Ibn Khaldun 7730 Share Posted July 1, 2013 “As the sands sweep across desert floor, our people migrated from landed moor We have kept in simple language our lore so as to guide those who are borne more Upon these oases which quenching water pour, we have founded civilization afore Rested on sands and walked atop brick we bore, converged upon banking, split now in four In peace we trade and flourish, yet two are in war, rituals practiced and chants soar Across the desolate Ujxkxry we trample sand into glass, our feet beaten like iron till sore Our writings have become acknowledged, knowledge from pages tore In our words will we guide, our directions will walk men in tour Of our glorious lands, may you know us as wise-men “ - Yil’Mandabh Andalus ‘The Oasis Speaks’ The Zil’Maktum [or ‘Those of the Oasis’] are as a people stoic and proud of the accolades of being of the harshest environments to have been hewn by wind and coagulated from molten rock. For it is within the desert of Ujxkxry [translated as ‘Ul’jakari’] that the Zil’Maktum reside, making homes sprinkled within the oases which stand as mercies respected. The Zil’Maktum are one of the most sophisticated societies within the ‘Pangaea’, having developed a panoply of cultural phenomenon, consorted in the development of language both old and new, and have formulated a diverse governance in their time upon banking on shores and reaching their comforting land. The Zil’Maktum can be described as those with human features, a prominent detail that allows for easier identification is the olive hue to their skin with scraggly jet black hair. Those of the blood of Zil’Maktum are also typically taller and their muscularity toned, yet sinewy frame and often have roughened feet unless female. These people often speak with a soothing tone, they have trouble with speaking words or phrases needing guttural emphasis. Overall, the Zil’Maktum are given to having a calm demeanor, but by no means are they restricted in having other more aggressive personalities. The Zil’Maktum have an evolved resistance towards the heat and know from childrearing towards their age of maturity how to gain water from the harsh environment and frugality of such human needs. Their frugality has been a dominant influence upon their culture and societal structuring especially from the Elder Maktumi Age. The Elder Maktumi Age was the period of time from the landing on the Moor of Tujlas [translated roughly into ‘rolling’] towards the end of the reign of the Federator-Elect Yil’Jilasi. This period is looked with reverence by the Zil’Maktumi of more modern times as a period of development of the peoples that landed at the moor from the archipelago surrounding the Verge Portal from Aegis. This journey they took to bypass the increasingly aggressive actions of the offspring of the Four Brothers for fertile land was known as ‘Pnty jw Aegxs’ [in New Maktumi, Pontoy jaw Aegis] which translates at best into ‘The Sail from Aegis’. One may be confused upon learning this as to ‘How did they sail from Aegis when they seemed to have gained access through the Verge Portal?’. This is answerable by studying what exactly Aegis was known to be in the days of ancient, Aegis was the name to refer to the whole world they knew, so thus they even classified the archipelago arrived to when crossing the Verge Portal as ‘Aegis’. One of the often prized studies of the Zil’Maktumi upon their past is the development of their language. The attributes of the language of the Elder Maktumi are easily recognizable as having no vowels portrayed in the writing, albeit pronunciation made use of vowels. As time passed, noticable were the implementation of vowels into the written form of the language, often times the Zil’Maktumi call it ‘Sabunani’ [sbnn in Elder Maktumi]; the name of the language meaning ‘Cryptic-Words’. Another feature that was continued to be adopted was the use of suffixes to ascribe gender and tribal connections amongst other uses. An example would be the name Yil’Mandabh which translates into He who is of [Yil] the spears [Mandabh], ascribing that he is a male of a certain tribe. Another aspect of Zil’Maktumi respect towards their past is the religious traditions and cultural practices. [Need to talk to Hamin on his work so far]. The water buffalo was ascribed to be one of the most respected animals in the Elder Maktumi times, a livestock cherished and breed plentifully and helped the Zil’Maktumi transfer from a semi-nomadic lifestyle towards a more sedentary setting with the use of the water buffalo assisting in irrigation through means of being an animal of burden for the task. The Zil’Maktumi have developed eventually from a frugal society towards one that has a particular fascination in the esoteric, the intellect, and has a softness in the heart towards those who delve in magic; which they view as the esoteric and to be studied.The Two Ages of the Maktumi: Elder Maktumi or ‘Mktm Eldr’ and Maktumeai [Mak-tum-ee-ay] Age The Elder Maktumi Age began when the families of five had sailed outward from the Verge Portal, more accurately the archipelago that contained the Portal striking a causeway between Aegis in said landmass. With a lack of cohesive governing, the Zil’Maktumi were known to be travellers, gypsies perhaps during their time in Aegis. Like the other families who bade thanks to the Wandering Wizard for his opening of the portal, these people were in weaker straits and unable to find suitable land to settle, making them one of those who fled. It is supposed that the Zil’Maktumi were only united in times of duress and need, which discussing with the Wandering Wizard their exodus proved to be one and a diplomatic man by the name of Hazarig was chosen out of the peoples to represent them. Hazarig was known to be one eloquent of speech, yet due to his illiteracy; may have been an exaggerated claim. Nonetheless, he successfully garnered passage for his people alongside the likes of the Hanseti, Dervas, and Vorkuuzh. The Zil’Maktumi agreed unanimously to collaborate in the fashioning of a boat, one that was of modest build and modelled from the Hanseti form. Hazarig had deemed the boat a good vessel and had departed towards ‘Name Here’ approximately six months since the crossing through the Verge Portal. Whether from later written records or oral tradition, the sailing was one of little importance or impact on the Zil’Maktumi, whereas the landing onto the Moor of Tujlas was one of oft-mention. The landing onto the Moor is described as an event that caused fissures in the Federation. The Moor is described as a lone hill that stood with wide girth on the edge of the Ul’Jakari Desert, the landing was issued by Hazarig which landed them to a mostly inhospitable region that had angered the sailing Zil’Maktum towards his choice and the consequence. It was at the base of the moor closest to the sea that the Zil’Maktum labored to shift the ship upside down so that they could garner shade for themselves. From this, it can be inferred that the ship was flat in structure. What is to become known as the Absolving, the Zil’Maktum within their settlement [which was known as Tkms or Tekamas] they had developed to a degree at the base of the Moor would decide to split into two major tribes and a third minor tribe. The greatest tribe in terms of population was the Zil’Maktumaei Tursadaei or the Red Ones, the name derived from the reddened faces that showed themselves to be the most active in working in what farming could be achieved in the lands around the Ul’jakari. The tribe of Zil’Maktumaei Triballaei or the Raised Ones were a lesser tribe that was known for their artistic and intellectual advancements which lead to them being able to conserve rainwaters and utilize the sparse rivers and oases into making flourishing settlements albeit very few. The last tribe, the Zil’Maktumaei Urodaei or the Antagonizing Ones, were a tribe that were the most warlike and a warrior tradition that was not compatible with the other two tribe. In summary, the Urodaei had formed as a soldier force if the slowly growing Zil’Maktumi of Tekamas had need for defense from possible other inhabitants. Under the rise of a dueling champion within the Urodaei known as Jugarthu, it was inspired by years of inactivity of their promised intent and with a near-religious zeal that they would cause in-fighting to allow metalworking industries of iron and gold a more profitable market to sell in between the warring tribes; enhanced by the adopted belief rendered by Jugarthu that the guerrilla warfare would toughen the blood of the Zil’Maktumi and enhance their military tradition to surpass that of the later discovered Glistenhearth and Vorkuuzh. Magi of the High Temple The High Temple is the centerpiece of every settlement that the Zil'Maktumi founded, as sparse as they are, the Temples are regularly visited and are the centres of education and practices of the occult and esoteric. The High Temple is largely guarded by priests who possess knowledge of perspective and envision perspective as the channel through which destiny is elaborated for each individual. Albeit the Zil'Maktumi do not engage in the wearing of heavy armors due to the environs of their people, the Temple Priests possess an esoteric practice and are gifted the title of 'Magi' when they have learned the manner of teleportation. Their utter dedication to the idealization of perspective has allowed them to develop a manner of tapping into the void and transferring them throughout an area that they can visually see. ((Sidenote: This is GM magic, this is not magic that can be possessed by normal players at the moment of this posting. I have discussed this with Meguzara and she is in the know. There are weaknesses such as: Cannot teleport through opaque obstacles, cannot teleport while in water, vunerable from the back, you can only teleport towards what your character actually sees; so no "Guy behind me tries to spear me, but I teleport behind him automatically". There are no other special offensive powers with this.)) The Language, Both Elder Maktumi and Sabunani [sxblnxny] The language of the Zil’Maktumi was very unique as it was written with only consonants, relying on the fact that only few knew how to read and write, whilst oral communication was typically simplistic and dull; unable to transfer from one to another large ideas or concepts. The language was respected and even revered by the common-folk as a cryptic feature of their culture and would often admire the decoration of structures of importance with the writing of Elder Maktumi. Below lies a dictionary as well as list of phrases and conversational pieces both in Elder Maktumi and the later advanced Sabunani.Word ~ Elder Maktumi ~ Sabunani a/an ~ x ~ x [pronounced ‘a’ or ‘ak’ if surrounded by consonants, few exceptions] and ~ sw ~ sxw [pronounced ‘sak-uw’] able ~ tt ~ txt allow ~ yk ~ yiky as much as ~ Rl’ ~ Ril’ as ~ rl ~ ryl are ~ xy ~ xy [pronounced ‘ak-i’] bad ~ ml ~ mxl [pronounced ‘mak-ul’] back ~ tv ~ txv [pro. ‘tak-uv’] is ~ tx ~ tx [pro. ‘ta’] there ~ tt ~ tlt [pro. ‘tuk-ut’] their ~ tk ~ txk [pro. ‘tak’] those ~ td ~ tld [pro. ‘tuk-ud’] then ~ tqr ~ txqyr [pro. ‘tak-uq-ir’] if ~ vn ~ vln [pro. ‘vuk-un’] what ~ kk ~ kxk [pro. ‘kak-uk’] where ~ Tn ~ Txn [pro. ‘Tak-un’] when ~ kk ~ klk [pro. ‘kuk-uk’] who ~ kl ~ kxl [pro. ‘kak-ul’] how ~ Mn ~ Mxn [pro. ‘Mak-un’] To ~ Hk ~ Hxk [pro. ‘Hak’] of ~ xp ~ xp [pro. ‘ap’] How are you? ~ Mn xy xnt ~ Mxn xy xntx [pronounced ‘Mak-un ak-i an-ta] Where are you from? ~ Tn xy xnt gm ~ Txn xy xntx gxm [pro. ‘tak-un ak-i an-ta gam’] Hello! ~ Glmk ~ Gxlymyk [pronounced ‘Gal-im-ik’] To Each Their Own ~ Hk Hgm Tk Yn ~ Hxk Hyglm Txk Yxn [pro. ‘Hak Higum Tak Yan’] A full dictionary is available upon request from Loremasters, preferring it kept hidden for the sake of keeping it mysterious. PPS: Credit to Spamshok for the Zil'Maktum Signature! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibn Khaldun 7730 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 [[OOC: I would like to note, this WAS in the server 3.0, but was wiped by Arteh for 'personal reasons that I am not elaborating'. I am once again going to bring this back as Event material, this is NOT a nation or a 'populous peoples'. Thank You.]] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibn Khaldun 7730 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 A rustic drawing depicting a Zil'Maktumi. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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