Riandorm Tribal Zu'aan

History

The Riandorm clan are a small group of about one thousand kin’toni residing in the region of the Undtur Grassy Lake. As zu’aan, they used to be peaceful fishermen who would be able to catch plenty of different lake fish and sell it off to other nations for profit. The villagers that occupied the area would spend their days at work and at night return to simple shipping shacks or huts constructed out of wood harvested from the trees that could be found – a common type of tree that could be found were mangroves. Merchants would also commonly visit the many ports that could found alongside the lake and trade for goods.

As well as take port and rest before continuing on their journey; the same could be said for the many travellers and sailors that would voyage through the region. Furthermore, this contrasted heavily with the usual atmosphere of the region as the residents opted for a tranquil, quiet way of life full of peace and discipline rather than being involved in the hustle and bustle of business and the foreign affairs that they believed did not impact them. However, this was all yet to change with the kin’toni outbreak which spread easily due to the region due to its lack of connection with the rest of the world.

Meaning that they did not realise the extent of this plague and its impact it had had over the entirety of the world. As the kin’toni spread, it was inevitable that these zu’aan could protect themselves from them as the merchants that came on their boats were a key part of the economy. Hiding in the hulls of these ships without the awareness of the merchants, the kin’toni could then ambush the ports and wreak havoc as well as turn many zu’aan into kin’toni and forcing them to succumb to their new fate. The peace that used to be present was shattered and there was a struggle as the zu’aan feared having to become kin’toni.

And there were then many battles with some of the region’s greatest warriors fighting against the kin’toni forces that made their way down the lake and applied pressure to the zu’aan. Eventually, all the zu’aan found themselves being forced to submit to becoming kin’toni, starting the formation of the Riandorm kin’toni clan. As kin’toni, the region decided that it was best to follow the old way of life that the zu’aan followed due to the very fact that it had allowed the nation to remain peaceful for so many years as well as prosper and thrive.

Fishing continued to be a key aspect of life for the residents and trade even began to continue and improve with the clan deciding to form trading deals with other clans and nations, as well as allowing for the passage of foreign ships through the Undtur Grassy Lake.

Psychology

The zu’aan who resided in the Undtur Grassy Lake were usually very reserved, even to the extent of being fairly reclusive. They would opt for the idea of being independent and fending for themselves, often growing their own food, and getting their own supplies as a nation rather than being dependent on neighbouring nations or other places – they felt that dependence could be detrimental in the event of the nation you are depending on involving themselves in conflicts such as war or even facing disasters or droughts or famines.

Relating to wars, these zu’aan also preferred to seclude themselves by avoiding any foreign affairs unless it involved them. Even though this was the nature of these zu’aan, they still constructed ports and marketplaces that could be used by their own merchants and even foreign merchants who wanted to trade with the inhabitants of the region. It can be noted that these zu’aan could still be very kind and welcoming individuals as long as the person they were looking after was prepared to live by their expectations. From a young age, the concepts of hospitality, the ideas of providing accommodation and food and drink were seen as vital lessons to be taught and practised.

The zu’aan were also very well-mannered and would make sure that all those that travelled to foreign nations would have good knowledge of the traditions and customs of that nation to make sure that they do not disrespect it. In the other nations, many of them were impressed in the discipline and responsibility that the residents of the region possessed, and were even willing to invite residents as a result of these traits. Discipline had always been a key aspect of life for the residents of the region as they saw it as being one of the foundations of a successful society.

And hence heavily practised following it such as by having strict timings and scheduling for everything – sleep is seen as vital in their culture and by sunset the region becomes eerily quiet in order to respect those that have a sleep schedule where they sleep earlier than others. Having these levels of discipline were also useful in many other situations, with the military being one of them; some zu’aan would practise meditation and do so to such an extent that they even learnt ways to shut off their mind which could be vital in situations where a soldier may have to bear the pain of injuries during battle.

Religion would be used by these zu’aan as a way to also calm their minds through the use of prayers and worship. They would often believe that all their worries and issues were in the hands of their gods and goddesses, and that only they were the ones who were capable of removing the hassles of life. Furthermore, there was the belief that whatever action they did and whatever happened was leading them on a path that would lead to the afterlife where they would live in eternal everlasting peace and harmony with those who were the greatest amongst the zu’aan being able to live with the gods and goddesses.

Therefore, the zu’aan would put their faith in their deities and live their lives as happy, calm, peaceful individuals.

Culture

The Undtur Grassy Lake had always been brimming with traditions, customs, and practices. Often the region would be celebrating festivals and celebrations of their cultures, such as by dancing and singing – this were one of the few occasions where the residents tended to be more lively, sprightly, and spirited in comparison to their usual quiet, calm, gentle nature. These festivals would often have fancy wine as well as rice (harvested from nearby paddy fields that had been irrigated cleverly by the work of architects and farmers) with other dishes made from the meat and fish that could be found.

Birds would also commonly be hunted for their meat and hunting as well as fishing were a common part of culture in the region and would often be done as a way to get meals or even as sport or way to celebrate and have fun. Clay was a common resource that could be found in the region and was very important for the people. The most common use would be in pottery such as pots that would then be designed using natural paints made out of the berries and herbs and spices that could be found in the region, foraged from the many bushes scattered around the location.

These pots were very heavily adored by merchants that visited the region, and travellers would often purchase them as a souvenir of their travels. They would also often make bricks, walls, and floor tiles as building resources, with the incorporation of clay shingles in their roofing – this was admired heavily by the other neighbouring nations and even allowed for trade to take place as the neighbouring nations were willing to purchase building supplies from the region. Relating to the building supplies, the architecture of the region was magnificent, stunning, and spectacular.

These buildings were often made out of bricks made out of clay bricks or bricks made using sand mixed in reasonable proportions with clay and limestone to make a concrete-like substance that provided extra durability – these were usually only seen in some more wealthier buildings. The shingles that could be found on the roofing were also another popular design aspect, and the artistic nature of the residents meant that they would often be painted and made colourful. Art was also common and could be found on the wall, with some of the wealthy preferring to have people paint their walls with excellent pieces of art such as flowers or scenes of the region.

On many occasions, it was preferred to live in simply plain, wooden housing made out of the wood of mangroves trees and many other trees – this housing would often be fishing huts or small shacks. Furthermore, the talented residents would carve the wood into intricate ways to add a beautiful complexity and stunning appearance to what may have seemed like an ordinary, tedious home.

Government

The opinion of the people that resided in the Undtur Grassy Lake was that a government was vital in allowing for the discipline that was required for a nation to fully thrive and prosper. This was outlined in the first ruler Iseri Yori’s doctrine, which stated formal leadership was necessary as it made it clear who would be the one to make decisions rather than confusion and discord over who should make the choices. Furthermore, this leader should also make sure to take the input of everyone into consideration before making a decision in order to create fewer enemies and please all the subjects.

Who can be made aware of the direction that the society should go in and make sure they are on the straight path. Leaders can also decide aims that benefit their subjects, motivating their subjects with a goal, an aim, a purpose. Alongside a whole list of other rulings with these rulings being the most well-known, Iseri Yori named this doctrine as the Yori doctrine, and since then this has been the foundation of government in the Undtur Grassy Lake. Whilst minor adaptations were made to suit any issues or change of opinion, the core values, and beliefs of the Yori doctrine were still present.

As the population increased however and many began to migrate into the area, there were some big changes to the way the government worked, with the concept of a leader being elected by the people and the rulings that the leader made having to be voted in. They set up a system where the leader would be voted in by all members of the Undtur Grassy Lake and then there would be different representatives for each small area in the region who would then bring the ideas of the people to the leader for consideration – this idea was very much in line with the Yori doctrine.

With more involvement from the population, the future leaders were able to realise certain issues much quicker and even come up with solutions hastily, benefitting everyone in the society. With the arrival of the kin’toni, there were many tensions as people feared that they would abolish the Yori doctrine and follow the way of leadership that could be found in other neighbouring kin’toni nations – these people were very wrong in their way of thinking. When the kin’toni became aware of the Yori doctrine, one of the first kin’toni to invade the region (Ikehara Tadao) did more research and educated his other fellow kin’toni about the doctrine.

Coming together as a group, they decided that the Yori doctrine would be the best form of governance for the region and its people, and therefore they followed it with Ikehara Tadao being the first leader of the Riandorm kin’toni clan.

Military

Due to the disciplined nature of the residents of the region, the armed forces of the Riandorm kin’toni clan was very successful. Trained in the ways of armed combat, their soldiers are very skilled at protecting themselves in the event of an ambush attack and in the case where there may not be any weapons at hand to use. Hunting has also been a useful way for them to train as it provides them with practice in archery as well as agility and dexterity which are absolutely necessary for stealth – these zu’aan were lethal and a dangerous foe for their enemies.

As for weaponry, the zu’aan would often use small daggers which could be easily sheathed and concealed, and then pulled out at the necessary moment for a quick, deadly attack. A part of army tradition was that those that returned from war would be rewarded with a sheathed blade lined with gold, with the belief that the blade shall only be used in self-defence and once unsheathed it must draw blood – this was a test of the discipline of the troops after their service. Swords would also be common and was characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.

It was discipline of the military to keep the blade sharp and this could be tested by slaughtering an animal with the blade and seeing how clean the cut is. As armour, most troops would wear a helmet and chest armour paired with shoulder guards, sleeves, a skirt, thigh protection, and metal shin guards – most of these would be made using thick leather and silk. Some of them would even wear masks as facial protection, which were usually made with iron and often painted; some of the masks would even have gold.

The naval forces of the region were impeccable and a very formidable force, being skilled in sailing in many different scenarios and being able to manoeuvre ships through tight locations and stormy, windy, turbulent weather conditions; these ships would often be narrow but long wooden boats that were very buoyant and durable and made in such a way that it could be sailed easily. Wearing a uniform consisting of sky-blue waistcoats and milk white trousers as well as jet black caps, the outfits worn would always be pristine and the residents had pride in this uniform.

In the battlefield, the clothing worn would usually be steel armour plates that are covered in layers of cloth, or other types of clothing for different types of troops. For instance, troops that were supposed to swim and ambush ships had thinner layers of cloth or would often wear leather. There were also spies who would wear the clothing of other neighbouring cultures and infiltrate them for information in the event of war or conflicts the region may have had with those nations; these spies were said to be exceptional in their craft and could cause very big issues for their enemies through the use of sabotage and espionage.

However, the neighbouring nations were fortunate in the sense that the region often avoided foreign affairs.

Religion

A key concept that the residents of the Undtur Grassy Lake followed was to look after nature and all the wildlife as they saw it as a gift and blessing from their deities, who were only capable of creating such intricate, mystical systems that worked together; only gods and goddesses could make such a creation as a river that can be both good and bad by providing sustenance and eroding away at the land. Only divinities could make it so that the animals all behave in their own manner and have their own appearances whilst working together in interdependence to influence the occurrences in the environment.

Only the deities could create such a being as the zu’aan, with their own intricacies, minutiae, and details. These were what the region’s inhabitants believed in. Therefore, they brought it upon themselves to be the protectors and preserves of the deities’ creations, making sure that they were kept safe from the destructive nature of zu’aan - the destructive, disparaging, harmful nature. One of their key pieces of work was making sure that animals were not unnecessarily harmed, and that they would only be slaughtered to be eaten or for their useful resources and not for the sake of fun.

Animals were seen as a creation that should be respected and those that did not do this would be severely punished and reprimanded both by the community and in the community’s eyes the gods and goddesses after they passed away. The river would also be cared for, and it was made sure that it was kept fresh and clean and empty of any rubbish or litter – the river was kept so pristine that merchants travelling through the region were simply baffled and left in shock due to the fact that they had never seen anything like it. Amongst the deities worshipped, the most notable of them was Ybus, God of Water as water was seen as one of the most important creations of the deities.

They felt that Ybus, God of Water worked alongside other gods and goddesses such as Sydes, God of Showers and Filous, God of Rain to provide water for all the creations so that they could live and thrive and prosper – water was correctly perceived to be a building block of life with profound impacts as shown by the power of the river to erode away at land. Water must also be consumed in order to stay alive, and was necessary for many other purposes such as bathing and using in pottery; overall, it can be concluded that water was probably the most vital resource.

Other deities that would be worshipped were agricultural gods and goddesses such as Cadum, God of Prosperity and Qylone and Phakthys – both Gods of Harvest; this was due to the very essence that these divinities helped to keep the zu’aan fed and sustained. To worship their deities, they would build temples that would have shrines adorned with expensive, luxurious cloth and placed upon them would be idols fashioned out of the clay found in the region.

Miscellany

Nearby Groups

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