Ndọrụgbo
The Ndọrụgbo are a human culture primarily found near the gulf of Kouleroum and along the winding savanna rivers which feed into it. Ndọrụgbo are attested to dwelling in the region long before other human groups arrived, and they claim they are inidigenous to the region. For thousands of years, the Ndọrụgbo lived in agriculturally productive communities ruled over by minor nobility and rarely, if ever, came together to form a union. During the Great Ifyrialn migrations, encroachment upon their territories by the Mɔkaniwi and Abakhethiwe peoples caused an internal migration and concentrated their population in a smaller area. This competition for resources led to a swift consolidation into a centralized empire, but the unity of this state would not last, and it became weak and decentralized as resources were stretched dealing with continual raids and local leaders once more become predominant. During the rise of Ilraeus, this empire was conquered and incorporated into their state, where the Ndọrụgbo would be subject to a wave of repression and violence lasting over a century. While the Ilraeuns were partially successful, they failed in wiping out the Ndọrụgbo culture in its entirety, merely warping it.
During the Ilraeun period, many of the minor gods of the Ndọrụgbo faiths were lost, with even a few major gods being confused and forgotten. The jumble to deities made the faith hard to maintain, and only a few groups, mainly extremists devoted to one or two gods at most maintained the memory of these few that remained. This was the perfect breeding group for militaristic gults which began working to undermine the Ilraeun dominance while slowly transforming the Ndọrụgbo culture themselves. Around the year 1000 [exact date tbd], the Ndọrụgbo people joined with Abakhethiwe who were also under Ilraeun control and revolted, beginning a brutal war between Ilraeus, which sought to restore its dominance at any cost, and the rebels, who sought independence at any cost, knowing full well the horrors Ilraeus would inflict upon them should they win. However, this win-at-any-cost mindset among the rebels propelled the Delzhamon mar Kharturr cult to the forefront, and led to extremism, alienating first their Abakhethiwe allies and then even many of the other Ndọrụgbo. This, more so than any remaining pre-Ilraeun splits, is what define the modern Ndọrụgbo subgroups- the Ndindite, the Osọnụ, and the Jirrụ. The Ndindite stand as the first line of defense between Ilraeus and the other Ndọrụgbo, and they consider themselves quite superior and much more developed. It is certainly true that they are a much more centralized, walike, and industrious people than the other Ndọrụgbo, but they lack artistic, architectural, and societal develop on a cultural level due to their focus on warfare. Most of the tenants of their culture are developed from their religious beliefs, which inform the people on all aspects of life. These inflexible beliefs essentially forces men to be polygamous warriors and women to be baby factories, both of which naturally make for a miserable life on a personal level. Only a lucky few are spared from this life and trained by the Academies, a grab-bag of dreamers, intellectuals, and those who don't fit in. On a more positive note, the societal focus on the production of children ensures that on a cultural level, the safety of mothers and anti-disease methods are more sopisticated than surrounding peoples.
Out in the southeast, closer to the open savanna, one can find the Jirrụ. The Jirrụ are much closer to the pre-Ilraeun version of Ndindite, preferring a more small-scale decentralized government. Unlike the Ndindites, there are many tiny Jirrụ communities who do not sweat fealty to any master, being generally autonomous. These independent communities- in essence, ruralized city-states are also the basis of the sole Jirrụ nation-state, which is composed of a federation of trading cities, under the loose hegemony of [tbd], which dominates thanks to its value in the riverine networks. Despite their rejection of the centralized form of governance that defines the Ndindites, the Jirrụ share many values with their wayward cousins- loath as they would be to admit it. On a whole, they are staunchly religiously traditionalist, even though they have lost many of their gods. They are also known to be polygamous, with most housholds of the wealthy having many wives. Roles between men and women are clearly delineated, though they are not so dystopic as the Ndindites. They are also fairly militaristic on a low scale, with wars of honor and/or for captives fairly common between the different communities. However, they are notably much more invested in song and dance than their dour counterparts, with Jirrụ festivals being held for special occasions. Many of these festivals recall long-lost deities, whose memory is honored even as their names and purpose are lost.
In contrast to the Jirrụ and Ndindites, who were once one people that were sundered by Ilraeus and the independence war, the Osọnụ, while closely related, trace their roots back to an earlier split. Composed of small communities of fishermen and hunters situated nearby the delta, the Osọnụ can be clearly differentiated by their more tribal and less settled manner of life. While for the other Ndọrụgbo, the cultivation of the yam is a key part of their society, the Osọnụ prefer fishing as their primary source of nutrition (though yams are raised as a supplementary crop). Combined with fishing, the Osọnụ are able traders, ranging upstream quite a ways and often interacting with the other Ndọrụgbo. The Osọnụ, like most other cultures in Ifyrial, are slavers, but they have a much more humane approach than is the norm. In Osọnụ culture, slavery is merely a temporary state in one's path, and is seen as a learning opportunity for the slave to reflect on what brought them there. In exchange, they must work for no pay, though they are generally permitted to acquire property during this time to prepare them for life after enslavement. There are many different types of slavery within Osọnụ society, but the most famous is probably the reformative kind. This is practiced on criminals (and goblins, who are seen to autonomatically be criminals). Should they display changed behavior, a more nuanced life, and understanding of their wrongs, they can be freed, but otherwise they are kept in bondage indefinietely. Although the Osọnụ are generally more harsh on goblins, it is considered a grave sin to hold a slave for longer than he is entitled to be held, and therefore it is rare to see genuine abuse of the system.
For most communities of Ndọrụgbo, the yam is a sacred crop, given to them by the gods. Its use reflects their reverence for the gods, and is one of the strongest parts of their culture. However, this doesn't mean that their agriculture is one-dimensional, as rice farms, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and other fruits are commonly farmed, just on a smaller scale. Proto-curries containing rice, yams, and fruits are fairly common as staple meals. Palm oils, palm wine, and palm kernels also supplement their exports, alongside fish and small-scale bush meats.
During the Ilraeun period, many of the minor gods of the Ndọrụgbo faiths were lost, with even a few major gods being confused and forgotten. The jumble to deities made the faith hard to maintain, and only a few groups, mainly extremists devoted to one or two gods at most maintained the memory of these few that remained. This was the perfect breeding group for militaristic gults which began working to undermine the Ilraeun dominance while slowly transforming the Ndọrụgbo culture themselves. Around the year 1000 [exact date tbd], the Ndọrụgbo people joined with Abakhethiwe who were also under Ilraeun control and revolted, beginning a brutal war between Ilraeus, which sought to restore its dominance at any cost, and the rebels, who sought independence at any cost, knowing full well the horrors Ilraeus would inflict upon them should they win. However, this win-at-any-cost mindset among the rebels propelled the Delzhamon mar Kharturr cult to the forefront, and led to extremism, alienating first their Abakhethiwe allies and then even many of the other Ndọrụgbo. This, more so than any remaining pre-Ilraeun splits, is what define the modern Ndọrụgbo subgroups- the Ndindite, the Osọnụ, and the Jirrụ. The Ndindite stand as the first line of defense between Ilraeus and the other Ndọrụgbo, and they consider themselves quite superior and much more developed. It is certainly true that they are a much more centralized, walike, and industrious people than the other Ndọrụgbo, but they lack artistic, architectural, and societal develop on a cultural level due to their focus on warfare. Most of the tenants of their culture are developed from their religious beliefs, which inform the people on all aspects of life. These inflexible beliefs essentially forces men to be polygamous warriors and women to be baby factories, both of which naturally make for a miserable life on a personal level. Only a lucky few are spared from this life and trained by the Academies, a grab-bag of dreamers, intellectuals, and those who don't fit in. On a more positive note, the societal focus on the production of children ensures that on a cultural level, the safety of mothers and anti-disease methods are more sopisticated than surrounding peoples.
Out in the southeast, closer to the open savanna, one can find the Jirrụ. The Jirrụ are much closer to the pre-Ilraeun version of Ndindite, preferring a more small-scale decentralized government. Unlike the Ndindites, there are many tiny Jirrụ communities who do not sweat fealty to any master, being generally autonomous. These independent communities- in essence, ruralized city-states are also the basis of the sole Jirrụ nation-state, which is composed of a federation of trading cities, under the loose hegemony of [tbd], which dominates thanks to its value in the riverine networks. Despite their rejection of the centralized form of governance that defines the Ndindites, the Jirrụ share many values with their wayward cousins- loath as they would be to admit it. On a whole, they are staunchly religiously traditionalist, even though they have lost many of their gods. They are also known to be polygamous, with most housholds of the wealthy having many wives. Roles between men and women are clearly delineated, though they are not so dystopic as the Ndindites. They are also fairly militaristic on a low scale, with wars of honor and/or for captives fairly common between the different communities. However, they are notably much more invested in song and dance than their dour counterparts, with Jirrụ festivals being held for special occasions. Many of these festivals recall long-lost deities, whose memory is honored even as their names and purpose are lost.
In contrast to the Jirrụ and Ndindites, who were once one people that were sundered by Ilraeus and the independence war, the Osọnụ, while closely related, trace their roots back to an earlier split. Composed of small communities of fishermen and hunters situated nearby the delta, the Osọnụ can be clearly differentiated by their more tribal and less settled manner of life. While for the other Ndọrụgbo, the cultivation of the yam is a key part of their society, the Osọnụ prefer fishing as their primary source of nutrition (though yams are raised as a supplementary crop). Combined with fishing, the Osọnụ are able traders, ranging upstream quite a ways and often interacting with the other Ndọrụgbo. The Osọnụ, like most other cultures in Ifyrial, are slavers, but they have a much more humane approach than is the norm. In Osọnụ culture, slavery is merely a temporary state in one's path, and is seen as a learning opportunity for the slave to reflect on what brought them there. In exchange, they must work for no pay, though they are generally permitted to acquire property during this time to prepare them for life after enslavement. There are many different types of slavery within Osọnụ society, but the most famous is probably the reformative kind. This is practiced on criminals (and goblins, who are seen to autonomatically be criminals). Should they display changed behavior, a more nuanced life, and understanding of their wrongs, they can be freed, but otherwise they are kept in bondage indefinietely. Although the Osọnụ are generally more harsh on goblins, it is considered a grave sin to hold a slave for longer than he is entitled to be held, and therefore it is rare to see genuine abuse of the system.
For most communities of Ndọrụgbo, the yam is a sacred crop, given to them by the gods. Its use reflects their reverence for the gods, and is one of the strongest parts of their culture. However, this doesn't mean that their agriculture is one-dimensional, as rice farms, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and other fruits are commonly farmed, just on a smaller scale. Proto-curries containing rice, yams, and fruits are fairly common as staple meals. Palm oils, palm wine, and palm kernels also supplement their exports, alongside fish and small-scale bush meats.
Comments