Grush Isles 35 PR
The Isles
The Grush isles are home to the eponymous Urkain, the taller, tusked, dour-tone people of the archipelago. The isles are mountainous but generally have a temperate and cold climate which allows for the many forests that have sprouted upon them. The trees are notable for being gigantic and wide, and the forests themselves often easy to get lost in. Rather than being magically protected like the hagswoods of Skalovia or absentmindedly labyrinthine like the Wynde, it seems that the forests are naturally winding mazes of trunk, vine, leaf, and bush. The ground floor is the home of predators and their prey who have to equal killing ability and speed respectively with an animalistic cunning to survive. Indeed, were Urkain animals introduced to another environment, the invasive species may overrun the native ecology or at least dine so much that they die from their gluttony. Along with this, solitary chameleonic beasts often excel but their camouflage come at the expense of pure killing power that the pack beasts of the forests have. It has been argued whether these forests are natural or not. The Urkain isles have some of the oldest ruins in the world. Older than the Velassian Elvish empire.
While the forests seem to not be purposefully magical, that does not mean that a manner of faerie creature and fiends in dark shadows do not lie within it. Proof of this comes from an Urkain water Djiinari tribe whose features are brighter than their neighbors. The Urkain have been mainly on their archipelago for many millenia on purpose yet seem to have a very tolerant nature towards outsiders once inside their borders. It is wondered if the Urkain are not the first and last form of their Kind as there have been references to different groups in the ancient histories of Velas that resembled them in parts. It is even theorized they may be some manner of human changed in some way, or possibly elf. While they are tolerant, they tend to not have racial tribalism but rather a communal insularity that has developed over the years. They like trade and do not discriminate based on Kind, but rather the social groupings that tend to transcend class and wealth. This may be the reason they became agreeable to the Council system imposed upon them by their Uhlionic occupiers in the 4th century PR.
The Scourers
The Urkain archipelago came to prominence with the rise of the Twelve Baronies. They had been known for slightly longer beforehand due to the almost cultural institution of the Scourers, or Nuaragha in Urkain. The Scourers are pirates and brigands that have operated around the seas of Velasia and Xatlaxa for at least as far back as the dissolution of the Mekkhor Empire with the account given to the Tragedie of the Lunavesta, a naval cog merchant ship from the Empire of Mekkhor making a long and perilous journey between Velas and Xatla. It was written, "Fiends of verdant hue and tusked countenances had ripped asunder the chests of the lower hold after keeping the nauarch at point by claymore. Speaking a strange and guttural language, the crew still understood the threat of death and dropped themselves into the sea." This was among multiple accounts that led future Velassian traders to risk heavy tariffs by traveling through the Dai Empire's waters around Liresku. As said before, Scourers seem to have an odd place in Grush history. They are criminals, even under the law of the Twelve Baronies, but are tolerated to land and live on the lands of the Baronies for a few reasons. The Scourers' treasures from their raiding often pass from the hand of brigand to barkeep and then barkeep to a village elder and then elder to the baron. They were good for business. Along with this, they created a heroic nature to them that was similar to the adventuring companies of Velas. Legends, stories, tomes, and the spoken word spread their mythical status among the Urkain populace. The truth of the matter of them being the scourge of the seas was known by the Barons who often differed in attitude to them. They were split in number by if they wanted to actively root them out, stay indifferent to them in order to profit off loot exchanging hands, or actively help them. They were also often very well armed with good Urkain steel from the isles which deterred the tribes away from them along with the Scourer's deep belief in blood vengeance.
The Wealth of the Isles
The isles have some of the largest deposits of good quality wrought steel among other materials including coal, copper, tin, and others including pyrinium found in the second epoch. It was not clear what this was for, although the future would hold it as one of the most valuable fuels in the world.
The Sea around the Archipelago, the Nua
The Twelve Baronies' absence on the sea when the kingdoms of Velasia and Xatlaxa often had their colors fly over the deep blue waves is explained for a few reasons. One, the baronies were often perilous to travel through due to the sea storms that occur around it. These storms would periodically become great hurricanes every few years. The isles themselves benefitted greatly from the rain of lesser torrents on the land, which watered the crops planted in the isles' very high-quality soil. Two, while the Nuaragha were known as sailors, their ships were often the size of Triremes that required much of its space for masses of rowers. The Baronies held similar ships of greater stature but often the larger one's ships are the more likely even in their buoyancy they would impale themselves and break upon the rocks of the archipelago's outer shorelines. The archipelago was formed from a series of volcanoes that indeed continue spewing but lack the great spouts of lava that flow down their sides. The magma continues spewing, but underneath the waves in multiple locations at a gradual pace that greatly contributed to the shallow and rocky nature of the outer shorelines. In the 6th century, it will be found that the earth beneath the waves seemed to have been full of astral material like the broken masses of many stars. It is possible that a similar shower that gave Skalovia its features and the valued hearthstones that came out of it rained upon the seas and indeed struck beneath the sea which caused two things. One, the broken parts of stars became embedded into the ground. Two, a series of impacts may have pierced so strong and deep that the veins that fed the volcanoes created new mini volcano vents in the ocean which contributed to the relatively shallow nature of the shores around the archipelago. Hearthstone-like material was found in the isles but rather than using its life-saving warmth the denizens of Grush that live in a warmer climate use the material for legendary metal creations. The Prime Temple of the Twin Gods has four fixtures of hearthstones serving as the eyes of the gods Dhaegoth and Vhaegoth.
Dhaegoth and Vhaegoth
It may come to a surprise that one would be mistaken in thinking the Twins were Urkain gods. They seem to be worshipped by a majority of urkain, their depictions and texts often fall in line with urkain values and they are usually associated with them. However, through archeological research in the 5th century, it seems as though the Twins had existed for longer than the urkain's presence on the isles. Archaeological dig sites have shown primitive iconography that depicts different figures bowing to the theological figures. It has even been brought up that the Twins may actually be an amalgamation of Liestra, Astres, and Alar passed on by missionaries from the ancient missionaries of the Five that survived their travels over the sea despite the Nua Ragha. However, the prelates and their clerics deny this claiming that if they were then they would have heard their gods say they were. This is still in dispute but involves a secret theological theory of deific aspects that is kept hidden from the world and even in the most privileged of circles it's still not known. In practicality, they are their own unique gods. Vhaegoth represents craftsmanship, loyalty, perseverance, and peace while Dhaegoth represents self-sacrifice, duty, order, and valor. The Twins are called such as they look exactly like each other according to theological text and were born when the primordial elements of the sky struck the isles and from one element came two. In general, they are kind, benevolent, and protective gods. Their temples are often charitable and most medical knowledge is vested in the clerics of the Twins and their acolytes whom do not need power to practice. Apothecaries are often founded or supported by the temples and keep grand amounts of knowledge on the different varied herbs of the islands that have multiple uses including medicinal ones. Of interest is a form of the wilt herb that also grows in Wakunan. Both species of the plant grow in rougher ground. In times of crisis, the temple have been able to summon collossi, avatars of the Twins that stand fifty feet tall and have been used from repelling underground invasions to keeping bulwarks from falling and spreading a flood to the island towns. The temple holds services on the 8th day of their 9 day weeks.
Scourer Sect
The scourers have their own view of the gods that take more malevolent aspects. Vhaegoth is seen as the god of pride, supremacy, stubbornness, relentlessness, and war. Dhaegoth is seen as the god of sacrifice, zeal, chaos, and prowess. Indeed, the scourers have their own cult and clergy but tend to see their worship as more of an active process than one of supplication. Their raiding is worship. The sect also seemingly has different powers and indeed seem to have some power investiture within them, being able to summon strength and their own miracles.
The Nuaragha are not worshipping false gods passing themselves off and claiming to be true ones. Apparently, these grimmer forms exist through proof of the powers of the clerics. Although interestingly to certain theologians, their powers tend to be lesser than the majority sect and while they have their own colossi they are lesser in size and are closer to the angyl and fiend summons of the other temples and of devils respectively.
Culture
Urkain are hardy folk that appreciate both cunning and strength in accord. While most scholarly Urkain are found on the Thakhs, the capital fortress cities from which the barons rule from, there is much folktale lore in the archipelago about cunning tricksters as there is about heroes performing feats of strength. Urkain often disdain gaudy displays of wealth or prestige to the point of rolling their eyes at the flamboyant and vain dramatics of an Orcini opera or another statesman. Pride is an inner thing that is earned and acknowledged rather than worn openly. Even their highest rulers are most often dressed in practical mixtures of fur and armor to signify their station. The gold and jewels that pass into their hands are mere resources for currency. Unless it would have use at a temple of the Twin Gods. The smiths of the Urkain benefit greatly from the abundance of good quality metal on the Grush archipelago in both the expert quality of their wares and the respect they have among their communities. Often Urkain hang items such as expertly crafted swords, practical but daunting sets of armor, and tools hung on the walls of abodes. Fishing culture is large in the Grush archipelago along with shepherding. The mainstay of the Urkain diet is some sort of sea trout with bread and mutton as the odd treat. Sugarcane does not grow well in the isles but is a key ingredient in certain dishes. They will receive a source of sugar by aeroship trade with Skalovia, Thrake, Huatec, and Wakunan began. Being by the sea, sailing, swimming, fishing, and surfing are common activities by the Grush inhabitants Urkain woodwork is also masterful but often relies on gigantic amounts of labor to safely cut the massive trees down and then turn them into a building and crafting material along with providing a guard force for the beasts within. Paper is common among the Urkain and they invented the earliest printer. Aside from writing books and manuscripts, it was useful to hang with messages to give notice. Minimalistic theatre is popular in the archipelago and among expatriates.
The Twelve Baronies
In ages past, the urkain were in conflict with each other. Tribe and tribe fought over the lands and warlords ruled the day. The different packs of urk had not formed into the communal Roqua that they would base their society around. The original forms of the Nuaragha struck fellow urk long before the quiet mutualistic relationship they have in the future. The formation of the modern Nuaragha may have come from this time from dispersed tribes that reformed on the outskirts of the bodies of lands. Chaos ruled over the islands. Worship of Xyz, the primordial, was widespread and death was at once terrifying and satisfying to deliver. The strongest of the urk thrived during this time and the weak, elderly, and infirm were cast into death. It seemed natural
What first brought the warring tribes together was a combined time of great famine, drought, and plague known as the Veq in Grushite. The Veq killed two-thirds of the population and devastated the lands. There was nothing to steal or war over and the survival-of-the-fittest society that had developed had failed the people in the face of nature which cared not how many scars or heads one could collect.
Over the islands many attempted to find any answer to the possible extinction of the urks. A tribe of blue-skinned urks, shunned by others as mutants, fled from the islands and landed in what is now known as Ruk. Others attempted to beseech the energy of death and took to shi, and others tried to find salvation in anything.
This is when Dhaegoth and Vhaegoth rose to prominence. The Twins original priests were those that went into the deep ancient ruins that littered portions of the lands, those that were untouched by scavengers. They found within the chiseled lore of the Twin Gods, those righteous siblings that led the precursors of the urks to ascendancy. These priests were also those that organized the tribes into the Roqua, the combined communities that ensured the survival and prosperity of their fellow urk. With the hard work of the priests and the surviving urkain, stability was achieved and hope was kindled. Those that would not let go of the old ways were exiled and forced upon the outskirts would become the Nuaragha. Their original forms were not powerful enough to prey upon the Roqua, having been some of the hardest-hit tribes. So they turned their eyes to Talahvir, and much later shipping lanes between Velas and Xatla.
The Baronies came about from the largest and strongest tribes having their chiefs take upon the mark of the heavy brow, or the Tyrq, and became Tyrqan. Twelve was chosen because it was a holy number of the Twin gods, repeated often within the ruins, and it allowed them to administer to the surrounding roqua and not give any one Tyrq too much power. The word "barony" was given by Mekkhorsi that interpreted the system in a way they understood since they were not supposed to be opposed chiefs, kings, or anything else.
Veq was a natural occurrence upon the land. However, in the proselytizing of the Twins, the priests of Dhaegoth and Vhaegoth described it in the humanoid form of a demon to help the urks understand the nature of the threat to their survival. This, unfortunately, became the final catalyst to form a new woehltan, Veq the Pestilent who takes the form of a patchwork of disease victim body parts. Veq was not created by the urks alone but rather the combined fears of plague actualized.
The Undead Menace of the West
One of the first tests of the Twelve Baronies and also the legitimacy of the Twin Gods' chosen clerics was the repulsion of the festering undead from the great cold continent that now holds the Undead Confederation. Liches, vampires, wights, and others saw the archipelago as a fine place to expand that would allow them a great number of subjects to animate to their will with the Veq. The unity of the Twelve Baronies and the roqua allowed them to fight a grueling series of wars against the undead forces. The savagery they had chosen in the past with which to wage war with became replaced with the valor, bravery, and comradery of a new combined host, the Grushrukh, or Gathered Horde. This army was reinforced by the clerics and first paladins of the Twin Gods along with the first Shakh, trained wyrds drawing upon the power of Heka to rain permanent death upon their enemies. This is the time several heroes emerged that sliced through the armies of undead to destroy their animators. Rhond the Heavy, a known heavy drinker and eater that wielded a large club that smashed hundreds of undead. Ghraeln the Boastful, a warrior known for her prideful recountings but could back up her words with her dextrous use of a glaive. Khoss the Sanguine, who was a renowned leader and fought a duel with Vaelen Ghost-Eyes, the right-hand wight and personal bodyguard of the lich leader of the first invasion and won with a fatal wound. His legend would spread like wildfire and he was said to be blessed by the Twins. He was known as the first paladin and is perhaps the first known kind to have gained the power of gods without being given it by a superior cleric. He would become an Anathema and essentially the patron saint of Grush. Those tribes that would become the nuaragha also aided their fellow urk in this time and the surrounding legends around these heroic figures spread to them that fought the undead on the sea
The urkain would repel more invasions over time and gain their particular martial tradition from it. Scale Princes would look upon the invasions and make even those prideful lizards rethink attacking them. Along with this, the most valuable obvious resources of good quality iron and timbre were unneeded by those that made their hoards in resource-rich Skalovia.
Grush and Talahvir
The people of Talahvir has an almost one-sided loathing of Grush. The Nuaragha have raided Talahvir for eons and the heroic visage the pirates have in Grush is the opposite of what is written and told in Talahavir. These raids are written down and sung in the great choir repository of the sonalians and some even serve as the semantic components of sonalian spells. The majority of the Grush urkain barely have a thought for the Talahvirians but the Talahvirian's history and politics have been heavily affected by the raids of the Scourers. Their disdain for steel and cultural proscription of it comes from the history of it being used on them by the tusked raiders. Their modern sonalian choirs and their consistent upkeep are also a result of preparing for regular raids. Talahvir has never outright gone to war with the Grush. The reasons for this vary in that it could be seen as wasteful or that the chiefs of Talahvir intentionally keep from creating a full military force that may threaten their power or that they prefer the nuaragha's raids to continue because it keeps the people united and looking away from their rulers.
The Whispered Ban
There has been a long-secret ban against foreign influence and foreigners in Grush. The homogeneity of Grush's culture is a result of its rulers disallowing any other from taking root. The agents of the Twin Gods are the central force that allow this. The temple of the Twin Gods has the ability to permanently erase memories as one of its miracles. It is unknown why institutional rulers of Grush do this. It may be just to hold on to power and remove competing influences including the powerful temples of the Pentaphany. It may be unknown influences outside of the rulers that directly or indirectly cause this like the nuaragha, the Arcanium, an anathema, or something more secretive.
Epoch 2
The Grush War
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