Aimaur

The Aimaur are a populous human people group native to South Ærellion, in particular the savanna but also scattered across the whole subcontinent. For many years, the forefathers of the Aimaur have maintained powerful states throughout the region, in dynastic cycles. However, their nations suffered from a series of catastrophes which led to the collapse of state authority. Following these collapses, the population inevitably lapsed into tribalism or local tyranny, and each triggered a wave of new migrations outwards, leading to a dispersal of the peoples across the realm. The Aimaur represent those who have remained in South Ærellion as opposed to the Jhasanhian who fled eastwards. However, their population remains greatly dispersed.

The Aimaur are split into three major groups, with the vast majority of their population belonging to the Poloras peoples. These Poloras are descended from the central population on the Yvalāntu savanna who remained in the heartlands of their ancient kingdoms. The Poloras have largely splintered into different tribal groups, who have feuded for centuries over their collapsed states, as well as having greatly exploited by the Ursumar both economically and militarily, which has further interrupted development. The Divinity of Ashēryku worked to divide the Aimaur further as they coveted their resources, turning tribe against tribe and supporting those who would pay tribute, eventually coming to indirectly dominate the entire lake coast. From the mid 1880s to the early 1970s, during the zenith of the Bēlqūašdu Empire, the Aimaur were forced to pay tribute of both people and goods, as well as tolerate wealthy Ursumar planters establishing an autonomous region to exploit their people. Bēlqūašdu's recent collapse has given them access to more resources than in a long time, but their future remains grim. Despite their political and religious disunity, the Poloras are remarkably culturally homogenous, with very similar dialects and consistent trade ties with the other states while not at war. Their largest split is religious: the Poloras believe that their gods abandoned them and that four mortal heroes led the survivors after the fall of their final state. These heroes kept them fairly united and resisted Ursumar expansion. However, after their deaths, the Poloras became even more disparate, and even easier to exploit, despite the formation of the cult of the Followers of the Four. Due to disputes over which of the Four to follow, the Poloras have been locked in war between the various factions, though a growing movement in the northern Poloras, particularly those under Ursumar dominance hopes to bridge this divide and reunite the faith.

The four regional types of Poloras (though unrelated with the Four) are the Jungle Poloras, Savanna Poloras, Lake Poloras, and Plantation Poloras. The Jungle Poloras are tribes which reside in the coastal jungles, which are technically outside of Yvalāntu. Savanna Poloaras are the main group, and who live along the stretch of savanna between the Anemoi-populated highlands and the lake. To their south are the Lake Poloras, who live alongside the smaller lake, sequestered on its shores. Some of these also live on the troll-populated side of this lake, as they moved their under the height of the Divinity of Bēlqūašdu before it collapsed. The final group, the Plantation Poloras, were more heavily exploited by the Ursumar because of their longtime direct control relatively close to the imperial center. They have adopted some Ursumar customs. However, these four groups, sharing the same language and majority of their culture, are usually considered one people, with their divisions being more relevant in tribal politics.

Although the Poloras remain by far the most populous, the other Aimaur groups are not to be forgotten. These two groups, both closely related, are the Mnouska and the Anaskhrom. These peoples were originally a group of migratory Aimaur, and in fact the earliest settlers in the region, making use of the riches of the scattered jungles and savannas of the region. However, under early Aimaur Empires, they were pushed deeper into the mountains and eventually brought into the fold of the Aimaur states, becoming slaves or servants. Otherwise, they were forced to trade valuable spices and flowers from the highlands in exchange for rice as opposed to being allowed to practice their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Many of them formed slave communities within Yvalāntu, eventually becoming the Mnouska. However, as various Aimaur states collapsed, many of the tribes which remained in the mountains were able to escape bondage, becoming the Anaskhrom. These people spread across the highlands and mountains, becoming much closer to the Anemoi and largely paying tribute in exchange for lands. Nonetheless, they kept close ties to the other Aimauri peoples, especially the Mnouska. Having long lived among them Anemoi, they are not a very warlike people because the Anemoi do not draw outsiders into their clan conflicts. Instead, they have caved out a niche as traders and musicians, as well as growing a number of crops the Anemoi prefer not to. For the most part, they are left to their own devices as long as they pay tribute to the local Anemoi lords. Both of these groups are not followers of the Four, and continue to practice their own indigenous animism, which they have followed for many years.