Uzhilli

Uzhilli

Overview

The Uzhilli are the natives of Soranna, once having a large series of kingdoms that spanned from the Waisari river all the way down to the Aje (Odai) river. They are one of the most influential groups on the continent in history, contributing greatly to the modern Soranni - although in the modern day they are reduced to a few duchies in the far east beyond their original homeland. Today they are largely found in the duchy of Vilotinne and the Kingdom of Immestrai.

Name

The name Uzhilli comes from the Ingharan exonym meaning "Radiant." The modern archaic cognate is Uszinno, meaning lights. This name is a modern invention, being used specifically to refer to the Uzhilli princess from the Ingharan epic "Tale of Four Princes." The Ingharans had formerly called the people a word that developed into modern imperial as Tiskiruli and Tiskuri - meaning those who speak crooked or wrong. Their native name was something along the lines of Ravene - land of the people. The heartlands of the people were known as Trosne - or land of towers. By the end, the last realm of the Uzhilli was known as Viltne, which became Vilotinne - land of flower blooms.

History

The Uzhilli were in southern Soranna since before recorded history, although it is likely that they are not the true natives - due to the presence of ruins ancient to even them. It is likely however, that the Uzhilli are the first natives to live in the area since the Niranni conquered the Marin of the region before even the Ingharan dynasties. They would inhabit the region and develop prior to the arrival of a new group of Niranni from the north, who would conquer and assimilate the Uzhilli ever since the days of Usorring.

Culture

The Uzhilli can be divided into many subgroups depending on the place of origin. The Skaras from Sikas (Skasne), the Mneveras from the Waisari region (Mnevne), the Fteras from the Meatri region (Ftene), the Nsevras from the Soranna city region (Nsevne). Later, many of these groups would consolidate into the Viltras of Vilotinne as the Ingharan conquests assimilated many, but each subgroup survived in the Vilotinne region - bar the Skaras who still live on Sikas.

Architecture

The Uzhilli were well known stonemasons and architects, building vast arrays of cisterns and aquaducts as water was important to their religion along with the earth.

Towers

One of the most unique and common pieces of architecture of the Uzhilli is a mound-like tower known as a Rva. The Rva has a wide base and a thinner top, with it being used primarily as a storage site or watchtower by the Uzhilli. Rva were often made of stones or mud bricks and were found almost always on hilltops or mountaintops.

Shrines and Religious Sites

Typically, Uzhilli religious sites were open air, and held basins of water surrounded by earth. It is believed that the relationship between the two was holy, and often rain saw worship as being rained on was considered a sign of good luck.

Cities

Uzhilli cities were often built on rivers or lakes, and were most commonly made of mud bricks and stone. The main palace was often a temple and government building, a center of the state and religion that saw people invited in for rituals. The layout was usually in a geometric pattern, with squared wavy structures being highly prized.

Animal Relations

The Uzhilli have a strong relationship with the native Mibaen, a water-bison like animal that helps plow the fields. Their horns are used to craft decor and their skins are used in a variety of products that find their way all over the household. It has been domesticated by the Uzhilli since time immemorial. They are associated with the god Sbara.
A popular symbol of the people was that of a creature known as the Lruk, a caprinid with large flattened horns that it uses like a shovel to construct dens to hide from the hot summer sun. It is associated with Nepnu due to its relationship to the earth, and is sometimes called the mole-goat. It is a wild species similar to an ibex, albeit with its strange horns.
A final animal popular among the Uzhilli is that of the rare Kaplu, a semi-aquatic mammal known for piling rocks in mounds in the middle of ponds that it uses as nests. It has webbed, but dexterous grippers that it uses to hoist the rocks; it has a long flat tail to help it swim, a long snout to help it dig in the muck and detect prey; long teeth to help it eat vegetables and bamboo trees, a crest of hair on its head to attract mates, and waterproof fur. They typically live in groups of 3-6, and are about 1.5x the size of a beaver. They are said to be related to beavers, filling a similar niche but are more omnivorous.

Cuisine

The Uzhilli have a cuisine that consists of a large amount of fish, grains, and vegetables. Olives and Achla roots make a large part of the Uzhilli diet, being common and easily cultivated. Achla stew served cold is a popular summer dish, said to have a slight sour taste due to citrons and fermented Achla root. For meat sources, the Mibaen is common, along with Ingharan grouses.

Religion

Water and Earth

Prior to the Ingharan conquests, the Uzhilli revered gods of the water and earth most - with the preferred deity changing every year over a cycle of 15 years. The first and foremost deity is the god of waters - Sbara. Sbara worship was primarily done in a series of complexes on lake Soruma. Sbara was said to be a wrathful but also kind god, similar to the Ingharan deity Ishen. She is said to have taken the form most often of a golden turtle that rocked the waves and carved the rivers. Besides Sbara, the most popular deity was Nepnu, the god of the earth. Nepnu was primarily worshipped on a great hill between modern day Arkou and Ekoreste. Nepnu's shrine delved deep into the earth, with sacrifices being lowered down into the chasm where monks lived and performed rites. Besides these two, the faith was polytheistic and animistic.

Magic

Uzhilli magic was most renowned for its geomancers and healers. The geomancers helped carve stone into great monuments while the healers were so skilled they would be able to extract poison from animals to be used as ingredients or in war.

Music

The Uzhilli loved flutes, especially those made of clay that resembled an Ocarina. It is said they inherited this from a precursor race that once inhabited the Soramari.

Clothing

Basics

Uzhilli clothing is loose, but short. Uzhilli robes begin with the Nape - a robe that often has no sleeves and goes to the knees. Over this is placed a circular cloak known as the Kapta, which protects from the elements down to the waist. Nobles often wear golden plates over this, the most prized being a gorget of gold that would cover up to half of the Kapta. Often, hobnailed sandals were worn known as Kusna - that survived as the Ingharan word for shoes.

Nobles

The signature noble headpiece is a solid hat with feathers that crossed the head horizontally. A golden variation existed but was rare, that was a half circle of gold worn atop the hat. Noble robes often had sleeves that went to the elbows, becoming baggier after contact with the Ingharans began.