Al-Rumai is a clan of nomadic Varati on the outskirts of Varati lands (that little North West island blob on the map) loosely based on the Islamic Sufis and old-traditional Scandinavian style herd farmers with some Egyptian stuff thrown in, being 'abandoned' so long ago.
Al-Rumai is a tribe of nomads that live in the mountains and lower foothills of that small roundish 'island' on the upper left hand corner of the Varati lands. The mountains they take live in are littered with paths and patches of coarse fodder. The valley is right below and can be seen from some of the small pastures. They are primarily farmers, keepers of livestock, mainly mountain sheep and goats and hardy mountain ponies and horses, traveling with their herds over the mountains, foot hills and pasture lands near the valley to graze their herds on better fodder. They do take to the high mountains occasionally, usually only during the hottest time of the year to cool down. Every so often they scout the side of the mountains that edge the inner and outer lands, keeping not so frequent patrols.
Once in the pasturelands, they live in brightly colored tents that flutter in the wind to allow for coolness. From above it seems like many wildly colored, huge butterflies have to come to land in one giant cluster nearby the dots of their herds. Up in the mountainous areas, they live in caves, with many large enough to hold all the herds and clan together but often the clan will place the herds in a separate connected cave and post guards.
They are peaceful, tolerant, but will defend herds, clan, lands with a fierce will and skill. In beliefs, they are mystical in thought and feeling and worship. See religious beliefs below.
They are a very peaceful people but breed fierce warriors and those that use magic in order to protect their folk and herds from raiders and bandits.
They are a very tolerant people, not looking down upon candala like the inner lands Varati. Indeed, every race is accorded respect, even Empyreans whom they see very rarely. They have a saying. "Give honor and respect to your enemy, for one day you may call them friend." They will respect and offer food to even an Empyrean soldier in need… as long as they are not in the midst of a battle. Sort of like the Klingon ideal of 'let's go forth, kill each other all day, come back and drink ourselves into a stupor together' and the next start it all over again. Innocents, such as women and children are accorded great respect and honor as well, as they are often the ones that lose the most in wars.
As to women, they often have more freedom within the clan than outside. They are allowed, and even encouraged to meet directly the eyes of men and they do not go veiled within the clan anywhere, even before the leader. Outside the clan, the women are highly encouraged to go by whatever customs seem prevalent so as not to attract trouble. They also require the women to wear veils on the outside as well unless the area where they are does not go with this tradition. This is for their own protection, to hide their beauty from those who may wish to steal it.
Rankings within this tribe and families follow loosely along with the lands of the inner Varati. There is a group that would consider themselves Atarvani, hearkoning back to what they were taught by the missionaries come to them a long time ago. Ranks within this priestly group also correspond loosely with the true Atarvani ranks, the words differing a little bit.
More to come (but then again, there always will be).
They tend to range from dark to light skin color, sometimes a darker red-blonde hair with a dark eye color, but rarely light blond hair or light eyes. They tend to be of medium height, ranging towards the upper heights and lanky bodies. Faces tend to be sharp and aquiline, with chiseled features like cheekbones. (Very Egyptian looking in a sense).
They usually wear bright colors, dressing in loose, soft and flowing clothes usually of a light cotton. There are also silks and wool cloths as well for beauty and warmth.
Men: Tend to wear loose, thin cotton pants, very light long sleeved tunics, with loosely styled head wraps and light leather boots when out in the sun. Inside, cave or tent, they wear the same loose pants but with sleeveless tunics without the head wrap and open-style strap sandals. Men will often wear their hair long to medium length, but short is also acceptable. For special occasions they will wear stylized silk pants and silk wrap-jackets and silk slippers.
Women: Tend to wear long, light cotton skirts and long sleeved loose tunics and also employ head wraps and light leather boots when in the sun. Inside, they wear the same skirts with light, mid-arm sleeved tunics (just past the elbow), light cloth shoes and no head wrap but sometimes a scarf or gorgeously designed hair items to keep hair back. Women usually wear their hair very long, sometimes loose and flowing, sometimes pulled or clipped back. For special occasions, they wear delicate skirts and draping, long sleeved tunics or draping robes designed like dresses with silk slippers.
Warriors (men and VERY rarely women) and herders (men and women) travelling through snagging brush will wear the same outside attire but with ties at joints, like knees and ankles, elbow and wrists, keeping the cloth up and out of the way but still allowing for a wide range of movement.
For ceremonies and rituals, both men and women will wear long robed silks with wide loose skirts for twirling and go barefoot to connect more closely to the Earth and the Fire within it.
As to religion, they are like most Varati, but with a deep mysticism to their beliefs. They have a very liberal view and interpretation of the Surahs compared to the western lands.
Around four centuries ago (or whenever the Reign of Fire occurred and a little bit before), some of the Atarvani from the western lands came to this area, discovering a thriving Varati nomadic clan. They taught these Varati the ways of Khalid Atar and Atarism of the time before the end of the Reign of Fire. Al-Rumai took on these beliefs as their own eventually and some of the priest moved on, some stayed. Over the years, centuries really, without any more contact, apparently forgotten, the Atarism that had been brought to them, took on a slightly different form than the current inner lands Atarism.
The Surahs brought to them did not change much, they harkened from the time before the end of Reign of Fire (when many of the Surahs were forgotten and/or distorted) and the Al-Rumai had accepted the original Surahs as something they could integrate into their society. They knew nothing of the changes in how the Surahs were interpreted after the end of the Reign of Fire, keeping to the old and liberal interpretations of them as fitting with their own society. They take the Surahs at face value, with almost literal interpretation of the words. Devotion, Compassion, Respect, Wisdom and Self-Reliance are among the highest of Surahs in Al-Rumai.
Life and Fire are also very important, the Divine Flame being one that can consume and cleanse and remake the soul with deep devotion. They teach their fire-elemental users to become part of the flame they naturally are gifted with as part of meditation.
It would also be important to note that Khalid Atar would be considered a mythical figure for all his Godliness. Anyone finding out he was a real living person would probably be very, very surprised and most likely in a great amount of shock! More to come as I find the research.
Family that Jaihyn was adopted into as an infant was Rahma (named after Ra, the Sun God)
More to come.
Having recently seen several folks from the inner lands pass through the way, they have sent several of their own into Haven to learn of the other Varati out there. Jaihyn is one of these people.
Jaihyn
Jaihyn carries the rank of Ikhinde in his clan (the level of Akhund if he were 'true' Atarvani). He would be considered very liberal amongst the more conservative, after the Reign of Fire Varati. He is a fire-elemental with warrior skills (warrior-priest to be exact). He tends to be rather mild and tolerant of others, but push him and he would have to struggle to keep that in mind and in heart. He would speak with an outland accent and often use words that would be very similar to the Varati language but not exactly like it because of the divergence. He could be understood though without much problem.
He is a tall man, over six feet but not by much, musceled but somehow he seems rather willowy and lanky. Unlike others of his Varati race, he has much lighter bronzed skin than most. Also incongruous to the others is the mop of mostly curly, sort of short, red-blonde hair and the flint grey eyes that don't miss much at all. He does have the sharp, chiseled Varati features to his face however, giving him a slightly predatory cast. All in all, he could be called handsome. He is dressed entirely in red. His loose, flowing pants are tied up at just below the knees and at the ankles, still giving him movement while not being in the way. His upper thigh length tunic is tightened with a heavy, tooled leather belt upon which several pouches hang on the left side. It's hard to tell if this tunic is long sleeved or has no sleeves as over all of this he wears a thick red cloak with a 'mandarin' style collar that he keeps snapped around his throat. He wears simple sandals almost in the tone of the caligae of the Empyreans without the straps crossing up his ankles. Beneath the cloak, there is an odd bulky shape on his right hip. He appears to be in his mid-twenties.
This has changed significantly due to his Outcasting. That updated information to come soon.
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©June 1999
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