Kingdom Profiles ~ Kazin
Sep. 21st, 2004 12:22 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
annarti.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
yrae
Same again, this time for Kazin. Kazinians amuse me X3
~ ~ ~
Geography
Mountainous in the south and east, forested mainly with pines, snows in winter in the southern mountains. Otherwise, rainforest/jungle that grows more impenetrable in the north. Lots of rivers and lakes. Island off the west coast—Tisadez—is formed by an active volcano.
Population and Density
Many small towns scattered throughout the country, quite dense. Most people tend to live in the ‘foothills’, that is, where the pine forest changes to rainforest, and where the temperature and humidity is more bearable.
Major population centres:
Assiraz: 2500
Silrona: 2000
Ruzaka: 1500
Sinazi: 1000
Nissaya: 1000
Sijaaz: 1000
Suza: 750
Haysyd: 500
Total: 40 000
System of Government
Empire. There are twelve separate ‘states’, each with their own ruler, who calls herself ‘queen’. The states communicate and trade almost as though they were separate countries, but they can all be overruled by the empress.
Rule is determined by birth—the eldest daughter of the present empress is heir to the throne. Never any male rulers.
Currently ruled by Empress Shizaaqa. Also, there is presently unrest between the empress and the army. This has been so for the past three or four decades.
Industry, Currency and Trade
Generally very self-sufficient, but trade with Raykin and Llayad mainly for the coin. The wealthy also buy Raykinian artwork or Llayan rugs. Also buy fish and other seafood from Tsaythi sailors.
The major trade routes are all lined with numerous tax Houses. Half the money taken by these houses goes to the queen of that state, the other half goes to the Kazinian empress.
Coins are gold, silver and copper.
1 gold = 10 silver = 50 copper = $10
1 silver = 5 copper = $1
1 copper = 20c
Main Historical Events
7: Kingdom of Yraekin founded by Yan—extended through the river systems of all Tsyllaes.
33: King Yan killed, family banished to the desert, Qewir crowned king, kingdom renamed to Raykin
254: Northern region rebelled and became their own kingdom—presently northern Kazin
302: Northern Kazin reclaimed by Raykin
989: Kazin broke off again, this time including the mountain regions—all of present day Kazin and northern Llayad
1239: Kazin took control of half the Ra-Lin and Tsayla rivers
1468: Kazin ruled all of present day Raykin and Llayad
1503: Tsayth broke off from Raykin and drove Kazin back
1567: Raykin reassumed itself, tried to take Llayad as well, but Llayad defended by Tsayth and declared own kingdom
1853: Raykin invaded Kazin
1934: Kazin drove Raykin back
2345: Kazin invaded Raykin
2480: Raykin returned the favour. Again.
2566: Kazin drove Raykin back. Again.
3001: Kazin finally gave up on Raykin for the time being and attacked Llayad in a major battle at Niryad, which was the capital at the time.
3003: Tsayth came to the rescue again. Sent ships up the Tsayla with many troops, as well as attacking various ports on the Kazinian coast. Extent of Tsaythi army discovered and feared.
Note: Numerous internal battles have been fought between the Kazinian states in this time, but there are too many to bother listing them all.
Language
Very hissy and somewhat guttural. They’re very fond of the letters S, Z, X, T and Q, which is always pronounced as a K.
Family Structure and Roles
Families are generally very unstable. Neither parent wants to take full responsibility for the children, or indeed each other, and so it ends. In what is very much a matriarchal society, the father will try and assume some sort of control over the family, but once the mother catches on, he’s likely to get booted.
Marriage doesn’t exist in Kazinian culture. People may choose to spend their lives together, but there’s no religious or legally binding statement that forces them to stay that way. Once they get sick of each other’s company, they leave, simple as that.
On Tisadez, the women look after the girls, and the men are made to look after the boys. This is exclusive except for breast feeding babies.
Crime and Punishment
Female-dominated society. Men only hold positions of power in the army.
Murder punishable by death, unless there’s a good reason behind it, such as ‘he stole my loaf of bread!’
Thievery punishable by anything ranging from being relegated to the dungeons to death.
Law generally taken into the hands of those whom it concerns, except in Assiraz where serious crimes are brought to the attention of the empress or the army, depending on where the victim’s loyalties lie. In the various capitals (marked on the map), the problem is brought to the relevant queen.
Punishments generally dependant on the whims of the queen.
Valued Traits
Chilli tolerance
Skill with a weapon
Arrogance, but only if it’s justified
Scorned Traits
Dishonesty
Historical or Cultural Prejudices
Raykin: Basically reciprocal of Raykin’s prejudice against Kazin. They justify it by saying how Yan initially took them over, and then various Raykinian kings have attempted the same again, but in general, they hate Raykin because Raykin hates them. As a result, they’re very hostile to any Raykinians who come into Kazin, particularly in the states closer to the Raykinian border. It is not uncommon for a Raykinian trading caravan to be killed for the goods or coin they carry. Occasionally, Kazinian bandits invade northern Raykin to get what they can from the northern towns and villages.
Tsayth: Although Tsayth has never actually invaded Kazin, they caused considerable damage to the kingdom, both on the coast and in the mountains, when Kazin attempted to invade Llayad. The thing is, since Tsayth is essentially a purely nautical nation, with a very powerful navy, it makes it incredibly difficult to overrun them. This frustrates the Kazinians to no end.
Heavy rivalry between the various Kazinian states, as well as between the rainforest and mountains people. Usually this is restricted to words, but some will take it to the extreme, and there have been wars waged between the states.
Staple Foods
Staple diet: corn/maize
Other food: tropical fruits from the rainforests (eg bananas, coconuts, mangos etc), farmed vegetables in mountains (eg beans, spuds, carrots etc)
Meat: farmed animals (cows, sheep and chickens) and some wild animals (game, wild rainforest animals for nobility only)
Housing and Architecture
Built of stone or wood in the mountains, from wood in the rainforest
Thatched rooves
Palace in Assiraz built from stone
Generally all single storeyed
Clothing
Mountains: leather boots, puffy cotton pants (for guys) or ankle-length skirt (for women) and long sleeved top, woollen tunic in bright colours indicating family line. Woollen cloak with hood in winter
Rainforest: cotton undies and very thin, semi-transparent tunic marking family line. Thongs or sandals made from leather and/or fibres (eg coconut husks, tree bark, palm fronds etc). Bright birds’ feathers used as jewellery and headdresses
Arts and Music
Prized among the nobility, ridiculed among the peasants. Particularly prize Llayan rugs, and stone or wooden carvings. These are made by Kazinians, and those who make them are generally fairly well-off. Not nobility as artists are in Raykin, but certainly better off than much of the population. Also like Raykinian pottery because of the unique red clay it is made from.
Religion and Associated Titles
Kazinian religion (Ulzaqin) worships their own two gods. About two thirds of the population believe in the gods, and those who don’t tend to not make a fuss of it. It is likely they will get killed in the name of the gods if they say anything.
Tisadez religion (Tisadite) worships their own goddess, who they believe lives in the volcano. Because of the obvious power of the volcano whenever it erupts, belief in this goddess is absolute.
Core principles and Doctrines
Ulzaqin: No life is more important than your own. Save it. Don’t kill someone because you hate them: thiss’ll only be seen as an honourable death, and they’ll get into the realm of the gods before you do.
Tisadite: Fear the volcanoy wrath. And that’s about it.
Deities
Ulzaq: God of war, fighting, etc
Nizaaz: Goddess of peace, healing, etc
The volcano: Not really god of anything. She just erupts when people start pissing her off.
Priests and Priestesses
The power of the priestesses is directly related to the power of a given queen, and how much faith she has in the gods. They’re generally looked down upon by the general public, since they tend to be very preachy and exclusive. There’s a ‘holier than thou’ kind of air about them.
Birth, Death and the Afterlife
Birth: Seen as both a duty and a privilege, kind of like voting in Australia. Women are expected to have at least three children in their lives, but many women have as many as it takes until they bear a girl. Female births are greatly celebrated by the whole community, boys generally only celebrated by the immediate family.
Death: If they were killed by another person, it’s seen as honourable, whether in battle or having been murdered. If it was a disease or age that took them, then they’re seen as being weak. If they committed suicide or had an accident, they were seen as foolish. Their funeral is based around how the person died: most people participate the more honourable the death. Many elderly people kill themselves and try to make it look like murder so they’re better thought of. People don’t generally go out to kill whoever they hate, since that means they’ll be looked upon more favourably by the gods. Raykinians, Llayans and Tsaythis don’t count tho, since they have different gods.
Afterlife: The deceased’s soul goes before the gods where their death is judged, and depending on how honourable it was, they are either permitted entry into the realm of the gods, or their memories are wiped and they are sent to live another human life.
Important Ceremonies
Empress’ birthday: Large feast held in each town for the whole village to participate in.
Queen’s birthdays: Celebrated in respective states, large feast in capital city, generally only nobility go.
Ulzaq’s day: More feasts, pay homage to the god of war at the nearest temple, which is generally in the state capital. Held on the thirtieth day of Autumn.
Nizaaz’s day: Feasts again, pay homage to the god of healing at the nearest temple, but many travel all the way to Assiraz’s temple. Held on the thirtieth day of Spring.
Government Involvement
More along the lines of the religion’s involvement with the government than vice versa. Priestesses try to manipulate he queen into donating more to the temples, and depending on the queen, this either works or gets half of them killed.
Religious Crime
Taking either of the gods’ names in vain around a priestess will earn a person something akin to corporal punishment.
Tisadezians
Live on island of Tisadez off the western coast of Kazin. Mountain on island is a volcano, and all the land north of it is uninhabitable due to ash fall. People all live in village of Saayan.
Four hundred women, one hundred men. Best-looking guys (about 30) kept as sex slaves for the women, not so good-looking ones kept as just general slaves.
Incredibly hostile. No other Kazinian would even consider going to Tisadez. Tisadezians couldn’t care less about the running of Kazin.
Land and history
Geography
Mountainous in the south and east, forested mainly with pines, snows in winter in the southern mountains. Otherwise, rainforest/jungle that grows more impenetrable in the north. Lots of rivers and lakes. Island off the west coast—Tisadez—is formed by an active volcano.
Population and Density
Many small towns scattered throughout the country, quite dense. Most people tend to live in the ‘foothills’, that is, where the pine forest changes to rainforest, and where the temperature and humidity is more bearable.
Major population centres:
Assiraz: 2500
Silrona: 2000
Ruzaka: 1500
Sinazi: 1000
Nissaya: 1000
Sijaaz: 1000
Suza: 750
Haysyd: 500
Total: 40 000
System of Government
Empire. There are twelve separate ‘states’, each with their own ruler, who calls herself ‘queen’. The states communicate and trade almost as though they were separate countries, but they can all be overruled by the empress.
Rule is determined by birth—the eldest daughter of the present empress is heir to the throne. Never any male rulers.
Currently ruled by Empress Shizaaqa. Also, there is presently unrest between the empress and the army. This has been so for the past three or four decades.
Industry, Currency and Trade
Generally very self-sufficient, but trade with Raykin and Llayad mainly for the coin. The wealthy also buy Raykinian artwork or Llayan rugs. Also buy fish and other seafood from Tsaythi sailors.
The major trade routes are all lined with numerous tax Houses. Half the money taken by these houses goes to the queen of that state, the other half goes to the Kazinian empress.
Coins are gold, silver and copper.
1 gold = 10 silver = 50 copper = $10
1 silver = 5 copper = $1
1 copper = 20c
Main Historical Events
7: Kingdom of Yraekin founded by Yan—extended through the river systems of all Tsyllaes.
33: King Yan killed, family banished to the desert, Qewir crowned king, kingdom renamed to Raykin
254: Northern region rebelled and became their own kingdom—presently northern Kazin
302: Northern Kazin reclaimed by Raykin
989: Kazin broke off again, this time including the mountain regions—all of present day Kazin and northern Llayad
1239: Kazin took control of half the Ra-Lin and Tsayla rivers
1468: Kazin ruled all of present day Raykin and Llayad
1503: Tsayth broke off from Raykin and drove Kazin back
1567: Raykin reassumed itself, tried to take Llayad as well, but Llayad defended by Tsayth and declared own kingdom
1853: Raykin invaded Kazin
1934: Kazin drove Raykin back
2345: Kazin invaded Raykin
2480: Raykin returned the favour. Again.
2566: Kazin drove Raykin back. Again.
3001: Kazin finally gave up on Raykin for the time being and attacked Llayad in a major battle at Niryad, which was the capital at the time.
3003: Tsayth came to the rescue again. Sent ships up the Tsayla with many troops, as well as attacking various ports on the Kazinian coast. Extent of Tsaythi army discovered and feared.
Note: Numerous internal battles have been fought between the Kazinian states in this time, but there are too many to bother listing them all.
Language
Very hissy and somewhat guttural. They’re very fond of the letters S, Z, X, T and Q, which is always pronounced as a K.
People
Family Structure and Roles
Families are generally very unstable. Neither parent wants to take full responsibility for the children, or indeed each other, and so it ends. In what is very much a matriarchal society, the father will try and assume some sort of control over the family, but once the mother catches on, he’s likely to get booted.
Marriage doesn’t exist in Kazinian culture. People may choose to spend their lives together, but there’s no religious or legally binding statement that forces them to stay that way. Once they get sick of each other’s company, they leave, simple as that.
On Tisadez, the women look after the girls, and the men are made to look after the boys. This is exclusive except for breast feeding babies.
Crime and Punishment
Valued Traits
Scorned Traits
Historical or Cultural Prejudices
Staple Foods
Housing and Architecture
Clothing
Arts and Religion
Arts and Music
Prized among the nobility, ridiculed among the peasants. Particularly prize Llayan rugs, and stone or wooden carvings. These are made by Kazinians, and those who make them are generally fairly well-off. Not nobility as artists are in Raykin, but certainly better off than much of the population. Also like Raykinian pottery because of the unique red clay it is made from.
Religion and Associated Titles
Kazinian religion (Ulzaqin) worships their own two gods. About two thirds of the population believe in the gods, and those who don’t tend to not make a fuss of it. It is likely they will get killed in the name of the gods if they say anything.
Tisadez religion (Tisadite) worships their own goddess, who they believe lives in the volcano. Because of the obvious power of the volcano whenever it erupts, belief in this goddess is absolute.
Core principles and Doctrines
Ulzaqin: No life is more important than your own. Save it. Don’t kill someone because you hate them: thiss’ll only be seen as an honourable death, and they’ll get into the realm of the gods before you do.
Tisadite: Fear the volcanoy wrath. And that’s about it.
Deities
Ulzaq: God of war, fighting, etc
Nizaaz: Goddess of peace, healing, etc
The volcano: Not really god of anything. She just erupts when people start pissing her off.
Priests and Priestesses
The power of the priestesses is directly related to the power of a given queen, and how much faith she has in the gods. They’re generally looked down upon by the general public, since they tend to be very preachy and exclusive. There’s a ‘holier than thou’ kind of air about them.
Birth, Death and the Afterlife
Birth: Seen as both a duty and a privilege, kind of like voting in Australia. Women are expected to have at least three children in their lives, but many women have as many as it takes until they bear a girl. Female births are greatly celebrated by the whole community, boys generally only celebrated by the immediate family.
Death: If they were killed by another person, it’s seen as honourable, whether in battle or having been murdered. If it was a disease or age that took them, then they’re seen as being weak. If they committed suicide or had an accident, they were seen as foolish. Their funeral is based around how the person died: most people participate the more honourable the death. Many elderly people kill themselves and try to make it look like murder so they’re better thought of. People don’t generally go out to kill whoever they hate, since that means they’ll be looked upon more favourably by the gods. Raykinians, Llayans and Tsaythis don’t count tho, since they have different gods.
Afterlife: The deceased’s soul goes before the gods where their death is judged, and depending on how honourable it was, they are either permitted entry into the realm of the gods, or their memories are wiped and they are sent to live another human life.
Important Ceremonies
Empress’ birthday: Large feast held in each town for the whole village to participate in.
Queen’s birthdays: Celebrated in respective states, large feast in capital city, generally only nobility go.
Ulzaq’s day: More feasts, pay homage to the god of war at the nearest temple, which is generally in the state capital. Held on the thirtieth day of Autumn.
Nizaaz’s day: Feasts again, pay homage to the god of healing at the nearest temple, but many travel all the way to Assiraz’s temple. Held on the thirtieth day of Spring.
Government Involvement
More along the lines of the religion’s involvement with the government than vice versa. Priestesses try to manipulate he queen into donating more to the temples, and depending on the queen, this either works or gets half of them killed.
Religious Crime
Taking either of the gods’ names in vain around a priestess will earn a person something akin to corporal punishment.
Other Denominations
Tisadezians