#tsaagan sar

[zulfurhaze]

Happy new lunar year!!

[paintedscales]

Nomin tal Kheeriin

B A S I C S

Name: Nomin tal Kheeriin

Nicknames: Minmin (close friends from the Steppe), Moonlight (rare instances from Estinien)

Age: Twenty and seven summers (Endwalker)

Nameday: 28th Sun of the Fourth Astral Moon (actual DOB); 21st Sun of the Second Umbral Moon (start of her tenth summer Tsaagan Sar; when she freed herself from her binds and gave herself her name)

Race: Xaela Au Ra

Gender: Demigirl

Orientation: Demi/Demi

Profession: Reluctant Adventurer, willing Warrior of Light; Painter

P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C T S

Hair: Long and naturally straight. Often, Nomin's hair is seen as wavy, though due to frequently braiding it, her hair often retains a wave to it. It is a light blue in color, and is kind of oily looking on most days -- this is due to her traveling a lot. However, when she has access to amenities, she takes just as good care of her hair as she does her scales.

Eyes: Teal with aquamarine limbal rings and black sclera.

Skin: Muted ultramarine with inky black scales that bear cerulean striations and markings.

Tattoos/scars: Nomin has no tattoos and has no intention of ever getting any. Scars, on the other hand, she has several of. There are two big ones I don't draw currently just due to not really knowing how to go about it just yet. Regardless, Nomin has two large slashes on her back that have stunted the growth of scales within that region. She has two relatively deep arrow pock scars in her left shoulder and lower left abdomen. The scars I don't draw (yet) are relatively large aetherial burn scars that go from her hands all the way up around her elbows -- maybe a little past it -- from helping tear the Eyes of Nidhogg from Estinien. She has matching scars with Alphinaud in that regard in how I've planned my writing.

F A M I L Y

Parents: Somewhere among the Tumet. Dead? Alive? Who knows. Nomin doesn't really care. And not in a malicious way, she just... They don't occupy her mind. They don't matter to her. Later in Heavensward, she does start to see Edmont akin to a father-like figure.

Siblings: Adoptive. Nomin's siblings are Esenaij and Bayarmaa of the Sagahl. Later in Heavensward, after hearing that Haurchefant considered her like a sister, she warms up to the idea of Artoirel and Emmanellain being brother-like figures to her.

Grandparents: Nomin is sure she has some! But she's really not too interested in delving into her family history when it comes to that of the Tumet.

In-laws and Other: I suppose Alberic is more or less something of a father-in-law. I haven't really written too much, but I'd like to explore more of Nomin's dynamic with him. I think she gets along well enough with him, and is glad that he and Estinien were able to bury the hatchet.

Nomin also has three children with Estinien in some timeline or another. It's separated from the main stuff to kind of adjust it as needed. All their children have two names -- one of Steppe origin, and one of Coerthan/Ishgardian origin. Their first kids were twin girls, Bayarmaa/Cyrielle and Chotan/Fleurette Varlineau. Twelve years later, they have their son, Esenaij/Hamignant Varlineau. They all tend to prefer using their Coerthan/Ishgardian names over their Steppe names.

Pets: Mori - a horse earned from her time in the Jhungid; he is one of Nomin's most stalwart companions, and she cares for him deeply. Gürvel - a frilled lizard that was intent on stealing some of Nomin's vilekin; through a mutual understanding, they became buddies on the Steppe.

S K I L L S

Abilities: Painting; it's a hobby she picked up since she often drew in the dirt when she had nothing in the Tumet. When her adoptive sister, Bayarmaa, had been more than happy to go ahead and help teach her, Nomin was quick to pick up on it. She now paints gorgeous landscapes and sceneries -- she can even paint them from her mind's eye, often able to remember them in vivid detail. She does like having the actual thing in front of her, though.

Archery; Nomin had several teachers that helped with her archery and in giving her tips on how to hone her abilities. She has a keen eye and a steady aim that rivals even some of the best of the Dazkar hunters.

Survival; one doesn't just simply run away from their oppressors and start roaming the Steppe without picking up some things and learning how to thrive off of the land. Thanks also to the teachings of the Sagahl and their way of life, Nomin is very aware of stuff on the Steppe, and is more than willing to learn when she goes to new places so that she can take care of herself using what the land provides.

Hobbies: Painting, reading, gardening. There are also some board games that Nomin likes. She's actually quite fond of shatar and chess, though she feels like she could still never play kharaqiq properly.

T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Her ability to get back up again. There are so many things that have knocked her down, or brought her to her knees, but Nomin is just too stubborn to stay there. She freed herself from her binds when she was ten summers, and she is not going to let that moment be in vain.

Most Negative Trait: Shutting people out. Nomin's very kept to herself, and with her past trauma, she just doesn't really want to involve a lot of people too deeply into her life. She keeps people at arm's length for a long time, and preferred it that way for a good portion of her time since escaping the Jhungid. Even if her Echo could help give her some insight on who to trust and who not to trust.

L I K E S

Colors: Pink and gold.

Smells: Plums, fried dough, wood musk (pine, spruce, and cedar more specifically), chocolate.

Textures: Polished wood, sand, porous volcanic rock, Angura fleece.

Drinks: Suutei tsai, chatsarganii shuus, orange juice, hot cocoa.

O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: Nope...

Drinks: Only sometimes, but she does not really prefer it. Especially since the first time she drank wine, she was drugged.

Drugs: Depends on the drug. Medicinal is fine.

Mount Issuance: Nomin was not given one from a Grand Company, as she did not join one. She didn't like the idea of joining one because it was the 'thing to do.' She has Mori, and she rode him illegally throughout Eorzea regardless. She found it silly that she would need a permit of any kind to actually travel more quickly. However, with three signatures from Kan-E-Senna, Nanamo Ul Namo, and Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn after her varying feats, uh...her illegal riding became legal.

Been Arrested: I mean, can you technically count the necessary trial by combat thing in Ishgard? I feel like that should count, to be honest.

Tagged by: @sundered-souls; thank you! :>

Tagging: @blossomblade, @icehearts, @ahollowgrave, @halikyon, @starrysnowdrop, @sasslett, @ainyan, @sylaurin, @disciple-of-frost, @ubejamjar, @spiral-cut, and anyone else who wants to do it. Sorry if you've been tagged before!

TT u TT /

[irithnova]

Naadam - and how Mongolia celebrates it.

What is Naadam in Mongolian culture and how would Mr Mongolia celebrate it?

Naadam is a traditional sports festival in Mongolia. It includes Mongols adorning themselves in national dress, mounted soldiers in uniform, music, dancers, and of course, the "Three Manly Sports":

Horse riding, wrestling and archery!

Naadam is a 2000 year old event, however, the term "Naadam" was coined in the 13th century by Chinggis Khaan (according to the secret history of the Mongols) and has been celebrated ever since.

Naadam used to be a preparation/practices/training for war. Competitions such as this would take place just before major battles in order for the war commanders to select which soldiers would be in which division.

Individuals who demonstrated exceptional strength, speed, and flexibility in wrestling, keen eyesight and precise hand-orientation in spear-throwing and archery, and also patience and skill in horse training/horse racing were carefully selected during the competitions.

Naadam takes place around mid-July in the heat of the summer, and is considered one of the biggest and most important festivals in Mongol culture along with Tsaagan Sar.

National Naadam is celebrated in the capital - Ulaanbaatar, in the national sports stadium. However it's not just restricted to the city! It takes place all across the country.

The Naadam festival kicks off with a ceremonial transfer of the symbolic "Nine Banners of the Great Mongol Empire" from the Government House to the Naadam stadium, escorted by honorary guards.

After a speech by the president or a representative, the games officially commence. In Ulaanbaatar, the capital, the event assumes a grand scale, drawing the most talented wrestlers, horse trainers, and archers from all corners of Mongolia!

As I've previously mentioned, Naadam takes place in the countryside too! In the countryside, herders journey to towns not only to partake in the festivities but also to reunite with friends and relatives, they may not have seen in a while.

Mongolia also has a bit of a reunion - with different Mongolic ethnic groups and other ethnic groups who's people participate in Naadam coming over to visit. Buryat and Uriankhai people are an example, and they (So, Buryat Mongols, Uriankhai/"forest people" as Mongols call them, usually denoting the likes such as Tuvans and Yakuts) have their own archery competitions. It's basically like one big get together!

Wrestling

Mongolian wrestling has no time limit and one objective - avoid touching the ground with anything other than your feet, or else you lose the match.

It also has no weight classes!

The National Wrestling Championship takes place during Naadam , however even before this, there are previous stages.

First is Soum (village) Naadam. Soum Naadam showcases wrestlers from various villages vying for the opportunity to represent their respective villages at the regional level.

Wrestlers who win at the Soum Naadam progress to the Aimag (province) Naadam, where they contend against other wrestlers within their own province to win the opportunity to represent the province.

The ultimate challenge awaits the winner of the Aimag Naadam at the National Naadam in Ulaanbaatar, the grandest and final tournament. Here, the aimag representatives vie for the prestigious title of national champion!

Mongol wrestling painting, 16th century

I definitely think Mr Mongolia is an avid wrestler/quite sporty himself (jock™) however he is a nation and so his nation strength and... Many, many years of experience would mean that it would be unfair for the most part if he went against humans. And besides, he absolutely risks outing himself if he participated in Naadam, especially with how popular wrestling is and uhh, considering the wrestling outfits... The lack of anonymity with that comes with it hahah.

However I think he participates in his own way. I think occasionally he helps with being with being a referee. Another thing: music. During Mongol national wrestling matches, you can often hear someone singing a Mongolian long song in the background. A long song is well, a song, which doesn't actually have a lot of words, but the the words are drawn out by the singer and emphasis is put on reaching impressive notes and putting power and volume in the voice. I think he does musical performances during naadam!

Archery

The Mongols are famous for their archery. There are many different types of Mongol archery.

There's Khalkha Archery, the most practiced one (seeing as the Khalkha Mongols are the majority ethnic group in Mongolia), spanning across a remarkable duration of 48 hours.

Those who triumph in this contest earn the esteemed distinction of the state archery title.

There's also women's archery! As for the women's archery tournament, they display their prowess by releasing 20 arrows towards a 60-meter target, while their male counterparts take aim with 40 arrows at a distance of 75 meters. The target itself comprises a symmetrical arrangement of diminutive leather cylinders, artfully positioned in rows of two and three.

Two red cylinders occupy the center of the target, but hitting them doesn't earn extra points. Each hit on a target gives one point, but merely hitting isn't enough for a score. The target must move a set distance from its starting point to count towards the final score.

There's also Uriankhai archery and Buryat archery - with Uriankhai archery only being practiced by men, and is practiced by the Uriankhai ethnic groups (this is a name Mongols give to what they consider Northern "forest people" like Tuvans or Yakuts). It has ties to religious ceremonies related to their culture. Buryat archery is practiced by the Buryat minority ethnic group of Mongolia. Both of which take place during the national Naadam festival.

They even have child archers!

I definitely think Mongolia is very passionate about archery, and watches the archery competitions intently. I think he helps with setting up the targets and prepping some of the archers when he can. He finds it fascinating to watch them display their skills and techniques with such precision and accuracy - and he wishes he could participate himself! He believes it is a testament to the level of dedication and hard work that athletes put into their craft and loves the satisfaction of the perfect hit - he'll always appreciate a good archer. Further, he puts time aside to go and watch the Buryat and Uriankhai archery with Buryatia and the others as its quite important to them all.

Horse racing

Over a thousand horses gather from all corners of the region to partake in this grand event. Diverging from Western traditions, these races traverse immense distances, spanning a remarkable range of 15 to 30 kilometers. The length of each race is intricately tied to the age of the horses, with the seasoned contenders gallantly competing over the longest stretches.

Curiously, the jockeys who guide these horses are not seasoned professionals, but rather children as young as 5 years old, with the oldest among them being 13. Yet, it is the horse's prowess that truly determines the outcome, as the race serves as a testament to their remarkable skills.

Age and gender play crucial roles in the classification of horses within the realm of horse racing. For example, in the case of geldings, they are divided into distinct age groups, spanning from 2 years old up to 6 years and older.

The races commence in a distinctive manner. All the horses gather behind a standard-bearer, cross the finish line together, and then follow the guidance of the official rider to reach the starting line.

In each class, the top 5 performers are crowned as "airgiyn tav," and the top three champions proudly claim gold, silver, and bronze medals. People joyfully sing their praises while showering them with fermented mare's milk (airag) on their rump, neck, and cheek.

The victorious jockey ascends to the esteemed title of "tumny ekh," signifying their leadership over a multitude of ten thousand.

Multiple races are showcased during Naadam. Stallions, specifically those known as Azarga, have a race of their own, while geldings partake in a minimum of three races. Further, a special race is organised specifically for pacing horses in Ulaanbaatar.

Remarkably, even the horse that crosses the finish line last in the two-year-old category is bestowed with a special appellation: "bayan khodood," meaning "full stomach." A heartfelt song resonates through the air, expressing good wishes and luck for the humble competitor to emerge triumphant in the following year.

The subject of child-jockeys seem to be somewhat contested amongst Mongols themselves. I'm not going to touch on that debate, however it should be noted that safety measures have been implemented in order to make sure that the race is as smooth as possible, but I understand that this can be a point of controversy. I definitely think Mongolia does his best in making sure the riders are well prepared/equipped for the races to ensure that have the best chances of coming out uninjured/relatively unscathed as possible. I think he puts extra time and care into this aspect of his Naadam participations considerably. He enjoys it to an extent as it reminds him of when he was a very young horse rider, and he does enjoy the celebrations afterwards, however the safety of the riders is at the forefront of his mind.

Other Naadam headcanons:

-Because Mongols usually wear their best clothes to Naadam, Mongolia definitely does too! He has a different outfit planned for each day.

-He uhh definitely enjoys all the food that's about 🤤 (khuushur, buuz)

-Probably floods his social media with pictures during this time

-Overall, it's quite an exciting yet busy time for him, he is involved in both the preparations for Naadam and participation in some aspects of Naadam, whilst also making sure to keep socialising with all the people he's invited over! But he manages it well.

[foxfluent]

the mongolian lunar new year 'tsaagan sar' is from Feb 21 - 23 this year! I always think it's so neat every culture has their own calendar and ways to celebrate

[emujin]

yayyyyy its tsaagan sar *not eating buuz or visiting family -_-*

[izakaya-jinh]

BEYOND THE LIGHT OF AZIM: The Xaela Diaspora of Ilsabard and Northern Othard

For lore on Northern Othard’s geography, check my previous post!

In centuries past, the ambitions of powerful Khagans led the Xaela beyond the plentiful grasslands of the Azim Steppe. United by promises of treasure and other spoils, generations of Xaela gathered during the warmer summers and trekked west across the tundra of the Dalvalan Grath, crossing the narrow channel at its western edge to reach the island stronghold then known as Tomorbaatar. There, armed with the shipbuilding skills of the eastern coastal tribes, the first Xaela navies were built.

Braving the stormy waves of the Knowing Sea, these raiders crossed the waters to reach the shores of northern Ilsabard. A shadow of terror fell upon the north as the Xaela, hardened by centuries of tribal warfare, slaughtered their way across the northern nations with savage abandon. After seizing the riches of the north as their own, the Xaela sailed back to Tomorbaatar and divided the spoils amongst themselves before returning across the tundra to their grassy homeland to weather the chill of winter.

Toward the end of each winter, the Xaela celebrated the coming of the lunar new year with the Tsaagan Sar, culminating in the annual Naadam to decide the new Khagan for that year. Not all Khagans sought to plunder the lands of the west, however, and in some years the tribes pressed south towards the fertile soil of Yanxia. Such southern expeditions never bore fruit, with the Xaela invariably forced back to the Steppe each time.

Settlers of Northern Ilsabard:

Over the centuries, the Xaela invasions of Ilsabard continued intermittently, on some occasions leaving behind groups that established their own small settlements. Some were annihilated by the natives of Ilsabard as retribution for the atrocities committed by raiders, while others thrived and developed a unique mixture of Xaela and Ilsabardian customs. These Xaela settlements were rarely loyal to the Khagan of the Steppe or their ancestral tribes, instead forming new identities over time—and in some cases becoming victims of their raider cousins’ greed.

As the surviving settlements grew, the need for alliances to survive against both the natives of Ilsabard and Xaela raiders became more apparent. Many of the settlements formed treaties for mutual defense and established a network of coastal watches that could quickly spread word of an invasion force on the horizon. Others attempted to broker peace with the Ilsabardian natives in return for guarding the coast against future invasions. With time, the Xaela settlers eventually were absorbed into the nations of northern Ilsabard, becoming an essential part of the region’s martial history.

Guardians of the Western Crossing:

Many years passed and the allure of western riches gradually faded for most Xaela raiders. Opposed by their cousins who had remained in northern Ilsabard and facing increasingly strong resistance from the natives of the coast, the raiders grew weary of war. After a particularly brutal campaign tainted by the broken promises of Chaghagan Khan, who sought to keep the spoils of war for himself, the mighty stronghold of Tomorbaatar became known as the Unpromised. And with the slaying of the greedy Khan, so too ended the Xaela’s western conquests.

Many of the tribes who had joined Chaghagan Khan returned to their homeland in the Azim Steppe. Yet some remained in the frigid tundra of the Dalvalan Grath. A prophesy foretold the coming of another great leader who would one day lead them across the sea to conquer the west and establish a new homeland. Of those who remained in the Dalvalan Grath, many assembled into a new tribe named Mosonchonos and swore to guard the western crossing for the coming of their promised leader.

Led by shamans in lieu of a Khan or Khatun, the Mosonchonos occupied the western part of the Dalvalan Grath and the isle known as the Unpromised. The tribe believed that their true leader would emerge from the wilderness on the back of an enormous white wolf. This legendary wolf was only known from stories told by the first Xaela explorers of the tundra, but the Mosonchonos firmly believed in its existence and its significance in identifying their future leader. Many attempted to find the wolf, but in most cases perished or returned without success. These failures were taken as signs that they had not been deemed worthy to look upon the wolf, rather than disproving its existence.

The Gegeersen:

Other Xaela who chose to dwell in the tundra did so out of disdain for the warlike nature of their cousins in the Steppe. Choosing a life of relative peace and subsistence, these Xaela formed communities of hunters and gatherers that rejected their martial heritage, calling themselves Gegeersen, meaning enlightened. Weapons of war such as bows, spears, and axes returned to their roots as tools for hunting and survival.

In the harsh wilderness, every animal, plant, and resource was precious, and the Gegeersen believed that these aspects of the natural world were inhabited by gods or spirits. Among these gods, the most important to the Gegeersen were those that influenced their very survival. The Gegeersen, beyond the warmth of Azim’s embrace, worshipped the god of fire above all else as the most essential part of their lives. Fire brought warmth to their huts, light in the darkest nights, cooked their meals, and much more. Without it, there was no hope of survival.

The Fishers of the Arras:

Throughout the years, some Gegeersen migrated from the tundra of the Dalvalan Grath to the cliffs of the Arras. Where the sheer cliffs and rocky shoreline gave way to beaches, the Gegeersen built fishing villages. They were not alone, however, the northern coast having been settled in centuries past by ancestors of the same Hyur who also dwelled in the northernmost parts of Koshu and Ryakgyr. Culturally distinct from the Hyur who founded the nation of Hingashi, these Hyur of northern Othard were known simply as Khun in the Xaela tongue. These Khun lived as hunters and fishers for the most part and had limited contact with other groups. Still, the Gegeersen of the Arras were able to live peacefully alongside them after careful negotiation of boundaries.

From the Khun, the Gegeersen were able to rediscover the art of boatbuilding that had been lost to their people, enabling them to venture into deeper waters off the northern coast. It was in these waters that they encountered the great beasts of the sea, known to Eorzeans as megaptera. In the language of the Khun, they were called humpe, one of many words the Gegeersen would borrow as their cultures blended through the years.

Graceful and gentle, yet enormous and powerful in their movements, the sailors wondered if these beasts might be gods of the sea. Yet they witnessed these humpe being hunted and eaten by packs of other smaller beasts. Cutting through the water were sleek black bodies with bright white bellies; these streamlined creatures would work together to drive the humpe to their deaths, after which the pack would feast.

From time to time, the hunting packs would drive the humpe into the shallows, and some of the great beasts would beach themselves on the shore in desperation. These landings were seen as gifts from the gods and provided a bounty of meat, bones, and blubber that could cure a village of starvation. For this reason, the black-white pack hunters of the sea came to be seen as agents of the gods, respected and revered for their generosity. When such gifts washed ashore, prayers of thanks were offered to the god of the sea, known as Repun-kamuy to the Khun, and the carving of a beached humpe carcass would only be done with consecrated blades. Such was the reverence that they held for that bestowed by the gods.

The Lords of Ryakgyr:

Long before descendants of the Gegeersen expanded beyond the tundra, a group of rebellious eastern Xaela tribes pledged themselves to the fearsome warrior Dorgon and refused to bow to the rightful Khagan’s authority. Abandoning the coastlands on the western edge of the Bay of Yanxia, this group traveled northeast through the Arras to the reach the land now known as Ryakgyr. Leading the tribes south to the edge of the peninsula, Dorgon declared Ryakgyr to be their new homeland.

Under Dorgon’s leadership, the Xaela of the peninsula established themselves as an agrarian society while maintaining the hunting traditions of their ancestors. Over time, southern Ryakgyr began to prosper as clusters of thriving towns and villages developed. And as they thrived, the ambitions of the Ryakgyr Xaela grew as well, with several attempts to invade northern Yanxia by sea over the years. These attempts prompted the Doman construction of naval fortresses which still overlook the Bay of Yanxia to this day.

The growing wealth and power of Ryakgyr was not lost on others, and clashes along the coast of the peninsula would lead to advances in martial technology for the Xaela. With Yanxia’s fertile lands to the southwest and Ryakgyr’s growing wealth in the north both envied by Hingan lords, pirates were sent from the island nation to raid the continental coast. In doing so, the unscrupulous Hingan lords inadvertently introduced the musket to the Xaela when their hired forces were shipwrecked against the northern coast.

The lords of Ryakgyr readily adopted the firearm and their smiths eagerly studied it to replicate its production. The mass production of these muskets would ensure that in the event of an attack, even a farmer with rudimentary training could be armed to defend the homeland. After several additional failed campaigns against Ryakgyr, the Hingan lords reluctantly abandoned their northern ambitions, fuming at their losses and humiliation.

While southern Ryakgyr grew into a prosperous land under the rule of Dorgon and his descendants, the colder northern region of the peninsula remained a sparsely inhabited wilderness that failed to achieve significance in the records of Ryakgyr’s historians. Populated mainly by weaker tribes and small communities of Khun and Gegeersen, northern Ryakgyr would remain known for little besides the deathly chill of its winters and legends of rare fauna that roam its forests.

So it was that after many millennia and centuries of war, the descendants of the Xaela spread across the north. From settlers along the coast of northern Ilsabard to the wealthy lords of Ryakgyr, there remain countless lives with tales to tell. For now, we leave you with simply this: an invitation to venture forth to distant lands and brave the north beyond the light of Azim.

[brightlotusmoon]

Happy Tsaagan Sar

I should be wearing white for Mongolian Lunar New Year. Time to change clothes.

(For those who don't know, Mongolian is in my maternal lineage along with Ashkenazi and Bessarabia; paternal is Sicilian via Greek and Moors.)

In other news, good writing news, the Rise of the TMNT fic where Mikey gets amnesia is halfway done, the SAINW AU with Mikey in the lead role is moving along, the 2018/2012/2003 crossover is started, and the first chapter of the 2003 angst fic "Shattered Light" is finished. Yay productive me.

In brain weasels news, this depression is going smoothly and I've been drawing all over my legs! When they're not being palsy spastic.

[ffxiv-shiji]

BEYOND THE LIGHT OF AZIM: The Xaela Diaspora of Ilsabard and Northern Othard

For lore on Northern Othard’s geography, check my previous post!

In centuries past, the ambitions of powerful Khagans led the Xaela beyond the plentiful grasslands of the Azim Steppe. United by promises of treasure and other spoils, generations of Xaela gathered during the warmer summers and trekked west across the tundra of the Dalvalan Grath, crossing the narrow channel at its western edge to reach the island stronghold then known as Tomorbaatar. There, armed with the shipbuilding skills of the eastern coastal tribes, the first Xaela navies were built.

Braving the stormy waves of the Knowing Sea, these raiders crossed the waters to reach the shores of northern Ilsabard. A shadow of terror fell upon the north as the Xaela, hardened by centuries of tribal warfare, slaughtered their way across the northern nations with savage abandon. After seizing the riches of the north as their own, the Xaela sailed back to Tomorbaatar and divided the spoils amongst themselves before returning across the tundra to their grassy homeland to weather the chill of winter.

Toward the end of each winter, the Xaela celebrated the coming of the lunar new year with the Tsaagan Sar, culminating in the annual Naadam to decide the new Khagan for that year. Not all Khagans sought to plunder the lands of the west, however, and in some years the tribes pressed south towards the fertile soil of Yanxia. Such southern expeditions never bore fruit, with the Xaela invariably forced back to the Steppe each time.

Settlers of Northern Ilsabard:

Over the centuries, the Xaela invasions of Ilsabard continued intermittently, on some occasions leaving behind groups that established their own small settlements. Some were annihilated by the natives of Ilsabard as retribution for the atrocities committed by raiders, while others thrived and developed a unique mixture of Xaela and Ilsabardian customs. These Xaela settlements were rarely loyal to the Khagan of the Steppe or their ancestral tribes, instead forming new identities over time—and in some cases becoming victims of their raider cousins’ greed.

As the surviving settlements grew, the need for alliances to survive against both the natives of Ilsabard and Xaela raiders became more apparent. Many of the settlements formed treaties for mutual defense and established a network of coastal watches that could quickly spread word of an invasion force on the horizon. Others attempted to broker peace with the Ilsabardian natives in return for guarding the coast against future invasions. With time, the Xaela settlers eventually were absorbed into the nations of northern Ilsabard, becoming an essential part of the region’s martial history.

Guardians of the Western Crossing:

Many years passed and the allure of western riches gradually faded for most Xaela raiders. Opposed by their cousins who had remained in northern Ilsabard and facing increasingly strong resistance from the natives of the coast, the raiders grew weary of war. After a particularly brutal campaign tainted by the broken promises of Chaghagan Khan, who sought to keep the spoils of war for himself, the mighty stronghold of Tomorbaatar became known as the Unpromised. And with the slaying of the greedy Khan, so too ended the Xaela’s western conquests.

Many of the tribes who had joined Chaghagan Khan returned to their homeland in the Azim Steppe. Yet some remained in the frigid tundra of the Dalvalan Grath. A prophesy foretold the coming of another great leader who would one day lead them across the sea to conquer the west and establish a new homeland. Of those who remained in the Dalvalan Grath, many assembled into a new tribe named Mosonchonos and swore to guard the western crossing for the coming of their promised leader.

Led by shamans in lieu of a Khan or Khatun, the Mosonchonos occupied the western part of the Dalvalan Grath and the isle known as the Unpromised. The tribe believed that their true leader would emerge from the wilderness on the back of an enormous white wolf. This legendary wolf was only known from stories told by the first Xaela explorers of the tundra, but the Mosonchonos firmly believed in its existence and its significance in identifying their future leader. Many attempted to find the wolf, but in most cases perished or returned without success. These failures were taken as signs that they had not been deemed worthy to look upon the wolf, rather than disproving its existence.

The Gegeersen:

Other Xaela who chose to dwell in the tundra did so out of disdain for the warlike nature of their cousins in the Steppe. Choosing a life of relative peace and subsistence, these Xaela formed communities of hunters and gatherers that rejected their martial heritage, calling themselves Gegeersen, meaning enlightened. Weapons of war such as bows, spears, and axes returned to their roots as tools for hunting and survival.

In the harsh wilderness, every animal, plant, and resource was precious, and the Gegeersen believed that these aspects of the natural world were inhabited by gods or spirits. Among these gods, the most important to the Gegeersen were those that influenced their very survival. The Gegeersen, beyond the warmth of Azim’s embrace, worshipped the god of fire above all else as the most essential part of their lives. Fire brought warmth to their huts, light in the darkest nights, cooked their meals, and much more. Without it, there was no hope of survival.

The Fishers of the Arras:

Throughout the years, some Gegeersen migrated from the tundra of the Dalvalan Grath to the cliffs of the Arras. Where the sheer cliffs and rocky shoreline gave way to beaches, the Gegeersen built fishing villages. They were not alone, however, the northern coast having been settled in centuries past by ancestors of the same Hyur who also dwelled in the northernmost parts of Koshu and Ryakgyr. Culturally distinct from the Hyur who founded the nation of Hingashi, these Hyur of northern Othard were known simply as Khun in the Xaela tongue. These Khun lived as hunters and fishers for the most part and had limited contact with other groups. Still, the Gegeersen of the Arras were able to live peacefully alongside them after careful negotiation of boundaries.

From the Khun, the Gegeersen were able to rediscover the art of boatbuilding that had been lost to their people, enabling them to venture into deeper waters off the northern coast. It was in these waters that they encountered the great beasts of the sea, known to Eorzeans as megaptera. In the language of the Khun, they were called humpe, one of many words the Gegeersen would borrow as their cultures blended through the years.

Graceful and gentle, yet enormous and powerful in their movements, the sailors wondered if these beasts might be gods of the sea. Yet they witnessed these humpe being hunted and eaten by packs of other smaller beasts. Cutting through the water were sleek black bodies with bright white bellies; these streamlined creatures would work together to drive the humpe to their deaths, after which the pack would feast.

From time to time, the hunting packs would drive the humpe into the shallows, and some of the great beasts would beach themselves on the shore in desperation. These landings were seen as gifts from the gods and provided a bounty of meat, bones, and blubber that could cure a village of starvation. For this reason, the black-white pack hunters of the sea came to be seen as agents of the gods, respected and revered for their generosity. When such gifts washed ashore, prayers of thanks were offered to the god of the sea, known as Repun-kamuy to the Khun, and the carving of a beached humpe carcass would only be done with consecrated blades. Such was the reverence that they held for that bestowed by the gods.

The Lords of Ryakgyr:

Long before descendants of the Gegeersen expanded beyond the tundra, a group of rebellious eastern Xaela tribes pledged themselves to the fearsome warrior Dorgon and refused to bow to the rightful Khagan’s authority. Abandoning the coastlands on the western edge of the Bay of Yanxia, this group traveled northeast through the Arras to the reach the land now known as Ryakgyr. Leading the tribes south to the edge of the peninsula, Dorgon declared Ryakgyr to be their new homeland.

Under Dorgon’s leadership, the Xaela of the peninsula established themselves as an agrarian society while maintaining the hunting traditions of their ancestors. Over time, southern Ryakgyr began to prosper as clusters of thriving towns and villages developed. And as they thrived, the ambitions of the Ryakgyr Xaela grew as well, with several attempts to invade northern Yanxia by sea over the years. These attempts prompted the Doman construction of naval fortresses which still overlook the Bay of Yanxia to this day.

The growing wealth and power of Ryakgyr was not lost on others, and clashes along the coast of the peninsula would lead to advances in martial technology for the Xaela. With Yanxia’s fertile lands to the southwest and Ryakgyr’s growing wealth in the north both envied by Hingan lords, pirates were sent from the island nation to raid the continental coast. In doing so, the unscrupulous Hingan lords inadvertently introduced the musket to the Xaela when their hired forces were shipwrecked against the northern coast.

The lords of Ryakgyr readily adopted the firearm and their smiths eagerly studied it to replicate its production. The mass production of these muskets would ensure that in the event of an attack, even a farmer with rudimentary training could be armed to defend the homeland. After several additional failed campaigns against Ryakgyr, the Hingan lords reluctantly abandoned their northern ambitions, fuming at their losses and humiliation.

While southern Ryakgyr grew into a prosperous land under the rule of Dorgon and his descendants, the colder northern region of the peninsula remained a sparsely inhabited wilderness that failed to achieve significance in the records of Ryakgyr’s historians. Populated mainly by weaker tribes and small communities of Khun and Gegeersen, northern Ryakgyr would remain known for little besides the deathly chill of its winters and legends of rare fauna that roam its forests.

So it was that after many millennia and centuries of war, the descendants of the Xaela spread across the north. From settlers along the coast of northern Ilsabard to the wealthy lords of Ryakgyr, there remain countless lives with tales to tell. For now, we leave you with simply this: an invitation to venture forth to distant lands and brave the north beyond the light of Azim.

[actualkomodo]

“Careless, liar, what else? Might as well get it out of your system, darling.”

Some RP with @elegant-etienne after Tsaagan Sar! That’s like... over 12 hours of RP together in one session... Most of these are glamour shots but They’re Worth It.

[ninewhitebanners]

hi, I'm part Mongolian in the diaspora in the US right now and am having some trouble learning the history of my people. is it okay to talk to you privately? it's really difficult learning our history because of how it's been skewed by white imperialists and Chinese and Russian governments attempting to rewrite our history.

It is okay to talk to me privately, but sadly I don’t think I can help you much with this. I really wish I could, but I’m not an expert in Mongolian history. I’m not even Mongolian, so I didn’t learn Mongolian history in school or anything. I’ll help as much as I can, but I don’t think that’s very much.

I also would suggest asking @minimongol if you haven’t yet. She’s Mongolian, very smart, and usually happy to answer questions. Everyone interested in Mongolia should follow her. 

Also, Tsaagan Sar, which is coming up in about a month, is celebrated with one’s extended family. If anyone in your extended family, even distant relatives, is celebrating it, they would probably be very happy to have you join them, eat lots of delicious dumplings, and talk about your family’s history.

I do have a couple book suggestions for you, though, if that sort of thing is helpful to you at all.

Genghis Khan And the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford. Written by a white guy, but his three main sources are a Mongol text (The Secret History of the Mongols), a Persian text, and an Arabic text, and the book is well-regarded in Mongolia. Covers Genghis Khan’s life, the way trade routes set up by the Mongols brought Asian and Middle Eastern knowledge and technology to Europe and gave Europe the Renaissance, and when and why Europeans started portraying the Mongols as “savages.”

Weatherford also wrote two other books, which I haven’t read myself and don’t know if Mongolians like them, but they’re probably pretty similar: The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How Genghis Khan’s Daughters Saved His Empire, and Genghis Khan and the Quest for God: How the World’s Greatest Conqueror Gave Us Religious Freedom.

If you read some Mongolian, there’s also a seventeen-volume comic book adaptation of Genghis Khan’s life (just called Чингис хаан) based on Secret History of the Mongols that is a lot of fun, but hard to get outside Mongolia.

A weirder suggestion: Tragic Spirits: Shamanism, Memory, and Gender in Contemporary Mongolia by Manduhai Buyandelger. This isn’t a history book, it’s a study by a Mongolian anthropologist, so it is dense and difficult to read in places. She was studying the ways one group of rural northern Mongolians dealt with losing their own histories and living in an uncertain present after the end of communism by turning to newly-legal shamanic traditions to rebuild connections with the past and their own ancestors.

(I’m not saying that what you specifically need to do is talk to a Mongolian shaman about your ancestors, of course, just that you might be interested to read about how one small group of Mongols struggled with lost history. If you’re interested in Mongolian shamanism, you should follow @drumandmirror and @ongod-tengertei on tumblr.)

You might also like the poetry of Gombojav Mend-Oyoo. He was born during Mongolia’s Communist period, and has spoken in interviews about secretly practicing mongol bichig (instead of cyrillic) by writing in dust and snow, and publishing in underground poetry movements kept secret from the government. He sees his calling as a poet as trying to restore the lost wisdom of the past to modern Mongolians. Most of his poetry is very beautiful or nostalgic descriptions of nomadic life and the Mongolian countryside. Golden Hill is his book with the most historical content available in English, I think.

[5gvictim]

i kinda want a deel for this year's tsaagan sar (white moon) festival but they're so fucking expensive!!! $100+? i don't have that kind of money and i barely fit into my old one

[actualkomodo]

Some days after the Tsaagan Sar hangovers... komodo, @mrhos-xiv, and @elegant-etienne back on the steppe.

[actualkomodo]

A Good Time at Tsaagan Sar with @pearlescent-scales, @mrhos-xiv, @elegant-etienne, and @grumpy-limsan-customs-cat! The chat scroll was intense... I didn’t get any good screenshots of the general area as I was focused mostly on our party.

[ninewhitebanners]

Tsaagan Sar (Mongolian New Year) starts tomorrow! Cooks have been rolling dough, shaping, and freezing buuz (delicious dumplings filled with mutton or beef) so they can be steamed and eaten during the holiday. Mongolians try to settle debts and clean their houses to start the New Year fresh.

[ninewhitebanners]

This year Tsaagan Sar ("White Moon"), Mongolian New Year, was January 30-February 1, while I wasn't on tumblr. Tsaagan Sar customs include making a giant mountain of bread or cookies, exchanging gifts, eating lots of delicious dumplings (buuz). Happy New Year!