Xarzith Silva

The Frozen Forests

Around 50 million population

History
Formation: This tundra moon began by being settled by ice inclined magic users thousands of years ago. It started out as a bunch of independent settlements each ruled by their own chief. They mostly stayed out of each others ways and avoided prolonged contact with other groups.

Sometime around 7000 years ago war was brought to the moon by colonizing groups from the Midden Realm. The scattered groups began to lose ground quickly and several were completely massacred. Desperate, the chiefs all gathered together to save themselves. Of these chiefs, one rose to leadership above the rest, a crystalline bender named Dirika.

With her sharp intelligence, talent with strategy and natural charisma she gathered the factions of Xarxith Silva and created a United nation, which then drove out and destroyed the colonizers.

The chiefs decided to form a council of the chiefs to govern the moon, the titles to be passed on to a worthy heir in each members community. Overseeing this council was Dirika as Great Chief, a role that was passed down her family tree along the maternal line for millennia. Though not formally royalty, the role holds power comparable to that of royalty and is highly respected.

Each chief held an ornamental headpiece as a sort of badge of office, with the Great Chief having a piece made of a specially made crystal shaft only responds to those who rightfully inherited the title.

12 years ago, an outside faction successfully overthrew the council and installed a dictatorial monarchy. Most of the heirs to Dirika's line were killed, and well as several heirs to the other titles.

However, they failed to kill the second heir to leadership, a second born daughter to the ruling chief at the time.

Government
This moon was until the recent usurping, ruled by a council of chiefs from the several regions of the moon nation, with a higher status role held by the line of the Great Chiefs.

Fashions:
Due to its cold climate, fur lined clothing and heavy leathers are commonplace. Crystals are commonly used as jewelry due to the density of crystal aligned magic users. Blues greys and black are the most common colors of clothes, with brighter warm colors tending to be reserved for festivals and ceremonies. Those of the Council wear a single piece of jewelry made of gold and non native gemstones, to signify their status.

Traditions:
It is tradition amoungst the Xarz people to have respect for their realm and nature, and to only use materials that can be renewed for their everyday needs. Every child is apprenticed to a craft once they start adolescence, and are expected to find a way to help the people thrive.

They hold a festival for every month of the year, celebrating the best of what tends to occur during the specific month, such as new life festivals, summer festivals, the solstices and once per year moon phases. These festivals are held the last 3 days of a month.

Religions:
The Xarz place spiritiual importance on respecting nature and living within it, and worship a unique version of the Light and Shade doctrine that focuses on their elemental natures and the cycles of life and death.

Social Taboos and Ideals:
It is strictly forbidden to cause large destruction without reason, and can be punished by exile. Disrespecting others autonomy and identity is one of the worst offenses possible in this society, and rapists suffer the most extreme punishment: To be stripped naked and thrown into the ice-waters and not allowed to emerge.

Geography and Climate
This realm is a tundra climate, and remains cold year round. The summers only get to highs of 60 degrees and gets so cold in winter it is closed to outsiders in the winter months for their own protection.

Full of dense evergreen forests and sprawling mountain ranges, most of the population lives in the valleys of the mountains.