Valan
the People of Urzan
Known as the Babbamon in some records, the Valan were a branch of the Katilan people that came to live in Craddle Valley sometime around 2700 pre-sc. The Ancient Siduum text known as the Book of the Valan, claim a group of women, led by Vala, left Katiland in search of a home free of male rule. They came to live with Elder Tree Urzan and formed their own society, the Valan.
Their numbers were said to have grown over time as wandering Daemon from other tribes joined them in their new land. Pre-Aggelomachy, they rejected most men from their society, only keeping those they felt were the best for reproduction. There is no recording of their numbers or size, but by the Aggelomachy they are a thriving community large enough to have a 'puhrum' (citizen assembly) made of seven women from each community gathering for decision of social matters.
The community, like every other, was devastated during the Aggelomachy. In desperation to survive, the Valan embrace darker aspects of the Anon (Magic), merging Aurochs of Craddle Valley with volunteer male citizens. These warriors, the Minotaur, passionately protect and defend their way of life. It is these creatures that are credited with Valan survival of the heavenly war, with they, and the auroch, becoming a symbol of Valan resilience ever after.
After the Aggelomachy
In the aftermath of the Aggelomachy and the eruption of the Na Boon Super Volcano at its end, the Valan gathered under the protection of Urzan. The tree's Mantle protected the people, keeping their lands warm and fertile. Out of mercy they took in Katilan survivors, both men and women. Though remaining a matriarchal culture, men quickly became part of the leadership in many aspects of their society. Minotaur remained in their communities as well, as protectors, still being created long after the end of the Aggelomachy. Estimates for the early Randagri Period, from records such tomb carvings, put the amount of minotaur at one per every five humans. Though hardly concrete, it shows that there was a large number of these creatures living among and still loyal to their creators.
The culture grew and spread during the Randagri, the home in Craddle Valley afforded them protection for the harsher nature of the icy world of the world north and south. The population was dividing into many subcutures, the three main cultures developed, those being the Beneten that journeyed west or the Mahal that moved south, and the Cadalhun that remained in Craddle Valley. The other smaller tribes of the Valan had little recorded about them and are mostly lost to history. There are even some small communities throughout the Craddle Valley, and along the coast of the Codi Sea that claim to be descended from there ancient people.
It was the Valan that were some of the first to begin using Obsidian for tools.
Gilgurth
Like nearly every culture of the world at the time, the Valan suffered from the arrival of Gilgurth. Though they were not hit by massive waves like their southern kin, they did have to survive the steaming skies and burning debris that fell from it. An obscure tomb carving found in the Craddle Valley describes an ancient event the locals called the 'days when the skies rained soil and fire.' It is largely understood that this carving must be referencing the Gilgurth impact.
The Valan cultures had spread far and wide by the time of the impact. Those near enough, once more huddled under the protection of Urzan's Mantle. Its magic again shielded the people from a world ending disaster. In Ancient Siduum legends, the Feyite and the Fairy of the elder tree, led by Juhl Fey'are, worked tirelessly to save as many as they could from the disaster. Many traveling out of Urzan's protection to bring survivors in.
Those Valan too far away to reach the tree suffered in the days and weeks after the distant blast. Their true suffering came later however, as food supplies dwindled. Many survivors from outside raided Urzan's lands. Conflict arose between those within the Mantle and those on the outside. More death was the result. Both sides lost over half their numbers, but it was the Urzan Valan that came out victorious with the help of Maah the Narasan of Urzan. This pushed the surviving outsiders away, into the dark lands of ash and fire. If accounts are true, Juhl sent parties out with supplies to help those they could. Many outside, however, were found by Dragon. Some killed, others joining the Cult of the Wyrm for survival.
I was in the centuries after Gilgurth that the people of Craddle Valley stopped being known as the Valan. The term passed into history, replaced by the divided tribal names throughout the region.
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