Sildara

Overview

Other Names

Sildara - the Forest

The nation of Sildara, home of the Sildaryn peoples, occupies a vast forested region covering the eastern arm of the continent of Anexea. This forest varies, from tropical savanna and rain forest in the South, transitioning through to temperate mixed woodlands and coastal rain forest in the North.

In their distant past the Sildaryn people migrated from the region occupied by the People of the Ark. Mostly due to differences of opinion on matters of ecology and moral obligations towards the planet and its prior occupants. This separation allowed their culture and species to diverge from the remaining Treahni. The Sildaryn's consider the entire forest region sacred, and maintain it in as natural a state as possible. They chose to live in harmony with nature rather than bending it to their will.

Dominant Culture

Sildaryn

Geographic Area

Sildara, as the territory claimed by the Sildaryn peoples cover the entire Eastern portion of Anexea, from the Sildar Mountains in the north to the [[<other mountains>]] in the south. The region is primarily forested in its northern half and savanna in the southern reaches.

Population

The population of sildara is entirely of Sildaryn ancestry.

Government

Sildara has no national government. They operate at a local level within each Hinta and only rarely would a council of representatives from multiple hintas gather for serious matters.

Head of State

Sildara does not have a singular head of state.

Capitol

The Sildaryn do not form cities, although a cultural centre does exist, as the First Grove. Occasional pilgrimages to this site are undertaken as a rite of passage for some dalfyn in training. The journey can take several years and is not without it's dangers.

Levels

Hinta

The primary social unit is the hinta, a loose collection of families that form a migratory band. One's identity and place in society starts and ends in the hinta. Very few Sildaryn are known beyond a single hinta or i's neighbours that share a grove or two.

Law Making

As much as the Sildaryn have laws they follow their moral guidance of their religion. There are no law books or records, it is all a matter of common practices within the hintas themselves, and no nation wide system of laws exists, outside of common trends in what is culturally acceptable behaviour.

Enforcement

Sildaryn Justice - Punishments for crimes amongst the Sildaryn are focused on restoring balance to the individual and the community. This can take the form of group interventions, penitent community service, or even banishment through being declared invisible.

Taxation

The Sildaryn economy is entirely based on barter and trade through mutualism. Therefore the concept of taxation is completely foreign to them.

Public Works

Where and when necessary hintas will build bridges or other structures to support the camps they dwell in, or to assist movement of the hinta between camps. No other infrastructure exists.

Roads

Commonly travelled paths can form between camps over time, but since the migration of a hinta is annual, the repeat travel is infrequent enough to leave little trace. Paths in the region immediately surrounding a hinta's campsites are a matter of course, and they too can be overgrown and change annually between visits.

Irrigation

At some campsites, the hinta may have made some irrigation works to help ensure a steady supply of fresh water. typically in the form of wells or weirs.

Sanitation

No public sanitation works exist, beyond simple pits for disposing of waste, which are covered over before the hinta moves on to the next camp.

Commerce

Agriculture

Sildaryn's practice agriculture in a natural food forest manner. They will plant seeds of important plants along their travel routes and at camps to provide for the future needs of a hinta, but do not clear fields, or overly tend to the crops they plant.

Crops

Intentionally propagated fruits, nuts, legumes, and cereals form most of the Sildaryn diet. Edible foliage makes up the rest. These plant sources are supplemented by foraging while travelling between campsites.

Herds

The sildaryn do not practice any form of animal husbandry.

Secondary Agricultural Resources

Honey and similar products are collected when found, but no domestication of wysps is done to promote a regular supply.

Hunting

The Sildaryn do not hunt for food or other materials, but will use materials from found or exterminated beasts as practical.

Fishing

The Sildaryn do not eat fish.

Gathering

The primary means of food collection is gathering from the forest as opportunity allows. Fungi, fruits, and other edibles are gathered when found.

Collection of feathers, shells, resins, stones, and tufts of hair or wool as found will also occur.

Industry

The Sildaryn respect for nature and harmonious living with their environment precludes any form of heavy industry.

Resource Extraction

Placer deposits for certain clays, shales, flint and other minerals are sometimes the focus of campsites a hinta will visit, however the amount of material removed isnot substantial and seldom more than the hinta needs in the immediate sense.

Manufacturing

The crafting of clothing, tools, and containers is performed on an as needed basis, and seldom involves more product that fits the immediate needs of the hinta. Individuals skilled in the manufacture of items will share their skills with those who can gather the supplies, and youth are taught the skills of their parents or other adults in the community.

Trade

The Sildaryn people live in groups that follow cyclical nomadic migrations. The have a series of tree house villages which they occupy as stopovers along their migratory loops. Depending on the time of year the hinta occupying a given site differs. They engage in trade by proxy, leaving goods for future visitors and taking away items they may need from goods left by past ones.

In some parts of Sildara, local Etausi rooks might trade with the hintas which travel through or near their territory. Such exchange is still a matter of barter, generally of mutual interest, and not exploitive for either party.

Imports / Exports

As a xenophobic people the Sildaryn do not engage in any trade with outside cultures or nations.

Transportation

The sildaryn do not use vehicles, or pack animals. They carry everything on foot, or in simple travois style sleds.

Trade Routes

Trade routes exist in the form of diffusion of goods through the chain of caches and trade by proxy. Resources that are abundant in one region may find their way to regions of scarcity over several years and exchanges.

Currency

The Sildaryn do not have any form of coinage or other currency.

Role of Guilds

There are no formal guilds amongst the Sildaryn, although the dalfyn are organized in a fashion of teachers and apprentices, with wise and learned elders at centralized groves.

Military

Sildara has no formal military due to the individualistic nature of there lifestyle. Any armed conflict is dealt with by the local rangers and other warriors of the hintas themselves.

Controlling Body

Each hinta serves to provide its own defense.

Size

A few rangers numbering less than 10% of a hinta's total population. supplemented by warriors who are either retired rangers, or individuals who have been trained in how to use weapons.

Organization / Ranks

Given the singular unit size of their armed forces, the eldest or most experienced ranger will take the lead in any organized conflict. They may appoint a second, if their is a need to subdivide the body to accomplish their task.

Roles / Equipment

Rangers

Trained in scouting and skirmishing, a Sildaryn ranger is typically armed with a bow, spear and long knife. They seldom use shields, and any armour is light hide, or woven wicker at best.

Warriors

Supplemental light foot soldiers, used primarily in defense of the hinta. Such individuals may use bows, spears, axes or clubs, and generally do not wear any armour beyond their normal clothing.

Conflicts

No formal wars have been fought with or by the Sildaryns.

Ongoing

Jageryn

Jageryn are a constant internal threat within the borders of Sildara. Such creatures will be hunted down and eliminated as quickly as they are discovered. Due to the nature of their reproduction and fecundity of the species, populations of Jageryn keep resurfacing in areas otherwise believed to be cleared of the beasts. this results in constant vigilance on the part of the Sildaryn rangers.

Treahni

The Sildaryn as a whole are xenophobic, and hostile towards outsiders. Any encroaching Treahni are seen as a threat, and while formal war has not be declared, the Sildaryn are of a shoot first, shoot second, and ask no questions approach. There has been many lost settlements of Treahni attempting to establish themselves along the shores of South Eastern Annexea. A small village may be built, and reduced to rubble and overgrown by the time the next ship carrying more supplies and settlers returns. This has deterred many efforts at colonization by foreign cultures and nations, but the land is fertile and tempting, so it will continue and may lead to a substantial army being sent to subjugate the Sildaryns.

Integration with Civil

Rangers are respected and necessary part of their hinta. They are responsible for protecting the hinta throughout their migrations and scouting ahead to lead the group safely between campsites.

Religion

Dominant Religion

The Sildaryn do not worship any form of divine entity, but revere nature itself, and have formed a religious philosophy around the concept of the River of the Soul.

Minor Religions

Given the diverse and widespread nature of the Sildaryn culture nuances to the religious philosophy suited to differing circumstances is a common occurrence, however no secondary religions exist in a formal sense.

Integration with Civil

Each hinta will have one or more Dalfyn whom act as religious leaders and advisors to their community. While ones belief and relationship to nature is a personal matter, the dalfyn are considered the soul of the people and will be defended down to the last Sildaryn when threatened by outside forces.

Education

Levels

Schools

No formal schooling exists in Sildara.

Tutors / Teachers

Individuals who possess knowledge or skills will openly share and teach any willing to learn from them. This is an informal relationship, and is done as practical means of sustaining a hinta's way of life.

Sages / Scholars

The dalfyn serve as the most learned scholars amongst the Sildaryn, and usually are found at the groves in their retirement willing to share ancient wisdom and rare knowledge with any who will lend an ear.

Literacy

Most sildaryn are illiterate, relying on an oral tradition for sharing historical and cultural knowledge. Education is taught first hand with a heavy hands on component.

Languages

The Sildaryn language is exclusive to the nation of Sildara, although given the vastness of the area, many regional dialects have arisen. Neighbours who speak different dialects may understand each other, but members from more distant hintas may not understand each other with the same degree of certainty.

Scripts

The Sildaryn have developed a unique cursive script with characters based on the shape of leaves.

Numeracy

Most sildaryn can count to 100 and perform basic arithmetic. More complex mathematics is outside of their experience and not needed in their daily lives.

Philosophy

Some Sildaryn have pondered the mysteries of the universe and its workings to a degree. Such philosophers are limited in number and range of knowledge sharing, however they often find time to further their pondering in the later years when retired to life in the groves amongst the dalfyn. Outside of the River of the Soul, not universal philosophical schools of thought are wide spread beyond the few hintas that might encounter such a wise and learned soul.

Architecture

The sildaryn use of magic and natural process means most of their architecture is grown rather than constructed in a traditional sense.

Materials

Sildaryns will weave living plants and trees together to form roofs, walls, decks, ladders, and stairs.

Designs

Sildaryn homes have a very organic and natural shape. Their occupancy is considered temporary, so they make few significant changes to the trees which support them.

Houses

Simple round shaped rooms in the middle canopy of forest trees, or high canopy of savanna trees. Such structures are formed from the living wood and branches of the trees which are encouraged to grow in a manner which leave space for the Sildaryn to occupy as living homes.

Workshops

As formal industry isn't a thing few specialized workshops exist in Sildara. One practices their trade and crafts wherever is convenient.

Warehouses / Barns

Some structures built similarly to their houses exist as storage, often with open or slat style floors and walls to allow ventilation.

Fortifications

No fortifications exist in the Sildaryn architecture, however their homes are arboreal and only reachable by climbing or with the aid of lifts. The height and inaccessibility of these structures provides an excellent defence.

Grove Homes

Within their sacred groves large structures exist that can house greater numbers of Sildaryn than a typical home. Such are used for ceremonial purposes or hospital space for the infirm.