Ghalor Tribal Zu'aan

History

At first, the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles had many ships traversing through the glistening lake and many of the isles had inhabitants that had set up their lives there. Some of these isles were larger than others and could have great towns, whilst others could only support small hamlets. Either way, most of these isles were self-sufficient and their residents are multiskilled so that they are able to survive - they know how to grow crops for food, purify water to drink it, shear sheep for wool to make clothing and much more.

These inhabitants could also support themselves by the many merchants’ ships that journeyed down the lake and visited many of the isles as they offered some of their goods for a place to dock their ship whilst trading in some of the towns. Overall, the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles was hustling and bustling with trading and was full of culture due to its tropical nature. Many goods such as bananas, oranges, tropical fish like neon tetra, palm wood, rum, and much more were exported to other nations and were often seen as luxury goods, and hence made large profit for those that were selling these products.

However, there was also the issue of pirates that existed in the region who would often rob many of the businesses and residents of the isles, which caused many issues and soon grew to become the region's largest issue instead of flooding; flooding of the isles was common when the lake began to overflow during monsoon seasons where there was heavy rain, and some were forced to temporarily leave their homes and take residence at other isles. Therefore, a solution that was provided was starting bounties, which could be set up so that there was a reward for apprehending these pirates from their actions.

And soon full groups formed with the intention of protecting residents of the isles from these pirates. These groups soon in a way joined together and then a naval force started in a sense that united all the isles in their conflict against the notoriously troublesome, thieving pirates. Then the kin’toni outbreak occurred and the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles found themselves being very precautious by attempting to close all the entrances into the region. However, some of the isles had different rules than others and there was even pressure from other nations to allow passage through the lake with an ongoing refugee crisis taking place.

Ultimately, many ships still passed through the region despite the fears of the outbreak although a lot of these isles were reluctant to let this happen. However, it was inevitable that by keeping the borders open the kin’toni would penetrate as they had in many other nations, and lots of the kin’toni would hide in the hulls of merchants’ ships who were unaware of their presence on their vessels, and then at night strike and wreak havoc on the docks of the places the ships had docked at and then ultimately take over that isle. This continued on and on.

And then eventually the majority of the isles are now under full kin’toni occupation with no zu’aan daring to sail down the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles.

Psychology

When the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles consisted of zu’aan islanders, there were mixed societal behaviours in each isle. A large portion of the isles often had a very welcoming tone and would provide hospitality for any travellers in most cases free of charge; these travellers would often still give payment or offer gifts. Others were more reserved, and often did not like having to deal with travellers and felt that in fact the travellers should be charged for using the lake as they believed that the lake was the property of the residents of the isles.

In many cases, these kinds of people were unpleasant and very unwelcoming to foreigners from other nations that travelled through the region – in fact, after the possibility of entrances into the river being sealed off due to the kin’toni outbreak they were more than elated and said that it was for the better. In contrast, there were many pirates that lived at sea who also had mixed emotions about their lives. A lot of them had found themselves joining these pirate ships in hopes of finding a better future which they could not yet attain due to many reasons – political conflicts, poverty, war, etcetera.

Many of them would have a miserable, gloomy, poignant outlook on life, and cope with their struggles using alcohol or in some cases drugs. Conflict was another way that these pirates kept themselves occupied, as they felt that they had a purpose when they battled with the naval forces or even rival pirates – these nautical battles were often very large and intense as well as treacherous, but to pirates it was very spectacular and they had a passion for it. A source of sadness for these pirates however would be the fact that they were always at sea, and many felt the lack of a true home on land to be deeply saddening and tragic.

As well as saw the fact that they were seen as criminals as one which made them lose hope about the possibility of having a so-called ‘normal life’. Journaling was common amongst these pirates, with one extract from a buccaneer called Gorham 'Rambling' Tydes saying “I definitely missed my home – my parents, siblings, old friends. That’s always something you think about, as you stare out at the tranquil yet choppy flow, sparkling yet deep water, calm yet busy lake. The drink certainly does help (and I must admit it has a potent and great flavour), and the battles are certainly frightening yet exhilarating.

Nevertheless, I always looked back to my beginnings, and had a longing to return back to that life – back home. But what I have realised now, is that home is not a place, but it is made by people – so now I am thankful for this crew I have, a new family, a new journey, a new meaning to life.” Overall, a majority of the pirates found their crew to be a source of happiness and to be a new family, outweighing the sombre nature of this lifestyle. Now the kin’toni have a similar lifestyle, with a massive split being between some of the kin’toni being pirates and others being residents of the isles.

Culture

The diversity of cultures in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles has always been plentiful and been a key aspect for its popularity. With all the isles having their own history and beliefs, as well as festivities, diet, and lifestyles, the community is usually very welcoming and full of people from different backgrounds bringing parts of their culture to the table. However, it can also be noted that there are similarities that can be seen that ultimately links all these cultures and makes everyone aware that they are in the beautiful, diverse, magnificent Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles.

One of the noticeable features of the culture of this region was the clothing that was worn with many fabrics being imported into the area. From cotton shirts to linen trousers, there was certainly a variety of clothing options as well as headwear: these include jet-black, comfortable caps, well-made leather hats and even cosy, colourful head ties made out of silk. Along with their apparel, many wore golden jewellery with fine, shiny, gorgeous, pretty jewels and bright exquisite fascinating pearls that shimmered, smiling as the sun gleamed upon them.

Some of these jewels and gems also include gleaming emeralds, polished diamonds, sparkly rubies, shiny sapphire, glowing topaz and much more. Alcohol is also a noticeable factor in the culture of the region, with many distilleries being built around the isles since it was a profitable trade, as many travellers were in need of spirits – especially pirates. These ranged from simple gin or malty beer to even luxurious, expensive wines - all of these could be brewed due to the wide range of fruits and vegetables grown due to the tropical climate of the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles.

Life in the ships was very different but had its own pleasant spirit to it. The decks would be busy during the day whilst the crews navigate through the waters, and at night it was time of relaxation as many games were played as well as lots of gambling. Meals were always eaten together and there was always a break in the day to drink alcohol and chat with others to ‘soothe the mind’. Overall, the kin’toni live a similar lifestyle with those living on the ships being slightly different to the zu’aan; during the daylight hours the kin’toni with stay in the deck or hull and spend that time to relax and rest as well as socialise with the crew.

Night-time’s were when the seas became busy, as this was when it was best for the kin’toni to do their activities, such as trading, sailing and much more. A majority of pirate conflicts also take place during the evening and the darkness of the night is ideal for an ambush. Meanwhile, those that live on the land stay in their homes during the day, but once the sun sets the isles become busy and ships can see the lights illuminating the many towns, full of the hustle and bustle of trade, labour and socialisation.

Government

At first, there was no formal government that ruled the whole region and instead all isles were just independent with ownership of the isle being to its residents. This did function well at first when there were only a few isles with occupants, however as many migrated into the area and started claiming isles it seemed necessary to at least have some form of system that could be followed, which is why some of the larger isles started having leaders to make decisions whilst isles with only a few residents claimed they were fine without a ruler.

Whilst the leader-lacking isles did manage to survive and its residents lived a good life, the isles with leaders were ultimately able to excel since they had a form of governance that provided guidance for the isle and allowed for relations to be made with other nations, meaning there could be trade, more jobs, and overall, an improvement in life in those places. Then there was the arrival of kin’toni into the region, which ultimately resulted in a heavy change in the way the ruling of the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles. Firstly, many of the isles started to come together and form unions.

With many having hopes that these societies would enable the area as a whole to grow and thrive, as well as protect itself from the pirates. Eventually, the majority of the inhabited isles had joined together, and after discussions between some of the wealthy and influential members there was soon an agreement for these alliances to form the new Ghalor kin’toni clan. As a clan, there was often plenty of freedom since rulers were not too strict and allowed each isle to continue their own rulings and beliefs that could be determined by the ruler of that isle.

Contrastingly, pirates had their own way of life, and would often neglect laws followed on each of the isles. Seen as criminals in most cases, they would spend their days at sea with captains to make the choices and decisions of the crew, leading them on their voyages through the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles. These captains would often meet with other captains and build reputations for themselves through many actions – such as their ability to manage their crew, the power of their crew in battle, and their overall qualities and how they survive.

Morton 'Calmness' Rave was a captain of a ship, and one account says how he was “one of the most infamous but influential captains known in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles. He always had an air of calmness and tranquillity to him no matter what situation – be it in battle, giving orders or making negotiations. Many admired him for this trait and would find themselves dumbfounded by how he manages to have such control over not just himself but his ship, and ultimately steer it towards greatness. He has won every battle he has ever fought and even has mercy for his enemies.

And well as finds himself to be a great ally to many of the isles and serve as their protector. In fact, he has changed the view of pirates for many residents of the isle, by making them feel that pirates are just like them and that they can be beneficial to society as well, as shown by the benevolent nature of him and his crew.”

Military

The first sort of military in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles was the organised naval force that had been set up to capture the menacing, troublesome pirates. Whilst this was not necessarily a formal military, it was the closest the region had as many of the residents of the isles were trained in defending themselves and there was a lack of a proper constitution or government for the entire area. A majority of the members of this naval force were just bounty hunters who felt that this would mean permanent work and a stable income so found that it was best to do what they are great at without having to worry about payment.

Funding for this naval force was from a small tax that all isles with residents on it paid in order to get protection against a pirate invasion. Usually, this naval force did not have a uniform unless the isle had made one for their specific division, and in many cases the weaponry and equipment was given by the isle or sourced from pirate loot. The Ghalor kin’toni clan on the other hand was more organised despite being so split into those who were pirates and those who were part of the new government formed by the clan. The pirates had many weapons that they got from arms dealers from other nations,

With a lot of these including cutlasses and axes as well as slingshots that could be used when battling another ship. One of their most vicious weapons was a flask full of chemicals that once thrown would burst and create dangerous flames, which was so devastating that there were plans to completely outlaw any similar weapons – even in warfare. On the other hand, the kin’toni naval force of the Ghalor clan had azure blue, well-designed uniforms with milk-white trousers as well as jet-black, shiny, polished boots and charcoal grey hats, and they were all armed with a sharpened, smooth blade that could cut through flesh with ease.

This naval force was better trained than the previous zu’aan one and were way more organised and efficient as well as more diverse and expansive, as many neighbouring nations were willing to have these kin’toni troops in their naval force due to their skills and attributes. Naval battles were prevalent in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles with many occurring between rival pirate groups or the naval force trying to capture any pirate ships, and these conflicts could often be very destructive and brutal. Lots of ships had armaments on them that benefitted them in conflict, such as slots for archers to shoot from and even catapults that fired many things (burning, flaming coals, dead animals with disease, jagged rocks) at enemy ships.

Archery was a well-desired skill as it provided vital in naval skirmishes as arrows could be fired at ships from the opposition to make holes in it and kill those that were on deck, as well as tear sails. If bows were not used, other weapons such as slingshots or hooks were used, and it even came to the point where pirates started attaching flasks of the burning chemicals to objects and firing them at enemy ships or harbours to raid them and wreak havoc.

Religion

Due to the diversity of the region, there are many faiths practised within the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles, but a lot of these originate from other nations. There are a few that do originate from this diverse nation however, such as the belief in Othar, God of the Sea. The belief in this deity was practised heavily by many sailors and even some pirates, and in holy literature he was described as being “over three thousand metres tall and imposing over all that found themselves in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles.

He has a large head like an octopus with its tentacles being over five hundred metres long, and his eyes are like gems, gleaming upon those in his vision. He hides himself in the waters, and only exposes himself to those that are worthy.” To celebrate this deity many would keep idols of him on their ships in hopes of receiving fortune as well as good weather when sailing, whilst those on land would build shrines and even temples to show their piety and commemoration for their beloved god. Another god that was worshipped however only by the kin’toni was the lunar god Laszotl.

Who was described as being “a gracious, benevolent being who would bless those who were patient during the daylight hours with freedom during the night.” He was worshipped in similar ways to Othar, but there was also the obligation to pray during the evening the moment the sun had disappeared.

There was belief in a god by a small group of sailors called Xulotl, who was believed to be like a giant fish-like being that would direct the currents of the glistening, gleaming waters of the region. Charms would often be used as a way to ‘call upon’ or ‘summon’ this deity so that it could do its work and guide ships to their safety.

Festivals for all these faiths were practised and there was always a group of people celebrating their religion in the Sulysh Lake of Thousand Isles. For instance, ships would be decorated with bunting and colourful flags to show their commemoration and the crew had the opportunity to drink more luxurious liquors and more opulent food when celebrating gods such as Othar and Xulotl, whereas large ceremonies and prayers could be held to remember the god Laszotl followed by revelries of all the believers.

A common practice amongst these people besides religion was also said to be witchcraft and wizardry, as well as forms of shamanism. This was conducting on some more tribal isles that believed in speaking to spirits and apparitions to gain knowledge of the future as well as other affairs – such as applying curses to certain ships for a sum of money. Many saw these practices as being heretical and they have caused lots of controversy with many faiths trying their best to abolish all forms of so-called magic and even some isles prevented those they believed to exhibit supernatural properties to be able to live on that isle or even dock their ships on it.

Miscellany

Nearby Groups

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown