Rudamun is a region on the eastern coast of the Kilche Sea, established after the Deluge by former citizens of Ker. A mostly undeveloped land, the dangerous beasts of the inland Untamable Lands prevents further expansion, limiting settlements mostly to the coastal region.
Geography, flora, and fauna
See also: Untamable Lands
Rudamun lies along a wide stretch of coastline on the eastern side of the Kilche Sea. The region is in a humid subtropical climatic zone: warm year-round, with cooler but still warm winters. The inhabited part of Rudamun is almost entirely limited to an 80 mile or so wide coastal area, with some habitation farther inland along the Paratri and Tiavni rivers. While sections of the coast are relatively rough and rocky, similar to the Skeleton Coast in Tarkuus, other areas provide much better locations for building ports and coastal settlements.
Separated from the Taizzan Expanse by the western arm of the Shields, Rudamun receives a consistent amount of precipitation, enough to support the region’s expansive forests. Forests include eucalyptus, paperbark, symphonia, ocotea or sweetwood, and screw palm trees, among others. In the drier inland areas, acacias grow in small groves in the grasslands. One of the most distinctive plants of Rudamun is the rainbow eucalyptus, believed to be the result of the energies of the First World warping the local flora.
Away from the coast in Rudamun lies what the region’s inhabitants refer to as the Untamable Lands. Dangerous creatures, magical and otherwise, are common here, and much of the plant life seems to be unnaturally quick to grow. Attempts to establish outposts farther inland have been met with failure as they are attacked and overrun, with their remains rapidly reclaimed by the forests and grasslands. Kudzu, an extremely rapidly growing vine, poses one of the largest problems in particular.
A huge variety of animals, both large and small, live within or near Rudamun. The overwhelming necromantic auras of Tarkuus long ago led sizable populations of animals to migrate north or south, including into what is now Rudamun. Some animals commonly found in Rudamun include echidnas, bandicoots, bilbies, dingoes, thylacines, quoll, quokka, deer, cassowaries, kookaburras, cockatiels, giant spiders, snakes, crocodiles, and lizards, among many others. Platypi and dugongs can be seen in the rivers and coastline of Rudamun. Numerous colorful and unique looking birds dwell in the forests of the region.
Magical animals ranging from tiny harmless creatures to dangerous beasts are commonplace within Rudamun, and especially within the Untamable Lands. Below are a few of the most notable, though there are a great number.
Elemental drakes are feared predators of the Untamable Lands. Their ability to change the type of damage dealt by their breath weapon means attempts to fight them can be troublesome, as one must prepare many spells or other forms of protection for all cases. Fortunately, these creatures rarely venture near the coast, and only cause trouble for the inland settlements.
Sigbins are semi-mythical vampiric creatures, said to be strange amalgamations of other animals and beasts merged into a form with an unending hunger for blood. Sigbins are said to live in the far reaches of the Untamable Lands, but there have been few credible sightings. Nonetheless, rumors of the existence of such a creature serve as discouragement enough for many who might otherwise attempt to venture into these areas.
Though not innately magical themselves, the giant bower birds of Rudamun often collect magical items that they add to their color-coded dens. Some have even learned to use items enchanted with Detect Magic to find other special shiny objects.
History
Timeline
- Y6500 - Following the Deluge of Ker, most of the surviving citizens of Ker evacuated to the region now known as Rudamun, with the assistance of nearby countries, especially Khapesh. Since then they have established towns and cities in these lands, bringing with them many aspects of their culture and traditions.
Demographics
Humans make up a plurality but not majority of the population of Rudamun. Catfolk, gnomes, ifrit and suli account for significant segments of the population as well, as do other races to lesser degrees. The city of Tanis, upriver on the Tiavni River, also has a small but notable population of munavri who recently reached the surface nearby and integrated into the society of Rudamun.
Culture
Religion
Though at this point multiple steps removed from their Khapeshan origins, the people of Rudamun continue to worship the deities of the Osirion pantheon. Nephthys is particularly popular in the region, as many of the area’s inhabitants identify strongly with the goals and interests of the goddess. Bes and Wadjet are quite widely worshiped as well. The gods of other pantheons have smaller but still present followings in Rudamun.
Notably, gods like Ra and Isis who are considered the most important in Khapesh are not emphasized to nearly the same degree in Rudamun. This is characteristic of many of the cultural practices of Rudamun; while their roots in Khapeshan traditions are clearly evident, they have markedly diverged with time and distance.
Traditions
4 Desnus is commemorated across Rudamun as the Day of Remembrance, in honor of those that died in the Deluge of Ker. This is a very somber occasion, in which most people spend the day in prayer. It is common for parents to teach their children about ancestors who died in the event - many families possess books that contain details about these ancestors, sometimes including portraits, that are passed through generations.
Languages
Meritoic and Common are the most widely spoken languages in Rudamun, alongside others to lesser degrees. Amurrun is used both as a racial language for catfolk and by individuals of other races, but less so than was the case in Ker. Some who live near the border with Tarkuus have found it useful to pick up at least a crude understanding of Necril, but in general the people of Rudamun view their undead neighbors with a sense of unease and wariness.
Arts
Music in Rudamun is usually performed either at communal gatherings or for religious purposes. Reed pipes, drums, and rebecs are generally the instruments of choice, alongside vocals. Most Rudamun music is celebratory or festive - the types of music-accompanied epic poems or dirges that might be found elsewhere are less popular in this region.
Rudamun artists have inherited and continued the traditions of Ker. Mosaics and friezes are common types of artwork here, decorating homes, temples, ceremonial buildings, and more. Living tree sculptures are an art form that developed in Rudamun more recently - in this type of art, the trunks and branches of trees are carefully tended, shaped, and guided into the artist’s desired form. Sometimes this practice produces useful end results, for example garden furniture, while sometimes it is purely aesthetic, like statues. Some druids partake in this type of art, using their magic to speed up the otherwise slow pace in which these works take form.
Food and cuisine
Agriculture in Rudamun involves both local plants and crops brought by the refugees from Ker. Legumes, dates, olives, and other plants originally from the coastlines of the Chaska Sea are grown alongside sea celery, parsnips, warrigal greens, macadamia nuts, citruses, and more. Many local species of trees are also cultivated for food, including the nut-like seed pods of the kuman tree, sometimes called the Rudamun peanut by travelers. Both to regenerate the soil and keep back the fast-growing and often dangerous plants of the Untamable Lands, farmers in Rudamun practice extensive controlled burns. Seafood is the most widely available and utilized source of meat for the people of Rudamun, but herds of sheep are also somewhat common and often used for food.
Some common dishes found in Rudamun include the following:
- A summer drink made from the starch of the roots of the aggressive vine, mixed with pomelo oil
- Grilled lobster tail with butter sauce
- Pickled sardines
- Warrigal green salad with chopped Rudamun peanuts in an olive oil dressing
- Fried shark fillets
- Lamb shoulder with citrus and herb salad
Occupations
Most people of Rudamun are farmers or work in some type of cottage industry. Settlements are generally self-sufficient, both as a matter of practicality and as a strong cultural tenet. People in more specialized roles, as well as general laborers, are more common in the larger cities than in the countryside.
Architecture and urbanization
Architecture in Rudamun has some similarities to that of Khapesh and Ker, but is noticeably different in form. Rather than use sandstone blocks, of which there is little in the region, local stones and wood are the primary building materials. Cloth canopies are still used to cover porches, courtyards, and other common areas, but the flat roofs of traditional Khapeshan architecture are impractical in a land where rainfall is much more frequent.
The vast majority of the population of Rudamun does not live in one of the region’s small number of major cities. Inhabitants of Rudamun live quite spread out across the land, mostly in small hamlets and villages. Most trade and new arrivals come through the large ports of Pava, Ati, Habu, and Medinet before slowly spreading out.
Travel
Similarly to Ker, travel in Rudamun is undertaken by water whenever possible. The major inland settlements are mostly on the Paratri and Tiavni rivers, so for most this is quite convenient. The coastline of Rudamun is full of small vessels ferrying passengers and goods between the ports. Inland roads are generally not incredibly well maintained and long travels can be fraught with danger.
Immigration
The people of Rudamun are almost all descended from those who migrated to the region following the Deluge. While some immigration has come since, particularly from Khapesh, Tirione, and Vothan, this accounts for a comparatively small percentage of the area’s population.
Magic
Most people in Rudamun who are proficient in magical arts are druids, hunters, or sorcerers. Rudamun mages tend to emphasize practicality over magical mastery, preferring to use their skills to aid in day to day life rather than focus on learning the theoretical basis for their spells.
Education
Education in Rudamun is largely handled either by families directly or, in some towns, by schools administered by local religious figures. Despite the lack of strong educational institutions, the people of Rudamun greatly value learning and most children remain in school until they have taken all the subjects available. Literacy in Rudamun is relatively high, though not to the degree of Ker or Khapesh.
Fashion
Though linen remains the most widely used material, alongside kudzu-derived hemp, the clothing worn in Rudamun differs significantly from its inspirations in Ker and Khapesh. Rather than tailored for a hot and dry desert climate, Rudamun clothing is instead intended to keep the wearer comfortable in more humid conditions. Clothing tends to be vibrantly dyed using locally-sourced material. In Rudamun wardrobes, leather sandals are replaced with full shoes or thick boots, designed to provide better protection.
Government
Though the people of Rudamun are almost entirely the descendants of refugees from Ker, they have not established the same type of Khapeshan-style monarchy that ruled their former kingdom. Instead, towns and cities in Rudamun are governed by local councils. Most are elected by the inhabitants of towns and their surroundings, though some operate on an appointment basis instead where new council members are nominated by existing members.
Rudamun has no military, though citizens are broadly expected to be prepared to protect the region if necessary. Rudamun has not yet faced any major external threats, however, except for the many dangerous creatures that live in the frontier of the interior.
Economy
The towns and cities of Rudamun are largely self-sufficient and do not rely on trade, though they do engage with the bustling trade routes of the Kilche Sea. The region hosts a variety of natural resources, especially ores and a number of plants, prized as alchemical reagents, that cannot be found elsewhere in the world. In general, however, the dangers of the interior outweigh the possible wealth for most. Rudamun does not have major industries, only producing enough finished works in cottage industries to support its own population, and therefore most exports are raw materials. Imports are primarily foodstuffs and finished works the people of Rudamun cannot create for themselves in sufficient amounts.