recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Zupi Culture

The **Zupi Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and orc society that lived in Yakiwana in south-eastern Orana.

## History

By 1000 3E, Zupi clans had spread all across Yakiwana. In 1364 3E, a great tsunami caused by an earthquake in the South Sea ravaged Zupi territory and killed many.

## Culture

### Art

Early Zupi art consisted of wood and bone carvings. By 1500 3E, their art had shifted into pottery, and they had begun making ceramic idols. They also crafted artifacts out of stone, jade and obsidian.

### Dress

Zupi men and women generally wore simple loincloths and sandals. Higher status individuals wore capes, headdresses, tunics or long dresses.

#### Naming Conventions

Most Zupi were known simply by a single given name, differentiated by a father's name or a village's name if needs be. Zupi chieftains often had long, complicated formal names used in ceremony, in addition to a first name.

### Religion

The Zupi worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them in the forms of local animals.

### Society

Zupi culture was highly disorganised. Every village was completely autonomous, and alliances between villages rarely lasted. Every village was ruled by a chief, almost always male. Orcs and humans rarely lived in the same clans, and they often enslaved each other.

### War

The Zupi warred regularly among themselves. Warriors were almost always male, and represented the top social tier.

## Technology

The Zupi Culture used stone tools. They were also expert canoe-builders. By 1500 3E, they had begun creating pottery artifacts.

### Agriculture

Early Zupi people were hunter-gatherers. By about 2500 3E, they had begun to grow maize and squash; a tradition that spread south from the Totexla Culture.

### Weapons

The Zupi used bows, spears (often thrown by spear-throwers), axes, clubs, slings and bolas.
Newed Culture

The **Newed Culture** was a Post-Collapse human, halfling and gnome agricultural culture in Ancient Era Aman, Kurtum and Dahya. It is famous for producing a number of cities, including Alash, Terun, Jhal, Ubaha and Damek.

## Culture

Early Newed society was very egalitarian. Later Newed society however became stratified by class and gender divisions, moving the society from one ruled by councils of elders and priests to one ruled by strongman chieftains, who later became kings.

### Religion

The Newed worshiped a large pantheon of deities, including the following:

* Anur, the sky father
* Ka, the earth mother and goddess of fertility
* Sarpa, the son of Anur and Ka and the first king on Mervona
* Wasek, the father of the gnomes and halflings and god of healing and agriculture
* Mitca, queen of the underworld
* Utush, god of the sun
* Badra, god of the sea

## Technology

The Newed Culture was highly advanced for its day. By about 1000 3E the Newed had discarded stone tools in favour of copper ones. They had a very complex pottery tradition, had erected cities along river banks and had also begun sailing. They even had dabbled in the crafting of jewels.

### Agriculture

Agriculture was the backbone of the Newed Culture. By 1000 3E they had domesticated cattle, sheep, goats and bees as livestock and barley, wheat, dates and apples.
Totexla Culture

The **Totexla Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and orc agricultural society that lived in Teotlepec in eastern Orana.

## Culture

### Art

Totexla art consisted of pottery idols and vessels, rock paintings, and wood and bone carvings. They also used bone flutes and animal-hide drums as musical instruments.

### Dress

Totexla dress consisted of loincloths, dresses and robes made of local plants and animal hides.

#### Naming Conventions

Totexla individuals had a single, given name.

### Religion

The Totexla worshiped the Old Spirits in addition to a pantheon of deities, which included:

* Xochichel, god of agriculture (maize in particular)
* Achtaca, goddess of rain
* Moyolenan, god of war

### Society

Totexla villages were grouped into clans, each led by a chieftain, usually male. Shamans were also held in high regard. Orcs were kept as slaves in many clans, but by the middle of the 3rd Millennium 3E a few clans of free orcs had popped up around Teotlepec.

## Technology

The Totexla made use of stone tools and pottery.

### Agriculture

Totexla agriculture centered on the cultivation of maize and squash. Dogs provided the main source of protein.
Dangas Culture

The **Dangas Culture** was a Post-Collapse cyclops society that lived in the Ganbi Islands.

## Culture

### Art

Dangas art consisted primarily of stone sculptures, carvings and idols.

### Dress

Dangas cyclopes wore tunics or loincloths, with chiefs wearing elaborate headdresses. Slaves were fitted into loincloths, or simply left naked.

### Language

Early Dangas spoke the Dangas Language. Following the Walegros migrations in ~1700 3E, they began to speak a heavily dialectal version of Proto-Fasoi instead.

#### Naming Conventions

Dangas cyclopes had only a single, given name. Dangas humans had given names as well as a surname indicating the cyclops that owned the individual.

### Religion

Dangas religion centered on the worship of a single deity, Mitzie, who created the world by hurling rocks into the sea. Dangas slaves did not worship Mitzie, instead worshiping the Old Spirits, who took the form of sea animals and birds. Following the Walegros migrations, they began to worship the Walegros pantheon.

### Society

Dangas society was characterised by a cyclops ruling class that enslaved humans to farm and build temples. Around 1700 3E, however, a migration of Walegros settlers to the Ganbi Islands drove cyclopes, and the Dangas Culture with them, to the far eastern islands.

### War

The Dangas occasionally warred among each other, but were peaceful more often than not.

## Technology

The Dangas used stone tools, could sail and had enough knowledge of masonry to construct the massive temple complexes at Axajin and Kbarab.

### Agriculture

The Dangas cultivated wheat and various legumes and had domesticated the local hippopotamuses. However, the majority of their diet came from fishing.
Andarma Culture

The **Andarma Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and gnome agricultural society that lived in north-eastern Mila.

## Culture

### Art

Andarma art consisted of elaborate pottery idols and vessels.

### Dress

Andarma dress consisted of tunics for males and dresses for females. Chieftains wore large headdresses.

#### Naming Conventions

Andarma names consisted of a given first name, a patronymic surname and a name indicating place of birth.

### Religion

The Andarma Culture largely worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals, notably cattle, wolf, bear and dhole spirits, later worshiping tiger and elephant spirits as well. They also worshiped Arahas, a god of animals. By 2500 3E, they had developed a complex pantheon:

* Arahas, god of animals
* Matavi, goddess of agriculture and the earth. Wife of Arahas
* Roge, goddess of music, dance and disease.
* Badha, tiger-headed god of war
* Vijebeda, goddess of victory in battle. Wife of Badha
* Pata, god of the mountains
* Andabhat, goddess of storms and love
* Kanmahar, god of death and the afterlife

### Society

Andarma society was broken into a number of clans, each of which was led by a chieftain, usually male. Gnomes and humans were rarely in the same clans.

## Technology

The Andarma Culture had a variety of stone tools and pottery techniques at their disposal.

### Agriculture

The Andarma Culture had a thriving agricultural system, based off the cultivation of peas, dates and sesame as well as the herding of cattle.
Matunga Culture

The **Matunga Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and orc hunter-gatherer society that lived in Takoara, south of the Rapiki Mountains.

## Culture

### Art

Matunga art featured elaborate pottery vessels and carved wooden weapons and canoes. The Matunga also tattooed themselves to show status.

Matunga rituals also featured a number of traditional dances, often accompanied by song or, more frequently, chanting.

### Dress

Matunga dress consisted largely of robes, skirts and kilts made of local plants and animal hides. High-ranking Matunga also wore large headdresses made of feathers.

### Language

The Matunga spoke the Matunga Language, which consisted of many dialects.

#### Naming Conventions

Most Matunga people had a single given name, possibly differentiated using a father's or mother's name. When travelling, they would be differentiated by their tribe and clan.

### Religion

The Matunga Culture worshiped the Old Spirits, as well as a pantheon of deities, including:

* Nerango, the god of the sky
* Ukune, goddess of the earth
* Warata, god of the sea

### Society

The Matunga people were organised into a number of clans, further subdivided into tribes and villages. Tribes were often composed of villages connected by blood. Traditionally Matunga society was divided into nobility, mostly composed of orcs, commoners and slaves (more often than not humans). Matunga society was fairly egalitarian when it came to gender, with an equal mix of male and female chieftains.

### War

The Matunga regularly warred among each other, and frequently invaded the Tewoke people to the south, and sometimes clashed with the Wajien and Pinong people to the north.

## Technology

The Matunga Culture used stone tools and made many pottery artifacts. They were expert fishermen and used canoes to aid in their fishing.

### Weapons

The Matunga primarily used spears and clubs, usually made of wood.
Ancient Collapse

The **Ancient Collapse** is a period of time from about 1 to 1000 3E immediately following the Great Tearing and the fall of the Aberrant Empire. During this period, the races of Mervona lost much of the technology they had during the Aberrant Era, including writing and agriculture.

## History

Following the Great Tearing, much of the Aberrant infrastructure had been wiped out. Unable to support their large numbers, many people died. The remaining populations, scattered in small groups all across the world, reverted to a hunter-gatherer society. Fortunately, the oral traditions of these people likely preserved the ideas of writing and agriculture, inspiring Post-Collapse civilisations.
Bilmawaroo Culture

The **Bilmawaroo Culture** was a Post-Collapse human hunter-gatherer culture that lived along the coasts of Woroboro in south-western Pia.

## Culture

### Religion

The Bilmawaroo Culture worshiped the Old Spirits.

## Technology

The Bilmawaroo Culture used stone tools and created rudimentary pottery artifacts. They primarily hunted and gathered for food, but they also supplemented their diet with fishing.
Walegros Culture

The **Walegros Culture** was a Post-Collapse human agricultural society that lived along the Gold Coast in eastern Baloren from around 500 3E to around 2000 3E.

## Culture

Early Walegros culture was largely homogeneous. By 2000 3E, it had split into 2 distinct cultures: the Siva Culture and the Fasoi Culture.

### Art

Walegros art featured elaborate pottery idols and vessels and stone statuettes of the Walegros deities.

### Dress

Walegros dress featured simple tunics, robes and sandals. Clan chiefs wore more elaborate clothing, including large headdresses and furs.

### Language

Early Walegros spoke a unified language, but by about 1000 3E, it had diverged into Proto-Sivaic and Proto-Fasoi.

#### Naming Conventions

Most common Walegros people had a given name and a patronymic surname. Nobility had another name, usually the name of their clan, indicating their status.

### Religion

The Walegros worshiped a large pantheon of deities, including:

* Tano, god of the sky
* Wunea, goddess of the home and wife to Tano
* Cali, goddess of the earth
* Lorun, god of war
* Lemena, goddess of death

By 1500 3E, the following deities had been added to the pantheon from the Newed and Kopel cultures.

* Heawa, a version of Heghwa, goddess of the dawn
* Nunos, storm god
* Badra, god of the sea
* Otos, a version of Utush, god of the sun

### Society

Walegros society was organised into a number of clans, each led by a clan chief (usually male). Men were largely considered superior to women, although a number of prominent female chiefs did arise.

### War

The Walegros regularly warred among themselves, notably wars between southern and northern clans. They also occasionally clashed with the Kopel and Newed cultures.

## Technology

The Walegros used stone tools and made a large number of pottery artifacts.

### Agriculture

The Walegros had a thriving agricultural system, relying on the cultivation of wheat, barley and olives.

### Weapons

The Walegros used bows, spears, clubs and axes.
Tewoke Culture

The **Tewoke Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and halfling agricultural society that lived in the Maanaka Islands south of Pia.

## Culture

### Art

Tewoke art consisted mainly of elaborate wooden idols and masks, used in ceremonies. By 1500 3E, the Tewoke had also adopted the Matunga body tattoo techniques, and this practice spread throughout the Maanaka islands.

### Dress

Tewoke dress usually consisted of simple kilts and loincloths made from local plants and animal hides. Nudity was not uncommon.

### Language

The Tewoke spoke the Tewoke Language, whose dialects differed greatly from region to region.

#### Naming Conventions

Tewoke individuals only had a given name, as their tribes were usually too small for differentiation to be required.

### Religion

The Tewoke worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals.

### Society

Tewoke tribes were generally quite egalitarian. Many tribes were not ruled by chiefs, but instead by consensus from the adult members of the tribe. Halflings and humans almost always had separate tribes, unified by a common culture. in some Tewoke tribes, one gender was considered inferior (usually women, although sometimes men were subordinate). In others, genders were considered equal.

Tewoke individuals usually formed a *blood bond* with another individual of the same age (usually of the same race and gender as well, although there have been exceptions). These bonds were considered unbreakable, and *blood kin* were extremely close to each other, helping each other out in times of need and enacting each other's revenge.

### War

Tewoke tribes frequently warred with each other, usually over territorial disputes or in retaliation. The northern Tewoke tribes also frequently warred with Matunga invaders.

## Technology

The Tewoke used stone tools and made a number of pottery artifacts. By 2000 3E, Matunga fishing and canoe-making techniques had been imported.

### Agriculture

The Tewoke relied heavily on the cultivation of taro and sugarcane. By 3000 3E, they had domesticated sweet potato and the pig.

### Weapons

The Tewoke used bows, spears, bone knives, wooden clubs and stone axes.
Koburu Culture

The **Koburu Culture** was a Post-Collapse dwarf and gnome hunter-gatherer culture that lived in and around the Orba Mountains in north-western Pia.

## Culture

### Art

Koburu art consisted primarily of carved stone idols and pottery vessels, often inlaid with gemstones.

### Dress

Most Koburu wore plain tunics or dresses, often adorned with jewelry. Chieftains wore ceremonial crowns.

### Language

The Koburu spoke the Koburu Language, of which there was little dialectal variation.

#### Naming Conventions

Koburu were known by two names: their tribe name and their given name.

### Religion

The Koburu worshiped Tesergi, a creator god who they believed led the Koburu to the surface having been trapped in the Orba Mountain tunnels, which were created as prisons by the evil god Koro. Tesergi had two sons: Somun, god of the dwarves, and Limun, god of the gnomes. Worship of the Old Spirits was also common.

### Society

Koburu society was very egalitarian with respect to race and gender. Dwarves and Gnomes lived side-by-side and considered each other cousins. Koburu tribes were led by a chieftain. It was not uncommon for tribes to band together into tribal confederacies.

### War

The Koburu occasionally warred with each other, but more often than not it was with foreign invaders or wild animals.

## Technology

The Koburu used stone tools and made pottery goods. Despite their rather primitive technology, they managed to excavate much of the upper tunnels in the Orba Mountains, making their homes there.

### Writing

By the middle of the 2nd Millennium 3E, the Koburu had begun to use a simple, ideographic proto-writing to represent certain concepts. This script, the Koburu Proto-Script, was etched into tunnel walls to warn people of danger or convey details on the contents of the cavern. It is the oldest Post-Collapse script in the world.

### Weapons

The Koburu used stone axes, spears and hammers, as well as bows.
Arare Culture

The **Arare Culture** was a dwarven Post-Collapse culture that lived in and around the North-Eastern stretches of the Yama Mountains. Masters of stonework, the Arare built massive stone structures in the tunnels beneath the Yama Mountains, most of which date from the Aberrant Era, thus predating the culture.

## Culture

### Religion

The Arare worshiped the following pantheon of deities:

* Kodwe, king of the gods and master of father to all dwarves. He also created the kodumos.
* Ara, the wife of Kodwe and goddess of the sky. She birthed Ngumo, the first dwarf.
* Labo the chameleon, who is messenger of Kodwe.
* Osemba, god of masonry

## Technology

Arare stone tools are some of the most advanced tools of its day, most of which were used in the construction of Arare cities, including Mbula and Vanwa. Arare musical instruments, consisting of drums, bone flutes and marimbas, were also exquisite.

### Agriculture

By the end of the Collapse, the Arare were not agricultural. They did, however, have a thriving pastoralist society that relied on the herding of Kodumos, a species of giant pig native to the tunnels underneath the Yama Mountains. Surface-dwelling Arare had also domesticated the buffalo, and later the Arare domesticated the rhinoceros, which they used as mounts and beasts of burden.
Nyunbar Culture

The **Nyunbar Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and halfling culture that lived on the island of Mangubam.

## Culture

### Art

Nyunbar art came in the form of pottery vessels and idols, as well as elaborate rock paintings and carvings. They also were masters of tattooing.

### Dress

Traditional Nyunbar dress involved loincloths and skirts made of local plants and animal hides.

#### Naming Conventions

Nyunbar individuals had several names that were used in a number of contexts. Individuals would have a given name and a patronymic surname. They would also have names used to avoid taboos, such as a child name (used when referred to by elders), formal name (used in religious ceremonies), intimate name (used by a spouse) and elder name (used by those younger than the individual to show respect).

### Religion

The **Nyunbar Culture** worshiped the Old Spirits, as well as Mamubari, a hafling trickster god who leads people into trances and dreams, and Karawakara, a benevolent serpent god of fire and life.

### Society

Nyunbar society was split into a number of clans, each led by a chief, usually male. It was fairly egalitarian in terms of race and gender. Halflings and humans were rarely in the same clans.

## Technology

The Nyunbar Culture used stone tools and made many pottery artifacts. They also made large monolithic temples to their deities.

### Food

Early Nyunbar were hunter-gatherers. By 2500 3E, they had domesticated taro and local cabbage, and switched to a largely agricultural society. By 3000 3E, they had domesticated the cassowary.
Kopel Culture

The **Kopel Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and orc society that inhabited a large stretch of central Baloren.

## Culture

### Art

Kopel art consisted primarily of pottery idols and vessels.

The Kopel also had a tradition of oral poetry, often used to extol the deeds of famous individuals or deities.

### Dress

Kopel dress consisted of tunics, dresses and furs. Tribal chieftains wore elaborate wooden crowns.

### Language

The Kopel spoke dialects of the Kopel Language.

#### Naming Conventions

Kopel individuals were known by two names: a given first name (usually a compound of two words) and a patronymic surname.

### Religion

The Kopel worshiped the Old Spirits as well as the following pantheon of deities:

* Dyaws, god of the sky
* Sal, goddess of the sun and wife of Dyaws
* Heghwa, goddess of the dawn and daughter of Dyaws and Sal
* Nunos, storm god and husband of Heghwa
* Kopa, the mischievous god of horses

### Society

Kopel society was split into three castes: the Noble caste, from which came warriors and chieftains, the Priest caste, from which came priests and shamans, and the Peasant caste, from which came ordinary people. The society was also split into a number of tribes scattered around central Baloren, each of which was ruled by a chieftain, nearly always male.

Humans and orcs did not usually belong to the same tribes. The two races shared little save for religion, culture and language.

### War

The Kopel frequently warred, both among themselves and with neighbouring cultures.

## Technology

The Kopel Culture used primarily stone tools. They lived in portable animal-hide tents.

### Food

By 1000 3E the Kopel had domesticated the horse. Their entire way of life centered around the animal; they would move around central Baloren grazing their herds and would use their mounts to hunt game. By 1800 3E, repeated contact with the Torgos culture resulted in the importation of farming techniques, namely the cultivation of legumes, flax and poppy. By the turn of the 3rd Millennium 3E, these techniques had spread throughout Kopel lands.

### Weapons

The Kopel used bows, spears, clubs and axes.
Bezoar

El bezoar es un cálculo que se puede hallar en los intestinos o estómagos de las cabras.

Hay muchos tipos de bezoar, tanto orgánicos como inorgánicos. Bezoar viene del persa
padzhar que significa contraveneno o antídoto, pues en la antigüedad se creía que el
bezoar podía curar y anular los algunos tipos de tricobezoares (bezoares formados con
pelo) pueden anular efectos del arsénico efectos de todos los venenos.

Aunque no actúa
contra todos los venenos como se creía. Antiguamente los boticarios alquilaban o
vendían bezoares a muy altos precios.
Nahidite Culture

The **Nahidite Culture** was a Post-Collapse human pastoralist society that lived across south-western Orana.

## Culture

### Art

The Nahidite crated many paintings, mainly on bison hides. Their pottery was also elaborate. Nahidite music and dance was integral to their religion, with many dances and songs considered sacred.

### Dress

Nahidite dress consisted of leather shirts, tunics, skirts and moccasins. Clothes were often embellished with pottery beads and animal parts such as feathers, quills, shells, etc. Feather headdresses were reserved for tribal leaders.

### Language

The Nahidite spoke the Nahidite Language, of which there were many dialects.

#### Naming Conventions

Nahidite names consisted of many parts. Traditionally, a child would be given a name by their parents at birth. A nickname would be acquired during their life. Upon coming of age, the person would take up their own name which would become their formal name. They also had secret names for use with family and close friends, and a spirit name, used for religious purposes.

### Religion

Nahidite religion centered around the worship of a single, overarching deity known as the Khaceca, who protected the Nahidite and guaranteed them rain and land to graze. They also worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared as local animals (notably bison).

### Society

The Nahidite were a matriarchal society. Each Nahidite clan was led by a clan chief, daughter of the previous chief. Every village within a clan was led by a village chief, usually also a woman. Both men and women participated in war, although these raiding parties were usually led by a head warrior, usually male.

### War

The Nahidite often warred over resources and land, more frequently among themselves than with neighbouring cultures.

## Technology

The Nahidite used stone tools and crafted a number of pottery artifacts. Their primary means of subsistence was through the herding of bison.

### Weapons

Nahidite weapons consisted primarily of bows, spears, hand-axes and clubs. Warriors often carried large wicker shields to protect themselves.
Khatjem Culture

The **Khatjem Culture** was a Post-Collapse human agricultural society that lived in Qadesh in southern Odoya.

## Culture

### Art

Khatjem art consisted of pottery idols and vessels.

### Dress

Khatjem dress consisted of simple white tunics for males, and white dresses for females. Poorer individuals often just wore loincloths. Individuals of higher status wore jewelry.

#### Naming Conventions

Khatjem names were composed of two parts: a formal given name, chosen by the tribal elders, and an everyday name, used in everyday life, chosen by the individual's parents.

### Religion

Early Khatjem religion centered on the worship of the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals. By 2500 3E, they had all but abandoned their old beliefs in favour of the following pantheon:

* Saxhai, god of the sun, beauty and celebration.
* Natwe, goddess of victory in battle. Wife and sister of Saxhai
* Wadi, goddess of the hearth and home. Sister to Natwe and Saxhai and second wife of Saxhai
* Anbet, god of deceit and lies. Brother to Saxhai
* Srewa, goddess of the sea. Wife of Anbet
* Hepet, god of the moon and the underworld. Brother to Saxhai and Anbet
* Qesma, goddess of death and plague. Daughter of Anbet and wife of Hepet
* Qatma, god of craftsmen and metallurgy. Son of Saxhai and Natwe
* Arti, goddess of agriculture. Daughter of Saxhai and Natwe and wife to Qatma

### Society

Khatjem society was originally fairly egalitarian. Tribes were typically ruled by chiefs, often male, advised by a council of elders. By 2000 3E, however, the Dukun warrior, priest and commoner caste system spread to Qadesh, where it became standard. By 3000 3E, they had developed additional castes: the craftsman caste split from the commoner caste and the noble caste split from the warrior caste.

## Technology

Early Khatjem used stone tools. They also created a number of pottery artifacts. By 2000 3E, they had begun to make copper tools. By the turn of the 4th Millennium 3E, they had developed a proto-writing system, the Khatjem Script.

### Agriculture

The Khatjem had a thriving agricultural society. By 1000 3E, they were cultivating wheat, sorghum and barley, and had domesticated the donkey and the goose. By the turn of the 3rd Millennium 3E, the domestication of cattle, sheep and goats had spread to Qadesh from the Newed culture. By 2500 3E, papyrus was being cultivated.
Nademu Culture

The **Nademu Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and gnome hunter-gatherer culture that lived in the north-eastern reaches of Pia, along the coasts of the North Sea north of the Gadao Mountains.

## Culture

### Religion

The Nademu practiced a shamanistic religion centered on the worship of the Old Spirits and a supreme sky god, Behan. Minor deities include Goge, goddess of the sea, and Nadem, god of the forests and progenitor of the Nademu people (whose name literally means *of Nadem*).

## Technology

The Nademu used stone tools and many different types of pottery. They primarily hunted and gathered for subsistence, but also fished along the coast.
Patup Culture

The **Patup Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and gnome agricultural society that lived in the Kangayby region of north-western Orana.

## Culture

### Art

Most Patup art comes in the form of pottery vessels and idols, carved wooden statuettes and masks, and colourful body paint.

### Dress

Most Patup dress involved skirts and kilts made of local plans and animal hides. Nudity was common. Chiefs and shamans wore elaborate headdresses to mark their status.

### Language

The Patup spoke a wide variety of dialects loosely connected as the Patup Language.

#### Naming Conventions

Most Patup had only a single given name. This name would be changed after a significant deed.

### Religion

The Patup worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals. They also worshiped Guarixaba, god of war, to whom they ritually sacrificed their defeated enemies.

### Society

Patup society was largely egalitarian, with individual tribes led by shamans and a council of elders. Tribal chieftains did exist, but they were only the leaders of war parties.

### War

The Patup frequently warred among themselves, usually over resources or for religious reasons. Cannibalism of defeated enemies was not uncommon.

## Technology

By 1000 3E, Patup technology was limited to stone tools, basic pottery, fishing nets and rudimentary canoes.

### Agriculture

The Patup were expert agriculturalists, having domesticated cassava and sweet potatoes. By 2000 3E, they had domesticated the capybara and the tapir, raising them primarily for their meat and hide.

### Weapons

Patup weapons consisted of bows, spears, clubs and axes.
Chut Culture

The **Chut Culture** was a Post-Collapse human (and later halfling) agricultural society that lived in the Chot Semor region in southern Pia.

## History

At around the turn of the 3rd Millennium 3E, a large population of Pinong halflings from the north settled in Chot Semor, bringing with them a number of technological advances including the cultivation of millet and the smelting of copper.

## Culture

### Art

Chut artwork consisted of elaborate pottery, copper and jade artifacts, including vessels and religious idols.

### Dress

The Chut dressed in robes, tunics and dresses. Chieftains often wore elaborate headdresses and later, copper crowns, as symbols of their status.

#### Naming Conventions

Chut names are composed of three parts: a matronymic surname, a middle name indicating gender, and a given name. Most people are known merely by their given name, even in formal situations.

### Religion

The Chut religion centered on the worship of Kam Ben, a creator deity who rode atop a giant tortoise named Vong Chu. They also worshiped the Old Spirits.

### Society

Chut society was organised into a number of tribes, each led by a chieftain. Each tribe comprised a number of villages, each led by a village elder or a shaman. Chut society was fairly egalitarian when it came to gender. Later, when halflings arrived in the area, they were welcomed with open arms and integrated into Chut society.

### War

The Chut mostly warred among themselves and rarely with neighbouring cultures.

## Technology

Early Chut used stone tools and made many pottery and jade artifacts. By 2000 3E, they had begun to use copper tools.

### Agriculture

The Chut Culture relied on agriculture as their primary means of subsistence. They cultivated rice and sugarcane, and had domesticated the water buffalo, chicken and pig by 1000 3E. By 2000 3E, they were cultivating millet.
Dukun Culture

The **Dukun Culture** was a human agrictultural Post-Collapse civilisation that lived in the Dowuro Highlands and Azju River Basin south and west of the Yama Mountains.

## Culture

### Art

Dukun art included elaborate pottery vessels and idols, often inlaid with gemstones and animal parts.

Their musical traditions were complex, and included many types of *Ubaro*: sacred music used to communicate with the gods.

### Dress

Early Dukun dress largely consisted of plain tunics embellished with pottery necklaces and, for chieftains, large headdresses. By 1500 3E, the stratification of Dukun society resulted in a wider variety of dress, reflecting status. Warriors wore animal skins and bone jewelry, representative of their strength. Kings and queens wore elaborate headdresses and large capes. Priests wore green robes and were decked with elaborate jewelry. Peasants wore plain tunics or dresses, for men and women respectively.

### Language

The Dukun spoke the Dukun Language, which consisted of many dialects.

#### Naming Conventions

Most Dukun were known only by their first name and their father's name (a priest caste Dukun would have taken their mother's name instead). Names of important individuals may have been more elaborate.

### Religion

The Dukun largely worshipped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals. They also had a pantheon of deities.

* Omaba, the queen of the gods and mistress of Azju River. She frequently battles Zjango, a feared water serpent
* Kopata, Omaba's consort and god of war
* Kokobaba, the old man who created the Universe and shaped people from clay
* Labo the chameleon, messenger of the gods
* Gopu the guineafowl, goddess of agriculture

### Society

Early Dukun society was very egalitarian. By the middle of the 2nd Millennium 3E, however, three distinct castes had emerged: the warrior, priest and peasant castes. The warrior caste, responsible for fielding the clans' warriors, was the dominant caste from which the clan kings came. The priest caste was devoted to the worship of the gods and from this caste came the shamans, mostly female, who wielded a lot of political power. The peasant caste was the lowest caste in the hierarchy, and contained everybody else.

### War

The Dukun regularly warred among each other and with neighbouring cultures.

## Technology

The Dukun had a wide number of stone tools at their disposal. By the end of the Collapse, they had developed fishing nets and were master potters, producing the finest pottery objects in the region.

### Agriculture

The Dukun had a thriving agricultural society that relied on the cultivation of sorghum, millet and rice. They had also domesticated the donkey and guineafowl, and had developed complex fishing practices in the Azju River.

### Weapons

The Dukun used spears, bows, wooden clubs and stone-headed axes.
Tongh Culture

The **Tongh Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and gnome (and later dwarf) society that lived in Hoshibu in north-western Pia.

## Culture

### Art

Tongh art consisted primarily of pottery idols and vessels.

The Tongh also had a tradition of musical storytelling, accompanied by drumming and dancing.

### Dress

Tongh dress consisted of tunics, dresses, hide pants, leather boots and fur hats.

#### Naming Conventions

Tongh naming conventions were simple, featuring only a single given name. If needs be, this differentiated by father's name and tribe name.

### Religion

The Tongh Culture worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals. After a migration of Koburu dwarves in ~2300 3E, many Tongh gnomes and dwarves began worshiping the Koburu pantheon:

* Tesergi, creator god
* Koro, an evil god
* Somun, god of dwarves and son of Tesergi
* Limun, god of gnomes and son of Tesergi

### Society

Early Tongh society was fairly egalitarian. By about 1500 3E, however, the Tongh had adopted the tribal chief system of the Morchen. Tongh chiefs, like Morchen ones, were usually male.

### War

The Tongh occasionally warred among each other, usually in times of scarcity. However, they more frequently fought with the neighbouring Morchen.

## Technology

The Tongh Culture used stone tools and made pottery artifacts. During the Koburu migration into Hoshibu, knowledge of advanced stonework and of writing entered Tongh culture. By 2500 3E, the Tongh were using the Koburu Proto-Script.

### Agriculture

Early Tongh were hunter-gatherers. By 2500 3E, knowledge of agriculture and husbandry had spread into Hoshibu from the Pinong, and the Tongh began to cultivate millet and rice and herded sheep, pigs and goats.

### Weapons

Tongh weapons consisted primarily of bows, spears and clubs.
Mogoro Culture

The **Mogoro Culture** was a Post-Collapse human hunter-gatherer society that lived in Xwatapaya in western Orana.

## Culture

### Religion

The Mogoro worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals.

## Technology

The Mogoro used stone tools and made a number of pottery artifacts. They subsisted off hunting and gathering, supplemented with fishing.
Dwaki Culture

The **Dwaki Culture** was a Post-Collapse dwarf society that lived in and around the Maanvoli Mountains in south-western Baloren.

## History

Around 1700 3E, the Talcau fought a series of wars with the Dwaki. Driven by resource scarcity in Purva, many Talcau tribes banded together and invaded the Maanvoli Mountains. The invasion devastated both groups, but the Dwaki successfully repelled the Talcau invaders, due in no small part to their superior weaponry.

## Culture

### Art

Dwaki art consisted of copper idols, pottery vessels and elaborate stone carvings.

### Dress

Dwaki dress consisted primarily of furs and leathers. Kings and queens wore gem-encrusted copper crowns

### Language

The Dwaki spoke the Dwaki Language, which varied little in dialects.

#### Naming Conventions

A Dwaki individual usually only had two names: a given first name and a surname indicating their place of birth. Noble Dwaki had additional names, indicating status and lineage.

### Religion

Early Dwaki worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals, notably wolverine, bear and fox spirits. They also worshiped a single deity, Mroti, who they believed gave the Dwaki the secrets of metallurgy and fire.

By 1500 3E, the Dwaki had abandoned the worship of the animal spirits in favour of a larger pantheon of deities:

* Mroti, god of fire and creation
* Mapra, goddess of the earth
* Voli, god of the Maanvoli Mountains and protector of the Dwaki
* Nati, god of vengeance
* Jatuli, goddess of snow and of wind
* Kausla, goddess of love and law

By 2000 3E, two new deities had been added to the pantheon:

* Aderk, god of war and bodyguard of Voli
* Limar, a mythical bird and trickster god, imported from the Talcau.

### Society

The Dwaki were organised into a number of clans, each led by a king or, far less frequently, a queen. Priests and prominent warriors enjoyed an elevated status as well.

### War

The Dwaki often warred among themselves and with the neighbouring Talcau culture.

## Technology

By 1000 3E, the Dwaki had an advanced knowledge of metallurgy for the time, and used copper tools. They also made a number of pottery and stone artifacts.

### Agriculture

By 1000 3E, the Dwaki had not domesticated any plants or animals (aside from the dog). By 1500 3E, however, cabbage and beetroot harvesting had spread from the Talcau Culture in Purva. By the middle of the 3rd Millennium 3E, they had begun to cultivate deep mushrooms, and this allowed their culture to spread further underground.

### Weapons and Armour

The Dwaki wielded copper axes, spears, stone mauls and wooden clubs into battle. They often wore copper helmets and occasionally breastplates, and carried copper or, if poorer, wicker shields.
Kemete Culture

The **Kemete Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and halfling pastoralist culture in the Igmeret Lowlands south of the Yama Mountains.

## Culture

### Religion

In addition to the worship of the Old Spirits, who appeared to the Kemete as local animals, frequently cattle, the Kemete also worshiped Lamni, the cattle goddess.

## Technology

The Kemete lived out of cattle-hide tents, which would have been dismantled and reassembled as the herds moved across the region.

### Pastoralism

The Kemete were cattle herders, having either domesticated the cattle themselves or having imported them from the south.
Dwarf

**Dwarves** are a sapient humanoid species on Mervona. Dwarves have coexisted with humans for millenia, and can be found all across the world.

## Basic Information

### Habitat

Dwarves, just like humans, are very adaptable and exist comfortably in most climates. That being said, dwarves are most comfortable underground and are specially suited to the lifestyle that entails.

### Diet

Dwarves are omnivorous. Some dwarves are agriculturalists, others are pastoral, and others still hunt and gather.

## Other Information

Dwarves, like most creatures, rely on the senses of hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch to perceive their environments. A small minority also possess magical or, even more rarely, psionic abilities that may allow additional forms of perception.
Gawero Culture

The **Gawero Culture** was a human agricultural Post-Collapse Culture that lived in the Kaxage region north of the Yama Mountains. Most of the Gawero lived in small villages dotted across Kaxage, but larger settlements existed, notably the temple complex at Atiya and the city of !ahan.

## History

Around 2350 3E, the !ahom volcano erupted and destroyed the city of !ahan, killing millions of Gawero.

## Culture

### Art

Gawero art consisted of pottery vessels and idols, as well as elaborate rock paintings and carved stone idols.

### Dress

Gawero dress consisted of loincloths and skirts made from local plants and animal hides. People of status wore elaborate jewelry and rare animal skins. Chieftains wore the skins of lions, shamans the skins of hyenas and kings the skins of leopards.

### Language

The Gawero spoke the Gawero Language, of which there were many dialects.

#### Naming Conventions

Gawero names consisted of a single, given name.

### Religion

The Gawero religion featured complex rituals, performed by shamans, often involving trance-like states. Their worship was mostly aimed at the Old Spirits, who in Gawero religion took the form of local animals. The Gawero at Atiya also worshipped the trickster god Kagal as their patron deity. Other deities worshiped include sky-deity Tsus, Nanu, goddess of healing and growth who was Kagal's wife, and Maukxab, god of death.

### Society

Gawero society was split into a number of clans, each of which was split into a number of tribes. Each clan was led by a king, and each tribe was led by a chieftain. Both were usually male.

## Technology

The Gawero had a wide selection of stone tools at their disposal. Spears and bows were commonly used for hunting and warfare. Pottery objects, such as pots, bowls and religious idols, were common. The majority of their structures were built from thatch or mud, but a few structures, notably in Atiya, feature stonework. Animal hide was used for tents and clothing. By 3000 3E, they had begun smelting copper and had developed a proto-writing; the Gawero Script.

### Agriculture

By the end of the Ancient Collapse, the Gawero had a thriving agricultural society, having domesticated millet, sorghum and melon plants, as well as the quagga, buffalo and pig. Gawero diet was supplemented through hunting and gathering.
Elga Culture

The **Elga Culture** was a Post-Collapse human and halfling (and later orc) cattle-herding culture that lived in the Morkr region (and later the Skod region) of south-eastern Baloren.

## History

By around 2500 3E, a population of Kopel orcs invaded northern Morkr. The resulting mix of cultures gave rise to the Lukon Culture. The remaining Elga were driven further south and by 3000 3E, they had settled Skod.

## Culture

### Art

Elga art consisted of wooden and bone idols and elaborate rock paintings.

### Dress

Elga dress considered of heavy furs and leathers.

#### Naming Conventions

Elga names considered of a given first name and a surname indicating that the individual is the son/daughter of the same-gendered parent.

### Religion

The Elga largely worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them in the forms of local animals, but they also worshiped a few deities, notably including:

* Neb, god of the sky
* Skeip, god of creation
* Brau, goddess of the earth, wife to Neb

### Society

Elga society was very egalitarian along lines of race and gender. Village chieftains could be male or female, and humans and halflings regularly mixed.

## Technology

The Elga used a variety of stone tools. They lived in animal-hide tents and wore fur clothing.

### Cattle-Herding

The Elga herded cattle as their primary food source. They supplemented this diet with hunting, gathering and fishing. Following their migration into Skod, they largely reverted to hunting and gathering, although northern Elga continued to herd cattle.
Old Spirits

The **Old Spirits** are a collection of minor deities that have existed across Mervona since the Archaic Era. Unlike other deities, who usually exist on the Outer Planes, exhibit distinct personalities and represent more defined concepts, the Old Spirits live on Mervona and usually represent more primal and abstract concepts such as base emotions.

Despite their names, the Old Spirits are not necessarily old. In fact, Old Spirits can be thought of as infant deities.

Old Spirits usually take the form of animals, but can take the form of people, plants or inanimate objects (such as weapons, mountains or books).

## History

The Old Spirits were worshiped by the Protohumanoids in the Archaic Era. Their worship continued during the Aberrant Era by the Aberrant Era Culture. Following the Great Tearing, many Post-Collapse cultures worshiped them, although their worship was gradually being replaced by that of newer deities.

## Origins

While new gods usually are born out of great effort by communities, Old Spirits arise far more organically.

Take, for example, a small farming village. The village may worship a deity that is responsible for rain, good harvests, good weather, etc. But suppose now that the village is beset by wolves. Prayer to the deity is unlikely to stem the attacks, as the deity resides in the Outer Planes and can do little to interfere with the Universe. In desperation, the villagers may begin to place offerings, hold sacrifices or other rituals or erect shrines or monuments to appeal to the wolves themselves. This communal worship creates an Old Spirit, likely a personified wolf, who does not wield very much power but, by residing on Mervona, has enough influence to stop the attacks. The wolf spirit may gain enough popularity and formal worship that it becomes an actual deity, perhaps a god of protection that takes the form of a wolf or a wolf-headed man, but now that spirit, having ascended to true divinity, has lost its connection with Mervona and now cannot exert its influence on the wolves.
Bodchol Culture

The **Bodchol Culture** was a Post-Collapse orc hunter-gatherer society that lived in the Jaroht Desert in northern Baloren.

## History

Around 2200 3E, a devastating plague swept through the Bodchol territory, killing many of them. The plague spread westwards towards the Armanola Coast and led to the end of the Torgos Culture.

## Culture

### Art

Early Bodchol art consisted of decorative tapestries, rock paintings and bone jewelry. By 1500 3E, this had extended to copper idols and jewelry.

### Dress

Bodchol dress consisted of elaborately coloured kilts, dresses and robes. Bodchol warriors often wore animal skins and furs, and chieftains wore large headdresses.

#### Naming Conventions

Bodchol names consisted of a given first name and a surname indicating clan.

### Religion

The Bodchol worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals.

### Society

Bodchol society was broken into a number of clans, each of which was led by a female shaman, responsible for religious rituals, and a male warchief, responsible for leading the clan into war.

## Technology

Early Bodchol made use of stone tools. By 1500 3E, however, the Bodchol had made great leaps in weaving and leatherworks and had received copper smelting techniques from the Newed.

### Food

The Bodchol relied on hunting and gathering for subsistence.