Dussarit

Dussarit is a nation located in south Sphaera. It borders the Huon League, the Ietsahru Tribes, and the Eralih Empire in the north, the Meiyan Empire in the east, and the Toryl Republic in the west. The entire southern border is beside the ocean.

Dussarit is an unstable desert kingdom, frequently lapsing into civil war. The last conflict saw foreign aid from Eralih for the North and from Toryl for the South. The South's victory brought an end to the fighting and, in return for the aid, ceded the western coast of the Dussarit Peninsula to Toryl.

Etymology
Dussarit literally means "River Kingdom", and is called so because the collection of kingdoms that comprise the nation are situated along the the Tsahtaduss River, or "Manyfold River".

Geography
A southern series of river kingdoms, surrounded by harsh desert, to the south and western extents of the area is ocean, with the western coast dominated by the Toryl Republic. Small oasis dot the land, but the Dussarit are centered around the great river that flows through their land.

History
Believed by many to have split off from the Eralih in ancient times due to a vestigial similarity of language and appearance which eased the use of Eralih alphabet in times of old. There have been a secession of kingdoms and empires ruling over the Dussarit, often collapsing into civil war or against invaders. The most recent had support from the Toryl Republic in the civil war against the Northern side supported by Eralih. The present king is the son of the queen who made the pact and the impact of the civil war can still by felt by him.

Government
Nominally an empire ruled by a "Bahrarin" or Emperor/Empress from the city of Ndgahkgh, several petty principalities (ahtsrarit) ruled by "ahtsrarign" or petty kings (ahtsrarin sng). Sometimes simply called "Rin". Village nobility is next in rank, ruling a small town but "ahkghatsahn" (lit. village ruler).

Civil war is common, particularly during times of shortage and when a lack of common enemy makes the throne appetizing. Indeed the harshly limited resources combined with the lack of responsibility demanded on the parents, often leads to a surplus in population which is typically channeled outwards, either as emigrants or raiders. For this reason, Dussarit are often treated wearily by their neighbors.

Below them are landowners then finally servants who do not own land of their own.

Aside from the divided empire, the Dussarit are often prone to suffer from nomadic tribes made up of their exiles who not only raid them for food but often earn the ire of neighboring cultures by doing likewise to them. The Meiyans to the West have few ambitions against them as they are the farthest separated by desert, though raids have occasionally led to punitive attacks on villages. The Toryl having recently aided in a successful civil war and claimed much of the western coast.

Military
Typically commoner and nobles alike go lightly armed with bronze weaponry into battle. A sword, javelin and shield are common among the trained and noble soldiers, though spear, daggers and sling are more common among militia. The richer families might afford decorated shields and helmets to mark their importance, champions are often honored with the same. Armour is exceedingly rare, sometimes taking the form of small bands of metal worn over vulnerable places but never in a full protective form of leather or metal due to the heat. Mobility is usually used to account for this.

Formations are poorly developed, particularly among the village militias, although the Imperial guard and full time soldiers are aware of the advantage of the shield wall and using skirmishers to flank.

However, numeric advantage and scorched earth often serves to tip the advantage in their favor.

Family
Villages are often small and share goods, including children, in common. In a role similar to midwife, older non-child bearing women are often given the responsibility of raising the village children. The ratio of children to "Town-Mothers" [Ahkgh'ahln] often causes difficulty and brash Dussarit youth are characterized by unruliness. The Town-Mothers however often bear a powerful say in the goings on in town, with the only other authority figure, the Noble Families being granted the privilege of raising their own. Rivalry between these two factions is taken as a dark omen, while accord between them is seen as a promise of prosperity.

Language
Dussarit has developed a few minor dialects, particularly among the nomadic tribes but all written Dussarit is in the language of the Emperor/Emperess. However, large scale prose and poetic writing is only a recent development, although some can attest to the writing on tombs using Eralih characters, it is with the advent of the Toryl alphabet that writing has spread and flourished.

Religion
Dussarit mythology and philosophy seems to be based around a common theme; the perfect happiness of harmony and the inability of mortals to gain such harmony. They have a rather complex pantheon, largely built around anthropomorphic figures, though this varies more of less; It is believed that originally they were wholly human in character however modern Dussarit philosophers prefer to represent them as purely beasts. Rural and nomadic believers tend to combine the two creating the vulgar image of Dussarit mythology.

Gods among the Dussarit however exist in perfect harmony and happiness and thus follow a strict path which does not intersect with Man. Man on the other hand must deal with the warring elements that compose nature; Fire and Water. The planet itself is said to be an uneven combination of the two in constant war with itself. Man is at the center, though how he is composed is a matter of some debate, some argue that as he is harmed by fire and nourished by water he is water, others claim Fire alone possesses the movement and ability which grant Man will. Some argue that there is a soul of fire existing in a body of water, creating strife even there. Afterlife too is debated, though traditionally, the dead strive to enter the realm of the Gods, but are often turned away where they way wandered trapped on earth or take another body.

The Dussarit bury their dead with many of their more sentimental possessions. The consider the body something of an after thought typically believing the soul has left though certain duties are still owed; a small libation of water and a light dusting of dirt is considered the bear minimum due to the body of a fellow villager. More often, this is a full burial where a bit of water is poured in before burying them completely.

In more ceremonial efforts, wine is used rather than water and the dead are transported out of town in procession with the light covering of dust or ash over them, only to be buried properly at the town limits, with sentimental and valued objects in life thrown in.

These objects are usually offered as a means of making personal peace with the dead but it is seen by priests as a one-sided ritual which is often omitted

Folklore
Stories are often brief moral tales featuring animals, sometimes rhyming.

Music
Music is designed to evoke specific emotions, by tampering with harmonies and thus is usually without lyrics. The result, which tends to mix instruments and rely to some degree on improvisation, is a rather acquired taste.

Clothing
In the desert heat, they mostly wear loose fitting cloth. For nomads and exiles who survive in the desert, the clothing tends to take the shape of a hooded poncho roughly worn over light pants and some form of shirt, sometimes even with a scarf to cover the face. In towns, the clothing varies more from very light among peasants who wish to save cloth and remaining relatively heavy.

Dussarit
Somewhat similar to the Eralih, though shorter and more tanned.