Difference between revisions of "The Woodlands"

Revision as of 20:34, 17 March 2006

The wooded and hilly area in the south of Igala --which is cradled on either side by the tapering Shuman Mountains and below by the sea--is occupied by a race called usagijin. While lacking a centralized government, one can easily still say the usagijin of this area form a nation. Together, the tribes's collective territory has been dubbed The Woodlands (La Forét in their native language of Sagii).

At one point in time all the tribes of The Woodlands were united under a single government. The head of this centralized government was a singularly ambitious usagijin of the self-proclaimed name Guerrier Noble, who used excessively militant means to unite and rule the usagijin. Upon his death, a studious but shrewd usagijin named Librae lead a revolt against Guerrier's aspiring successor, successfully overthrowing the militant regime and instating a rule by intellectuals. This government soon dissolved, however, and the usagijin reverted to individual tribes; nonetheless, its influence on the usagijin was dramatic. Even today, almost all usagijin follow Librae's example of rule by intellectual.

Tribes

Most tribes, as stated, are ruled by intellectuals. The actual structure of this varies from tribe to tribe, as does the definition of "intellectual." In some tribes, good sense and the quality of study determines the matter; in others, the amount of study; and in some, intelligence is a fascinatingly inheritable quality.

Tribes ruled through any other manner are generally frowned upon by most usagijin. Usagijin normally shun the world outside of The Woodlands, largely due to this bias. However, some of the elite of the intellectuals feel that 'study abroad' --i.e. wandering around in other nations to learn what one can--is an essential factor of training for aspiring rulers and scholars.

Culture

Whilst usagijin as a whole are aggressive and territorial, these traits are counterbalanced by a strong sense of honor. They also hold a great respect for hierarchy, and tribal leaders normally discourage fighting between tribes--partially out of a desire to uphold their sense of honor, and partially to avoid conflict and the potential to be ousted. However, if suffering an injust indignity--or an action perceived as such--usagijin are liable to settle the matter with their fists and feet.

Every usagijin raised in your typical manner is trained in unarmed fighting to some degree, either formally (by a tutor, as is usual for children perceived as gifted) or informally (through socialization). Fighting tournaments occur regularly, as does friendly (or not-so-friendly) sparring amongst acquaintances. Armed fighting is frowned upon as dishonorable, as is offensive magic.

Education as a whole is the responsibility of the family of a child. Some families hire out tutors, but such a priviledge is normally reserved either for gifted children, and/or children with rich families.

Lacking a centralized government, usagijin generally rely on barter; however, some coinage left over from Guerrier's regime, as well as some from other nations, is still passed around. Coinage, as a rarity, normally is treated to have slightly greater value than they receive in other nations. However, trade with outside nations is nonetheless kept to a minimum, so outside nations cannot take advantage of this situation very well.

As herbivores, usagijin base their diet on plants, grain, and some dairy. Dairy products are kept only by the richest of the rich, however, as it has to be imported and kept fresh through magic (usagijin do not herd animals). Because of their low calorie diet, sauces are often used to spice up meals, and sugary treats are also common. Meals are taken 4 times a day.