphabet originates, and their opinion is almost always considered on matters where it is known. They enjoy the great privilege of being a revered unathi among the Aut’akh, and their location is kept hidden from most, outside of secret Sinta’Mador codes passed between communes. Occasionally, they will break from their hiding to deliver a word on a grave issue, but such events are rare at best. Some postulate if Paossini is even still alive, or just a rumor perpetuated among the gossipers of each enclave.
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| == Contemporary non-Unathi Notables ==
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| === Overlord Ta’Akaix’Zkaii’xay’yil K’lax of Tret, ''The Sleepwalker'' ===
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| When the K’lax Hiveship arrived in Hegemony space, it set in motion a chain of events that would form the most radical relationship between a Vaurca Hive and a host country to date. Understanding that they were in a vulnerable position and in need of both interstellar support and political legitimacy, the K'lax Hive negotiated with the Hegemony to make the K'lax Vassals, and for the Hive to be subject to the Hegemony's feudal system. Despite Vetju's vocal objections to vassalization, Zhaii was placed in charge of the negotiations through agreement by the remainder of the K'lax Queens. It was her role in these negotiations that would see her subsequently bargain for and be made overlord of the Hegemony planet of [[Tret]] and later secure her ascent to High Queen of the K'lax itself, enraging the ancient Vetju, who viewed and still does view herself as the rightful inheritor.
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| Since becoming one of the Hegemony’s five overlords, Zkaii has grown Tret into the industrial center of the Hegemony, with millions of Bound and Unbound Vaurca laboring away in all-factories to produce a myriad of goods, or in the orbital [[Tret#Neutron_Forge | Neutron Forge]]. Due to the original agreement between the K’lax, Hegemony, and Hephaestus Industries, the K’lax are often left out of the extreme profits their labors bring, many of their credits flowing into either Hegemonic tithe or exorbitant Hephaestus shipping fees. It is unclear if the K’lax will ever challenge their relationship with either organization, and what demands they might make should they take the risk.
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| Outside of Tret, Zkaii has spent much of her time managing the Hive's internal and external relationships. Unlike the C'thur and Zo'ra, the K'lax have no dedicated public relations brood, and Zkaii seemingly lacks much of the political acumen possessed by the Queens of both Hives. Her Diplomats are rarely seen and frequently come across as distant, much like herself, hampering much of her efforts in negotiating with the wider Spur, and she herself can come across as nigh unreachable. Many Izeweki Nobles remember how difficult she was to reach even during political crises, such as Not'zar's civil war of 2462. As a result, some in the Hegemony have voiced opinions that her assent to High Queen is one that the "Sleeper Queen" was unprepared for under such unique circumstances. This misses, however, that behind the scenes, it is Zkaii that keeps the divided Queens of the K'lax together. Her deep devotion to Mother K'lax has earned the High Queen the respect of the other K'lax Ta, though it is deeply begrudging from Vetju. Her days are spent keeping the royal courts of the K'lax in check, settling inter-brood disputes, and reigning in her sister's extremes to turn their strengths out to the Spur as a whole. Though they would never admit it, there is a seemingly small feeling amongst the other K'lax Queens that, had Zkaii not been placed in her position, they would have never have been able to unify as well as they have on Tret and beyond. For the moment, even Vetju appears to be avoiding disrupting this status quo by openly undermining the new High Queen's authority, though how long this will last remains to be seen.
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| === Overlord's Claws, Ta’Akaix’Vedhra’rept’ylanze K’lax, ''Princess of Configurations'' ===
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| Born millennium ago on the Vaurca homeworld of Sedantis with the singular goal of preparing the K'lax to face the menace of the once defeated Lii'dra, few of her kin would argue that they could have ever seen Vedhra becoming the K'laxan Master of War against an entirely different set of threats. Those being threats posed by aliens. With Vedhra's brood having significantly more Warriors than her sister's, and her workers preoccupying the majority of their time developing more efficient tools for waging war, it was no surprise that with High Queen Zkaii's appointment as Overlord of Tret, Vedhra was declared as her Lord's Claws. Since this appointment, the Princess of Configurations has acted to enforce the military will of the Hive and subsequently become a deeply divisive figure on Moghes. Loved by some, feared by others, and frequently hated by those who have found themselves running afoul of the Hive, her impact has cut deep across the planet.
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| Since not long after first contact was established with the Hive, Vedhra has made one very important contribution to the Hegemon: the might of her Warriors. Her K’laxan Warriors, once dedicated solely to preparing for conflict with the Lii'dra, make up a powerful, unified military force under the Hegemon, outside the influence of scheming Unathi nobility who may challenge Not’zar and his position. Not’zar has not been adverse to using them either, crushing a clan revolt in 2458 and reaffirming his total control over the Hegemonic military without violence, only the threat that thousands of K’laxan Warriors posed. This threat alone has kept many potentially wayward lords in line, greatly contributing to the stability of the Hegemony. Additionally, some of the Vedhra Warriors have even begun to distinguish themselves sufficiently to become Kataphracts, though much to the Queen's ire, these recruits are forced to abandon their advanced combat augmentations. Others amongst her Warrior retinue are tasked with wandering Moghes, even the remote corners of the wastelands and collecting the knowledge of the Unathi that fight there so that the Queen may develop a more complete picture and perhaps even ponder integrating elements of some of the perspectives provided. Only time will tell if Vedhra will continue to allow the threat of her Warriors to be used by the Hegemony or if the changing political tides will see her begin to reconsider if her brood would be better spent tending to more domestic matters.
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| Unfortunately for the Queen who goes by the title of Princess of Configurations, despite the success of her Warriors, her Workers have seen markedly more opposition to accomplishing one of their primary purposes, that being the development of advanced augmentations. The Sk’akh faith strongly opposes augmentation, and Vedhra's less than subtle suggestions about the Unathi "wasting their potential" by "turning down her gifts" have brought her into conflict with prominent followers of the religion more than once. As a result, many of her Workers find themselves in laboratories on Tret or sent abroad.
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| ==== Admiral Za'Akaix'Xitac K'lax ====
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| A Warrior tactician with a body of 10 years of age and a mind cultivated in virtual reality much longer, Xitac's rise from the advisor of a low ranking Ta to a military confidant of Queen Vedhra herself at such a young age was already unexpected, but half that of then ending up as an admiral commanding an Izewski Hegemony flagship.
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| Xitac's appointment to the Hegemony Naval Academy was orchestrated by Vedhra as a result of Xitac's excellent naval results in her military subrealm of "Incursion" knowing that the brewing civil strife saw the Hegemony pressed to fill its ranks with talent even at the expense of tradition, but it's quick ascent as a result of this skill seemed to surprise even her. The choice to appoint a K'lax admiral is still deeply controversial and highlights a larger conflict between reformists and traditionalists.
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| Xitac is well known for orchestrating elaborate strategies that utilise unconventional means and excellent use of reconnaissance as a tool of war. An array of spies and informants both within their fleet and spread throughout the Hegemony allows Xitac to keep up to date whilst augmenting their own strategic mind with the immense power of the Cephalon biocomputers, allowing them to frequently seem to pre-empt where an attack will originate from. This intelligence gathering is highly valuable, as Xitac understands just how lacking in numerical vessels the Hegemony is relative to the other galactic powers and the importance of striking decisively as a result.
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| Until 2464, Xitac was admiral of the 3rd Fleet, commanding from aboard their carrier flagship, the HMV Annihilation. The phoron crisis, however, has deeply affected the Hegemony's naval abilities, and the 3rd fleet's ships have been split among the 1st and 2nd fleets. Xitac has instead been given the 4th Fleet, which contains all the Hegemony's vessels still capable of interstellar travel within the navy. This fleet is assigned to patrol the fledgeling colonies and borders.
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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
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 a 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 to hunt 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 which 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 remains, 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
The clan in its near entirety will hike up the mountain to greet the aspirant on the new year, carrying supplies for 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 some summits, particularly those of ancient noble clans having tens of thousands of names chiseled onto them. These are the most complete records of a clans 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
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 FILL SOMETHING IN HERE 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 FILL IN HERE 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 FILL IN HERE 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. 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.
