Human Cultures of Telgren
in Cultures of TelgrenThe cultures of Telgren, though often highly distinct, can nonetheless be traced back to several common ancestries, even for those who may be wildly divergent. Due to the vast amount of migrations, demographic changes, and outside invasions, Telgren's people groups are generally spread across wide regions, often separated by completely unrelated groups. Of these supergroups, the largest is the Wesevölk, consisting of Blazennian, Fremedhian, Giriþiudan, and Voðeren cultures, with about half of the Cloriadmen culture being of Wesevölk origin. The Wesevölk have dominated Telgren ever since the collapse of the elven Empire of Oleandron. From the Old Kingdom of Fraspika to the Golden Age of Raiding to the rise of the Blazennian Empire- alongside countless other powerful states and important events- the Wesevölk have been the foremost of Telgren's people. Even the colonization of Ifyrial and the trans-oceanic trade have been led by Wesevölk. But Wesevölk are not the only culture to have prospered on Telgren, as the Yuskiy have long dominated almost as much land and done just as well. Consisting of the Rodłowi, Relvetsian, and Erleting cultures, with the former two dominating the northern half of mainland Telgren and the latter ravaging the south, for many years the Yuskiy challenged the Wesevölk for dominance. However, in the past several centuries they have largely fallen behind the times due to their isolation from the trade networks of the Gnomes and from colonial gains.
Although often overshadowed by the powerful Wesevölk and Yuskiy, the smaller people groups of Telgren are not bereft of interesting and rich histories. For example, the isolated cultures of the Grenhóllr, Mauronians, and the now-extinct Koðr all developed independently on the northern islands of Telgren. The Metsamish, though full ancestry is limited to the Egrivalad, also count for 50% of both Cloriadmen and Taytaman cultures' heritages, as well as the enigmatic and long extinct Forest People, who once raised great mounds across East Telgren. The Laiškas, whose descendants today only account up half of the Siriasčulai culture's populace, once dominated much of the center of Telgren, and ruled the steppes before the centaurs arrived. Another surviving supergoup is that of the Talvinen, who have been the northernmost settlers on Telgren for many years, and who have long been considered to have both a fascinating culture and beautiful language. In 2000 SC, Talvinen blood can be found as far south as Taytama, where they make up the non-Metsamish half of the populace. Their culture is also present as the other half of the Siriasčulai people and, naturally, the fully Talvinen peoples of the Ryjtyvayl, Iähmi, and Kenttäinen. Even the extinct Kalatic group, who once populated much of southern Telgren, has traditions that can still be observed among many of the different cultures if one knows where to look.
Of course, not all who live on Telgren are native to the continent. The Qabali are an Ærellic people group who crossed over the narrow straits to Telgren over thousands of years, and who still have relatives on Ærellion. The Orentesh, Enctör, and Baxstir all descend partially from these migrants (though it is said the Enctör originated from Talvinen stock). Even the peripheral Casyrian culture, that artificial melting-pot human culture of Oleandron, enforced only by commonality in language and lot in life, exists today on Telgren. As a group made of a mix of various Ærellic migrants alongside traces of Kalatic, Wesevölk, and even Metsamish groups with an elvish flair, their influence was wide. The Alcediner are descended from Casyrian stock, though their culture has become distinct enough to no longer be considered Casyrian. Still, various subcultures across Telgren also bear a trace of this blood, with some more than others. Then, of course, there are the modern Casyrians, who continue to revere elves as political leaders and still exist in small pockets throughout some certain nonhuman realms and even parts of Fraspika.
History of Telgren's Major Cultural Groups
The Wesevölk are a major grouping of cultures found throughout Telgren- primarily concentrated in the central western regions. The Wesevölk share major linguistic and cultural traditions, including, notably, the Dre'adic religions. Originally inhabiting much of Far Western Telgren- namely the modern regions of Giriþiuda, Dzentrałkrin, Plaires Centralis l'Ouesse, and Fjalla, the Wesevölk were generally pushed north and east by the elves of Oleandron, although some tribes became a part of the Empire and later assimilated into the Casyrian population. Following the Disintegration of the Wainriders, the Wesevölk also expanded into the Verderé Hills and Cloriadme, which would leave Oleandron essentially encircled by Wesevölk. Although Oleandron continued to dominate the Wesevölk for centuries, they would eventually split the Empire in half, settling in modern Blazennia. Though Oleandron would continue to function for a few more decades, the Wesevölk can certainly claim the title of destroyers of the Empire. Following the collapse of Oleandron, Wesevölk would also move into the war-stricken region of Fremedhian, establishing dominance in yet another vast swathe of land. However, with so much migration, the lands of Dzentrałkrin would be left weak and undefended, allowing Yuskic tribes to establish control over the region. So too did the Wesevölk of the Plaires Centralis, long under the thumb of Oleandron, fail to maintain their dominance and lose control of that region to the Khanate of Clesentia, which destroyed thousands of human settlements and enslaved the survivors. Such conquests would lead to the migration of several tribes, led by the mighty Øldar the Red into northern Telgren. In the end, this exile would lead to the conquest and settlement of the Þaru Isles, Frostreach, and much of West Grenholl by Wesevölk, and finishing the major migrations of the Wesevölk. However, with the colonization of Ifyrial in the 1700s SC, the Wesevölk expanded once again, netting them lands in Rivielles and Raisauele- alongside their modern holdings on Telgren which consist of Blazennia, Fremedhia, Cloriadme, Giriþiuda, the Þaru Isles, and Frostreach. Also of note are settlements of Wesevölk in Dzentrałkrin, Dennonia, Alcedina, Fjalla, Vnutyr and Vneys Relvetsia, Provdyalmis, and both West and East Grenholl. Although not dominant in these regions, the sheer amount of Wesevölk settlements throughout Telgren cements them as by far the most dominant people group on Telgren.
Although perhaps not as influential or powerful as the Wesevölk in the modern era, the Yuskiy are indisputably the second most widespread group of humans to inhabit Telgren. The Yuskiy can easily be identified when compared to Wesevölk due to their placement of spirits above deities in the amount of worship, though they still acknowledge and respect their various pantheons. Yuskic peoples share common roots and an origin in Vnuys and Vnutyr Relvetsia, from where all modern populations descend. Having arisen in the forests which were and continue to be dense with spirits greatly influenced their religious direction, as did exchanges of ideas with neighboring tribes. The ethnogenesis of these people occurred in three distinct stages, which is what has led to the three main cultural groupings of Yuskiy. Before the collapse of Oleandron, may Yuskic-speaking peoples had already migrated into Dzentrałkrin, where they lived and warred alongside and against local Wesevölk tribes. These Yuskic speakers also participated in The Northsfall alongside their neighbors, although they played a more minor role. With the emptying of much of Dzentrałkrin, this opened the gates for yet more Yuskic peoples to migrate into the region, allowing them to establish a demographic majority that remains to the present day. Yuskic peoples would also continually expand the borders of their civilization north and east, pushing into the wilds of Provdyalmis and displacing or assimilating local peoples, contributing to ethnic and genetic diversity among the Yuskic peoples. In modern Telgren, the Yuskiy hold a demographic majority in Dennonia, Dzentrałkrin, Provdyalmis, and, naturally, both Vnutyr and Vneys Relvetsia. They also control the majority of the lands in Alcedina, though not having a demographic majority in that region, as well as maintaining populations in Fjalla, Blazennia, and parts of the Plaires Centralis.
History of Telgren's Minor Cultural Groups
The Metsamish are a people group which once inhabited much of southeastern Telgren, and which is now scattered across the land. Although as noted the Egrivalad are the only full Metsamish to remain in the world, there are several populations of people who are partially descended from Metsamish stock. The Metsamish peoples were the second of Telgren's cultural groups to encounter the Empire of Oleandron, and represented some of that state's mightiest foes. So powerful and populous were the Metsamish despite their tribal organization that they spread as far as modern Taytama by 100 BC. Unfortunately for the Metsamish, their large population proved to be unsustainable in the post-Calamity years, leading to a complete collapse of their civilization and dooming the Metsamish to conquest and assimilation by other peoples. On Telgren today, people of partial or full Metsamish descent form a majority in Cloriadme and Taytama, which are also the only regions they may be found in significant numbers.
The Laiškas are a truly unfortunate people group. With their roots in the modern Plaires Centralis and Orentelar, they suffered the full brunt of invasions and migrations that almost every people group on Telgren had to throw at them. From Wesevölk moving into the Plaires Centralis l'Ouesse to the Metsamish expansion to the north, even before the Great Calamity their position was tenuous. However, one notable success of the Laiškas during this time period was the establishment of settlements in what would later become Puiškas- the only remnant of Laiškan culture to survive into the modern age, besides the melting pot of Taytama's Little Steppe. However, even these settlements were motivated by Laiškan tribes being pushed out of Orentelar by the Qabalic invaders, as early as 1000 BC. Things would reach their worst point in the 800s SC, with the Qabalic Baxstir completely eliminating the Laiškan population from Orentelar and leaving their remaining settlements disjointed and fragmented, even within their stronghold on the plains. Despite their survival on the plains into the first century SC, the Laiškas were clearly a culture in decline. They would be devastated by the Enctör in the 1200s, leaving them easy prey for centaur tribes emerging from the collapsed Khanate of Clesentia, who had no qualms about destroying the final remnants of the once-proud culture in their original homeland.
The Talvinen are a culture group situated in northern Telgren, which they have dominated since antiquity. Although it seems likely that the Telvinens are actually not native to Telgren and instead migrated from Ærellion sometime before 1000 BC, their status as a people who only dwell on Telgren in the modern age means they are considered differently from the trans-continental Qabali. Talvinen migrations initially penetrated far into the north of Telgren, sweeping across an area from Orentelar in the south to the Pale Lands in the north and even into Provdyalmis. Eventually, they would come to hold a majority in these regions, even as migrants from the south took hold in borderlands. Counting the partially-Talvinen peoples of Taytama and Puiškas, the Talvinens hold a majority in both of those regions, as well as the Pale Lands. Though their majority in Provdyalmis has been lost to Yuskiy, they still hold a strong minority in the demographics of that region. Additionally, with new research suggesting that the Enctör are actually more closely related in linguistics to the Talvinen than they are to the Qabali, the Talvinen people can claim minorities in the far away Blazennia and the Plaires Centralis l'Ousse.
The Qabali are a minor culture group who once called the steppes of Ærellion their home but now live in the regions which border the Northern Strait. On Telgren, this means Orentelar, which Qabalic peoples have inhabited since 1000 BC. Although possessing a rich history, the Qabali have long been unable to really expand outside of this region- though much of Taytama was under intermittent control of Qabali from just before the Great Calamity to 800 or 900 SC, they proved unable to establish a real demographic hold over the region and thus failed to hold onto the region into the modern day. Only the Enctör, partially Qabali at best, makeup even minorities outside of Orentelar, in the aforementioned region.