Member
Gau Senxi
Demonym: Gau Senxi.
Government Type: Tribal Confederation.
Leaders and Ruling Factions
The Gau Senxi are divided into ten different tribes, each united by a shared way of life and shared beliefs. Besides these cultural bonds, however, the tribes are also united in their shared subservience to the Lunar Synod, the ruling faction of the Gau Senxi.
Lunar Synod; The Synod is composed of spiritual leaders from across all ten tribes, and its council is treated by the Gau Senxi as sacred. This is because the Gau Senxi believe the Lunar Synod to convey to the Senxi, directly, the word of the Heavenly Patron—the Goddess of the otherworldly paradise which all Gau Senxi hope to enter in the afterlife. The word of the Lunar Synod is unquestionable, and their council must be heeded without delay by any chief, lest he be quickly overthrown by his own people. In this way, the chiefs of the ten Gau Senxi tribes are not absolute rulers of their people, but rather regional administrators, allowed to remain in their role for so long as they obey the Synod. Should any serious threat to the Synod's dominance arrive, either as internal sedition or an external entity encroaching on Gau Senxi territory, the Synod is also in command of a permanent standing military force, the Gerrari. Consisting of the fastest and most agile of the Gau Senxi women, the heavily militant Gerrari are infamous, both in Gau Senxi lands and in outsider territory, for their ruthlessness and the physical characteristic by which they can be distinguished—the canine teeth of the Gerrari are sharpened to a point, and they are rumored to use these fangs to feast upon their still living human prey as they lay dying after ambush. The Gerrari, as well as the Lunar Synod which they serve, are located in the Gau Senxi capital of Senxin, the only major permanent settlement of the Gau Senxi, which is situated roughly in the centre of Gau Senxi lands.
The Lunar Synod make a point of ensuring that none among their order ever emerge as a central leader. There are no factions within the Synod, allowing each member to represent solely their own personal convictions. Often, a member of the Lunar Synod might find himself agreeing with a contemporary on one issue and viscerally opposed to them on another.
Emakdar; The only tribe to possess territory bordering both non-Senxi lands and lands belonging to the Egun Senxi, the Senxi of the plains who have long ceased to obey the Lunar Synod. The Emakdar are known for the spirited nature of their women; Emakdar women make up the largest portion of the Gerrari, the Lunar Synod's standing military force.
Baalde; The westernmost of the Gau Senxi tribes, possessing the northern-most portion of the forest's western border, and stretching up along the coast. The Baalde are named after the tribe's founder, who lived over a thousand years ago, and is said in myth to have followed a sign from the Heavenly Patron to wage a holy war against a non-Senxi tribe which formerly inhabited what is now Baalde territory. The founder of the Baalde showed his enemies no mercy, slaughtering them to the last for the glory of the Goddess, and the Heavenly Patron was said to be so pleased as to transform the land on which the enemy was slain to forest, that the Senxi might dwell there.
Iparr; The tribe of the north, and the only one to possess only a single neighbour, the Langil. Iparr lands are known to be especially cold, but their physical isolation from the outsider territories and their long nights make them perfectly suitable to the Gau Senxi, prompting the Iparr to become the second most populous of the tribes (in spite of their relatively small territorial extent).
Xume; The smallest and weakest tribe, nestled safely in the north-central portion of Gau Senxi lands, to the immediate north of the Gau Senxi capital of Senxin. The Xume are known to be excellent craftsmen, their long tradition of expertly trained iron workers creating a demand for them throughout all of the rest of Gau Senxi territory—thereby contributing to their small number.
Mu; The largest tribe by the sheer size of its territory, the Mu are active throughout the stretch of territory between the western and eastern portions of Gau Senxi lands. The Mu are known among the tribes for their tall stature and heavy build; Mu warriors are outmatched in Gau Senxi territory only by the Gerrari, whom they are nonetheless far larger than, if not more intimidating.
Langil; A tribe known for its talents at fishing and boat-making. Unlike most tribes, the Langil are primarily non-nomadic, existing instead in permanent fishing settlements along Gau Senxi land's north and east coasts. The bay in the eastern part of Gau Senxi lands in named after the Langil, as, although they share it with two neighbours, they are the tribe which plunders its aquatic bounty most effectively.
Hego; Southern-most and least respected of the ten Gau Senxi tribes. The Hego are infamous for possessing a great number of blasphemers, Senxi who defy the Lunar Synod by engaging, in secret, in trade and dialogue with outsiders. The Hego were formed following the demise of the Gau Senxi's former eleventh tribe, the Handii. The Hego family formerly served the Handii, but were persuaded by the Lunar Synod to betray them after the Handii lost the Synod's approval. The Hego have been chiefs of the tribe ever since, although they failed to keep all of their former masters' territory. After their war against the Synod concluded and the Handii were defeated, a long-time rival of the Handii, the Ekiald, was assigned the northern third of their territory by the Lunar Synod.
Ekiald; The strongest of the ten tribes, holding extensive territory in the eastern part of Gau Senxi lands, including along Senxin's eastern border. Ekiald lands border, in clockwise order, Senxin, Xume, Langil, the eastern sea, Hego, Urdin and Laranja. The Ekiald are the most pious of the ten tribes, infinitely loyal to the Lunar Synod, far more so than to their own chiefs. They are also more strict in their adherence to the Synod's commands than the men of the other tribes. Small vices that might be tolerated in the rest of Gau Senxi territory are punished thoroughly and without exception by the Ekiald.
Urdin; The Urdin are the most warlike of the ten tribes, obsessed with death and combat. They regularly launch night-time raids into the territory of the Egun Senxi, punishing the blasphemers with horrific massacres in the (presumed) name of the Synod. In truth, the Synod is somewhat displeased with the hostile nature of the Urdin. However, the Urdin were long-time allies of the now defunct Handii, and the Synod generally accepts that by allowing the Urdin to raid outsiders as they wish, they are preventing them from instead picking fights with the Ekiald and Hego, which the Urdin despise to this day for their roles in destroying the Handii.
Laranja; The only tribe to be entirely surrounded by other tribes, bordering neither outsider territory nor the sea. The Laranja are the great artisans and musicians of the Gau Senxi, their people enjoying a great many festivals and other cultural traditions which have, over the years, become adopted by the whole of the Gau Senxi. Foremost among these traditions is the tribe's namesake, the Laranja, a lively celebration held every full moon to give glory to the Heavenly Patron.
Currency: Within each tribe, trade is often conducted via the barter system, for simplicity. For more complex transactions and for trade between tribes, however, the Gau Senxi use the Txanaren (singular 'Txan'), a system of coinage minted in Senxin by the Lunar Synod. Each side of the Txan is decorated with an image of the moon, one side waning and the other side waxing.
State Religion: Path of the Moon. The Senxi revere the moon as the eye of the Heavenly Patron, the Goddess of Paradise. Life, to the Senxi, is a test, which all mankind must pass (through virtuous behaviour) to be admitted to Paradise. If a life is not lived virtuously, the soul reincarnates, given another chance to be judged worthy and enter into the Patron's realm.
To the Senxi, the sun is a lesser being to the moon, seen by the Senxi as fulfilling something of a 'younger brother' role to the Heavenly Patron. The Lunar Synod teaches that he was created by the Heavenly Patron to serve as the judge of the Mortal World, that the Patron herself might keep an eye on Paradise. In ancient days, however, in an event known as the Long New Moon, the sun, coveting the Heavenly Patron's rule over Paradise, sought to overtake the moon and banish her from the Mortal Realm, that he might rule it for his own purposes. The sun sought to blind the Patron's eye in the Mortal World, and he succeeded, for a time, leading to ten days of moonless nights. It was not until the eleventh day that the Patron defeated the sun, returning her eye to the Mortal World in a spectacular event that illuminated the night sky as bright as day, and blinded all evil doers. The sun, now known by the Gau Senxi as the Usurper, saw his influence limited to the day, when the Patron needed to turn her eye back to Paradise. Because of the Usurper's betrayal of the Heavenly Patron, the Gau Senxi view the sun's light as evil, and the Lunar Synod demands of the Senxi that they avoid it, and make themselves active only at night, under the light of the Heavenly Patron.
The Smouldering Death, the being of fire and earth that controls the southern lands, is seen by the Gau Senxi not as a divine being, but a creation of one; he is the 'Lehenegun', first creation of the Usurper, and his loyal servant to this day. The Gau Senxi know of the Smouldering Death only in legend, having long since abandoned any excursions outside of their own lands, which are far removed from his influence. It is said that he is the highest among mortals, however, having captured for himself a shred of divinity that fell off of the sun after the Long New Moon. In Gau Senxi lore, he is seen a devious charlatan, making underhanded deals with the non-Senxi, inevitably leading to their ultimate demise.
World Map Location: The Gau Senxi dwell in the far northern forests of Illyrica, isolated from both non-Senxi and the Egun Senxi whom they exiled.
Interior Map
Capital: Senxin. Besides being the centre of political power in so far is it houses the Lunar Synod, Senxin is also the most populous of the Gau Senxi's permanent settlements (by an order of magnitude). Senxin is surrounded by a wall, shaped in the form of a triangle, with each of the three sides (north, south-west and south-east) possessing a single gate. The city is defended by an attachment of the Gerrari, and houses the most skilled tradesmen of the Gau Senxi, who converge in Senxin from as far as the lands of the Baalde and Iparr for their best chance at prosperity.
Important Locations and Buildings
The Heavenly Tower; A towering white stone building, used as both an observatory and as the meeting place of the Lunar Synod. It is located in the exact centre of Senxin, for maximum visibility and defensibility, and the Lunary Synod's extensive influence across Gau Senxi lands ensure that the Heavenly Tower is the de facto capital building of the Gau Senxi. Rising over both the walls of Senxin and all of the city's other buildings, the Heavenly Tower is the taller construct that almost any Gau Senxi will gaze upon in their lifetimes, presiding over Senxin like the heavens preside over the realm of man.
Hazitok; A compound rather than a single building, the Hazitok occupying nearly a third of the walled area of Senxin. It is the training ground of the Gerrari, housing and honing the offered women of the ten tribes until they are ready to serve the Synod. The Hazitok consists of barracks, various training facilities, as well as an enclosed, manicured area of forest, to allow initiates to train in the terrain they'll be performing in without having to leave the Hazitok. This is especially crucial because initiates are not permitted to leave the Hazitok until they have finished their training, except under strict supervision by other, more experienced Gerrari for field exercises.
Population: 385,000.
Racial and Ethnic Demographics: Gau Senxi territory is entirely homogeneous, populated only by the Gau Senxi themselves. As for the physical characteristics of the Gau Senxi, they are humans, distinguished most easily by their pale complexions (caused by avoidance of sunlight). Beyond this complexion, they tend towards Central Asian features.
Economy: The large majority of the Gau Senxi subsist off of hunting and gathering (especially the former). Agriculture is not unheard of, however, and the people of the Langil, Laranja and Xume tribes are expert fishermen, artisans and iron-workers respectively. The capital city of Senxin is home to the same economic fixtures found in any other large city; there are merchants, craftsmen and other professionals plying their trade there, offering refined goods and services to the otherwise undeveloped Gau Senxi economy.
Wealth Balance: Within each tribe, there is very little wealth disparity. Chiefs are rarely any more than marginally wealthier than their tribesmen. The exceptions to this are the members of the Lunar Synod, whose lifestyles are relatively luxurious. They themselves are not especially wealthy, however, but merely the post which they occupy. Most of the fine trappings of the members of the Lunar Synod belong to the Synod itself, and pass onto their replacement upon their death.
Major Exports: None, by law. The Lunar Synod forbids trade with the outside.
Major Imports: None, by law. The Lunar Synod forbids trade with the outside.
Staple Agricultural Crops: Very few. The Gau Senxi are primarily a hunter-gatherer people. Some tribes are known to cultivate some of the naturally occurring edible plants of the Gau Senxi forests, however, especially berries used in medicine and poisons.
Trade Partners: None, legally. The Hego are known to illicitly trade with various Egun Senxi peoples, however.
Religion Demographics: 100% Path of the Moon. All other faiths are more or less unheard of, spare the form of the Path of the Moon practiced by the Egun Senxi, which is forbidden for its defiance of the Lunar Synod's laws regarding daylight.
Religious Heads: The Lunar Synod.
Popular Opinion on the Volcano: An evil being. A liar and a deceptive creation of the Usurper.
Popular Opinion on Wars: War against outsiders is theoretically permitted, but interaction with outsiders of any kind is explicitly forbidden, which could be interpreted to include violence. So, mixed.
Popular Opinion on Magic: Distrust and confusion. Generally only practiced by the Lunar Synod.
Popular Opinion on Religion: The Gau Senxi are a pious people, the Ekiald especially.
Popular Opinion on the Aristocracy: Each tribe respects its own leading family, but is distrustful of the leading families of other tribes.
Popular Opinion on the Government: The Lunar Synod, the closest thing to a government for the Gau Senxi, is literally worshiped, as the voice of the Heavenly Patron.
Popular Opinion on Foreigners and Other Cultures: Non-Senxi are hated, and the Egun Senxi utterly despised.
Cultural Name for the Volcano: Lehenegun (First Creation of the Sun), or the Smouldering Death.
Notable Figures
((To be added as they are introduced IC.))
Military and History
Type of Military: The Gerrari are a professional and highly skilled fighting force, tasked with utilizing stealth tactics to defend the lands of the Gau Senxi against would-be visitors. The majority of the military strength of the Gau Senxi, however, rests in the tribes. Each tribe can commit as much as 50% of its number towards a fighting force, and the harsh lifestyles and hunting culture of the Gau Senxi make these conscripts more hardened than those of the civilized nations.
Total Military Fighting Units: 190,000.
Unit Demographics
15,000 Gerrari; Highly skilled professional warriors directly under the employ of the Lunar Synod, the all-female Gerrari are the Gau Senxi's first line of defense against the outside. They are agile and cunning, specializing in ambush tactics and subterfuge. They are outfitted and equipped lightly, usually protected by not more than leather and furs, but their weaponry is the best that can be found in the Senxi lands; refined iron blades, forged by the best swordsmiths of the Xume. The Gerrari are also experts in archery, putting almost any non-Senxi ranged fighters to shame.
175,000 Tribal Warriors; A large, but highly disorganized force, composed of civilians with combat experience limited to hunting and small, inter-tribe skirmishes. Though physically fit and loyal to their tribal leaders, the warriors of the Gau Senxi tribes are hesitant to fight alongside members of rival tribes, and are unfamiliar with field tactics and used to fighting in small groups. They wield simple stone or bone weapons, sometimes iron, and are primarily garbed in furs, although men in positions of influence occasionally dress in iron armour. There is huge disparity in the individual combat effectiveness and loyalty of each warrior, and almost none have any experience whatsoever fighting in open plain or grassland, accustomed only to the forests of the Gau Senxi homeland. Use of cavalry is highly uncommon, though not unheard of among more prestigious warriors. Ranged weapons are commonplace; more warriors are familiar with a bow, in fact, than with a blade.
Past Wars: The last major war between the Gau Senxi tribes was the Handii Rebellion. The Handii tribe openly defied the Lunar Synod, denouncing their legitimacy and rallying support from sympathizers, both among the other tribes and even among the Egun Senxi. After amassing this force, and having defeated small numbers of Lunar Synod supporters in the south, the chief of the Handii led a march to Senxin, intending to tear down the Heavenly Tower. This march was made possible because of interference by the Urdin, longtime allies of the Handii who launched an invasion against the Ekiald shortly after making their own denouncement of the Lunar Synod. The Handii army reached Senxin, but were ultimately defeated, the full strength of the Gerrari standing against them whilst the armies of the western and northern tribes closed in.
After these Synod-supporting reinforcements had arrived, the Handii retreated south, seeking aid from the unto this point neutral Laranja. The Laranja refused them, and, in the north-east of their lands, the Handii army was caught in its retreat by the Lunar Synod and massacred by their overwhelming number in the bloodiest battle that the Gau Senxi have ever known. Those who surrendered were either executed or struck blind for their defiance, and the Handii tribe was disbanded entirely, replaced by the Hego. The Urdin were spared, and only their chief was punished, executed in a public procession by the Gerrari in Senxin. Since the Handii Rebellion was quashed, there have been no major conflicts between the Gau Senxi, and the Lunar Synod has held firm control over the remaining tribes ever since.
