Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Qadiri. Sub the cultural group one of Elpsis' buddies belong to.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Xioquo, Qadiri, Zhaleh Jai Bijana, Adjudication, Into Darkness, After Darkness, Tephrike, Communion, The Long Road, Laira Darkhold, Firemane Industries, Order of Fire, Young Flames, Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori, Inferno Platoon, Champions of the Flame, Tygara, Vashyada, Teaching Resilience, Ziost Invasion, Skrael Floe.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Zaldrani. Sometimes nicknamed the snow Qadiri, though that is not totally accurate anymore since it now has Xio members, too.
Classification: Ethnicity, cultural group. Originally, the Zaldrani were a sub-group of Qadiri distinguished by geography, ethnicity and cultural practices. However, recently the group has been joined by stranded Xioquo as well as Qadiri/Xio half-breeds.
Origins: Tygara.
Affiliation: Themselves, Xioquo, Qadiri, Zhaleh Jai Bijana.
Symbol: An icefield with a sun behind it. This symbolises the Snow Mother and Kashara.
Domain: The Zaldrani live in the far north of Tygara in a region called the Zagrasav Northlands, where a bitter polar climates prevails. They consider this their home and are protective of the 'land of the Snow Mother'. However, they are loosely organised and more defined by ties of clan and family, though they recognise an overall cultural and ethnic kinship with each other. Zaldrani clans will feud and fight with each other, but are very quick to band together against outside threats. This area is sparsely populated by other sentient beings. The Zaldrani do not have big cities. Their settlements are small and adjusted to being packed up and moved on short notice, as they follow their prey and the change of the seasons. Zaldrani who live on the coast are more settled, but even their settlements are compact.
Estimated Population: Rare.
Demographics: Entirely composed of Qadiri, Xioquo and Qadiri/Xioquo half-breeds. Outsiders may be accepted as a friend and/or honorary member of a clan.
Description: Qadiri are commonly associated with the great deserts and cities of Tygara. Zeheb, a metropole, is the centre of native Tygaran culture and a Qadiri city. In that regard, the Zaldrani are anomalies as far as her people are concerned. They live far away from the tropical forests of Khajwar or the great Dune Sea. Instead her tribe dwells in the icy north of Tygara.
As a result, they have largely grown up in isolation from their southron brethren and sistren. Rather than build great cities and monuments, her people have lived a life as fishers and hunters, hunting whales, polar bears, fishes and other creatures. They build kayaks to hunt sea animals and use sleds for transportation on land. Qadiri elementalists tend to be fire or air shapers. However, water shaping and ice magic is more common among the Zaldrani. This is a result of adaptation, as cryokinesis helps them survive the arctic conditions.
It is a hard, rugged life that produces hardy people. Sleds and kayaks are often used by the Zaldrani for transport. Qadiri city-dwellers from the south, seeing themselves are more 'civilised', look down on them a bit. The Zaldrani are a decentralised group and divided into various tribes. From an early age, a member of this cultrue learns how to track, hunt and skin animals. Here and there, the Zaldrani have traded with their southron sistren, but contact with them is infrequent. With good reason, they distrust their sistren, for while some southron Qadiri came to engage in peaceful trade, others tried to take them as slaves. Conditions are harsh in the far north. It is expected of a young woman to prove herself as a huntress and provider so that she can found her own homestead and take care of her elders.
Like their sistren, the Zaldarni are a matriarchal society, though it is significantly less rigid than that of the Eldorai or Xioquo. Broadly speaking, women are mostly responsible for the acquisition of food as well as technical work, while men are responsible for keeping things running at home and taking care of the kills. However, these rules are not absolute. Men can and have risen to positions of leadership.
Another thing that distinguishes the Zaldrani is that the group does not consist solely of Qadiri, but also includes Xioquo. This ash-coloured race of elves has long been the hereditary enemy of the Qadiri. Indeed, contact between Zaldrani Qadiri and Xio was for a long time hostile. The first Xioquo came here to plunder and pillage and enslave, leading to many brutal battles between them. The Xio who have joined the tribe are former slave-soldiers who were left stranded here after their mistresses were slain or abandoned them.
A chieftain of the Zaldrani took the unorthodox step of integrating these rogue Xioquo into her group, even though one of her husbands had been slain in battle. The Xioquo joined their fate with the tribe, and would teach the Zaldrani how to use their strange technologies, for the Xio are more advanced technologically. In return they gained protection and home. This was a pragmatic move because a harsh winter was upon them. While not free of tension, bickering, xenophobia etc. the alliance has born fruit and Xioquo are increasingly accepted as Zaldrani. As the inevitable result of cross-pollination, there are now also Xio/Qadiri half-breeds.
The Zaldrani are fierce and vigorous during raids. Their war bands rely heavily on surprise, guile and precision rather than raw firepower or numbers. Warriors rely on speed and knowledge of the terrain and so are not weighed down with heavy equipment. They also lack a uniform appearance as each warrior provides their own equipment. For defences the Zaldrani wear hide armour taken from the pelts of arctic creatures and reinforced by wood and bone. It not only keeps them warm and dry but also protects against slashing and bludgeoning attacks.
They also sometimes carry small shields made of hide or wood. Their traditional main weapon is a spear which can be used to stab or throw. A warrior will generally carry several of these spears. A knife, club or axe is often used as a secondary weapon. They also make use of harpoons. Until recently metalworking was quite rare so weapons often had bone or stone tips instead or captured pieces redone. Bows are also common though the range of these are not great due to the lack of appropriate timber for compound construction. Garrotes, poisoned daggers and darts have been popularised by Xio members.
Heavy-hitting, durable slugthrowers and blasters purchased from outside traders see increasingly widespread use, though alongside more archaic firearms such as muskets and breech-loading rifles. Ease of maintenance and reliability under arctic conditions is key for them. A high-tech weapon is no good in the Northlands if it cannot perform after being submerged in water, covered in mud or exposed to the arctic cold. Strategy typically involves sneak attacks - catching the enemy off guard with a nighttime or lightning raid. If surprise is impossible, they know how to form and manoeuvre battle lines and take advantage of terrain.
Force-using warriors are taught to incorporate their powers into an overall battle plan. Sleds and kayaks are often used for transport, though some groups have limited access to speeders. Their warriors excel at sneaking and remaining hidden in the arctic snow. A significant proportion of their combat-based Force Users have a talent for ice and water shaping, enabling them to thrive in and harness the arctic cold against their foes, as well as Weather Sense. The Stalkers of the Frozen Wastes are a particularly renowned war band.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
Distinctions: Most of the Zaldrani are Qadiri and thus resemble their parent species - tall and slender stature, pointed ears, bronze skin, dark hair. However, there are some distinctions. The Zaldrani Qadiri hail from the arctic north of Tygara, which is a stark contrast to the hotter conditions of central Tygara. As a result they are a bit lighter in skin tone than their southron cousins. They tend to be tough and hardy, as they have adapted to a hostile environment.
The snow Qadiri manifest physical characteristics that have helped them adapt to a freezing climate. On average, their nose is short and stubby as it is less likely to get frost bitten, whereas a long, thin one would be more easily frozen. More adipose tissue on the face protects it better from the cold. Tribal and family tattoos are a common mark of distinction, often crossing their skin in lines and waves. Each symbol has a special meaning for a Zaldrani, displaying an individual's prowess as a hunter, my clan and the power of my ancestors. They also look nice.
Zaldrani Xioquo are similar to their coethnics from the Underealm - ash coloured skin, grey or white hair, eyes that are dark pupils with excellent low-light vision. As is typical for Xio, they are resistant to the cold, but sunlight and other bright lights are painful for them. On average, Zaldrani Xioquo are a bit tougher and hardier than their coethnics, though not absurdly so. It has become increasingly common to follow the Qadiri practice and adapt colourful tattoos. In the case of both races, women are on average broader and taller than males. This is a thing for all Eldorai races and represents an inversion of the gender balance common among humans.
In terms of clothing, the Zaldrani wear attire geared towards surviving in the arctic tundra. Their garments are made from animal hides, furs and leathers. A typical outfit would be a parka, pants, socks, mittens and animal skin boots. Hunters usually have three pairs of summer boots and two pairs of winter boots. Proper maintenance of footgear is crucial. Googles may be made from wood or bone. Two sets of clothes may be worn during the bitter winter - one has fur next to the skin, the other on the outside. Learning how to make warm, durable clothing is a crucial survival skill. Someone who can knit and sew well is valued because making durable, warm clothing is essential to keeping people from freezing to death.
Force Sensitivity: High. The Zaldrani are composed of Xioquo and Qadiri, two races that have high rates of natural Force affinity. Of course, not all Force-Sensitive Zaldrani manifest abilities which can be trained and put into conscious, controlled use as opposed to unconscious and instinctual, but it is beneficial for survival in the Northlands regardless.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Membership: The Zaldrani are an ethnic, cultural and tribal group. As a result, membership is generally defined by birth. Young Zaldrani go through what amounts to a rite of passage, which typicall involves the hunt or some other trial of worthiness. A Qadiri or Xio from outside the group may be accepted, such as through marriage with a Zaldrani. Depending on the clan, a complete outsider such as a human or Eldorai may be accepted as an honorary member or friend of the Zaldrani or even become the blood sibling of one, but this is a rare honour.
Climate: There is a strong focus on community, resilience and cooperation. It is a culture that despises wastefulness. Winter comes for everyone, and life in the North is harsh on a good day. Everyone must pitch in. This has forged a cooperative culture where survival surpersedes grudges and rivalries. This is not to say that rivalries and such do not exist, for sentient nature is the way it is, but the overall climate is a cooperative one. Reputation is important for a Zaldrani. A tainted name takes time and effort to repair. Betrayal or cowardice are a stain on one's reputation and that of the clan.
As mentioned, the Zaldrani are not politically united. Fighting between clans does occur. However, all-out war is very rare. This is not because they are somehow saintly and morally superior to their Southron cousins, but for practical reasons and circumstance. The Zaldrani need to depend on each other to survive in their harsh environment. If winter is not here, it is never far. People will always compete, and are always looking for an edge to eat a regular meal. It is sentient nature. But the harsh environment imposes a significant limit on the scale and intensity.
Every able-bodied clan member who dies fighting is one less huntress or hunter who can provide for the clan. Zaldrani clans tend to be small, so if say ten people are tied up carrying out a hunting incursion into someone else's territory or getting revenge for a slight that might account for twenty percent of the manpower of a camp. A clan may succeed at wiping out a neighbouring clan they have a blood feud with, but this will likely leave them vulnerable when winter is upon them. Captives can be put to work, but are also additional mouths to feed since you cannot use them as hunters or fishers. Meanwhile, maimed or crippled warriors must be provided for. The Zaldrani are proud of their martial traditions, but glorify the cunning huntress who outmanoeuvres her foe and keeps her people alive, not the egomaniacal gloryhound. Cultural factors also play a role. Zaldrani, even those who hold grudges against another, do recognise a shared kinship between their people. By contrast, they are vicious and ruthless when fighting outside forces. Hostages and prisoners are rarely taken then.
As is typical for Eldorai races, the culture is matriarchal, which means division of responsibility is based on gender. However, this is not absolute. Women take the lead, but men are taught to fight and there have been male chieftains and warriors out of necessity or personal choice. Martial, raiding and hunting traditions are very strong. But the Zaldrani celebrate the cunning hunter, not the death charging knight obsessed with glory. They are known to be cunning and ruthless during raids.
The Zaldrani do engage in trade relations with outsiders, such as southron Qadiri and Xio and the humans of Firemane. However, they are very reluctant to let outsiders settle in the land they inhabit, minus a limited trading outpost. They rightly fear that the humans would take over their fishing grounds and endanger their way of life, making them dependent on foreign succour. However, outsiders with no hostile or harmful intent will be treated well, if a bit warily. Guestright is one of the sacred principles of the Zaldrani, and a guest is considered under the protection of the host. In short, they are welcoming and friendly to individual outsiders who treat them with civility, but do not want groups of them to permanently set up shop and take over their land.
With the opening up of Tygara, some Zaldrani have left the far north to settle in places such as Yastoida and Skrael Floer, often sending gifts and goods back to their clans. A couple Zaldrani have joined Firemane as instructors and specialists for arctic warfare. In contrast to their southron cousons, the Zaldrani did not practice slavery in any meaningful capacity. It was never popular in the colder regions because large scale farming and mining was not really possible, and hunting and fishing are not tasks slaves are often given. Common criminals who have committed a crime that does not warrant death or exile may be indentured to the family they wronged for a fixed period if they cannot provide other forms of restitution.
Reputation: The attitude of southron Qadiri such as from Amikaron is often patronising. There is some mild racism towards the snow Qadiri from some of them. The same applies to more nationalistic Xio who object to their kind interbreeding with them, though more progressive and previously oppressed Xioquo who have broken with the old ways tend to have a more positive or neutral opinion. Vashyada and Zaldrani tend to get on or be neutral. The Zaldrani are not among the Qadiri groups the Vashyada had to fight against due to the vast distances. Moreover, while the Zaldrani do not worship nature the way the Vash do, they are respectful of it and there are similarities between their ways of life.
Firemane has found the Zaldrani to be reliable and helpful. First contact consisted of the snow elves rescuing a Firemane crew whose surface ship has been stranded. There are limited trade relations, and a couple Zaldrani serve as mercenaries and arctic warfare instructors. Some have settled in Skrael Floe, a Firemane town. However, the Zaldrani are not willing to open up their territory to economic exploitation by the sky people - with good reason. The group is all but unknown outside of Tygara. This planet is already pretty obscure, and the Zaldrani are located in a very remote area few outside travellers visit.
Curios: Tribal tattoos are a common mark of distinction among Zaldrani. Each has their own special meaning for an individual, showing their trophies as hunters, their clan and the power of ancestors. Another common curio is a tribal amulet. The Zaldrani believe that each person has a spirit that supports them on a hunt or other dangerous ventures, providing protection against sickness and other calamities, including evil spirits. Sent to them by the snow mother, this spirit can be embodied in blessed items the Zaldrani wear in or on their clothing. An example would be a carving, animal tooth, claw or piece of skin etc. An amulet could be the feather of an owl, the tooth of a bear or, for an incredibly powerful one, of a kraken, and many more. An amulet is made and blessed by a priestess and thus may be mildly Force-imbued.
Philosophy: Life in the cold tundras is harsh, even on a good day. This has bred a culture whose philosophical tenets focus on solidarity, consensus and leadership by example. There is a strong emphasis on 'we're all in this together', which means sacrifices must be made through the benefit of all. At the same time, there is a high degree of cohesion. Even though chieftainship is hereditary in some clans, while others are tribal democracies, a chiefess is expected to take counsel and lead through consensus-building.
In terms of religious beliefs, the snow Qadiri have a polytheistic religion. Priestesses are said to have the power to commune with the spirits and carry out the necessary rites to placate them and invoke their aid for a group. The Zaldrani worship Kashara, the supreme Qadiri goddess, in her aspect as a solar deity. They also pray to other Qadiri deities, such as Myrkash, goddess of healing and the deities of the hunt, and sea. If, for example, the sea goddess is not placated by obeying a set of rules, she might drive away the animals that live in her domain. Moreover, they have a local goddess called the Snow Mother, a goddess of ice, snow and winter and the spiritual embodiment of their land, which is why they owe her special respect.
The Zaldrani believe that every being has a spirit or soul of some sort. These entities can be benevolent and invoked for protection, but are also dangerous if angered. They must be appeased, avoided or warded against. To offend the spirit of the dead is dangerous, and must be prevented by adherence to social taboos and common law. This is one of the reasons why the practice of the 'sky people' to devastate or even destroy entire planets is so deeply disturbing to the Zaldrani, for it destroys the world soul and produces countless angry spirits that will seek vengeance, perpetuating a cycle of destruction.
Because they are polytheists, they accept the existence of multiple deities, though they only worship a select few. Snow Xio have obviously brought their own spiritual beliefs to the Zaldrani. They have turned away from worshipping the tyrannical Mystra. Several have embraced the Snow Mother. The spirits have of the earth, sky, water and fire are also venerated.
In theory, the Saoshyant is the supreme head of the Kashari faith for all Qadiri. However, she rules from distant Krolis, which is very far away from the Northlands. As a result, the Zaldrani are aware of but effectively ignore her. Their priestesses are chosen locally instead of being part of a bureaucratic, top-down hierarchy. Their teachings and rites include shamanistic practices orthodox Kashari clerics would frown on. The families within a clan listen to their priestesses because they consider them to be wise, and because it is tradition. They are mediators between the divine and the material world, lorekeepers, seers, medicine women and mediators. In line with typical Qadiri and Xio practices, there are no male priests.
Outward Views: The Zaldrani are quite friendly and welcoming to outside travellers. Guestright is one of their pillars. They will obviously respond poorly to exploitative or patronising behaviour. It is important that outsiders understandand respect the Zaldrani's social values. They do not, however, want outsiders to stake a claim to their land or take over the fishing zones. Trade and peaceful dialogue are desired, outside colonisation or monopolisation is not. Recently, the Zaldrani have started to have tentative diplomatic contact with the Xioquo of the Underealm. Some Zaldrani have settled in Skrael Floe, a Firemane settlement in northern Ajustra.
Having been raised in a culture with its own Force traditions, the Zaldrani find Jedi and Sith beliefs strange. This is typical for Qadiri in general. They treat their Zari as a power that comes from within them rather than an omnipresent energy field that binds all life together. Zari is not just their word for what humans call the Force, but also soul. However, they recognise that this power can be dangerous and harmful if misused.
Broadly speaking, the Zaldrani would oppose oppressive or tyrannical groups, such as Imperials, Sith, slavers and the like. The stories told by Zaldrani who have ventured out into the greater galaxy have given them a very negative view of such groups. The tales the huntress and Firemane soldier Zhaleh, the daughter of a major Zaldrani chieftainess, told them about the destruction of Csilla and other atrocities shocked them greatly. Amusingly, visiting Rattataki who are civil and respectful will have a particularly friendly reception. A female Rattataki will be taken as a sign of good luck because she resembles the tribal representation of the Snow Mother.
The Arts: Southron Qadiri like to stereotype their sistren in the far north as uncivilised savages with no appreciation for art. This is, of course, utter nonsense. The Zaldrani are fond of carvings and small sculptures, displaying animals or sentient beings. They also make earings, dance masks, amulets and so on. Both practical tools and non-utilitarian items are made from hand using natural materials like stone, bone, ivory, and animal hides. Figures are carved to tell stories of mythology and from their rich oral history. A huntress may make a necklace or similar trinket out of say the tooth of a dangerous beast. Little statues are carved from bone. wood, tusks or horns, and tend to have spiritual value.
The Zaldrani usually carve for decoration, desire or religious purposes, though they also do so commercially to a degree. Xioquo influence has resulted in a greater adoption of stone carving and engravings. Like their parent race, the Zaldrani love oral poetry and performance. Many Zaldrani learn from an early age to sing the stories and poems of their ancestors. Recitations are beloved communal events. Musical performances and folk dances are often accompanied by flute and drum.
Architecture: Modest and practical. The typical dwelling is a snow house - a dome-shaped building constructed from blocks of ice. These dwellings vary in size. Some are just small hunting shelters made for one person, others are large ceremonial structures that connect to several dwellings, creating entire villages.
The walls protect against wind, and snow and ice act as insulators, trapping body heat inside the snow house. Moreover, the structure becomes better at insulating a few days after it is finished. Building such a snow house is a skill that needs to be learned. It is another reason why Force Users who specialise in elemental ice shaping are useful. They live in tents made of animal skin during summer time. Some Zaldrani groups have moved to stone residences. This is a result of Xio influence and techniques, though in such cases a snow house will still be used by a hunting party. These groups tend to be more sedentary and live close to the coast.
Habits: Sport activities are quite popular. Most originate in the Zaldrani's hunting and fishing practices. Their way of life makes it vital for members to train and hone their bodies. Moreover, it is naturally a form of entertainment and a way for young people to bond. While many games are athletic, there are also gymnastic or martial ones. Many Zaldrani compete in traditional games. An example would be the one-foot high kick, which tests a hunter's strength and agility.
Living in the darkness of the Underealm for so many millennia has made the sun and other bright lights painful for the Xioquo, which is why they fully cover themselves when they venture out into daylight. This is less problematic in the Northlands, but still needed when the sun is out. Moreover, the Xio have adjusted well to the darkness, and can see much further in the dark than Eldorai or Qadiri. Snow Qadiri have learned more about hunting and fighting in the darkness from their Xio sistren, and have adopted some of their methods.
Lifestyle: Very communal. Communities tend to be small, but very tight-knit and familial bonds are strong. Birth and naming ceremonies as well as funerals are communal affairs that involve the camp as a whole. Zaldrani tend to be raised in clans composed of several families. These form a network tied by bonds of mutual support, and kinship.
Thus, on average, Zaldrani grow up in the belief they are stronger together. There is a strong tradition of respect for the elders. The oldest female who is still able to work speaks for the family. The Zaldrani have leaders, of course, but a warleader must be able to build consensus in order to be successful. How large a group is depends on a variety of factors, especially on how abundant prey is. In times of great scarcity, a group may break up. Trade typically occurs in form of a barter economy. Typically Zaldrani have a nomadic life style, though those on the coast have become more sedentary and some have settled further in the south.
Laws: Less written laws and more a set of values, based on common law and tradition. The key principles are respect for others, guestright and solidarity with the people, fostering a good spirit, providing for one's family and clan, making decisions through consensus, self-betterment, working together for a common cause and respecting the land and animals of the snow mother and the spirits. The priestesses of the Zaldrani also act as lawkeepers. The Zaldrani reject the rule of queens, kings and nobles. They are quick to point out that their society has no Shahs or Mirzas.
Of course, this does not mean they are a group without laws or leaders. But chieftains rule by consensus and through respect. In some tribes the position is de facto hereditary, others are tribal democracies. The justice system is determined by unwritten custom laws, clan traditions and practices disseminated largely by example and oral teachings of clan elders and priestesses. It has strong restorative and reparative components, but does not dispense with punitive ones because the community must be protected. Indentured servitude exists to a limited degree as a punishment for crimes, but slavery does not, though in the past the Zaldrani sometimes sold captive Xioquo to southron Qadiri merchants.
Long-term incarceration for criminals is wasteful and impractical, and so the Zaldrani prefer wergild or exile. The latter is regarded as a very harsh punishment that in some ways is worse than death. Depending on the severity of the crime, an exile may redeem themselves and be welcomed back into the community through an act of selflessness and bravery that shows they have changed their ways. But this option does not exist for especially heinous crimes. Zaldrani justice can be harsh, and those who commit heinous crimes against the community or an individual are executed or permanently banished in the tundra. This is moderated by common law and tradition though to prevent abuse.
It is the law that all Force-Sensitives must receive training to control their powers. This is not done out of bigotry. Far from being hated, Force-Users are respected, for it is believed that the gifts of the spirits have manifested inside their Zari - or soul. Someone who manifests powers of ice shaping is regarded as blessed by the snow mother. There is no central training institutions. Instead a clan typically has instructors and priestesses to provide instruction.
There are strong social taboos against harming a priestess. To murder a priestess is believed to bring a curse of misfortune upon one's entire clan unless a tribute is paid to placate the deceased spirit. This even extends to a priestess who serves a rival clan. This may seem superstitious, but there is a practical reason for this since a priestess is also generally the healer, and lorekeeper of a clan. Moreover, they often mediate between clans. In effect, this provides a safety valve because even if two clans are blood enemies, their priestesses will be able to provide aid to the most vulnerable and act as mediators. This has proved crucial in times when the Zaldrani have had to band together against outside threats or faced times of great scarcity during winter but a chieftainess cannot afford to lose face. Likewise, the Zaldrani have strict laws against desecrating the resting place of the dead or a holy place.
Customs & Traditions: Among the Zaldrani, guestright is a sacred law of hospitality. Disrespecting this tradition is a grave violation. The marital customs are not strictly monogamous. Indeed, polyandrous relationships are not uncommon among tribal leaders. Skewed sex ratios are one reason for this, as is the fact that it is a bit of a status symbol for powerful matriarchs. Children born from such a union will commonly be brought up to regard all of their mother's husbands as their fathers, with no distinction being made between the biological one and the others. Divorce is possible, but in some Zaldrani groups requires the approval of the elders, and marriages may be arranged at an early age. It is understood that in such a constellation, the person an individual may be formally married to is not necessarily the primary partner.
The birth of a newborn is a communal affair for a whole camp, where the group gathers to welcome the little one into the world. Community birth is supposed to strengthen social cohesion and the family unit, while simultaneously placing the newborn under the protection of the camp as a whole. It is not uncommon for a child to be named after a deceased family member or friend of their parents. It is believed that this gives them a guardian spirit, and that a part of the deceased comrade's soul lives on in them.
The Eldorai races as a whole do not distinguish much between biological and adopted children. This is also reflected by the Zaldrani. Should a child who is not of age be left without parents or close kin who can raise it due to disease, war or other calamities, it will be adopted by a friend. If need be, the priestesses will make arrangements to ensure it has a guardian who can look after the child.
Another thing to discuss here are names. In Xioquo culture, clan name precedes the given name. Among the Qadiri, the given name is followed by Jal/Jai (of/from) and the name of the family, clan or location. For males the middle name is Jal, for females Jai. Females put 'a' or 'al' on end of last name.
With Xioquo having joined the group, there are inevitably mixed race couples and mixed race children. The common practice is for the child to take the surname of the mother, which is something both species are familiar with and thus don't consider strange.
One curious - and indeed very progressive - aspect of their culture is their treatment of transgender people. Broadly speaking, Zaldrani follow beliefs that are shared by the mainstream Qadiri and the Vashyada by adhering to the belief of right spirit, wrong body. In a nutshell this principle postulates that, for example, a being might be born with a male's body but a female's spirit or vice versa.
Because the Zaldrani lack the medical technology for physical changes, the standard tradition is for a trans man or woman to explain their situation to the clan assembly. If accepted, they are referred to by their new pronouns and treated in accordance with their identity. Acceptance varies depending on clan. Some are more close-minded, others more liberal, but on the whole acceptance is ironically higher than in some more technologically advanced societies.
In contrast to many other Qadiri or Xio groups, the Zaldrani bury instead of cremate their dead. Fuel for burning the dead is rare in the Northlands. Expressions of public grief are common. About five days are reserved for this. Before the funeral, the priestesses wash the body and place wards on it so that the spirit is not trapped inside the flesh. The house of the deceased is ritually purified. Family members carry the body, wrapped in animal skins, to the burial site.
The dying clan member usually tells their relatives where they would like to be buried. Traditionally, they should be buried where they were born. The body is laid face up and then covered with stones or ice to protect against evil spirits. The whole tribe attends. There is singing and the deeds of the fallen, great and small, are recited. It is custom to bury them with items that were of value to them. It is common to name a child after a great fallen so that a part of them may stay with his or her people. Visiting the grave of the deceased is ritualised. Zaldrani believe that one must visit a grave in a certain way and at a certain time. The Zaldrani will visit their dead friends and family members only one year after their death.
Education & Training: There is a heavy emphasis on practical learning to teach young Zaldrani the survival skills essential for life in the north. They learn about fieldcraft, navigation in the icy tundras, making a fire, skinning game, weather patterns, animal behaviour scouting and other essential survival skills from parents or grandparents. For a child, education is less based on formal textbook learning and more on experiment and imitation.
A child will obviously not be sent out to kill a bear, but will be given tasks they can actually accomplish such as standing guard, skinning a dead beast, scouting and carrying supplies for the hunters. In time, they will actively participate in hunting trips herself. Having some ability to use animal hides to create durable garments is also valued.
Many Zaldrani are illiterate, though those who learn do so quickly. They are taught the oral history, laws and spiritual traditions of their people by their parents and, in more detail, the priestesses, who fulfil the role of lorekeepers of the community. Many learn to sing the epic stories of their ancestors by heart.
Diet: By tradition and necessity, the Zaldrani are hunters and fishers. Game they hunt include whales, seals, bears, fish and so on. Cultivating plants for food is not really feasible in their land, but they gather those that grow naturally in the North.
Language: Spoken language, though sign language is commonly used by war bands to communicate without giving themselves away. Force-Sensitive war bands and hunting parties may also use telepathy, but this depends on individual proficiency. The lingua franca is a local dialect of Zandri, the main Qadiri language. Due to distance and isolation, it has diverged significantly from the Zandri spoken in say Amikaron, the Qadiri heartland on Tygara.
Zandri groups who had dealings with Xioquo tended to pick up some Xio. Ever since Xioquo have joined the group, a degree of proficiency in or understanding of Xio has become quite common and Xio loanwords have started to spread. Zaldrani who live on the cost and have close interactions with outsiders are more likely to learn some Basic and/or Eldarai, the language of the Eldorai. Zaldrani who have regular contact with the Chiss expatriate community of Skrael Floe, such as traders and mercenaries, may have picked up some Cheunch with varying degrees of proficiency.
Strengths:
- Expert survivalists. They are talented trackers, hunters and fishers who excel at survival in arctic environments many would find inhospitable. Excel at cold weather and guerrilla warfare.
- High degree of solidarity and social cohesion. It is a cooperative culture where survival supersedes foolish rivalries. Even clans with a bad history with one another will band together against outside threats.
- Due to their origins in the far north, hot climes are uncomfortable for them. They can obviously survive in hot areas, but they aren't used to the heat and will be more easily fatigued.
- Technologically backward and isolated. The Zaldrani are not 'primitives' and indeed very ingenious. But their technology is significantly behind galactic standard and they have a barter economy. Essentially, they lack modern industry and their equipment lacks standardisation. Access to modern weapons is dependent on barter, smuggling, raiding etc. In a fight with a technologically advanced foe, they will have to rely on guile and asymmetrical warfare.
The exact origins of the Zaldrani are a bit difficult to establish. Their clans are scattered across a very remote, sparsely populated region of Tygara. Even their contact with other Qadiri groups was and is limited. Moreover, they have an oral history. Over time, their origin stories have diverged radically, and much of it is shrouded in myth.
Two myths are particularly prominent though. The first postulates that there was a great battle at sea centuries ago between the Qadiri and Xio. As the Qadiri tell it their forces were being overwhelmed by their enemies as the Xio had come at night upon their anchorage. Suddenly a great wind and storm blew up and cast the Xio ships onto the rocks, but also shipwrecked many Qadiri. Whilst many survived and made their way home some decided to stay, taking the divine wind as an omen. They took the name Zaldrani after their leader; Zaldrana.
Another myth says that that after the defeat of Myrou, the 'goddess' of the Xioquo and the first of their kind, in ages past a company of Qadiri, warriors of Kashara, swore to watch over the north and defend it against the return of the Dark One. Their leader, also Zaldrana in this story, settled down in the northern lands - helped by a divine sun which melted the snows and provided one of their initial settlement areas in a bay. The blessed rays of the sun were equated with the goddess Kashara.
The more mundane and probably true story is that Qadiri settlers from the south headed north several thousand years ago, finding a home on the coasts free from the dominion of the queens of the south. They decided to stay and adapted to their home. A bitter climate prevailed in the Zagrasav Northlands. It was a hard, rugged life that bred a hard, resilient culture, but also a cooperative one that had little truck with self-destructive rivalries. Their society was built upon consensus and a harsh, but fair form of justice. Common law, the harsh climate and scattered nature of the clans prevented the rise of a single hegemon. When one clan got too big, others tended to band together to preserve their freedom.
The Zaldrani became a people of hunters and fishers, who lived off the land, followed the game and often pursued a nomadic way of life. The Zaldrani groups moved seasonally from one camp to the next. While large groups existed they were loosely separated into smaller ones on a seasonal basis. The typical winter camp could have about one hundred people, while a hunting group in summer might have fewer than a dozen. The land itself was deified as the Snow Mother, though they continued to worship traditional Qadiri deities such as Kashara, who was viewed as a solar deity. Naturally, the clans feuded and fought, but they acknowledged an overarching cultural and ethnic identity. While they lacked the resources and technology of their southron sistren, the Zaldrani developed a diverse, rich culture. Their art was characterised by high craftmanship and talent. They designed kayaks to hunt and scout on the inland lakes, rivers and coastal waters. Each boat was different, with builders generally learning their trade from their parents or another experienced relative.
Over time, the custom was established that the person of a priestess was sacrosanct. When two clans, the Icefangs and the Waveriders, engaged in a feud that raged for generations, priestesses tried to mediate and limit the damage done by the fighting. However, a priestess from the Icefang clan was murdered. Soon ill omens were reported. This triggered a tremendous backlash, forcing the feuding clans to meet on neutral ground to put aside their differences and punish the perpetrator. Priestesses from across the land forced a settlement, establishing a set of common laws that would be known as the Snow Mother's Peace, which was supposed to limit the scale and the intensity of strife between the clans. Spirital sanctions were imposed on Zaldrani that violated it.
However, while the Zagrasav Northlands were very remote, they were not entirely isolated. Inevitably the Zaldrani came into contact with their southron Qadiri sistren as well as the Xioquo. It took until 1500 years ago for the Xio to truly become known and it was around this time that the Zaldrani became known to them. However their lack of big settlements and low wealth made them a poor prospect for raiding. But there was a big expedition which struck during the long winter nights and managed to capture several hundred Zaldrani. This occured about three-hundred and fifty years before the present. Even in this age, the Xio had superior technology. However, hydromancers from several tribes united to increase the ice to trap the ships. As the Xio struggled to escape warriors crossed the ice, scaled up the ships and butchered the Xio. This served as a deterrent, though only a few hundred Xio were lost.
The southern Qadiri discovered their northern sisters when Markin Jal Vrobashir led an expedition in search of the Strait of Stones. It was the first documented contact with southron Qadiri. Vrobashir's expedition landed on Larak Island. There he came across Zaldrani. Five of his sailors left the ship, under orders from Vrobashir. They had been instructed to stay clear of the natives. Zaldrani lorekeepers, responsible for preserving the oral history of their people, maintain that the foreigners chose to live among them for a few years until they died in an attempt to leave the island in a self-made boat and disappeared. Vrobashir attempted to find his crew members, whom he believed to have been abducted. He abducted three Zaldrani and brought them back to Amikaron. They were the first Zaldrani to set foot here. Contact with the Qadiri happened at times. Amikaron sent an expedition to the north but found the natives not worth the effort of enslaving. Some trade took place though. By that time the Qadiri cultures had diverged rather radically. The Zaldrani spoke Zandri, but their dialect had become so obscure that the southrons had trouble understanding them without interpreters. Qadiri whalers set up a couple whaling stations.
By and large, the Zaldrani left them alone, but raided them during winter time. This gave them the chance to acquire tools and items made of worked iron. However, there was also peaceful contact, with both parties trading. Zaldrani clans traded animal furs and whaling products for irons and other materials. However, trade plummeted due to the spread of infectious diseases carried by the southron Qadiri, since the Zaldrani possessed no immunity. Taking this as a bad omen, many Zaldrani retreated into isolationism and parties of foreign explorers and whalers were attacked to drive them away. It did not help that many southrons looked down on them, viewing the Zaldrani as primitive. A minor Mirza wanted some glory so she led an expedition to hunt beasts and claim captives. However they came to grief in the icy wastes. The Zaldrani lured them in and then headed back and scuttled their boats, leaving the survivors to freeze. So instead of bringing back slaves the Mirza instead had to surrender and beg for mercy. She was given a keelboat and some of her people and set loose on the seas, never to be seen again.
The Netherworld Event, as it is known to many in the galaxy, was a time of great distress for the Zaldrani. In some cases, entire camps were depleted of most of their able-bodied members, throwing many clans into a crisis. Some vanished entirely or were forced to merge. And soon they were menaced once more by the Xio, attracted by legends of riches buried in the ice. The Xio had set up a base in the arctic wastes. Their initial motivation for coming to the Northlands was a famed shipwreck carrying loot back from a previous campaign. A winter storm crashed it onto rocks near Zaldrani territory, but they had picked it clean. So the Xio wanted that back, along glory from defeating a new foe.
The sorceress leading the expedition was desperate for glory because she lacked status. To this end she sought an artefact the Xio believed to be buried in the wastelands. From therir base they launched expeditions to search for artefacts and procure slaves who would be forced to perform heavy labour or brought to the Underealm. Lacking the more advanced technology of the Xioquo, the Zaldrani used guerrilla tactics. They could not match cannons, and steam-powered aircraft in open combat. Attempts to do so ended in bloody failure.
Many fleeing Zaldrani tribes were bombed from the sky. This conflict was the closest thing the weakened Zaldrani clans came to total war. Even the young would not be spared by slavers, after all. Priestesses from several clans came together to mediate and pave the way for what became a martial tribal confederation. Many camps were evacuated, and they left traps and food that had been laced with poison behind. This strategy slowed down the Xioquo and took a toll on their morale and numbers. Disillusionment caused some slave-soldiers to desert. They were far away from home, so resupply was difficult.
But it also affected the ice Qadiri, for it was a particularly cold winter. This meant that supplies were scarce and there was little game to hunt. Moreover, most of the able-bodied members of the clans had to be drafted to fight. Eventually it came to a battle. At significant expense, some Zaldraniclans had been able to purchase muskets from their southron sistren. The Xioquo were led by dark sorceresses who sought artefacts from Tygara's distant past and used dark rites to summon a kraken. This had the effect of raising the Xioquo's fighting spirit.
The Zaldrani learned of this threat from a deserter who had been the indentured servant of a Xioquo witch. His name was Xerl'Vare. A Zaldrani warleader called Khandana Jai Bijana sent Xerl'Vare back to tell Xioquo slave-soldiers and deserters that the Zaldrani did not want to murder them all. The battle ended in a Zaldrani victory after they managed to kill the kraken and some Xio slave-soldiers deserted.
Khandana struck the mortal blow, driving her lance through the beast's skull after dropping a grenade into its mouth. It was not a glorious victory though. Many of their warriors had lost their lives or been injured. Thus the aftermath was a solemn, somber affair. They had to take care of their wounded and bring their dead home so that they could be put to rest in accordance with the Zaldrani's burial traditions.
Victory had come at a staggering cost. This was why people on the fringes of civilisation never get involved in war to the same level. Raids, ambushes, sure. But an actual war crippled the winner as much as the loser. There was little time for a period of mourning. Winter was here. The clans had stocked supplies, but with so many of their members being pulled away from hunting or growing things in order to fight, they had only been able to prepare so much. Moreover, the casualties sustained during the fight meant that there fewer experienced warriors who could hunt or protect against raiders.
There was also the matter of the Xio who had been left stranded and were unwilling to return to their mistresses. They rightly feared punishment for their defeat. The Xio's totalitarian rulers had a tendency of being just as unforgiving and cruel as Sith Lords. Outnumbered and stranded in hostile territory, they were hunted by the Zaldrani tribes. They holed themselves up in their rusting ironclad, but were unable to leave. The survivors tended to be former slave-soldiers and so their technical skills were limited. Khandan took a very unorthodox step: Although one of her husbands had been among the casualties in the battle, she contacted the rogue Xio and offered them an alliance.
The Xio would join their fate with theirs and send a representative to their tribal council. They would teach her people how to use their strange technologies. In return they would gain protection and a home. As a sign of good faith, she had a few Xio captives released. This was also a pragmatic move because guarding them tied up manpower. Winter was here, and if the clan wanted to survive, they had to adapt. The first meeting between representatives of both groups was tense. Xerl'Vare was one of the Xio's emissaries. The Zaldrani wanted Xio who had committed atrocities against their people handed over for judgement.
The Xio were obviously reluctant to do that, and distrusted the ice elves. In the eyes of the Xio deserters, they had suffered under the mistresses as well. Quite a few of them suspected the Zaldrani would murder them, for they had been indoctrinated to revile the Qadiri. In the end, they reached a compromise. Because the ice elves were not naive, they took some hostages. Vare agreed to be one of them. The unwieldy allies lacked the means to move the Xio's rusted ironclad, but they could cannibalise it for tech and use it as a defensive outpost. Its guns proved its worth when the clan repulsed an ambush from the rival Zaldrani group. This is not to say that the snow Qadiri forgave and forgot, but the struggle to survive the bitter winter superseded rivalries, though these did not vanish overnight.
Come summer, and the defectors proved helpful facilitating a retaliatory raid on a Xioquo slaver outpost in northern Ajustra. It was a surprise attack in the middle of summer, consisting of about fifty warriors. The snow Qadiri chose to strike during summertime because the sea lanes were open, and it gave them near twenty-four hours of sunlight to hurt the Xio. It was a brutal fight. The Zaldrani could not dislodge the Xio presence, but they slaughtered those of the 'Dark Ones' they came across and freed several of their people before the arrival of more modern Xio ships forced them to flee. This took place not long before the coming of the sky people, as many Tygarans called the humans of Firemane and other outsiders who came from outer space.
Meanwhile, great changes were taking place on Tygara. The Zaldrani's remote location meant they missed first contact with the sky people. Mercifully, this also meant that they avoided the corsairs' slave raids. But in time, they received word that people had come from the sky in metal ships. This sounded absurd, so they dismissed it as a tall tale. The main thing that changed for the Zaldrani was that after a while, Xio raids all but ceased. However, when the sky people arrived Zhaleh Jai Bijana, daughter of Khandana, was one of those who bravely set off to offer welcome to them. She and some of her clan members were out scouting when they came across a strange metal ship. It resembled those used by the Xio, but looked far more advanced. A Xio who had joined their party did not recognise this design. The vessel had crashed into submerged ice. Zhaleh and her friends boarded it to salvage what they could and search for clues about its origins. At the time they still believed it had been made by the Xio.
However, then they came across strange aliens who looked nothing like the Xio. One of the crew members had blue skin and tentacles coming out of her bald head. Another was a talking lizard and could apparently speak some Zandri. This was the common Qadiri language, but the Zaldrani spoke a dialect that differed strongly from that of their southron sistren. There was also a strange metal golem that would not cease talking. Surprised by this unexpected encounter, Zhaleh came to the rescue of crew members who were in the process of drowning. They were able to get off the ship before it sunk into the freezing waters. They brought the aliens to their camp and questioned them, after making them disarm.
There was quite a language barrier. Fortunately, the metal golem turned out to be highly adept in speaking all manners of languages, including Xio. After some consideration, Zhaleh decided to bring these strangers to her people's camp. There they were brought before her mother the chiefess. Her people learned that the sky people were real and not things of myth. The strangers worked for a distant queendom that called itself Firemane. It was ruled by a powerful queen called Siobhan Kerrigan. Apparently the Shahbânu of the Amikarese Empire had submitted to this skyqueen, who had also conquered the Xioquo. When the sky people sent a rescue team to evacuate their people, Zhaleh got a chance to inspect one of their metal sky-ships. She was both curious and unsettled. Having learned that the ancien régime had been toppled, a number of the Xio who had joined the Zaldrani took the chance to return home.
Xerl'Vare was one of those who elected to stay. Khandana took him as one of her husbands. The sky people took Zhaleh on a ride and made a tentative agreement with her mother. The warleader saw the value of trade with them, but did not want to compromise her people's freedom. Zaldrani communities close to the sea began to trade with the sky people. A couple settled further south or joined the offworlders as mercenaries. Zhaleh decided to take advantage of an exchange programme of sorts to join Firemane to see the stars and show that her people were strong, honourable warriors. She was inducted into Inferno Platoon, an Order of Fire unit led by Lieutenant Elpsis Kerrigan. But most Zaldrani continue as they have for centuries. Recently tentative efforts have been made to establish a dialogue with the reformed Xioquo government in the Underealm.
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