Kajuhan

Besieged western forests struggling to stay free of the Empire.

Kajuhani are woodand hunters, fishers, and rangers, rebel militiamen and the descendants of escaped slaves who value their land and their freedom above all. The country is large, but its people are scattered across it- only one settlement (Blacklake) comes close to what Zwemirrans would consider even a small city’s size.
Languages: Primarily Trade, Òran, Zwemirran, and Elamish, but the many refugees over the Ages have brought their languages with them, and all languages of Barathrum can be heard here.
Names: Like their people, Kajuhani given names can come from anywhere, but names in Òran are traditional, as is having a child’s naming ceremony overseen by a druid. Clan names are simple, and more likely to reference natural features than occupations, and often were chosen no more than a few generations back. New clans form as larger clans split every few generations.

• Òran male names: Conn, Owain, Emrys, Bryn, Liesin
• Òran female names: Maeve, Briana, Gwyn, Aislin, Riona
• Clan names: Sky, Hill, Swan, Smith, Hunter, Wood, Boyer

Religion: Out of the Seals, Kajuhani favor the Mother, the Runner, and the Singer. The Mother’s message of liberation is especially taken to heart, as she was said to live here when she was mortal. Kajuhani worship is casual, and unless a worshiper is harming others through their faith, Kajuhani are content to live and let live. However, the definition of ‘harming’ can become very broad when it comes to Zwemirran faithful of the same gods, and worshipers of the Knight and sometimes even missionaries of the King preaching civilization have come under attack.
Geography: Forests and fjords characterize Kajuhan, and provide shelter for its freedom fighters. A range of high mountains called the Thorns once marked the eastern border, but Zwemir’s armies have slowly but surely pushed past it. Most of the war takes place on this shifting border at the foot of the Thorns, while the fishing villages on the coast remain safe but wary. The climate is rainy year-round, and the southern part of the country has warm summers and cool winters. Further north, especially far from the coast, the winters become worse. The northernmost reaches are taiga, and only a few hardy survivalists live there.
Government: Families (sometimes of different races) are linked into small clans that share the same last name. Kajuhani are ferociously protective of their independence, and so have rejected any more structured government. They proudly proclaim that their clans need no chiefs or kings to guide them, but in practice a respected matriarch or patriarch will represent the clan to the others. Each clan has a scarf with knotwork patterning that represents it, and while it’s not mandatory members often wear their clan scarves as a mark of pride. Any group of five or more who are not clansmen (within families things are usually settled by the eldest) are expected to decide things by council. Councils of volunteers from the groups effected by the issue at hand discuss and vote on conflicts in a community. A voice in a council is not a permanent position, but some people will volunteer (or be volunteered) often, if they are competent or well-liked enough. The choices of these councils usually only affect an area as large as a town, or at most a valley.
Food: Popular food includes gamefowl, reindeer, goats, sheep, fish (many different herrings), wheat, barley, berries, cabbages, potatoes. These ingredients are often combined in sausage, stew, or ‘cake’ forms.
Relations: Kajuhan has been in a slow-burning war with Zwemir for the last 50 years, but the dislike the smaller nation has for the Empire has much deeper roots. The north has been raided by Youden reavers, and has little love for those dwarves either. They are ambivalent towards most other nations, who are too far away for most Kajuhani to bother with.