Stevie Lambert at 13:02, 10 May 2026

2026-05-10T13:02:23Z

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{{Infobox:TwilightAgeGroup
|Type = Zu'aan tribe
|Name = Hrethist Tribal Zu'Aan
|Parent Groups = N/A
|Descended Groups = Unknown
|Areas Controlled = [[Swedeeow Drylands]]
|Date Founded = 4E 178
|Date Disbanded = N/A
}}

==History==

The Hrethist zu'aan clan were founded by Ohstan Rhisen- a radical zu'aan tribesman of the [[Swedeeow Drylands]]. The circumstances of their birth had a lot to do with the actions of the Swedeeow Empire who settled upstream of Ohstan's tribe. This empire was among the most powerful groups in the region and were known for their penchant for engineering and construction. They would slowly begin to manipulate the flow of the river through dams and obstructions that completely altered the course of the river and deprived the zu'aan tribes living downstream of the vital water supply.

Ohstan's tribe were among the downstream zu'aan tribes to fall victim to these practices. They were initially an agricultural tribe who relied on the river for all their cultivation needs. They mainly grew crops for their fabric which were then made into cloth and traded to the zu'aan settlements along the Swedeeow river, where they fetched exorbitant prices. Their cloth was famed for its comfort and durability which allowed it to last longer than the usual zu'aan fabrics. These trading and cultivation would come to a halt when the river began to slowly change its course.

Soon, the tribe's lands were under threat of being turned into arid badlands. A delegation of elders, including Ohstan's father would unsuccessfully appeal to the Swedeeow empire to halt their constructions along the river but to no avail. This led to the rise of a radical element within the tribe who were led by Ohstan himself. This group was disappointed with the manner in which their elders had meekly surrendered to the whims of the empire and resolved to take their revenge on the empire.

They conspired in secret to take their revenge when it was their time. After the death of his father, Ohstan was unanimously chosen as the leader of the tribe. He renamed them the Hrethist zu'aan clan and started a new policy of militarization, using his extensive trade contacts to gather weapons for his army. He started his plans for the conquest of the region with the recruitment and training of his new army. He led the successful raid to demolish the Empire's structures along the Swedeeow river.

Their explosions tore apart the river ramparts and flooded their entire city. The event signaled a shift in the balance of power in the region. His total domination was only halted by the arrival of the kin'toni who began to flood through the region in droves, attacking and turning the rich zu'aan clans that were settled along these rivers. With the entire region at the mercy of these hordes, the Hrethist would make the collective decision to move away from the river and settle as nomads in the isolated regions further inland.

They were able to avoid most of the kin'toni armies in this way and as years passed, the tribe grew even more isolated and lost many of their former trade contacts in other regions. By the time of Ohstan’s death in 4E 21, the clan was unrecognizable from the civilized and orderly group they were in their heyday.

==Psychology==

The Hrethist zu'aan clan were formed by the radical elements of Ohstan Rhisen's tribe who were disillusioned by the meek and resigned attitudes of their elders towards the Swedeeow Empire. Thus, they were very aggressive and had a very deep desire for vengeance and action against the Swedeeow empire- who had deprived them of their living by altering the course of the river without consideration for the many zu'aan clans who depended on it for trade and sustenance. Their deep desire made them very inclined towards military action.

Most of the clan members psychology were wired in this way and were easily persuaded to join in on the clan's many military activities. Their desire for vengeance was deeply entrenched into their minds and they constantly plotted means to disrupt and affect the Swedeeow empires activities. They would accomplish this through many clandestine raids which would establish their reputation as the only clan brave enough to oppose the mighty empire and won them many allies in the process. They led a successful raid to demolish the Empire’s structures along the Swedeeow river.

These explosions tore apart the river ramparts and flooded their entire city bringing the empire to its knees and forcing them to negotiating table. Their actions were responsible for the shift in the balance of power in the region. Their early beginnings as traders and cultivators along the Swedeeow river gave them many traits associated with these activities. They loved interacting with new people and learning about new cultures and practices. They also loved a good round of negotiation and wouldn't back down from an opportunity to engage in healthy debate and discussions along with negotiations for trade.

They also had a fondness for cultivation and would continue to carry out these activities in a smaller scale even as nomads. The Hrethist were adept at the art of survival and could survive anything the environment threw at them. This was due to their resilience and problem-solving abilities. They were constantly on the lookout for means to improve their lives and ways to make their tasks simpler. They were forced to rely on these traits when their lands began to dry up and they had to constantly fight for supplies and survival.

These traits would also allow them to adapt to their new lives in the isolated drylands after the start of the kin'toni outbreak. During this period, the clan travelled constantly to avoid being vulnerable targets and adopted a nomadic way of life. They were able to avoid most of the kin'toni armies who stuck to the river and the regions that were habited by the zu’aan. They were known to be brave and obstinate and were known to welcome any adversity. They did not crumble in the face of challenges and constantly sought new ways to survive in their changing environments.

They were very loyal and had a deep love for both the clan and their fellow clan members. These characteristics were exemplified in the battlefield where they would willingly sacrifice their lives for other members of their clan.

==Culture==

The Hrethist zu'aan clan's culture was heavily influenced by their past as cultivators and traders. They continued to celebrate many festivals associated with their sowing and harvesting seasons. They reverence for these activities were immortalized through songs and stories that were passed down across many generations, even long after the clan had abandoned this way of life. The zu'aan culture was most famous for their high-quality cloth that they produced from their crops.

These cloths were fabled to be light and durable while also having good wicking properties. Their method of production was a closely guarded secret within the tribe because of the cloths value as a trading item and its utility as a comfortable undergarment for many armored fighters. It was responsible for the tribes rise in both its economy and reputation in the region. The clan would travel far and wide along the reach of the Swedeeow river, trading this valuable commodity in exchange for many exotic products from other clans.

This exposure helped the spread of the tribe's culture as well as exposed them to a wide variety of different cultures and tribes in the region. The Hrethist culture was richer for all its contacts and interactions with many different ways of life. They would borrow many practices from these clans they came into contact with, such as language and writing scripts. They would alter their language to make it more understandable to their neighboring clans, they borrowed many common syllables and words while creating a unified numeric system to help them in their trading activities.

Their most popular festival celebrated the coming of spring and the blooming of their lands. The festival was symbolized by large feasts and get togethers where the clan would forget all their worries in anticipation of a successful crop growing season ahead. Their culture prized and celebrated feelings of unity and integrity within the clan and actively encouraged members to cultivate this spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie. Their festivals and activities were organized to actively promote these feelings within the clan.

However, most of the clan's culture and practices associated with their agriculture and trading would slowly die out and become forgotten as the clan had to become increasingly nomadic to avoid the attacks of the kin'toni. The tribe's culture would undergo a period of change during this period. Large festivals and celebrations grew increasingly muted as the clan’s resources dwindled and they could no longer afford to spend indiscriminately on their festivities. Their previous enthusiasm to engage and interact with other clans would also die out as the clan had to rely on being discreet to protect themselves from detection and attacks by the kin’toni.

Many of their culture's way of life such as their food and types of shelter would also undergo a change as their lavish foods were replaced by hardy gruel and foods made of any plants and edible fruits they could gather from their surroundings. Their structured dwellings made of mud, stone and wooden beams were also replaced by cloth tents that could be taken down in a hurry and easily portable- to support their nomadic way of life.

==Government==

The Hrethist clan were known for their authoritarian government which was headed by a single leader. The leader made all decisions for the clan and was free to consult the rest of the clan members or arrive at the decisions at his own discretion. There were many strict laws that severely limited freedom within the clan. They were all encouraged to think in a collective way and work together for the betterment of the clan. They were not allowed to oppose the leader's decisions nor spread rumors and talk about them in a bad light.

These measures were all put into place to ensure that the clan could avoid civil wars and infighting. They understood the precarious nature of their position and the existence of the kin'toni who were constantly lurking around and searching for ways to annihilate or turn the zu'aan. There were limitations to private wealth and ownership as most of their possessions were considered as communal property that was to be distributed and used equally by all members of society.

These measures were essential to ensure that every member had access to their limited resources given the sparse nature of their surroundings and the unavailability of resources in the region. These measures allowed the clan to work together towards a single purpose and helped them to survive their nomadic conditions. Trade was also conducted only on behalf of the government and no individual was allowed to trade for his own benefit. He explained these oppressive laws as necessary measures to adapt to their changing circumstances.

As clan members wandering all over the lands for trade would easily reveal their location to any kin'toni trackers nearby. The clan were also formidable in a military sense. Their psychology was geared towards aggression and a deep desire for vengeance which led to high recruitment rates every time there was a call to arms. The leader personally took the lead in the training and leading of this army who were also equipped with the best weapons that they could acquire through trade.

Although the Hrethist adapted very well to this form of government, their systems had not always been this way. They were once known for their free government that allowed both agriculture and trade to thrive in the region. During this past era, their governments had been democratically elected and made room for debate and discussions within their ranks. The people were assured many freedoms including the freedom to own private property and use it to their own convenience. This was one of the main reasons for the quick development of agriculture and trade in their region.

The people's activities were not regulated and they were free to sell their produce to any client or partners across the zu'aan world- as they saw fit. The merchants sold their goods for the largest profits and accrued much wealth for the clan during these past eras, leading to the prospering of the clan and their economic success. However, the changing circumstances and the existence of free roaming kin'toni armies led to the slow death of these activities and freedoms.

==Military==

The Hrethist zu'aan had a strong military tradition because of the circumstances under which they were formed. The military was necessary to take action against the Swedeeow empire who were indiscriminately carrying out construction activities on the river and affecting the livelihood of all tribes living downstream, including the Hrethist- who were at this time still tribesmen with no formal organization and leadership. The rise of a new generation of fiery revolutionaries would be the start of the Hrethist clan and their military.

They were under the leadership of a visionary leader named, Ohstan Rhisen who promoted the feelings of unease and a desire for action against the Swedeeow empire. He organized the new clan to become a hotbed of revolutionary activity and had a constant supply of young warriors who would pledge themselves to his service. His policy of militarization included the use of his extensive trade contacts to gather weapons for his army. He started his plans for the conquest of the region with the recruitment and training of his new army.

They were picked from among the youngest and hardiest members of the clan and indoctrinated at a young age. They were motivated to fight on until the Swedeeow region was free of the empire. The Hrethist clan was a thorn at the Swedeeow empire's side for many decades. They carried out many small isolated raids at any given moment, severely limiting their enemy's ability to respond effectively. As word of their success began to spread many more allies started coming to their aid- providing them with weapons and supplies.

He would lead them in many clandestine activities against the empire with formidable success. He led their most successful raid in their military’s history to demolish the empires structures along the Swedeeow river. Led by Ohstan, a small force would infiltrate the empire and plant many explosives that they obtained from secret allies who stood to gain from the demise of the empire. Their explosions tore apart the river ramparts that lined the Swedeeow river and flooded the Swedeeow Empire’s entire city.

This event successfully crippled the Swedeeow Empire and signaled a shift in the balance of power in the region as the empire began to crumble under the weight of these constant and relentless attacks. The Hrethist and their military’s reputation grew tenfold and their actions forced the empire to the negotiation table where a treaty for peace was arranged and the clan’s agreed to never interfere with the natural flow of the river. With the fading of the Swedeeow empire, the Hrethist began to encounter a new enemy in the form of the kin'toni.

These new genetically engineered warriors were more than a match for them and could easily overpower them. Adding to these disadvantages, the clans lack of defensive fortifications also made it impossible for them to actively resist the kin'toni. Thus, a policy of military opposition against the kin'toni was impossible. This forced the clan to convert themselves into a nomadic tribe so they could avoid a direct confrontation with the kin'toni.

==Religion==

The Hrethist zu'aan clan worshipped a god that they named Uskarad. They believed that Uskarad was the creator of the universe as well as the all the zu'aan and living organisms that dwelled within this universe. They considered the kin'toni who were genetically engineered as abominations whose existence was against the order of nature. The clan perceived the kin'toni outbreak as the 'end of the world' that was foretold by countless preachers in their past. This belief along with their fear of the kin'toni was one of the reasons why the clan was willing to give up their settled lived along the Swedeeow river.

This is to essentially become nomads in the arid badlands located further inland. Their preachers explained it as a form of penance that they had to undergo to secure their futures in the afterlife. Their god, Uskarad was most commonly depicted in his zu'aan form as a seven-foot nobleman with handsome features, wearing a cloak of their finest cloth. The principles that were commonly associated with him would change according to the times and his appearance and clothing would also change accordingly.

This luxurious, cloaked appearance was associated with the era of the Hrethist's trading and cultivating activities when they led a peaceful existence. The principles associated with their god would also vary according to their priorities. During this period, they believed that Uskarad wanted the clan to live in peace and settle amicably among their fellow zu'aan who were all his creations. They believed that they were spreading the word and glorifying their god by engaging with their neighbors and cultivating crops as he had intended all zu'aan to live.

With the onset of their wars against the Swedeeow empire and the change in character of the clan, their god too began to assume a completely different appearance. He was now depicted as a seven-foot warrior donning leather and mail armor while wielding a long lance and shield on either hand. The principles of their religion began to change as well. They began to believe that Uskarad was the god of war and reveled in chaos and combat with other zu'aan clans. The only way to win favor in his eyes was through bravery and sacrifices in the battlefield.

Those who lost their life in these heroic battles were believed to travel straight to the afterlife while those who disgraced themselves through non participation and acts of cowardice were believed to roam an eternity in a state of limbo. This provided additional motivation for their clan members and armies to engage in combat. This change in beliefs was crucial to the clan's military success and the eager participation of the citizenry in combat and military activities.

The religious service of the clan was administered by designated priests and priestesses who were trained since birth in the worship of their god. Their daily duties included the conduct of prayers and blessings of the clan to protect them from evil influence and to ensure their good fortune in both combat and economic activities. They were closely associated with the clan’s leader who often dictated the teachings of the priest, helping to influence the clan in a specific manner.

==Miscellany==

{{NearbyGroups
| Centre = {{PAGENAME}}
| 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:2nd-century Twilight Age zu'aan tribes]]
[[Category:Jangou S's contributions]]

Hrethist Tribal Zu'Aan - Revision history

Stevie Lambert at 13:02, 10 May 2026