Bahtari

Created by /u/Potato\_the\_Conqueror

### GEOGRAPHY

The Bahtari inhabit the coastal areas of the large Island of Tomaha(Bahtar is the word for coast, both words are shared by the Tomahui and Bahtari). The softer coastlines are blessed with warm weather most of the year with a wet season with not all too cold weather.

### BIOLOGY/ETHNICITY

The Bahtari are related to the Tomahui, but differ in that they have more aquatic features, such as webbed feet, webbed crests instead of antlers(also only a part of the population has these) and skin tones ranging from a greenish yellow to turquoise. Despite these differences in many other ways they resemble the Tomahui, such as sharing many typical facial features. The two species are also capable of interbreeding.

#### Racial Quirk

The Bahtari have the same quirk as the Tomahui, as the two species are closely related.

### HISTORY

While the inhabitants of Tomaha might share many biological similarities, the cultures differ extremely. This comes from the fact that the Bahtari are a settled people and live off the land(and water) whereas the Tomahui live in the inland as nomads. The Bahtari have struggled for ever to just stay alive and fend off Tomahui raids, and over time they have grown in power. There are many Bahtari city states, that have a history of fighting each other and the nomadic Tomahui. The largest city states are Tamra, Luqon and Xanatalot. Throughout history various city states have risen and fallen but they often try to find ways to exert power over each other. Like the Tomahui the Bahtari are in comparison with the rest of the world somewhat technologically backwards, although they are considerably more advanced than the Tomahui, having reached some skill in engineering.

### SOCIETY

Bahtari Society is a caste society, with the main castes being: priests, warriors, peasants and undesirables; but there are subdivisions within the castes. The Warrior and Priestly castes usually fight over power and there are many different forms of government in different city states, with some being far more in the control of the warrior caste and some more in the control of the priestly caste. Some city states even show signs of equality between castes, having somewhat democratic institutions, but those would be the exception rather than the rule. The Bahtari tend to be fairly conservative and strictly follow traditions.

### CULTURE

Bahtari Religion is quite different from that of their nomadic cousins. In Bahtari culture it has evolved into a type of polytheistic religion with different aspects of nature personified by deities, who take the form of animals, but are still more concrete than what the Tomahui worship. All access to rituals is strictly controlled by the priestly caste, into which one must be born to be a part of. Another very important aspect of their culture is the oceans, from which a large number of their resources come. The sea is a huge part of their lives, which is why many of their rituals and shrines are based around the sea.

### OCCURRENCE OF MAGIC

Magic users are either forced into the Priestly caste at a very young age in order to keep them from having any memory of their life beforehand, or they are simply killed. Magic users born into the priestly caste are treated extremely well and usually become some of the most important priests. The warrior caste often seeks magic users as well, whom they protect against the priests in order to gain their loyalty. The warrior mages usually only appear in city states where the warrior caste has complete control over the government.

### MAJOR EXPORTS/IMPORTS

The Bahtari harvest much from the sea, they collect huge amounts of pearls, fish and seaweed. They don't trade much with the outside world and their existence is largely unknown to the outside world. What they do trade are often different metals and finished goods, and occasionally food.

​

### Posts

Tomahui and Bahtari

Expeditions to Bahtari Lands

The Kah’lean genocide