Hayagnu Tribal Zu'Aan

History

The Hayagnu zu'aan clan were founded by a famous naval explorer and pioneer by the name of Hruntingnga Njarri. Their clan was founded on the ruins of the prosperous city and people that once occupied the region of the Tsusata Beach Meadow. Hruntingnga himself was brought up among the fishing tribes who lived on the outskirts of this prosperous city state and relied on the plentiful Nxai fishes for both their food and trade. He was exposed to the seafaring traditions from a very young age and had a deep yearning to innovate new methods in this field.

He distinguished himself as a capable sailor and pioneered many new methods of navigation that greatly improved the way of life of the seafaring people of the region. He would sow the seeds of the Hayagnu tribe when he began to accrue the loyalties of many sailors and ships that plied their trade in the seas off the Tsusata coast. This community constantly rallied around his innovations and supported him wholeheartedly in his war against the pirates who preyed on the lucrative sea trade of the region.

These loyal group of followers would form the core of his private naval forces, with which he fought off the sea menace and established his control over the waters off the Tsusata coastline. He accomplished all this without the support of any formal government and solely sponsored by his own wealth and his private army. His rising status was noticed and the city council were obliged to offer him a prominent seat among the ruling class. Njarri became one of the richest people in the continent- no warlord or leader could challenge his authority and the power of his wealth.

He bribed leader after leader and slowly began to set his eyes on the creation of a new clan. This would result in a bloody Civil war that took the lives of almost half the Tsusata population and led to the founding of the Hayagnu zu'aan clan in these ruins. They suffered heavily throughout their early years as the civil war had ruined all the trade and commerce of the region. They were forced to fight on both land as water, as raiding clans who had heard about their weakened state began to invade.

The Hayagnu were never able to replicate the previous glory of the Tsusata cities but were able to establish a moderately successful city with a functioning government and society. Their society was based around Njarri as the sole ruler and head of all judicial matters. The society was very liberal with the trade and commerce and the economy controlled exclusively by Njarri people themselves. The many invasions and threats that the clan faced during the early part of their life led to a policy of mandatory military service.

Every member of the clan was involved in either the defense of the city or the protection of their interests out at sea. He would die doing what he loved, out at sea. His last voyage was to the Southern seas searching for prospective new islands where the clan could establish themselves to escape the chaos of the kin'toni outbreak. The idea itself would be abandoned after his death but he achieved an almost god-like status among the clan, who continued to build on the foundations of the settlement he left behind in the Tsusata region.

Psychology

The Hayagnu were known for their proud nature and their perceptions of themselves as a superior zu'aan race. Their pride came from their very accomplished history which included the revolutionizing of seafaring and trade in the continent and their historically strong navy which was once the beacon of the civilized world. They were very patriotic and felt the need to involve themselves in all the clan's affairs as well as the duties -both civic and military. Any conversation with a Hayagnu would at some point veer towards his/her glorification of the clan’s ideals and history as a clan.

This passion and love for their group was only matched by their aggression and their willingness to involve themselves in any physical alteration against any person who offended their beliefs. These tendencies were a genetic trait as a result of their constant involvement in wars and conflict during their time as a fledgling clan and way before that when they faced off against the seafaring pirates of the Tsusata waters. They had a natural affinity for the sea and spent a lot of their life out on their seafaring vessels that they used both for fishing and for military purposes.

This obsession would continue even after the kin'toni outbreak when most of the seafaring trade had died out as a result of many zu'aan settlements falling to the kin'toni sieges. They would eventually become one of the only remaining seafaring clans as a result- mostly using it for the sustenance and obtaining fishes and food. They had a very competitive attitude and helped them achieve so much throughout their history. This attitude would gel in perfectly with the capitalistic attitudes of the Tsusata region which was a heartland for trade and commerce in the continent.

They were savvy traders and merchants who had a nose for sensing out opportunities and deals and mercilessly taking advantage of both their clients and customers. This cutthroat mentality would give them an edge in their innovation and abilities in other fields. They constantly competed in constructing the fastest and most efficient vessels- surpassing their speed records each year until their boats became the most renowned and sought-after sea faring vessels in the entire continent.

They were naturally very inquisitive personalities and were always on the lookout for new lands, opportunities and equipment. Their founder, Hruntingnga Njarri would also meet his end as a result of his inquisitiveness and desire to explore and find out a new landmass in the middle of the sea where they could relocate the clan to avoid the chaos of the kin'toni outbreak. They loved wealth and economic freedom which they inherited from the Tsusata cities. The Hayagnu people wanted to each be responsible for their own welfare and didn’t want the communal economies of most of the other zu’aan clans following the outbreak.

They wanted an opportunity to increase their wealth without the overbearing control of the government. They were very free-spirited individuals in all avenues of their lives and could easily spend their entire lives exploring new regions and ventures.

Culture

The Hayagnu zu'aan culture was based on extravagance and outward displays of wealth. This was not unusual, considering the trade and commerce that happened all around. Their culture was known for their free approach towards the market and the freedom of every individual to make their own fortunes from it. The desire to make their own wealth drove many of the Hayagnu individuals to either pursue a living in the markets as traders or in the blue waters off the coast where there was money to be made through either the plentiful fishes or by ferrying goods to many different port destinations.

The Hayagnu culture had a very close affinity for the waters off their coast. It played an important role in their growth and led to the development of their sea going traditions. Every member of their clan was exposed to this tradition from a young age, whether it was the sight of boats lying all around them or the fishermen mending their nets and rigging or the merchants loading their vessels with entire consignments of valuables. They had a natural affinity for the sea and spent a lot of their life out on their seafaring vessels that they used both for fishing and for military purposes.

This obsession would continue even after the kin'toni outbreak when most of the seafaring trade had died out as a result of many zu'aan settlements falling to the kin'toni sieges. They would eventually become one of the only remaining seafaring clans as a result- mostly using it for the sustenance and obtaining fishes and food. Their culture was closely associated with boat building which was a prerequisite to the sea faring traditions. They made a lot of advancements in this field and was responsible for the development of sleek and swift boats that could carve through the waters at twice the speed of other zu'aan crafts under favorable conditions.

Their founder Hruntingnga was also responsible for pioneering many new navigational techniques and methods that cemented their reputation in the field. Their immense knowledge of this trade would see them become the most sought-after ship builders in the zu'aan world. The Hayagnu culture celebrated many festivals that were associated with the sea. These dates marked the anniversary of their sea voyages or an important achievenment that transformed their way of life.

Their most celebrated festival in their culture was the date of the clan's establishment under Hruntingnga. Their entire town would be lit up in bonfires and lanterns that would dot the landscape like tiny many tiny fireflies. Their Hayagnu's food mainly consisted of the nxai fishes which were found aplenty in their surrounding waters. It was a historical fact that the clan never had to deal with scarcity of food supplies throughout their whole existence since the seas were always filled with them.

Their culture pried the traits of competitiveness which led to their achievements and rapid advancement in many of their activities such as trade and their maritime knowledge, including the building of ships.

Government

The Hayagnu zu'aan clan were known for their militaristic government which also allowed a lot of freedoms to their citizens to conduct their personal economic affairs. The militaristic nature of their clan was due to the fact that they were formed as a result of a military revolt in the Tsusata city. Hruntingnga’s rise to prominence within the city was also owing to the military prowess that he displayed in his battles against the seaborne pirates of the region. This success would win him a lot of commendation among the city’s elders and also attracted a lot of ambitious and brave men who wanted to make their name in combat.

These individuals would follow him in his adventures and eventually led to the formation of his private navy which became the backbone of the Hayagnu clan. This crew would stick by him even though they fought the most lopsided battles and sustained heavy casualties. Their fierce loyalty was due to his liberal attitudes towards their collection of plunder and smuggling activities, which allowed the crew to prosper and make their own wealth. He would implement these same policies with the Hayagnu clan to great success.

He stayed loyal to the clan's beliefs of a every individual handling their own economic affairs. They loved wealth and economic freedom which they inherited from the traditions of the capitalist Tsusata cities. The Hayagnu people wanted to each be responsible for their own welfare and didn’t want the communal economies of most of the other zu’aan clans following the outbreak. They wanted an opportunity to increase their wealth without the overbearing control of the government.

Their society was based around Njarri as the sole ruler and head of all judicial matters. He would conduct a large meeting every alternate day where the people would be free to bring their problems and grievances before him. The clan accepted his final judgment in these matters, where he would also be allowed to prescribe a punishment for anyone found guilty of wrongdoing. Being a very civilized culture, they did not resort to brutal methods of torture and killing and instead punished the guilty with either banishment or compulsory social service based on the severity of the crime.

The society was very liberal with the trade and commerce and the economy itself was mainly controlled by Njarri people themselves through their trade and economic engagements with many different zu'aan within their own clan or outside of it. The many invasions and threats that the clan faced during the early part of their life led to a policy of mandatory military service. Every member of the clan was involved in either the defense of the city or the protection of their interests out at sea.

Those who were not willing to participate in the clan's defensive and military activities were coined as cowards and were stripped off all of their economic freedoms so that they would not leech off the sacrifices of others. They would however, be allowed to live within them but there was a social stigma against interacting with such folk.

Military

The Hayagnu tribal zu'aan were known for their highly militaristic traditions as well as their success in the field. The militaristic nature of their clan was due to the fact that they were formed as a result of a military revolt in the Tsusata city. Hruntingnga’s rise to prominence within the city was also owing to the military prowess that he displayed in his battles against the seaborne pirates of the region. This success would win him a lot of commendation among the city’s elders and also attracted a lot of ambitious and brave men who wanted to make their name in combat.

These individuals would follow him in his adventures and eventually led to the formation of his private navy which became the backbone of the Hayagnu clan. Their first members were consisted of Hruntingnga's loyal band of followers who had followed him in many wars against the pirates of the region. Their ambitions would grow with every victory and display of their military skills until Hruntingnga became convinced that he should personally form a new clan to rule over Tsusata. He would thus begin a campaign of civil war against his own city with the help of his loyal followers who had grown in size to outnumber the forces still loyal to the Tsusata authorities.

The destructive civil war led to the obliteration of the city and the birth of their Hayagnu clan. The role of the military became even more prominent after their formation into a clan. The region, at this time was crawling with many different zu'aan factions and groups all rushing in to capitalize on the destruction of the Tsusata city in the civil war. The Hayagnu saw themselves as the true heirs to succeed the legacy of this great city state and began their resolute defense against all invading armies both from land and the sea.

They would achieve many remarkable victories during this phase that led to the consolidation of their powers and the establishment of their rule in the region. Even then, many of their neighbors still eyed them with suspicion and were on the lookout for any opportunity to topple them and take over the region for themselves. This precarious security position forced the Hayagnu into making the military an essential part of their members lives. It was compulsory to participate in either of the two branches of the military- the navy and the army.

Those who refused, were stripped off all their economic freedoms and socially ostracized. So that they would not profit while others sacrificed their lives for the clan's safety. The military of the Hayagnu were equipped with many of the latest tools and weapons that found their way into their ports through foreign traders and merchants. This removed the need for the clan to produce their own weapons since they could always procure better equipment than they could normally produce.

The story was different for the navy since the Hayagnu were the leading authority in the manufacturing of the latest and most efficient sailing vessels.

Religion

The Hayagnu adopted the religious beliefs of the Tsusata beliefs. This was a common practice since most of the Hayagnu were former members of the city state and had some form of connection to the cultural traditions and practices of the region. Also, their founder Hruntingnga did not put a lot of effort into changing the religious practices and beliefs of the people. He rightly assumed that interfering in such private matters would quickly erode his support within the clan and that it was thus better to not change too much at once.

This religion centered on the worship of a sea god named hayag, who was believed to exercise all control over the seas. The people were quick to take to the practice of worshipping this religion since they were a sea-faring clan and relied on good conditions out at sea for both their safety and success. They believed that Hayag controlled the conditions out at sea and sent storms and choppy waves to signal his displeasure. Thus, the clan performed sacrifices and large prayers to seek his blessings and happiness and to prevent his anger.

These large ceremonies would usually take place in the large open spaces near the beaches before every large sea going venture or sea battles. Their sacrifices would be floated out into the sea to be consumed by their god. They believed that these offerings kept hayag, their sea god appeased and prevented him from unleashing his fury. Natural catastrophes such as tsunamis and violent storms were seen as the final signs that the zu'aan had committed an act that was offensive to the God.

They surmised that it was normal for their god to release his temper once in a while to remind the zu'aan that he still existed and that they could not forget him while they lived near the sea. The Hayagnu's religion did not have any complex moral code or beliefs in right and wrong. Morality and justice had nothing to do with religion, according to them. They believed that their god was above good nor evil since those concepts did not apply to a natural force that was all powerful.

They believed that their tiny concerns were of no consequence to hayag and that his moods were dictated by matters beyond the control of zu'aan such as themselves. Their society had many religious leaders and priests who would constantly pray for the favor of their god. They led them in their religious activities such as their sacrifices and festivals dedicated to their worship. Unlike priest classes of the other zu’aan clans, the Hayagnu priests were expected to take part in the military duties of the clan.

They were expected to serve as an example for others to follow- be it through their exceptional bravery or strategies that could lead to a complete victory over their adversaries. These priests also considered it a privilege to die during sea battles as they could be then buried beneath the waves and be reunited with Hayag.

Miscellany

Nearby Groups

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