COMMUNITY - FORUMS - OCEANUS DOMAINS
The land of Ushimaelys

County of Ushïmaëlys [Ush-May-Lees]

Geography

In the deep south of Kingdom of Tylsia lay the Waerd Shrublands. Rolling flat plains dominated by small grasses and trees and the occasional river streaking across the land, lies the lands of the Waerd of Tylsia. Unique in their attitudes and way of living, even by the standards of the Waerd, with a greater acceptance of foreigners and those of other tribes.

The shrublands are a wide open space, with low shallow hills, and space for a horse to gallop seemingly without end. Shallow rivers run through the land, with clumps of trees by their banks and small settlements of Waerd, living above ground in Adobe or timber housing, often along with their Neran brothers and sisters.

To the far South, barely a kilometer from the northern shores of Lor Voskara lies the County of Ushïmaëlys. The lands of the heart and mind. Ruled by the affable Count Taymurâz Zakâr, and turned into a bustling centre of trade, learning and craft, filled with bright cloths, glassware, metal works, spices and exotic fruits. The land itself a gateway to the waerd silk road, a network of trade hubs that connects the resource rich lands of The Kingdom of Caprakan with the other 3 kingdoms.

Culture

Ushïmaëlys is named after a small tribe of Brudvir whom, after spending generations wandering with nomadic Waerd traders and various Neran tribes, picked up many habits, customs and even accents that make them standout somewhat from other Brudvir, eventually losing their Brudvir heritage almost entirely. Marked by a greater willingness to accept other cultures and points of view than those attitudes typical of most other more insular Waerd communities, as well as an eagerness to uphold community-minded and more “democratic” mindsets and customs. Waerd, Neran and Kypiq are especially tolerated within the lands of Ushïmaëlys.

As a melting pot and key trade centre within the Kingdom, the capital of Ürshaal has become a melting pot of different clothing, armour and architecture styles, often garishly so.

City of Ürshaal

At the southern most point lays the mighty capital of the region, the City of Ürshaal. Both ensuring the freedom of trade and ideas, and protecting the channel between the kingdoms, the City dominates the landscape.

To it's north orchards and farmland, predominantly flax and cotton, as well as whatever vegetables and grains can be grown by people in the warm dry environment, stretches out, dotted by the odd homestead or village. Trade from the north filtering in along the roads, linking to the rest of Tylsia.

To the south, right at the water's edge, is the city proper and the fortress of Ürshaal. The adobe brick citadel housing not only House Zakâr, but also the military might of the region.

While it's structure is imposing, it's purpose is to help guard watch over the channel to it's south, as the count works with the Waerd in the lands south in Lor Voskara in order to ensure trade remains healthy and pirates [ideally] find themselves at the bottom of the channel.

Economy

Ürshaal has a very heavy focus on trade, and much of the County production is focused on producing key goods for other nearby counties, such as cloth for ship building (and clothing), or supplying paper to the royal courts of Tylsia. It imports some timbers, and food, as well as small volumes of exotic goods that the skilled local traders manage to acquire through their foreign contacts, which are then often re-sold on to the various Nobility of Tylsia at substantial profit margins.

Other Settlements in the County

TBA

Current Nobility

The County is currently ruled over by Count Taymurâz Zakâr, the modern day descendant of the head of the Métismärle people who founded the County after their long journey south. The Count has managed to build some influence both economically and politically, and sits on various committees and panels within trade guilds and Alliances around the region. Combined with a key trade location within the region, Ürshaal has become a bustling town of political, scientific and cultural activity.

Seeking to expand his domains, the count is encouraging of settlers and adventurers, using the university he helped to found and build as a driving force for the unification of the Shrublands Waerd.

Notable Guilds and Schools

  • Ushïmaëlys University. The university founded by Taymurâz Zakâr is one of the two primary dominant features of the city, with it's schools, libraries and forums for debate, and sanctums for quiet contemplation or study.

  • Fellsharft Trading and Shipping Company has a branch here for ship stop-overs and repairs, as well as frequent trade.

  • Süüeárinyék-Zakâr society, was formed by the father of Taymurâz for the purpose of protecting the House Zakâr from assassinations and plots. They operate in secret within the various towns and villages of the County, sometimes even slightly further afield. While their presence is never obvious, they are always close at hand to aid the Count should he require it, often disguised as servants or merchants passing by. From time to time they work with local military to act as a direct secret police force.

  • Cult of Tae'asha'asra, the dominant branch of Al'Tifali in the region, founded by the ancestors of House Zakâr, with an increased focus on reverence for nature, accepting strangers and use of military force. The priesthood is based out of the Ushïmaëlys University.

Military

Drawing on the traditions of the region, the Tae-as Waerd have a close affinity with the fine bows crafted for them by their Kypiq brothers and sisters to the north, and the horses of the Neran grasslands who also thrive on the Shrublands. The teachings of Tae'asha'asra have served to militarise them and bind them closer to the horses and the other animals of the land. As such the forces of Ushïmaëlys are predominantly archers, with a heavy feature on Cavalry. Still maintaining the traditions of the Waerd, they do not fight as other tribes do, preferring guerilla warfare tactics, night raids and skirmish lines. Their armour tends to be lighter than most Waerd use in battle, allowing more mobility and flexibility, but without the specialised camouflage tactics employed by their southern cousins.

The Neran of the region have also taken up the bow and horse, but still hold to their more regulated and traditional methods of warfare. Their numbers being far fewer they tend to be used primarily for garrisons or in holding key locations.

OOC information

Information on available County positions are in the discord now, so feel free to drop by and have a chat with me about anything that might interest you.

County Discord

8/19/2019 9:40:48 AM #1

Cult of Tae'asha'asra [Tie-Asha-Azra]

The Cult of Tae'asha'asra originated from the region of Ushïmaëlys, and is a branch of the Al'Tifali faith, the followers of the Two Fold Queen. It is actively taught at the Ushïmaëlys University and maintained by the Monks there.

Similarities

Like all Waerd the Tae'asha'asra foillow the Two Fold Queen as their utmost revered being, who guides them between the light and the dark. They hold to her core teachings as all Waerd see them, that death is a path of light, the shadow cast by the light. They view community as the utmost core value to protect, and balance in the world around them as the most important factor in determining "right" from "wrong".

Key theological differences

  • Less pacifist, the Tae'asha'asra or Tae-as Waerd, are much less likely to sit in their settlements and defend. Partly this is because the Shrublands steppe simply lacks caves and the natural defenses the Semi-Arid Desert affords. The faith itself is much more militant however, believing that communities should be actively defended, that attacking enemies is as good as befriending them, and that defending the teachings of the Two Fold Queen themselves often requires more direct intervention.
    "Peace is the prefered status of all living things. To live in harmony and to die in peace, one with the cycle of life in the world around us. However to surrender to violence and fail to protect one's family is to lack harmony and balance. Therefore sometimes taking up the sword and bow is essential to restoring the balance of the world. Thus death is the balance to peace, war to life. None of these must be shunned. A true Waerd must know how to fight."
    "There are only two ways to know your community is safe. If all other rivals are either your brother, or they are dead."

  • A greater focus on the natural world and the spirits that inhabit it. They do not outright accept the spirit world as the Faedin see it, and yet accept "spirits" in a more nebulous and vague manner as an act of syncretism. The balance of the world must therefore however not only include that which is of value to the tribes of Mann, but also all living things. This makes them more hesitant to kill, even though paradoxically they are more accepting of warfare. While they still eat meat, fruits and vegetables commonly favoured by the Kypiq are much more common in the diets of Tae-as Waerd. "The living force of the land is itself important. Without life there cannot be death, and death is merely a stage on the path of life. To respect the land and all living things is therefore essential in avoiding extremities of thought and deed, and thus essential to maintaining the balance."

  • Linking hand in hand with their Shrublands lifestyle and closer connection to the land and the creatures on it, the Tae-as Waerd also have a closer bond to their horses. Revered as a near necessity when riding the open flat shrublands, it is accepted that all Tae-as Waerd own a horse, and that when going to battle, that horses are an absolute essential. They treat their horses more as pets, replacing the dogs and other animals commonly found elsewhere.
    "A warrior without a horse, is a warrior without legs. A warrior without legs cannot fight, and is therefore not in balance and can no longer defend their family."
    "Lend your horse your friendship, welcome it into your family, and when you need to run, it shall lend you it's speed."

  • Contemplative meditation is a required normal daily practice. To seek out the middle path of their own minds and find an emotional and mental balance within themselves. It is common to see workers in the field pause all at once and spend a moment feeling the breeze on their faces and contemplating the world around them.
    "The path to balance is not only sought in the physical and spiritual worlds, but also within the mental. Within our own mind is a place of thought that itself must attain balance and harmony."

  • Accepting strangers is a more common practice, with the Tae-as Waerd being far less Xenophobic than their cousins. Accepting differences and change is seen much more as a normal part of life, and thus essential to balance. Of course, being Waerd they cannot accept too much change.
    "Welcome the stranger, for they are part of the growth of the world. They are life as you are life, and with them you may learn to grow. Be wary of those who would harm your family or mislead you though. In this find balance in your dealings with the stranger."

Daily practice

Religious observance is more of a personal issue, left to their private meditations and their fulfillment of life and death on the back of their horses, riding across the shrub-plains.

Within the capital of Ushïmaëlys however the priesthood are active in the community and the University hosts regular public plays, debates, lectures and poetry readings. As such religion takes on a more active role, comparable to that of the Virori as well as other Waerd. This sits well with the Neran in the region, but feels much more alien to foreign Waerd who are not used to the more laid back nature and active thought of the Tae-as Waerd.

The Tae-as Waerd also have a tendency to heavily utilise bright colours on buildings, and decorate indoor areas with flowering plants as much as possible in a way to connect the living world outside with the "dead" world of their houses. Their symbol of the flower Mandala tends to feature heavily in symbology, often intermingled with the eye of the Two Fold Queen, and even at times Faedin symbology.

8/19/2019 1:10:56 PM #2

A great take on shrubbie adaption. Hope to be able to work with my Waerd bro’s from my bolt hole in the mesas 🌚🌝

8/20/2019 12:10:00 AM #3

Made some small updates and linked to the Ushïmaëlys University page properly, so now you can read both threads and get the full scope of the city. :)

8/20/2019 5:19:02 AM #4

I look forward to the work we will do. May our lands be ever fertile and our trade be an endless flow.


8/27/2019 10:21:21 AM #5

New flag and colours to represent the entire county community, and a quick mockup by Huffin at the bottom of the first post, showing our flag in the field. :)

9/21/2019 7:25:26 AM #6

To the unknown mayors who placed in my county, welcome to the Ushïmaëlys family!

Please join us in the discord when you can, and we can chat about the ways we can work together and I can help you out with your plans!!

<3