Vassgonia langauge and history

[Beowuuf]

Here's something else that used to be up on the LWRPGoL, it was KL's guide to Vassgonia that was posted for his game

Just incase it was lost in the crash, here was what I recovered for interest



Vassan for "Vakeros" = banou (bah NOO) Plural nouns add -ta
...word ends in vowel = banouta

"of <noun>" = add a- to the noun
...word begins in consonant = a- (pronounced AH)
...word begins in vowel = az- (pronounced OZ)
Example: "of Vakeros" = a-banouta

"of the <noun>" = add tas- to the noun
Example: "of the Vakeros" = tas-banou


DATES:
2514 - Elder Magi hit with plague - Vassagonia did not attack (reason?)
2829 - Durenor settled, Vassa refugees move to Cloeasia --> This means Vassa was around well before 2800
2950 - Cloeasia formed (LW Oasis)
3055 - Maakengorge forms
3074 - Casiorn formed (due to Maakengorge?)
3434 - Sommlending arrive
4301 - Kakushi tribe break off and form Kakush (LW Oasis)
4390 - Revolt against Zakhanate failed
4400 - Contract with Talons of Rashuur protects Cloeasia after a decade of attacks
4451 - Rise of Empire
4551 - Rise of Empire according to Magnamund Companion
4650 - "Great Alliance" with Sadi (LW Oasis)
4702 - Great Khordaim War
?4750 - Anari founded? (LW Oasis: "The natural protection afforded by the Chah Mountains has enabled Anari to repel hostile Vassagonian armies for over three centuries. It was once a much larger state which stretched to the borders of Casiorn, but defeat at the hands of the Black Zakhan reduced their territories by half.)
4771 - Death of Black Zakhan
4780 - Vassagonia almost annexes Kakush, but stands down
4860 - Sadi wage war on Shadaki
5001 - Contract with Talons set to expire (reason for 600 years is a "generational" contract from the Zularra bloodline--he has no heirs)

Possible Conclusions:
-Vassa dominated the land before the arrival of the Durenese, Sommlending, Nael, and Aluvian.
-Territory under Vassan control included all desert regions, northern Slovia, Southern Magnamund (including Ruanon), Wildlands, Cloeasia, Maakenmire, Durenor
-Expansion spread northward and westward after primary settlements
-Vassa tribes were territorial outside the sands.
-What is now Anari and Kakush did not border the empire.
-Trade stopped conquest at one time, possibly to fuel more conquest
-Something caused the empire to pull out of the following areas:
...Durenor (under Vassa rule, but place for exiles and refugees): invasion of the Durenese
...Sommerlund (buffer between Darklands?): arrival of the Sommlending, possible Kai involvement forced removal from Ruanon
...Slovia: powerful Nael and Aluvian fighting tactics? Civil war?
...Wildlands: Maakengorge formation
...Maakenmire: Maakengorge formation
...Casiorn: presence of Kai to north and Slovian to south emboldened Casionese, declared independence, allowed to do so through black tax
- The impediments to expansion forced the empire to grow the only direction it could: south.
- Anari horsemen learned heavy cavalry techniques from Slovians

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NATIONS AND RELATIONS WITH VASSAGONIA:
Anari - Vassan descent, Children/Sons of Anar fled through Chah Gap from "Seven Cities", must have been founded very early

Note: As of MS5050, Slovian mercenaries are 70% of Dabudei's army (LW Oasis) [this fits with the massacre of TEoME]

Casiorn - founded in middle of Vassa tribe trade routes, fortified city-state, annexation by empire under Black Zakhan halted due to "black tax"

Cloeasia - founded by refugees of Vassa descent (Haffan the Black Cowl and exiled nationals), grew in Empire's shadow for 200 years (pre-4390), Talons hired by contract that renews each generation?, Talons being lured heavily by Black Army of Vassagonia to betray Cloeasia in 5001

Note: As of MS5050, Cloeasia is 1/5 original size with 1/3 original population (LW Oasis)

Dessi - no direct war connection with Vassagonia, Elder Magi are less than 500 in number, protectorate are the Vakeros, Vassagonia fears the Elder Magi...for now

Durenor - Settled in 2829, refugees from Vassa moved to Cloeasia to flee the expansion

Firalond - nation with good economy helps fund Anari and Kakush in thwarting Vassagonia, Zakhan plans to sabotage this cash flow

Kakush - "Sister" nation of Anari that fled Vassa's Seven Cities, used to have straight NE border, Vassa invasions chipped it away, garrison along Vassa border, close economic ties with Dessi (for protection), at one time did NOT border Vassagonia

Slovia - fierce enemy of Vassagonia, possibly lands once inhabited by Vassa tribes before Nael and Aluvian arrive

Sadi - related to Vassa people, unified in S.Mag. at one time

Shadaki - founded by Vassa settlers, now at odds with Vassagonia

Wildlands - formerly Northern Cloeasia, laid waste by Maakengorge formation

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REGIONS OF MODERN VASSAGONIA:

Dahir Crescent - large cities, includes Dahir range and coastal cities from Cloeasia to Dessi

Koneshi Crescent - unstable military area, like desert Siberia, tense skirmishes

Dry Main - nomadic tribes wander here with ease, making money in two ways: transport of trade goods and transport of people

Western Reaches - primarily chaotic, rule of might, area where lords are granted lands, far enough away from the heart of the Dahir Crescent that the law is flexible or nonexistant

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Combat uniform distinctions:

Anari - Brown Sash
Casiorn - Purple Sash
Cloeasia - Green Sash
Vassagonia - Red Sash
Kakush - Blue Sash
mourning - Black Sash
surrender - White Sash

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DIALECT DISTINCTIONS:

Casiorn - none, straight Vassan
Anari, Kakush - "southern" Vassan
Cloeasia - "simplified" Vassan

Example:
Vassan for "little sister" = kascha-d'niri (KAH SHAHD near ee)
Anari for "little sister" = kascha-niri (kah shah NEAR ee)
Cloeasia for "little sister" = Kascha (KAH SHAH, used as a name sometimes)

Vassan for "Vakeros" = banou (bah NOO)
Anari for "Vakeros" = banou (BAN oo)

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VASSAN LANGUAGE IN GENERAL:

Singular nouns are as is (banou, kadin, oud, tajit)
Plural nouns add -ta
...word ends in vowel = banouta
...word ends in consonant = kadin-ta
...word ends in d or t = ouda, tajita


"of <noun>" = add a- to the noun
...word begins in consonant = a- (pronounced AH)
...word begins in vowel = az- (pronounced OZ)
Example: "of Vakeros" = a-banouta

"of the <noun>" = add tas- to the noun
Example: "of the Vakeros" = tas-banou

"son of <name> = add al- to the name
Example: Ihmra'zir al-Marash

When married, women become <name> "of" <husband>
Example: Zari az-Ihmra'zir (ZAH ree oz EEM rah zeer)

Colors denote derogatory terms:
banou = blue (Vakeros)
ky-banou = old blue (Dessi)
otai = green (Kai)
akanai = silver (northern Knight or armored person, synonymous with "one who hides from danger" due to the use of metal as a barrier instead of a weapon)

[Maerin]

Couple comments/edits:

"-Territory under Vassan control included all desert regions, northern Slovia, Southern Magnamund (including Ruanon), Wildlands, Cloeasia, Maakenmire, Durenor"

I am guessing that should be "Southern Sommerlund" or "the Southlands", not "Southern Magnamund" (considering the reference to Ruanon).

"...Sommerlund (buffer between Darklands?): arrival of the Sommlending, possible Kai involvement forced removal from Ruanon"

I think we are a bit too conditioned to the idea of an ongoing and open alliance between Vassagonia and the Darklands, similar to what existed at the time of Zakhan Kimah, because Vassagonia is so often categorized as a "bad guy". In reality, there is little evidence to support that notion. It is just as likely (in fact more likely) that the Vassa were driven back out by the Darklords well prior to the arrival of the Sommerlending. Considering the degree of infiltration by Darklands creatures and influence of the Maakenmire swamp and the relatively lack of value of the Wildlands, it would not have taken much effort to detach the Vassa from these regions.

"...Slovia: powerful Nael and Aluvian fighting tactics? Civil war?"

Most likely they were displaced by sheer numbers, I would guess. The numbers of migrating Vaderish, Aluvian, and Naelan peoples seem quite high, considering the amount of territory they were able to settle, develop, and, apparently, retain long-term. Even if one of those branches was too small to displace the Vassa, all three acting together in Central Magnamund seems more than enough to have done so.

"- Anari horsemen learned heavy cavalry techniques from Slovians"

It should be noted that light/medium cavalry are typically both more sophisticated and more practical for Slovians to have developed (which have both the geography and resources to develop light to medium cavalry, but not the iron resources to transition to heavy cavalry). It is further worth noting that Slovia would not have had to pass anything onto Anari at all, if they remained close allies (as history seems to indicate they did).

[Fallen Angel]

Someone actually saved that? Wow. I love packrats.

[Beowuuf]

glad to be of serivce! ;D

I thought i might want it for the WW, haven't yet as I never gt back to vassgonia!

[writingwolf]

I thought Sommerlund was originally occupied by the Darklords? Admittidly that is Legends lore, so I don't know it counts as canon.

[Beowuuf]

Yes, I think the Sommlending drove the Darklords back then went 'this will do, we'll have this'