Peren

The **Republic of Peren** is a mountainous country located to the east of Siangwaan and to the west of Varn Venn.

The land of Peren has many mines, and it is notable for many Burrow-cities, and its hauntings and magical dolls.

Perenian culture is very related to the Vozonids' culture and civilisation, and Vozonids see Peren as basically a picture of themselves if they remained independent from Gauvajut influence.

## History

It is the supposed birthplace of the tribes that became the Vozonid race, and its people retain a distant relative of the Vozonid languages, unaltered by millennia of Gauvajut influence.

Although it was one of the members of the Nandaba Confederacy, it was formed from the eastern tribes who chose independence instead of submitting to Zio Do as their ruler.

Peren was one of the many territories conquered and enslaved by the Thralondian Empire, but it later became the first nation in the region to be free of Thralondian rule, as its Burrow-cities gathered more members of resistance movements. Among them were Ontemazei and other peoples from other lands, who helped the Perenians fight back against Thralondian counter-attacks.

In 1793, Zieu Mengdo had ended his term as Siangwaan's first president. He went to the jungles of Peren to fight the undead, and went missing for eighty years. He was also given a magical sword by several wanderers in the jungle, who aided his war against the demons. When he died, a certain spot in the jungle went dry, as the spirits of the forest mourned for their failure to save him.

He was found in 1873, and his remains were cremated and interred in a tomb.

## Demographics

See also: Vozonic peoples, Sakautari people

The Perenian locals and government have managed to "civilise" some of the dolls, allowing them to coexist and serve the Perenians. It also has an Ontemazei minority, descendants of slaves that were liberated from Thralondian oppression, who helped the Perenians befriend and adopt the dolls. Some people consider this to make their nation a "North Umbirab" due to its adoption of "unusual peoples".

Forty percent of Peren's people are Ontemazei, making them the largest minority in the country.

## Religion

Although most Perenians worship two native pantheons, popular deities venerated in Peren include Tarhunz and Svarog. These two gods became popular after the 15th century AT, as the Perenians believed that these gods helped them prevail over the Thralondians.

The Perenian gods were almost the same gods worshipped during the reign of Emperor Silojennoz of the Sarmelonid Empire, as the latter attempted a religious revival of the pre-Gauvajut pantheon, or simply renaming his gods after the Perenian gods.

The kodequara worship their own pantheons.

### Perenian Pantheon and gods

* Ranaroz - the Creator and Smith
* Jawatarai - the Mother and Gardener
* Danarod - the Celestial Dancer
* Akāla - the Weaver. Also the goddess of time: considered an aspect of Kali.
* Toronar, Wjorodar, and Mjarodar - the three gods of war. They are brothers.
* Dāradoz - the Lord of War and Leadership
* Isuorau - the Great Teacher, the Lord of Wisdom. Considered an aspect of Ishvara, who in turn is an aspect of Shiva.
* Shuratoz - the Hunter
* Autshazra - the Lord of Archers
* Metsharoz - the Lord of Swords
	+ The sword that Zieu Mengdo used to kill the demons was perhaps a relic of the Sword God. After Zieu Mengdo was returned and cremated, the blessed weapon was consecrated into a shrine, guarded by forest wights clad in green armour.
* Warjotshar - the Lord of Spears
* Hiraunez, Airaunez, Krimaurez, Thojanez - the Goddesses of the Four Winds
* Audzharoz, Mareshanoz, Ishandaroz, Wjanbadroz, Kronaidroz, Sowaitroz, Kjonaradoz, and Trewjandoz - the Gods of the Eight Directions
* Bisāra, Wethjara, Noisāra, Oiwadra, K'orjanda, Zatrinja, Zomaidrae, Kjotrozari, Shōrizaura, Dzhomitrau, Dzhodatrau, Kronjaera, Wizaetra, Hiraizara, Drinauri, and Tormari - the Sixteen Goddesses of the Stars
* Himoraz - The Sun Goddess
* Kaudaroz - The Moon God
* Kaunotai - The Gryphon God
* Etjomai - The Spinel Goddess

## Why is it "peculiar"?

* Peren is the only nation on Jerde that recognises the kodequara as citizens, rather than simply a species of magical robot.
* Peren has a huge concentration of Ontemazei: in fact, they consist of forty percent of all Perenians, being the biggest minority in the country.