Heraldic Kingdom of the Otamlar

The **Otamlar** are humans that occupy the southern end of the Great End Peaks. They build their villages, fortresses and churches at high amplitudes as well as carving them out of the mountains. Temperatures in these lands wildly vary, with scorching summers and freezing winters.

The Otamlari are great archers and arbalesters, and have repelled many Gnoll invasions by using the terrain to their advantage. Their men detest weakness and frailty, and many times, when a male gets maimed, crippled, blinded or even gets old enough, they walk out to the mountains to die by themselves.

Their political leader is also a religious one, called the Herald of Change, which is a hereditary title. Their domesticated animals include ash yaks, mountain goats and snow sheep. Whenever a guest visits their home, they offer him a piece of goat cheese as gift of hospitality.

## History

The Otamlar people have inhabited the plateaus and valleys of the southern Great End Peaks for millennia. Evidence of civilization in these lands have been traced to more than four thousand years ago, although according to Otamlar stories the first state in these ranges was founded closer to six thousand years ago. This state was known with the name of “Utaru”, founded along the Savuk river. Soon, many other cities states sprung up. Mordak, Korzarat and Ashamar and Samron were some of those, while others’ names have been forgotten.

According to Otamlar legend, these states were united around three thousand years ago under a single God-King, his name being Hamos Arai, the messenger of God and the destined hero of the Otamlar people. It was during Hamos’ reign that the Otamlar found their first ever victory against the mighty Runaan, where a handful of scouts were able to rescue more than a dozen Otamlar prisoners deep in the Ashland Desert caverns. According to the Otamlar religion, Hamos Arai’s dynasty was set to rule the Otamlar for all eternity, but alas, it was not meant to be. Hamos’ descendants grew decadent and let their pride swallow them, and when the growing threat of the Khenomeric Empire reached them, they chose war and violence instead of diplomacy and reason. Not only that, but they chose to march towards the Khenomerics instead of defending their own lands.

As expected, the Otamlar met many defeats in the fields of battle and would soon negotiate for peace. Hamos’ dynasty was humiliated and was stripped of all power. The Otamlar became vassals of the Khenomerics, although this vassaldom was in name only, as the Khenomerics did not bother much with the isolated regions of the Great End Peaks apart from collecting tribute and suppressing the occasional revolt.

The years under the Khenomeric Empire were insignificant and uneventful. The Otamlar, as autonomous as they were, were far from their golden age during Hamos Arai’s reign. A dozen dynasties came and went though none of those were able to consolidate their rule in the region. It seemed as so that the Khenomerics’ presence in the region was the only thing keeping the Heraldic Kingdom together, because as soon as they pulled out of the region, the Otamlar gave into infighting and civil war broke out.

In the end, three states prevailed; Samyria, Tauron and Arkoon, all based in the eponymous fortress cities. It was not until a few hundred years ago that the Heraldic Kingdom of the Otamlar was reformed, and that was only because of the rising threat of the Gnolls to the west. Zina, a warrior princess of Samyria, was the one that united the three city states under one banner and led the defense against the Gnoll. Learning from the mistakes of her predecessors, Zina fortified the cities and built many fortresses that would guard the mountain passes from any direction. After a series of wars, the Gnoll abandoned all hopes of conquest as the mountains proved impregnable.

To this day, the dynasty of Zina of House Umaru still rules the Otamlar lands under relative peace, apart from the occasional raid.

## Government

The ruler of the Otamlar holds the political title of King, as well as the religious one of Herald of the Change. The King holds great authority and acts as a lawmaker, a judge and a religious leader at the same time. The title “Herald of the Change” has a theological connotation to it, as the King of the Otamlar is believed to be a messenger of God, his representative on earth and the one to bring fortune and prosperity to his people. The King rules the Otamlar from Vaas Arai, the ancestral ruling seat of the old Kings of Otamlar. A council made up of nobles and other advisors exists to support and assist the King in ruling, and usually deals with insignificant day to day matters.

## Geography

The terrain of the Otamlar lands is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and few forests. Winters can get very harsh and summers dry with periods of drought, and the Otamlar have learned to live with these extreme changes in temperature. Picturesque valleys, snow-covered peaks, deep gorges, rope and stone bridges and narrow switchbacks are some of the key features of the region. Ashstorms that blow from the west are also frequent in the Otamlar lands, leading to periods where the sun can be hidden for weeks at times.

## Economy

The Otamlar’s economy mostly depends on mining. Iron, copper and gypsum mines are relatively common. Otamlar smiths and blacksmiths have built a reputation for themselves in eastern Giantstep, their crossbows being reputed as the most advanced in the known world. Due to the harsh climate, farming is less efficient, although many rare botanical ingredients grow in the valleys and mountains, some fetching a high price with foreign merchants. The low grass that grows on the region is ideal for pastoralism, which many Otamlar practice. Most of their food comes from domesticated animals, such as sheep, goat and yak. Few of the Otamlar are fishermen, as the eastern coast (in which few people live) are poor in fish.

The Otamlar also extract tribute tolls from merchants and caravsn passing through the mountain passes of the Great End Peaks. Their most common trade partners are the Tenzin people, and formerly the Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh.

## Society and Culture

The Otamlar mostly live in plateaus and valleys, with the region being relatively sparsely populated. Due to frequent raids and the fish-poor waters, the coastal parts of the region are the least populated. The Otamlar society is decentralized, as many population centers are scattered around the nation, due to how many of those settlements were isolated from one another. As such, Samyria, the largest city in the Kingdom, is not that much more populous than Shovar, the sixth most populous one. Many cities are carved into the face of mountains themselves, creating large natural fortifications. Sometimes, these cities will run deep into caverns which make up the homes of the cities’ less privileged citizens. The Otamlar architecture has impressed many scholars in the past, with many praising their intricate, grey stone mountain dwellings.

The Otamlar culture has evolved around the many hardships that these people face all year round. Weakness is often seen as a burden, with many males opting to walk out into the mountains in order to die when they get maimed, crippled, blinded or even old enough. Most Otamlar men are trained in arms from a young age, and even those whose professions don’t revolve around manual labour are skilled enough in the both bow and sword.

Women are respected in Otamlar society. Even though they usually end up taking household keep and child bearing duties, they are also trained in arms and are capable of jobs often considered too tough for a woman to partake in. Many women in the past have acted as rulers, as Otamlar succession law does not specifically favour males over females. Long garbs, head scarves and face veils are common among the Otamlar due to the ashstorms that often plague their lands.

## Religion

The Otamlar religion is a monotheistic one. Their God goes by the name of Amu and is considered the creator of the earth and all things living. According to them, Amu does not interfere in the affairs of mortals, but rather has his own representative on earth (called the Herald of Change, which is also the King) whose is set on bringing fortune and justice to his people. Many of the Great End Peaks' animals (such as White Tigers, Spotted Leopards, Red Pandas and Rhino Ibex) are considered sacred and killing them is a serious crime. There are various shrines and temples devoted to Amu in both cities and the wilderness, where both males and females take the role of priests.

Oxus is the antithesis of Amu and is considered his alter ego and nemesis. He resigns in the underworld, where he uses his minions (believed by some to be the Runaan) to spread chaos and death in the world.

## Demographics

The majority of the population are locals, some of whom have lived in these lands for millennia and can trace their ancestors generations and generations back. The few foreigners present on Otamlar lands are Tenzin merchants and wanderers, as well as immigrants from the Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh. A variant of the Peacock Ogre also roams the numerous valleys, living inside caves, but they usually avoid interacting with humans unless necessary.

## Foreign Relations

### Tenzin People

These people are either indifferent or friendly towards each other. Both mind their own business and have little reason to trespass in each other’s territory. Despite the different cultures and lack of a common language, whenever their paths cross they usually exchange goods as a sign of good faith. The Tenzin are not a war-minded people, and for that reason they have not assisted the Otamlar against the Khenomerics in the distant past, nor did they ever aid one Otamlar city-state against eachother.

### Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh

The Kingdom of Boita and the Malagshian Empire used to be the most common trade partners of the Otamlar, even though some wars have occurred between the three of them at times. Ever since both of these realms were cursed and the Forest of Bloody Vengeance spread to immeasurable levels, their relations were cut off and nowadays the Otamlar steer clear of the forest. This has led to even fewer people crossing the mountain passes in order to reach Old Nogar and the Tenzin, which means less income through tolls for the Otamlar.

### Runaan

Despite their prowess and hardiness, even the Otamlar know that they should not venture to the southwest, where the mighty Runaan live in their caves, unwelcoming to any prowling outsiders. Many Otamlar merchants and warriors have been lost in this inhospitable Desert. According to the Otamlar faith, the Runaan are demons that were spawned from the deepest reaches of the world.

### Gnoll Empire

The Gnolls have tried to conquer the Otamlar many times in the past hundread, but the heavily fortified mountain passes, harsh climate and the resilience of the Otamlar have led to many Gnolls perishing during these war efforts. Since then, the only interactions between the two are some small scale raids organized by rogue bands of feral Gnoll stranded in the mountain range. Furthermore, the Otamlar seldom venture to the west, due to the toxic environment created by the Mountain of O'oze and the fiercer ashstorms that rage on.

### Drunigzar, Leng and Nogar

These nations have occasionally sought out contact with the Otamlar, although the latter are not trusting of the foreigners that step within their lands. This has led to tensions arising between the Otamlar and these seafaring nations, particularly the Drunig. Ever since some diplomatic exchanges went wrong between Drunigzar and the Otamlar due to the former’s mercantile activities with the Gnoll, Drunig traders have been banned from the latter’s lands.