Zeranian Culture

Path of the Warrior

Zeranians, from early childhood, would follow the path of the warrior. Training almost every day following the dogma of the original First, so they could bring honour to their tribe and battle by their god's side at his eventual return, by achieving true mastery of the body. This vigorous way of life created highly skilled warriors, rivalled only by those who could augment their martial prowess with magic or superior equipment. However, very few warriors from other lands are able to contest the supernatural strength of the Karahn, or Endii that could use Hold Sorcery. The Endii, with the addition of exceedingly well-trained mounts, were a formidable opponent to any who would make them their enemy. Foreign kingdoms that know of the might of the Endii are thankful that the Zeranians keep to their isolated desert. Despite the ostensible might of Zerania, they were not infallible. Zerania's vulnerability is their population which is around a quarter of the size of Aryndel's population. No matter how skilled the Zeranian's are, they could be defeated with a sizeable force and a contingent of mages.

The Hierarchy

Before a Zeranian can become ranked, they must become an Initiate by completing the Proving. The Proving is a test to see if the individual is ready to follow the path of the warrior by demonstrating their strength and understanding of the Dogma. The Proving can be taken at any age, as long as the individual is willing. To pass the Proving the individual must survive in the desert for a full moon cycle. If the individual survives, they become an Initiate which is represented by a plain a headband with a single stroke painted on it. To become ranked an Initiate must raise their Initiate level by defeating an Initiate of a higher level than themselves. There are fourteen levels of an Initiate, an Initiates level is represented by the number of strokes on their headband. Being an Initiate is dangerous, the Dogma states that an Initiate headband cannot ever be removed while in the presence of others, and therefore that Initiate is always exposed to challenges of other Initiates. The Dogma also states that an Initiate or Endii cannot refuse a challenge to a duel and must fight. Once an Initiate becomes a Fourteenth level Initiate, they are able to become an Endii by defeating the Endii which has the Thousandth rank. An Endii does not wear a headband, but is given an Endii sword which represents their rank. There are one thousand curved Endii swords, known as katanas, each one unique bearing an engraving of the katana's rank. These Katanas are sacred in Zeranian religion and if lost, are retrieved at any cost. If a katana is destroyed a new one is forged so that there are always one thousand katanas in circulation. Like an Initiate, an Endii can raise their rank by defeating an Endii with a rank higher than theirs. When an Endii is defeated they must swap katanas with the victor, if the defeated Endii is killed the victor's previous katana is given to a Devout, a keeper of the Dogma which act as Lawkeepers within Zerania. The Devout will then bestow the katana to a worthy warrior. A defeated Endii must also bear the shame of loss and mark it upon their face by tattoo. Endii that have been defeated countless times have intricate tattoos that surround their eyes, each segment a testament to their loss.

Zeranian Religion

The Endii was created when the Original First known as Enu made the teachings of the Dogma. Enu was a foreigner who travelled to Zerania and ended up defeating many Zeranians. In that time there no ranks, but loss was still marked upon the face. A long time after Enu created the Dogma he disappeared suddenly. Enu became revered among the Zeranians as the strongest warrior they'd ever encountered, until the day Enu left he never had a single tattoo placed on his face. Most believe that he ascended and is watching over the Zeranians, guiding them on the path of the Dogma. Zeranians believe that fighting is a form of religious dedication and expression, they were dedicated to the perfection of form and technique in an attempt to follow the teachings of the Dogma which states that only once true mastery over oneself is achieved can one find inner peace. The Zeranians believe living a life led by the Dogma will reunite them with Enu, to fight by his side in Ziran Gaiden 'The last battle', the greatest honor a Zeranian can achieve.

The Dogma

The Dogma is a code of conduct written by Enu the original First, which states the way a warrior should live to be honorable, and to attain inner peace. There are seven virtues of the Dogma:

1. Honesty - A warrior must acutely speak the truth with all creatures. You must be just in your actions, considering all points of view.
2. Dignity - A true warrior is not cruel, you must respect even your enemies. A warrior's strength is proven by their dealings with others.
3. Courage - A true warrior lives life to the fullest, never retreating. A warrior must always face a fight with full commitment.
4. Honor - A warrior does not hide from them-self, for yourself is the only measure of honor and character. A true warrior always displays their rank.
5. Humanity - A warrior becomes strong, such strength should be used judiciously. A true warrior strikes when needed, and most importantly knows when not to.
6. Sincerity - To a warrior, speaking and doing are the same action. A warrior does not make promises, for what he says is as good as done.
7. Loyalty - To a warrior, betrayal is worse than death. A true warrior is responsible for everything they have done and the consequences that follow.