User:Vivaporius/Sandbox/Vespia/II

Sandbox focusing on the culture, social norms, and identity of Vespia.

Culture

Traditions

Rites and passages

• Zhaushoak – The zhaushoak, or baptism, is a rite of passage all Vespians must undergo regardless of their status within Vespian society upon reaching the age of six, just prior to their entering the dukori to become citizens. The act symbolizes their acceptance of their divine mission in life to advance Zhautan's purpose in the physical plane of existence, serving as his fleshly warriors of purification wherever life exists. Because of the paramount goal of the Vespians under Zheaniism to be pure and to purify the universe in defiance of an entity that seeks to corrupt all of physical and spiritual creation, the act of water baptism is deemed of paramount importance to the Vespians. So important is this one act in the life of a Vespian, that entire families will travel across the country to see that it is done properly. The Vespian family will take all of their qualifying children to a zhekara to be baptized, presenting the children before the priests responsible for overseeing the zhaushoak. Before the zhaushoak is even initiated, the candidates are taken before the body of TBD (baptismal priests), to present themselves before them for interrogation. Each child enter individually before the priests within the baptismal chambers, and are asked three questions, all of which he or she must be prepared to answer correctly. Failure to answer all three correctly is deemed a fault of the parents, as they are responsible for preparing their child for their eventual baptism at the zhekara. The questions that are to be asked and their correct responses are as follows:

1. In who's name do you come? // TBD? (Zhautan's. // Xâutâno.)
2. Why are you here? // TBD? (To offer myself to Zhautan. // Jī-emâna kīnu Xâutân.)
3. And to what extent would you serve him? // TBD? (Unto death. // Šo-īxon.)

Upon answering all three correctly, the head of the TBD in the room will answer: "Tu jī-âho hoku. Emâro īxa do-âyoka ton orökân." ("You have answered correctly. Go with peace and fulfill your work.") The child will then be taken into the baptismal chambers, or shoamoju, and be stripped of their clothing and examined by the attending priests in the room. They will be checked for any wounds, blemishes, scars, or visible deformities, and then led into the pool of water by another priest. This priest will then wash the child by hand from top to bottom, scrub the hair, face, genitals, and feet in particular, which are deemed the most important spots of the body to kept clean under Zheaniic purification laws. Afterward, the child is draped in a special baptismal clock, similar to the TBD, and presented before their family following the baptism. The family will then complete their visit to the zhekara after taking their child to provide a blood offering to Zhautan, and then visit the rahava (prayer wall) to thank the tavina for their blessings.

• Jizakan – The act of jizakan is a rite of passage all Vespian youth undergo when they turn eighteen(?), the age of majority in Vespia, as a point of tradition. Known as the "bloodening", a Vespian youth will partake in the jīzakan as a show of their prowess as a hunter and their expertise as a torturer, extending the pain of the victim for as long as possible over the course of days, weeks, or months. This is done to attain the blessing of the gods Vakon, the god of hunting, and Vikara, the goddess of pain. The act of jizakan is symbolically linked to the youth's future as an adult, which will require the finesse of a hunter and the willingness to...
• TBD – The Vespians believe that, so as to please the god of war, Varshan, and the goddess of strife, Zhanka, an turn away their anger and ire, they must present them with sacrifices to prevent lamentation from visiting their lands. As such, the Vespians will typically take a number of individuals, typically criminals and slaves, and over the course of several days, torture, rape, and ultimately kill them, and hang their bodies at the gates of their cities as a "gift" offering and a sign of their submission to the will of the gods. The bodies will remain in their locations for a week, after which they will be removed and buried in a mass grave that serves as the "oversoul" for the slain, and a pool of both food and energy for the violent deities of the Vespians.
• TBD – Each major Vespian city maintains a vast field of corpses located just beyond the city walls, where tens of thousands of slaves, criminals, and individuals from rival cities and households, are impaled and left to die and rot outside of the city. Unlike other methods of sacrifice and execution, the bodies of those located in the TBD remain their indefinitely. The purpose of the TBD is to serve as both a "ward" off malevolent spirits, as well as a warning for those visiting the city, as well as to boast to the military prowess of the city and its warriors. The bodies on the spikes are rarely replaced, with only those near the walls and along the main road receiving new bodies.
• TBD – At the end of each month, a criminal or outcast is chosen at random is selected by the people of the town for sacrifice to the gods as a penance for any wrongdoing they have committed during the month. Bound and blindfolded, the individual is placed into sack and beaten to death by all the residents of the town as the priests sing songs of praise and offering to the gods begging for their supplication and forgiveness. If the individual is still alive after the beating, they are often placed into a pit at the edge of the town's borders, and buried alive so as to "bury the sins" of the past, and remove them from the sight of the gods.
• TBD – The new bride of the groom is shaven bald and stripped of all her clothes and possessions, and delivered to her husband nude and without protection. This symbolic act of presenting her to the groom naked and without possessions is meant to signify her new life and status as her husband's property, where she will be assigned a role in accordance with his personal goals and ambitions, and will likewise be shaped to fit into whatever mold he wishes her to enter. It is solely up to the husband to determine what she will wear, how she appears, what she may own or look after, and how she may behavior in his presence. According to Vespian tradition, the bride has no rights, and her life the possession of her husband, who must care for her insofar as she remains useful or of value to him. Her possessions are returned to her by her father only after the marriage has been consummated on the first night, and if the husband approves of it, though her performance in the bed must be marked as satisfactory by the husband. If not, the bride is returned to her family by the groom, and punished by her parents for dishonoring the family and failing to live up to her obligations as a woman. Upon officially declaring his marriage to the woman, the uvazhak will take her to receive her vyadova, or "third eye"; a black gem permanently-affixed to the forehead of the newlywed woman symbolizing the third eye of Jeyana, the goddess of romance and families.
• Ta'Yazakurin – The Vespian imperial ascension rites known as the Ta'Yazakurin, are some of the most anticipated events in Vespian society, taking placing once a Tazen has grown old, ill, died, or become incapable of ruling. During the Ta'Yazakurin, a competition of martial feats takes place within the holy city of Ravaza, where the scions of the twelve great households of Vespia are sent to compete for the throne on behalf of their households. The contestants fight to the death over a series of rounds, with the goal of whittling down the competition down to two individuals who will fight for the throne. The Ta'Yazakurin was established more than TBD thousand years ago as the replacement for hereditary rule, as infighting between the households had proven difficult for a young and inexperienced ruler to manage or survive. Likewise, the religious doctrines of Zheaniism mandated that the fleshly ruler of Vespia be always vigilant and never prone to complacency. As such, attempts on the life of the Tazen were sanctioned, and to ensure that only the strongest Vespian would lead the holy war of Zhautan throughout creation, the Ta'Yazakurin was established to find and crown such an individual. The rites are divided into thirteen rounds, with three additional placement rounds prior to the beginning of the event, to weed out the weakest competitors and determine who shall be granted leadership of the household teams in the competition. Because of the desire to attain the seat of Tazen, household scions spend much of their youth fighting in the military and training in the martial arts, seeking to enter the Ta'Yazakurin one day and become the Tazen of Vespia. Historically, contestants were selected from among the members of the zhanakin aristocracy caste, allowing them to prove their martial skills and keep power within the nobility. However, reforms to the rites have since allowed contestants to be selected by their household from any caste, though tradition and social norms have helped to ensure that the majority of those selected are still of the aristocracy.
  • 72 competitors, 12 from each household, fight over three placement rounds to determine competitors
  • Each of the placement rounds consist of hand-to-hand combat, archery, and hunting to test martial skills
  • Every round ten of the poorest performing competitors are eliminated from the rites
  • Following the placement rounds, only 42 competitors are left, beginning the next four one-on-one dueling rounds
  • Half of the 42 competitors are removed from the rites, leaving only 21 members of the rites
  • Best performing competitor is allowed to sit the rest of the rites out, leaving 20 members
  • One round consists of two teams fighting to the death, only 12 permitted to survive fighting
  • One round consists of hunting 100 slaves; individual with most kills appointed first runner-up; four poorest performing eliminated
  • Eight competitors divided into teams of two, and must capture the opposing team's captive and bring them to their site alive
  • Two members from the eight competitors eliminated from rites based on performance, leaving six members left
  • The six quarter-finalists are pitted against one another in a free-for-all deathmatch, with only two permitted to remain alive
  • The two semi-finalists duel one another, usually the first and second runner-ups, with the survivor moving on the the final round
  • The best performing competitor from earlier and the first runner-up fight to the death, with the survivor becoming the new Tazen
• Izhovaka – An izhovaka, or "death tattoo", is a unique tattoo in Vespia granted to all Vespians who have completed the dukori trials, and attained the status of citizen within the community. Considered among the most universal and distinguishable icons of the Vespian people and their civilization, these body-spanning tattoos vary in appearance and extent based on the house, caste, and rank they belong to, but all represent the same concept within Vespian society. Izhovakin are unique in the eyes of their bearer, who meditate on the meaning of death and how they envision their life will ultimately end, and what they personally believe their death shall represent. Many foresee their lives ending in flames, at the hands of their enemy, at sea, or in the maws of a wild animal, and thus may choose flames, blades, crashing waves, or rows of teeth respectively for their tattoo. The Vespians take pride in these tattoos, as it represents their gateway to spiritual ascension in the afterlife.
• Yamevaka – Following the death of a family member or close friend, their body is cremated and a blood offering given to Zhona to request her aid in guiding the spirit of the dead Vespian into the afterlife. To provide the blood for the sacrifice, all members of the funeral party cut themselves and provide their blood as a payment to Zhona for her services, afterwhich the blood is collected by a priest and added to perfume oil to be burnt. Following the sacrifice, the ashes of the deceased are pressed into the cut marks, to symbolize that even in death, the dead loved ones are always with and apart of the living wherever they may be. These markings known as a yamevaka, or "ash tattoo", also serve as spiritual protection from evil spirits, as the dead are believed to provide safety against those spirits which seek to cause harm to Vespians.
• Ankayonakur – Upon reaching the age of thirteen, a Vespian boy is required to learn how to have sex with a woman so as to best fulfill his male obligations once he marries. Typically, a female family member such as one of his sisters, will be taken by the father and presented to the boy to have sex with her. Though the boy is required to only have anal intercourse with his sister so as to prevent any unnecessary pregnancies, he is free to use her in any other manner he chooses as long as she is not permanently damaged beyond reason in the family's eyes. This tradition has existed within Vespian society for thousands of years, and is believed to have originated at the time the male population collapsed during the Aynadiko period of Vespian history. Though the Vespians do not require a woman's physical and sexual needs be fulfilled, those of the man taking paramount position, it is required that he do enough to prevent them from fighting with one another over his body so as to prevent discord in the polygamous societies the Vespians require to maintain demographic stability. It also helps to ensure that his wives will all feel sufficiently cared for emotionally, and prevent them from believing that one or the other is receiving special attention from their husband, allowing jealousy to boil over into hatred over the other marital issues that frequent the average Vespian household. Every male Vespian regardless of his position in life is required to undergo the ankayonakur until his marries, with failure or refusal to do so considered a dereliction of their duties under the male social standards of ruhohun. The father or mother of the boy will ensure that he and his sister have had anal sex, with the daughter assigned to him returning to them and allowing them to check for semen. If none is found, both the boy and the girl are beaten by the parents.
• Unajonakurin – The Unajonakurin is an annual fighting tournament that takes place in Vespia and consists of hundreds of warriors from throughout the Vespian-speaking world.

Social standards

• Jedukor – Jedukor is the Vespian concept of imperial control and domination over the common population within Vespia and wherever Vespians may be found. Jedukor, meaning "the power to mold/dominate", revolves around the belief that in line with the Vespians' divine mission to cleanse physical creation of the malign impurities created by Zhanivoyan, they require a powerful leader who can lead them to victory across all of existence. In line with this belief, the Tazen–meaning "tyrant" in Vespian–is Zhautan's sole representative within the physical realm, and as such, has the sole right to mold and shape the destiny of the Vespian race and civilization. This power extends also to everything around the Vespians as well, as the Tazen as Zhautan's material representative, likewise has the power to shape life and the environment around them to accomplish whatever goal they have determined to pursue. Because of this concept, to rebel against the Tazen would be to rebel against Zhautan and act in line with the horrid and perverse natural of Zhanivoyan. The Vespians are an army and at the head of that army is the Tazen, who holds the power of life and death over all his or her subjects as is their divine right. The Tazen must make an account of their actions to Zhautan, and as such, they must not fail in their righteous mission of cleansing the universe of heathens and false gods. Any who oppose the concept of jedukor will either be subjugated or run over by the armies of Vespia, as their destiny in the hands of the Tazen demands nothing other than total victory.
• Ruhohun – The average Vespian man is held to a set of standards known as ruhohun, or "obligations of men", which govern the behavior and interactions of men with their fellow Vespians and non-Vespians. According to the edicts of ruhohun, Vespian men are expected to be stern and strict disciplinarians who guide their families with strength and confidence, and represent the best qualities of society in their daily lives. How they treat their families is of no concern to the gods or society as a whole, as it is expected that the head of the household – the uvazhak, or "family master" – knows what is best for those who fall under his command. Ruhohun likewise states that it is the responsibility of the father and husband to determine what course of life his family shall pursue, as is his sovereign and sacred right. He may determine whom his children marry, what rights are granted to his wives, who inherits what, and how discipline is to be carried out in the name of the supreme family master, Zhautan. All members of the family are legally owned by the uvazhak, and as a man, he is expected to enforce his will upon his wards physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially. In social settings, men are expected to take the lead in a solemn manner, remaining quiet while listening to their superiors or even their inferiors speak. Men are not expected to mingle, nor are they expected to explain themselves to those who answer to them. Physical and domestic abuse is not just permitted, but encouraged, so as to ensure that those who answer to them likewise know their place in the grand scheme of Zhautan's creation.
• Juvahun – Vespian women are expected to follow a set of social norms known as juvahun, or "obligations of women", which set out the rules of engagement for all female Vespians within their culture and civilization. Compared to the cold, calm, and collected demeanor expected from men, Vespian women are allowed to be lecherous, violent, and combative. Due to the clear physical and psychological traits separating male and female Vespians, juvahun seems largely to have been established to acknowledge and regulate female behavior rather than restrict and suppress it altogether. Given the greater number of females to males within the general population, Vespian women are placed in the role of servant, soldier, and slave to their male counterparts, who are expected to take up all of the duties of leadership regardless of their own objections. According to juvahun, to be a woman in Vespian society is to submit yourself completely to the will of your male superior, and to serve him, service him, protect him, and die for him, as he is the physical embodiment of Zhautan's form and his will. Accordingly, women take these roles seriously, and are easily provoked when prevented from fulfilling their sacred responsibilities. Because of the aforementioned sex ratio in Vespian society, women are the primary warriors, something the unique physicality of the female Vespians allows. Juvahun declares that there are no barriers for a female warrior on the battlefield save the preservation of Vespian lives if they are allies, or young boys if they are enemies.
• Juhunosa – Juhunosa, meaning "(a) woman's way (to) act", is a code of chivalry practiced by Vespian women toward their male counterparts. Being nearly 30% stronger than their male colleagues, and outnumbering Vespian men 8-to-1, female Vespians operate as the protectors and providers within Vespian civilization. Because of their superior strength and number, they are held to a higher standard that often requires them to show deference to the men and children of Vespia, neither harming or oppressing them. According to the edicts of juhunosa, a Vespian woman would never hit a Vespian man, as she is not just stronger than he is, but the man is far more valuable and irreplaceable, as he is required by law to father as many children as possible to preserve the demographic survival of the Vespian race. Juhunosa stipulates that a Vespian woman will preserve and protect the physical safety of a Vespian man and child, and swear never to bring harm to either unless the needs of her house and family require it. Juhunosa is distinct from juvahun in that the latter covers all of female behavior within Vespian society, while the former explicitly covers female interactions with men and children in the context of protecting them from harm, be it from themselves or others.
• Savoyanka – Savoyanka, or "the act of rape/violation", is a Vespian concept entirely distinct from the act of rape in the normal context outside of Vespian culture. For the Vespians, the act of raping another individual does not carry negative concoctions in their society, as they believe it represents an act of love and compassion for another individual within the population. The Vespians believe that the act of rape involves a considerable level of obsession and lust, and carrying out the act requires one to plan and prepare for its fulfillment. The fact that one devoted as much time to the effort to take the other Vespian by force denotes a degree of greed and covetousness that proves in action one's desire to be with another. As such, the Vespians hold the belief that by devoting so much time and effort into being with someone they refused to wait to be with them, and moved to take them as soon as possible. The victim of savoyanka does not view it as an act of crime, but an act of love, and typically views the act itself as a type of marriage proposal confirming one's love for the other. It should be noted that the act of savoyanka is exclusive only to the Vespians, with the rape of non-Vespians being deemed as such, and the divine right of the perpetrator to commit freely with any they so choose. Furthermore, savoyanka does not explicitly involve Vespian men, who due to reasons of basic physiology between men and women within the population, pose little to no threat to their female counterparts, who are taller and stronger than themselves.
• Jeyankeda – The carnal and lecherous behavior of Vespian women and girls, or jeyankeda within Vespian culture and society, has historically be attributed to the existing sex ratio within the general population of Vespia. Many anthropologists and evolutionary biologists have pointed to the development of this lopsided distribution of males to females, to have been responsible for the sexually-aggressive behavior of Vespian women, as a natural corrective mechanism within the population to secure stable population growth among the Vespians. With the existing sex ratio for Vespians hovering around 1-to-8 for the last two to three thousand years, and shrinking over time, it has long be posited that female Vespians became more sexually-inclined than their male counterparts as a means of making them more receptive to sexual encounters and thus increasing the opportunities for impregnation within the female population. Likewise, the heightened control over the sexual libido within the males allowed them to have a greater degree of control over those encounters, thus introducing a method of population control activity monitored by the Vespian males. This dynamic, the aforementioned jeyankeda, is responsible for much of the behavior of Vespian men and women, with men being more reserved and astute, while their female counterparts are generally loose, libidinous, and scantly clothed both at home and in public. For the Vespians, jeyankeda serves its purpose and has been accepted as an integral part of their culture.
• Zakijivan – Zakijivan is the unique Vespian concept of the kind of mental, physical, and sexual excitement derived from combat and violence. The Vespians believe that the adrenaline which is pumped into the body during combat, along with the angry, pain, and rage associated with violent struggles, are a source of focus on enlightenment given to one by the gods. Pain gives focus and purpose to those courageous enough to endure it, and from that focus comes the angry which fuels one's desire to kill the enemy. Zakijivan by all accounts recorded from Vespians and Vespian warriors in particular, gives them the feeling of being alive, with the rage they experience flowing through them at all parts of their body. For the Vespians, experiencing the pain and rage that led to zakijivan, give the best time to experience the senses of the body that are enhanced during and after combat, with all of their bodies - as one Vespian warrior put it - 'calling out to be touched and probed'. Consequently, typically once a battle has been won by the Vespians, with the effects of zakijivan in full effect, a widespread orgy of the violently aroused category is fully embraced as a tradition of the warriors of Vespia. To deny these urges would be to deny a gift granted by Zhautan and the gods, and the call to pleasure brought about by zakijivan is considered true each and every time. It is believed that by using hatred, anger, and rage and focusing all of that energy through the body, the Vespians will gain power and the power drawn from the dead warriors on the battlefield. It is also believed that at this point in time, the strongest Vespians can be conceived in the womb as a Vespian man's virility is brought to its peak. Zakijivan can be experienced during or following physical training, combat, arguments, or intercourse itself, and any other areas where one's senses and emotions can be heightened to the point of rage.
• Vavak – Vavak, meaning "eternal conflict", is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, ideology that drives and defines Vespian civilization as its exists today. The concept of vavak encompasses the timeless obligation of all Vespians wherever they may be, to the furtherance of their race's conquest of all material life and existence in the name of the god Zhautan. Indeed, within their religion of Zheaniism, it was for the singular purpose that the Vespian people were first created by Zhautan, serving as the physical half of his divine armies, all with the goal of hunting down and wiping out all manifestations of Zhanivoyan's corruption of the material and immaterial realms of the universe. So powerful is the hold of vavak over the Vespian people, that it defines how they act, who they associate with, what they desire, their life goals and trades they acquire, and the very fabric of the culture they have built as a people. Since the time of the formation of Vespia as a distinct collection of peoples, vavak has determined the nature of the empire's actions both at home and abroad, and the manner in which its citizens develop as individuals. Vespia can never be at peace with the non-Vespian world, the "Great Heathenry" as they know it, for they reside within a realm corrupted from one end to the other by an entity so malevolent that it defies all mortal or immortal attempts to comprehend its scope or malice. Surrendering to these corrupted beings would be at the greatest height of apostasy, for it would mean compromising upon that divine mandate for all Vespians to participate in the subjugation or extermination of all non-Vespian life wherever it can be found. As a direct result of this rigid adherence to vavak, the Vespian government can never enter into a lasting peace with its neighbors; it may have moments of respite from pursuing its goals to conquer or destroy the heathen polities, but it can never be at peace with them in any capacity. From the concept of vavak itself directly spring the concepts of shevashotazoya (sacrifice of oneself at the expense of the enemy), henodizhon (death in battle), and vakin (extermination of all non-Vespians in a region), just to name a few. The Vespians are driven to purify all of existence from one end of creation clear to the other, for it was for this very reason they themselves exist.

Sports

• Diyudoka – Diyudoka, or "man-hunting", is a popular blood sport through Vespia and the Eastern Reaches, where a slave or criminal is released into the wilderness, and hunted by a team of vakoranin. The prey is allowed to live only if he or she can make it to a designated location agreed upon by the appropriate authorities supervising the hunt. Should the individual make it away safely, they are rewarded for their guile and superior survival skills, and often given a sum of money and their freedom, though never equal rights in Vespia itself. The rules specify that only five vakoranin are allowed to participate in the hunt, and must either kill or capture of victim to win. Killing the prey is acceptable, but does not award as many points as a live capture. The prey is allowed to kill the warriors to survive, forcing the warriors to remain on their toes and not to take advantage of their status in the game or to underestimate the non-Vespian's desire to live and resolve to do whatever is necessary to survive. The purpose of the game is both to give the always hostile Vespians an outlet for their aggression, as well as a way in which to sharpen the hunting and combat skills of the vakoranin to ensure they are not dulled during peacetime. It also helps to provide insight into the psychology of the people they hunt, and the manner in which they would likely resolve problems during a battle.
• Shodashovik – Shodashovik, or "the long run", is a variant of the man-hunting games enjoyed by Vespians in the wildness known as diyudoka, and is instead focused around a defined space within an arena. The arena itself consists of a confined space approximately TBD meters long and TBD meters wide, and is walled on three sides and open at the other. In the middle of the arena are two runners, typically slaves or criminals, who must run from one end of the arena to the far-end where the exit from the zone is located. Five warriors are stationed on one end tasked with stopping the runners from escaping the arena, and are equipped with bows, javelins, and slings, and are tasked with striking and killing the runners. On the opposite end is another warrior who must give their team a final opportunity to stop the runners, and have a single bladed weapon to tackle and kill the runners with. The runners are given enough space to move and dodge projectiles, and have a companion who's job is to help distract the warriors. The warriors will lose the game if the runners escape the arena, or if they run out of projectiles and the warrior on the other end fails to stop the runners. Points are measured by the following: how far away the runners got before being killed or incapacitated, whether or not the runners were killed, how many runners escaped, how many projectiles were used, and how effective the warriors' coordination was. If a runner escapes the arena, then half of the warriors' accumulated points are deducted. This number decreases based on the number of runners in the game; half if two runners are played, one-fourth if four runners are played, or one-sixth if six runners or played.

Households

According to Vespian lore, their civilization was established by Veskan, the first Vespian and founder of their civilization. Veskan went on to have twelve sons, each of which would become the father of the twelve great households of Vespia. All of the sons were recognized by a specific trait that defined the character of their offspring and the households they would go on to establish across the empire. The patriarchs were in order of their birth:

1. Zharan – The Ruling Son
2. Mazhan – The Mighty Son
3. Ruzhan – The Wild Son
4. Koran – The Wise Son
5. Dejan – The Dark Son
6. Kharan – The Industrious Son
7. Vanan – The Dishonored Son
8. Auran – The Wealthy Son
9. Jikan – The Quiet Son
10. Khajan – The Ruddy Son
11. Vayan – The Adventuring Son
12. Dakhan – The Beloved Son

Background on households

• Zharan – Zharan is the most powerful household in Vespia, having dominated the tazenate for centuries and shaped the political geography of the empire in the most fundamental ways possible. Culturally, Zharan is considered the most important household due to the Zheaniic genealogical table placing the patriarch of the household as the eldest of Veskan's sons. Fully aware of their status within the theocratic order of the land, the Zharaniokin hold themselves above their fellow Vespians with a certain haughtiness that has caused more problems than necessary for an empire that runs on the precept of "might makes right". Though Zharan's power has been eclipsed on more than one occasion in the past, they have always returned to the throne as the house of the tazen, or as kingmaker with their political power and strategic location at the heart of mainland Vespia. In spite of its great influence, Zharan's power is heavily-reliant upon its political muscle, as its military strength has historically ranked as "mediocre" at best at varying points in history. Alliances with the households of Auran and Dejan have been crucial to Zharan's ability to defend itself against the more predatory coalitions formed against it by Mazhan and Rujan throughout Vespian history.
• Mazhan – By far one of the most expansive households in the country, Mazhan is noted for its vast swaths of territory and population, and total domination of Lesser Vespia's government and economy. As the offspring of the second-eldest child of Veskan, the Mazhaniokin have historically struggled with Zharan in their attempt to establish themselves as a co-equal to the latter, as well as attain for themselves a greater degree of political influence. On many occasions in the past, Mazhan has ruled Vespia for considerable periods of time in Vespia's venerable history. Having found it difficult, though not impossible, to challenge Zharan's grip on power in the empire, Mazhan's location in western Vespia and control of its coastline there, meant that it was in a prime position to influence the formation of the Eastern Reaches; the pseudo-colony of Vespia and home to nearly half a billion Vespians–many of which are of Mazhaniokin blood. At home, Mazhan is famous for having produced some of the finest warriors to have ever graced Vespian civilization, and today hosts the highest number of warriors as an overall percentage of its population. The overwhelming majority of Vespia's high-ranking warriors hail from Mazhan, and the current Ta'Zhadak of the Zhautakar claims membership of this household.
• Ruzhan – Located in the rocky, red-sand deserts of the Rujak, named so after the household, Ruzhan is the third-eldest household of Vespia and arguably its most violent. Founded by what the Zantana described as Veskan's "wild and unyielding" son, Ruzhan established itself as a semi-nomadic household that attained its wealth and influence from its vast raiding parties and cross-desert campaigns against fellow Vespians along the great Zhona River. Unlike Zharan and Mazhan who squabble for power and influence in the great courts of Zanza, Ruzhan focused its efforts on conquest and maintaining a constant flow of slave trading and human sacrifices for their patron deity, Varshan, the Vespian god of war. While certain savage in behavior, the Ruzhaniokin are not to be written off as uncivilized. Ruzhan maintains a culture as elaborate and refined as its siblings, and takes great pride in the social system established there for millennia. They likewise take great pride in having formed a considerable portion of the great invasion forces that sailed across the Meridian Ocean in the past, claiming vast tracts of land for future Vespian people, and keenly look toward the day where they will do so again.

Fashion

Clothing

Male Vespian clothing

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• TBD – TBD
• TBD – TBD
• TBD – TBD

Female Vespian clothing

• TBD – Pelvic curtain that hangs between thighs, and stops just above or below the knees. Longer styles of TBD are reserved for more formal occasions.
• TBD – Top that hangs over the breasts but stops just below the bottom of the breasts, emulating a hanging effect. Ties under arms and behind the back.
• TBD – Sheer veil that covers the nose and mouth, protecting the wearer from inhaling sand and dust during the day.
• TBD – Large detached sleeves that connect at the upper-arm and become wider as it moves toward the hands.
• TBD – Undergarments made from two strings and a thin strap of cloth tied to the middle forming a thong. Ties at the side of the hips, and worn typically during formal events.
• TBD – Skirt-like garment fastened at the waist, which falls just below the tailbone and buttocks. Open at the front, and usually worn with TBD or TBD.
• TBD – Loose pants which hang from pelvis with open sides revealing the thighs of the wearer. Most versions of TBD are sheer and popular with the youth.
• TBD – Rectangular cloth that is wrapped under the arms from the rear and fastened behind the neck, leaving open slit from the throat down. Popular in the cities and diaspora.
• TBD – Headwrap that is tightly bound across the head, face, and neck, leaving only the eyes exposed. Utilized to protect from the desert sandstorms and the heat.
• TBD – Heavy woolen shawl within a loosely triangular shape worn to protect the upper-body from the sun. Falls just below the breast and down to the back, allowing for freedom of movement.
• TBD – TBD

Common Vespian clothing

• TBD – Long black cape that drops down to feet, and ties at the neck. Mostly associated with formal events where members of nobility will be present.

Art and architecture

The maseka (Maseka) is the traditional Vespian garment.

---

Vespian architecture

• The interior of Silver-era Vespian buildings are dark, often painted with black iron oxide paint and with gold highlights along corners, flooring, and woodwork. Few light sources are found within buildings, ensuring that the majority of the interior remains dark, but with tactical lighting throughout the structure. Natural lighting made possible with yanamosha, perforated stone or latticed screens with ornamental geometric patterns used to block sand and debris from entering, but providing enough space for cool air to enter the building.
• Major public buildings constructed during the Silver-era have large halls lined with black granite columns; ceiling of building (for smaller ones in particular), have a gap between the walls of the building and the bottom of the roof, providing ventilation for the interior in the arid desert climate of Vespia. Small slits along the lower half of the structure provide the lighting needed during the day, as well as a source of air in the buildings lacking the large iyadukin wind-catchers used to provide cooling for the interior.
• Each column within the halls has its own lamp, which in temples are maintained by the jivanamunin (priestly fire-watchers), or slaves (in private or state-owned facilities). Copper fluoride and copper sulfate often used to create blue and green flames respectively for the lamps depending upon the occasion. Dark red flames (created using lithium chloride) used on the most sacred of holidays such as the Ta'Shokon No-Zaka, the holiest of the celebrations in Vespia.
• Vespian buildings from pre-Silver era are squat, blocky, and typically unadorned aside from simple natural colors from the adobe used to make them. Such buildings are divided into two sections: the lower half coated black using iron oxide or red using minium (red lead oxide), while the upper half is coated white or left in its natural brown color from the adobe.

Vespian city planning

• Wide streets constructed one to two stories below ground level with an open top and divider in between. Typically has drainage built into the street at the center to allow for sewage and rainwater to pass through the avenues without impeding the movement of pedestrians and traffic.
• Walls of the street are embellished with bone murals depicting major events and battles throughout Vespian history. Bones are usually taking from slaves or defeated enemies from the battles depicted in the murals, and transported back to Vespia to be embedded in the walls of the street.
• Ground of the street typically covered in gravel (more rural locations in the present but common everywhere in the past), or slabs of polished sandstone, or just sand in poorer regions of Vespia.
• Cities laid out in a grid pattern to help with population management and zoning regulations.

Architectural types

Civil architecture

• Iyaduk – An iyaduk is a windcatcher were serves a paramount role in the arid landscape of Vespia, providing a measure of climate control within the housing and public spaces of Vespian society. These structures are among the most ancient structures in Vespian civilization, built as raised structures with one, four, or eight openings at the top to allow for a swift flow of air into a building. These structures are often used in concert with another known as a mahuk, and underground water canal which provides cool water to wells and residences. Warm air is brought into the mahuk, cooled, and exits up through the basement of a Vespian home, and out through the iyaduk.
• Nedimoju – A large reception room with cushions, glazed tiles, artwork, and carpets, which served as the gathering place for visitors and the hosts of a home or palace. Located near the main entrance to the building which the visitors would remove their shoes and receive service from the host, typically in the form of food, entertainment, or sexual services. Traditionally located near the northern side of a house, where heat would be easily accessible during the winter, and during the summer, would have an iyaduk, or windcatcher, located above it to provide cooling in the heat of the day.
• Shohark – Shoharkin are aqueducts constructed by the Vespians to provide water to all major cities in the empire. The longest shohark in the country is the one carrying water from the Zhonazanin mountain range through the Tuvada, the largest desert on Zhakar, to the great mountain city of Zanishan sitting at the edge of the desert.
• Tanaku – Large library open to the public, usually consisting of information that would be found at any other library in the world. Typically lacks fine information such as government documents or advanced religious texts which are restricted to the nobility and the priesthood.
• Uka – A large courtyard, typically located at the center of a city or a large building such as a zhekara or palace. Most have fountains and gates, and serve as gathering places for major events, festivals, speeches, and open-air markets within the city or town. A uka was a major source of pride for a city, with most decorating them with glazed tiles, fountains, gardens, and statues of the patron gods of the city.
• Yanamosha – A perforated stone or latticed screen designed with ornamental Vespian geometric patterns. Common yanamosha for residential buildings or public buildings in poorer communities are typically constructed using lacquered wood, while most prestigious buildings belonging to the imperial government, aristocracy, wealthy individuals and the Tazen himself, are usually graced with perforated stone yanamosha. Yanamosha are very important within Vespian society, as they compress the air passing through the holes of the screen, cooling the interior of the structure they are built for. As a consequence, yanamosha are an integral part of the desert-influenced Vespian architectural style.
• Yanamu – TBD
• Yavokin – TBD
  • Sa'Yavokin – TBD
  • Uk'Yavokin – TBD

Religious architecture

• Yazan – Yazanin are massive ziggurat structures that serve as places of major religious festivals and human sacrifices. Such structures are were, and typically still are, the tallest and largest man-made structures in any Vespian city. Yazanin are the site of thousands of human and animal sacrifices within any Vespian city, and are the only ones equipped to carry out the major human sacrifices required under tayohun law. The adjoining grounds and building complexes for a yazan are generally large enough to constitute an entirely separate and distinct district of a city, home to hundreds or even thousands of ionakin, and tens of thousands of regular visitors from throughout the city. Unlike the much smaller and austere zhekarin, there is only ever one yazan per city within Vespia for those that can afford the cost. Traditionally, the successful construction and staffing of a yazan was the marker of having become a proper city under Vespian law. Today, only cities with a yazan are permitted to qualify for marin status in Vespia, with those lacking such a structure relegated to a subordinate position within the administration of a marin. The only exception to this rule are the so-called "Aynakarin", or "First Cities", where Vespian civilization emerged and prospered. These cities typically have two or three yazanin, or in Ravaza's case–five yazanin–in light of its role as Vespia's holy city.
• Zhekara – Zhekarin are the most numerous type of religious building in Vespia, serving as the main place of worship through Vespian culture and society. Most zhekarin are large religious complexes consisting of various sections devoted to different aspects of worship, as well as community functions such as crematories, cemeteries, libraries, baths, and housing for members of the priesthood. Though nowhere near as elaborate or complex as the massive yazanin ziggurats, a zhekara of even modest means and standards is a sight of awe. All zhekarin are designed to host thousands of worshipers for weekly sermons and sacrifices, with a great hall for visitors and a offering table for the live sacrifices. Unlike the far larger yazanin, a zhekara is only equipped to carry out minor human sacrifices. Zhekarin can number in the dozens for a particularly large Vespian city or shadikarin, while smaller cities and towns will generally just have one or a handful depending upon the overall population. As a rule, all zhekarin are open both day and night, and offer their services and facilities to the population at any time of the day.
• Izhoneduka – An izhoneduka ("where the dead congregate to rest") is a consecrated place which functions as a cemetery. Erected for deceased Vespians, an izhoneduka serves as a place for the spirits of those returning to visit the mortal plane to congregate. An izhoneduka is typically located on the grounds of a zhekara or yazan, and generally hosts the cremated remains of thousands of Vespians. Any location consecrated by an ionak may function as an izhoneduka. As the Vespians do not believe in eternal damnation, failing to consecrate the grounds of an izhoneduka simply means that it is not an izhoneduka, and Vespian spirits will not congregate to that location. If no izhoneduka exists, then the spirits of deceased Vespians will simply not visit the mortal plane until one is properly established.
• Takinuka – The takinuka ("sacred courtyard") is the main space and temple grounds for a religious complex in Vespia. This area is considered sacred as with the complex, and no violence against fellow Vespians or even slaves may take place within the takinuka. Such spaces follow strict guidelines as to their construction, with black gravel or volcanic sand filling all of the space, and dark stone slabs making up the pathways between buildings and prayer locations. A takinuka is constantly maintained by the resident ionakin who live on the grounds, and also administer services to visiting worshipers who request their aid. All grounds within the walled boundaries of a yazan or zhekara not within a building or structure, is automatically considered an integral part of the takinuka. Purposefully desecrating any part of a takinuka is grounds for immediate death, regardless of the individuals status within Vespian society.

Artwork styles

Vespian geometric patterns

Vespian geometric patterns are a frequent form of decoration utilized by Vespian artists and architects, and which formed over the course of several millennia of Vespian history. The geometric patterns originated from Vespian astronomy and mathematics, and the commonly held religious beliefs that Zhautan created a universe which though constantly in flux, remains orderly and can be understood in a predictable manner. Considered an outgrowth of Vespian art, the geometric patterns invoke the focus on simplistic ornamentation known as veskoesque, and realistic depictions of the environment in a conceptualized form of the human mind.

Vespian bone murals

TBD, or Vespian bone murals, are elaborate works of artistry incorporating bone, stone, and mortar to create long wall-spanning mosaics depicting various scenes be they historic, mythological, or purely artistic. Bones which have been bleached by the sun or with chemicals, and then hardened by various substances created by the Vespians, are arranged in various degrees of details in the form of a large mural, with weapons consisting of bone or steel, placed half-submerged into mortar across a wall. These scenes can span entire buildings both on the inside and outside, and consist of hundreds of thousands of human and animal skeletons. The bones themselves are typically sourced from human sacrifices and criminals, who are "re-purposed" for the mural, and generally take months or even years depending on the scale of the project. Most Vespian boulevards and avenues, themselves typically lowered in ground level, have such elaborate reliefs and murals across their entire length, usually depicting battle scenes, mythological events, and historical moments in Vespian civilization. Many are embossed or have stone and gravel to help decorate the surfaces of the murals, as well as make the skeletons themselves more prominent within the artwork.

List of Vespian corporate houses

• Arkan Construction – Arkan Construction is responsible for all of the vast building schemes and construction projects taking place throughout Vespia and its environs. Arkan is contracted to maintain all of the structures and facilities in Vespia, as it has what can be described as a monopoly on all high-end architects and structural engineers employed by the corporations. In union with TBD, Arkan has helped to develop some of the most innovative architectural and structural developments in Vespia's history.
• Daniva Systems – Daniva Systems is the primary electronics and software manufacturer for the city of Vespia. All corporate houses in the country utilize Daniva electronic components, or in someway run their systems using equipment procured from Daniva. The premium quality and detail of Daniva products is such that other corporations have either found it too difficult or too unnecessary to compete against them, and have thus acknowledged Daniva's prominence as a tolerable trade-off for the vast array of wearable devices, surveillance systems, and computer technology Daniva provides.
• Ejada Group – The Ejada Group is the largest and most prominent of the twelve corporate houses of Vespia. Controlling the banking and finance sectors of the city-state's economy, all wealth flowing through the country must pass through the hands of the Ejada Group. Every bank, every trading house, every loan and line of credit extended to a Vespian, comes from or goes through Ejada, so much so that the state itself is financed in part by the loans provided to it by Ejada. Because of its vast wealth and resources, Ejada through the Zharanokan family has held the seat of Chief Executive for six consecutive terms, or thirty fiscal years, with the current head of state hailing from this corporate house.
• Namakin – Namakin is the sole owner of all communications networks within Vespia, as well as the proprietor of the Universal Grid, or UniGrid, connecting Vespians to one another. Namakin has, as a consequence of its industry, developed close ties with Daniva and TBD, so as to advance their needs and forming into a voting block within the state Syndicate. All state databases are managed by Namakin, as well as the Daniva-made communication surveillance systems utilized by the government for tracking potential dissidents and their supporters.
• Onavo Media Group – Onavo Media Group (OMG) is the foremost news and entertainment provider in Vespia, controlling the majority of the major news outlets, sports arenas, and production companies in the city. Through OMG, the state propagates its views, ideologies, and agendas, and thoroughly manages public perception of negative events and protests through the lens it wishes them to see through. All of the corporate houses employ OMG public relations managers and company actors to whitewash their image as well as their talent in delivering their messages to the public.
• Rodanin – Rodanin is the sole food processing and distribution corporation in Vespia, dominating the food supply for the city-state. All agri-domes in the country are owned wholly or in-part by Rodanin, and in those areas where its ownership is partial, it controls the sell of the foodstuffs that come out of the domes. In spite of its vital role in feeding the millions of Vespians of the state, Rodanin is not as powerful or influential as its opponents, though it remains comfortably secure in its position as people still need to eat.
• Vakora Concern – Vakora Concern is the largest weapons manufacturer and private security company in Vespia, controlling almost all military assets in the country. Responsible for producing all lethal and non-lethal weapons, body armor, combat equipment and drones utilized in military and civilian life, all noteworthy security is provided for by this solitary corporation. Though the other corporate houses employ their own armed security forces, all buy their equipment from Vakora, and the state itself depends on Vakora for defense.

Language

Quotes

Interview with Cadisian celebrity

• Interviewer: So, please tell us something fascinating about your people and nation?
• Cadisian celebrity: Of course. Well, to start off with, we have a name for Vespia.
• Interviewer: Of really?
• Cadisian celebrity: Yes, really. We call it "Näm Nól Gin Rŭl Gal".
• Interviewer: Wow, that's a mouthful. What does it mean?
• Cadisian celebrity: Besides Vespia?
• (laughter in the audience)
• Cadisian celebrity: The literal meaning is "the land of black people who fight against everything."
• Interviewer: Doesn't that seem a bit racist? Surely your people would have developed a more political correct term for Vespia no doubt, right?
• Cadisian celebrity: Well you seem to have the idea that everything must be reshaped for PC needs. My people look at everything from a standpoint of reality.
• Interviewer: Do you honestly believe that the Vespians fight against everything like animals?
• Cadisian celebrity: First off, it's not what I think, but what my people and your people know to be fact. Have you honestly never read a history book regarding the Vespians from the last twenty years? Second, I believe that any group of people, Vespian or not, who built a stone age religion on the basis of sacrificing children to a death god is a nation of animals.
• (roaring applause from the audience)

Vespian motivations simplified

"Tell me child, what is best in life? To ride across the desert with your uvoka? No! To feast upon the skin of a succulent manslave? No! I shall tell you! What is best in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women! Bring forth the heads of the yujakin, place them on the smoke and sing of victories and destruction. We have cleansed the land of sin and enrich ourselves through Zhautan's blessings. We are his seed of vengeance against the the land of desecration, and shall drive out the impurities that bring forth malediction against all of mankind. To witness the fulfillment of such divine retribution, to have had a privileged hand in the Lord's work—that is best in life."

"The Vespians live to see death. They live to see those whom they deem 'yujakin'—heathens—exterminated or 'redeemed' through enslavement, for enslavement to the Vespians is to assist with a great cause and the most 'useful' means by which to attain salvation for a heathen. The entire lifespan of a Vespian is wholly devoted to the fulfillment of their divine revelation to sweep clean a universe supposedly sullied by their inferior counterparts. A Vespian will train her body ('her' in the context of the radically lopsided sex ratio in that nation) to its peak capabilities, and devote herself unto death to the destruction of the 'Great Heathenry' as the Vespians put it. Mind you, the Vespians are not evil for evil's sake alone. They are driven to exterminate what they believe a threat to all creation. For that reason, insofar as the Vespian mind is concerned, they cannot be bought and they cannot be reasoned with. They is dead-set on a put of violence and rapacity that only a unified front can withstand. They do what they do because they have reasoned that they must and because they can. And of these two reasons, the latter is the greater, as the Vespians have the means to pursue this course of destruction."

Brief argument between Vespian mother and toddler

• Mother: Kī īx-âho uhâr! (I said sit!)
• Child: Yâd! (No!)
• Mother: Jī-sâved kī âho okö! (Do as I say child!)
• Child: Yâd! (No!)
• Mother: (Continues to shout in Vespian)
• Child: (Beaten with jumper cables in Vespian)

Daughter discussing future with father

• Daughter: Xâxa. Kī šo-nâvo emâru Tujânoxân. // Xâxa. Kī šo-nâvo emâru Tujânoxân. (Daddy. I'm thinking about moving to Tujanozhan. // Father (DIM.). I think (FUTURE) move (ABL.) Tujanozhan.)
• Father: Dumâda. // Dumâda. (Explain. // Clarify (GEN.).)
• Daughter: Kī īx-jeyân evon do šo-yâzur dī-vâkorân. // Kī īx-jeyân evon do šo-yâzur dī-vâkorân. (I always wanted to visit and serve there as a warrior. // I love (PAST) stay and responsible (FUTURE) a (ARTICLE) warrior.)
• Father: Dīr-kâja hun. // Dīr-kâja hun. (An admirable goal. // An (ARTICLE) admirable pathway.)

Ta'Yazakurin introductions

• Announcer: Jâ-Oya No-Voyuk, Xâdīna! (The Princess of Pain, Zhadina!)
• Announcer: Kexona! Arī! Thezân! Ukâya! Xân! Do jâ-vâkorân no-hâyīk nīvânīn, Ârakon! (Kezhona! Ari! Thzan! Ukaya! Zhan! And the warrior from the northern wastes, Arakon!)

Random quotations

• On the role of the firewatchers
  • Jâ-jīvânamunin? To onâvo jâ-vīnkaxânīn? Dun šo-yâzur jâ-vân īmâr no-Xâutan. Jâ-jīvânamunin vâkanīn no-īmâr.
  • Jâ-jīvânamunin? To onâvo jâ-vīnkaxânīn? Dun šo-yâzur jâ-vân īmâr no-Xâutan. Jâ-jīvânamunin vâkanīn no-īmâr.
  • The fire-pits? You know (about) the "Masters of the Shrines"? They (are) responsible (for) the eternal light of Zhautan. The fire-pits (are) symbols of (that) light.
• Tazen's order to punish Rujan for opposition to his rule
  • Šo-arīšu dunīn vâkorânīn jâ-vâkomâr no-Ruxân muzâd jâ-Xona. Emâna yâd emân nok no-dunīn okömârīn, do-voyânka jâ-mâr no-dunīn zokīn xâxanīn. Emâna dunīn zâka emâr Xâutan.
  • Šo-arīšu dunīn vâkorânīn jâ-vâkomâr no-Ruxân muzâd jâ-Xona. Emâna yâd emân nok no-dunīn okömârīn, do-voyânka jâ-mâr no-dunīn zokīn xâxanīn. Emâna dunīn zâka emâr Xâutan.
  • Defeat their warriors in the battlefield of Ruzhan beyond the Zhona. Give no mercy to their citizens, and violate the land of their forefathers. Let their blood flow for Zhautan.
• Vespian propaganda
  • Xâutan jī-onâvo to sâved ton hunītan.
  • Xâutan jī-onâvo to sâved ton hunītan.
  • Zhautan knows you will do your duty. // Zhautan know (PRESENT) you obey your (POSS.) duty.
• Random statements
  • Umo eju röhur? // Umo eju röhur? (Who is that man?)
  • Onâvo uru yöjâkīn do-sâved; kâyun kâ-īxaxon šo-evon. // Onâvo uru yöjâkīn do-sâved; kâyun kâ-īxaxon šo-evon. (Know this heathen and obey; joy through salvation (from life) awaits.)
• Parental interrogation
  • Mother: Yâd, yâd. Âyoka, dumâda. // Yâd, yâd. Âyoka, dumâda. (No, no. Please, explain.)
  • Child: :'(
• Regular interrogation
  • Interrogator: Jī-âho kī ozek. // Jī-âho kī ozek. // ((Just) tell me (what I) want (to know).)
• Vespian greeting to player in Civilization game
  • Evoyun. Kīn âyoka jī-ova tu. So-tu do-ton dīyonīn kâyun vân īxa.
  • Evoyun. Kīn âyoka jī-ova tu. So-tu do-ton dīyonīn kâyun vân īxa.
  • Greetings. It is my pleasure to see you. May you and your people have everlasting peace.
• Vespian surrender for Civilization game perhaps?
  • Kīn nīyen kâ-Xâutan. Ku šo-sâved ton dīyonīn kâ-īxa.
  • Kīn nīyen kâ-Xâutan. Ku šo-sâved ton dīyonīn kâ-īxa.
  • My heart is barren before God. We now serve your people in silence.
• Vespians discover mobilization of enemy forces
  • Eju mârok evon šo-vâkörī kunīn vâkorânīn.
  • Eju mârok evon šo-vâkörī kunīn vâkorânīn.
  • That nation readies to fight our warriors.
• Vespian complaints about disrespect of their culture and religion by their human counterparts
  • Ku yâd ovâdu kâmīn. Ku jī-šuhīdu to, to jī-šuhīdu ku. Eju xâhon.
  • Ku yâd ovâdu kâmīn. Ku jī-šuhīdu to, to jī-šuhīdu ku. Eju xâhon.
  • We do not ask for much. We respect you, you respect us. That is all.
• Tazen Jadojazhautak IV during his first speech to the Imperial Hazakiyon following his enthronement
  • Kī onâvo to sâved. // Kī onâvo to sâved. // (I know you (will) obey.)
• Call to attention before blood sport executions
  • Šo-īxâk kīn okökīn, šo-īxâk. Xevok jâ-uzâkīxa!
  • Šo-īxâk kīn okökīn, šo-īxâk. Xevok jâ-uzâkīxa!
  • Silence my children, silence. Behold, the execution!

The Star-Spangled Banner

Imperial Vespian (Zhovaka)	Transliteration	English translation
First verse
Âho to jī-ova, no-īmâro âyn īva, Eju tâ ku âho jâ-vīhono īxon jīvâk, Ovöda kâ-Tâvīna, ku uhâr īx-âyoka, Râvan Xâutâna, īx-emâna ku dī-mârok! Jī-vâkör ku sâved, kunīn xīân jodön, Do-uru kunīn vâka: 'Xâutaka Xīân.' Hâk, ova eju xâya vâka evon jī-öhīdu! Jâ-mâr no-dīyonīn do-kuma jâ-dâkīn.	Âho to jī-ova, no-īmâro âyn īva, Eju tâ ku âho jâ-vīhono īxon jīvâk, Ovöda kâ-Tâvīna, ku uhâr īx-âyoka, Râvan Xâutâna, īx-emâna ku dī-mârok! Jī-vâkör ku sâved, kunīn xīân jodön, Do-uru kunīn vâka: 'Xâutaka Xīân.' Hâk, ova eju xâya vâka evon jī-öhīdu! Jâ-mâr no-dīyonīn do-kuma jâ-dâkīn!	Say (can) you see (PRE.), of morning's first light, That greatest we speak (at) the night's dying fire, Blessed by (the) Great Spirits, we remain satisfied (PAST). Pray (to) Zhautan, (who) gave us a nation. Campaign (PRE.) we (shall) do, our (POS.) faith (is) truth, And this (is) our (POS.) sign: '(In) God (is our) Faith.' Yes, see that starry banner stand (PRE.) defiantly! The land of (the) people and home (of) the mighty!
Second verse
TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD	TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD	And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country, should leave us no more? Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Henok Tazen Hayik!

Imperial Vespian (Zhovaka)	Transliteration	English translation
First verse
Henok Tâzen Hâyīk! Xâk No-Xâxanomâr! Henok Tâzen! Dâk jī-kunīn Xâu'Mâr! Âyoka īx-kâyun! Henoduka Xâutân! Henok Tâzen! Dâk jī-kunīn Xâu'Mâr Âyoka īx-kâyun! Henoduka Xâutân! Henok Tâzen!	Henok Tâzen Hâyīk! Xâk No-Xâxanomâr! Henok Tâzen! Dâk jī-kunīn Xâu'Mâr! Âyoka īx-kâyun! Henoduka Xâutân! Henok Tâzen! Dâk jī-kunīn Xâu'Mâr! Âyoka īx-kâyun! Henoduka Xâutân! Henok Tâzen!	Praise (the) Tazen's crown! Lord of (the) Fatherland! Praise (the) Tazen! Mighty (is) our Godrealm! Satisfied (with) joy! Glory to Zhautan! Praise (the) Tazen! Mighty (is) our Godrealm! Satisfied (with) joy! Glory to Zhautan! Praise (the) Tazen!

Dialects

• Vespian dialects
  • Imperial Vespian: Xâu'Mâr No-Veskoyâno Tâzeno No-Voyâšono
  • Colonial Vespian: Xhaao'Maar nuuVezkoyaanu Taazenu nuVoyaashonu

People

Individuals of note

Aduyaka Zevanokan

This name uses Vespian naming customs; the caste name is Ion'Rek, the house name is Zhe'Ruzhan'Jivashomaro, and the patronymic is Muzhanioka. The given name is Aduyaka, and the family name is Zevanokan.

Ionak Aduyaka Zevanokan
Âduyâka Zevânokân
TBD for Odamar
Incumbent
Assumed office XX XXX XXXX
Monarch	Jadojazhauta
Preceded by	TBD
Succeeded by	TBD
Personal details
Born	– Ion'Rek'Aduyaka (Caste name) – Zhe'Ruzhan'Jivashomaro (House name) – Muzhanioka-Zevanokan (Family name) 17 Satak 5944 Ʋ (age 50) Jivashomaro, Ruzhan, Vespia
Spouse(s)	Irakedo Zevanokan (m. 5968 Ʋ)
Domestic partner	Zhasoya Zevanokan (Paramount wife) Ijuyana Zevanokan (Co-wife) Akiya Zevanokan (Co-wife)
Children	TBD
Occupation	Clergy

Ion'Rek'Aduyaka Zhe'Ruzhan'Jivashomaro Muzhanioka-Zevanokan (Vespian: Īon'Rek'Âduyâka Xī'Ruxân'Jīvâšomâro Muxânīoka-Zevânokân, tr. Īon'Rek'Âduyâka Xī'Ruxân'Jīvâšomâro Muxânīoka-Zevânokân; born 17 Satak 5944 Ʋ), is the current representative for the marin of Odamar within the Imperial Hazakiyon of Vespia. She was appointed to the position by Zharuk Tothan VI Azhunaza of Ruzhan to preside over the marin on behalf of the inhabitants of the territory, who requested her leadership based on her service as a priestess for the household.

The twelfth of seventeen children, and the third-eldest child of her father's fifth wife, Aduyaka was never to hold a position of prominence within her family. Consequently, Aduyaka entered into the clergy seeking a means to advance her status, and was accepted as an acolyte to the clergy in Odamar where she would later build her political career. Originally tasked with cleaning the bodies of slain prisoners for consumption by the residents during religious festivals, Aduyaka rose rapidly as she performed her religious duties well. She was eventually assigned to the Uka'Odamar as a professor of the faith for her yavin, where her oratory skills were noticed and promoted by the Ionikon of Odamar.

Over time, Aduyaka was granted more and privileges as a sign of her competency within the priesthood, and was ultimately promoted to the rank of "rek", or "prioress", of the Vyad-Aduvo Zhekara in the neighboring city of TBD, a great sign of trust from the clergy in her marin. As a priestess, Aduyaka never completed the dukori as the rest of her peers, and was initially disqualified from holding a position of power within the government. However, given her performance as a public speaker and religious leader saw Aduyaka evade the traditional requirements for a politician in Vespia.

Ondaro Shikanokan

Ondaro Shikanokan
Ondaro Shikanokan
Born	7 Sadik 5785 Ʋ Zokinkara, Koran, Vespia
Died	29 Kayun 5872 Ʋ (aged 87) Zanishan, TBD, Vespia
Nationality	Vespian
Alma mater	University of Shanijan
Known for	Shikanokan climate classification system
Spouse(s)	Osayana Kanozhona
Children	9

Ion'Kar'Ondaro Zhe'Koran'Zokinkara Arakonioku-Shikanokan (Vespian: Ion'Kar'Ondaro Xe'Koran'Zokinkara Arakonioko-Sikanokan, tr. Īon'Kâr'Ondâro Xī'Korân'Zokīnkâra Arakonīokö-Šhīkânokan; 7 Sadik 5785 Ʋ – 29 Kayun 5872 Ʋ)...

TBD

TBD
File:Male (no image).svg
Born	TBD
Occupation	Anthropologist, explorer, writer
Known for	First foreigner to visit and explore Vespia
Notable work	Veskoya: A Country Unveiled

TBD was a TBD doctor, missionary, and explorer who is best known for having been the first foreigner permitted to openly and freely explore and document his travels to Vespia by the Vespian imperial government. TBD documented all of his experiences and travels within Vespia, and compiled the work into the book Veskoya: A Country Unveiled, which made TBD famous and helped to humanize the Vespian people and their culture. It was through TBD's book that Vespia as a nation became better understood by the wider public, and Vespian religion and culture became more common knowledge among the non-Vespian population.

Notable quotes

• "One must not be so swift or unwise to judge the Vespians as evil, for they are not, at least concerning the common usage of the word. Indeed, they are a people brutally savage in act and in character, and by all regards are devoid of any godly qualities that we would normally ascribe to one of virtuous disposition. Rather, the Vespians simply think on a level that stands apart from the norms of you or I, representing the alien traits and qualities that gave birth to the civilization that rests across the Meridian Ocean parallel to our own. The lives lived by those dark and exotic beings calling themselves the 'Veskoyakin' are as outlandishly incomprehensible to us as our customs and traditions are to them. For one of Kaijin descent, going a day without praising the good deeds of the four rushin is not unknown, nor would one of the Zhou be unduly stressed by the concept of irreligion. But for a Vespian, to not offer up the blood of a pregnant women, nor the male seed strung from a defile youth not yet to be weened from her mother's breasts, is the height of savagery to them. Indeed, we are as incompatible with them as they are to us. And therein, dear reader, is where the divide between our two peoples reside."
• "I recall one awful night, while resting in the Tuvada with a camel patrol of the Zhautakar, the screams of several young men in the prisoners tents echoing forth like knives out of the darkness. I had foolishly assumed to rescue whoever it may be from a dire faith at the hands of the desert creatures, only to rush into the tents into a scene one would not wish upon even the most reviled of men. Within the tent I saw three of the lady warriors feasting upon the still breathing, yet entrapped, enslaved manservant of the commanding aydak. The warrior women were fully set upon the man, ripping and tearing away at his flesh and laughing at his pleads for mercy. We here within Kai-Meridia often speak of the female sex as the fairer of the two, fragile and of almost porcelain nature, to be protected and cherished as one worthy of praise. But these harridans were every bit as powerful as a male of iron resolve and muscle; one of the warriors pinning the poor soul to the ground with but a single hand, while another tore the fingers from his hands with teeth as sharp as obsidian. My recoil of horror had taken hostage their immediate attention, but they returned to their cannibalistic feast; they knew that I, even at my peak strength, stood no chance against their might even one an individual footing. They left me to watch in horror at the manservant's eyes went hollow with the gaze of death. Knowing I could do nothing in my position as a 'guest' of the aydak, I returned to my test to fight off want would be a godforsaken terror of the night, hoping that my life would not share the brutal end of the manservant's."

Veskoya: A Country Unveiled

Veskoya: A Country Unveiled is a recollection of TBD's experiences in Vespia following his capture and enslavement by the Vespians.

Chapter I

In the hope that my words will reach those back home, I have taken up the task of recording all of my experiences in this foreign land. To those who might read my words, my name is <<KAI ORIGIN>>, and I have been enslaved. I am a native of Western Assai, primarily from the nation of Kiradai in the north. While on a trade mission to the lands of Bersania, my ship was blown off-course to the east toward the direction of Vesperia, the Forbidden Continent. Attempts to readjust our course failed in the fierce winds, and black vessels of the Veskoyans intercepted us as we approached the mainland. Many of our men put up an admirable resistance to the Veskoyan warriors as the latter boarded our ship. Many of the men, knowing well the fate that would be faced by our passengers, began striking down many of the women and children, before falling upon their own swords. Some were not as fortunate, as many were apprehended by the Veskoyans, myself included within that number. I will not describe the sights and sounds of what took place once the Veskoyans fully controlled the ship, as the events which unfolded continue to invade my dreams every night without stop. But I will not continue to withhold from you the rest of my tell. Indeed, I shall explain to you the entirety of my time in Veskoya, and the manner in which I came to be a free man once again.

Chapter II

My time begins in the year XXXX in the land of Kiradai, the son of a fishmonger and a tailor of modest means. I was raised with the goal of entering into the business of trade, primarily of goods going overseas given my family's history with the ocean. The series of events that would result in my taking that vessel the day of my abduction is of no importance. All that matters is that I was present on the ship at the time we were blown right into the gaping maw of the Veskoyans. We had the misfortune of being in the path of a great storm that had originated off the coast of Vesperia, damaging our sails and knocking many skilled hands of the ship overboard and without hope of rescue.

Chapter III

I awoke the next day in my cell aboard the Veskoyan vessel surrounded by several other captives to the screams of a man being dragged from the adjoining cells further down the hall. He was not a fellow native of Assai, but had the appearance of a Wittish man of fair appearance. He was screaming at the top of his lungs begging for what I could only assume to be rescue from any of those strong enough to break through the cell doors. Alas, none of us were either in physical or mental fortitude to defy our captors. Once the young man had been taken out of sight, I could hear the sound of what could only be liken to a debate between the Veskoyan crew members. From my vantage point near the walkway, I could see the Veskoyan women with expressions of fear and gesturing toward the storms in the distance; no doubt the very same storms that had blown my vessel off course. What I could surmise from their gesturing was a belief that the storms were no doubt an indication of the gods' fury and desire for some supplication from their followers. My beliefs would prove true as the same Wittish boy we captive witnessed dragged from his cell just moments ago, had his throat ripped open by the teeth of the most senior Veskoyan in the group, and thrown overboard with little effort by the crew. Once the deed had been done, the Veskoyans changed course away from the storm, and toward their homeland, no doubt confident that they would be safe from danger now that their gods had been placated for the time being.

I recall one awful night, while resting in the Tuvada with a camel patrol of the Zhautakar, the screams of several young men in the prisoners tents echoing forth like knives out of the darkness. I had foolishly assumed to rescue whoever it may be from a dire faith at the hands of the desert creatures, only to rush into the tents into a scene one would not wish upon even the most reviled of men. Within the tent I saw three of the lady warriors feasting upon the still breathing, yet entrapped, enslaved manservant of the commanding aydak. The warrior women were fully set upon the man, ripping and tearing away at his flesh and laughing at his pleads for mercy. We here within Kai-Meridia often speak of the female sex as the fairer of the two, fragile and of almost porcelain nature, to be protected and cherished as one worthy of praise. But these harridans were every bit as powerful as a male of iron resolve and muscle; one of the warriors pinning the poor soul to the ground with but a single hand, while another tore the fingers from his hands with teeth as sharp as obsidian. My recoil of horror had taken hostage their immediate attention, but they returned to their cannibalistic feast; they knew that I, even at my peak strength, stood no chance against their might even one an individual footing. They left me to watch in horror at the manservant's eyes went hollow with the gaze of death. Knowing I could do nothing in my position as a 'guest' of the aydak, I returned to my test to fight off want would be a godforsaken terror of the night, hoping that my life would not share the brutal end of the manservant's.