Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)

2026-05-08T10:18:32Z

(via JWB)

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{{Infobox:TwilightAgeGroup
|Type = Zu'aan tribe
|Name = Baldrun Tribal Zu'Aan
|Parent Groups = N/A
|Descended Groups = Unknown
|Areas Controlled = [[Culleo Shrub Swamp]]
|Date Founded = 4E 378
|Date Disbanded = N/A
}}

==History==

The Baldrun were a zu'aan clan that was formed by a disillusioned zu'aan professor by the name of Helgitli Iriadehe. Before the events that led to her founding of the clan, Helgitli lived a normal life as a professor who served in one of the zu'aan's premiere institute. She was once recognized as the leading authority in the study of zu'aan history, civilization and culture until a mysterious crime led to the death of both her husband and her daughters. The event would lead to Helgitli's slow spiral into madness.

She would turn vigilante and begin taking out her vengeance on all sorts of underground figures among the zu'aan. She would ruffle many feathers among the corrupted upper echelons of the zu'aan leadership, creating many enemies in the process. She would be implicated for many of her vigilante acts of vengeance and would serve out a long prison sentence. It was within the confines of her cell that she would first get the idea of forming a new clan. Her most influential partner was a former scientist named Kouit from whom she would learn about the existence of the kin'toni projects.

She planned to unleash these biological weapons of war into the region and cause chaos and havoc. She was convinced that the old systems needed to be torn down to make room for a new world without the corruption and darkness of the previous one. Helgitli organized a mass prison break with many of her followers. They made their way to the [[Culleo Shrub Swamp]] research facility where she released the kin'toni with the help of Kouit. She intended to use the outbreak as a way to destroy the corrupted and stagnant systems of the former world so that new and more efficient systems could rise.

After unleashing the chaos, Helgitli and her group of followers escaped to the outskirts of the city where they watched the old governments and systems collapse. Her followers mostly consisted of reformed convicts who had chosen to follow her ways. She named them the Baldrun Tribal zu'aan clan.
The Baldrun would establish themselves in the Northern outskirts of the Culleo region to avoid the areas of mass concentration of zu'aan and kin'toni in their surroundings. The area was an inhospitable swamp dotted with plenty of shrubs and nothing else.

The barren nature of the land discouraged most people from exploring these lands, and thus the Baldrun were able to avoid detection for many years. Helgitli tried to rebuild her new city in these ruins, but the scarce resources and the widespread exhaustion among her followers made the task impossible. They would settle for well-engineered dwellings that were built of mud bricks and strong reeds that grew around the swamp. Their settlement was built on a piece of elevated ground with the swamp surrounding it in all directions for defense.

The swamp slowed down approaching armies as they navigated the tricky waters and made them easy targets for the Baldrun's archers. The society inside the settlement was organized according to a book of laws that listed every crime and its corresponding punishment. The well organized and civilized settlement became the prized objective of every invader in the region. Knowing the threat that her clan was facing on all sides, Helgitli organized an elite army that was selected from the fittest and strongest among her clan.

They were tasked with the defense of their settlement during war and were sent on raids and recruitment drives to persuade groups from other regions to join their army. Since the Baldrun had no resources on their lands, they had to rely on outside help in the form of trade to meet their various needs. However, her ideal city was impossible to sustain in the long run due to increasing unhappiness within her own clan. The kin'toni had a large role in this unhappiness as their presence restricted the trade, along with the functioning and freedom of the clan.

This would lead to the clan turning disorderly and unorganized by its later years.

==Psychology==

The Baldrun were a product of their founder Helgitli Iriadnehe's disillusionment with the zu'aan government of their times. The clan was Helgitli's attempt to devise a new clan that would be as different from the conventional zu'aan systems as possible. As such, the majority of the clan viewed the old systems and structures of the zu'aan with disgust. This was also due to the fact that Helgitli's first recruits into her clan were her fellow inmates and cellmates from her time in prison.

They were thus, people with some gripe against the zu'aan government of Culleo. Helgitli had experienced firsthand the corruption within the zu'aan society and had seen the connections between the upper echelons of the society with many underground and criminal elements. She wanted vengeance for the justice that had been denied to her and wanted to ensure that no one would have to go through her same experience again. The Baldrun society was constructed with all of these ideas in mind.

The first system that was put in place after the formation of the clan was a robust justice system that listed a punishment for every sort of crime. They realized that a system controlled by people would be subject to irregularities and corruption and thus they relied on this code of law to sentence punishments for crimes. Their belief in this system was absolute and there was no scope for appeals for clemency. This mentality would be passed down through generation after generation who were taught to hate corruption and injustice as their first lesson towards becoming full members of the clan.

The Baldrun zu'aan were very idealistic and had a very high opinion of themselves and their society. They felt that their government and society was the most refined and advanced systems in the world and were keen to spread it among other zu'aan. They were quite successful in spreading their word to a few of their surrounding clans who would go on to adopt their ways. The clan was also not the most sociable and were happier with living their live in the isolation of their new city. This was because they wanted to minimize their exposure to the kin’toni along with the other corrupted zu’aan.

This reclusive attitude would help them survive many of the kin’toni attacks but also limited their options in trade and commerce along with diplomacy and interactions. Their attitudes towards the defense of the clan were heavily based on isolation. They believed that by staying out of sight they were saving themselves and the region from more unnecessary bloodshed and chaos. However, they would begin to take a more pragmatic approach to defense and raise their own army after the kin’toni situation in the region began to deteriorate further.

Helgitli’s academic influence would also wear off on the clan. She regularly conducted classes and taught many of their younger generations about the zu’aan’s colorful history and past. She inculcated in them a desire and willingness to learn and to question everything. This was instrumental in the continued development of their society after her death and prevented it from becoming stagnant.

==Culture==

The Baldrun's culture laid great emphasis on a simple and happy lifestyle. The Baldrun prided themselves on their comprehensive book of laws that regulated every aspect of live within their society. This law was penned by their founder Helgitli to replace the corrupted systems of judiciary. She reasoned that people were vulnerable and could be manipulated by both money and powerful individuals, thus an inanimate and fair judge like the book was the only way to ensure justice in the society.

The book mentioned the code of conduct, crimes and their associated punishments and the expected behaviors of each member of the clan. It was the final authority in the clan and could not be argued against. The Baldrun's love for fairness extended even to their economy. They discouraged excesses and the pursuit of wealth as the prerequisites of a corrupt society. These kinds of acts were often followed by severe repercussions including imprisonment and banishment from the society.

The people of Baldrun were known for their regular social engagements in large gatherings that celebrated every form of occasion from the birth of a new member to a new partnership and construction of a new building. This made the clan a very closely knitted society where everyone knew each other in a first name basis. Neighbors could count on each other for help and it was common to find people living in unlocked homes with no fear of criminal activities. The absence of crime was the greatest success of the Baldrun clan.

It allowed them to have a very free society where people could live with very limited supervision as long as they kept to the rules.
The Baldrun's culture was famous for its art and sculptures that were crafted with immaculate detail, often taking decades to complete. Their most famous creations included life-like portrayals of famous zu'aan personalities such as their founder, Helgitli and others. Their art was created in a minimalistic manner with very little use of vibrant colors and the use of only muted tones.

This was in keeping with their philosophies of simplicity. The Baldrun's lifestyle was the same for most of their members and they usually shared the same life experiences. This was because of the common way of life provided to every member of the clan on behalf of the government. The people were allotted similar comforts and housing, all sent to the same schools and mingled in the same societies. There were no different experiences based on wealth and privilege in their culture.

Towards the later stages of the clan’s growth, entire generations would be recruited and drafted into the military to supplement the need to defend themselves from the ever-rising threat of the kin’toni. This late era would give rise to a militaristic culture and experience among the youth. These younger generation would eventually grow more and more disillusioned with the severely limiting features of their clan, with regards to outside contact and wealth.

They began to realize that trade was necessary for their survival and would begin to adopt more individualistic and wealth centric ways of life. This would coincide with the gradual decline of their clan from the rise of criminal activities.

==Government==

The first Baldrun government was formed by the clan's founder Helgitli Iriadnehe soon after her escape from the zu'aan prison. The idea of a new government was not a new one and she had put a lot of thought and planning into it for a long time. She planned it from her prison cell with the help of his close friend named Kouit. She shipped the idea around the prison trying to recruit new members into her new group. She incorporated meaningful suggestions and would finally ask those who bought into her ideas to join her in breaking out of the prison.

This would be the first step in the formation of a new government. They would incite a successful prison riot that would lead to the new clan breaking free. They would engineer the outbreak of the kin'toni and retreat to thier isolated homeland within the interiors of the Culleo region. Helgitli would form the Baldrun's first government in this region. It comprised of herself as the sole leader of the clan with advisors and councilors all around her. They were expected to oversee the functioning of the clan and to ensure the maintenance of law, order and justice within the Baldrun zu'aan clan.

He made decisions regarding the clan's diplomacy and stances against other neighboring clans of the region. He would consult with his advisors to make the wisest decision regarding war and peace. These decisions would also involve matters of finance and economy within the clan and their external trade with other clans. This was an important role as the Baldrun government was expected to ensure the equal distribution of all resources among all members of the tribe. This method of distribution was made to ensure that there was no individual accumulation of wealth.

Helgitli feared that the people would turn back to their corrupted ways if wealth was to make its appearance in their society. Baldrun and his council were also responsible for the tribe's book of laws which they kept constantly updated and revised as necessary. This was a document that was responsible for the judicial side of things and was meant to deliver justice to the people. It listed all crimes and misdemeanors along with their corresponding punishments. It was meant to remove the need for judges and lawyers, and would deliver swift and firm justice to anyone who was tried by it.

Baldrun devised this system of laws because of her previous experiences with a corrupt court. She wanted to ensure that there was no room for corruption to seep into the justice system of the clan. She didn’t want to see anyone seeking justice to suffer the same fate as herself. The harsh brand of justice and the impossibility of appealing against its rulings drove fear into the hearts of criminals and led to the low rates of crime in the Baldrun's regions.

==Military==

The Baldrun were composed of many combatants from their early days. This was because Helgitli recruited her clan from among the inmates of her prison. These members had all been involved in past acts of violence and thus Helgetli had no need for a specialized army. The Baldrun’s entire clan was militarized in times of war, removing the need for any kind of professional army. Every member of the clan was thus a part of the army. It was considered a civic responsibility of every member to take part in the military when any war or conflict came up.

During these times of war, the entire clan was mobilized and marched out to face the enemy. There was a leadership structure that existed during the duration of the conflict. The ranks were assigned based on past experience and bravery in war. Each commander was responsible for a section of the army and commanded a small unit that served under him. This allowed the army to fragment into many small pieces and allowed them to move more independently and quickly. It also solved most of their supply problems, as the land no longer needed to supply the entire army at one time.

The supreme commander of the entire army was Helgitli, she was responsible for devising plans on the strategic level and dictating the movements and placements of the troops. The ground level commanders were responsible for taking care of the smaller details such as the daily needs and the training and supply of weapons and materials. The Baldrun's military was known for its defensive tactics and ability to hold their ground. They carried distinctive, large shields that each warrior placed end to end to form an unbreakable solid wall.

They would then use their spears to poke through gaps between the shields. Their tactics helped them survive many wars against the zu'aan and was also quite effective in holding out against the kin'toni. The military had a logistics team that followed them around on every campaign and handled the supply, repair and replacement of weapons. The clan's armorers crafted many effective weapons although they were not the most reliable nor made from the best materials. Their ability to quickly mass produce weapons made up for the shortcomings in quality as broken weapons were quickly and easily replaced.

The clan were familiar with metalwork but their lands had very limited quantities of these metals. Thus, they relied more on stone and bone work for most of their equipment. The army was provided with this equipment by the government and were not expected to pay for it themselves. Helgitli wanted a uniformed assignment of weapons and armor to ensure that there was equality within the ranks. This was unlike other clans where the richer classes carried the best weapons and armors.

Training and drills were mandatory in everyday live and an hour each day was devoted to troop training in the local grounds. Thus, the Baldrun’s military were well drilled and did not panic or break at the first sign of trouble.

==Religion==

When Helgitli Iriadnehe founded the Baldrun zu'aan clan she intended them to be a clan based on the principles of rationality and skepticism. She denounced all the religions of the previous clans as a convenient distraction that helped to cover up the corruption of the system as well as provided inappropriate powers to the priestly classes that could easily be used to the detriment of society. She believed that religion impeded the progress of society and thus, formed the Baldrun zu'aan into an atheistic society where the citizens did not worship any make-believe god or have any places of worships and monasteries.

The closest thing that came to religion in the Baldrun's culture was their reverence for Helgitli's code of laws. She expected the people to be well versed in the contents of the code and to know what was expected of them, as well as the crimes and the punishments that followed. This knowledge of the code was imparted into the citizenry through many means. Some of these methods included- the Baldrun's schoolchildren had compulsory readings of the code every morning, this habit was also compulsory for all employees involved in the government along with every employee of the clan.

These recitations ensured that every Baldrun citizen was fluent with the laws and regulations of the government. Every government official and employee was also expected to swear an oath of fealty to the code before their employment. Helgitli constituted many organizations for the promotion of these code of laws. Including, among the zu'aan of other tribes. They were raised in the similar pattern of a religious organization and were expected to carry out their missionary duties and help to spread the code of law.

Helgitli believed that her code of laws made her clan superior to all other clans. She believed that it was her mission to bring these other primitive clans into the light and help them see the beauty and wonders of a system that didn’t rely on the judgments and prophesies of godmen and shamans. Her passionate promotion of these code of laws would lead to their widespread adoption among many clans of the Culleo region. After Helgitli Iriadnehe's death, the clan reverted back to their more primitive ideas of religion.

The clan began to worship the code of law and herself as gods. Many temples were built in her name and priest and priestesses came into being. These priests claimed themselves to be the representative of Helgitli and conducted the regular teachings of the cold of laws while also presiding over the justice systems of the land. They introduced their own concepts such as the existence of an afterlife and the paying of tax as a means to redeem themselves from their sins.

This new religion would grow as a result of the funding received from these taxes. This led to a deviation from Helgitli's ideal form of society and led to the introduction of corruption into their civil live and systems of justice.

==Miscellany==

{{NearbyGroups
| Centre = Unknown
| North = Unknown
| Northeast = Unknown
| East = Unknown
| Southeast = Unknown
| South = Unknown
| Southwest = Unknown
| West = Unknown
| Northwest = Unknown
}}

{{CrossSiteAttribution
| User = [https://www.freelancer.in/u/Jangou Jangou]
| Holder = Jangou S
}}

[[Category:4th-century Twilight Age zu'aan tribes]]
[[Category:Jangou S's contributions]]

Baldrun Tribal Zu'Aan - Revision history

Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)