Radwor Tribal Zu'aan

History

The Wutonsul Black Lake has always been a place of tension with only a few residents – this was due to the fact that there was no formal government or sense of infrastructure; the location was a hotspot for pirates and smugglers to take port and commit their illicit acts. The few islands that were dotted around the region were overpopulated with buildings that would always have the hustle and bustle of crime and illegal activities such as the sale of contraband like weaponry and strange concoctions. There was also a sense of tension as some of the islands even had the inhabitants of local tribesmen.

Who saw those that had made these buildings on their territory as trespassers that must be punished. This resulted in heavy animosity with a mutual hatred between the tribesmen who saw the zu’aan as trespassers and the zu’aan pirates and smugglers feeling that they had the right to the land since it had been conquered and no longer belonged to them. Battles and clashes ensued between the tribesmen and zu’aan, and after a while many of the tribesmen fled as refugees to neighbouring nations after realising that they were insignificant in power in comparison to the strength of the zu’aan.

When the neighbouring nations soon became aware of the activities that took place in the region as a result of the refugees, there were plans put in place to bring back the region and a deal was reached where the neighbouring nations would have their share of land if they aided the tribe in claiming back their land. Sending a whole armada of forces to retrieve the land, more chaos occurred with the zu’aan pirates and smugglers forming their own alliances and putting their grudges and rivalries aside in hopes of making sure that this region would always be a hub for them to do their illegal actions without fears of any consequences.

As wars occurred, many were injured on both sides and there was no sight of a true winner to the battles and very soon the conclusion was reached that there was hardly any hope of gaining all of the land back – there were still some successes however for the neighbouring nations who had managed to claim the islands on the edges of the region. With the continuation of this conflict, there was a key event that caused everything to change – the kin’toni outbreak. With the arrival of the kin’toni plague – which was inevitable due to the very nature of the region being a place for ships from different regions to visit.

The illicit activities heightened and reached an all time high with the possibility of a more organised and formal ruling being put in place fading into dust and completely disappearing. Now the region is just an area full of criminals fending for themselves in hopes of gaining the possible bounties such as making a profit from smuggled goods or attacking other ships for loot, with many of the tribesmen that once lived in the area taking permanent residence in the neighbouring nations after realising that they could not get their home back.

Psychology

The tribes that inhabit the islands of the Wutonsul Black Lake tended to be at a peace of mind knowing that none of the neighbouring nations were attacking them or trying to claim their territory. Since they lived in very small communities, they would often find that they would need to look out for each other and not hold any rivalries or hatred for each other in order to maintain the security and sustainability of their people. The tribesmen also used to be very caring and hospitable towards travellers that may journey through the region, even offering hospitality and food and drink for them.

If a sailor found themselves stranded, the tribesmen would be more than happy to offer aid and even fix the ship free of charge – the sailors (especially merchants) would still be willing to offer good to the tribe as a form of thanks. This was all yet to change though with the arrival of pirates that resulted in many issues for these people. The pirates tended to be more reckless and chaotic – at least this was what could be seen in the crews that depended heavily on alcohol and the aspect of adventure and looting and hunting for treasure rather than accepting the reality that this was going to be their new lifestyle.

This nihilistic nature was often found by those that believed in anarchy and did not have much care about what they accomplished during their lifetime; these crews would often find themselves falling apart and being the first ones to lose their ship and face failure. A reason for this could be the sense of hopelessness as many of these pirates were depressed and miserable about the life they had before, seeing no point in anything they did from this point on. Contrastingly, some of the crews – especially the larger ones – tended to be more realistic and grounded.

With a lot of them having captains that were very strict about the rules and regulations that the crew must follow; breaking these rules would have severe consequences with some of the captains even going so far as to kill that member of the crew for their misconduct. Whilst this dynamic may seem threatening, the crew members ultimately felt that this system was best and were in fact pleased with it – in the eyes of the crew they knew that each ruling had its own purpose, and that if they followed it, they could reap many rewards and benefits.

Furthermore, these crews tended to be more determined and motivated as well as hard-working as they had goals and aims that they wanted to achieve, giving them a sense of fulfilment in everything they did. However, all pirates would sooner or later have to deal with the reality that they could no longer return to their previous lifestyle as they were now criminals in many nations and would be forced to live in such a way that they were always at sea or on the run from law enforcement. Many chose alcohol as a method of coping, drowning away their miseries in the liquor.

Whilst others turned to religion and often pray to their deities that they could be forgiven for any bad acts they commit and even in some cases that they are given salvation, or a way to escape this life as pirates.

Culture

Culture used to thrive in the Wutonsul Black Lake when its original residents – the tribesmen – inhabited the islands. They would often be in close-knit communities and would therefore know each other very well and be very trusting of each other. It was common to find that these tribesmen would be very sociable people and would pass their time by sharing tales and stories with each other during mealtimes or even when simply taking a break from work, and many travellers were exposed to these legends and folklore.

A sailor who found himself stranded on an island in the Wutonsul Black Lake says that they were told an epic story where “there was said to be a pirate once dominated many regions and was feared by many at sea. Eamon 'Charming' Hyacya was his name, and it was said that his crew were very loyal to him due to his charismatic and charming nature. Despite having such a personality, he was described as being a vicious and ruthless opponent, so much so that many enemies would quiver and shake in fear when his name was mentioned. As a result of this, Eamon 'Charming' Hyacya became very confident and vain.

And once visited the Wutonsul Black Lake. Upon arrival, he encountered a tribal leader and mocked them for their simple lifestyle, boasting about his riches and luxuries. Then the tribal leader came up with a plan – to tell the captain that he would have to collect the most valuable resource in the tribe’s community. Therefore, the captain immediately went to the gem mines and told his crew to find the biggest, most stunning, and precious gem they could find. Bringing that gem to the tribal leader, the captain was left in a state of shock after being told that he had found it, but it was not the gem.

The tribal leader explained that it was the union of his crew that would be the greatest treasure he had, just like the greatest treasure of the tribe was its members.” The arrival of pirates into the region resulted in the lifestyles and traditions of pirates spreading in the Wutonsul Black Lake, more pirates migrating into the area as it turned into a hub for pirates and smugglers. In many cases, the majority of the pirates tended to be very rough and aggressive and could seem threatening at first to someone who had never been around them before, but to another pirate, this was seen as normal and even in some cases as banter.

Boxing was a common sport with the pirates taking part in hand-to-hand combat and making bets on the winner as a pastime, as well as many other activities such as hunting and practising sword fighting. Booze was also another key aspect of pirate culture with most ships consuming it; some had it as a way to drown out their pains whilst others had it for the sake of having it due to the horrible taste some water purifiers could give to the water. Luxurious wines could often be purchased from foreign nations and saved for special occasions, though this was only possible for the richer pirates.

Government

There has always been a sense of anarchy and nihilism in the Wutonsul Black Lake since there was no government in the region and none of the neighbouring nations had chosen to claim the region as their own fearing that it could cause political disputes and maybe even wars; many politicians saw the idea of claiming the region to be one that would provoke others to have a desire to have the area for themselves. As a result of this, the region became a location that would be under the leadership of many zu’aan pirates and smugglers with the larger and more dominant crews making their name in the area.

And making the vital decisions that affected the smaller groups of pirates using the area for their needs. One of the founding leaders was Biual “Meticulous” Shaa'kal, who was a leader of a very powerful and influential pirate crew. Him and his group would be well-known especially amongst other pirates and even many nations knew of him, with merchants being willing to trade with him since he was known for his capabilities of being generous at times and even very helpful and charitable for the community. When his crew were sailing through the region, an idea formed in his head.

The immediately went to his cartographers and concerned them of his belief that the region could become something more useful for other pirate and smuggler crews like them. After an analysis of the region, they soon marked out what areas they planned to make their new minor empire on, and immediately went to work at starting the foundations. As other crews journeyed in, he would give them the offer of having their own homes or land to make their own businesses providing that they aided him in the construction of the foundations of this new location.

Since this was such a great offer, many accepted it and were able to be the first true settlers in the area. As the region continued to expand, Biual “Meticulous” Shaa'kal continued to work on this project and whilst his actions were commendable by the pirates as it provided them with such a place that they could do business and live without the fear of the law, the tribes that settled on some of the islands in a minority were either forced to join the pirates or given time to be sent away unless they wanted to be executed. This led to tensions and Biual “Meticulous” Shaa'kal was given another idea.

The came up with the rule that if this nation of pirates was under attack by outside forces (in other words the law enforcement, neighbouring nations or local tribes) then it is the role of the pirates in the region to leave their indifferences and fight this threat to protect the interests of the region. Biual “Meticulous” Shaa'kal continued his rule in the region, but after his death his son – who was supposed to be the next ‘ruler’ – was betrayed by many other pirates who had accepted the offers given by Biual “Meticulous” Shaa'kal as his rivals were offering better rewards.

And said that the region could have true freedom without one crew making all the decisions. Now the region is simply a place full of pirates and smugglers going about their day-to-day business with no laws or regulations in place to prevent them from committing any heinous acts.

Military

There have been many factions in the Wutonsul Black Lake, with each of them having their own strengths and weaknesses as well as own uniforms, weaponry, and leadership. One of these were the local tribes who were good at guerrilla tactics and knew the island very well, meaning that they were proficient in navigation which is ideal for ambush attacks. Yet, their weaknesses were their weaponry which often consisted of basic, simple stone tools like spears as well as shields made out of wood, and their armour would just be thicker layers of animal hide.

There was also some metal equipment like swords and daggers and even some armour plating, but overall, this was unsubstantial and would only be given to the best of the best in their army. A possible strength could be their capabilities of using bows as a weapon, with their archery skills being very powerful and good as a defensive measure against invades that would push their way along the banks of the lake. The pirates that started to occupy the region were stronger however, with better equipment in all aspects. Despite not knowing the islands as well.

The cartographers would be very skilled and could easily work out a way for troops to navigate through the region. The weaponry used would often be cutlasses fashioned out of iron as well as bows that were ideal for shooting enemies from the ships through small gaps: other articles of their arsenal include daggers, knives, spears, hammers, and axes - which would be a very vicious and effective weapon as it allowed for the pirates to cut out massive holes in the enemy ships and cause them to sink. Depending on the pirate crew, some of them were capable of affording armour.

Such as iron plates that could be worn under their waistcoats for additional protection, or even getting their hands on one of the most vicious weapons known to be used by pirates - this 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. Naval forces of the neighbouring nations that were sent to deal with the pirates and their conquering of the Wutonsul Black Lake were another key faction.

Who were said to have almost equal power to all the pirates that had taken permanent residence in the region – this belief was likely due to the fact that they were never truly successful in claiming every single island back for both themselves and the tribes that had been forced out of their homeland. They were said to have similar weaponry to the pirates with the majority of troops using a long sword and a few using a cutlass; a difference that could also be noted is the fact that many more members of the naval forces were able to have armour that they could use to defend themselves.

A noticeable difference that enabled the naval forces to be slightly more powerful was the fact that they had a lot larger, more durable ships that could house many troops as well as contain many places for archers to shoot from, making these ships a formidable opponent for the pirates. However, the sheer number of pirates willing to oppose them could be said to outweigh this advantage.

Religion

The tribesmen that inhabited the Wutonsul Black Lake were all religious people that used idols and shrines to commemorate their deities. These would often be built out in the open and prayer services would be held by priests that were selected by the other tribesmen based on their piety and how religious and devoted they seemed. Then one day a storm broke out and unleashed heavy rain on the idols as well as a lot of thunder and lighting, and soon the pious priests returned to find that the idols had been destroyed by a fallen tree and flooding.

As the following and number of deities they worshipped increased, the tribesmen soon went to work constructing temples as a way to store all their idols and protect them from the elements due to this event; these temples were constructed out of stone bricks and were very strong and large as well as very spacious – many rooms could be made inside them that philosophers and priests could reside in as housing and for their own holy acts. With the arrival of pirates into the region, most of these temples were destroyed and burnt down, with the remains being removed and then whatever the pirates pleased could be constructed in its place.

Other temples that were too difficult to demolish would simply be converted into another building with all the religious articles and idols being removed and burnt in a huge roaring fire. A majority of the pirates were atheist and did not care about religion in any way, shape, or form. However, a lot of them were very superstitious and had beliefs in tales and legends such as the idea of large, immensely powerful beings living in the depths of the oceans that the lake lead to. One of these creatures was said to be a beast that had the head of a shark but the back of the body with the tentacles of an octopus rather than fins.

And that it would terrorise those who were drowned in the water, which is why many pirates opt for being buried on land and rather die to be buried on land then killed in action and left in the sea as a meal for these horrific creatures. Another creature was a giant winged serpent covered in scales that scoured the depths of the ocean for the loot of deceased crews and guard them, and then when any other ships sunk above them, they would collect the treasure and feed on the corpses as a food. Contrarily, those who were religious would see this as fantasy but believe that there were gods and goddesses who would aid sailors on their journeys and give them guidance.

And if these deities were angered they would send tempests and vicious storms to torment those they saw as deserving of a punishment for their deeds – this led to many pirates even trying to leave their lifestyle out of fear that they were being punished for their illicit activities.

Miscellany

Nearby Groups

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