Teshrikeze

(This article is a W.I.P. for now)

Teshrikeze [tɛʃɹikɛzɛ] is a country to the northeast of Hallownest, bordering the Atrantian Sea. A land with little weather extremes, temperate climate, and long bouts of rain, it is the home of the Raincatchers, servants to the Allmother, Ishogrei [iʃɑgɹɛi] (Orsof). An isolationist but friendly nation, Teshrikeze has only recently entered the notice of other nations.

## Description

Teshrikeze is a country to the northeast of Hallownest and Xenosia, bordering the Atrantian Sea, with Borea to the east, and Armattia to the southwest. A gulf surrounds Teshrikeze's coastal side, with a few isles decorating the gulf's outer rim. The country has few, large, geographical regions, including some underneath the ground. Shotrenoi [ʃɑtɹɛnɑi] is the largest city, and the capital, followed by a distant second: Trokushori [tɹɑkɯʃɑɹi].

In some point in Teshrikeze's past, the art of Void and Soul use and manipulation was lost. Despite this, the country is rather advanced, with a particularly strong navy. The development of magitech has allowed for engines, powering ships, trains, elevators, and all sorts of other machinery. This country is also home to the Raincatchers, the ubiquitous religion of the country, with the deity Ishogrei as the idol. As such, the country has always had a connection to water, rivers, and the sea. The country is a republic, with three central leaders (The Archon, Minister, and High General), and a court of publicly elected figures.

## Areas

* Teshrano Hills
* Shotohei Falls
* Trokushori
* Shotrenoi
* Lotrihei Forest
* Satriso Pathways

## History

### Pre-history

The pre-history of Teshrikeze is shrouded in much mystery. Linguistic studies of Teshrikeze have found little relation of their own language to other languages, and little relatives. This finding of their language being an isolate has left scholars highly intrigued as to the origin to the Teshrikeze bugs.

### First-tides and the Shadow Civilization

Apporixmately 5000 years ago, at the start of the archeological record, there existed two grand civilizations, a group of snails called the First-Tides, and a group called the Shadow Civilization. The origins of these two have not been found, so how long they were truly around is unknown. These civilizations were highly advanced, even more so than the current sacred water engines of Teshrikeze, possessing golems with souls, building large structures for an unknown purpose, and possessing carted vehicles that followed along a track, something mimicked now by in development Watertracks.

These civilizations grew together, and ruins suggest they had an era of war, before these two civilizations came together, joining their cultures and becoming even stronger. At around 4000 years ago, the Civilization seems to have suddenly collapsed, and great damage to the now ruins suggest this collapse was not a peaceful one. No modern descendant of these civilizations seem to exist, either.

### The Beginnings of the Kesho Tribe

The Kesho; the tribe that eventually became the country of Teshrikeze, began humbly in what is assumed to be 3750-3500 years ago. These bugs spoke an ancient version of the modern language, and were initially nomadic warriors mainly consisting of Dragonflies and Damselflies. They had settled down in the region and began small, permanent settlements next to the rivers and streams, above the ruins of the old civilizations, unaware of what ever had happened to them.

In this godless land, they had fought grimly against other tribes, persevering against the blessed and the cursed. Since they had no god, they had a form of ancestor worship, and took great care in tending the dead, and the start of celebrating the Day of Remembrance is seen in this early period. Their thoughts, carved upon stone tablets, shown that they had currency, early metallurgy, a hierarchical settlement system, and trade among other settlements of Kesho.

### The First Kingdom

The First Kingdom of the Kesho began sometime later, or rather, Queendom, as the first kingdom was matriarchal. The women held almost all internal power, while the men dealt with fighting, farming, external relations, and guarding settlements. Some male bugs were even taken into unpaid servitude, guarding and serving the lavish nobles, in exchange for a "better life." The Queen would often have multiple male partners, separate from the King. Only women had the right to enter certain stores, businesses, or be in specific trades, but likewise only for men were often ridiculed as "childish" or "unfair."

A revolt was stricken against the last and terrible Warrior Queen, Ikrashora III, in an event known as the "Bluecloak Murder." A mysterious assassin, only known for wearing a navy cloak with gold trimming, had sneaked into the Queen's palace, and left a dagger in the Queen's back. In the morning, several renegade warriors had stormed the palace, taking it, and keeping the royals for themselves. The day had erupted into anarchy, civilians panicking in the streets, guards desperately trying to keep order, but, the capital had fallen, and the first kingdom had melted into a mess of city states once again. As this had happened, a truly terrible plague had struck the country, spreading far and wide. Thousands upon thousands were stricken with "Veinshell;" a terrible affliction were lines appear in a bug's shell, with bumpy blisters appearing along them; but one symptom of this horrible disease. Several settlements fell, and mass pits were created, for dumping bodies and burning them. Folk began to get desperate, thinking this was a curse from the last Queen of the First Kingdom.

### Divinity Arrives

Shotrenoi, a small village on the edge of the country, reached out to the sea in desperation. Crying and pleading they called, for the sea had been generous to them before, giving them food, precious salt, and water. Various reports say that one day, the whole sea, from visible edge to edge, glowed with a bluish-white hue, and the great Goddess of the Deep came upon the village, and the villagers could not believe their own eyes. The country's first glimpse upon the divine, and they had called her Ishogrei. The goddess looked upon the mortals with compassion and pity, and gave a select few her gift of water, health, and protection. The village had quickly developed a cult of devout followers: Collecting the commonly falling rain that buffeted the land with sacred staves, pointed skyward. They called themselves, "Raincatchers."

These Priests spread across the sick land, spreading the Allmother's gift and word, and spread it did. In desperate times do folk cling to unconventional sources, and in this time, the new religion was just the rock needed to steady the Kesho.

### Recovery and Regrowth

In quick time, the country quickly became deeply entwined with the Allmother, and she gave them secrets; cleanliness being a major one. Public bathhouses became common in settlements, and many of the first raincatchers cleaned the streets of cities. Discoveries had also been made, like Chutralo, a metal found scarce elsewhere of decent denseness and great strength, and rubber, originating from a bush native to the Lotrihei forests. Discoveries about the properties of Sacred Water had been found, such as being able to store it near indefinitely in specially crafted vials, and the finding that pearls can also be charged with the power of the Allmother. These were thusly dubbed "Divine Pearls."

A great set of warriors grew from this time, wielding both the Allmother's power, and metal arms and armor. The greatest among these was Shokala, the first Touched, a child blessed with the Allmother's power while inside the egg/womb. A dragonfly with pale shell, blue eyes, and a small horn, splitting into two smaller, gently curving tips; essentially a demigod. He had came to be known as the Tidebreaker, for his appearance alone could shift the tide of battle.

### The Second Kingdom

Another centralized government had arrived, now in rule by both Queen and King started, centralized in Shotrenoi. Receiving bits of guidance from the Allmother, the Second Kingdom quickly reclaimed the land previously known to the Godless first. Remnants of the old, feminine dominated ways still lingered in the subconscious, and many of the first Archons, the highest of priests, were female as well. Many groups arose, claiming the olden ways would firmly benefit the Second Kingdom, but many of the Queens had firmly denied so. A schism had arose in the Kesho, supporters of the new ways, and firm believers of the old. Despite this, an era of relative peace and development had entered, with only minor rebellions and such.

However, an accident had occurred when, in an attempt to pacify a hostile kingdom, Shokala, and his entire legion had disappeared when out in those foreign lands. The public had grown worried about their heroes, and even the Allmother herself had questioned what had happened. Little did they know, that a storm on the horizon was brewing.

### A Sea, Split in Two

On the edge of the sea, a mysterious group known as the Tidebreakers had come, claiming the Raincatchers and Second Kingdom both had "...lost their way." Led by a wicked matriarch, named Eilishori, who said to be a Touched as well. They came in, and it was like they could bend the very rain and lightning to their will; shooting arcs of electricity from their fingers, and slashing with truly sharp blades of shaped water. They took the country by surprise, taking land quickly, overpowering the various militias via unseen techniques. It was loss after loss for the Kesho, until the Battle of Shotrenoi.

On that fated battle, the Allmother herself had erected a massive arcane barrier over the whole city, letting no Tidebreaker in. After some recuperation, the Raincatchers turned a decisive victory, and the matriarch's daughter, Horashi, had committed the act of Matricide; killing her own mother, and betraying the Tidebreakers. The Tidebreakers then proceeded to have battles flipped on them, and eventually, they disappeared.

During this war, many magi-technological advancements were made, including the first Water-Engines; pumps powered by sacred water, using hydrodynamics to move pistons and rotors. Along with this were the first Aquabolts; giant machines that launch a spear of water at an incredible pressure, being able to punch through even metal, akin to a ballista.

Shortly thereafter, a new government was formed, with the ruler of Shotrenoi, the High General, and the Archon all in a council, with several elected folk. This came to be known as the "Council," and this new system came to establish new, fairer laws to all Kesho.

### Aftermath, and the Modern Era

The modern Republic of Teshrikeze has returned to a relative peace, with moderately advanced tech, with some examples being upstream worthy Water-Engine ships, experimental tram-like tracked vehicles, and pressurized elevators. The country's public has been relatively unaware of other countries until very recently, after the Allmother temporarily went into hiding during the terror of the Smiler, to make sure she would not be marked and turned. She has since returned, and things have been operating smoothly.

## Climate and Geography

The climate of Teshrikeze is mild, humid and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. While relatively mild, the country does have some reigonal variation, with the coast side usually warmer than the inland side. Teshrikeze's rainfall is exceptional, due to it's location along the east coast, and fog is a persistent and common occurrence when rain is not currently falling. Few natural disasters strike, with severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds being most common.

Teshrikeze is dominated by gentle hills, and small cliffs, with a few mountainous clumps; many streams and creeks make smaller secondary rivers, all emptying into the Ishorihei river. Forests dominate the north, while the south has more open areas. Bogs sometimes follow along shallow lake basins in the southeast.

## Culture

The culture of Teshrikeze, and the Kesho bugs is heavily influenced by their history. Having a high regard for life and holding a veneration of the dead, two holidays mark these traits: The Day of Vitality, and The Day of Remembrance. Along with this, the Raincatcher culture has long, long since prospered in the land, and the sect's practices have seeped into the wider culture; seeing cleanliness and purity as an almost sacred state. Public bathhouses and fountains decorate the large cities, and reflecting pool shrines in smaller towns and villages. Pearls, due to their importance and use, are worn in excess by some nobles, and clam farms are used to grow specimens. Despite this, humbleness and modesty are two virtues of Teshrikeze, perhaps due to the mistakes of those before, who reached out too far.

## Trivia

* Originally, before the RP, the country was originally called Azulspire, and was vastly different; being a marshland kingdom, surrounded by mountains on the north and south. This was later changed due to dissatisfaction from the creator.