Samar

Overview

The Samari are a pastoral culture turned nomadic, striving to preserve their people in the aftermath of war and deicide. Their Archon, the great plant spirit Preica is dead, destroyed in the war with the Dominion, and their way of life with it--without the influence of Preica to promote growth, the steppes are barren once more. The great capital city of Tikong lies in ruins, crushed under the boot of the Dominion, and the fields have withered and died.

Modern Samar has two somewhat distinct parts: the pastoral areas, separated geographically from the Dominion's influence by the vast steppes, and the border settlements, fighting a guerrilla war with the Dominion to avenge their dead god and the way of life he brought them so their conquest may continue. As a result of this split, the modern Samari are a rapidly changing society, torn in several different directions.

Many of the Samari wish to return to the pastoral ways, forget the death of Preica and live simply in the steppes once more. Others wish to adopt the powers of spirits on a wider scale by using the knowledge of spirits to make their own lives better, rebuilding their cities without the power of Preica. The most radical among the Samari seek to eradicate the Dominion in its entirety, attacking military and civilians alike without distinction, using a variety of brutal and unethical tactics to accomplish their goals. History

The Samari have long been the inhabitants of the western steppes, keeping primarily to small, fairly mobile settlements that followed the movements of herds of sheep and goats.

Leftover Brainstorm Stuff

>Heavily agricultural in the past, possibly with an Archon/equivalent being of some kind in the past focused on agriculture/plants, killed by the other Archies; reason Samar has been so devastated and possibly the reason they keep fighting instead of just leaving. Heavily infantry-bred culture (a la Fremen from Dune) based around fighting a war.

>Been locked in war with the Dominon since before the Falmoran Rebellion/Shattering of the Bridge. The Rebellion distracted the Dominion from the Samarian conquest, leaving the Samari a broken and bloodied people, with little of their former culture surviving.

>Transitioned from peaceful farmers, merchants, and craftsmen to bloody-minded guerilla fighters, becoming more and more of a grudge war fought by nomadic bands of people with deep-seated hatred of the Dominion

>War crimes? Destruction of Dominion spirits in retaliation for their Great Plant Love Spirit's death?

>Heavy Assyrian influence in language/naming conventions, possibly religious aspects as well.

>Astronomy influence as well, allows for tracking of seasons/navigation.

>Large mudbrick structures due to little/no local stone quarries. Agriculture in steppe region made possible by the aid of the great plant spirit (now dead), forcing the Samari to adopt a warrior/nomad culture to survive.

>Nomadic culture? Reconcile with agricultural history/current state of affairs (i.e., hunter/gatherers, livestock, rapid spirit-assisted agriculture, or what?)

>May be reaching out to one of the Dominion's Archons to undermine the War-Archon's efforts, possibly only a separatist movement within the Samari as a whole. Divided culture?

>Attitudes toward spirits? Binding? Pacting? Focus on plant/agriculture/fertility spirits within the culture, or transition away from those?

>Tech level? Past tech vs present tech?