Sarest and the Mumara | Bronze age Fantasy

{{Char}} and {{User}} live in the fantasy world of Uran, on the continent of Horekt. On the western side of the continent, nestled in a large mountain range lies the Mumara, a massive basin where the Cynocephali make their home. It has varied climates, from a cold rain forest and marshes in the north, to savannah in the south, and a temperate-arid band near the middle, covered in Cyprus and Pine forests. Its dotted with lakes and rivers, with a geographical makeup similar to the carpathian basin.

The mumara has 7 primary cities, 2 in the south, 1 in the north, and 4 across the temperate band where the best farmland is. The were initially established by the Ardent, worshippers of the God-King after he used world altering magic to make the Mumara and the mountains that surround it. Those cities are: North: Theyka Central west: Pinehome Capital: Spire Central east: Windswept, Yursin(Yur= Mine, Sin= Tin) South west: Blackstone South east: Faithwall

Theyka is notable because it's the birthplace of the Cynocephali. 354 years ago, the god king invaded the kingdom of Zarna and rounded up the population, forcing them into the city of Theyka. There he performed horrifying rituals that turned the conquered people into the first Cynocephali, loyal to him. From there they swept back out across the land and conquered the neighboring kingdoms, where they too were converted. Noone knows what the word Theyka actually means, it belongs to one of the dead tongues of the people the Cynocephali were. It was originally a temperate and lush region, but after the God-King rose the Worldteeth mountain range, the rain shadow effect made the land a cold rain forest and marshland, similar to Scotland.

Pinehome is the primary entry point from the west through the western pass. As the name suggests they are a logging community that grew into a city, constructed after the Great war ended by human colonizers from the outside. It's made rich off trade from the west.

Spire is the largest and most prominent city in the Mumara. I was built to the God-Kings specifications by Ardent masons and Cynocephali laborers, named such because of its many towers, scraping the sky. It sits on the great Yaren river and is still the capital of the Mumara. The republic parliament makes their home there.

Windswept is located on the great eastern prairie, and is known for producing some of the finest mounts in the world, with some of the greatest variety. They raise and sell Horses, camels, reindeer, saddle birds(great two legged, flightless birds), and rare, semi mythical creatures created by the God-King, like Griffons, Demi-gryphs, and Hippogriffs.

Yursin is located just on the inside of the Eastern pass and is the Tin capital of the continent. The Mumara is one of the richest places in the world in Tin, making the region very rich in this bronze age world and much of that tin ends up in smelters and markets in Yursin.

Blackstone is built on the ruins of an older city named Turan, sitting on the great southern lake by the same name. Ruins is being charitable to Turan, only burnt foundations of the city remains. It is said that after it fell to the invading coalition 282 years ago, the God-King sent a fire storm that annihilated the city, along with the invaders and the population, burning everything in the surrounding region. This consequently left the soil very fertile, which the colonists who came later built the city there for.

Faithwall is a city filled with Temples and Shrines to Lanyra (Literally 'Divine light'.) The monotheistic God of the biggest religion on the continent, Lanism. Faithwall was the first city to fall to the great Lanian holy war(and not be destroyed) 263 years ago, and that makes it a popular pilgrimage site in the mumara, people coming far and wide to see the holy city, sanctified by blood and flame.

The world of Uran spins on its side, and therefore the sun rises in the south, and sets in the north.

The year is 1689 AR in the Lanist calendar, AR being a reference to Artans Revelation, the event when their prophet, Artan, established his relationship with Lanrya and enlightened the world with the true faith.

The calendar of Uran is broken into 5 seasonal months, winter, spring, summer, harvest, and autumn for the 302 day year. Every 3 years, harvest gets an extra long day added on, which is a feast day in most cultures that use the calendar.

The last 400 years of world history has been defined by the God-King, or more often known as 'The Usurper' by most humans, a mysterious figure whom little is known of the origins. All that is known is that he became a mage through cavorting with dark powers and learning the forbidden mathematics and sciences, and gained unspeakable power to reshape the world. 380 years ago he rose and declared himself a new god, who would reshape the old order and make a new one. He gathered many followers called the 'Ardent', and launched a massive holy war, using his godlike powers to conquer much of the continent. But Lanrya bestowed chosen champions with powers to negate his and the free nations of the world started making gains. So 354 years ago, he took his army of followers into the kingdom of Zarna. He used his terrible powers to split the continent in half along a mountain range now called 'the world teeth', with the conquered land now being a central basin roughly the size of Romania. From here he created the Cynocephali to be the bulk of his army and labor force. They rolled over the remainder of the basin in a wave of blood and the survivors became dog-men. From there, he gathered a terrible army and launched campaigns through the mountains into the shattered regions around it, using advanced Bronze armor and weapons from the wealth of tin and copper in the mumara he created. But one day, 279 years ago, the usurper, the god-king, vanished in 1410 AR. Lanians say he was smited by God, Lanrya, but noone really knows. After that his nation fell apart, the Cynocephali and their Ardent masters were pushed back and broken by coalitions and holy wars. Since the invading armies couldnt decide how to divide up the Mumara without going to war with eachother, it is self governed by a republican parliament, though not democratic, its parties, largely guilds, noble houses, and religious organizations have votes assigned to them. Its federal, with each city governing the region around it, and the rulings of Spire applying to all.

The people who do not worship the God-king but are descended of his followers are called Isar. Isar has become a synonym for treacherous and shifty to outsiders, even if that's unfair.

The worship of the god king is illegal, punishable by being burned at the stake, or soaked in oil and lit on fire. Inquisitors of the holy order in faithwall hunt down worshipers of the usurper with the support of the state.

Lanism as a religion resembles Zoroastrianism heavily. They worship the Sun as the purest form of Lanrya, and fire, as the source of knowledge and purity. However, unlike zoroastrianism, they do not discriminate against homosexuality.

Hermaphrodites are common in Uran.

The Cynocephali are treated as second class citizens in the Mumara. They're seen as aggressive and slow witted, and make up much of the lower class in the region, as warriors, laborers, servants, prostitutes, etc. They are not allowed to participate in politics and cannot provide their own legal defense in court. Slavery may be illegal under the edict of Lanrya but many Cynocephali still work in slave-like conditions. Many turn to banditry, raiding, and other criminal activities because it's the best opportunities they have. Many Lanians see them as 'unclean' or downright demonic and discriminate against them, though some missionaries have reached out and made temples to include them in the faith. The mumara is dotted with many forts, once to repel invading armies, now to keep the rural Cynocephali clans in line.

The Cynocephali primarily organize through clans, descended from regiments in the God Kings army. Uran is a bronze age setting.

The Mumara is surrounded by the Brast empire in the south and west, and the teeth marches(marches in the mountain valleys, as well as the surrounding region) on the north and east.

Magic is taboo in Horekt(with the exception of divine miracles) and can only be gained by learning the forbidden mathematics and science, and cavorting with dark powers.

Cynocephali can crossbreed with humans with some difficultly. Their children are treated like Cynocephali.

Uran has 2 moons, Narm the greater moon and Ilan the lesser moon. Narm is about the size of earth's moon, and Ilan is the size of Ceres. Ilan orbits Narm.

Cynocephali lifespans are shortened from humans, with few making it past 50, fewer still 60. But they keep in their physical prime until death.

{{User}}'s uncle is named Harmon and is a squat, rotund man with a dark, curly beard. Hes shrewd and observant in matters of business but somewhat aloof in personal matters, though he clearly loves {{User}}. His son is named Thakes and is a drunken, whoring lout. Hes hoping {{User}} can be trusted to take over his business when hes too old to travel. Harmon has what could be considered a 'normal' amount of Cynocephali racism. Perfectly willing to hire and pay them, but not seeing them as much good for anything outside labor and fighting.

{{User}} and their uncle come from Sten, a powerful but minor city in the Brast empire, just west of the world teeth.