The Savanna Cities

The Savannah Cities, by Adrius Auxentius, published 804YD.   The Nicilian Savanna is, as the name suggests, politically dominated by the mostly-nomadic Nicilian clans. As such, most of the savanna is sparsely inhabited, with the clans tending their flocks of livestock from horseback, and dwelling in mobile yurts. These clans descend from the steppe nomads of northern Dukhala, who fled to Colossia in the First Century after the Discovery, adapted to life in the savannah, and united under Duntiv Khan in the early Second Century.   Not all of the savanna is populated by nomads, however. Prior to the unification of the clans, many cities were settled by other peoples, particularly along the northern and eastern coasts. Foremost among these was the wealthy trading city of Nicilia itself, which became the centre of nomad rule following Dunitv Khan's conquest in 136. These coastal settlements have been important centres of commerce ever since the arrival of the Dukhalan races, and have largely been spared the conflicts that have ravaged the rest of the savanna. As such, they have always been some of the most prosperous cities on the continent, though this fact has caused some Khagans throughout history to attempt to greedily seize their wealth, to varying levels of success. Even when such things do not happen, however, the mercantile cities and the nomad clans often dispute over matters of wealth and taxation, with the citizens often viewing the clans' taxes as little more than extortion, due to the relative lack of threat from outside aggression. Nonetheless, the Khagans have typically managed to maintain stability within the savanna (with only a handful of rebellions in the last seven centuries), owing in part to their spiritual authority as protectors of the Teghneist faithful in Colossia.   Despite their prominence, the coastal cities only make up a minority of the savanna's settled population. While there was little inland settlement early on in the colonisation of Colossia, the Wars of Faith and persecution of Teghneists by Colosse starting in the late Second Century drove many refugees into the lands of the Khaganate and its tributaries. Despite initial disputes with the nomadic clans, these new settlers were either directed to existing cities, or given land to establish new settlements. Such lands were typically those less suited to pastoralism, such as those with higher densities of trees or more mountainous or marshy terrain. While these territories were not necessarily ideal for agriculture either, many cities did prosper under Nicilian protection, particularly those around the Wyrmsea, who enjoyed relatively fertile land and trade with Lotium and the other Eastern Republics. These inland cities (commonly called the "border cities") tend to experience less conflict with their nomadic overlords, save for when growing settlements run into territorial disputes with a clan, they have suffered occupation and sacking at the hands of Colosse on numerous occasions, and still endure raids by the lizardfolk of Baris when the Nicilians are unable to defend them.   The savanna cities are, owing to the nature of their settlement, rather culturally and racially diverse. Most individual cities are dominated by a single race and culture, but it is by no means uncommon for two neighbouring cities to have wildly different cultures and populations (though peaceful intermingling over the centuries has lessened this to an extent). "Neighbouring" is something of a relative term in this case, however, as even to this day many cities are largely isolated by vast expanses of unsettled nomad territory. These cities and their attached villages are often connected to the outside world only by traveling caravans and Nicilian tribute collectors, and so are more likely to maintain or develop distinctive cultures and ways of life.   The relative peace of the last several decades since the fall of the Colossean Imperium have benefited the savanna cities by reducing the threat of war and allowing for mostly-unrestricted commerce with the Ciprosian states. At the same time, however, some of these states, notably Hagios and Akrai, have begun permitting settlers to travel into Nicilian lands, encroaching both on the territories of the savanna cities and the nomad clans. Time will tell if a peaceable settlement will be reached, or if a new era of Nicilian-Ciprosian conflict will begin.