Yeratze

The country of Yeratze is a unique country that is located in the southwestern tip of Val. It is a tribal society that is known to be one of few countries that is in the sphere of influence of the Vallum Empire but has failed to adopt Tohovokiism. It follows the unique faith known as Ysbrydion o Natu

## Physical Geography

> "The forests of Yeratze are deep and dark filled with dangers so common they are often called natural death traps. The fauna is all dangerous, even the herbivores have the ability to spew plasma that can easily kill any human. " - The Guide to the Val's Countries, Vol 28.
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The physical geography in Yeratze is divided in two zones, there is the edge of the Calatat desert near the central border, it is known that is gets extremely cold in the night and overwhelming hot in the day. There is also the grassland region which hosts dangerous fauna. The tallest point of the country is Mynydd Unigol which is a scared mountain to the Yeratian people, which is close to the capital city.

## Culture

The people of Yeratze are mostly nomadic and travel in clans that consist several families each person is expected to perform their task in the clan and people who fail to do so are left behind, very few people who get left behind survive but those that do and that manage to return to their clan are welcomed with open arms as this is less like exile and more like a slap on the ear, repeat offenders may be killed.

Due to their nomadic nature the clans vary greatly, however one thing is constant, Loyalty and honor, roughly meaning the same thing in their language loyalty is more like fealty and honor is more like oath keeper. The loyalty is First to the gods, second to clan, Third to family and last to everything else.

Their honor is so strong that if a Yeratian swears an oath they would rather kill themselves than break it. Calling someone unfaithful or oath breaker is a very serious accusation and if it is found to be false the accuser can be executed, sacrificed or left mutilated in the wilderness, however if the accusation is true then the culprit will be branded or permanently tattooed and abandoned with nothing but a knife even if they survive anyone who meets an exile would attempt to kill them including other exiles. In a clan, there will always be at least one family of druids and bards who organize the Clans religious activities and advise the leader.

### Llwyth Brenin

This can be considered the leadership role in Yeratze as Lywth Bernin claim right to the whole country. They share the same role as clan leaders and if one were to meet one on their travels it is customary to let them pass first, however, most of the Llwyth Brenin are generally kind yet commanding.

### Bards

The bards in Yeratze are very important to the preservation of the culture in the country as they meet up every ten years in the capital city of Dinas Hynafol to record legends and the new practices. The Bards and druid must also pick a flower that will fade the next time they come to the city.

### Druid

The Druids in Yeratze to put into layman terms are like spiritual leaders who help keep the faith of Ysbrydion o Natu alive and well in the country. Much like the bards, they meet up every ten years in Dinas Hynafol to record knowledge and practices that have been learnt over the past ten years. Druids also have the honour of conducting weddings, childbirth and ritualistic sacrifices.

### Exiles

Exiles are ex-clansmen who have been forsaken for some unknown crime anything they own will be made by them or bought with the exception of a knife left by their original clan this will most likely be their most treasured possession. Exiles are easily recognizable by the ritual tattoos or brands and will almost always be hostile as the only way to regain honor is to die in combat. Some exiles leave Yeratze to wander the world or join the frontlines of other conflicts brewing in the world. Many Yeratians joined The Vallum Empire after being exiled.

## Language

The commonly spoken language is Yeratish a harsh sounding language with not enough vowels it is hard to learn however when spoken by a bard every sentence sounds poetic. Written Yeratish is very abstract only used by the Bards and Druids to mark key religious sites or to mark danger or graves. It is written in a spiral starting in the center moving out, the direction of the spiral can change the meaning of the text dramatically often when dealing with outsiders they will write their language phonetically as it is blasphemous to attempt to alter the way traditional text Is written.