Sumuher

## Sumuher, Kingdom of / Sumuher, Sarrumun amun

### Location

The Isthmus of New Ocean and the Sea of Hope, Central Lakes Region/su Nibiru Hashu Nahar amun maas su Nahar Eashnu amun, Qabulu Nahar

### Capital

Uru, City of Cities / Uru, Sipparum Sipparu amun

### Leading Figure

Gil of Uru, Son of Ish, King of Kings of the Wise Peoples of Sumuher / Gil Uru amun, Mamun Ish amun, Sarrum Sarru amun su amun Nisum Emqu Sumuher amun

## The Kingdom of the Wise Peoples of Sumuher (su Sarrumun su amun Nisum Emqu Sumuher amun)

*"Mamumu Mammu amun, harranu su alaktu amun ku amelu taru egisul ina mul"*

*(Father of Fathers, the road whose course does not return, shine light on)*

(Great Sun, shine light on the path ahead)

*"Lumumu Lummu amun, alaktasa narrum amun shuma salamu maas usella maas arammu"*

*(Mother of Mothers, journey of us make safe and raise and care)*

(Great Moon, nurture and protect our journey)

*-"A formal greeting. The host speaks the first half, the guest the second," Abath of Uru, Son of Taresh, Scribe of Scribes of the Temple of Temples of Asahumu*

*su Nisum Emqu Sumuher amun,* The Wise Peoples of Sumuher as they refer to themselves, are a nation of resilient, adaptable, and intellectual people. Home to a rich and fertile river delta and with exceptional constitutions, they have been able to flourish in an otherwise harsh desert.

Located on the isthmus between the Sea of Hope and New Ocean, they have few direct neighbors. They control half of the sea route between the two, which has allowed them to grow intellectually and fiscally from diverse thought and trade from merchants passing through.

The peoples of Sumuher have distinct sub-cultures. Their society is founded on Clans, being large extended families that live and work together. For the majority of their history, these clans were independent and fought with one another. However, some clans with similar beliefs and identities formed together to create great cities. These cities would become the powerful nations of Sarrumun amun Sumuher. (Zikru) (Ak Libbum).

## History (Nabu)

*“The Elders meet. Cautious, timid, they surrender their safety of the wild brush and untamed desert. First one, then all. Silent is their gaze into one another. Spirits ablaze with passion as the Black Sun rises. The heat cools, the light dims, the lands and beasts silence. All awed, all pledge.” -Abath of Uru, Son of Taresh, Scribe of Scribes of the Temple of Temples of Asahumu, on the founding of the Sumuher Kingdom*

Before the Sumuher people ever came to be, their ancestors lived in a great land known as Krutu, formerly Krate. This once prosperous and advanced civilization was the shining jewel of society from horizon to horizon. The people laughed. The people loved. But their lives would come to an end. The exact details are lost to time, but hundreds of years prior to current history, a great calamity stormed in. The skies were torn asunder, the seas ravaged and raged against the land. The few survivors fled in any direction they could that wasn't assured death. Only one group is known to have survived. They fled west, and settled the lands that would one day become Sumuher.

The peoples of Sumuher have distinct sub-cultures. Their society is founded on Clans, being large extended families that live and work together. For the majority of their history, these clans were independent and fought with one another. However, some clans with similar beliefs and identities formed together to create great cities. These cities would become the powerful nations of Sumuher.

There were once seven great cities of Sumuher. Of these cities, Uru stood far above the rest and held most of the power in Sumuher. Conflicts of interest and belief were common though the cities flourished together for many many years. Some were jealous, however, of the riches of their brothers and sisters. Greedy. Gluttonous. Envious, they were. Of the cities, Basi and Laku were the most angry. They had the least, but wanted the most, and in secret met and formed a union. Before long, Sagmu was ravaged by the Basi-Laku.

A promise to the other cities the attack was. Pay tribute or be subjugated. The City of Matu was the only one that stood a chance of fighting back, and they knew it. They isolated themselves, effectively abandoning the others to destruction. Seeing this, the other cities were quick to give in.

But not all were content with this development. The Basi-Laku were tyrants. Harsh and cruel, demanding everything and giving nothing. One young man, the youngest child of his family, sought to change the status quo. Born to the Clan of Clans of Ish, the ruling clan of the city of Uru, Gil of Uru, Son of Ish, made his decision. In a brave but reckless act of defying his Clan *Labiru* (Old one/Elder), he and a small band of warriors fled the city.

Much of the story of his journey has been exaggerated and made into legend. Behind the mountain of fluff and gilded edges is the story of how he unified his people, crushed the Basi-Laku, and brought union to the shattered peoples. It is said a great Solar Eclipse, the most holy of events to the Sumuher, graced Gil as he gave his speech to the leaders of the great cities. This day has been marked down in the very religion of the people with a festival to celebrate it.

## Geography

Much of the region is open desert with small brush and sparse trees. Further inland from the coast becomes harsh, arid desert. There is a large, calm river with rich and fertile floodplains at the head of the sole connection between the Sea of Hope and New Ocean that is teeming with flora and fauna. Rains are frequent along the coast where many settlements make their home. This area is known as Babidtbiru.

### Developments

Cities

* **Uru** *su Mamumu Mammu amun,* of the Sun, the greatest of all cities.

Towns

* **Gema** *su Lumumu Lummu amun*, of the Moon, the most enlightened city.
* **Eikh** *su Nahar amun*, of the Sea, the richest city.
* **Matu** *su Midbarum amun*, of the Desert, the strongest city.
* **Sagmu** *su Samamu amun*, of the Sky, the most beautiful city.
* **Basi** *su Isqastu amun*, of the Reeds, the most cunning city.
* **Laku** *su Shurpu amun***,** of the Beast, the most ruthless city.

Temples and Institutions

* **Asahumu**, the Temple of Temples of Uru. Asahumu is the most important temple in all of Sumuher, serving as the greatest archive of knowledge and education center.

Points of Interest

* **Aksu Bukku** (Dangerous Serpent) Aksu Bukku is the local name for the dangerous and unpredictable river currents at the western end of the great river. Guides who know how to safely traverse the rapids are necessary for most of the year. There is a small window of time during the last month of the year, where the river calms down and one can pass safely through without concern.

### Flora

*Isqastu*, a common reed along the great river. It is very versatile and strong. It can be woven and worked to create a wide variety of products from baskets, to clothing, to even structural members. The Sumuherans eventually discovered that boiling the reeds and reducing them created a thick, sticky substance that when combined with ash and sand, created very strong and sturdy bricks. This has allowed them to pursue works of architecture and construction that had otherwise been impossible

*Archives incomplete -Abath of Uru*

## Languages (Asamumu)

Asamu is the main language of the Sumuher, and it is deeply connected to their religion, with many words having religious meaning. To the people, the language itself is poetry and song in spoken form. A strive for simplicity guided its evolution into what it is now. Spoken Asahu and written Asahu are distinct from each other. Itoni Script is also heavily spoke due to the large number of loan words from Asamu and the familiar Solynian.

## Politics (Shebu)

Direct from their clan culture, the government is run by clans and councils. The Clan of Clans is the ruling family of a city. The Clan of Clans of Uru functions as the head of the city, as well as the head of the Clan Council of Sumuher.

Each clan has a *Labiru*, Old one or Elder. This is almost always the oldest member of clan, with the exception of runaways or disowned members who become the *Labiru* of a new clan. This *Labiru* appoints a council of representatives and officials to run the clan and represent the clan in public. There can be anywhere from one to ten officials from a single clan, each with specific responsibilities.

The King of Kings (Or Queen of Queens) is the *Labiru* of the Clan Council of Sumuher. The Clan Council of Sumuher is made up of the delegations sent by the Clan of Clans from each major city. Five clans, with the *Uru* Clan of Clans leading, and the King of Kings leading the *Uru*.

In theory, any citizen can bring up a law or idea to the King of Kings, only it must go through many levels of bureaucracy to get there. First, he must propose his idea to his clan. Once the proposal is made, they go before their Clan of Clans where the proposer argues and debates with his own clan publicly. If they agree, they then argue and debate with the Clan of Clans. Only one member needs to be convinced. If they do, they go before the Clan Council of Sumuher. *Gema* and *Sagmu* are the "older siblings" of the council, *Eikh* and *Matu* the younger, with *Uru* as the parent. The proposer from the Clan of Clans must argue and debate till his whole clan comes to consensus. Once they do, they must convince their sibling, then convince their elder or younger siblings. If all children come to agreement, then the *Uru* clan finally weighs in, and ultimately the King of Kings makes a decision.

### Major Clans

**Ish of Uru, Clan of Clans of Uru**

*Archives incomplete -Abath of Uru*

## Religion and culture (Asahu maas Nishu)

### The Sumuher people (su Nisum Sumuher)

The Sumuher people themselves are nearly identical to humans, though they have a few key differences. Their bodies are like stone, tough, resilient, and unyielding. Sickness and disease are rare, as well as genetic deformities annd mental degradation with age. Their lifespans have been recorded up to 150 years, with their "prime" age lasting from 20 to 80. Efficient biology allows them go days without food or water, with one meal a day being to the norm. Their endurance is incredible, with some able to work for multiple days in a row without rest. They are also on average 2-3 times as strong as a human, with some peaking at a 5 fold increase in strength.

A common joke goes *“Uh atamu, atamu, atamu em atati! (He, drink, drink, drink, drank!) (He had to drink a drink and another drink and another drink!)”* effectively saying that the person was so weak and feeble he had to drink and keep drinking to survive. Dying of thirst or hunger is uncommon as person would have to be very stupid or in horrible circumstances to go long enough for that to be an issue.

### Religion

Temples are prevelent across the nation. Being a member of the clergy is one of the most respected positions. All learning an education takes place in a temple. All scholars, writers, artists, engineers, architects, and other educated, skilled workers go through a temple at some point. The Temple of Temples of Asahumu is the largest temple in Sumuher, with the largest archive of all knowledge in the land. While skilled workers can learn at any temple, only at Asahumu can clergy be trained. Clergy members are keepers of libraries and all of the knowledge known to the Sumuherans. They conduct research and experiments and are constantly improving the way of life and technology of the nation.

Shrines are any construction, small or large, dedicated to a spirit. These can be to specific spirits, like the spirit of a certain river, or to general spirits, like spirits of water. The belief is that praying at these shrines will give the person a specific boon, such as greater strength, quick winds, fortune, among other things. Seals, small inscriptions or written poetry, are placed on many objects, clothing, and buildings, to achieve the same effect. One might place a poem seal to stone spirits on a building to give it strength.

All law enforcement comes from the temples as well. Police, lawyers, and investigators form a division within the religious hierarchy.

### Moral values and principles

*“The farmer plows his field, lays the seed, waters the crop. He produces no food. Does the farmer resign himself to death because he has failed? No, for he is not the Sun, he can not make plants grow, he can not kill all the pests, he can not make the rain fall. All he can do, is plow the field, lay the seed, and water the crop. If there is a way to do it right, he will find it.” -scroll one, passage six, Sumuher amun, Narrum (Of Sumuher, Us)*

There are two pillars to Sumuher society. The Clan Family, and their religion Asahumu Polytheism. The two are intertwined in a way that neither can exist without the other, and every aspect of the culture is influenced by one or the other. The Clan's foundation is the *Labiru*, their spouse and children, their children's spouses and children, their grandchildren's spouses and children, and their great-grandchuldren's spouses and children. Most clans also include the *Labiru*'s siblings' families, with some including even more distant relations. Family and caring for one's clan is the most important aspect of Sumuheran life.

The Sumuher people believe they all share the same spirit, thus conflict between each other never has real malice or evil intent. As a result arguing and fighting are not seen as negative, and depending on the circumstance can even be displays of passion and love. True Sumuherans are fiercly loyal and dependable, and will do anything for those they care about.

"Failure" is a foreign concept to the Sumuherans. There are only pauses to the path ahead. When their tough and incredible bodies have finally given in and they can move no more, they merely think how the sleep will prepare them to work again when the sun rises.

Values

* *Religion*, To pursue an ecclesiastical life is one of the most common and respected paths. There is always a job, and always a stable life with it. Their religion and culture are nigh one and the same. Clergy have an important role in innovation as well and often develop ways to improve quality of life.
* *Education*, Learning and amassing knowledge is a burning hunger for the Sumuherans. They strive to know all that the Sun and Moon have created, and will go to great lengths in the pursuit of knowing more. They love interacting with new things and documenting it all.
* *The Arts*, The Sun and Moon sculpted everything, thus to pursue a creative career is second to working in a temple. Specifically, Architects and Sculptors are the most notable professions. Architects hold great power and respect, while Sculptors are akin to celebrities become very wealthy
* *Trade*, One of the best ways they've found to learn more, is to trade. Engaging with others is the perfect way to learn, and through trade engage with many, many others. Additionally, Greed is not seen as a bad trait, and sometimes encouraged. To be greedy for oneself almost always ends up being greedy for ones clan. To care for ones clan can never be seen as bad, and thus many have developed highly competitive, mercantile, and almost ruthless ways of life. Money buys Knowledge. Money buys Art. Money builds Architecture.
* *Fighting*, Fighting is like breathing. Despite many pursuing intellectual lives, the Sumuheran physiology cries out for conflict. Their strength and ability to withstand such strength makes them prone to fights out of nowher. Out of anger, and for fun. Further, War, while not seen as a "good" thing, is neither discouraged, not hated. It is merely a fact of life, and since all things return to the Sun or Moon, death isn't a concern with war. Cost and wasted time are often the things that prevent war for them.
* *Simplicity*, Complex things are the bane of Sumuheran life, who prefer to keep everything simpel and orderly.
* *Hedonism*, Long lives and strong bodies make for reckless and pleasure seeking habits. Excessive alcohol consumption, extravagant parties, adrenaline hunting and other pleasure seeking activites happen in abundance. Gambling is very, very enjoyed by the Sumuherans.

### Traditions

Holidays

* *Black Sun Festival*, in remembrance of the unification of the Sumuheran clans, a weeklong festival ending on the anniversary of the solar eclipse is held. Many clans encourage their members to spend the holidy away from home and socializing with other clans. Six days straight of partying ends with one calm day of rest.
* *Soft Gentle Rains Festival*, when the first rain of the year begins everyone leaves work to go home and spend the day with a single loved one. Friend, family, or lover doesn't matter. They make a wish for the future together and spend the day enjoying calm activities and relaxing.

Rituals

* *Elu-Nahu* (Rise-Set Ceremony), Performed when a child is born. The next day is dedicated to them, where they are given trinkets and gifts from every clan member, with the intention theyd be items to keep for their whole lives.
* *Nahu-Elu* (Set-Rise Ceremony), Performed when a person dies. The night following is dedicated to them. Their body is burned and the ash is used to create a ceremonial brick. After a night of partying the brick eventually makes its way into a building for their clan, "strengthing the foundations".
* *Eliddu enni amun* (Be my skipper), Sailing is one of the go-to ways to relax. Many go on "sailing picnics", wherein a basket of food and entertainment is enjoyed one a set, stable heading. Many couples enjoy these as romantic outings, and the phrase *"Eliddu enni amun"* (Be my Skipper)

Sports and Games

* *Sarrum* (King), the most beloved sport of the Sumuherans. Competitions are regular and betting is officially organized. A 5v5 all out fight. There are two Kings, each with a reed crown and a wooden spear. They have four warriors who can use nothing but their hands. The only objective is for the king to have two crowns. There is no field and anywhere can be designated as the "play area". This can include whole city districts, single buildings, and parts of the wilderness. More terrain obstacles that promote ingenuity and clever thinking are encouraged.
* *Sailing*
* *Qurabu Dagtu* (Verbal fight), Competitve arguing

### Art

All of the arts are respected, but none more than Architecture and Sculpture. The architecture of Sumuher is mainly brick and timber construction, featuring many arches, columns, and thick walls. More developed areas layer their buildings creating mountous towns and cities, having many, many layers. There is an emphasis on blending the terraced city-scape with water and nature.

Poems and short stories are favorites to read and write. Many long stories still exist, with obvious but meaningful lessons.