Uvivuuryang

“They ask us with sneers and hidden scorn ‘why are you here?’ without thinking of their own civil war – that thing that haunts their cities and families. I wish I had the gaul to tell them to think of it but knowing what I know, it will just get me punched or 'disciplined' as they say.”
— Alixa Tavazinas, an Izij refugee and member of the Pottery Society
  The Uvivuuryang is a current conflict in the Tixan Region resulting from a tied election after the death of Ugya Fizat Tabafuhamuj. Due to this, many people groups, the largest of which is the Izij, have been fleeing.  

Context

The Elected Monarchy

The Izij, in particular in their homeland Kunasviing, has an elected monarchy which stands to be a chimera of a role with a lot of influence. This election is only open to the highest caste, the Uygnakwarufaj and any healthy man from amongst them is considered elligiable to stand or to vote if they come together in a Yifavaw, the Izij meeting of Lords.   While often this can be a peaceful transition - most accept that the Isi chose her true son by compelling them to vote - a split vote is a terrible beast. There can only be Son of Isi. This happend upon the death King Fizat Tabafuhamuj in 2245. The Lords came together but miraculously, the vote was tied amongst 6, maybe because of low turnout - the highest shamaness in the land had warned of a bad omen. But that meant factions began to occur and peace does not last without a man wearing the barberry robes and golden circlet.  

Roles of the King

Firstly the King (and it is always a king, women do not inherit property yet alone proper titles) is a political figure - he controls the laws, his judges in the provinces and the constantly travelling court.   Then he is a religious figure, Son of Isi (the sun), is the closest a man to get to Uvinaw, the great fire goddess who to human eyes - but him - is only Isi. He can dictate religious law, feasts, new festivals. He controls the clergy - both the fire priests but the men who document familal ties and the koxa shamanesses who preform marital rites.   Lastly, he is a cultural figure. Every Izij, no matter their background must submit to him as both the son of Isi, who people constantly wish to trace themselves from as, allegedly, she is ancestor of their people. He can dictate the correct way to practice the rites which makes a man truly Izij, Grandmeal after His Hunt, correct marital rites. Even if the Izij choses not to submit to him, unless he is rejected politically, he is the symbol of their power.  

Factions

There are six factions, all vying for the throne of Kunasviing with a proposed candidate to lead them, assuming they would win the struggle.  

Faction 1

One of the parties that finished in a tie for second place in the election is Uvivut Siramaxut. He is a knowledgeable scholar who, rather than getting engaged in the often deadly blood feuds that the upper class has a tendency to engender, has spent his whole life working closely with the church. Many people desired the vote to go to him, driven either by Isi's admiration for his goodness or by their own avarice and desire for power.
By reading this, I assume you have at least gleamed the context of the caste system from here! If not, I think some of the terminology might be a little confusing, not to be patronising.  
Conflict Type
War
Location
Tikan Region
Start Date
2245
Status
Ongoing
Players
  • Uvivut Siramaxut, claiment
  • Chinih Saraywixuniing, claimant
  • Parang Pirir, claiment
  • Rikuvas Nurihimigyuha, claiment
  • Tuhuli Afifuhiziwis, claimant
  • The People's front, objectors
  • Priests, objectors
Reason for conflict
Tied election of the new Ugya of Kunasviing after the death of Fizat Tabafuhamuj
He has managed the hang on and see the conflict through, but has not been fighting much, letting the men who want to give him these robes do it instead - they all have some of the Sun's blood, and they wouldn't dare spill her's so why each other's. However, already in his late 50s at the time of the ellection and now nearly in his 90s with always ailing health many think one of his other men might take up the case. Or the faction might crumble when he speaks no more.  

Faction 2

Young, competent, rising star general Chinih Saraywixuniing was only coming up to 30 at the time of the election, very rare for an Izij King who most are at least in their 40s, and that is still relitavely young for them. He still fights his case and is most likely to win, many a Ugane bookie has said, although he is more often strategising than fighting now with his sons (most of whom inherited the competence and a fraction of the military genius their father had) now leading in the field.  

Faction 3

Rikuvas Nurihimigyuha is now dead, but his banners still fly to represent part of the Uvivuuryang struggle, but now with Parang Pirir, a former doctor but serving as judge under Ugya Fizat Tabafuhamuj in the Ahiranazivi region. The fight is waining for them, perhaps it will be extinguished like the Siramaxut's cause but for now, they insist to holding onto hearts of the "people", meaning the nobility.  

Faction 4

Tuhuli Afifuhiziwis, while a member of the noble caste, has so-called impure blood. He is a bastard, his father a Keeper of the King's codes, who was welcomed into the caste by Fizat Tabafuhamuj, and practicies his mother's craft of pottery. Many of the King's burial goods, and the moving court's marrital dolls have been made by him ever since he could craft. He also, as like Chinih, because he is "young", he able to fight in field. Surprisingly for a rather meek-looking man, he has developed a knack for battle but especially guriella warfare.   No town in Tixan wants to be visted by this man's horde. Ever, I promise you.  

Faction 5

The People are weary - this is a big man's conflict in the end - but some are willing to fight. However, not in the factions' ranks. The faction is a broad term for a bunch of rag taggle groups  

Faction 6

The final faction does not fight, or well believes it should not. It is the fire priests, who despite the Izij's reverence for Isi, their goddess, see faction members pillage and rape, and most of all destroy temples and libraries, the sacred places the upper castes make a vow to protect. They like the 5th faction, the People, wish for no more fighting and fleeing. They have seen enough of their kin on boats to Ugane and Yapani, entering by land in the icy north of the Empire, Luze or the uncomfortable tennaments known in Otlera metropolises.   Money given to the temples, tithed only to keep them running and the flames burning, is distributed to the needy and to the hospitals set up by the wealthy and unvolved of this fight. They try to heal the differences that caused this hell they are living through now.  

Consquences

There are many consequences of the ravanging of the Tixan, especially of the Izij homeland of Kunasviing. Crops lay untended and rotting as the population begins to dwindle. Many villages have also gone silent, turned into army bases and nearly abadoned by their previous populaces. Alaamuwiing is untouched mostly simply becase it is Ici's city rather than there's but that doesn't mean the residents can sleep easy.  

Tikan flight

Tikan flight is the name given to mass exodus of peoples thanks to the Uvivuuryang. Though they have fled to where they are able to go, most have fled either to the Empire, or to enclaves within the Yapani valley.  

Yapani Valley

Doors that can barely fit me. Crampt apartments where my children, 7, cram up together, and my husband is alowed all the space in the house. A stare from an old woman, as I violate their purdah, as I dare to even call myself by name or for my dres, or maybe even my thunder-like hair. That is what my life is like.
  Otlera people aren't used to outsiders entering their lands as much and staying. Of course they are used to merchants, so long as they follow rules, comply like soiliders. Izij women, while still limited, have a lot more rights than their Otlera counterparts and when it is written into the law codes, it is difficult to function, especially if like a lot of Izij families - it is only the women and the children who have gone up ahead.   Religious tension have also been a problem. Many a Mipanu priest in Otlera on the prowl to convert, with their brand of The Mipanu Faith being a lot more evangelicial than others. And many do convert, mostly half-heartedly as Otlera law states you can discriminate to 'infidels' by denying them the worse housing. Most urban Otlera in the south are used to cramped housing and many Izij are but it is still uncomfortable to.   Not to say that the Yapani valley is a horrible place for an Izijian to throw themselves into, work is easier to find than in the Empire for example and due to the rigid law codes is more likely to protect you despite often being slung into the lowest wealth bracket.  

Ugane Empire

Though my reason as to why I am here, widow of Engwa Hodenay and now known for philanphropy, is not because that horrible thing ravaging my homeland, I feel compelled to speak on it, to rise up my bretheren from the slum quarter. After all, there is no person from any caste and is Izij who have got even an ounce of influence enough to cause big men's neck to snap to them.
— Lamij Hodenai
  The Empire is more welcoming than Yapani, it is more used to diversity than the valley. Many have arrived in port cities like Luze, of which hosts the largest Izij community in their [QUARTER] quarter. The Luz Tuxuzuviing is also present, serving to teach in the Izij fashion, allow some religious practise and as a cultural centre, allowing the culture to be a lot more present than in the conformist Yapani.   More so due to Lamij Hodenai but Izij fashion has been readily accepted into the upper-class. While Ugane corsetry existed, it has blossomed thanks to the influx of Izij women. Unlike pottery, wealthy Ugane citizens will gladly pay the high prices of an Izij corseter now the upper and merchant classes are more inclined to a more curvy figure. Plus even then, it's better bust support than their old garments anyways.   However, jobs in the fields that most Izij wish to partake in are scarce in the Empire due to burgening industrialisation. Businesses get set up but not many people who could afford pottries. Plus many Uganë folk see Izij pottery and crafts to be 'ugly' like how they did prior to Otleramainia with Otlera silks and pattenry.   Another problem has been how they bury their dead. Unlike Ugane belief where cremation alongside a Bemuchem is valued, the Izij would be mortified if you dare suggest to burn corpses. After death, the spirit still remains and needs to be coaxed out in ritual but should be able to return, therefore many people choose to bury. Corpses decompose less and therefore the spirit, for any reason necessary, often to find relitaves again to pass on guidance. However burial is a tightly restricted and sometimes outright banned practicse so it is difficult.  
Funnerary dolls
Those who choose to follow the law have invented a new practice; Funneral dolls. Like marital dolls they store a piece of a spirit's story and are heirlooms, but they are specifically for the purpose of spirit inhabitance. Unlike maritial dolls and their bright-ish colours and details, they are simply a cast in the form of a human but with talismans on and markers of the spirit they are trying to coax to their door.

Comments

Author's Notes

I would like to thank Tillerz for helping with some mild article tweaking like making me figure out what on earth to do with the sidebar. Also the writing style is a mess, I know and my spelling is whack but this is the last 1hr or so of WE, I cannot be arsed to do anything else but word vomit.


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Jan 3, 2023 01:58

I love the emotion that shows through, it is awesome you finished this under the deadline and it will be such a reward once you can edit it to make any changes you want. Happy New Year!


Graylion - Nexus   Roleplaying
not Ruleplaying
not Rollplaying
Jan 3, 2023 02:27 by Aster Blackwell

Very interesting, I like all of the detail you put into this. It's a shame that such a conflict has caused so much pain for so long.

Jan 4, 2023 06:17 by George Sanders

Great work on the factions. I could see that kind of shattering after a failed succession with nobles/aristocrats splitting, the military hanging on, and other groups ebbing and flowing. I like that you connected the dolls and the surrounding cultures, delving into the plight of refugees. It would be fun to see flags or symbols for the factions. This gives you a lot of world to build - I could see a myth/prophecy forming with the length of time and old powers beginning to fade. It could simply fall apart and give you more cultures to build.   Lavani was distraught "I feel great sorrow for the people. Send them a message that change is constant but sometimes slow. The chaff will fall from the wheat in days to come. Don't let the old traditions or factions get in the way."

Read about the great items submitted for the Summer Camp Prompt I sponsored "A personal item that keeps you safe".
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Jan 20, 2023 14:31 by Andrew Belenkiy aka Teyvill Dost

Amazing article in the terms of what happens after a previous leader (especially in case that leader ruled too long) kicks the bucket. The factions are very well done! ^^