Rhaakorkhaar

The Rhaakorkhaar

The Savannah Lions, Children of Grass and Water The Rhaakorkhaar—often translated as Savannah Lions—form the broadest and most widespread cultural group among the Khaarak. They inhabit the golden Savannah of central Rhaakhor, especially the wide lands surrounding and stretching along the Hjaal-Veera (Tears of Hjaal). More than any other culture, they see themselves as the true children of the savannah, shaped directly by grass, herd, sun, and seasonal water. Because of their vast territory and mixed way of life, the Rhaakorkhaar are also the least homogeneous Khaarak culture. Settled towns, semi-nomadic herders, and fully nomadic prides all exist within this cultural sphere. What binds them together is not architecture or law, but a shared understanding of life under the open sky.

Identity and Self-Image

Rhaakorkhaar believe the savannah itself was shaped for the Khaarak by the Eternal Lion. They see neither stone cities nor total wilderness as the ideal way of life, but rather a balance: movement with the herds, respect for water, and strength earned through survival.

They often describe themselves as:

“Those who know the grass”

“Those who read the land”

Mocking names used by outsiders include Grass Manes, Mud Brains, or Semi-Wild Lions, though such insults are taken seriously and can provoke violent responses. The long conflict between settled and nomadic Khaarak—especially the war over lands west of the Hjaal-Veera—deeply scarred this culture. Clans with blood ties found themselves on opposing sides. Even today, tensions linger, and opinions on nomads versus settlers vary widely depending on location and clan history.

Speech and Manners

Rhaakorkhaar speech is loud, fast, and rougher than the refined High Khaaraki of Kaar or the calmer tones of the riverfolk. This is often attributed to life among large herds and open plains, where voices must carry over distance and wind. Honor is commonly expressed openly and verbally, especially through:

praising another’s herds,

wishing prosperity to their animals,

acknowledging skill in herding or survival.

To insult, harm, or steal another clan’s herd animals is among the gravest offenses in this culture and is often treated as a cause for bloodshed.

Appearance and Dress

Rhaakorkhaar favor a natural, practical appearance. Manes are typically left wild in shape, though often colored with mud or blood in brown and red tones. Decoration with bones, horns, and carved tokens** is common, especially among nomadic clans.

Everyday clothing is functional:

leather and fur garments suited for riding and movement,

minimal woven fabric,

cloaks are rare outside ceremonies and mostly worn by priests or clan leaders.

Scent is not masked. Most smell of grass, herd animals, blood, and sun, though traders and more settled individuals may use simple floral oils.

Beliefs and Sacred Practices

Religious life among the Rhaakorkhaar is deeply intertwined with the land rather than centralized temples.

Sacred places vary by region:

Near Hjaal-Kor, the Acacia of the Vision is central.

In northern areas, the Sacred Cave of the Spear (Ssaar-Korath) holds great importance.

For nomads, migration routes themselves are sacred, remembered paths walked by ancestors and herds alike.

Shadow-reading

Shadow-reading is common and respected. Unlike in Kaar, it is not restricted to priests. Groups often gather to read shadows together, discuss meanings, and even perform shadow-plays to teach children history and moral lessons.

Important taboos include:

selling sacred mud from the Hjaal-Veera,

camping in the dry riverbed (the river’s spirit is believed to flow even without water),

denying water to those in need (except declared enemies in war).

Economy and Warfare

The Rhaakorkhaar economy is centered on:

herding antelopes,

hunting,

controlling fords and caravan routes.

Their towns are built of mudbrick and grass, blending into the savannah rather than dominating it. In warfare, they favor speed and mobility:

mounted warbands,

hit-and-run tactics,

ambushes using tall grass and terrain.

Even settled Rhaakorkhaar often fight in this style, seeing heavy armor and rigid formations as ill-suited to the savannah.

Relations with Others

The Rhaakorkhaar define themselves between extremes:

They distrust the Kaarash, seeing them as arrogant stone-builders bound by excessive law.

They fiercely oppose the Western Wild Nomads, who raid herds and reject shared rules of water and land.

Relations with riverfolk and desert cultures depend largely on trade and local agreements.

Internal conflict is common, especially over:

grazing lands,

access to water,

control of trade routes.

Yet alliances form just as often, sometimes crossing the nomad–settler divide when clans recognize shared identity as **true savannah people**.

Outsiders

Outsiders may travel through Rhaakorkhaar lands only with protection. Even then, the region is dangerous. Paying tolls offers no absolute safety, and some clans may rob or kill travelers regardless of agreements. The fastest way to die in Rhaakorkhaar territory is to harm or attempt to steal herd animals. To the Rhaakorkhaar, the savannah is alive, watching, and unforgiving. Those who survive it with honor earn respect. Those who do not are simply forgotten beneath the grass.