Grolewzyk City Zu'Aan

History

The Grolewzyk city zu'aan were founded by Sucellaul Onreding. They came from a native tribe of the Ikuranntu Blackwater River region who lived in floating habitats that followed the river's course. Succellaul would spend her early life under this clan- learning their methods and mastering the skills necessary to survive in these parts of the world. She particularly excelled at the physical activities including hunting. Her potential was recognized very early on and the elders would groom her to become the future of the tribe.

She grew up to become a determined and headstrong individual as a result. She would go on to represent the tribe in many trading expeditions was the pioneer of the trade and commerce along the region. She made her revolutionary proposal to her tribe’s leadership, arguing for the advantages in setting up a strong and protected hub along the banks of the river. That could become a center of trade in the region. Despite their initial reluctance, the elders saw the advantages that such an arrangement could bring them.

They assigned several members of the tribe to Sucellaul and tasked them with the construction of this trade hub. Promising that they would return to join her if the venture was a sucess. Sucellaul would embark wholeheartedly in this new venture, calling in experienced architects from neighboring clans to devise a cost friendly method of construction and one that would stand the test of time. The venture was not without hardships and she would have to face off against many small pirate raids but she would survive and better them all with a mix of her ingenuity and use of diplomacy to call in allies to her aid.

The hub would grow in size and would become a fortified position within the next five years. She named the trading hub, Grolewzyk City and began to conduct the river's thriving trade out of her protected position in this fortress. The rest of her tribe would soon rejoin her and willingly made her the leader of the tribe which she would name the Grolewzyk City Zu'Aan. Sucellaul's incredible vision made it possible for many traders and fleets to sail deep into the river and allowed her tribe to abandon their former way of life and adapt to a more relaxed and thriving existence on land.

The black soil around the banks were also cultivated at her orders and provided the city with a secondary source of food for consumption and trade. However, this did not diminish the value of the river since they still depended on it for water, trade and fishing. Her city's increasing popularity would also attract new enemies in the form of pirates who began to appear with increasing frequency, requiring Succellaul to adopt smaller and faster vessels to patrol the river. Sucellaul would encounter her most persistent enemy in the form of a female pirate lord named Muli-Vo.

She would present one of the greatest threats to Sucellaul's plans for the region and forced her to build many checkpoints and towers along the river's course to monitor her movements and put a stop to her unpredictable raids along the entire river's course. The two would match their wits in a long dragged-out conflict that saw the fortunes of each sides change repeatedly before the Grolewyk finally won. The victory would cement the clan's domination of the surroundings and it would ensure that tha clan remain unchallenged for years to come.

Their next challenge would crop up in the form of the kin'toni outbreak when the clan had to hunker down and wait for the situation to simmer down. Trade and contact were halted during this period as the land was overrun by the kin’toni who destroyed many of their allies and led to the clan’s diminishing fortunes.

Psychology

The Grolewzyk were known to be a very ambitious clan who prided themselves on their fortress city that was the heart of all trade and commerce along the Ikuranntu Blackwater river. They were formed from the river dwelling tribes of the region who cruised along the river in floating platforms. This gave them a bigger understanding and appreciation of the river and its and its flow and tide. They were historically dependent on the river for their food, water and travel, and continued to remain so even after they founded their settled on the banks of the blackwater river.

They affinity for the river was also obvious from their almost complete avoidance of inland routes. Most of their trading routes followed the river's course and the established trading station that dotted its banks. They were a highly educated land and were aware of many advanced methods of navigation and mapping. This knowledge helped them traverse the region construction. They were a very proud race that took comfort in defending their lands from all invaders. They reliance on trade meant that the clan could suffer heavily whenever the trade routes along the rivers was stalled.

Such situations would arise during their wars with the pirates and the kin’toni outbreak, which led to an overall drop in the quality of life within the clan. They would take these developments in stride and would observe the strict rules and rationing of their food. This showed their capacity to make incredible sacrifices for the greater good of the clan. They were incredibly loyal and would refuse to take up arms in revolutions or betray the clan in any way. The clan prized education and their children were raised around their peers of the same age and kept under the watchful gaze of scholars and caretakers.

They were known for their very friendly and welcoming attitudes which made them well suited as trade ambassadors. They were able to establish contact between many clans of the region in this way/. The clan were no slackers when it came to violence and combat. They were known for their victories, both on land and in water, and were especially popular from their victory over the pirates. Their leaders such as Sucellaul were known for their command over military tactics and strategy. The clan was known for their resourcefulness and bravery in times of combat.

They did not accept surrender even during the most desperate times of these wars.

Culture

The Grolewyk zu'aan culture had its roots in the maritime traditions of the native zu'aan in the Ikuranntu blackwater river region. Their life revolved around the river before they established their Grolewzyk city on the banks of the river. Many of their habits and practices such as their fishing methods and understanding of the river's seasonal conditions were perfected during this time. They used many complex fishing methods to attract and catch fish. Their equipment consisted of durable nets that were laid across many approaches of the river to trap the migrating fishes.

They also used harpoons and spears to catch the bigger amphibians that dwelled in the river. Fishing and hunting constituted a large part of the clan's culture. It provided them with a constant source of food and sustenance as well as leather and hide to craft waterproof clothing and equipment. The clan would maintain the practice of pairing their youths with their peers and leaving them under the care of an experienced elder. This upbringing afforded a lot of freedom to the kids and prevented them from becoming dependent or smothered by their families.

It was compulsory for the kids to learn all about survival and fending for themselves in the wild. Their progress was constantly tracked and they would be assigned their responsibilities in adulthood based on their performances in childhood. Their culture valued productivity and intelligence and every member was expected to make contributions to the clan's cause. Individualism was not encouraged and their mindset was geared towards collective responsibility. The Grolewzyk culture differed from their ancestors in their embrace of a settled lifestyle.

They were formed as a result of their founder, Sucellaul Onreding's efforts to establish a trading hub on the river bank. The Grolewzyk city would grow from strength to strength and begin to establish its own unique culture. Their learnt and adopted a lot of construction methods from other zu'aan of the surrounding regions. They used their contacts to invite many renown architectures and mathematicians of their time to design and supervise the construction of their home. This project would birth a deep interest for construction within the clan.

The culture was known for its agricultural practice. This was a distinct part of their culture since the native inhabitants of the region relied solely on the abundant wildlife provided by the river for food and sustenance. The soil of the region was well suited for agriculture and the Grolewzyk also adapted many new methods as they went along. The clan was known for their curiosity and desire for exploration. They conducted many expeditions and established contacts with many other tribes and clans of the region.

Their culture was known for its trading activities that they conducted with many different clans. Their trading routes were established along the course of the Ikuranntu blackwater river. They established trading hubs at regular intervals along the banks of the river which would be occupied by the local merchants and traders of the land. They culture was responsible for the development of a financial system in the region.

Government

The Grolewzyk city zu'aan borrowed their form of government from the previous practices of their ancestors. Their leaders were elected by a group, composed of the most experienced elders within the clan. This group was responsible for identifying potential candidates to become the next leader of the clan. Their leaders were not chosen by ancestry or lineage but through sheer ability and capacity. This meant that their leaders were some of the ablest and more responsible zu'aan around. This system of leadership helped the clan avoid corruption or misuse of power as was common among other zu'aan tribes of the region.

Historically, the clan's founder Sucellaul Ondreding was also identified as a potential leader very early on in life. She distinguished herself in several of the clan's activities and had a naturally forceful and confident personality that could inspire loyalty within her followers. She was given command over the Grolewzyk city which was proposed and built under her supervision. The city would slowly detach itself from the tribe and become its own independent clan. They adopted a similar form of government that was headed by an elected leader who was responsible for making decisions on behalf of the clan and looking out for their best interest.

There was not much room for debate, and the leader's decisions could not be questioned by the clan members. This measure was necessary so that the clan would not waste unnecessary time on debate and instead, concentrate on actions and results. The Grolewzyk allowed their members a lot of freedoms. They were not under any restrictions in terms of their activities and speech as long as it was not against the clan's interest. Their culture was fiercely loyal and there was no need for a police force to maintain law and order.

The early training and education that was compulsory for all members of the clan led to the development of a strong sense of civic responsibility within the citizens. Their society was quite very tightly knit and there were no provisions for instant citizenship into the clan. Only those who had been raised in the clan's ways and had gone through their training were granted citizenship in their city. The government was responsible for the maintenance and promotion of trade throughout the region.

The citizens were allowed their own personal property and were free to pursue their own trading activities. The clan had a capitalistic society with a full-fledged economy, financial systems and money. Their government was responsible for regulating the currency and ensuring that there were no counterfeits or illegal flows of money. Their systems of government were very successful and envied all throughout the region. Many other zu’aan clans would come up with similar systems that were meant to replicate their success.

Military

The Grolewzyk city zu'aan clan were no stranger to military action. They were involved in a long drawn-out battle with the pirates of the region right from the start. These pirates were attracted to the clan's booming trade and were able to make a good living by preying off the merchant vessels that roamed these waters. Their presence forced the Grolewzyk clan to adopt smaller and faster vessels to patrol the river channels. Sucellaul would encounter her most persistent enemy in the form of a female pirate lord named Muli-Vo.

She would present one of the greatest threats to Sucellaul's plans for the region and forced her to build many checkpoints and towers along the river's course to put a stop to the unpredictable raids along the entire river's course. The two would match their wits in a long dragged-out conflict that saw the fortunes of each sides change repeatedly. Her notorious attack and pillaging of Grolewzyk city, a feat that had never been achieved before- would serve as the catalyst for Sucellaul's increasing actions against the pirate lord.

Sucellaul was bent on their destruction and started to devise a diabolical plan to end the menace once and for all. Under her instructions, her tribesmen lined the dark bottom soul of the Ikuranntu river with many sharp rocks and lured Muli-Vo into sailing into the trap by taunting her and using her captured sister as bait. The pirate fleet would be ripped apart and shredded by these sharp projectiles while the escaping pirates were killed by the awaiting armies. Muli-Vo would also meet her end at the hands of Sucellaul to conclude the conflict between the two sides.

The victory would be immortalized by a gigantic stone that was placed in the river to create a spike in the surface, known as 'Ravager's end'. Their experience and development of military technologies during the course of the war would be a huge advantage for the Grolewzyk city zu'aan clan. It allowed them to exercise their supremacy in the region for many years to come. They continued to maintain their armies long after the war and were prepared to defend their settlement a second time during the kin'toni outbreak.

Fortunately for the clan, the outbreak did not affect the region as terribly as it did other parts of the world. The clan had access to many of the latest weapons and tactics due to their extensive contact with the rest of the zu'aan tribes from all over the continent. The clan’s tactics relied on the use of a variety of military units and tactics in combined warfare. They had a selection of ranged units, light infantry and heavy infantry along with fighting vessels that were equipped with wooden catapults that flung incendiary projectiles into their enemies to sow chaos and destruction.

The clan also relied heavily on the use of defensive structures to keep their armies and civilians out of reach of the enemy and to limit their casualties. They were experts at crafting a variety of traps and obstacles that were designed to impede the enemies progress and expose them to their deadly archers and slingers.

Religion

The Grolewzyk city zu'aan followed an obscure religion that was based on the worship of their river god named Bloessan. This religion was already in place long before they became a clan. It was a common belief of most of the river dwelling zu'aan in the Ikuranntu Blackwater river region. Their legends spoke of the river's mythical spirit, who wandered among the zu'aan and regularly interfered in their daily affairs. She was known to bring good luck to those she was pleased with and misfortune to those that displeased her.

She was capable of dictating the rivers mood and would alter the flow and course of the river. Her fury resulted in floods that and thunderstorms that would cause the river to break out in many waves and render it almost impossible to navigate. The spirits favor would bring calm conditions along with schools of fishes enough to last the zu'aan for many seasons. This spirit, also known as Bloessan was commonly portrayed as a water dwelling maiden, clothed in the lightest of linen and the smoothest skin.

She was both elegant and graceful, and had many idols and sculptures that were crafted in her likeness. These figures would adorn the hulls of their vessels and rafts, and later on, the buildings and structures of the Grolewzyk city zu'aan. They regularly offered prayers and sacrifices to these icons for good luck and prosperity. The worship of this spirit was overseen by the clan's priests who were knowledgeable men with a deep understanding of the roots and origins of the worship.

They were responsible for organizing regular prayers and sacrificial ceremonies where the clan would all be gathered together. It took the form of celebrations when they experienced favorable conditions and penance when they encountered misfortune. There was a healthy balance between common sense and religious devotion within the clan. Many of their leaders such as Sucellaul Ondreding were not religious individuals and were not controlled by religious motives and boundaries.

They understood the need for common sense and pragmatism, and were able to influence the clan to break their religious beliefs while obeying orders. Education also played a great role in this skepticism. As the clan progressed, they slowly began to understand the scientific principles that caused the various weather phenomenon in the region. Their legends could easily be demystified and proven to be a combination of hoaxes and tall tales. This led to a slow exit from religious practices among the clan members.

They still treasured their idols and depictions of Bloessan as traditional pieces of art and culture, but nothing more. This phenomenon would come to be known as the enlightenment and was followed by huge progresses made by the clan in science and math. The priestly classes would slowly disappear from among them and the clan were prominently atheists by the start of the second era.

Miscellany

Nearby Groups

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Grolewzyk City Zu'Aan

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