The Yakuma live in separate though big tribes, each having a chief, elder council, and spiritual authority.
A typical village might have a chief who handles war, diplomacy, land and disputes. While the elders are the ones who preserve oral history. Shamans and priests are responsible for rituals and interpreting omens.
Most Yakuma are given a variety of tasks while growing up, these are necessary for their development and later they can choose to be a craftsman, farmer, herder, hunters or even traders. But overall, they value strength the most. Having ritualistic, celebration and competition wrestling. Due to this, their diets are rich in protein and healthy fats like barley, fish, sheep and goats, dates and dairy.
The Yakuma are overall respectful people who have learned over the centuries to become more pacific, having a larger build due to their habits and genetics.
The Fracture
Around 300 years ago before the fading. Their civilization was blooming. Men of legend were born and raised there, many who did great tasks and were rewarded by the gods themselves. It was perhaps too much divine intervention for humans to handle. Priests would receive answers to their prayers, kings could ask the gods for rain, warriors would be blessed before battle and the dead could be guided into the afterlife.
Then came the first demigod King. Son of a goddess and the prior king. He was a handsome, tall and very strong fellow. But despite his characteristics he was a tyrant, ruling with arrogance and even forcing the people of the city to build monuments to him. He was so ruthless, he forced jus primae noctis in the city. Making the Yakuma quickly grow tired of their ruler, pleading to the gods to help them, and as they usually did, they listened.
The gods sent into the earth an Elthari man. Tall as a tree and strong as a bull with the horns of one, and a might big enough to pair and rival the king. This Elthari lived uncivilized and among the animals, they listened to him and he protected them. But hearing the rumors of this giant in the woods, the king sent a woman to seduce him. So she did, finding the Elthari man and spending seven days with him, civilizing him and teaching him basic manners. Ultimately she decided to take him to the city, for they had fallen in love and wanted to make their union official. However, the king saw this and decided to claim his primae noctis right, but the Elthari man was not going to let him.
The pair of giants fought relentlessly day and night until dawn, they wrestled with their whole mights in the longest battle of pure strength. By the end, both men were exhausted, and the conflict that had brought them to fight, also brought them closer to each other. They hugged and respected the strength of the other, becoming friends from them on.
Years passed and the heart of the king softened, he was no longer the same tyrant and had now gained a brother. But despite him being partially divine, he began to realize that he was not immortal, he was getting older due to his mortal blood. Worried by this, he told his Elthari friend to help him make their names one of legend. Not being able to refuse, the Elthari man agreed to go on an adventure with the king.
Now the two found brothers set themselves in this adventure, to make their names live forever. Finding a sacred bull protected by the gods, it was a mighty white creature with wings and a much bigger strength than normal. They wrestled it and fought it for hours, until the bull fell, having it’s legs cut by the king. Seeing this, the gods were not happy. So as punishment, they sent an illness on the Elthari man, one that he would soon die of.
After the death of his dear friend, the king fell into a big depression. No longer wanting to rule or live, leaving all of the pleasures behind, the food, the riches, the women. None of that mattered to him if his friend wasn’t there. So he asked for a potion to be made, one that would end his suffering in an instant. Drinking this poison, the king finally died to be reunited with his friend in the afterlife. However, the people did not know who to turn to. The king had a few descendants here and there due to his prior tyranny, but no one could agree on who shall rule.
Eventually, each leader of each tribe reunited. Discussing and agreeing into the separation of the city into twelve tribes. And soon enough, each of these tribes would migrate from the city, many were pushed out due to differences and so on until the city was left empty. It is said that a catastrophe shaked the grounds of the city and tore it down. But no one can confirm or deny that story. It is unknown if it happened after or before the tribes separated.
