Mattan

The Mattan are an ethnic group originating from the Kingdom of Matta, a land of rugged highlands and fertile river valleys. Their cultural sphere extends east to a region known as Slufia, which is of unknown etymological origin - a coastal region bordering the Ruttenian continent with fertile and rainy land and abundant forest, connected to the rest of the Empire by mountain passes and steppes to the south. Most Mattan are dark-skinned Fire Macen.

The Mattan also includes the Awaryan, a beastkin people who shares largely the same language, having diverged from the Mattan long ago in history. The Awaryan lives in the more marginal land to the west of Matta, and as a minority within the Kingdom of Matta itself. The Awaryan are believed to be a cursed people by most Mattan who are shunned but not fully expelled from regular Mattan society. However, the Awaryan's own mythos varies and do not believe themselves cursed, but rather - blessed.

General Information

• Primary Faith: Safaism
• Language: Mattan
• Locations: Kingdom of Matta, Kingdom of Awarya
• Minority: Dezabia
• Races: Fire Macen / Hyena Beastkins
• Inheritance Law: Patrilineal primogeniture is the norm, with lesser sons getting a much smaller share of inheritance.
• Slavery: Slavery exists throughout the land and is generally linked to captives in war or debt peonage. Slavery are seldomly practiced on what are viewed as "their own" people - fellow Mattan or co-religionists, and the preferred mode is indentured servitude or serfdom instead.
• Name Generation: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/ethiopian-names.php

Cultural Traits

• Power Structure: The Mattan believes in a divine monarch with lineage from legendary ancestors. While the Mattan do not have a strictly delineated social system, classes differences are very stark - with society delineated along a pyramid of Royalty -> Nobility & Priests -> Merchants -> Peasants. In reality however, the hereditary nobilities and their great houses hold nearly all of the actual power with the priests in an important advisory and spiritual roles and wielding few temporal powers. Warrior-chieftains who may come from a great lineage but are also elected relatively more democratically by members of their clans.
• Family Structure: Extended families are considered central and powerful clan networks form noble dynasties, guilds and brotherhoods. Nobles and warrior lineage are traced through the father. However, most noble lineage will inevitably claim maternal lineage from Saya and Faya one way or the others through their legendary paternal ancestors to cement their legitimacy. Polygamy are practiced by the wealthy and nobles, but most commoners practice monogamy.
• Gender & Sexuality: Men dominate political and military leadership. Women hold power within religious and trade roles. There are legendary Queens and female warriors who have ascended to positions of leadership in Mattan history - but they remain mostly an exception and are generally revered. Marriage is often political or done strategically.
• Hospitality: Hospitality is considered sacred and hierarchy is also considered important - with guests of greater social standing receiving greater honors. And failing to show proper hospitality is considered to be ill omen and can bring divine punishment.
• Religion: Mattan generally practices Safaism with a bit of syncretic integration of original, local deities into Safaist practice. Like the Dezabian to the north who originated the religion, worship is highly structured. Unlike the Dezabian, priestesses and the priestly class in general hold much less overt political powers, although temples and monastic orders are very common - existing separately from the secular noble order rather than being tightly integrated. Rulers must be blessed by the priesthood to be considered legitimate - but the monarch is generally in control of the priesthood and it is very rare that the ruler cannot be blessed. Fasting, purification rituals and pilgrimage to shrines - especially purported headwater(s) of the Saya and Faya river are common.
• Charity & Gifting: Giving to the poor is generally considered a religious duty that is often covered by temples and community feasts held by the nobles and notables. Gift-giving are often done to cement political alliances. A gift is often expected to be repaid, but ceremonially or symbolically instead of giving back exactly what is given.
• Conflict Resolution: Disputes are generally handled by royal and noble courts with priests in an advisory roles. Feuds exists but are relatively rare.
• War: Noble houses regularly maintain wars and it is considered important to justify war rather than raid or attakc indiscriminately - with religious blessings being considered rather important before war. Typical justifications includes territory, heresy, dynastic claims or religious unifications.
• Magic: Earth, Fire and Water magic are the most revered of the High Magic schools, alongside healing magic - but healers must be sanctioned or blessed by the priesthoods and often are part of the priesthoods in more connected parts of society. Necromancy are forbidden.

Cuisine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_cuisine

Subcultures

The Mattan are divided into three cultural subgroups - the Highland Mattan, the Awaryan, people who are now hyena beastkins and no longer compatible with their linguistic and cultural cousins since over ten centuries ago, and the Slufians

Highland Mattan

The Highland Mattan describes the main subgroup of Mattan - though they often just call themselves Mattan.

Awaryan

Awaryan is a subgroup of Mattan people who maintains much of the same language and cultures as their eastern cousins. According to the mythological and oral history of the Mattan, the Awaryan diverged from them in a mythological time - over one thousand and five hundred years ago, when a great sorcerer arrived in the land of Matta and then cursed the descendants of certain person called Awarya to turn into beasts and take on their characteristics. According to the Awaryan themselves, Awarya was a legendary warrior who took upon the trait of the hyena in order to defend themselves from an elven invasion to the west.

The Awaryan spread west over the mountains of Agaya Axu to the forested land on its western slope - and also inhabits the marginal dryland to the west of the Kingdom of Matta proper.

The history of the Awaryan means they are often stereotyped as great warriors - but also feared by the Mattan themselves. The Awaryan also believes in their own warrior mythos, that they truly are superior born and bred warriors compared to everyone else - and Awaryan in particular can make very effective fighting forces if well-disciplined, armored and trained.

Slufian

The Slufian are a subgroup of Mattan who migrated east across the Kaen mountains to the coast now known as Slufia. They shares most linguistic traits but lives in decent coastal land to the east of Matta and engages in trade regularly. Amongst the Slufian the traditional noble houses hold less power compared to powerful merchant princes.