Sau

In the churning heart of Delhiza, from the baleful swamps of Sau-Hezib to the shadowed wilds of Mador, dwells the fiercely proud Sau tribe. Their rugged land, shaped by relentless winds, is as resilient as the people it fosters. The Sau speak primarily in the guttural cadences of Si-Sau, a language that is the rhythmic echo of a thousand years of strife, victory, and enduring cultural pride. A smattering of Hezdel and Draksi echoes through the Sau heartland too, whispers of the complex historical intersections that have braided these cultures together.
The Sau hold dear to their ancestral customs with a fierce intensity. Of particular significance is the Kʻavamu practice, a rite of passage that young Sau undertake when they come of age. This involves surviving alone in the wilderness for a lunar cycle, armed only with a traditional weapon known as a Zaufla, symbolizing the tribe's bond with nature and their totem, ˈMíyé, the Black Crocodile. Their spiritual belief hinges on the raw, primal strength of ˈMíyé, encapsulating the tribe's natural ferocity and relentless pursuit of dominance.
Sau cuisine is as hearty and robust as their way of life. Staples include the gamy Nukrit, a robust wild boar that roams the Madoran border, and the sharp, tangy berries of the Mauʻuan bush. They believe in the spiritual cleansing of the soul through food, a custom known as Tuagaya. It's a communal feast, where meat is shared, stories exchanged, and bonds strengthened.
The Sau's relationship with the land is primal and intimate. They revere the winds that roar through their highlands, viewing it as the breath of ˈMíyé, purging weakness and instilling strength. Iron, mined from the bones of their land, is sacred to them. For it is iron that gives their weapons strength, iron that lends resilience to their homes, and iron that links them to the far-off traders in the Ring of Rhodil.
In the socio-political tapestry of Delhiza, the Sau represent a thread that is both fierce and enduring. Their volatile history with the Hezib tribe, fueled by a relentless hunger for dominance, reverberates across the centuries. Even as they coexist in a reluctant truce, old wounds fester and new grudges brew. This precarious balance of power is maintained by an intricate dance of diplomacy, veiled threats, and the terrifying rumors of the Oluuvahan, or The Red Eyes. This rumored group of elusive assassins, said to wield a nightmare magic, casts long shadows over Sau-Heziban dynamics. Their very existence, while unsubstantiated, introduces an element of fear and uncertainty that permeates the entire region.
To be a Sau is to carry the legacy of a thousand battles and unyielding resolve, to face the night with the courage of the Black Crocodile and the relentless determination of the river that carves their land.