Arlai/Riventi

The **Riventi** is the original civilization of the Arlai species, appearing within their ancestral environment soon after the species gained sapience, sometime prior to -360.

## History

The Arlai first appeared along the south western coastal region of Continent #3 sometime prior to -360, originating from an old world species that harmonized well with a number of species sharing its environment. By -360 the Arlai had achieved sapience with a small group of 350 members dwelling within the Temperate Wet Forest of the coast. It was at approximately this time that the Arlai discovered the secrets of agriculture, beginning to cultivate the forest around them, resulting in the start of the Riventi civilization.

By year 0, the Arlai had spread throughout a large portion of the coastal forest region, expanding south along the coast into the nearby Temperate Woodlands as well as inland to settle around the river carved canyons of the forested lowlands, with a total population of approximately 620,000 and a population density of 0.663 per square kilometer. Over the past 360 years of their history, they had developed the ability to mine and smelt copper, create bows and arrows for use in hunting and defending themselves against predators, produce pottery vessels, make tokens out of clay which served as an early basis for writing and economics, created frame looms and then back strap looms to manufacture cloth, and had within the past three generations developed an early written language using logograms.

## Government

The Riventi are a collection of small tribes, referred to as flocks, that group together into larger regional governments. However, they do not possess an inter-regional government. Each region, which may contain as many as 10 or 20 flocks, is ruled by a High Chieftain and an advisory council. This is a matriarchal position, and commonly hereditary with the former High Chieftain choosing a successor from her own family. The High Chieftain outlines the territory of each flock she rules, creates laws, is responsible for making alliances and treaties, and settling disputes between her flocks.

The advisory council, consisting of all of the individual flock chiefs, gathers several times a year to provide advice to the High Chieftain and to give a detailed account of the current status of each flock.

Each of the individual flocks is ruled by a Chieftain, a member of the royal bloodline from that flock and a matriarchal position, often hereditary with the Chieftain choosing a successor from her children. Chieftains are able to create additional laws to those given by the High Chieftain as long as they do not conflict with the basic ones. A flock with no members able to trace their lineage to the royal family must petition the High Chieftain for a new leader from her family, ensuring that the royal bloodline is distributed throughout her region.

### Judicial

There is no formal law enforcement within the tribes, and instead someone wronged will seek justice on their own for a crime. The tribe only handles crime when someone brings the matter before the Chief, when the identity of the criminal is unknown, or if two parties are unable to come to an agreed punishment for a crime. In these cases the flock chief (or that of another if the chief is the defendant) serves as judicator, giving both sides a chance to speak as well as members of the tribe to voice their opinion before coming to a decision.

Crime is generally punished with community service, often being sent from the tribe on some kind of quest, for example an extended gathering mission, or to travel to a distance tribe for trade or to deliver a letter. They are not allowed to return to the tribe until their task is complete. The difficulty of the quest is proportional to the crime's severity, and often come with certain restrictions, such as forbidding armour or only using a certain type of weapon on a hunting mission. Refusing the punishment of the quest results in exile.

Exile as punishment is only used for the most severe crimes, and for the refusal of a quest punishment. Exiled Riventi are forbidden to return to their tribe, and are unable to enter any other tribe within their region. They may find it difficult to enter the tribe of another region as well, and must instead live on their own or travel to another civilization instead.

## Economics

Settlements are self-sufficient except for luxury items. They barter for items.

### Agriculture

Mainly gatherers, but tending orchards of fruit trees, and eating a lot of seeds, berries, tubers, and other foodstuffs. Some tribes also hunt and may tend herds of animals, managing wild herds rather than keep domesticated ones. They have domesticated avians, but not for eating.

### Trade and Transportation

Individual flocks have their own trading relationships with each other, with the most common trading being between the inland flocks with the coastal flocks, trading game, furs, and metal products, for dyed cloth and salt from the coastal flocks.

## Culture

The culture is very open and tolerant of others, with the population very much free to do as they like in terms of cultural choices. The most common occupations are gatherers, builders, scouts, guardians, or artisans. The most admired class are the chiefs and priests. The lowest class are foreigners.

### Clothing

Clothing most often comprised of fabric, furs, and leather. Nudity is allowed only when bathing, or certain situations.

Clothing styles are utilitarian and streamlined, consisting usually of close-fitting shirts and breeches. Clothing commonly includes straps and buckles for keeping pockets closed. Dangling jewellery is non-existent.

Tattoos are somewhat rare, consisting commonly of the dying of individual feathers.

### Entertainment and Arts

The most popular public entertainments are stargazing, as well as public debating. There is a very high importance placed upon argument and debate, with the popular opinion that any conclusion that cannot be made crystal-clear in debate is not worth consideration.

The largest art forms are painting with phosphorescent pigments, sculpture consisting of small carved figures of wood and clay, music consisting of singing and wind pipes, storytelling, and glassblowing.

Only the elite are literate.

### Gender Roles and Sexuality

Marriages are made between two partners at a time, and last for only one
 year, giving them enough time to hatch eggs and care for their young
during their first months. The following spring they may take a new mate
 or renew their old marriage if both partners desire. While typically
occurring between a male and female, their is nothing against same-sex
marriages. Sex is restricted to marriage. Birth outside of marriage
comes with ridicule.

The sexes are treated fairly equally, but there is a division in that leaders are typically female.

## Warfare

The tradition of the Riventi forbids warfare during springtime. While tribes will maintain their own force of scouts and guards to defend themselves, all young of the tribe are taught in combat and the entire adult community goes through regular drilling so that the citizens of the tribe can provide support if they are attacked or as reserve during wartime. If the Riventi tribes are attacked from another nation, the region's military will be organized under the command of the High Chieftain.

### **Disputes Between Tribes**

Disputes over territory within Riventi tribes generally is settled by debate, with each side arguing its case to the other, often for days at a time. If the debate fails to reach an agreement, the two tribes are said to be at 'war', and a representative of the High Chieftain will be sent to mediate the dispute. If one is unavailable they may call for assistance from a trusted ally of both tribes instead. Flocks in remote areas may have no one to mediate their disputes in such cases.

If mediation does not work to declare a winner of the 'war' the two tribes will stage a mock battle using wooden sticks rather than real weapons. Whichever one retreats from combat or has all its members knocked unconscious is the loser.

### **Weapons**

The most common weapons are bow and arrow, spears, swords, and punch daggers. Nets are also extensively used to restrict enemy mobility.