The Holy Land of Numer

[Numer]

The Holy Land of Numer

A Seprisi rug.

-About
-History & Locations
-Culture & Society
-Religion

About

It is written. It is written that there is a land between the vast oceans and freezing mountains, the land of the children of the goddess. Here lies the lush, fertile paradise known as Numer, the "land of the sacred rivers". It is a country of equal beauty and danger, piety and sin, luxury and poverty. Numer is the exotic land beyond, calling adventurers far and wide. This realm holds the great Suppir and Reegarsh rivers, which flood and bring silt to the delta, letting miles upon miles of grain and other crops flourish. It also is holds vast jungles and mountains, culminating in the great volcano Mt.Yresh, meaning "the world's fury". The geography of Numer epitomes its grace and power. It is a blessed environment with great rewards for the brave and the clever- they must only reach out and grasp them, if they dare to take the risk.

The Numerians, the dye-haired, brown-eyed, copper-skinned dwellers of this holy land, are a lively, ambitious, and cunning people. Wealth and luxury are everything, save for the gods. Their cities stand divided, each great metropolis ruled by an ensi, it's chief merchant and military leader, lover of the priestess or priest of the city's patron god. Yet all Numerians are tied together in their quest to find glory and riches. It is written.

[Numer]

History & Locations

Sunset on the Reegarsh.

History

The Jennash Period

1 J - 5 J


Sepris- located in the extremely fertile Suppir delta, Sepris is an agricultural wonder and prosperous port. It is known as "the Sugar City" for its great sugar plantations, grown along with great fields of grain to support the Numerian population. The Seprisi are ruled by House Sugura, who hold a near monopoly on Sepris' sugar production after their victory in the feud against rival House Agathawut. The patron god is Semphis, god of agriculture and the sacred rivers. It is ruled by Ensi Varyana Sugura and its High Priest is Demosar. Its citadel is the Tower of the Old-Blooded.

Kad- Kad is located at a pivotal trade spot of the the country. Centrally located, it is situated in between the Suppir and Reegarsh at their closest points. It is known as "the Cotton City" for its cotton fields alongside its growing of grain. It is both a lush farming spot and can send goods down and up the rivers, trading with both Sepris and Apesh downriver and Raegal upriver. It is ruled by House Perysater, powerful landholders of both cotton and grain farms. The patron god is Valnur, god of trade and wealth. It is ruled by Ensi Ashenur Perysater and its High Priestess is Idrisand. Its citadel is the Golden Tower.

Urvarys- Urvarys lies off the Reegarsh. Located in the jungles of Numer, Urvarys is the center of the ivory and pelt industry, and the people are accustomed to the dangers of the jungle, including tigers, snakes, disease and quicksand. It is often called "the Ivory City" for its trade. It is ruled by House Varysin, who control the largest hunting grounds in Urvarys. The patron god is Serin, god of secrets, knowledge, the jungle, and the moon. It is ruled by Ensi Maryo Varysin and its High Priestess is Delomures. Its citadel is the Tower of Vines.

Apesh- located in the fertile delta of the Reegarsh, Apesh is an agricultural powerhouse as well as another wealthy port. Apesh is known as "the Dye City" for its production of dyes alongside the farming of grain. It is ruled by House Zogarezes, dominant dye and grain merchants of the city. The patron god is Manthamen, god of the sea and the sun. It is ruled by Ensi Oryseto Zogarezes and its High Priestess is Qarqezza. Its citadel is the Smashed Fleet Keep.

Raegal- located in the dry, harsh, brutal mountains of Numer, atop Numera's Spring, the source of the sacred rivers. Raegal is a military powerhouse in Numer as well as the main city of the slave trade. It is known as "the Slave City". It is It is ruled by House Ra, an ancient House who have managed to maintain power in Raegal for centuries, an enormous feat for a Numerian family. The patron god is Raggesh, god of war, mountains, fire, and lava. It is ruled by Ensi Reghysa Ra and its High Priest is Daryo. Its citadel is the Cave Keep, built into a mountain.

[Numer]

Culture & Society

Trade heavily influences Numerian society.

The culture and society of Numer is quite complex and heavily influenced by their religion and trade. The social pyramid is entirely dependent on wealth and the military power derived from it. However, since the most wealthy families passed their riches to their children (who then are able to continue to pay their military forces), this keeps some Houses in power long enough to maintain dynasties and create somewhat of a nobility. The Numerian social and political hierarchy are as follows:

Qur-Ensi- a rare title created when an ensi dominates the other city-states of Numer, the Qur-Ensi is an ensi who has vassalized the other ensi of Numer, and collects both taxes and military forces from the other cities; when a Qur-Ensi dies, the other ensi vote on whether to recognize the dead Qur-Ensi's chosen successor. It has only been held by Layeryo Jalebb of Sepris and two of his sons, and Helezzim Ra and his daughter. The reign of a Qur-Ensi is one of the few times the Numerians are politically united.

Ensi- the chief merchant and military leader of a city-state, an ensi is the most powerful person on the Numerian hierarchy and maintains power through their wealth and military forces paid for with their riches. As the greatest Numerian merchants make their income from agriculture or their city's primary industry, it is often that the Numerian lugal that becomes ensi is the same that controls the most amount of land (or whatever the city's prime industry is) with in each city-state's territory. The ensi maintains economic dominance over their vassal lugals by collectings a cut (usually 1/10) of every deal made in the city. With their money, the Ensi are able to muster military forces (which they lead) which allow them to continue their family's reign over the city-state.

The ensi, though they may have children and be already married (though this is rare), must produce an heir with the High Priestess or Priest of their city's temple in order to gain legitimacy; the subsequent child is considered "born of the gods" and takes precedence over any previous children the ensi may have; the ensi's marriage is dissolved as well. This makes the ensi's rule gain religious importance and acceptance and is paramount for the ensi to maintain power. The ensi usually live in the great fortresses of each city, called citadels, though they may maintain military forts outside the city in their lands. A council of appointees called the Bazit advises the ensi in matters of state.

Lugals- lugals are powerful merchants vassalized by the ensi but with considerable say and influence over political life; they usually have private armies and/or agricultural lands of their own, usually with a countryside fortress as their family seat outside of the city. Lugals can provide strong allies or powerful foes to an ensi and must be controlled in order for an ensi to continue their family's rule of the city.

Daarsir- the daarsir are the highly-trained, hereditary warrior class of Numer, paid to serve in the armies of ensi and lugals. They guard the fields and cities of Numer against enemy city-states and rival forces. Daarsir are taught loyalty and honor to their patron. However, if wages stop for too long, daarsir may abandon their original employer and find work elsewhere.

Working Class- The working class of Numer consists of craftsmen, grain farmers, sailors, fisherman, artisans, scribes, hunters, small shop owners, vendors, overseers, and other various professions, often times in service of lugals. Most Numerians are part of the working class, and many attempt to rise higher or at least prevent descent into slavery.

Slaves- the life of a Numerian slave is a hard one, most providing back-breaking labor in the fields or in construction in the cities. The children of slaves are considered slaves as well. A few lucky souls are able to find themselves as domestic or secretarial slaves. Brothels also use slaves to provide their services.

The culture and customs of Numer are complex and heavily dependent on religion and wealth. Numerian ways may seem foreign, exotic, even strange to outsiders, but they are a result of centuries of tradition. Family is extremely valued, Numerians doing anything to keep the dynasty continuing and keep the family name powerful and respected. The eldest child, regardless of gender, usually receives the inheritance and is expected to take care of their siblings and wisely manage the House's funds; however, as the successor is chosen in the will, it is also common to see the favorite child selected as heir. Lugal marriages are often arranged for political and economic ties, however love marriages are common as well. Regarding appearance, Numerians physically look like typical humans, except they nearly all share the traits of black hair, dark eyes, and tan skin. Nearly all Numerians also dye their hair with a very dark shade of red, blue, green, or purple, and adorn their eyes with raalo (kohl).

Numerian vices are wide and varied; narcotics and gambling are legal, and brothels are very common, many lugal families (such as the Ras) rising to prominence through selling these commodities. For entertainment, Numerian citizens can watch fighting pits in which warrior-slaves fight to the death, and bathhouses, most of which charge a small fee to keep riff-raff out. A spirit of adventure, as well as a belief in the pursuit of wealth and luxury through any means necessary (clandestine or otherwise) is embedded in the Numerian psych; piracy is allowed and even encouraged against rivals both foreign and domestic. Numerian culture also places emphasis on faith and religion, icons and images of the gods adorning most public places and homes. Superstitions and charms are quite common.

Ensi, lugals, and wealthy daarsir can afford to provide their children with private family tutors; an Numerian education focuses on military skill and strategy, mathematics and business acumen, and various languages. Another form of education comes in the temple schools which, for a hefty fee, provide for the training of architects, scribes, astronomers, and other intelligentsia.

Numerian art and architecture are quite beautiful as the culture has had centuries to develop. Numerians are skeptical and superstitious of any magic (other than the mysterious religious/faith magic of their priests); engineering, medicine, and mathematics (as well as all sciences) are seen as as safer alternative to potentially destructive arcane arts. Numerians admire and value a skilled architect, physician, engineer, mathematician, or artist more than a good sage, wizard, or magician, who would be treated with coldness and paranoia. Hard human work results in glorious wonders such as the citadels, temples, and canals and gardens of each city. All buildings are made of mud-brick, with important buildings or wealthy homes painted over with detailed patterns and colors, along with decorated wood or marble improvements.

A final important aspect of Numerian culture is regionalism. As Numer is a land squabbling city-states, Numerians are very faithful to their specific city and region, and competition is fierce. Seprisi hate Raegali, Urvarysi often battle with Kadi, and so on. However, all citizens still share the common bonds of language, religion, culture, and other aspects.

[Numer]

Religion

A Numera'ite shrine in the wilderness near Raegal.

Numera'a

The Numerian religion, called Numera'a (followers are called Numera'ites) is a polytheistic pantheon of gods and one major goddess, Numera, and it is heavily influenced by the Numerian geography. Religion is extremely important to Numerians, greatly affecting culture and way of life. The basic creation story of Numer is that all humans lived in the freezing northern lands, pale and devoid of true life. The goddess of love and beauty, Numera took pity on the humans, and took some of them and made them like herself, with copper skin, black hair, and dark eyes. She then gave them a paradise to live in, convincing the other elemental gods to help in the southern land's creation. Two mighty rivers, the Suppir and Reegarsh, provided life-giving water and crops, mountains helped them smith weapons and tools, and jungle gave them beauty and luxuries like ivory. This was Numer.

But chaos reigned, as her people killed each other and had no morality. Again she convinced the other gods to help her control the Numerians, and they made the environment deadly with many risks and hazards coming along with its great rewards. The snake poisoned, the crocodile bit, the elephant stampeded, and the tiger stalked, yet still her people waged war and were barbarians. For her last attempt, she seduced the other gods and gave birth to divine children, and these children became human and led the Numerians into forming the city-states. Each city-state took after their leaders' divine aspects, and became good at a particular skill while worshipping the god of their city. Civilization came at last to Numer.

Each city-state worships their patron god at the local temple under the guidance of a High Priest or Priestess. The temples of Numer are massive, mud-brick pyramids adorned and painted beautifully with great detail and care. Each city puts great funds into keeping the temple of their patron god maintained and prestigious. They represent the height of the state's power along with the citadel, which usually sits across from the pyramid-temple.

A brief description of the patron gods and the goddess Numera are as followed; there are also other gods as well as partly-divine mythic heroes, but they just do not have a city devoted to them:

Numera-goddess of love and beauty, she is recognized as the symbol of humanity. Their is a detailed depiction of her in every temple, and she is seen as a beautiful and youthful Numerian young woman. In myths she is sometimes very compassionate, but also a bit of a femme fatale.

Semphis-god of the sacred rivers the Suppir and Reegarsh and agriculture. He is the patron of the capital city, Sepris. Often depicted as strong and calm man, a spirit of divine justice and a defier of death. His justice is often black and white and has tragic results for mortals, representing the powerful nature of the many rivers of Numer.

Valnur-god of trade, wealth, and luxury. He is the patron of the major city, Kad. In myths he is rambunctious and hedonistic. In one story he started a two hundred year war because a festival devoted to him used a color for decorations he didn't like.

Raggesh-god of fire, lava, and the mountains, especially the volcano Mt.Yresh (the world's fury), as well as war. He is the patron of the mountainous military city of Raegal. In myths he tends to have a bad temper but generally noble motives.

Serin-god of the jungle, secrets, knowledge, and the moon. He is the patron god of the jungle city of Urvarys. A mysterious magi-user cult revolves around him and is centered in Urvarys. In myths he is shown to be very wise, but detached from the world and indifferent to its struggles.

Manthamen-god of the sea and the sun, and the patron of pirates. He is the patron god of the port city of Apesh. In myths he is a sly trickster, generally distrusted by others.

The High Priest or Priestess often lead congregations in prayer and meditations inside the pyramid-temple. Occasionally, sacrifices are made in the forms of livestock, fruits and vegetables, and something unique to that deity. Ascetics and monks also meditate and fast at shrines throughout the countryside, seeking to further their spirituality.

The Numerians also have a complex death mythos. They believe that in order to pass into the afterlife (a paradise even better than Numer), the body must be preserved and made to look youthful again. Using a complex and secretive mix of chemicals, herbs, and magic, priests of Cheops, the god of death, reverse age and make the body appear young again. Then, entire body except for the head is wrapped in pure white cloth (silk for the rich), and charms placed in between the folds. Finally, they are put into seven different ornate and decorated coffins, and placed, with all the possessions they wish to take with them to the afterlife, in tombs. If one was good and just in life, they will move on into the afterlife; but if they were wicked or a non-believer, they will be eternally drowned.

Priests devote themselves to one of the gods, and serve in as well as live in the temples with their families. They usually train their sons and daughters to take their place, but the children must agree. Only women serve as priestesses in the cult of Numera, and because she is the most important deity and only goddess they are very important and powerful, and can serve in any temple as well as Numera'ite shrines throughout the land.

Religion is very important to society, and priests and priestesses are respected members of the court, considered important advisors. Much of Numerian art is religious in nature, and art in Numer began with decorating the temples and religious sites. Art is often in the idealized style whether depicting religious scenes or ordinary life. Knowledge of the religion and its many rites and rituals, as well as myths, are recorded in tomes and scrolls and kept in storage in the temples. Numera'a is constantly present in Numer's culture and daily life.