Osmunngri Tribal Zu'Aan
History
Jehiiah Barahmeah was the original founder of the tribe. He was a chemist that served in a branch office unrelated to the Kin’toni project. But he did have the foresight to predict what might happen. Expert in unexpected results with volatile factors experiments, he decided to calculate the success probabilities in his chemist mind way; the results of his calculations shown only ominous forecasts which only differences were the effect ratio and the time-lapse. Since he was not a seer there is no way he could know the real incident would have worse results than his calculations. Motivated by the bad feeling of the calculation results, Osmunngri made a cottage getaway as far from the epicenter as he could afford and established a swamp retreat center. U
Unfortunately, when things went bad he was not prepared for the journey from the city, he expected a slow contagion of a new brand that developed the disease, not the fast spread of infected that came out from the labs. He was forced to pick up stragglers on route rather than use his handpicked crew since most of them were victims of the Kinton outbreak and the few he found were not willing to reason but escape on their own. On route, Osmunngri was turned by a stray Kin’toni, then killed by the people he had saved. They had a map and instructions provided by Jehiiah Barahmeah before his death. The remaining Zu’aan made their way to the swamp and settled there expecting to weather the storm of war.
Generations later, since many of the founders had worked in labs and offices, this tribe has managed to retain the skill of reading. Unfortunately, most books have crumbled with time and exposure to the moisture of the swamp, the texts in good conditions are passed from hand to hand and the constant use reduces fast the durability, those books become easy to lose pages. The process they have to produce paper is very slow, then there is a low rate of new books production. The important knowledge is preserved by carve texts on clay, wood or leather pieces, materials not properly to make books. The research for processes that let them live easily and take advantage of the resources found on the surrounding swamp.
The tribe did have some battles with other tribes and kin'toni clans, such as a battle with the Ibanhon Kin'toni Clan. The Kre Region was dry land separating the swamps and there were large amounts of iron there. The battle lasted many hours and the Uraken kin'toni Clan won, driving the Osmunngri Tribal zu'aan out of the Kre Region. Another event was an outbreak of a virus that killed many of the old and sick of the tribe and soon burned itself out. Now, as the ice age is coming, the Osmunngri Tribal zu'aan are trying their hardest to keep hidden from other zu'aan tribes and kin'toni clans.
Psychology
The Osmunngri are brave and self-confident people. They have the trust in the fortune of those that have survived many trials. From their early history when they escaped from the kin'toni outbreak in the city to the latest victory against Arkillari they have only experienced good times. Of the tribes Zu’aan they have perhaps the firmest grasp of the history of their planet and how things got this way. They are planning to be in the swamp forever, keep researching to earn more knowledge, and make their lives easier, not precisely to develop higher technologies. In the mind of the Osmunngri the main priorities are to keep the retreat center hidden and protected from intruders, the other is to find ways to produce big amounts of paper and make lots of books.
One of the biggest goals in their lives is to write a book, it has a religious meaning, it also let them feel they are at the same level than the settlers, who had to bring and make the first books. The library is considered the most valuable place, however, the objects inside are only valuable when they are available to anybody who can read them. They are not only scientists on the Osmunngri, many of them also practice art like music, dance, paint, and sculpture. To make their art pieces all the materials are found in the swamp, there are shops to produce the tools to create and they can decide to sell the pieces they create, even to set them as decoration in public spaces. There is a kind of poetry style, which means to carve cuneiform words in a piece of clay, wood, or leather.
They gather the poems in relax spaces so people can read them and recognize their signatures; some poetry pieces are very old. Create art is not considered a religious practice, there are few pieces made in honor of “StificMetd”, they consider art more like a way to express themselves, most art pieces are made to represent people, life and historic moments as the battle against Arkillari. The wealth and good fortune of the Osmunngri let them have a happy and quiet life, if there is a big threat they trust in their chemical weapons and the settler age ammo stored to face any enemy.
Culture
Osmunngri history is filled with tales of victory. The most recent being the story of how they defeated the Arkillari, a nomadic tribe that they assumed were completely turned on kin'toni. It made such an impression that in the yearly retelling of the battle they built a kind of Halloween celebration. Families spend the afternoon (sometimes longer) building horrific effigies in the form of Kin’toni and Arkillari. In the evening adults dress as ghouls and “come out of the ground” (usually old tarps or under piles of leaves. The children carry hand crafted hollow skulls to carry magic dust. When the children encounter the Arkillars they blow flour at them or throw it in small bags thus killing the monsters.
The (Arkillars) “die” and drop candy/sweets that are then collected by children. There is a great fire that evening and the figures, large and small, are thrown on the fire. After the children are put to bed the adult Osmunngri gets high on mushrooms and sings songs of victory and how they will always win... The fact that Osmunngri committed genocide following the battle is only spoken of or known by the inner counsel. There is the folk tale of a Kin’toni man who falls in love with an Osmunngri woman. Predictably it ends horribly for both and they end up in the fire, a lesson for all who might consider such a path. Osmunngri is quite healthy and enjoy a life rarely afforded to other zu'aan.
Plenty of food and fresh water and for the most part hidden from Kin’toni. Their agricultural production on elevated crops by wooden structures provides them with kal (like rice) vara (a fruit like a tomato), uria (a leaf like lettuce), vaer (a root like potato), baya (like carrot), vaber (a plant like sugarcane). It is possible to find in the wild plants like xart (like milkweed), laki (looks like lilypads), daet (looks like water chestnut), aeta and faerta (looks like watercress). In the swamp they can find all the wooden they need, to move from a point to another they use canoes, to mobilize several people, and a lot of cargo they use wooden rafts.
Osmunngri has had time to read and study, though most writing has been lost, they use a kind of kuniform on clay tablets and carving on wood. Inside the retreat center, they use paint to mark and decorate, furniture, walls, doors, and windows, outside they prefer camouflage because they know color can bring unwanted attention, whenever they go out they wear tactic camouflage and swamp pattern fabric clothes. The making of paper has partially being lost (their current paper production methods are slow and had not the same quality as the original paper); special texts, sacred or laws, are written on the stretched hides of animals instead of the common small leather pieces. All children are raised to study and praise texts, also to live fearlessly, to be ready to kill strangers, and to believe in “SitificMetd”.
Government
Osmunngri values knowledge above other factors to choose a leader. At any given time the leaders of the clan are those who know the most in a chosen field, particularly skills that aid in the survival of the clan. Any other with less logical knowledge but enough wisdom can become on Judge. The leadership can be taken by another tribe member who objectively questions the results of the current leader and states logical reasons with proven foundations to be selected as a new ruler. In case the arguments are approved by the Judges the current leader has the right to 30 days to get better results and refute the theory to be removed. This leadership system had moments when the leader kept the power and also times when a new ruler came.
The judicial system works also out of the court. During the day the Judge and enforcer tour the town basically getting handouts from people hoping to insure a positive judgment in the future. There is no police force per se but soldiers are recruited on the spot by the Judge if there is more trouble than the enforcer can handle. On these outings, citizens may approach the Judge and ask for a resolution of any issue. There are no lawyers or advocates. Most issues are settled amicably but people who are charismatic or good talkers usually have an advantage in steering the Judge. The enforcer is chosen for physical size or reputation for doing damage more than intelligence. Enforcers usually are not very smart, however, they always have a high rate of loyalty and obedience to be selected.
An aspirant spends a week being trained by a veteran enforcer before become in a new enforcer, during those days the aspirant learns the rewards being obedient can bring. The trials are made to put the aspirant at the limit, in case of failure cannot become an enforcer, there is no other chance. Historically Judge/Enforcer pairs have not been exactly corrupt, but some were more easily swayed by a pretty face or bribe than others. All of this must be taken in the context of the tribe as ultimately the Judge/Enforcer must both live with the people they make judgments on. Enforcers are always men while the Judge can be of any gender. Osmunngri produces many goods and services have benefited greatly from the knowledge of the past.
All things are taxed to some extent. The system is fairly ad hoc and disagreements often arise from overzealous collectors taking too much. More powerful merchants are able to limit taxation through the bribery of senior officials. On the whole, the existing government is rife with nepotism and cronyism. This is understood by all the people and they just assume it has to be this way. Anybody who questions this government system has the right to state arguments to change it, every time it happened the nonconformity thesis was refuted by the Judges. This series of failed attempts just reasserted the effectiveness of the Osmunngri government system, it is still in development, Judges have annual meetings to discuss the results and their theories of how to make it better.
Military
Osmunngri military was competent in the past but has degenerated into a corrupt and soft force, not only because they have not enough training camps to prepare them against another intelligent living form. For sure they can still kill with some efficiency but they haven’t had to go toe to toe with any serious threats in ages. They mostly serve double duty as local police or enforcers for government edicts. Others are hunters or carpenters while they are not in command of a sergeant. They have camouflage uniforms to explore the swamp and move discreetly, occasionally they find and kill kin'toni wandering around. The hostile environment, wet ground that sucks the feet, excessive moisture, lack of any road, and the abundant presence of dangerous animals keep most of kin'toni and other zu'aan tribes away.
Anybody can be a volunteer soldier, some of them secretly wait for the day to repel an invasion and repeat the glory of the battle against the Arkillaris. The leaders know the memory of past battles will keep in the mind of the tribe there are threats out there and they must be prepared to face them. Osmungri relies heavily on the past technology that got them victorious, a hundred years ago. With chemist knowledge, they are able to produce low-level explosive weapons, smoke grenades, and cluster grenades. They still have a few guns and some bullets from the time of the settlers, keep under a key for emergency case only. For any other purpose, like hunt or watch, they have weaponry limited to crossbows and spears, this lack of offensive power is balanced with the high-level armor of the uniforms, processed with resin that gives big defense and movement.
Specifically, they are experts in gas warfare. It is a fickle technology, difficult to control, and entirely dependent on the weather and wind direction. The only time they have successfully used the gas attack was at the historical battle against the Arkillaris. Since the Arkillaris were using tunnels in the firm ground outside the swamp the attack was especially effective. Osmunngri military has since used gas during smaller skirmishes to limited effect. What isn’t spoken of is how the gas was used to wipe out a rival Zu’Aan tribe that also was looking to set up in the swamp. It´s a fact they were heading to the retreat center, it remains unknown if there was a pacific solution between both tribes.
Osmunngri under the cover of darkness set up gas dispensers upwind from the rival village. They were unsure about the concentration needed to create the gas as it had been more than 100 years since they last deployed it. Thinking it would simply drive them away they set up upwind of the village. In the morning scouts reported that all had died in their sleep, foaming blood around their mouths, children huddled with parents. This zu'aan tribe has no memory other than an infected whole tribe now and only the elders know of this genocide. This incident is known as “the warning”
Religion
All Osmunngri worship the “SitificMetd”(The scientific method) as an abstract God that they turn to in times of difficulty. They no longer understand its original meaning. Some parts of the scientific method remain in ritual, “Gathering dada” (ritual picking of hallucinogenic mushrooms) “Construct a hypothesis” (for example building an effigy). Many of the settlers worked in branches of the same office as Jehiiah Barahmeah, the original founder of the tribe. As people of science, they refuse to bring any trace of religion with them or convert to Jehijah Barameah in a kind of deity, because they met him they knew he was just a man, and besides as a chemist that would not be his will.
In the first years of the tribe, they tried to keep a skeptical, laic society that refutes the existence of any god, every question which has not a clear, concrete, and logical answer was considered as research in progress. The next generations started to confuse terms to develop the knowledge with religious practices, at the point to accept “SitificMetd” as the God who created them, who created also the retreat center and the swamp for they exist as test zone to prove theories, and created the kin'toni and any other zu'aan too. The capability to think is they prove they were created like the theory of “SitificMetd”, who created to the other tribes as theories to confront each other.
The one who stands at last will be accepted as the true theory and “SitificMetd” will grant them absolute knowledge. Osmunngri educative system is made to raise the children to smart and productive members of the tribe, they consider study as a religious practice too, to become more similar to “SitificMetd”. Even think is considered a ritual; it´s the way to recreate the world, analyze the factors and calculate the possibilities as once they were created by their God. The more they think more they are like the creator and the more they close to discover what the theory they were created for is. Since everybody can think, they don´t consider any person can have a special connection or right to become representative of “StificMetd” on the world.
Some individuals tried once time on time, they presented their arguments to the tribe, as result they were questioned by the other members at the point of being refuted. Someone smarter is just more alike “StificMetd”, it doesn´t mean it´s closer to him or is his emissary. Being not smart means not sin or guilt, is just a difference between the mind control levels of the individuals, the only sin is not to believe in their God; a sin exclusive of other zu'aan. Osmunngri can´t doubt or be skeptical of “StificMetd” existence because according to their faith it there was not a God they could not be able to think. In the eyes of Osmunngri any thinking living form is considered another theory of “StificMetd”.
This is considered blasphemous too because they were gifted with the capability to reason but they are not grateful, not even believe in “StificMetd” and must die. This difference between religions is the main reason why they are not interested on make communicating or trade with other zu'aan tribes, no matter if the others can have something useful for them.
Miscellany
Osmunngri has a peculiar gesture where they wave their hand in a sideways chopping motion. Usually 2 times, high and low. It’s meant to indicate dividing it up. Since bribery is so common in their culture people often make the gesture to indicate what isn’t said, “I need more money because I have to pay this bribe” or “That’s life, you pay, then you pay again”. A single chop is used to indicate a harsher or dismissive attitude about a situation. Multiple chops is often a joke about needing to pay off multiple bribes. Since they have technologies to dye cloth and produce fabrics, fashion is part of the life into the retreat center, however, to go out only camouflage uniforms are allowed, they don´t want to be seen or spotted by foreigners.
Osmunngri food science is very advanced, the process many kinds of snacks and candies all year, the higher rate productions is weeks before the celebration of battle against Arkillari. Makeup is very popular, women use it all the time. Mothers teach the children how to apply camouflage to themselves. Osmunngri children use to bribe each other with candies to avoid being revealed when they are naughty. Parents use to make a lot of toys for their children, there are all kinds of materials in the swamp that can be used for that. Judges and enforcers sometimes are old friends, however, each week they are changed and enforcers are assigned to other judges.
Judges use to bribe other Judges if they are witnesses of something they did. The corpses of the kin'toni or other zu'aan tribes that Osmunngri watchmen killed are left in the swamp, normally the animals eat them. In the marriage ritual the man gets close to the woman and states logical arguments to sustain his theory about why he is the wiser choice for her, the woman can refute him explaining objectively the reasons to reject him. Many wild animals are hunted in the swamp to get their skin. The fur is used to produce many kinds of brushes to paint or apply makeup. The Osmunngri have a single Zalchirn kin'toni member (almost completely wiped out) who lives in an underwater hideout near the Osmunngri stronghold.
She has taken the name Gia. She stalks the city at night and kills the occasional stray Osmunngi who wander too near. She only prey’s upon them alone. She has in the past rescued lost children, out of pity or saving them for later it’s unknown. She has been there so long the locals believe her to be a mythical figure. The graveyard is a swamp area where they left the body with stones to sink and they drive a stake with the carved name of the perished one. Osmunngri doesn´t believe in fortune-tellers, they consider it´s not logic an estranger knows their past or their future, even less they can calculate it better than themselves. However they do believe in premonition dreams, they are sure it´s information granted by “StificMetd”.
