Post by Horsie on Jan 2, 2015 23:43:59 GMT
The Zadakine physically resemble weasels, and have a culture that borrows a few elements from ancient Carthage (though with MANY fantasy elements added.) They are associated with Dark and Mind magic.
The Zadakine have a unique culture that is often difficult for outsiders to understand, leading to many misapprehensions.
Family is the most important thing in Zadakine culture. Supporting and providing opportunities for ones children is the most important duty one can have.
Zadakine believe that the most meaningful way to do this, is through the accumulation of wealth. Business, trade and capitalism allow people to rise above their station and provide security and prosperity for their children's future.
Outsiders often characterise Zadakine as greedy and loving money, but this is not accurate to what drives the Zadakine. Money is simply the most effective means to the end of helping ones family.
Zadakine are also often characterised by outsiders as cowardly and underhanded. This stems from he fact that Zadakine dislike war and open conflict, preferring to settle things through cunning, diplomacy and (when violence is necessary) assassinations. Zadakine assassins are much feared for their skill and rival the abilities of the assassins of the Nymus republic.
Zadakine society is has great gender inequality, with women having far more rights and power than men. The basic social unity of Zadakine society is an extended family led by matriarchs who act as the leaders of the families business interests and finances. Inheritance, marriage and property laws all favour females. For example, the criteria for a man to be convicted of rape are very low, with a man's testimony being considered less valuable than a woman's. Women are considered to be cleverer, more cunning and more able to manage important matters than males, who are more suited to physical labour, fighting, and for procreation.
Zadakine consider the love between two women to be superior to that between a man and a woman (since it lacks the inferior element that a male would provide.) Also, from a political and financial point of view, two powerful women marrying allows them to unite their two families resources and businesses, making this potentially incredibly important. Aside from providing amusement for his wife and helping her have babies, there is not a great deal a man can bring to marriage under Zadakine law.
Zadakine women in positions of power will often have male partners for purposes of procreation and then female partners for political purposes (whose company she actually prefers is a matter of personal taste.)
Female prostitutes fill an interesting role in Zadakine society. While it is considered a lowly job for a woman to take (implying she lacks any kind of business sense to make money by any other means) it is not considered shameful or immoral. As well as providing their services to frustrated males, prostitutes are also commonly hired by families on behalf of their sons when they come of age. Is this scenario the prostitute is expected to provide the son with education on sex and romance and how to please women. If a man wants to avoid a life of manual labour or joining the army, then marrying a richer woman is his best hope. Considering how easily a Zadakine woman can divorce a man, leaving him penniless in the process, knowing how to please women can be an essential skill.
Zadakine politics are fierce and cut throat (sometime literally!) Their nation was from the unification of various powerful families, creating what is still called the Zadakine Alliance (even though is now one, unified nation.) The Alliance is ruled by The Shadow Council. As their name implies, the council is secretive and give little information about themselves. They hide their identities and meet in secret at undisclosed locations. This level of secrecy is considered necessary to avoid assassinations or their political opponents working against them to undermine them. The exact method by which one joins the Shadow Council and how its members are chosen are governed by secret rules that are not widely known. A life in Zadakine politics is only appropriate for the most brave, ruthless and ambitious. This is the way Zadakine like things. Cleverness and ambition are rewarded with success and wealth, the stupid and the timid are swept aside.
This also plays into another aspect of Zadakine psychology- a lack of trust.
Zadakine don't like to put their trust in anyone, not even other Zadakine if they can avoid it. Giving people information about one's self is always a risk, and it is not uncommon for Zadakine to use false names with people they don't know. This is another reason why family is so important to Zadakine, as family you can trust and depend on.
Another misconception about Zadakine is that they are dishonest. While it is true that Zadakine can be very sly and cunning, in some matters they have codes of honour for which they will stand as firmly as any Darsai knight would for his Chivalry.
Most obvious is their family loyalties. To suffer or even die to ensure the well being of one's children is the most noble act in the minds of the Zadakine, and if you harm a member of their family, you can expect them to go to great lengths to seek revenge or reparations.
Another important aspect of Zadakine society is the idea that being in debt to another person is a great source of shame. If someone does work for you and you don't pay them for it, or if someone gives you goods and you don't give anything in return, this would be considered a great embarrassment to a Zadakine and they are always eager to settle such matters as quickly as possible. This leads to a situation that Zadakine feel obliged to pay for any service they receive, even if no payment was requested. For example, a Zadakine asking directions might give a few pennies to the person who gives them the information they need. Though this is just a small, token payment, the gesture is very important to a Zadakine. To refuse to accept a payment from them would be taken as an insult, since you are refusing to allow them to clear their debt to you.
Because of their desire to not owe people something, Zadakine law forbids slavery and Zadakine generally take a very low view of this practice. Despite this, some unscrupulous Zadakine take advantage of a loop hole in the laws. While Zadakine are not allowed to keep slaves and put them to work, the actual act of trading slaves is allowed. There are vast amounts of wealth to be made acting as middle persons between the Ivos Empire and Tahpen in Vellastrom, and the Tendu Raj and the Knarl Empire. They may also purchase slaves captured by Brorg-Dao on their raids, selling them on for great profit.
The Zadakine worship a Goddess known as The All Mother. This figure is depicted as permanently pregnant (having used her divine power to impregnate herself). The baby within her (known as The All Child) is considered by the Zadakine to be the personification of their race's life force and hope for the future.
The All Mother personifies the ideal of motherhood, as well cleverness and leadership. Interestingly, the Zadakine religion makes no real mention of money or wealth whatsoever, these ideas are cultural to the Zadakine, not theological. But since the Zadakine don't see anything crass about business dealings or money making, it is considered completely normal after a priestess has finished a sermon, for the congregation to start trading, conducting business deals, selling goods and even for prostitutes to start soliciting clients.
The most powerful sect of priestesses are uniformly albino and are commonly referred to as Truthsayer. They have the ability to use mind magic to detect dishonesty and deception and so are commonly employed for important negotiations to ensure the honesty of all involved. Foreign diplomats and merchants are understandably reluctant to submit to what many view as some kind of sinister Zadakine mind reading (whether they are trying to lie or not!)
The Zadakine's armies are held in low esteem and so are often relatively poorly led and under paid. However, in times of war the Zadakine supplement their armies with large numbers of mercenaries, hired from all across Vellastrom.
The also make use of a massive lizard creatures, known as Bralk's. These massive beasts are slow and dim witted. The Zadakine mount howdah's on the creatures backs to use them as mobile fortresses in battle. The Bralks have rocky growths on their skin that renders them very difficult to hurt and are especially useful during sieges, where they can be run into the enemy gates as living battering rams.
Zadakine armies are supported by their assassins, acting as highly skilled light infantry as well as their usual role of spies and killers.
They also make use of an elite warrior order known as The Sacred Band, an all male force of religious warriors, who provide and elite core to the Zadakine's often rather unprofessional armies. These troops are also known as the Army of Lovers, as the members are encouraged to form romantic and sexual bonds with the other members. The logic behind this is that a man would not want to shame himself by being cowardly in front of the one he loves.
For entertainment Zadakine enjoy gambling. Games and contests without money riding on them are considered tame and boring to them. Within their cities, the night life is often wild and exciting, though it can prove dangerous for the unwary traveller, who may find themselves robbed or taken advantage of if they do not keep their wits about them.
The Zadakine capital is Utopia City, located on Utopia Island, just off the shore of South-western Vellastrom. They also have holdings on the mainland, but it is on the Islands that the bulk of their population and infrastructure is housed, the sea providing safety from possible enemies.
The Zadakine have a long history of tension with the Nymus. While they have not fought many open conflicts, their business and trade empires often end up competing. Their governments have no official policy that they are enemies, but the population of the two nations harbour a lot of hatred and mistrust for each other.
A resent influx of Zadakine into the Nymus republic, seeking to exploit business opportunities there, has only increased tensions. Nymus commonly refer to Zadakine by the racial insult "Zado" and characterise them as cowardly, greedy, underhanded, and with rotten and crooked teeth. The Zadakine for their part, commonly refer to Nymus as "Beaks" and characterise them as arrogant, snooty, and jealous of Zadakine success and cleverness.
The Zadakine have a unique culture that is often difficult for outsiders to understand, leading to many misapprehensions.
Family is the most important thing in Zadakine culture. Supporting and providing opportunities for ones children is the most important duty one can have.
Zadakine believe that the most meaningful way to do this, is through the accumulation of wealth. Business, trade and capitalism allow people to rise above their station and provide security and prosperity for their children's future.
Outsiders often characterise Zadakine as greedy and loving money, but this is not accurate to what drives the Zadakine. Money is simply the most effective means to the end of helping ones family.
Zadakine are also often characterised by outsiders as cowardly and underhanded. This stems from he fact that Zadakine dislike war and open conflict, preferring to settle things through cunning, diplomacy and (when violence is necessary) assassinations. Zadakine assassins are much feared for their skill and rival the abilities of the assassins of the Nymus republic.
Zadakine society is has great gender inequality, with women having far more rights and power than men. The basic social unity of Zadakine society is an extended family led by matriarchs who act as the leaders of the families business interests and finances. Inheritance, marriage and property laws all favour females. For example, the criteria for a man to be convicted of rape are very low, with a man's testimony being considered less valuable than a woman's. Women are considered to be cleverer, more cunning and more able to manage important matters than males, who are more suited to physical labour, fighting, and for procreation.
Zadakine consider the love between two women to be superior to that between a man and a woman (since it lacks the inferior element that a male would provide.) Also, from a political and financial point of view, two powerful women marrying allows them to unite their two families resources and businesses, making this potentially incredibly important. Aside from providing amusement for his wife and helping her have babies, there is not a great deal a man can bring to marriage under Zadakine law.
Zadakine women in positions of power will often have male partners for purposes of procreation and then female partners for political purposes (whose company she actually prefers is a matter of personal taste.)
Female prostitutes fill an interesting role in Zadakine society. While it is considered a lowly job for a woman to take (implying she lacks any kind of business sense to make money by any other means) it is not considered shameful or immoral. As well as providing their services to frustrated males, prostitutes are also commonly hired by families on behalf of their sons when they come of age. Is this scenario the prostitute is expected to provide the son with education on sex and romance and how to please women. If a man wants to avoid a life of manual labour or joining the army, then marrying a richer woman is his best hope. Considering how easily a Zadakine woman can divorce a man, leaving him penniless in the process, knowing how to please women can be an essential skill.
Zadakine politics are fierce and cut throat (sometime literally!) Their nation was from the unification of various powerful families, creating what is still called the Zadakine Alliance (even though is now one, unified nation.) The Alliance is ruled by The Shadow Council. As their name implies, the council is secretive and give little information about themselves. They hide their identities and meet in secret at undisclosed locations. This level of secrecy is considered necessary to avoid assassinations or their political opponents working against them to undermine them. The exact method by which one joins the Shadow Council and how its members are chosen are governed by secret rules that are not widely known. A life in Zadakine politics is only appropriate for the most brave, ruthless and ambitious. This is the way Zadakine like things. Cleverness and ambition are rewarded with success and wealth, the stupid and the timid are swept aside.
This also plays into another aspect of Zadakine psychology- a lack of trust.
Zadakine don't like to put their trust in anyone, not even other Zadakine if they can avoid it. Giving people information about one's self is always a risk, and it is not uncommon for Zadakine to use false names with people they don't know. This is another reason why family is so important to Zadakine, as family you can trust and depend on.
Another misconception about Zadakine is that they are dishonest. While it is true that Zadakine can be very sly and cunning, in some matters they have codes of honour for which they will stand as firmly as any Darsai knight would for his Chivalry.
Most obvious is their family loyalties. To suffer or even die to ensure the well being of one's children is the most noble act in the minds of the Zadakine, and if you harm a member of their family, you can expect them to go to great lengths to seek revenge or reparations.
Another important aspect of Zadakine society is the idea that being in debt to another person is a great source of shame. If someone does work for you and you don't pay them for it, or if someone gives you goods and you don't give anything in return, this would be considered a great embarrassment to a Zadakine and they are always eager to settle such matters as quickly as possible. This leads to a situation that Zadakine feel obliged to pay for any service they receive, even if no payment was requested. For example, a Zadakine asking directions might give a few pennies to the person who gives them the information they need. Though this is just a small, token payment, the gesture is very important to a Zadakine. To refuse to accept a payment from them would be taken as an insult, since you are refusing to allow them to clear their debt to you.
Because of their desire to not owe people something, Zadakine law forbids slavery and Zadakine generally take a very low view of this practice. Despite this, some unscrupulous Zadakine take advantage of a loop hole in the laws. While Zadakine are not allowed to keep slaves and put them to work, the actual act of trading slaves is allowed. There are vast amounts of wealth to be made acting as middle persons between the Ivos Empire and Tahpen in Vellastrom, and the Tendu Raj and the Knarl Empire. They may also purchase slaves captured by Brorg-Dao on their raids, selling them on for great profit.
The Zadakine worship a Goddess known as The All Mother. This figure is depicted as permanently pregnant (having used her divine power to impregnate herself). The baby within her (known as The All Child) is considered by the Zadakine to be the personification of their race's life force and hope for the future.
The All Mother personifies the ideal of motherhood, as well cleverness and leadership. Interestingly, the Zadakine religion makes no real mention of money or wealth whatsoever, these ideas are cultural to the Zadakine, not theological. But since the Zadakine don't see anything crass about business dealings or money making, it is considered completely normal after a priestess has finished a sermon, for the congregation to start trading, conducting business deals, selling goods and even for prostitutes to start soliciting clients.
The most powerful sect of priestesses are uniformly albino and are commonly referred to as Truthsayer. They have the ability to use mind magic to detect dishonesty and deception and so are commonly employed for important negotiations to ensure the honesty of all involved. Foreign diplomats and merchants are understandably reluctant to submit to what many view as some kind of sinister Zadakine mind reading (whether they are trying to lie or not!)
The Zadakine's armies are held in low esteem and so are often relatively poorly led and under paid. However, in times of war the Zadakine supplement their armies with large numbers of mercenaries, hired from all across Vellastrom.
The also make use of a massive lizard creatures, known as Bralk's. These massive beasts are slow and dim witted. The Zadakine mount howdah's on the creatures backs to use them as mobile fortresses in battle. The Bralks have rocky growths on their skin that renders them very difficult to hurt and are especially useful during sieges, where they can be run into the enemy gates as living battering rams.
Zadakine armies are supported by their assassins, acting as highly skilled light infantry as well as their usual role of spies and killers.
They also make use of an elite warrior order known as The Sacred Band, an all male force of religious warriors, who provide and elite core to the Zadakine's often rather unprofessional armies. These troops are also known as the Army of Lovers, as the members are encouraged to form romantic and sexual bonds with the other members. The logic behind this is that a man would not want to shame himself by being cowardly in front of the one he loves.
For entertainment Zadakine enjoy gambling. Games and contests without money riding on them are considered tame and boring to them. Within their cities, the night life is often wild and exciting, though it can prove dangerous for the unwary traveller, who may find themselves robbed or taken advantage of if they do not keep their wits about them.
The Zadakine capital is Utopia City, located on Utopia Island, just off the shore of South-western Vellastrom. They also have holdings on the mainland, but it is on the Islands that the bulk of their population and infrastructure is housed, the sea providing safety from possible enemies.
The Zadakine have a long history of tension with the Nymus. While they have not fought many open conflicts, their business and trade empires often end up competing. Their governments have no official policy that they are enemies, but the population of the two nations harbour a lot of hatred and mistrust for each other.
A resent influx of Zadakine into the Nymus republic, seeking to exploit business opportunities there, has only increased tensions. Nymus commonly refer to Zadakine by the racial insult "Zado" and characterise them as cowardly, greedy, underhanded, and with rotten and crooked teeth. The Zadakine for their part, commonly refer to Nymus as "Beaks" and characterise them as arrogant, snooty, and jealous of Zadakine success and cleverness.