Estahiir, The Shattered Nation

Once a proud and resurgent seafaring nation whose military might was widely feared by the surrounding peoples, modern Estahiir is a pale shadow of its former self. Where there was once unity and purpose, there is now only hatred, xenophobia and widespread poverty. Most people live in run-down fortress cities featuring grand architecture, or along coastlines dotted with wrecks of the once legendary Estahiiri armadas, all serving as a permanent and painful reminder of better times.

The land is divided between a staggering amount of petty kingdoms, city-states and despotic warlords that are constantly vying for control of people, food, and resources. Life in Estahiir is certainly not easy, and its culture and people reflect that.

Geography
Before its fall, Estahiir was an imperialistic nation with many overseas colonies, both on island chains and along the coastlines of larger continents. However, it has since lost control or contact with most of them, effectively reducing the nation’s territory to just its mainland. This mainland is a rugged island continent in the northern hemisphere, featuring a number of geographically distinct regions. The south is dominated by seasonal rainforests and rivers, whereas the north contains dusty badlands with impressive vistas and canyons. Between the two, an expanse of grassy steppes exists. A vast mountain range borders the ocean on the west, sacred to the Estahiiri people, while the east is known for its large beaches.

Most Estahiiri live in one of the ancient fortress cities built by their ancestors, safe behind their thick, albeit crumbling, walls. Decades of war have ravaged the countryside, leaving almost every minor settlement or village either abandoned or burnt to the ground. Nature has reclaimed a great deal of what was once civilized territory, especially in areas commonly fought over. Soldiers are buried in the field, dotting the landscape with graves. Only the arable land close enough to the cities is still in use, with many far-flung farms having fallen into disrepair due to the danger involved in venturing too far from the safety of the cities.

Because of its more forgiving climate, a large majority of the Estahiiri population inhabits the southern regions. This has been the case for all of the nation’s history, resulting in cities becoming more and more sparse the further one goes north. Within the interior of the northern badlands, only the nomadic Outriders dwell with their caravans, away from the constant warfare plaguing the south and the coastlines.

Southern Estahiir
The south is dominated by seasonal rainforests, wetlands and rivers, making it perfect for rice cultivation. Unsurprisingly, it contains the largest concentration of city-states and petty kingdoms. This is especially true the further one goes towards the central plains. Port cities dot the coastline, and are typically more peaceful and richer than inland cities. Ethnically, a large portion of the population here is descended from immigrants from the former colonies.

The Central Plains
This area contains sprawling steppes, making it difficult for an enemy to hide. It also has quite a dense population, being both the heartland of the continent and the ancestral seat of the Empire. Fortress cities are plentiful towards the south where rice can be cultivated, but become more and more sparse the further one goes towards the Badlands. Most of the warfare is happens in this area, leaving the countryside ravaged and no villages left standing.

The Badlands
Perhaps the most inhospitable area in Estahiir, the northern badlands are practically devoid of life compared to the rest of the island continent. It is full deserts, canyons and vistas however, and despite its unpleasantness is still the shortest route between the cities in the north and the main theatre of war in the south, a connection the Outriders dwelling the area make good use of to peddle their goods in peace. Due to the Outriders accepting anyone into their ranks, the Badlands are the most ethnically diverse region with the most mixing, despite having the lowest overall population.

Northern Estahiir
Beyond the badlands lies a landscape dominated by rocky cliffs, craggy terrain and forested hills. It does not contain as many cities as the central plains or the south, but is noticeably more populated than other remote regions of the nation. Warfare typically occurs only between northern city states, with a war across the Badlands being exceedingly rare. The north is the last bastion of the native Estahiiri people, and this is reflected in their views on outsiders. Only the Outriders are trusted, but even they are expected to leave once they’ve conducted their business.

Western Estahiir
The west of the island continent is overshadowed by a large mountain range that is sacred to the Estahiiri. As such, no fortress cities have ever been built in this region, leaving the landscape dotted solely by temples and monasteries. Some of these are secluded high in the mountains, as close to the Celestial Temple as possible, but most are located on the thin strip of fertile land bordering the ocean, separated from the rest of Estahiir by the mountains. It is here that most of Estahiir’s vineyards are located, producing prized Tohu Wines.

Eastern Estahiir
Easily the most uninteresting region of the Shattered Nation, the East comprises the eastern seaboard bordering the north, badlands, central plains, and the south. It doesn’t contain many cities, allowing it to escape the brunt of the warfare, thus leaving most of the natural landscape in a pristine state. Mangroves dominate the southern parts of the coastline, while large sandy beaches can be found in the more northern areas, eventually turning into rocky headlands interspersed by beaches.

The Islands
Most of Estahiir’s outlying islands are flat, wet, and have a tropical climate. Those near the mountain range are rocky and mountainous, however. Each island has at least one fortress city on it, though some of the larger ones having multiple competing city-states. Cities found here are not just weathered and decaying, but also partially overgrown by the jungle, causing many people to live simpler lives in wooden huts or tents among the ruins. The islands are mostly isolated, not maintaining extensive contact with the mainland. Relations between the different islands are mostly peaceful, so long as everyone stays on their own.

Laws and Legal Rights
Lacking any form of centralized government, laws and regulations can vary immensely within the many small territories that now dot the land. After the empire’s collapse, ruling bodies of cities were quick to discard imperial laws in favor of local ones tailored to their individual tastes. This has led to varying degrees of corruption in the cities, but not overwhelmingly so. It is mostly done behind the scenes, as overt corruption is considered highly dishonorable. Personal honor plays a large part in society and is woven into the justice system as well.

Punishments are usually measured by the dishonor they bring upon the perpetrator, rather than actual damages done. Crimes like cold-blooded murder, rape, treason, and slavery are regarded as the most severe and are punished in one of two ways. The first of these is execution, while the second is exile. If one is exiled, a ceremony first takes place where the criminal has markings carved into their skin that signify what crimes they have committed. Afterward, they are escorted out of the gates while the populace collectively turns their backs towards the accused as they pass by. In Estahiiri society, this is the worst punishment imaginable, as one will have to live with their dishonor on display for the rest of their lives. Petty offenses are dealt with much more mildly in comparison, with whippings being among the most severe punishments.

While not a crime, failure to contribute to society is seen as dishonorable and lazy. Those who cannot contribute due to handicaps or illness are expected to make peace and end their lives or live forever in dishonor. Suicide, however, is strictly forbidden and considered to be highly dishonorable and disrespectful towards society. Instead, one must request a special ceremony to be ritually executed. This allows them to keep their honor, dignity, and the right to a normal burial.

Religion
Estahiiri religion is centered around the sky, referred to as the Celestial Temple. Within it, two major and an untold number of minor deities exist. These Celestials are linked to the sun, moon, and stars respectively, and watch over all of mankind. The vast majority of Estahiiri cities have small temples dedicated to the Celestials within their walls, but the main centers of worship are huge temples and monasteries tucked away in the western mountain range, as close to the sky as one can get.

Komaris, Celestial of the Sun
Commonly depicted as either the sun itself or a phoenix, Komaris is associated with light, fire, plentiful harvests, warfare and life. His domain is daytime, and he is seen as the shepherd of humanity, constantly looking to make them stronger through battle and hardships. He is the counterpart and eternal adversary of Maramel, who slays him every day at dusk, coloring the sky red with his blood. However, being the Celestial of life, Komaris is free to be born again at dawn for as long as he retains faith in humanity. The majority of sacrifices and prayers are directed to Komaris, and the cult of the Immortal Dawn even worships him as their sole deity.

Maramel, Celestial of the Moon
Representing the moon, Maramel is usually depicted as the celestial body itself, or as an owl. She is associated with darkness, death, cold, and everlasting peace in the afterlife. Her domain is nighttime, and she is the counterpart of Komaris. Despite being linked to death and slaying Komaris, she is not considered to be inherently evil. It is believed she slays him because he is selfish and banishes everyone else from the Celestial Temple while he resides there, thinking he alone knows what is best for humanity. Maramel does not have many followers solely devoted to her, but those who do are known to be extremely devout. The people of Kiyonouchi primarily worship Maramel.

Kowithu, Celestials of the Stars
The term Kowithu refers to all the other divines in the Celestial Temple, representing the stars. They are seen as much less powerful entities than the main Celestials, are often represented through swarms of insects such as butterflies and fireflies, and govern aspects such as mystery and luck. Seemingly inexplicable occurrences such as lightning, disease or birth defects are commonly attributed to them. Kowithu are only visible at night, because Komaris wishes to rule alone and will not allow any other divines to reside in the Celestial Temple while he is there. These lesser Celestials do not enjoy much worship in the southern cities. However, they are the main focus of worship to the Outriders, who believe all Celestials are equally worthy of worship, and have spread this belief to some northern cities they frequently trade with.

Honor and duels
Personal honor is valued greatly in Estahiiri society, especially in the upper classes. In a way, it controls the class system in a meritocratic way. The more honorable a person is, the more social mobility they enjoy. Honor may be found in battle, helping the poor, or simply contributing to society and one’s liege.

When a person’s honor is gravely insulted, they may challenge the accuser to a duel. These duels are to the death, but do not always end that way. Sparing the accuser is seen as an honorable act of mercy,  and serves as further proof the victor has nothing to hide. While legally possible, it is frowned upon to challenge somebody in a higher social class than oneself.

Even the military incorporates duels into its command structure. Here, it is possible for a soldier to challenge their commanding officer if they believe their superior to be unfit for duty. If the challenger wins, they take the place of the loser in the chain of command. Losing your challenge usually either means execution or getting discharged dishonorably for insubordination.

Greetings
Close physical contact is generally reserved for family and very close friends in Estahiiri culture, and while not entirely unheard of or taboo, it is heavily frowned upon, especially in public. This includes kissing, hugging, and setting your hands on another's arms or shoulders, though accidental or necessary contact are seen as all right.

Traditionally, acquaintances are greeted with the clasping of your hands in front of your torso, the left hand over the right fist if male, and right over left if female. This is followed by a small bow or dip of the head, with the action usually drawn out or deepened to show respect for those in higher social classes. Often those in the highest classes will simply clasp their hands in front of them as a sign of acknowledgement without any bow, as it is seen as beneath them.

Sports
Being a militant culture, the people of Estahiir value strength in combat, and displays of it. That makes gladiatorial sports very popular, and many cities have an arena or combat ring where fights take place regularly. Battles may be fought either against beasts or other gladiators. Purposely killing a fellow combatant is considered to be murder, and therefore frowned upon. In many cases, the combatants put on a performance to curry favor with the spectators, because the most popular gladiators get the most fights. It is not at all uncommon for the best gladiators to eventually be hired as personal guards for the elite.

Beads
Soldiers are decorated with small wooden beads, which are put in either the beard or the hair. Each bead has a unique pattern carved into it, in standardized styles. Beads with sharp lines denote participation in important battles, whereas flowing designs represent deeds of exceptional honor or bravery. Healers may possess beads as well, gifted to them by military personnel whose lives they saved. It is customary for a soldier to transfer one bead to his or her savior as thanks. When a soldier dies on the battlefield, the hair is cut above the beads and returned to the family of the fallen.

Tattoos and Warpaint
Perhaps the most common form of art in Estahiir are tattoos. Many artists choose to specialize in them, and they have many applications both as a decoration and in rituals or ceremonies. Within the cities, everyone has a specific symbol unique to the city tattooed on their upper body when they reach the age of ten, usually on the neck, left shoulder or left upper arm. This makes it exceedingly difficult for a person to switch allegiances, as distrust of outsiders is commonplace in the cities. The Outriders employ star-shaped tattoos to mark their kind, and often add this onto an existing factional tattoo if the initiate was previously a city-dweller.

Warpaint is used in the military to identify the allegiance of an armed force, which commonly wears armor obscuring the tattoos below. Each faction has their own style and color of warpaint, though most gravitate to red because it is the most abundant dye in the region. Another use of red comes from the ink used by members of the religious cult of the Immortal Dawn.

Burials
Death is commonplace in Estahiir, and has a number of quirks surrounding it. A dead body is considered to have been touched by Maramel, and is not to be defiled by anyone. Autopsies of any kind are strictly forbidden for this reason.

Burial traditions differ between city dwellers and military personnel. Each of the ancient cities has a sprawling network of catacombs under it, where anyone who has died an honorable death is buried carefully by the priesthood. Those who died dishonorably are cremated in a special ceremony, where fire is seen as the cleansing agent that burns away the dishonor, allowing the spirit to move on to the afterlife if the rites have been performed correctly. If one is not properly buried or cremated, it is believed that the spirits of those who died cannot pass on, and will remain as evil spirits.

Military burials differ significantly from those given to civilians. It is believed every soldier should be buried at the place of his or her death. Oftentimes, this ends up being the site of a battle. Once the hostilities have ceased, it is the victor’s sacred duty to bury the fallen of both sides. After decades of warfare, the countryside is practically littered with graves. Sometimes, groups of priests go on a pilgrimage to the sites of battles to retroactively bless those who died.

Society
Life in Estahiir is heavily centered around servitude, personal honor, and loyalty to one’s city or petty king. The ancient cities are the last bastions of true safety and are the seats of power from which the surrounding lands are controlled. Originally, they were led by nobility that answered to the Emperor. However, as time passed and conflicts went on, hereditary leadership was largely discarded in favor of a more meritocratic system. In modern Estahiir, most factions are headed either by a council or a military despot.

Goods, food and wealth are all distributed by whoever is in control, ensuring servitude and loyalty of those beneath them. Those who show the most loyalty to the ruler, reap the most rewards. They live in the least run-down houses, have the most varied diets, and wear the nicest clothes. While boot-licking is certainly a viable tactic, hard work typically also gets noticed and rewarded. Military work is generally regarded to be the most honorable way of life, where dying in battle is the highest honor of all. Unsurprisingly, this leads to a steady stream of recruits, fueling the constant warfare between city-states.

However, not all Estahiiri people are satisfied with this way of life. Within the interior of the northern badlands, a sizable group of individuals who have rejected the ways of constant warfare dwell. They also do not place any emphasis on the main deities in their religious practices, instead focusing primarily on the Kowithu to guide them. These people are called Outriders. They live a nomadic existence, traveling the sparsely vegetated wastes with their caravans. Every so often, they will travel to the coast to trade with the city-dwellers. Being the only truly neutral traders around, most people can look past their prejudices and happily do business with the nomadic peoples. The Outriders accept anyone wishing to join them regardless of previous allegiances or dishonor, even foreigners, but crimes are punished harshly and leaving the group is highly discouraged.

People
Generations of constant warfare have made the people of Estahiir accustomed to the grim everyday realities of war and military rule. They are hardier than most, tend to be penny-pinchers and try to make the most of every day, for any day could be their last. They will defend their ideals and those they love to the death and can be very stubborn as a result.

Estahiir knows two major ethnic groups. The first of these are the indigenous peoples of the mainland, whose skin has an almost yellow hue to it. Brown and gray eye colors are prevalent among this group, as are slanted eyes. They are the dominant demographic of the nation and are found in every region, though in larger concentrations to the north.

Peoples originally from Estahiir’s island colonies are the second demographic, having bronze, earthy or brown skin and brown, gray or blue eyes. They immigrated to the southern reaches of Estahiir during the height of its imperial might, bringing with them many products native to other lands and artisans well-versed in tattoo arts. Chief among these imports was rice cultivation, originally obtained from trade with the mysterious interior of Ti'var.

Both ethnic groups strike the same posture, being moderately tall and lean. Darker hair colors are extremely prevalent in both groups, though lighter shades of brown are surprisingly common as well, especially among the Outriders. Centuries of mixing have exchanged various traits between the demographics as well, and racism between the two groups is practically unheard of.

Apparel
Most Estahiiri clothing is made from simple fabrics, with more expensive materials such as silk only being affordable for the elite. Tunics and (traditional) robes are among the most common garments worn in the cities, though the bottom rungs of society are often clad only in dirty rags. Members of the military typically wear scaled or lamellated medium armor. Recruits get the lowest-grade gear, which is exchanged for better quality armor as one moves up the ranks. All military uniforms are dyed a crimson red, mainly due to red dye being widely available throughout Estahiir.

Color diversity is surprisingly rare in Estahiiri apparel, resulting in a lot of natural colors such as white, gray, black and brown to contest the dominance of the color red. Other colors are much rarer and typically come from a locally-sourced dye. The Outriders have perhaps the greatest diversity of dyes and colored clothing at their disposal, and frequently peddle these unique items between the cities in the northern coastal regions that produce them.

Military
War is an everyday reality for the people of Estahiir, but most people will come nowhere near a battlefield for their entire life. Every city on the island continent is heavily fortified, and can be defended by a comparatively small garrison if need be. Trying to assault a city is a death sentence no matter how big a military force is, and is thus rarely even attempted. If it is, chances are the point is not to capture the city, but as a show of bravery and honor

Instead, most battles between warring city-states and squabbling petty kings take place in the open field. While any ruler can defend their city with ease, keeping supply lines open and defending farmers from constant harassment is a much more difficult task. Tactics in Estahiiri warfare are focused on locking down as much useful territory surrounding the cities as possible. Hills, watchtowers and other vantage points are prime real estate, and commonly fought over by clashing military forces. Members of the military spend most of their time outside the cities, setting up camps in areas that are threatened by aggressive neighbors while simultaneously discouraging a siege of their home city. The cities themselves are defended by a detachment of the main force. The position of city guard is highly coveted, as it is one of the few posts that allows a soldier to spend time with their family. As such, guard rosters are rotated frequently.

Estahiir’s military is entirely land-based, with any remnants of its fabled armadas either wrecked along the shoreline or serving as the crown jewel of a prominent petty king’s collection. Only the people of Kiyonouchi were able to regain some semblance of naval prowess. A typical city-state’s army consists mostly of infantrymen, supplemented by light mounted units and a handful of siege weapons. Mobility is key, but so is the ability to present a strong defense when needed. To that end, medium armors are preferred, usually combined with spear and sword. Archers also make up a good portion of the ranks, ready to rain arrows down on opposing forces from defensive positions. Estahiiri archers favor recurve bows for their versatility and use in the open field, where most battles are fought. In terms of mounted units, horse archers are preferred as an offensive ranged option. These skilled bowmen use shorter bows, and often carry a melee weapon of choice in addition to their main weapon.

Cuisine
Being a war-torn country, the cuisine of Estahiir is remarkably practical and basic, a far cry from the diversity of its imperial days. Soups, stews and simple dishes are eaten three times a day, often prepared in large communal kitchens and handed out in rationed portions to the general populace in wooden bowls. Those who are higher up on the meritocratic ladder typically cook their own food or even have it cooked for them.

Common foods in the Estahiiri kitchen include fish, birds, seaweed, rice and sweet potatoes. Portions tend to be small, especially for the general populace living off rations. Spices and herbs are usually reserved for the upper class due to their scarcity, giving most rationed meals a bland taste. Bread is made from sweet potatoes but is more of a delicacy these days than a staple food. Food shortages are very common, mostly due to the limited percentage of farmland that is both still operable and in use.

In terms of beverages, the Estahiiri people drink sake and Tohu wine. The former is produced from the remaining rice fields in the south, while the wine is only produced on the narrow coastline separating the western mountain range and the sea, tended to by monks from the monasteries in the mountains. Traditionally, Tohu wine is the beverage of choice to celebrate victories on the battlefield.