Selvatores
The Selvatores are essentially the only Mapinguan culture within the realm, isolated in their corner of Ærellion and with little contact with others. However, this lack of communication with outsiders and reputation for violence belays a rich and unique culture, which dates back many thousands of years. A legacy of traditions, ancestors, and the memory of conflict, mainly with one another but occasionally humans or variaden, continues to evolve into a blend of old and new, largely untouched by the outside world. The Selvatores live entirely within the boundaries of the Gahnjhal region, which is itself mostly populated by mapinguan. The region with the thickest and most untouced jungles on all of Ærellion, Gahnjhal is a refuge for thousands of wild species which have long since been driven to the fringes in its neighboring densely populated regions. The Selvatores are greatly in tune with the local environment and cultivate the many species of the forest in a multitude of ways to ensure that the region remains both wild and fertile, thus supporting a population which is slowly but steadily growing, even as their control over the fringes declines over time. The Selvatores do have an inbuilt advantage over settlers, however- their near immunity to Malaria and other common tropical diseases, which helps their population not die of disease in the hot and humid jungles.
Although little is known about the Selvatores culture in general, they do divide themselves into distinct groups based on their ancestry, which ties back into their religious beliefs. The four groups are known as the Sippicadros, Listcoral, Notediers, and Gueccos, with all groups have their own unique traditions and origin stories. In general, the Sippicadros are a central group, living in and around the highlands and sacred mountains of the jungle. Although these mountains do, in places, rise far enough above the surface of the realm to no longer have a jungle environment, there is no settlement in these regions. The unfriendly climate and sacred nature of the mountains larely prevents any Selvatores from living there, although occasional ceremonies may be held just above the tree line. The Sippicadros are considered a Selvatores subsect skilled in magic and religion, and make up a large portion of the shamans and clergy. This has led to them being less warlike in general, though often assisting in invasions by outsiders on account of their strongly held beliefs. While the Sippicadros are effective shamans and clergy, their grip on magic is little more than superstition and is barely based on any sort of true magical ability. Shamans may truly believe they can do magic, all while ignoring reality's negative responses to their attempts. Nonetheless the presence of those who are believe to be powerful shamans has been noted as providing huge amounts of morale to the troops, who feel blessed, even as nothing has actally occured. Sippicadros may also be found deeper in the southern jungle region, though not approaching the coastline in general.
To the south of the Selvatores, mainly living in and around the southern coast of Gahnjhal, though in some places reaching inland, the Listcoral can be found. More adept at fishing and less focused on hunting than the other Selvatores, they are considered a backwater people, even by the standards of the mapinguan. Fighting is limited to clan-based skirmishing, and few if any of their members ever assist in holy rituals or fighting against outsiders, being so far away from the borders. Living a simple, natural existence, their jungles are dense and uncultivated, although home to a huge variety of species. Only the coastline itself has any sort of settlement, and any outsiders travelling along the coast must be careful stopping to repair their boats or obtain fresh water less they wish to be speared. In recent years, some outsiders, particularly the minotaurs have proposed building fortified posts at strategic points along the coast to prevent such assaults, but these have remained mere proposals, with all such attempts limited to being further north- for now.
Along the northern reaches and eastern coast of Gahnjhal one can find the Notediers. Powerful, imposing, and mysterious, they are the prototypical Mapinguan, but are also the only ones to have any sort of outsider contact, this of course being in the form of small scale trading with the variaden just to their north. Since tribal boundaries aren't clealy delineated, the two often cross into each other's lands, which may result in trade or conflict, depending on the mood of the two groups. Besides the occasional varadien incursions, the Notediers have been forced to contend with Minotaur expansionism in recent years, due to their exodus. Seeing them as savages, these Minotaurs have sought to invade to obtain both slaves and raw goods which they can use to feed conquest of one another as well as Hymar. The rising power of the human [tbd] has also sought to push into the forests; with the traditional border along the line between savanna and jungle recent leaders have sought to expand southwards and obtain new lands. Finally, the Mamalk states have managed to push far enough east in some places that they are threatening Notediers lands, but little conflict has occured between the two groups as of now.
The last, and most threatened group of Selvatores are the Gueccos. Their culture has been shaped by thousands of years of conflict with the powerful humans to their west, a low-scale warfare mainly composed of raiding from both sides. However, in the past few years the Gueccos have been outmatched by the Mamalk lords, whose near-independence and use of slave armies allowed them to carve out jungle fiefdoms from which they projected power. Following the collapse of the Karadatra Empire and the declarations of independence these lords sent, they have turned towards conquest back west, but most assuredly will expand into the east should opportunity arise. The Gueccos have certainly not stopped their assaults and raids, viewing such invaders as scum and worthy of only death. Their ferocity and prowess in battle makes them a formidable opponent, and they most certainly could reclaim their lands should things go poorly for the Mamalks.
Although little is known about the Selvatores culture in general, they do divide themselves into distinct groups based on their ancestry, which ties back into their religious beliefs. The four groups are known as the Sippicadros, Listcoral, Notediers, and Gueccos, with all groups have their own unique traditions and origin stories. In general, the Sippicadros are a central group, living in and around the highlands and sacred mountains of the jungle. Although these mountains do, in places, rise far enough above the surface of the realm to no longer have a jungle environment, there is no settlement in these regions. The unfriendly climate and sacred nature of the mountains larely prevents any Selvatores from living there, although occasional ceremonies may be held just above the tree line. The Sippicadros are considered a Selvatores subsect skilled in magic and religion, and make up a large portion of the shamans and clergy. This has led to them being less warlike in general, though often assisting in invasions by outsiders on account of their strongly held beliefs. While the Sippicadros are effective shamans and clergy, their grip on magic is little more than superstition and is barely based on any sort of true magical ability. Shamans may truly believe they can do magic, all while ignoring reality's negative responses to their attempts. Nonetheless the presence of those who are believe to be powerful shamans has been noted as providing huge amounts of morale to the troops, who feel blessed, even as nothing has actally occured. Sippicadros may also be found deeper in the southern jungle region, though not approaching the coastline in general.
To the south of the Selvatores, mainly living in and around the southern coast of Gahnjhal, though in some places reaching inland, the Listcoral can be found. More adept at fishing and less focused on hunting than the other Selvatores, they are considered a backwater people, even by the standards of the mapinguan. Fighting is limited to clan-based skirmishing, and few if any of their members ever assist in holy rituals or fighting against outsiders, being so far away from the borders. Living a simple, natural existence, their jungles are dense and uncultivated, although home to a huge variety of species. Only the coastline itself has any sort of settlement, and any outsiders travelling along the coast must be careful stopping to repair their boats or obtain fresh water less they wish to be speared. In recent years, some outsiders, particularly the minotaurs have proposed building fortified posts at strategic points along the coast to prevent such assaults, but these have remained mere proposals, with all such attempts limited to being further north- for now.
Along the northern reaches and eastern coast of Gahnjhal one can find the Notediers. Powerful, imposing, and mysterious, they are the prototypical Mapinguan, but are also the only ones to have any sort of outsider contact, this of course being in the form of small scale trading with the variaden just to their north. Since tribal boundaries aren't clealy delineated, the two often cross into each other's lands, which may result in trade or conflict, depending on the mood of the two groups. Besides the occasional varadien incursions, the Notediers have been forced to contend with Minotaur expansionism in recent years, due to their exodus. Seeing them as savages, these Minotaurs have sought to invade to obtain both slaves and raw goods which they can use to feed conquest of one another as well as Hymar. The rising power of the human [tbd] has also sought to push into the forests; with the traditional border along the line between savanna and jungle recent leaders have sought to expand southwards and obtain new lands. Finally, the Mamalk states have managed to push far enough east in some places that they are threatening Notediers lands, but little conflict has occured between the two groups as of now.
The last, and most threatened group of Selvatores are the Gueccos. Their culture has been shaped by thousands of years of conflict with the powerful humans to their west, a low-scale warfare mainly composed of raiding from both sides. However, in the past few years the Gueccos have been outmatched by the Mamalk lords, whose near-independence and use of slave armies allowed them to carve out jungle fiefdoms from which they projected power. Following the collapse of the Karadatra Empire and the declarations of independence these lords sent, they have turned towards conquest back west, but most assuredly will expand into the east should opportunity arise. The Gueccos have certainly not stopped their assaults and raids, viewing such invaders as scum and worthy of only death. Their ferocity and prowess in battle makes them a formidable opponent, and they most certainly could reclaim their lands should things go poorly for the Mamalks.
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