#worldbuilding: Zetaria

[hellishhin]

Tribes of the Miridan Mountains: Pt 2!

More old worldbuilding stuff! (Here's part 1)

Assets

What the rest of the world wants most from the Kahotan are the mountains from under their feet. The tribes have successfully chased off any attempts to seize parts of their land by the nearby kingdoms. They have yet to develop methods to successfully counter the aerial attacks. The other resource that the tribes guard with their life is their mounts. They have been bred over centuries to be stronger and smarter than their wild counterparts. In some cases, wild counterparts don't even exist. If an outsider can steal a young mount, they can be sold for very high prices and are in very high demand. Very few have been successfully sold. Tribes will drop everything they are doing and hunt down a stolen mount. They will do everything they can to retrieve it safely however if circumstances demand it, a tribe will sacrifice the mount to prevent it from becoming a slave to a non-tribesman.

Guilds and Factions

Sutsekan- Ride giant eagles they call Sutse (SOOt-say) Kahlakan- Ride giant owls called Kahlae (KAH-lay) Tsukan- Ride giant winged wolves called Tsuka (TSU-kah) Aiyakan- Ride hippogriffs they call Aiyan (AEY-ahn) Zetekan- Ride wyverns they call Zete (ZEH-teh) Malukan- Ride giant bats called Maluk (MAH-look) Vashikan- Ride griffons they call Vashik (VASH-ick)

Architecture

The caves and tunnel systems of the tribes who use them are nothing extraordinary. They are roughly carved and are for function rather than beauty. Some tribes decorate their living space with handwoven tapestries or paintings but it depends on the tribe. Some of the tribes that live in the treeline construct huts in the tallest branches so that their mounts may perch with them or nearby.

Geography

The mountain range where these tribes live is near the northern part of the continent. It stretches for several thousand miles from end to end and at its widest point is about two thousand miles across. It is the largest known mountain range by far. Each tribe is able to reach another in anywhere from three to seven days or more if the weather is bad. This gives the tribes plenty of room to spread out so there is no competition for resources. Among this mountain range are some mountain valleys, only accessible by air. They are pristine and full of wildlife. The tribes are very conscientious with their resource management so as not to over hunt.

Natural Resources

The mountains are most likely rich with gold, silver, gems, iron, and other valuable materials. There are some outer fringe mountains that the tribes have allowed to be mined but mostly because they were tired of always fighting off the outsiders so if they gave them some of their more worthless land, it would keep them busy. It has for the most part except the outsiders are getting greedy and want to see what the mountains further into the range have within them.

Their other resources are mostly valuable only to them. These are the native deer, goats, ducks, geese, and other food animals as well as plenty of roots and berries to supplement their diet. They get leather from the animals they hunt and they use that to make armor light enough to fly with. They have learned the art of metal working however, since metal armor would be too heavy, they mostly only use it for spears and arrow heads. They will also occasionally use it for artwork although it's not very common.

[hellishhin]

The Zetekan

Soaring above the Eastern Spine of the Miridan mountains you will find intelligent, cruel beasts with riders as fearsome as their mounts. The Zetekan believe there is no stronger mount than a wyvern and despite their vicious disposition, you will find one of the strongest bonds between beast and man.

Structure

This tribe of wyvern riders are ruled by their Tahran-zete, or simply Tahran. This title is used among all tribes to denote their leader. This tribe is different as it is always ruled by a male and the new leader is determined in trial by combat. The fights are quick and brutal and do not involve the wyverns as they are not as proficient at refraining from killing their combatant. A new Tahran is chosen only after the previous one has passed. Once the new Tahran takes his seat, he will retain it until he, too, eventually passes. The wyverns establish their own dominance through displays of strength, viciousness, and cunning but it is more subtle than outright brawling. The leaders of the five clans are chosen in much the same way however they do not hold their position until death. In the dead of every winter, clans with leader disputes will travel to the Silent Lake nearby and fight for leadership on the thick winter ice. If these power struggles were to happen all year, clan leaders would be switching every week. Keeping the challenging to one time a year keeps some order in the chaos of the hot blooded Zetekan.

Priesthood

This tribe has priestesses that participate in the bonding rituals as well as the births of children and wyverns. These priestesses are chosen solely on the wyvern they are bonded to. Frequently night black wyverns with milky, unseeing eyes are born. They are believed to be touched by the Gods themselves. In the past, these wyverns have only chosen female riders so when a black wyvern is born, the selection and bonding ritual is different and will be described below (I haven't done this yet!). These priestesses complete the bonding ritual between normal riders and their mounts as well as being midwives to wyverns. This is no easy job as birth is scary and painful and wyverns have teeth to express that. All wyverns are born live and usually a mother will have one or two young at a time. Four has happened in the past but it has been many years since it has happened again. Only priestesses witness the birth of wyverns and not every wyvern will accept help. It has been known for a pregnant female to leave and return a few months later with her offspring. The wyverns of the priestesses also assist in ways that are not completely known to the people but they ensure their rider is not harmed. The priestesses are also the only members of the tribe besides the mothers who witness the birth of the elven babies. Birth is a very secretive affair and no men are there to know what goes on. It happens far away from prying eyes and listening ears.

[hellishhin]

The Aiyakan

The Aiyakan are seen as a gentle people but they are also known to be fickle. Their allegiances can wax and wane with the moon and one never knows if an aiyakan will hold a grudge for a day or a year. Despite their unpredictability, raising the ire of an aiyakan generally doesn't bring bloodshed but it could mean a host of inconveniences as their stubbornness can get in the way of daily activities. Their mounts can mirror the personality of their riders, enjoying a scratch one minute then bearing their sharp hidden fangs the next. As their fangs might suggest, aiyan actually enjoy hunting quite a bit but most of their diet consists of the grasses and plants they graze.

Housing

Aiyakan live in sod houses built partially underground. During the harsh winter months this helps them stay warm and insulated. The aiyan have nests where they raise their young across the mountainside above the valley where the aiyakan live. This area isn't completely sheer cliffs but for a person to climb up is a challenge but usually the aiyan lay their eggs and care for their young on their own.

Bonding

Bonding is quite different in this tribe due to aiyan being seen as reincarnations of lost family members. There is no individual bonding ritual. Each family in a clan is responsible and bonded with a family of aiyan that they tend to and care for. Within that family unit, any rider can ride any mount. Each develop their own favorites but that is not set in stone. However a rider from another family is usually forbidden from riding another family's aiyan unless in emergency situations. The clan celebrates the bonding once a year after all of the eggs have hatched. It is a celebration of welcoming them into the family. Infants are included in this ceremony as well.

Death

When an aiyan dies, there is a mourning ritual that allows the soul to finish its journey and leave the realm of the living for good. Because of this permanent departure of the soul, aiyan mourning rituals hold more emotional weight. That aiyan's favorite rider will take a new mount from the aiyan family they live with. Since the bond is toward the familial unit, the loss of one is mourned but does not cause a weakening or loss of bond between other members of the family. They will all continue on to care for those that are left.

When an aiyakan passes away, there is a separate ritual that implores their deity to facilitate the passing of the aiyakan into their next life as an aiyan. This always seems to be successful because unlike any other mount within the tribes, when the aiyan fly they cast a shadow in the shape of a person rather than a winged, four-legged creature. This is proof to them that their ancestors live on through their animal companions.

[hellishhin]

The Sutsekan

Astride their giant eagles, the Sutsekan rule the skies of the Twin Peaks, two sheer mountain tops that are near mirror images of one another. This is where the tribe of the sutse make their nests. The tribe is very proud and noble, just as their mounts are. They rarely participate in squabbles between tribes and if there is a disagreement among their own, it is settled by way of turoc na attan or, the noble plunge.

Structure

The Sutse are lead by their tribe leader who holds the title of Tahran-sutse or just, Tahran. The Tahran can be male or female and is chosen from the five clan leaders of the tribe. The Tahran remains the leader of their own clan as well as taking on the role of tribe leader. If there is a disagreement as to who should become the next Tahran, then turoc na attan is performed which will be described in 'History'. The duty of the Tahran is to maintain order and ensure the clans needs are met. The Tahran also oversees the ritual where adolescent children are bonded with their sutse. The tribe leader is the spiritual connection with the Gods and guides the formation of the soul bond between rider and mount. Only the Tahran has this power and he or she learns it from the previous Tahran who usually gives up the position before passing so that the new leader may have guidance during their early days as Tahran.

History

The nobility and pride of the eagles they are bonded with, is reflected strongly in the people of the tribe. They are taught from a very young age to always keep their temper in check, win graciously, accept defeat with honor, and always try to be fair with their decisions. Despite these traits, disagreements do arise. When they do, if they cannot come to an agreement, turoc na attan will be performed. In this ritual, the two opposing parties will take their mounts into the sky. They climb high into the clouds, spiraling around each other in a dangerous dance. Then, as one, their mounts will lock talons and plunge to the earth. The riders will use wooden staves to attempt to unseat the other rider. If this happens, the fallen rider's mount will disengage to save their soul-bonded partner and the victor gets the right to settle the dispute however they deem fair. If the riders are more evenly matched and neither is able to unseat the other, then the loser is determined by who pulls out of the dive first. Rarely are there deaths from this ritual as the matter at hand is rarely important enough for someone to sacrifice their life for it although, if a rivalry is great enough, it has been known to happen that both riders and mounts will crash into the ground, never to rise again.

Worship

The main way in which the gods are worshiped is through the bonding of riders to mounts. The mounts, in this case the sutse, are seen as gifts from the divine so that the tribes may rule these mountains and protect them. The bonding ritual begins when a child comes of age at around thirteen years old. On the summer solstice, all of the children who are of age are led by the Tahran up a steep, narrow path that takes them to the secluded hatchery near the tallest point of the northern peak. Only during the summer ritual do people enter this space. This is where the sutse keep and take care of their eggs and hatchlings. Every fall is mating season for the birds and in the early spring, eggs are laid. Not every sutse tends to their own eggs since their riders need them for every day tasks. All of the birds help take care of the eggs, especially the older ones who's older riders do not go out as much. The eggs hatch around the time the ritual is performed, however it is not the babies that take part. The hatchlings are raised for an entire year by the birds and it is these yearlings that are bonded to people. Most of the young sutse are there and seem to know something different is going on. When the young adults enter, the Tahran merely tells them that they will know when they have found their sutse and their sutse has found them. The nervous children wander through the birds. The recognition is different for everyone. For some, they lock eyes and know immediately. For others, the bird approaches them. Sometimes there are not enough birds or not enough children. If this is the case, they simply wait until the next ritual. It is not shameful to have to wait for several rituals to pass before the bond is formed. It has even been known for a bond to be recognized between a young adult and a new hatchling. Then, during the next ritual, they already know and the next part of the process can be performed. Following the recognition, comes the bonding ritual. The eyes of both rider and sutse are covered with cloth. A ceremonial knife is used to make a cut down the forehead, between the eyes of the person and the bird alike. They press their wounds together, forehead to forehead and a prayer is said by the Tahran. During this prayer, the bond settles between the two souls. The blindfold is removed and a feather is plucked from the wing of the sutse. It is presented to the rider and woven into their hair. From the rider, a necklace is taken from them. This necklace was placed on them at birth and they never remove it until this moment. Each necklace is unique to each person and is then tied onto the leg of the sutse so that each has a piece of the other. If a sutse dies, that necklace is returned to the rider if the rider survives. The feather is usually tied to a saddle, a spear, or kept in a safe place at home since it is so large. Both necklace and feather are kept if rider and or sutse pass away. Usually this occurs for both partners at the same time. When the soul bond breaks from death due to old age, the other partner is soon to follow as the breaking is very painful. Young riders or mounts can usually survive if the other dies however if the grief is just too much, they may leave the tribe and go north, never to return. Occasionally it has been known that riders and mounts who have lost their partner may find another to bond with but it is not very common. If there is no rebonding, then the one left alone lives in the mountain and cares for the tribe.

Other related bits from this world:

The Tribes: Part 1 and Part 2

The Zetekan (there's a lot of extra info in the notes on that one thanks to lovely questions!)

[hellishhin]

Ok this will be one of the last old posts for my world that I found. I created one character for this and I'm going to share her here! It's a bit short but that's ok.

Suki "SharpEyes" Namaran

Suki is in her prime and the clans know it. Her mind is sharp and her decisions fair, thus, she is a prime candidate for becoming the next Tahran of the Sutsekan tribe. The current Tahran, Maldora, is reaching the end of her life. At the next bonding ceremony she will be stepping down and a new Tahran will be chosen to take her place. Currently, the likely candidate is Suki as she is one of the five clan leaders.

Personal History

Suki was born to a strong mother, Harte, and a caring father, Tarehn however the circumstances of her birth were unusual. Her mother still had weeks to go in her pregnancy and decided to fly on her sutse to ease some of the aches and pains of pregnancy. The snow was coming down and the wind harsh but she's experienced worse weather. They were several hours flight out when her mother went into labor. She could not get back to the aerie in time and her suke was forced to land on a small mountain ledge. There, with only her mount protecting her from the elements, Harte gave birth to Suki. From there, Suki became a fine young woman and during her first bonding, found herself drawn to a quiet, slight yearling with brown feathers so dark they were almost black and glowing golden eyes. Once they were bonded, she named him Salko.

During the next years she trained, she became one of the best shots in the clan, if not the whole tribe. She has proven that she can shoot a hare through the eye from the back of her sutse while fifty feet in the air. It was her skill and humility that made her first a candidate for clan leadership and now, showing proficiency in that role, she is favored for becoming the Tahran. The problem is, she doesn't want that.

Education

She is educated in the ways of leadership, how to be a fair ruler while also maintaining the order needed for the clans to remain strong. Her parents, because she was born so spectacularly and survived, have been quietly grooming her to become Tahran. They knew from the moment she was born that it is her destiny.

Politics aside, she has also been trained to be a master huntress and warrior. The former is a necessary skill for all to learn and the latter is for the time when the outsiders try to claim these lands for their own. It is not expected to happen any time soon but they always wish to be prepared.

[hi-5-sunflower]

The idea that they all have different interpretations of one deity sounds like a really interesting way to go. Some could even interpret it as multiple deities or multiple facets, if that makes sense.

Also given their love and reverence for flying mounts it could tie in pretty well if the deity was a winged entity of some sort. Just a thought!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

After I’m done with studying today I am determined to do a little more world-building.

Here are the links to the posts about my world I’ve been creating in case you wanted to catch up or refresh (I’ll make an intro post at some point soon): General pt 1 and pt 2. Here's | some | tribes.

I was wondering how you personally might create the deity system for these people? I’ve vaguely mentioned religion in my posts because it’s not solidified. I’m really not sure how to go about it and would love ideas! Currently tossing around the idea of each tribe having their own interpretation of a single deity but it actually being one deity overall.

I also would like to know what you think magic should be like. High magic? Low magic? No magic?

Thanks!

[hellishhin]

Oh my goodness the names right?! I'm literally so proud of them, you go 2018 me! And also hecking yes that frozen lake combat I can see soooooo vividly gah! That begrudging agreement to withhold their grudges for a year literally because they don't want to tear their clans apart cracks me up. But to your questions!

Fantastic question about the poison and one I hadn't thought about but I'd say that they don't use it on a regular basis. They will definitely use it against outsiders but they wouldn't want to poison their food generally and even though the tribes don't always get along, the other tribes are still all part of the collective whole. While killing does happen, I would imagine other tribes would jump down their throats if the Zetekan used poison frequently. On the other hand there have been plenty of battles between tribes where things got so heated they did in fact use poison on their spears and arrows but those were only times of great unrest.

When a mount dies, you are right! It is relatively different for each tribe. I have a post about the Sutsekan coming out tomorrow morning so I won't spoil that one! I haven't thought about these guys. I have a feeling I finished the Sutsekan article and then actually wasn't finished with this one which is why there's a little less info here. I'll be honest I'm not entirely sure I what would happen if one passes but I do mention they are very very closely bonded but they are also warriors. I'm heavily leaning toward (as of two seconds ago xD) neither bonding again. They become [insert term here] which would mean something like hollowed one or something clever I'll come up with later. I think these unbonded should have special tasks or rituals. They definitely keep helping with the clan by crafting, gathering, etc. I have put this on my to do list to look into for sure :)

I have started getting into the Tsutsekan (wolf thingies!) and they are a little less strict and re-bonding isn't uncommon at all they even have a slightly different bonding ritual for it. I'm currently developing that one though. As for the rest of them... not sure yet! It will be a reflection of what they value as a tribe. Some might be very similar though, there's only so many different ways I can go about it but the details will definitely vary!

The Zetekan

Soaring above the Eastern Spine of the Miridan mountains you will find intelligent, cruel beasts with riders as fearsome as their mounts. The Zetekan believe there is no stronger mount than a wyvern and despite their vicious disposition, you will find one of the strongest bonds between beast and man.

Structure

This tribe of wyvern riders are ruled by their Tahran-zete, or simply Tahran. This title is used among all tribes to denote their leader. This tribe is different as it is always ruled by a male and the new leader is determined in trial by combat. The fights are quick and brutal and do not involve the wyverns as they are not as proficient at refraining from killing their combatant. A new Tahran is chosen only after the previous one has passed. Once the new Tahran takes his seat, he will retain it until he, too, eventually passes. The wyverns establish their own dominance through displays of strength, viciousness, and cunning but it is more subtle than outright brawling. The leaders of the five clans are chosen in much the same way however they do not hold their position until death. In the dead of every winter, clans with leader disputes will travel to the Silent Lake nearby and fight for leadership on the thick winter ice. If these power struggles were to happen all year, clan leaders would be switching every week. Keeping the challenging to one time a year keeps some order in the chaos of the hot blooded Zetekan.

Priesthood

This tribe has priestesses that participate in the bonding rituals as well as the births of children and wyverns. These priestesses are chosen solely on the wyvern they are bonded to. Frequently night black wyverns with milky, unseeing eyes are born. They are believed to be touched by the Gods themselves. In the past, these wyverns have only chosen female riders so when a black wyvern is born, the selection and bonding ritual is different and will be described below (I haven't done this yet!). These priestesses complete the bonding ritual between normal riders and their mounts as well as being midwives to wyverns. This is no easy job as birth is scary and painful and wyverns have teeth to express that. All wyverns are born live and usually a mother will have one or two young at a time. Four has happened in the past but it has been many years since it has happened again. Only priestesses witness the birth of wyverns and not every wyvern will accept help. It has been known for a pregnant female to leave and return a few months later with her offspring. The wyverns of the priestesses also assist in ways that are not completely known to the people but they ensure their rider is not harmed. The priestesses are also the only members of the tribe besides the mothers who witness the birth of the elven babies. Birth is a very secretive affair and no men are there to know what goes on. It happens far away from prying eyes and listening ears.

[hellishhin]

Lovely question thank you very much! I feel like a stunt double doing an interview for the main actor because I do not remember what ideas I had back then so I'm going to guess or make it up fresh! xD

The blind wyverns are fiercely guarded and protected by their priestesses. I would imagine that other wyverns would eventually pick off the weaker blind ones were this not a person/beast living situation. Since the priestesses won't tolerate any bullying from other wyverns, the blind ones are left alone. Usually to the point where even if the blind wyvern was alone with several other mounts, nothing would probably happen. There's also a bit of avoidance because the blind wyverns are so different.

As for flying I believe they do learn how to fly. I might change this later but I almost said they didn't until I realized that to assist with a wyvern birth, the mother wyvern might not come to them. I'd say the priestesses definitely assist in teaching the wyvern how to fly as well as the other blind wyverns. Their other senses are quite good as well as their instinct for flight. That being said, they don't go for as many pleasure flights and tend to stay grounded more often than other rider/mount pairs.

While I was writing this, I got a really cool idea that the wyvern tribe would have a very deep connection with the earth since their priestesses are a bit more grounded. I had an image of their goddess creating their wyverns out of the dirt and the stone and then giving them the power to rule the air. So I like to think that being grounded for these priestesses is not a punishment but an honor. They remain near the dirt and stone to continue lifting their people to the skies just like their goddess did.

Wow thank you for that question that got me thinking about a lot!

The Zetekan

Soaring above the Eastern Spine of the Miridan mountains you will find intelligent, cruel beasts with riders as fearsome as their mounts. The Zetekan believe there is no stronger mount than a wyvern and despite their vicious disposition, you will find one of the strongest bonds between beast and man.

Structure

This tribe of wyvern riders are ruled by their Tahran-zete, or simply Tahran. This title is used among all tribes to denote their leader. This tribe is different as it is always ruled by a male and the new leader is determined in trial by combat. The fights are quick and brutal and do not involve the wyverns as they are not as proficient at refraining from killing their combatant. A new Tahran is chosen only after the previous one has passed. Once the new Tahran takes his seat, he will retain it until he, too, eventually passes. The wyverns establish their own dominance through displays of strength, viciousness, and cunning but it is more subtle than outright brawling. The leaders of the five clans are chosen in much the same way however they do not hold their position until death. In the dead of every winter, clans with leader disputes will travel to the Silent Lake nearby and fight for leadership on the thick winter ice. If these power struggles were to happen all year, clan leaders would be switching every week. Keeping the challenging to one time a year keeps some order in the chaos of the hot blooded Zetekan.

Priesthood

This tribe has priestesses that participate in the bonding rituals as well as the births of children and wyverns. These priestesses are chosen solely on the wyvern they are bonded to. Frequently night black wyverns with milky, unseeing eyes are born. They are believed to be touched by the Gods themselves. In the past, these wyverns have only chosen female riders so when a black wyvern is born, the selection and bonding ritual is different and will be described below (I haven't done this yet!). These priestesses complete the bonding ritual between normal riders and their mounts as well as being midwives to wyverns. This is no easy job as birth is scary and painful and wyverns have teeth to express that. All wyverns are born live and usually a mother will have one or two young at a time. Four has happened in the past but it has been many years since it has happened again. Only priestesses witness the birth of wyverns and not every wyvern will accept help. It has been known for a pregnant female to leave and return a few months later with her offspring. The wyverns of the priestesses also assist in ways that are not completely known to the people but they ensure their rider is not harmed. The priestesses are also the only members of the tribe besides the mothers who witness the birth of the elven babies. Birth is a very secretive affair and no men are there to know what goes on. It happens far away from prying eyes and listening ears.