Hiriwa

The **Kingdom of Hiriwa** is a large nation at the south. It is east of Kitasa, southeast of Kumulkia, and further east of Ajupura.

## Geography

Hiriwa consists of three islands: Kohutihi (Mist Peaks), Marakāriki (Green Fields), and Mutumatau (the last hook).

Sometimes, Mutumatau is also known in classical ceremonies as Te Waka-a-Māui, the Barge of Maui. Kohutihi is also known as Te Ika-a-Māui, the Fish of Maui; therefore Marakāriki is sometimes considered the place where Māui stood to catch the great fish, so it is named as Te Puke-a-Māui, the Hill of Maui.

Because of the large size of the three main islands, Hiriwans also poetically praise their homeland as Nga Marae-a-Māui, the Fields of Maui.

## History

Hiriwa was settled during the Third Age by Mamaovian sailors.

For thousands of years, Hiriwa was known for being a sophisticated civilisation. The Hiriwans retained much of their culture, but they also adopted horse-riding, archery, crossbows, smithing metal, and they even tamed the great eagles of the mountains. Some of their culture was learned from Daizhou and Ersoviant far in the north, such as how to ride on horses, use metal, and build crossbows - but the Hiriwas also developed their own independent technology, such as aqueducts, wells, and irrigation.

At around the Fifth Age, one of Hiriwa's kings reformed the prohibition between nobility and commoners, claiming that the advancing technology of his kingdom made the prohibitions unnecessary.

Hiriwa (then known as Rasumotu, the Hundred Islands) managed to avoid being enslaved by the Aspuruks as it was isolated. Due to reports of "strange two-headed devils from the sky", the three kings who ruled there isolated the country until the two-headed Aspuruks were no longer heard of. Those kings were Huatare the Wise, supreme ruler of Rasumotu, and his two viceroys for the other two islands. Hundreds of foreigners were forbidden from leaving the island, as the kings claimed that they were protecting them from the Aspuruks. By the time the Aspuruk threat was gone, Hiriwa began reestablishing trade with other civilisations. The foreigners who were previously prohibited were allowed to return, bringing with them any skills they learned from the Rasumotuan kingdoms to rebuild their ruined homelands.

Rasumotu was one of the far-flung lands that were mostly unscathed by the Aspuruks, but it was entirely unaffected as no Aspuruks were interested in conquering the island realm. Other parts of the world that were lucky included Luskara and much of its vassals in the south.

Rasumotu was a later member of the Ecumene.

The Vozonids far in the east like Hiriwa a lot because they consider the Hiriwans to be very similar to their civilisation. One tradition that they like the most from Hiriwa was the *haka*, a ceremonial dance used to invoke the Gods and ancestors. To Vozonids, they consider the *haka* to be similar to the marches and prayers shouted to the Vozonid pantheon and saints.

Hiriwa used to be a close ally of the Sarmelonid Empire until the invasions by Emperor Maudolinnir.

### Modern history

With the rise of the Wannaenid Empire as a new threat to the region, Hiriwa was the leader of a local alliance to fend off further invasions from the Wannaenids and occasional Terran raiders. It emerged as a powerful nation against the worldwide collapse caused by the Kyrvotins' EMP using vast troves of technology hidden from the storm, using its spare machines to quickly rebuild.

Its alliance became the Zvestarid Coalition as it built a great army to defeat the Wannaenid Empire, and Hiriwan soldiers also took part in the alliance's liberation of the northerly islands.

## Government

Hiriwa is ruled by a High King, known as a Rangatira. Under him are the thirty-six Ariki, the dukes of the land.

The Royal House of Hiriwa is known as the House of Awhapakaru, the Stormbreakers. They were a clan of smiths who unified the island after a great instability.

## Society

Hiriwa is known for its smiths, its carpenters, architects, poets, warriors, and astronomers.

In ancient Hiriwa, a hierarchy prohibited any contact between the aristocracy and the commoners, with some trespasses resulting in execution. Now the hierarchy is no longer enforced, although people sometimes practice noble honorifics and avoidance of nobility out of respect.

Horses are a common sight in Hiriwa - available to anyone from commoners to lords and aristocrats. Higher-ranked warriors and lords also ride on great *tuatara*, large three-eyed lizards that spew venomous blood from their eyes.

Great eagles, known as *pouakai*, are ridden by elite warriors and knights.

The Hiriwan traditional calendar has 354 days. The last three to five days of the year are known as Tangaroa's days, ending with Matariki, the New Year, marked with the sighting of a constellation of nine stars. This is observed by spending time with families and prayers to the ancestors, rather than partygoing, as Matariki is considered a holy day.

No fireworks or clock tower bells are allowed to be used for Matariki, due to the holiness of that night.

## Language

Hiriwan is written in a syllabary. It has a formal form (which has many spirals) and a simple form (for everyday handwriting).

Hiriwan has a classical form, High Hiriwan, which is used in courtly settings. Alongside this is Hawaike (Savaiki), the unified classical language among the western Mamaovian nations.

Hiriwan was wrongly known as "Reovid", after its native name "Te Reo Hiriwa" (the Hiriwan language). Hiriwans mock other countries back by calling their languages something like "Languagian" or "Languagese": for example, Vozonid was known humorously as "Sanoteri" or "Hanoteri" (from "šondwo", Sarmelonid for "language" pr "treasure").

"s" is a phoneme in Hiriwan, although it has been merged into "h" in High Hiriwan.

### Glossary

* -a- - of, especially in names and titles
* ariki - duke, lord
* atua - god, deity
* haka - a sacred dance; any dance (formal)
* Hanotera - Vozolaz
* Although it originated as a mocking term to Vozolaz for their old ally's wrongful name, "Reovid", it later became more acceptable by the Sarmelonids and later Vozonids as a poetic name.
* hapū - pregnant; a greater group consisting of any number of whānau; a clan
* iwi - a tribe; a bone
* kaitiaki - guardian, steward
* kaitiakitanga - stewardship, responsibility
* karakia - a prayer, to pray
* kokuri, kōriko - horse (from the galloping sounds they make)
* marae - temple
* marae nui - great temple
	+ In Hiriwan records dating back to Sarmelonid times, diplomats and visitors described the large temples in Vozolaz as "maraenui" or "whanuimarae", "great temples".
* motu - island
* nui - big, great
* nga ... - the (plural)
* ngengeri, sengeri, hengeri - meower, a cat
* ngeru - a cat, kitty (affectionate)
* ngerungeru - smooth
* ... o ... - (genitive)
* For example: "Tangata o Hanotera", means "a Vozonid person".
* Sometimes "O-" is also used in quicker speech, so "Vozonid" or "Hanoterian" would be "O-Hanotera".
* pā - castle
* pouakai - great eagle, victorious one
* pounamu - jade
* rā - sun
* rāhui - a temporary limit on an area to ensure it heals, such as a school of fish after overfishing.
* rangatira - king, high one
* rangatiranui - great king, emperor
* "Rangatiranui-a-Hanotera" - "Emperor of Vozolaz"
* rasu - hundred (common)
* rau - hundred (formal)
* Rehewhana - Bujan, Ersovjant (formal)
* Resawhena - Bujan, Ersovjant (common)
* reo - language
* rohe - domain, area, realm of an iwi family
* saka - dance, to dance (common)
* tangata - person
* taua - war party, regiment
* te ... - the (singular)
* teitei - high
* teitoa - high warrior, a knight
* toa - warrior
* tohunga - priest, holy man
* upoko - head
* upokopā - head-city, capital city
* waka - seafaring boat; the highest level of a family in Hiriwan culture
	+ Three generations make up a whānau, many whānau make up a hapū, the hapū form an iwi, and the iwi belong to their respective waka.
* wakanui - barge, ship
* whānau - extended family
* whanui - wide
* whanuipā - a large city

## Religion

Hiriwan temples are known as *marae*. The priests and holy men there are known as *tohunga*, who also preserve written records in scrolls of wood, silk, and sisal.

Jade is a holy mineral in Hiriwa, similar to Daizhou. It is known as *pounamu*.

Contrary to popular belief, the *haka* of Hiriwa are not always dances meant for preparing warriors for a battle. They are also used to invoke the Gods and ancestors to bless certain events in life. Other ceremonies include the *karakia*, another kind of prayer.

The more-commonly known *haka* used in war is properly known as the *peruperu*.

Hinduism and Buddhism can be found in some northerly villages, who use "s" in their dialects as a separate letter.

## Pantheon

The Gods of Hiriwa are known as *atua*.

* Ao - god of light and colour
* Rangi - the sky god
* Papa - the earth goddess

Although Maui is a demigod, it is generally discouraged to worship him as excessively as the Vozonids do.

* Whaitiri - goddess of thunder
* Auahitūroa - god of comets and fire
* Mahuika - goddess of fire. She and Auahitūroa are wife and husband, parents to five children.
* Ikaroa - goddess of the Galaxy and mother of the stars

### The Seven Brothers

These are the prominent sons of Rangi and Papa, venerated throughout all of Hiriwa as the most popular deities.

In Hiriwan folklore, these seven gods became into heroes, known as the Seven Brothers. Many legends were made about their adventures and lessons.

* Tangaroa - the god of the sea.
* Rongo - god of farmers and crops.
* Tūmatauenga - god of war and human crafts.
* Tāne - god of forests and birds.
* Haumia-tiketike, Haumia - god of wild plants and food.
* Tāwhirimātea, Tāwhiri - god of storms and weather.
* Rehua - god of the stars and healing.

### Vozonid syncretism

Rongo was also worshipped by Vozonids as a patron god. Hiriwans suggested that Vozonids should not pray to Maui, but instead to Rongo.

As the war god Tūmatauenga was venerated by the Hiriwan Armed Forces, for all soldiers and officers present regardless of ancestry, he was also worshipped by Vozonids before they went to war. Even in modern times, some Vozonids also prayed to the Hiriwan war god for his blessing to fight criminals and threats.

## Folklore

* Kurura - eagle-king of the north, god of migratory animals
	+ Both he and Katoha are the kings of pouakai eagles.
* Katoha - eagle-king of the south, god of birds and winter
	+ Both Kurura and Katoha, the eagle brothers, were inspired by Garuda.

## Trivia

* Hiriwa was inspired by the Maori people of New Zealand, if they were a more advanced civilisation like Korea. Parts of its ancient technology were also influenced by ancient China.
	+ Like Visenga, Hiriwa was also influenced by Grand Cathay from the Warhammer franchise.
* The author also based the Hiriwan language on Samoan and reconstructed archaic Polynesian languages, as Hiriwan also has the phoneme "s" in commoners' speech.
* "Hiriwa" is the Maori word for "silver", also from the same English word.