Tirkiatlor

**Tirkiatlor** (Tirrian: **Tirkiat Lor**, Sunlands) or **Tir** is a large republic located on a vast, mountainous isthmus between the two continents of Darros.

It is south of Olossa by land, and Rukania and its islands across the sea. It is also north of the Khanates of Djasilan and Bulanabek.

## Alternate names

Tirkiatlor was also known as "Uvelhia" or "Uvelhesh", the "dry lands" or "lands free from snow" in ancient times.

More names include "Great Tir", "Five Hundred Tirs" (Mezkontiret) or "Hundred Tirs" (Okontirat).

"Tir", an older name for the land, is commonly used. Properly, its people are "Tirkiatlorians", but they are often known as "Tirrians", their ancient name.

In Sarmelonid, Tirkiatlor is known by its ancient name used millennia ago: Tirrjō, or Tirajō. Both names mean "Tir of the Sun", referring to Tirkiatlor's easterly location and lavish veneration of the Sun.

## History

Their ancestors arrived to Darros forty years before the Darroskei. Their civilisation was founded much later during the Fourth Age, when a tribe wandered too far south. There, they started to build stone settlements and farm local crops.

Near the start of the Fifth Age, the Tirri ("Sunlanders") tribes became into several kingdoms known for their pyramids and their astronomy. Later, they built the famous Canals of Lhiarong'lul, allowing fishermen and farmers to quickly navigate between the oceans without leaving their ships.

It was the Tirrians who taught the Oruzii how to ride on raptors and eat chocolate, so many archaic and courtly Tirrian words are still used in eastern parts. In return for exchanging knowledge of stage performances, architecture, and astronomy, the Tirrians learned about construction machinery, horse-riding, their allies' astronomic traditions, and metalworking from the Slavic kingdoms of the north.

The Tirrians already built splendid structures by their own, but the machinery of Rukania led to greater and more grandiose designs due to the ease in building such masterpieces. To this day, Tirrians send their wisest sons north to the academies and castles of Rukania to learn engineering, especially because in ancient times, Rukanian machinery (such as cranes, shafts, wooden slides for blocks) allowed the Tirrians to build faster. When they finish their lessons and return home, the sons attend a ritual where they must build or fix their first machine. After passing the test, the sons have a party thrown in their honour, with a lavish feast of boiled chocolate, juices, and venison served to them and their friends.

### Tirkiatlor and the Hunts

Tirkiatlor was ruled by three kingdoms at the start of the Eighth Age. After fending off a Vampiric invasion from the north, the western kingdom developed firearms, and the use of cannons and muskets was spread within a few years. During that time, the Tirrians used trebuchets and ballistas in their militaries: these and the same cannons were used initially to repel scout ships sent by the Aspuruk aliens. Later, more-accurate cannons were developed, mainly because some men wanted to hunt more ships to harvest metal for new tools.

The three kingdoms of Tirkiatlor, then known as Uvhelshe, were Sajaral, Ivchelir, and Maknopal. Maknopal was known for its golden domes.

By the time the Ecumene was founded, Tirkiatlor had four kingdoms, with the fourth kingdom, Tanakrel (modern Tanakrin), being split from the central kingdom by a rebellious prince. All four of them became later members of the Ecumene.

Tirkiatlor was a former ally of the Sarmelonid Empire, but fortified itself to defend its Slavic and Goturean allies when Emperor Maudolinnir waged war on the continent of Darros.

### Modern Tirkiatlor

During the Thralondian Empire, multiple skybarge fleets were destroyed by a network of invisible turrets. All of them were built with Zvestarid technology, which was the most advanced in its time. The most the Thralondians were able to make were a few coastal villages and the seaport of Kangawak, but even during the Battle of Kangawak, the Thralondian supersoldiers were gunned down by "a constellation of snipers" hidden among the murals.

## Geography

Modern Tirkiatlor's capital is Jonlhaglun ("Moon Palace"). Major cities across the isthmus include Ilheinri ("Rainstorm"), Okonkor ("Hundred Macaws"), Muqromqar ("Breeze Rain'), and the university town of Ivchekara ("Gathering of Minds") with its famous ballgame court.

Six large cities oversee the ends of the three Canals. In the western ends are Kangawak, Turingu, and Tosmirik. In the eastern ends are Atsamak, Minawok, and Luithadengle. Luithadengle is also a resort town boasting famous beaches and caves.

Further south are the Makanak Pal, the mountain range that leads to the Khanate of Djasilan.

### Settlements

* Jonlhaglun - the Moon Palace, the capital city
* Ilheinri - major city, "Rainstorm"
* Okonkor - "Hundred Macaws"
* Muqromqar
* Ivchekara - a university town, known for its great ballgame court.
* Kangawak - large port at the western end of the canals
* Turingu - western port
* Tosmirik - western port
* Atsamak - eastern port
* Minawok - eastern port
* Luithadengle - eastern port, resort town with beaches and caves.
* Pajatir - an affluent metropolis that enjoys a high degree of autonomy, as the Duchy of Pajatir. It is also an industrial powerhouse.
	+ For sending so much soldiers, officers, and artillery to defend the nation, Pajatir's autonomy was restored after the defeat of the Thralondian fleets. The people elected Commandante Norinhez Inqarraz, a descendant of the second last duke, a folk hero, as the new duke.
	+ Pajatir's emblem is a god sitting on his throne, with a pile of gold in one hand and an axe on another. The gold represents the wealth of the city, and the axe is for its abundant weaponry to defend itself from attacks.
* Tanakrin - a city of abundant gold, one of the oldest capitals
* Shimblo League - an autonomous confederacy of seven city-states that retained their kings.
	+ Shimbil, Tigwesh, Pagrima, Qivrin, Hwanaqor, Manwaral, and Roponoroq
	+ Pagrima is known for its large lake.
* Tlindin - a watchtower at the furthest south of the Makanak Pal Mountains, where arid plains and pines give way to more rainforest. Beyond its mountain pass is the country of Djasilan.

### Other locations

* The Chocolate Road - a road along the west coast where merchants deliver chocolate and other luxuries. Sons of wealthy and ambitious Tirrians go north to study in universities in Rukania and beyond, and go along this route to return home and earn a feast thrown in their honour.

## Culture

Maptakal, a ceremonial ball game popular among nobility and commoners, is the national sport. It is played with the hips, arms, or with paddles, and the paddles variant is the most popular in modern times. A variant, taklaar, is popular in eastern Tirkiatlor and northern Djasilan.

## Language

Tirrian (Tirrian: Tirlhesha van Ilhuim, Trisha Lhoim, Trishalim) is written with ideograms, similar to Daizhouvian.

"dz", "gh", "ngh", and "nghw" are used in eastern dialects. Also, eastern dialects tend to merge "v" into "w".

### Verbs

Tirrian verbs make a distinction between moving and doing while still.

* dob - past
* klu- ... dob - past, moving
* ki- - present
* klu - present, moving
* ei, ul - future
* klu- ... ul - future, moving

### Numbers

* kun - one
* ngar - two
* oos, os - three
* kanh - four
* me'i, mejin, meis, mez - five
* utnaq, utno, uzno - six
* lho - seven
* ap, iap - eight
* sau - nine
* toi - ten
* ngutam, tutsam - 20
* okon - hundred
* mezkon - 500
* tadai - 1000

### Glossary

A series of phonetic glyphs were created in the latter Fourth Age to transcribe foreign sounds and grammatical words.

a, b, ch, d, e, g, h, i, j, k, l, lh, m, n, ng, o, p, q, qh, r, rh, s, sh, t, u, v, w, z

* aklheng, akal, akalh, akolh - star
* angkalh - vast water, sea
* angkelh - sea, bay
* asaulhen - welcome
* daus - swim
	+ ki-daus - to swim
	+ klu-daus - to swim this way
* dri - white
* Drimutlang, Pannialhang - Baniorel, White Cities
* Helhui - the Sun (archaic, ceremonial)
* ilh, iul, jul - rain
* illheng - waking up
	+ ki-illeng - to wake up
* Ilh Maulhmos - Olossa, Rainy Forests
* ilheinri - rainstorm
* -it - collective (sometimes derogatory)
* kalh - (archaic) water, liquid
* kibu, kibulh - obsidian
* jonlha(ga), jong'la- moon
* jotkan - a dog, a scoundrel
* Jotkanit - rabble, scoundrels, enemies
* jotlhakan - shameful person
* lab - chiefly, aristocratic
* lablun - city-mountain, a Tirrian pyramid
	+ Similar to the ones built by the Mayans.
* lor - land, region, county
* lun - hall, palace
* -lhesh - land, ground, earth
* ma - top, up, upper
* machavkal - armour
* maionpal - salutations (royal, classical)
	+ Now considered as a royal greeting only seen in ceremonies.
* maksut - yelling, recklessness, reckless
	+ ki-maks - to curse, to yell
	+ klu-maks - to go around cursing and screaming
* malhesh - northlands
* ma-ngeroq, Maneqrolh - He who is Over the Four Corners, emperor
* maptakal - a ceremonial ball game
* masuh - water
* maulh - forest
* maum, moumalh - ocean, vast water
* maushalh - beach
* megralung - a raptor rider
* mek- - a doer
* mla - greeting
	+ klu-mla - to go around greeting
* mos - tree, tall tree
* nik - knife
* Noeivalh, Neivalhesh - Sevraeja
* nger - four, four times, everywhere, widespread
* ngerqar - four
* -ot, -et - plural
* palam - rainbow
	+ Ancient Tirrian banners had rainbows and full moons as their symbols, representing royalty or the gods.
* qhean - foreign southern king
	+ From Goturean \*han, \*qahan - "khan"
* rash - head, first
* rhalung - a raptor
* shal - sand
* shalhuesh - desert
* shan - sky
* shan'lhair, shanlhai - heavenly, divine
* som - yellow
* Somsalhang, Bulhqormoqan - Yellow South, Bulanabek
* taklaar - variant of the *maptakal* ballgame in eastern Tirkiatlor and northern Djasilan.
* tir - sun
	+ The more commonly-used word, formerly an archaic term.
* tirkiat, tirkja - sun
* tirkiatlor - land of the sun
* tkol - chocolate (modern)
	+ simplified: tekol
* tokal - chocolate (archaic), ambrosia, food of the gods
* tumak, tumok - friend
* tumag - great friend
* udalh - king
* um - water, pond, small amount of water
* Urzal - Rukania, Oruz
* uvelh - dry
* uvelhesh - dry land, land without snow, the living world
* Wilheng, Tir-Kiatlor! - Rise up, Tirkiatlor!
	+ Equivalent to various patriotic slogans in other nations, like "Turo Vozolaz" (Hail Vozolaz) and "Slava Bujanau" (Glory to Bujan). Used to salute
* wlas, ulas - northern king
	+ From archaic Slavjane \*vlasti - "power, king"

## Religion

Tirkiatlor venerates its own pantheon of gods. Some of them correspond with the gods of Tchukorja and the forest tribes in the north, but most of them are independent deities. Some of the native deities also emerged later, and remained popular enough to be worshipped to this day.

Human sacrifice was no longer practiced since the Vampiric invasions of the Fourth Age, as the vampires were seen as divine punishment for reckless massacres of innocent blood. Instead, burnt offerings and meat and blood from animals are used.

* Gul Helhui, Gulhwilen - god of the sun, king of the gods
* Milhengo - goddess of chocolate and inspiration
* Matkarda - god of architecture, technology, and engineering. Considered as the patron god of Rukania, and sometimes syncretised with Dazhbog.
* Utaandalet - the four gods who watch over the world. Originally seen as bearers of a flat world born from four great, mystical trees, the four gods were later depicted as floating around Jerde after scientific knowledge and astronomy improved since the Eighth Age onwards.
	+ The Utaan are Gul Helhui's ministers, who oversee and reward all deeds by all mortals and spirits.
* Iulharan, Illuran - god of rain, storms, war, and dance.
	+ His weapons are a poleaxe of toughened jade and a bow and arrows. His warriors are storm spirits who fire lightning bolts from their bows, and ride on serpents.
	+ His consort is Palammaz, goddess of the rainbow and medicine.
* Palammaz - goddess of healing, medicine, and the rainbow.
	+ Her weapons are a spear and a mirror-shield bearing the Moon's likeness. Her warriors are goddesses of light, who supposedly heal people but kill the wicked with their spears.
	+ Idols and shrines to Palammaz are often used in clinics and hospitals. Medics also pray to her for her aid.
* Chidaaril - god of corn, food, life, and agriculture. The eldest son of Iulharan and Palammaz, who were his greatest mentors.
	+ Every winter is the start of farming, when Chidaaril is worshipped with a burnt offering of old, dead plants and boar's blood. The ashes of the offerings are used to fertilise the soil as rains fall.
* Daratosun, Daaratun - god of mountains, valleys, and earthquakes. He was believed to inhabit the mountains that bisect the country and southwards.
	+ He is also the god of travellers on land, so shrines to him are a common sight on highways and mountain passes. Travellers tend to pray to him on hills after resting in inns.
* Mitanqla - god of sculpting, smithing, and metalworking.
* Mital - first son of Mitanqla, a divine smith. Left Tirkiatlor to explore the crafts of other nations and even alien civilisations.
* Atansuvin - patron god of Pajatir, god of wealth, the forge, weapons, and metalworking. He is the god depicted in the city's emblem. Second son of Mitanqla, younger brother of Mital.

## Trivia

The author thought about Tirkiatlor after imagining that the not-Chukchi people of Tchukorja would had migrated south, or too far, so it would be possible for them to instead create their own civilisation to survive.

* Tirkiatlor was based on the Mayans of eastern Mexico and Guatemala. He based its language on the Chukchi language with elements from Yucatec Mayan.
	+ The Tirkiatlorian ball game was meant to correspond to the ancient Mayan ball game.
* "увеԓен" is Chukchi for "thawed land", "тиркытир" means "sun", "йъиԓгын" means "moon", "илиил" and "muqemuq" mean "rain"
* Some Tirrian cities' names were derived from legendary places in the Americas, like El Dorado and Paititi.
	+ The Shimblo League was named after Cibola.
	+ Tanakrin was based on El Dorado and Cuzco of the Incan Empire.
	+ Pajatir was named after Paititi.