Zurgite Varshan: Difference between revisions

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==History==
==History==
The lands comprising modern Varshan were once inhabited by a variety of different Cronite peoples belonging to several different linguistic families. These peoples, most of which have been lost to history, were all tribally-organised until the early Cronite Bronze Age, when city-states began to develop in the region's fertile river valleys. The area now known as ''Umzàg'' or Central Varshan, emerged as the most heavily urbanized part of north central Crona, possibly as a result of its fertile volcanic soils and geographic circumscription by high mountain ranges.
[[Varshan#History|Varshan]] emerged as the ascendancy of the city of Anzo during an uncertain period of antiquity. Anzo would establish the Varshani state under a system of Zurgs, inaugurating that is now described as "Zurgite" Varshan. The history of Zurgite Varshan is divided into a number of dynastic periods, punctuated by intervening periods of civil war and political decay.
 
The history of Varshan is divided into a number of dynastic periods, punctuated by intervening periods of civil war and political decay.
===Issues===
{{Main|Varshani historiography}}
===Predynastic period===
The history of Varshan proper beings with the arrival of the Varshani (''Waršaŋ''), a migratory tribe of uncertain geographic origin speaking a {{wp|language isolate}} who subsisted primarily by raiding settled societies and hunting. Attracted by the wealthy city-states of Umzàg, the Varshani migrated into the foothills of the Mountains of Terror, from which they launched periodic raids against their neighbours. Initially, the Varshani raided only to capture food, women, and basic materials, and to spill blood in order to honour their gods. However, over time they also took to pillaging valuables, such as precious metals and stones and fine clothes and handicrafts, originally as trophies, but later as luxury goods for their own enjoyment. In order to provide higher standards of living for themselves, the Varshani began capturing slaves for labour rather than exclusively sexual use, and exacting tribute and ransom from communities within striking distance of the foothills rather than raiding them, obtaining wealth that allowed them to engage in trade with the prosperous central city-states. This began a process of acculturation through which the Varshani transitioned away from their traditional migratory raiding lifestyle and adopted many material, religious, and socio-political practices from the settled peoples of the region. This process reached its culmination under the Varshani chief Biji, who after sacking the city of Hoklo, chose to take up residence there instead of returning to his camp in the foothills. Biji renamed the city 'Anzo', and established it as the first Varshani state.
===XXX dynasty===
===XXX dynasty===
===XYZ dynasty===
===XYZ dynasty===
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With the loss of Brudxaan Province, the centuries old [[Venua%27tino#Polar_Captaincy|Polar Captaincy]] collapsed due to the lack of Varshani access to the Sea of Nysdra. Under threat from [[Daxia]]ese presence in [[Cao]], Varshan was forced to withdraw its military forces from the Polar Captaincy in [[1964]].
With the loss of Brudxaan Province, the centuries old [[Venua%27tino#Polar_Captaincy|Polar Captaincy]] collapsed due to the lack of Varshani access to the Sea of Nysdra. Under threat from [[Daxia]]ese presence in [[Cao]], Varshan was forced to withdraw its military forces from the Polar Captaincy in [[1964]].
Coup of the Divines
===Modern interdynastic period===
===Modern interdynastic period===
The modern interdynastic period, sometimes referred to as the "postdynastic period", began with the final fall of the Yun-harle dynasty in [[1970]] and concluded with the fall of Anzo in [[2024]]. The period was characterized by a mostly non-hereditary succession of the office of Zûrg: of the eight men to serve as Zûrg in the period, only one succeeded his father to the office. Contemporary Varshani cultural observers appear to have viewed the period as being ruled by "dynasties of one man" rather than an abolition of the dynastic period, and many of these transitions occurred by circumstance rather than deliberate effort. Four Zûrgs died relatively young, one appears to have been infertile, and the remaining three were either usurped or deposed at the end of the [[Final War of the Deluge]].
The modern interdynastic period, sometimes referred to as the "postdynastic period" or as the "Republic of the Priests", began with the final fall of the Yun-harle dynasty in [[1970]] and concluded with the fall of Anzo in [[2024]]. The period was characterized by a mostly non-hereditary succession of the office of Zûrg: of the eight men to serve as Zûrg in the period, only one succeeded his father to the office. Contemporary Varshani cultural observers appear to have viewed the period as being ruled by "dynasties of one man" rather than an abolition of the dynastic period, and many of these transitions occurred by circumstance rather than deliberate effort. Four Zûrgs died relatively young, one appears to have been infertile, and the remaining three were either usurped or deposed at the end of the [[Final War of the Deluge]].
====Modernization efforts====
====Modernization efforts====
The loss of territory and prestige in the 1960s deeply wounded the Varshani psyche. Once the dynastic civil war had concluded, Varshan in the 1980s and 1990s began to heavily turn to modernization and Occidentalization of its armed forces. Due to its diplomatic isolation, Varshan required an extensive system of money laundering, shell corporations, so-called "talent scouts", and other methods to contract with Occidental experts and bring in Occidental technology and manufacturing capabilities. Foremost among these efforts were attempts to modernize the navy, resulting in a number of Occidental-style shipyards being fully operational by the mid-1980s. Significant amount of [[Second Great War]]-era surplus small arms were imported into the country, and new factories were constructed to refurbish and modernize equipment procured abroad. Domestic arms manufacturing also began in earnest in the late 1980s. Throughout this decade, attempts were made to use {{wp|Varshani_caste_system#Free_Caste|free caste}} labor on an experimental basis. Most of these experiments ended by [[1992]] when protests from various religious authorities and a new ruling Zûrg reinforced the use of industrial slavery.
The loss of territory and prestige in the 1960s deeply wounded the Varshani psyche. Once the dynastic civil war had concluded, Varshan in the 1980s and 1990s began to heavily turn to modernization and Occidentalization of its armed forces. Due to its diplomatic isolation, Varshan required an extensive system of money laundering, shell corporations, so-called "talent scouts", and other methods to contract with Occidental experts and bring in Occidental technology and manufacturing capabilities. Foremost among these efforts were attempts to modernize the navy, resulting in a number of Occidental-style shipyards being fully operational by the mid-1980s. Significant amount of [[Second Great War]]-era surplus small arms were imported into the country, and new factories were constructed to refurbish and modernize equipment procured abroad. Domestic arms manufacturing also began in earnest in the late 1980s. Throughout this decade, attempts were made to use {{wp|Varshani_caste_system#Free_Caste|free caste}} labor on an experimental basis. Most of these experiments ended by [[1992]] when protests from various religious authorities and a new ruling Zûrg reinforced the use of industrial slavery.


An unlikely source of significant technical expertise and skilled foreign labor was the [[Veltorine people]], an ethnic group native to [[Sarpedon]]. The [[Veltorine_people#Life_Abroad_Movement|Life Abroad Movement]] relocated many Veltorines from their former homeland, now ruled by [[Caphiria]], to good-paying jobs in [[Crona]], particularly in [[Quetzenkel]] and [[Varshan]]. As the Veltorines were a stateless people, the Varshani government had an easier time procuring their services; the Veltorines could not be sanctioned by the [[League of Nations]], as they had no nation to sanction. The settlement of Veltorines occurred more heavily in Quetzenkel - in the former Brudxaan Province - but they also established a presence in the far northwestern part of Varshan during the 1980s.
An unlikely source of significant technical expertise and skilled foreign labor was the [[Veltorine people]], an ethnic group native to [[Sarpedon]]. The [[Veltorine_people#Life_Abroad_Movement|Life Abroad Movement]] relocated many Veltorines from their former homeland, now ruled by [[Caphiria]], to good-paying jobs in [[Crona]], particularly in [[Quetzenkel]] and [[Varshan]]. As the Veltorines were a stateless people, the Varshani government had an easier time procuring their services; the Veltorines could not be sanctioned by the [[League of Nations]], as they had no nation to sanction. The settlement of Veltorines occurred more heavily in Quetzenkel - in the former Brudxaan Province - but they also established a presence in the far northwestern part of Varshan during the 1980s.
[[Enslaved relative scam]]
Clandestine support from anti-colonial powers such as [[Ardmore]]


==Geography==
==Geography==