Mesi

The **Mesi** are a group of indigenous people in the Mesa region. The term Mesi means "Jungle/Rainforest Dwellers", and the term Mesa means Jungle/Rainforest.

## History

Their means of being in the Mesa isn't historically recorded, however their oral mythology and myth texts in temples indicate the Mesa was previously a lush rainforest, like the surrounding area around it, but became the arid Mesa known today, at the hands of their god, Pahhni, the god of decay, famine, drought, and death, which they could not leave and escape. Their myths indicate they were saved by the rains of their water goddess, Kajhi, which developed the scattered prairie Mesas (as in, the literal landform Mesa, not the Mesa Biome), allowing them to survive Pahhni's surrounding blight. Today, they live on the Mesas, them being the only hospitable areas in the desert. They share a history and mythology with the Assoti, originating in the modern day Mesa, and who have the Cataclysm, a familiar disastrous event to the Great Decay of Mesi myth, and have a detailed history with the specific Sun Warrior tribe, having a war with them, then establishing peace and trade deals that later extend into the Mesi Empire, who they have a strong relationship with as fledgling nations.

## Appearance

The Mesi have tan skin, brownish, wavy hair, and usually brown or yellowish-hazel glaze eyes. They tend to have leaner builds, with the lack of starches, fruits and veggies and a general diet of grains and lean meats (like rabbits). They usually wear silk clothing woven from the silk of the large spiders of the Mesa desert, along with the silk from the frequent nuisances that are the cave spiders. They may also wear clothing made from the fur of the rabbits they cultivate. Since their descent into caves and their discovery of the wealth of gold, they also commonly wear golden jewelry, including bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces. Gold is believed to be holy and is sometimes worn as a defense against Pahhni and evil as well. The Mesi usually wear reddish and orangish clothing, however clothing changes can exist from region to region. (Al-Wahl prefer more purple and blue, Sun Warriors like more yellow and brigher Red Hues, etc.)

## Architecture

Their cities are constructed with Oak Wood supports, Red Sandstone/Glazed Terracotta accents and Terracotta walls. the Mesi are known for their skill in Terracotta claywork, making beautiful designs with the material, a skill they frequently use while constructing buildings. Some Mesi temples and shrines also have carved Red Sandstone walls, with Mesoglyphs and Mesaqun text chiseled into them, these texts and images are written accounts of their major myths.

## Agriculture

Mesi primarily grow grains, mostly wheat, which they largely rely on for food, along with shepherding rabbits. Some also cultivate local flowers, used to dye silk and paint/dye Terracotta. Other Mesi, closer to the oceans, will harvest fish and kelp.

## Cuisine and Diet

Mesi usually eat a variety of cereals and breads made from the grain plants they grow, they also frequently drink rabbit milk and eat rabbit as a meat. They use local herbs as flavoring. A beloved dish is Rabbit Pie, using Wheat Dough made with Rabbit Milk, water, and ground wheat flower, and filling it with cut up stewed Rabbit, with the broth added in, and baking in a clay Terracotta oven over charcoal, with some local herbs sprinkled on top. Other common foods are breads, sometimes Rabbit sandwiches, and other things.

## Language

The Mesi speak Mesaqun, each city, due to their isolation, has it's own accent and dialect, but the language is the same. Mesaqun means "Language of the Jungle" in Mesaqun. Mesaqun has a Subject-Noun-Verb (In English, Tom Book Read) structure and one lexical tone.

## Religion

The Mesi follow the Gjjnh religion. It is a polytheistic religion, with the water goddess Kajhi as their central god, Hiala, the god of the sun, as her partner, Pahhni, the god of decay and generally the antagonist of Gjjnh myth, Bukjli as the god of artisanship, Cuqulu, the goddess of cultivation, and Ioebe, the god of trade and travel, all three of which are children of Kajhi and Hiala. With the rise of Mesi interest in trade, worship of Ioebe is more common. Pahhni employs a variety of entities in his pursuit to bring decay. His primary force are the Husks, or what the Mesi call Iggkjka, (Dry Corpse). The Mesi believe they spread Pahhni's blight, and are considered omens of sickness, decay, drought and especially famine, further cemented with the infectious bite of the Husks. Pahhni also employs the desert/cave spiders, especially the cave spiders, who utilize poison, and spread sickness. Furthermore, on the point of poison, Pahhni has his own set of followers, called Poisonworkers, or Hgajivuiu in Mesaque. Poison is deemed immoral and taboo in Mesi culture, except for diluted and blessed poison, used in wars, blessed poison is blessed by a priest and diluted to allow Kajhi to decide who to give the gift of life, for though she cannot take life, she can restrict one's access, thus circumventing the spread of sickness and death by allowing her the choice of granting life. Poisonworkers move outside of this restriction, they use poisons freely and without dilution, primarily to harm and hex their enemies, and they serve Pahhni, who teaches them the ways of poison. Other entities in the Gjjnh faith include Fuklra (Drought Demon), who are believed to eternally thirst, swallowing entire lakes and rivers, creating droughts. Or the Igqenoy, or "Moving Corpse", corpses brought back by Poisonworkers to serve them and Pahhni, though not as strong or exactly like the Iggkjka.

### Defenses Against Monsters

The Mesi have developed many means of battling Pahhni's blights, especially the Sun Warriors, and there are certain weapons used to battle Pahhni's servants.

Gold is the most frequent metal used in these weapons. Gold is believed to be toxic to Pahhni and his corruptions, due to the use of gold in Glistening Melons, Golden Carrots and Golden Apples, with Glistening Melons being the main ingredient in Healing Potions, which hurts undead, and Golden Apples as a cure to zombie infection, and thus is holy. Netherite is also used to create weapons for fighting monsters, though this material must first be purified with gold, as raw netherite is considered to be powerless.

Iron is also considered a valued material, as it is created to make Iron Golems along with Pumpkins, which are believed to be entities born to fight alongside the Mesi against Pahhni.

Due to their use against corruption, and due to being created from items found in jungles, often considered holy land in Mesi culture, the Glistening Melon, Golden Carrot, and Golden Apple are considered holy symbols. Another holy symbol is the Totem of Undying, believed to be a tool meant for all created by Bukjli, but stolen by Pahhni, stealing the method of producing such an item and hiding it among his most loyal poisonworkers, the Evokers, or called Zoha in Mesaque. Water is also considered a holy symbol, especially blessed water. Pumpkins are not considered holy, however they are also used as a deterrant against monsters.

There are two weapons all hunters have, a saber, used for general hunting, and an axe, used for attacking enemies with carapaces, such as spiders. Most often, a sword will be blessed by a priest, who calls upon Hiala to grant it power over the blights of Pahhni (OOC; This is the Smite enchantment), and a sword will also be blessed, however rather than calling on Hiala, they call on Cuqulu, and ask for her to grant it power over the betrayers of Kajhi (OOC: Bane of Arthropods enchantment)

Hunters also wield certain potions and crossbows. The most commonly used potion is Healing, which undead are vulnerable to, and arrows are frequently laced with these potions. Hunters also wield holy water, which is deemed harmful against demons and undead. Many also wield night vision, created by golden carrots, which helps them fight without Hiala at night/in the dark, when his sunlight cannot help them. They also use holy water, considered undrinkable by demons and poisonworkers.

## Sub-Cultures

Due to the isolating nature of the Mesa desert, as the Mesi tribes spread out and discovered other plateaus, they developed separate cultures, these plateaus tend to become cities. Currently known cultures are as follows:

Kajhivuho: The Kajhivuho people are trade oriented, nearby many rivers, they worship the gods Kajhi and Ioebe, preferring more peaceful interactions and mutual benefit in trade.

Al-Waha: These tribespeople are more oriented for the arts and sciences, they can be often found in their universities debating subjects and discovering new things. They usually worship Bukjli, as they are the most intellectual god.

Sun Warriors/Hialaiogoa: These tribespeople are more aggressive, firm believers, close to fundamentalist Gjjnhs, they believe that they are conduits for Hiala's light, and dedicate themselves to destroying agents of Pahhni (at least what they perceive as such). They are well versed in battle, especially against Gjjhk monsters, and they are often aggressive towards things they assume to be agents of Pahhni (thus causing situations such as the Assoti War.)

Palenquinox: The people of Palenquinox do not exactly identify as Mesi, however the Mesi people see them as Mesi, and they have many familiar mythologies. The Palenquinox seem to believe they descend from what the Mesi consider the lesser 3 gods, and worship the plateau they live on itself rather than a god that created one.

Qhvhzi: Unlike the rest of the