Subject: Aranek Blitz Save Mon May 28, 2012 10:13 pm
The Aranek.
Spoiler:
An Aranek noble.
History.
Spoiler:
The Aranek are 4 collective sub-races of savage reptilian humanoids that thrive in the depths of the Sarkun jungles. For centuries they lived in solitude from the civilized world. Slowly they arose from the darkness of primal instinct and pack-hunting, and settled down into permanent residents.
The early 100's - The Aranek begin to build shelters and semi-permanent settlements. A simple religious ideal forms, the worship of the Sun, the Moon, and the jungle itself. These beliefs spread over oral tradition will become the base for the Aranek religion.
Late 100's - Tribes are strengthened by blood and now claim territories. They have now officially established permanent residence. Villages become more developed. The 4 sub-races that make up the collective Aranek are given basic tasks based on their sub-race's qualities. These tasks are what later establish the Aranek caste system. The Ssazar, or the Shamans/Priests, will untangle the mysteries of the magic weave, and guide their tribe spiritually. The Arunjai, or the Nobles, will lead their tribe in conquest. The Meso, or the Warriors, will defend the tribe's honor and it's territory, as well as do the bulk of the menial labor. The Khesun, or the Gatherers, will be the hunters, resource gatherers, scouts, craftsmen, and later on the scholars, engineers, and explorers of the tribes.
200's - Intelligence gradually increases each generation. Stone monuments and altars are built. Bloody rituals and sacrifice are introduced, to offer souls to the Sun, Moon, and the Jungle, in exchange for successful conquests, good luck, plentiful prey, and healthy offspring. The Ha'dri are encountered, and with no formal way of communication, are targeted as prey.
Mid 200's - The Ha'dri retaliate en masse against the tribes. There is varied outcome across the jungle, but in most cases the Ha'dri warriors have defeated the Aranek tribes. The Ha'dri are largely avoided and taken off the list of prey.
Late 200's - The official religion is established. Small stone buildings begin to replace huts and shacks. Gold, jewels, rubies, and diamonds are found in rivers and in caves. Some of them holding mysterious magical power. The Aranek shamans deem these to be sacred. Sacred jewelry for the Ssazar and the Arunjai is made. The jewels and gold is built into the monuments.
300's - Villages begin to thrive, and become cities. Larger buildings are constructed, and more religious monuments are erected.
Mid 300's - Large tribal war, which either eradicates or assimilates all tribes into 3 kingdoms.
Late 300's - The dominant tribe, the Impo'si, construct 3 great temples in their thriving cities. Each one dedicated to a different God, each one having daily sacrifice.
Early 400's - The Ha'dri, now more developed, attempt to make contact to the Aranek. Upon sending an envoy of diplomats with a rough grasp of the Aranek language, they see the cities and sacred temples and monuments with sheet gold hammered in. The envoy departs, explaining they will come back when the time is right.
Through the next few years, gold artifacts and sacred gold jewelry go missing. Scraps of sheet gold from the temples seem to have "peeled" off. The Shamans, who take careful watch over the artifacts, and the Arunjai, who guard the sacred grounds, are baffled. They do not possess a basic concept or instinct of greed. The Priests see it as a bad omen, and up the sacrifices.
426 - A bleeding Khesun hunting pack leader rushes into the sacred Priest house of the Impo'si capital. Speaking quickly, in a pained tone as he gripped a gash on his chest, he tells the head Shaman and Arunjai that his pack of hunters came upon a Ha'dri village. It had mounds of gold. Gold jewelry with the sacred, magical rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, gold artifacts of the God and Goddesses, and sheet gold from the temples. As proof, he holds up to the Shaman a piece of sheet gold, stained with his blood. As the Shaman takes it, he falls over dead.
The two heads of the kingdom agree that war must be taken. The word is spread of the Ha'dri's despicable acts on their temple grounds, and war is declared. When the other 2 Kingdoms hear of this, they set their differences aside and work with the Impo'si to enact revenge and recover the stolen artifacts.
426-433, the Gold War. "T'lexac, today we do not offer you one of your Sons or Daughters. Today we offer you the infernal insects that have desecrated our monuments to you, and your wives. Their blood will run their rivers red, their warriors will fall, and their cities will crumble. If not completely eradicated, the Ha'dri will SHUDDER in the thought of this day! No longer will stories of great ancestors or warriors be told to coming generations, only what was their way of life! Go, Sons and Daughters of T'lexac, claim what is rightfully ours, and enact our vengeance!" - High shaman Slann of the Impo'si, to the legions of warriors before their advance.
The 3 tribe-kingdoms, now working together under a common goal, launch a large surprise attack on Ha'drian villages along the outskirt of their territories. Villages are razed and any artifacts found are taken back. There is some bickering among the tribes of which artifact belongs to which tribe, but nothing that really distracts them from the revenge. Before they are able to push into the Ha'dri cities and social hubs, they are met with a resistance as strong as their own. These Ha'drian warriors hold the line between the cities and the Aranek legions. A legendary battle occurs, a clash of opposing styles of combat. Brute strength, crushing blows, and teethed clubs meets agility, graceful movements, and curved swords.
The years go on, the Ha'dri cities remaining largely untouched. But thousands of warriors on each side die. Warrior-shaman try to change the tide of war with their powerful magical influences, but they are seen easily by the Ha'dri and are targeted out of the group. Many artifacts are recovered, some even being worn by Ha'dri warriors.
High Shaman Slann dies mysterious, supposedly due to natural causes. Though it is thought that he was poisoned by his priest and noble colleagues who knew the war was making no progress. A new High Shaman is put in place, and he declares that T'lexac smiles upon his children for their bravery and for the enemy's blood that was spilled. The warriors leave abandon their camps as soon as the message comes. The tribes sever their bonds granted by having one common enemy almost immediately. They take their artifacts and gold back home and enjoy peace at last.
433-450's - Ha'dri completely avoid the Aranek tribes. In a way, the High Shaman Slann got what he wanted, the Ha'dri no longer even attempted contact with the Aranek. Through the years, human explorers trickle into the Sarkun jungle. The Aranek's scouts always have a watchful eye on them, but they are never harmed or approached. They are warded off with stampedes of Aranek prey, thanks to Shamans causing stimulating great fear in them from their magic. Large predatory animals are influenced by shamans to become extremely aggressive when explorers near.
450's - 547 - For decades, human explorers are kept out of the Aranek region of the Sarkun, through the Shamans' practices. The Aranek prosper technologically. They develop their own system of math, better engineering, breed livestock for food and sacrifice, and generally live isolated from the world. The 3 main tribes remain static, having largely indifferent attitudes towards each other, but keeping up trade.
547 - A human explorer and his expeditionary crew find the skeleton of an Aranek noble, and around it's neck a beautiful gold necklace encrusted with jewels. This sparks the Sarkun gold-rush, where explorers, prospectors, and miners move en masse to the Sarkun jungles, protected by mercenary companies and funded by governments and trading corporations. When questioned about the gold and the mysterious skeleton, the Ha'dri tell the humans of the Aranek, in great detail. Even being such kleptomaniacs for gold, the Ha'dri themselves warn the explorers of what they might spark.
562 - Artifacts and jewelry from archaeology expeditions around the outskirts of Aranek control are finding that the gold and marvelous stones are becoming scarce. It's dangerous work, and nature fights back daily. One mining foreman commented,"The heat, the diseases, and the animals assault us daily. It's like the Sarkun has a mind of it's own sometimes, I swear. Whenever we try to push in deeper into the jungle, something unfortunate always happens."
565 - A Sidan trading company, expecting foul play, sends a small group of payed mages to investigate the impenetrable area of the jungle expanse. The mages detect magic influences in the jungle, making the animals fright and stampede or attack humans when they approach. They conclude that someone is trying to keep them out of this part of the jungle.
568 - The wealthy Sidan company funds a 200 man mercenary army to break through the natural fence of animals. This army pushes into the depths of the jungle, slaughtering animals and cutting away at brush. The Shamans sense this, and amass an envoy to meet them. A Shaman, guarded by elite warriors and Arunjai, approaches from a clearing to the company. They try their best to explain that this is their land, and that they will accept trade and open relations, but will not let them go further into their territory with malicious intent. The ruthless Captain of the mercenary company, in the middle of the Shaman's babbling, simply says,"Shoot them." Crossbows are raised and are fired at the warriors. The surprise attack kills many of the warriors instantly. The remaining spring to action and a small battle ensues, with the better equipped mercenary company arising as the victor. The Shaman is killed in the attack, but many wounded warriors are taken prisoner. They struggle and fight, roaring and hissing as they are tied down and thrown into cages.
The Captain returns to the Sidan company's owner with the decorative jewels the shaman was wearing, along with the prisoner warriors, as gifts. He declares that he'll need much more men for his next expedition. The owner grants him this request.
569 - 578, The Rape of Qeuhextol. "You.. not won.. We.. never sssurrender! We ssstrong. Your comradesss.. dead. How much gold you promissssed you posssssessss? We fight for sssurvive. You fight for greed. We die.. in honor! We.. Will choke on our blood before we are taken sssslave! You have not won! You will never!" - High Arunjai Amek of the Kingdom Qeuhextol, addressing a squad of mercenaries in his destroyed palace in strained common, before he was shot to death by arrows.
Named after the tribe that was almost completely eradicated and enslaved, the Rape of Qeuhextol is the end of the Aranek kingdoms' golden ages. Like in the Gold War, they band together to fight the enemy. At first, they have major successes. But more and more come. These mercenaries, promised riches beyond their imagination for fighting in this hostile conflict, and told they were allowed to keep whatever gold from Aranek they killed, knew no bounds to their greed. They continued to flood the Aranek's ancient home land. For years the Aranek fought a losing war, but they knew no defeat. This was no longer for sacred artifacts or revenge, it was purely for survival. Everyday they lose ground and warriors.
576 - After nearly a decade of fighting, the mercenaries reach The Qeuhextol, the weakest of the tribe-kingdoms. The 2 other Kingdoms could not spare many warriors, as they were keeping the mercenaries at bay on their own fronts. Within a month, they had reached the capital. In the last days of the brutal fight for the capital, the High Arunjai made his palace into a super-fortress. The mercenaries fought the elite nobles guarding the capital. But it was over for them, their warrior's creed only has this to comment on the inevitable:[/i]"If death is sure, bring your enemies with you."[/i] The end of the Qeuhextol kingdom was marked by the killing of the experienced orator and master tactician in his own quarters, High Arunjai Amek. Artifacts were stolen, temples desecrated for it's gold, livestock was slaughtered, innocents and warriors alike enslaved, and the city was razed.
The Impo'si took in the refugees of the Quehextol kingdom. Things were getting desperate. The lesser Kingdom allied to the Impo'si made the decision to merge into the Impo'si. With the newly strengthened Kingdom, the Impo'si made a bloody counter attack. They put all their eggs in one basket, it was said that every able bodied warrior went into combat. They pushed into the destroyed city, and broke through the mercenary lines. It was the first major victory they had in years. The ruined city was cleared of mercenaries. The gamble worked, the advance of the brutal mercenary companies stopped and they went on the defensive.
In the last year of the war, the Aranek had pushed the mercenaries out of their territory almost completely. No more recruits were flooding in to replace their dead. News had spread to the mercenary scene of how little gold the soldiers really got, and how the death rate was high. The mercenary companies pulled out within 578. With their sacred gold and their brothers and sisters on the slave market, they were weaker than ever.
578-635, Period of Great sorrow. "Dancing on the ashes of our cities. Thriving on our blood. Gaining sustenance from our tears.
Left us in anarchy, in total chaos. We are shrouded in darkness. Where is prosperity, on the path ahead?" - Navir, famous Aranek poet.
After the mercenary companies left, there was a long period of instability in the new, single Kingdom. A large disillusionment of Aranek ideals and core values arises. With most of the large herds of prey and livestock slaughtered, starvation arose. In desperate times, the Kingdom enacted a strict military code to keep peace. For once in the entirety of it's society, the general Aranek populace began to break laws on a daily basis. Food became scarce, and it seemed that everything was going to collapse into chaos. Aranek were leaving more and more, abandoning home and leaving for the outside world, in hope that there might be hope elsewhere. For years the Aranek lived in quiet desperation, isolated from the outside world yet again.
Elsewhere in the world, Aranek are distributed through the slave trade. They are distributed largely, and appreciated for the race's large capacity of abilities throughout the 4 sub-specie. Few gain freedom, and educate themselves in new world ideals. They return to Impo'si and tell their people of the world, of all it's opportunities and choices. Though this is regarded as heretical by Shamans and hardcore religious followers, because each caste can only follow the paths set for their sub-race by the Gods. The Shamans let them speak, however. It was said that they sensed a positive outcome for those who would choose to follow the path.
635 - 650, Prophets of the New World, the great migration, and the revival of the Impo'si kingdom. "Thank the Gods, we are at peace. With great sadness, we look back at only recent history. But now, we shall overcome. We will rise from the ashes and restore our way of life." - High Shaman Jukiu.
In a period of 15 years, the Impo'si kingdom is re-strengthened, the Shamans restore the life of the local jungle area scarred by war, and many Anarek are given this choice: Stay here and our old way of life will be restored. Or go with these Prophets of the New World. Many Khesun and Meso decide to go with the Prophets, with few disillusioned Shamans and Arunjai aswell. And so, the prophets leave with these candidates, with their old home in perfect condition.
The Impo'si kingdom returns, with the same religion and way of life in order. But now, they're much less savage and bloodthirsty than when they started. They sacrifice livestock instead of Aranek peoples. They focus more on improving infrastructure and their limited technology than amassing large legions. Less than 200,000 "wild Aranek" as they are referred to live in the rule of the Impo'si today in Aeria.
650 - Present. The migrated Aranek sub-specie find their niches in the world, and a large number are freed from slavery. Some adjust to the life easily, while others end up returning to the world. Their caste system and native religion is largely discarded, and they often take up following the rest of the world's gods. The Aranek slowly become a common sight for many cities.
Physical description and facts.
Spoiler:
All sub specie of Aranek have the same basic traits. Bipedal humanoid reptilians with dark blue scales (aside from the Khesun). They have tails, hands with three large fingers and a single thumb, along with sharp talons. Usually with a long snout and rows of sharp teeth. Averaging in every sub-specie, the average height is around 6'4''.
They are all birthed from eggs from the females of their sub-specie. Inter-breeding between the sub species is not possible as well.
The Ssazar, the spiritual leaders and adepts of magic. They are the most differing sub specie out of the 4. They have very thick, prominent scales, as opposed to the smoother scales of their brethren, and shorter tails. They are not as naturally physically fit as their brethren, but can still be quite strong. Their snouts are short, and their teeth fall into uneven lines. The most interesting thing about the Ssazar is their ability to manipulate the forces of magic easier than that of the other sub-specie. Ssazar also have a high influence on the nature around them. Females have denser armor plating and have longer tails. They stand around 5'8''-6'1''.
In the outside world, they are often mages or leaders. Can live for up to 150 years.
The Arunjai, are the warrior-leaders. They are the most naturally physically fit Aranek. They have smooth dark blue skin, horns protruding from the side of the neck and running down their spine, and a long whipping tail. They have long, sharp talons, a muscular physique, and long snouts. Like the Khesun, the Arunjai have elongated snouts with large sensory organs. The Arunjai can often smell something before it can see it, and have hawk eye vision to match. These sensory organs give the Arunjai a high perception, but it makes the skull a very sensitive area. If hit in the skull or tip of the snout hard, the Arunjai will become disorientated.
An Arunjai noble stands around 6'8''-7'3'' in height. Depending on sex, females are often taller. In the "new world", they have became adept hunters, warriors, and leaders in some cases. Live up to 150 years.
The Meso, are the warriors of the Aranek caste. They have a wide pair of snapping jaws, armored plating in front of the skull that comes into a triangular shape, and a stout body with strong arms and powerful legs. They are not as agile or perceptive as their brethren the Arunjai or the Khesun, but they are quite strong. Surprisingly the Meso seem to have taken up the commoner role in the world's society. Instead of being a soldier or a guard, you can often find them behind a bar counter, working trade stalls, etc. They stand around 5'11''-6'3''. Females have horns. They live up to 130 years.
The Khesun, are the agile, cunning, and intellectual specie of the Aranek caste system. They are thinner than their brethren with a fit build, are the most agile, the most perceptive, and the quickest. They have small, razor sharp talons, a long snout, large eyes, and a long tail. They stand around 5'8''-6'1''. The Khesun is sort of the jack of all trades species for the Aranek. Though small and relatively weaker than their brethren, they were able to help in combat situations. They also house more developed sensory organs than that of the Arunjai, and a quick, cunning mind. Khesun are found around the world usually in positions of work that require extreme dexterity or intellectual skills. The most interesting ability Khesun possess is the ability to blend their scales in with the environment around them.
Can live up to 120 years.
Culture
Spoiler:
The Aranek speak an unnamed language of hisses, barks, and verbal speech. But they can speak other languages with relative ease, though most will elongate the S, just as the Naga do.
The Aranek beliefs and creation story. The Sun, T'lexac, is the God of War, Strength, and the Creator. The Moon, Lai, is the Goddess of prosperity, celebration, and mistress of magic. The Jungle, Mim'ra, is the Goddess of Life and Death, fertility, and the hunt. T'lexac was told to be the Father of the Aranek. That originally, there was only one sole Aranek race. It was said that he had offspring with each of his wives. Lai layed two eggs that would become the mother and father of the Ssazar. Mim'ra layed two eggs that would become the mother and father of the Arunjai. The Ssazar called to the magic that Lai controlled. The Arunjai defended the honor of T'lexac and his wives. It was incomplete, the Sun god knew it. T'lexac mated with his wives again, and with Lai he made the mother and father of the Khesun, and with Mim'ra the mather and father of the Meso. The Khesun fed the Aranek, and gathered for them their necessities. The Meso stood by the Arunjai in the stalwart defense of T'lexac's name and his people. And so, the eternal order was established.
Mon May 28, 2012 10:13 pm
