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Kureph is a small city state in the archipelago of Arkoph. This is a document compiling its sociological, political, and economic history for the purposes of giving me a good understanding of the wider society in Arkoph.

Kureph is a name with a simple explanation. Ku is the Arkoptic diety of the sea. Reph is a word meaning town. Thus, a literal tra nslation into English would be “Ku’s Town”

MYTHIC AGE 0 - 300

In the neolithic, around year 0, Arkoptic peoples existed as nomadic hunter gatherers. Over time, they settled down around reliab le sources of food. Kureph was originally settled because its location at the mouth of a river leading into the sea gave it acces s to a reliable source of fish. Additionally, the hilly forests are rich in game and edible plants. The nearby mountains were a b arrier that kept them mostly isolated. The town was originally not refered to by any official name, as instead the inhabitants wo uld just refer to their people as the Metics, and the town was the spot where the Metics were.

The Metics were a small tribe which consisted of 10 clans or around 300 people. Each clan had around 30 members and 60 sheep. The sheep were enough to clothe them, but not enough to sustain their entire caloric needs, so they also had to rely on hunting, gat hering, and fishing. Thus their diet consisted of lamb, catfish from the river, oysters and crabs from the sea, deer, roots, and pik berries.

Marriage within the same clan was not permissible, and so the town kept social cohesion with a sprawling web of marriages between clans. Marriage was considered less of a partnership and more of a business deal where a father or mother would sell one of his children to a different individual. Thus the society was neither patriarchical or matriarchical because the master of the house c ould be either a man or a woman.

Men and women clothed themselves in wool kilts, held to them with leather belts. In the winter they would wear longer wool tunics . Men were expectedc to have long hair and beards, and not being able to grow facial hair was embarassing. Women had equality and were expected to cut their hair short to avoid it getting in the way. Bracelets, necklaces, and head dresses made of bone and se ashells were common, and the heads of clans often wore them to show their elevated status.

During this early age, houses were made of waddledaub created from twigs, mud, and the manure of their sheep. They were built far apart and usually close to the river. Periodic floods caused by mountain snow thawing at the end of winter would destroy their h omes occasionally. Most homes were small, containing only a single room complete with a firepit, bedding, and a shrine to the nat ure forces they worshipped. The elders of the clans lived in larger houses that served as granaries and primitive forts in case o f a monster attack.

The people worshiped a pantheistic spirit of the land called Kophti, who they believed they could manipulate through good behavior into giving them good bounty from the forests and their livestock. During the winter the bounty of the river and the sea was the main source of food, and the Metics slowly came to worship the sea as opposed to the earth. This was the earliest begining of their worship of Ku, though at the time the God was more of a pantheistic force called Vaw. Their religion centered around the conflict between Kophti and Vaw, as acting according to one could mean throwing the other out of balance. While Vaw was most importa nt for preventing starvation, Kophti was relied upon for all of their higher needs and luxuries. Over the course of the next 10 g enerations, or 300 years, Kophti and Vaw came to be viewed as spirits omnipresent over their purview, as oppsed to mindless and m agical forces. In their mythology, Kophti would appear as a bald old man wearing a wool tunic and much beutiful jewelry made of b one. He was calm, watchful, and permissive, but could also slump into heartless apathy if he was not appeased, leading to draught s that would reduce the bounty of the forest, long winter, as well as still births and plague. Vaw on the other hand was a more p assionate God willing to give vast gifts of seastuff, but could very quickly be thrown into divine anger leading to terrible stor ms and floods. The two gods would eternally feud over control of the sky, because while Vaw controlled the weather, Kophti contro lled the seasons.

They made slings, spears, and canoes which they rode up and down the river as well as into the sea, though they never strayed far from land. It was quickly discovered that the crabs they caught in their traps stained fingers and fabric blue. Blue clothes bec ame a mark of considerable status, with only the patriarchs or matriarchs of clans being allowed to wear all blue clothes. It was discovered that the blue dye could be put on the tip of a bone needle, which could be used for primitive tattoos. These tatoos w ere very common, and consisted of bands around the limbs and horizontal lines on the forehead to mark kills of the dangerous mons ters that would sometimes attack homes or even the entire community. Women were not allowed to have tattoos, which represented th e very start of a developing patriarchy. Over time family leaders became more culturally willing to trade their daughters than th eir sons, though matriarchs still sometimes led families and even clans.

Tigers were the most feared predator, because of their stealth and incredible strength. They were also sometimes terrorized by be ars and drakken. The drakken were capable of causing immense damage with their voracious appetites and terrible strength, but the ir lack of subtlety made them the easiest to defend against once they organized themselves into a militia. Each man or woman in charge of a family was expected to be prepared to defend the community with a spear, a dagger, and a sling. The militia was led by the archon, who was elected by all of the heads of the clans.

The place was rather prosperous, and by the end of the era 1000 people and 2000 sheep. It became a truly vast, sprawling community that followed the river and the coast of the sea. For miles and miles roaming herds of sheep could be encountered led by shepherd boys or shepherd girls.

By the year 300, the Al’Vara who lived on the peninsula of Vara across the sea discovered copper working, and travelers would occ asionally walk the long distance across the coast to trade with the Metics for wool, bone jewelry, and seashells for copper tools and copper jewelry. This was the earliest begining of the copper age for the land of Arkoph.

To recap, the Neolithic Metics were an egalitarian but hierarchical people with a religion consisting of two gods that were also omnipresent forces of nature. They were neither patriarchical or matriarchical, though a patriarchy was developing.

COPPER AGE 300 - 1000

Over the next hundred years, a lot changed for the Metics. The Al’Varans invented war canoes, which they used to raid the prosper ous metics to get food for their desolate desert villages. Rather than only organizing defence against monsters, the archons beca me true military leaders who defended against raids and led their own counter attacks against their Al’Varan enemies. These raids brought back prisoners who became the very first slaves, called phrals. These Al’Varan phrals had darker skin and a culture that required them to be bald regardless of gender. They worshipped a god of death and rebirth called Aroo. Their language was a lot smoother, making them sound like they were mumbling from the Metic’s point of view. In summary, the phrals looked different, thou ght differently, sounded strange, and had a religion which disturbed the Metics. Combined with the generational grudge of the rai ds where Metic warriors probably lost women and children to, it isn’t hard to understand why they were such cruel oppressors of t heir new slaves.

In general, phrals would be owned by the clan elder, who would dole them out to members of his clan as needed. These slaves were made unwilling members of the clan, but they had only the responsibilities, and none of the special priveleges and rights afforde d to the other members. In this way, the growing class sytstem was solidiefied even further.

Immigrants from Vara and other areas began to move in to the land of the Metics, where they built a town next to the growing copper mines in the hills called Motireph, meaning mine town. These immigrants were not members of the established clan system, yet they lived in the lands of the Metics. The Al’Varans were a distrusted minority, and were often made into phrals as punishment for even minor crimes. There was the widespread belief that the interests of Al’Varan residents were not aligned with the rest of the population, and in 307 they were all enslaved by the Archon Meti the Liar.

The ethnically Arkoptic immigrants made up the majority of the population during the Copper Age. The rugged land around the land of the Metics was difficult, but not impossible to travel through by foot. The rough topography led to most immigrants ultimatley hailing from the surrounding islands between Vara and Arkoph, but they were all ethnically Arkoptic. Their island heritage caused them to nearly universally arrive at the city worshiping a god similar to Vaw. His name was Ku, and he was a god as opposed to an omnipresent force. Ku and Vaw would combine over the next few centuries to create a more personal god that still retained his omnipresent power. Thus, the immigrants living in the land of Metics became known as Vawdi, as opposed to Vawdic which would have sounded much too respectful to address the underclass of foreigners.

Vawdi were not allowed ownership of phrals, and could not own herding land or boats. They often worked as miners and lived in Motireph, but those that were craftsmen or farmers built a community at the center between the sea, the river, and Motireph. This town of craftsmen and farmers became known as Ireph.

Ireph became very populous and was home to many colorful people such as fortunate phem clad in silk togas bought from Vara, Vawdi wearing wool tunics bought from their masters, and even tattooed slaves wearing kilts and carrying out their labor with tired eyes. Just outside of the city was the Temple of Ku, which stood on the edge of a colossal cliff on the edge of the ocean. The priests would often come down and sell their charms which were said to bring great luck. They could bless many items presented to them with Ku’s luck. The greatest warriors in the land of the Metics wore as many of their charms as they could.

A great sense of resentment permeated through the Vawdi communities over the question of the phrals and their rights. Some of the Vawdi felt that the phrals made a good ally against their Phem oppressors, while other Vawdi were simply bitter that they weren’ t allowed to own slaves themselves. The class system fully developed by the year 500. At the very top was the Archon, who was elected by the Oligarchy of Elders. The Elders ruled over their clans, which were populated by the noble Phem. The Elders owned the phral slaves and gave use of their l abor to the Phem, but still retained official ownership over all Phrals. Beneath the clans, was the class of immigrant Vawdi. The Vawdi lived in the crowded and diseased urban centers while the Phem lived in the magnificent rural countryside in the hilly pasturelands, clean river, and bountiful sea. By this time, around 5000 people and countless livestock lived in Metic lands, incl uding 2000 people in Ireph and 1000 people in Motireph. In particular, Motireph was a hotbed of strife and anger towards the ruling class of Phem. The First Phral War was less significa nt than the first, and occured because wealthy Vawdi were angry that they were being outcompeted in copper mining by Phem who com manded armies of phral miners. The rebelion was quickly crushed, but became a part of the collective consiousness of the Vawdi wh ich reminded them that the Phems did not have absolute power. In the mines, phrals and Vawdi worked side by side hauling copper and silver boulders off mountains, and digging open pits in the hills dirt to find deposits underground. By the 600s, outcrops of copper ore on the arid hills had been mostly depleted. The Phe m responded by having their workers and slaves dig pits to find the ore. While clans owning land in the Mountains could still lo$ k for raw deposits on the surface, these hill people had to dig. When the open pits became less profitable, they began digging th e world’s very first tunnel mines. These places were horribly dangerous quagmires where casualty rates were high. The Motoireptic Vawdi had had enough by this point, and enough of them were finally willing to join the phralls in overthrowing their Phem masters.

In the year 650, a charismatic and wealthy Vawdi prophet claimed to hear the voice of Kophti along the wind. The priesthood was only open to Phem, so the upper class dismissed him as a lunatic. The Prophet of Kophti (named Piktimot) led an army of miners that were quickly able to seize control of the hills, plundering the Phem herds of sheep that the Vawdi had always covetted. Against the advice of his lieutenants, Piktimot granted phrals freedom and equal status to the Vawdi. From the hills he beseiged the actual city of Motireph until the starving population overthrew the governor and opened the gates to Piktimot’s army. The Phem population was exiled, the phralls were once again freed, and Piktomot declared himself as a prophet acting on behalf of Kophti, who appeared to him in the aspect of a drakken.

For the first time, large amounts of phrals moved into the city center, adding a new ethnic group to the urban area. Motireph was a sprawling set of wood, waudle, and even some marble buildings. At the center of town was the Oracle of Kophti, who could predict the future, as well as harvests. She and her priests were the only Phem not expelled from the city. They became a source of frequent opposition for Piktimot the Prophet King.

Piktimot’s reign ended after 40 years when he relinquished control of his kingdom and leadership over the war to his daughter I’armit. He snuck into the town of Ireph with a team of his closest friends and followers, but was captured when his lover betrayed him. He was unceremoniously killed in the Massacre of the Martyrs. His lover Judic became the cultural symbol of an untrustworthy woman.

At the same time, the enslaved phralls finished building the Acropolis of Kureth. It was a huge fortified palace with a population rivalling the two other cities. The most prestigious The Elders along with the most prestigious Phem would leisurely enjoy the profits of their farms and fleets while less noble phem managed them and strived to be promoted.

40 years of war had devastated both lands, and Piktimot would immediatley accept hard fought surrender terms with the Phem. The Motiroptic people would be allowed to keep their nominal independence, but would submit to alliance with the Phem. The Motiroptics would pay a tribute that was harsh enough to be noticed, but not so harsh that it crippled them. Phrals in Motireph would remain free and slavery would be illegal in its borders, but Vawdi in Kuroptic lands would finally gain their right to own phrals.

Many Vawdi travelled to Kureph to purchase phrals from the Elders there. After aquiring their new property, they immigrated to Ireph. The population of Motireph decreased during this era, allowing for Kureph to extract greater tribute.

The rebels were never able to secure control of the mountains, which remained in Metic hands. The Metics lamented the initial loss of Motireph, and sent an army to retake it. Again and again, they were driven away. The loss was traumatizing to the Elders, who began to stop fighting amongst themselves and began working together.

The remaining 300 years of history are a repetitive series of civil wars in which Motireph will again and again fail to gain its independence. With both cities weakened, Ireph will rebel and force an alliance upon both cities. Ireph establishes a Democracy where every Vawdi and free Phral had the right to vote, but not the Phem or the slaves. Kureph, Motireph, and the nobles in the countryside all rose up in revolt, securing independence for both Motireph and Kureph.

During this time, the Al’Varans present in Vara began to trade more with the Metics, though their piracy did not cease. A few of them moved in to the Land of the Metics and used their wealth to attain citizenship everywhere except for Kureph, where the old order still reigned.

Thus, the Copper Age ended with the Metics living on a semi arid forested coast divided amongst 3 tumultuous city-states. The Ireptic Phem became a persecuted minority, and were not allowed to return to the lands they owned, because they were seized by Vawdic traders. Free phrals began to settle along the whole coast, slowly prospering as small farmers, A few of them even became wealthy. This era of civil war and revolution destroyed the Phem, Vawdi, and Phrals as economic classes, as membership in any particular category did not confer economic status. In the future, they would begin to be thought of more as ethnic groups. There was still a caste system, though each city state had a different society.

LONG WINTER 1001 - 1100

Kureph was still the smallest city, but its wealthy population had ballooned to 5000. Motireph had a similar population of 6000. Ireph dwarfed both of them at 10000. The entire Land of the Metics had around 30000 people, making up the bulk of the population for all of Arkoph, which was still quite rural by comparison.

By this time, the four ethnic groups present in the Land of the Metics had started to look different. The Al’Varans were black, bald, and had brown eyes. The few of them who grew hair were usually blonde or red. They were mostly very rich or related to someone wealthy, and were often merchants. They dressed in thin silk tunics but wore wool togas over them in winter. Black was a common color, along with dark greys and the occasional blue to show status. Jewelry would not be present on an Al’Varan, with the exception of piercings made of precious metals. They primarily worshipped Aroo the God of death and rebirth. A few scattered sorcerers among them could practice necromancy.

The Phem living in the countryside were farmers, who were sometimes rich and sometimes poor, but the richest landed aristocrats remained Phem. They only wore wool during the winter, and dressed in cotton tunics along with kilts as undergarments. Blue clothes were a sign of wealth, but most people dressed in browns and whites. Gorgeous jewels would adorn the hair, ankels, wrists, and clothes of any Phem who could afford to show off their wealth. They were pale, with black hair and eyes that could be blue, green, yellow, and in rare cases magenta. The Phem populated the priesthood, as even in this era only Phem were permitted to learn the ancient knowledge needed to commune with the Gods. Kophti became supplanted by the worship of Jud, who was believed to be Kophti’s son. The priests of Jud made great diviners and oracles, and the priests of Ku were the most powerful enchanters in Arkoph.

The Vawdi often wore brown or red clothes dyed with magnetite. Their skin was tan to peach. They dressed like the Phem, but less of them could afford jewelry. Those that could afford it dressed in blue. They did not have a heritage of anything but common magical knowledge, and so most great alchemists were Vawdi, giving them a lot of good doctors also. It became the fashion among Vawdi to be clean shaven. Women would let their hair grow long.

Phrals looked like the Al’Varans but brown instead of black. They grew their hair, and had no cultural requirment to shave their heads. They are often poor and dressed in flax, or cotton tunics. Wool is a mark of status among them, and they often dye it black with small quantities of squid ink, which was also prestigious. A few of them are able to practice necromancy. Like the Phem, Phrals prefered to grow beards and women cut their hair short.

In 1001 The Al’Varan pirate and necromancer Grixis the Black from the distant city of Illiethan landed upon the beaches and marched into the hills to lay seige to Motireph. After a year, the city could hold out no longer and surrendered. Grixis was by far the most powerful necromancer ever to step foot in Arkoph. His army of skeletons and zombies was so immense, that they double the city’s production of goods. The general population of the city saw no improvement in their quality of life, and Grixis’ decree that all the dead must be brought to him so that they may be raised made the population suspicious and fearful. When he decreed that all newborn children must be sacrificed to him, the people rebelled and burnt him at the stake. Afterwards, they scattered his ashes so that he could never resurrect himself to once again terrorize the land.

At the same time, Kureph and Ireph were embroiled in a bitter war to try and force eachother into subservient alliance; they were unable to take advantage of Motireph’s weakness. When Kureph finally won the war, they forced Ireph to expell half of its population to the countryside and slums of Kureph, and appointed a second archon to supervise the Democracy of Ireph. Ireph still remained nominally independent, and the Archon immediatley declared war on the Archon of Kureph that had just created his position. This became known as the Time of Kings. Kureph’s infastructure buckled under the immense weight of all of the migrants, and the glorious palace at the center of the city became surrounded by slums for as far as the eye could see. The Great Fire raged in the year 1040, destroying most of the outer city.

Overall, the urban areas were gradually depopulated in this era before the coming disaster even began. The populations of all of them were cut in half, because so many had died or moved away.

In 1057, an asteroid obliterated the Al’Varran city of Illiethan, leaving behind a smoldering, flooded crater and creating enormous tidal waves that devestated Kureph in particular. It lost the war with Ireph and was forced to accept an alliance in which it was the junior partner. There was no time to celebrate, as ash rained from the sky. The skys were blackened, and even once the sun returned the air became cold and dry. The rain was red like blood, some even say that it was blood. For 40 years all of the world was plunged into a dark winter that did not end. This was known as Long Winter. Famine and disease devestated the population of all Arkoph, and the cities became villages surrounded by the remains of their ancestors. The waudle and wood buildings collapsed from lack of maitenance, and only the marble and clay buildings remained.

THE DARK AGE 1100 - 1300

Long Winter subsided, but the society of Arkoph was destroyed. They would never again reach the height of civilization and glory that they did in the Copper Age.

The secrets of writing were forgotten by everyone except for the priests and scribes. Settlements went back to something resembling their copper age populations - Motireph at 3000, Ireph at 4000. Kureph was completley abandoned except for the palace and the Temple of Ku, which were populated by the Elders, the richest Phem, and the most elite priests of Ku. Kureth still controlled the largest amount of the countryside in the Land of the Metics.

Bronze trade goods from Varra began to make their way into Arkoph. Al’Varran swords in particular were highly prized, along with mail armor and helmets. Most warriors still fought unarmored with copper maces and metal-tipped spears. Those who were neither wealthy or poor wore basic breastplates made out of sheets of bronze.

Most of the history of the Dark Age is forgotten, but it is known that the three city states have vied for control of the entire region through war and politicing throughout the entire era.

PRESENT TIMES 1301+

It is a rare time of peace in the Land of Metic, after years of war all three of the cities have retained their independence. A necromancer pirate from Varra is heading to Arkoph with ill intent.