Almanac of the Dragonverse
Premye
*Much of what is known to compile this entry comes from the writings of Professor Argus Mathysis who kept a diary of his years living with one of the tribes on Premye. Extracts of his diary are marked below as relevant.
Geography: Geological surveys suggest Premye is one of the oldest worlds, at over 8 billion years old. It is a small, single landmass world with a mountain range that runs north to south, separating the western coastal area where the Portal is located from the plains to the east. The landmass is covered with dense jungle.
Climate: Average temperatures during the dry season is 28C (84F) with 20% humidity. Average temperatures during the dry season is 34C (93F) with 75% humidity.
Biodiversity: Mostly untouched by off-worlders, little is known about biodiversity asthe jungle contains many species of plants that are not known on any other world. Little is known about the possible uses of the plants found here. In addition, Premye appears to contain only birds, insects and fish, with no evidence of mammals or reptiles, though much of this world remains unexplored.
Premyan Natives
Population:The landmass is sparsely inhabited, with a population estimated at 750,000, mostly nomadic tribespeople living east of the mountains.The coastal areas close to the Portal to the west is largely uninhabited. The west side of the mountain appears to have sacred significance and the native people will not venture beyond the mountain pass.
Language: The native people have a small vocabulary of a native language (“Premyan”) but their spoken language is limited, thought to be due to limited development of the vocal chords. Instead, the native people appear to communicate via movements of the fingers (finger-speech or sign language). Their language does not have a written component.
Social Structure: The native people are mostly found east of the mountains in small, nomadic communities. These small groups of extended family members usually have ties by marriage or kinship to other groups that roam a similar area. There appears to be no formal political hierarchy or governing structure among the various tribes. Disagreements are settled at an annual gathering of the tribes at a mountain pass. Violence between the tribes appears to be uncommon.
Lifestyle: The tribes are nomadic and have a regular, annual tour of the lands that appear within their territory. Tribal territories overlap significantly, though different tribes will pass through the same territory at different times of year, minimising the possibility of overlap. Tribes who inhabit similar territories are frequently closely-linked by bonds of marriage, kinship and trade. The native people live in houses built in trees-tops, using ropes and shades that can be put up and pulled down quickly and easily, and carried to the next place. Typically, a tribe will remain in a place for several weeks to two months, before moving on to the next place.
Religion:The native people worship the Dragon-Gods, primarily the Lady Premye, consistent with many of the worlds of the Dragonverse. However, there are some unique aspects of their religion that are not shared by other worlds. The native people appear to have particular attachment to a certain symbol, the reason for which is unknown. The following description appeared in the diary of Professor Argus Mathysis during his year living with one of the native tribes on the east side of Premye:
“The image of three circles surrounded by flames appears to have an almost religious symbolism, although I have not yet been able to determine its meaning. The priests wear the symbol on ropes around their necks and I have also seen it at the annual ritual that occurs at the mountain pass. I have asked several people for a description of the significance of the symbol, but the native people have been reluctant to speak of it. In several cases, the people appeared fearful when I asked questions about and refused to speak to me further.”
Rituals: There is an annual gathering of all the tribes, an event that is called the tithe. It is a week-long event during which the tribes negotiate alliances, plan and celebrate marriages, have priests bless their children, conduct trade and exchange news. On the last day of the gathering, the tithe is collected.The following appeared in the diary of Professor Argus Mathysis during his year living with one of the native tribes on the east side of Premye:
“Each family is required to provide a tithe. It appears to be a religious offering, in that the priests oversee the tithe ceremony. However, since the priests do not collect the tithe, the exact purpose is unclear. It has more in common with ritual sacrifice than a tithe in its true form, but the Lady Premye is not invoked in any way during the ceremony. The symbol of three circles set into fire appears again during this ceremony, apparently to mark the tithe.
“The tithe for each family is their second-born female child, when she comes to the age of 13 years old. The ceremony bears many similarities to a funeral, since the family of each girl being presented is allowed to make a finger-speech to the gathered crowd, usually an expression of love, and memories of her childhood.
“Then all the second born girls are lined up at the entrance to the mountain pass, and the priests give them a drink of fermented native berries. The drink has the appearance of blood, and is drunk by no others during the ceremony, or at any other time of year. After drinking, the girls collapse to the ground, appearing to be dead.
“The family of each girl lays her out on a stretcher and covers her face and body with a cloth, marked with the symbol of three circles set into flames. A priest makes a blessing which marks the end of the ceremony and the gathering. The tribes leave immediately, no matter how late the ceremony lasts, they will not spend another night at the mountain pass. Instead, the tribes journey by night to camp a distance away and mourn the death of their second born girls.
“Little is known about what happens to the bodies of the girls once they have been left on the mountain pass.It appears that the tithing ceremony and the disposal of the bodies of the dead girls is considered taboo.”
End of entry.