The Ismae Index pt. 5
On Being Chivori: A Sociological Overview
by Lady Orilausko
Modern chivori can be separated into three basic cultures: the Vazztain from the Dominion of Chiva'vastezz, the Eitan from the Republic of Eita, and the phao from everywhere else.
The Dominion of Chiva'vastezz, located to the westernmost edge of the known world, is the oldest surviving organized government in Ismae's history. The only government established prior to this belonged to the draas collective that had enslaved the chivori for nearly a millennium.
(The next oldest government being the Empire of Oras, established in FE 1334 at the easternmost edge of the known world by Oranard the Fearsome, who would become Oranard the First—followed swiftly by Oranard the Second, the Third, and so on. I believe they are now on Oranard the One-hundred-ninety-sixth. Creativity is not the Orasians strong suit, but I will cover that in a later monograph on the karju.)
Citizens of Chiva'vastezz are known as Vazztain, as is their primary language—though most also know Plainspeak.
In FE 833, the chivori living in Ritora (in what is now northern Ossquere) rebelled against their draas masters and freed themselves. This was the beginning of the Great Liberation, a decades long chain of conflicts between the free chivori and the draas. Historians mark the end of the war as FE 912 when General Xuul Gal'ivinex took a huge swath of northern and mid-latitude territory from the draas and named himself Emperor. His supporters took their place at his feet, separating into the houses that have since become the royal court. The establishment of the caste system quickly followed. (See my previous monograph.)
Since that time the bloodline of Gal has never left the throne. Current ruler, Empress Dotij Tefif'Cazuul, is a direct descendant on the side of her mother, Empress Etylonwyy Merza'Tefif. This practice of co-naming of houses due to marriage (ie: Tefif'Cazuul, Merza'Tefif) continues only among the othu caste (direct descendants of Gal'ivinex and his court) because it allows the bloodline to be more easily traced. After the Cataclysm, the lower castes began adopting the surname of the most powerful house in their families.
Vazztain marriages are rarely initiated due to romance, instead, they are deals between houses—partnerships that consolidate and perpetuate power. While married partners are expected to produce genetic offspring and attend official functions together, both partners are also expected to carry on lives outside the marriage. This can include mating, an informal bonding of lives due to love. While mating most often occurs between two individuals, the number of participants is not limited—though I have not personally known a mated group larger than five. Children from a mated union are recognized by their birth-parent's house, but do not become part of that parent's spouse's house. (Confused yet?)
Though the Dominion is a monarchy ruled by a single emperor or empress, the Seers of Dream and Waking hold powerful sway over the crown—so much so that a Seer has sat at the left hand of the monarch since the days of Gal'ivinex. (The Master of Forces sits to the right, the court at their feet.) Due to this intertwining, mysticism is taken very seriously in the Dominion. When a child presents as mystic, they are removed from their families and installed in the Seers’ dorms, where their skills are developed for use in service of Chiva'vastezz. The Seers' influence over the crown is often credited with the Dominion's size, power, and influence. Surviving records indicate a heavy impact on royal decision-making, including involvement in all military conflicts of consequence.
Over the millennia, Chiva'vastezz has been at the center of much of Ismae's upheaval. Once encompassing nearly half the known islands, this annexation has been kept in check by the Empire of Oras' identical lust for conquest. The War of Dawn and Twilight pushed borders back and forth across the middle islands from SE 410 to 436 and killed many of those whose families had scarcely survived the Cataclysm. Eventually, the war ended on the island of Cloviist under circumstances that remain fodder for myth and legend. Neither side claimed victory or Cloviist. Both simply withdrew to the current iteration of the map. Mostly. Chiva'vastezz and Oras both attempted colonization of various territories many other times over the centuries, but never again reached the same extremity.
Even at its beginnings, the Dominion was a breeding ground for discontent, assassination, and insurrection. Less than a year after Gal'ivinex was crowned, forces led by General Veya Eita'elal enthusiastically rejected his leadership and headed east, exterminating draas and claiming land as they went. Eventually Eita'elal grew weary of protracted war and consolidated her power in an area then known as Mew. Eita'elal was crowned Queen of the Eitan and established the capital city of Elish Eita.
The Eitan monarchy was wiped out during the War of Whispers and subsequent Cataclysm, reforming as the Republic of Eita. For most outsiders, life in the Republic is a mystery. Fortunately for my readers, I have spent some time inside the Republic and have had close relations with a handful of its citizens.
Due to the isolationist attitudes of the Eitan leadership, trade and diplomacy are tightly controlled. For example, there are only two entry points to the capital city of Ashfindoth on the island of Iser. First is their docks, the official entry that runs the length of the city’s coast. The rest of the city is surrounded by cliffs, through which is carved a series of paths that create a vast and baffling maze known as Elodaw’s Defense.
An overriding influence on Eitan society is the philosophy of Kagrosas, loosely translated “the harmonious way.” It is rooted in the presumption that civilization is—in most cases—antithetical to the natural order and that one must be committed to living in congruence with their non-sentient surroundings. This is most obviously reflected in Eitan architecture. All but the most ancient of the buildings found in the Republic feature living systems that grow and change through the seasons. The care and training of these living structures has created an entire profession in the Republic known as "tender," whose sole purpose it is to keep a settlement’s growth orderly and productive. Tenders are highly regarded in their communities, and they wield great influence therein.
Visiting an Eitan settlement is both wonderous and unsettling as it is often difficult to discern an inhabitable shelter from naturally occurring flora and topography, an effect only enhanced by wildlife allowed to freely roam in a most inconvenient manner.
Kagrosas is not without a spiritual element. Five of the Duin are favored over all other divinities. Aessatal, Jajal, Aelaedurn, Leloloom, and Imt are seen as the embodiment of rudiments of life: sky, soil, flame, sea, and time. A rather unsophisticated perspective, in my opinion, but one that seems to work for most Eitan.
The mundane and divine are so deeply comingled that the arch-curates of Kagrosas serve as the consuls of the senate. With that, I will leave off further details concerning the governing body of the Eitan as it is dull and—quite honestly—I was so bored by the subject that I retained little of what I learned while there.
A prevalent theme of Eitan life is compulsory service to the community. As a member of their culture comes of age, military service is expected of all but the most disabled. This is composed of three years of training and duty followed by one’s Amarc, a full year of living in the wilderness alone and by one’s wits. I am unsure if the Eitan have a higher birthrate than other chivori, but after learning just how many their young people go off into the wilderness never to be seen again, I suspect this is the case.
Being born a mystic among the Eitan adds another layer of obligation to the community. All mystics are expected to serve within the clergy of Kagrosas. This has led some to hide their abilities and in extreme cases, choose self-exile from the Republic.
Chivori have traveled the world since we first broke free from the draas. Generations have been born and died, their lives lived across the isles without ever visiting Chiva'vastezz or Eita. These chivori are known as phao, which translates awkwardly to "without allegiance." Not entirely accurate in many cases as a phao chivori is likely to be a Norian citizen or Ukurian or Tehtaemanian, but the name remains. Phao are bound only by the rules of the land in which they live or the ship on which they sail. Some attempt to return to Chiva'vastezz or Eita, but—as with us all—most live their lives where they are born. They travel, they have adventures, but home always pulls them back in search of the core of who they are. But I wax philosophical.
Though these three cultures make up the majority of chivori society, there are many legends and rumors of lost, estranged, or extinct groups of our people. It is possible they remain hidden away somewhere in the hinterlands, but I will save that subject for another monograph.