Harkonic Yulnate - (01)

Flag of the Yulnate

The Harkonic are a recently settled people who migrated from the East to form the Divine Kingdom of Harkon also known as a Yulnate. They were once a heavily nomadic people from a tribal confederation in the East until large portions of the populated migrated west due to better conditions and the aviability of resources, tales would even say it was a change of winds among the Harkonic ancestors. For centuries, the tribes in the vastness of the east of the lands were content to live as nomads, venturing into the towns, cities to raid and trade, and then returning to their ancestral freedom. It wasn't until now where the clans have begun to centralize themselves towards autocracy. The Harkonic people circulated around the beliefs of endurance, capability and where rulers followed the philosphy of utilitarism and stoicism as is the values of their dogmatic religion. But just as they settled down this does not get rid of their cultural traditions of living on the edge or going through the communal minimalist life of one's clan. Harkonic boys and girls raised to be tough and enduring. Hunting and archery were taught at early age. A seven year old boy can be told not to cry and man up within Harkonic culture. Boys and men train their archery and hunting skills while herding, just for fun and to test their abilities.

## Religion

Current majority of the Harkonic religion's known as Sumarism, based on the chronicles of Sumara, the stories of the Primacy, first and protector of the Aether(After-life). These Chronicles are passed through honored priests and gatherings within halls where they might even sing the epics to their children. It was said Sumara’s prime beast was a wolf, so usually hounds are found to be high regarded. The wolf also symbolized Stoicism, self control and divinity. The believers of Sumarism were called Sumarites.

Sumara created the After-life by using the enigmas of the world around him. Most Sumarites refer to Sumara as the Primacy. After death a Sumarite would ascend into the Aether as long as they follow the values of Sumara. The value of self control and utilitarianism is usually held to high regard along with some form of chivalry. Ancestors were usually worshipped themselves, where after death they ascended with Sumara in the Aether with their families/clans. The hall of Ambers describes to where a worshipper of Sumara dies they would ascend into a realm of eternal peace as a lord under the Primacy or an Amber Lord. The Lords of Amber are destined to protect their kins who still exist in the other world as long as their kin respect their ancestors and worship them. Though the Primacy still held high regard over all the lords of Amber.

Sumarites don’t poesses many taboos next to disrespecting the Ancestors, the Primacy, heresy, murder, thievery or devaluing Sumarite values. Anyone who were to break these taboos could end up as chattel slaves or worse depending on the sin as under Sumarite law. As a part of heresy this meant that most foreign religions are not tolerated by priests and others.

Priests hold their prayers in a temple to the Chronicles of Sumara and the Primacy, over heroic tales and stories. The priests wore crimson robes and crimson face paint as is tradition within the temples. The leader of the religion/ the true son of Sumara/ the Primacy was the Yul of Harkon. The Yul was considered the speaker and prophet of the primacy and unlike the priests his entire body while present or in public was to be dyed completely red. The Yula was destined to keep balance for the Aether should his death come then his sucessor would inherit it by drinking the previous’ Yuls blood out of their heart.

Marriages are done by having a single honorable duel between two of the guests from separate families/clans this shows who the Primacy and amber lords favor. Bodies were always meant to be burned if they were reachable usually in pyres. Their clothes or an important object to them would be placed in a shrine as according to ancestral worship. Boys who came of age were to enter their communities blood matches, which usually included duels, horse back riding, mass hunts and wrestling(more to be expanded on). In the end the boys would then achieve a tattoo on their back to show themselves to be a true Sumarite.

## Culture

Families and clans would prosper between each other by having blood siblings, young friends and comrades would begin to choose their blood-brother or sister simply by knowing them for a long time, it would be up to a priest to determine whether they are bound together. They would leave a cut over a specific area of the body, where they share the same spot of the cut. The blood oaths determine loyalty to one another. No man or woman was allowed more than three blood siblings, if only to avoid any potential tangles in conflicting obligations to different people. The Harkonic people also follow very strong communal ties as already mentioned, but there was also a form of average utilitarianism, which values the maximization of the average utility among a tribe's members(meaning you were expecting do some kind of labor or work) though usually seeking guide from a chief, priest or stoic leader to avoid repugnant actions. After rising to adulthood most were given the option to work in the farms of the wealthy manorialists or as pastoralists, serving the community or even as merchants, specialized jobs such as smiths or leaders or to gain teachings from the priests, of course there was the path of the warrior where children atleast 1-2 from every family to prove themselves to Sumara would become a mercenary or a guard of the clans. Mercenaries were quite common of the Harkonic peoples along with raiders who would go own raid trade routes to gain supplies or make a living. Generally there are only the prievlaged clans that were able to keep their nomadic roots and continue their travels, these clans were mercenaries and warriors who serve the Yulnate. The Noble manorialists benefited from the war spoils, Sumara's honor and the people's respect.

## Sports and Tradition

Harkonic tradition of blood

The Harkonic culture of course is a communal and utalitarian one as already mentioned. There was more to culture than worshipping Sumara, including festivities and entertainment whether it be wrestling, game, singing or sports.

The Harkonic are a communal culture whereby strong loyalty is shown to clan and familial groups, as well as the Harkonic culture in general. The Harkon's relationships with their neighbours and community are generally closer than most others. Friends are often very loyal as seen with the blood brother pact, performing favors for each other on a regular basis to fit with a form utilitarianism. Like a true people, the Harkon's believe that it benefits most as a culture to work together where the utility of every man, woman and child was expected to have some form of job or purpose. An example is where a child could learn to hunt game at the age of seven. If none of pastoral  or Sedentary work fitted a Harkonic, then he would most likely still follow Sumara's warrior belief and become a mercenary or warrior which was one of the greatest honors and respect a clan or family could receive.

There was also blood-sports which the warriors and mercenaries took part in. The blood sports were called Veri, Veri was a sport based on the kills that a soldier could make. To assure that they are actually keeping track of their kills, the soldiers would usually cut out the teeth and spinal cord of the dead to later on burn the spine in a ceremony and sell the teeth. The reward was of course the favor of Sumara and then 1 day of rest from battle, whoever collected the most spines won.

Festivities were based on solstices where for every solstice (winter, summer and Fall) they each represented something. Winter represented new beginnings and the spirits themselves where Harkonic peoples would usually honor their ancestors by making a shrine under the stars with offerings such as a familial blade or food being placed on the altar. Summer represented the the stories of Sumara, where tribes would either sing or reinact the old tales or the act out the teachings of Sumara, these were usually placed around the center of villages with men carrying wooden props or fake armor, tools etc. Then there was fall which represented communal ties, blood siblings and their families would come together usually with gifts such as horses, food among other things but never weapons. The families would spend two nights together before they depart.