Adjuskimavo

Adjuskimavo is a country in northern Talazic. It was first populated by humans who hailed from the distant land of Madjinu, when they arrived in what is now southern Vundkrag, and were driven to the northwest by the conflict that was occurring there at the time. Not long afterwards, leader Meravi assembled the fractured refugees there into a force that became the kingdom of Adjuskimavo. The Madjinu people also spread further west to populate Kroshesket, with about two-thirds of them remaining in Adjuskimavo.
Adjuskimavo's capital is the city of Kilidja, which also serves as the seat of its king, currently King Dakari Mawenamoto.

Demographics

96% human, 2% halfling, 1% elf, >1% other

Culture

Traces of Madjinu heritage can be found in Adjuskimavo's culture, though over the centuries they have built their own distinct customs and traditions and become much more advanced than the tribes from which they stemmed. Adjusk people are known to be hardy but reserved, and welcoming but cautious. Though in some places the importance of Tamma Uzagobra has been downplayed or overlooked, most Adjusk people will be hard pressed to claim that her assistance was not pivotal in the founding of the kingdom, and wizards are generally well-respected the kingdom over, sometimes to the point of other methods of spellcasting being spurned. Some cults arose early in the kingdom's history devoted to the worship of various dragons, and although these are mostly extinct today, their influence has remained on religious practice and traditions. Draconic ruins to the south have generated much interest, both positive and negative. Notably, a fairly significant population of lizardfolk exists along this southern border, and generally these clans keep to themselves, living apart from the recognized citizens of the kingdom. Draconic motifs are very common in art and literature, especially more traditional pieces, but dragons are not considered a huge direct influence on Adjusk culture, considering the very limited amount of contact the kingdom's people have had with them.
The Meydra Tekina and Uskad are associated with Adjuskimavo, although the latter is not much more revered among the kingdom's non-lizardfolk population than in any other kingdom. There is also a deity known as Kufiliwe whose intercession was commonly implored by the Madjinu people, and who is now widely understood to be an aspect of Synékia. A few large temples were built in her name early in the kingdom's existence, and still stand today, though devotion to her has dropped notably in the last several centuries.
Although it is fashionable in most places in Adjuskimavo to wear brightly colored garments with long train, more traditional garb used for ceremonial purposes tends to carry subdued earthen tones, as a reflection of the simple animal skins that most of the original migrants wore. Metal jewelry and piercings are also commonly part of a typical Adjusk look. Adjusk music is widely recognized and admired, and typically features percussion and woodwind prominently.

History

Adjusks are descended from the Madjinu people of Tresstyria, who emigrated to Talazic in the EL 190s with the help of the Afshtiki conjurer Tamma Uzagobra. They arrived in the middle of open war, declared by King Orvik Ruby-Eye of Vundkrag, and were driven north by this conflict. Many did not survive the journey, particularly because the land where they were headed, which is now the kingdom of Adjuskimavo, only remained unclaimed because of the constant threat of dragons to the south. The Madjinu, known for their stealth and survival skills, broke through in great numbers where none had before, and quickly claimed the land as their own, inspired by the determination of their leader Meravi, a great fighter and descendant of the Simra Djanalti. The kingdom of Adjuskimavo, roughly translating to "land of the future" to reflect the people's hopes for this new home, was officially recognized in 201. In the following centuries, it was a semi-frequent occasion that certain regions of the kingdom be threatened by chromatic dragons, but several well-documented stories reveal that these foes were, far more often than not, confronted and defeated by metallic dragons, who would proceed to withdraw without explanation after the conflict. These incidents coupled with the bitter cold to the northwest have earned Adjuskimavo the nickname "the land between ice and fire." Its people take great pride in their ability to adapt, survive, and even thrive, despite their tenuous position—or perhaps because of it.

"Breath, Life, Hope"

Founding Date

EL 201

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Alternative Names

The land between ice and fire

Demonym

Adjusk

Controlled Territories

• Badilika

Notable Members

• King Dakari Mawenamoto