Ba'hade

Societal ties: Balhe

Current population: 1

Main language(s): Ba'had

Area: 62,000km²

Natural and political borders

Zoiznuu Famosizhuu forms the western border and Zoiznuu Tindizhuu the eastern. The Land stretches north to where the two mountain chains join.

Ba'hade has claim to the Vesuu river and all its tributaries north of latitude 9.5°N.

History

The history of Ba'hade is not so much the story of a geographical area, but rather the story of a journey by a group of people to rediscover a mythical past. The Ba'hadim, according to their own legends, were Servant Caste Vreski who had been bred for aesthetic and sexual pleasure. Following the Vreski Time of Strife the Ba'hadim escaped northwards with other refugees, first to Cebrhuu Jimizhuu and then to Zeluerhine.

The discovery of the Jasuu Oasis had been a revelation to the Ba'hadim, and reignited belief among them of an old legend telling the story of the creation of humanity in a place known as the Valley of Home. In the spring of gt699 they left the Zeluerhine Plantation to search for this mythical valley, which they believed to be somewhere west of the mountains. From the oral and written history, it is believed that the Ba'hadim first headed south back to Cebrhuu Jimizhuu and then west along a major tributary deep into the western mountains, which they probably crossed at one of the high passes which can be found between Zoiznuu Jazakizhuu and Zoiznuu Tindizhuu, reaching the Baenosuu valley in the late autumn of that orbit.

It is almost certain that the survivors of the mountain crossing turned south when they reached the Baesonuu river and headed upstream - the legends speak of finding a great lake in the mountains (Cebrhuu Fithon) and of the attempts by the survivors to cultivate the land around the shores of the lake. They also speak of that cultivation failing after 'several' orbits. Once again the Ba'hadim set off in search of their Valley of Home, moving slowly north downriver and then up the Vesuu valley until they reached the Cebrhuu Veson in gt709 or 710.

The Ba'hadim stories talk of discovering a new oasis of Type Two lifeforms around the lake - though any sign of such an oasis have long since disappeared and the current cultivations don't include any plants or animals unique to that area. Nevertheless, this cultivation proved to be successful, and for the next two centuries the Ayene Plantation slowly grew both downriver and upriver.

In gt914 Telik explorers reached Froshmuu Uveson, where they discovered a settled, peaceful and successful people, living a largely agrarian life. At first, they believed they had discovered a truly unique oasis of Type Two life in the valley, though the initial, wild stories were soon disproved when Telik scientists arrived to investigate further. News of the survival of the Ba'hadim reached the Balhe Lands in in gt918. In gt921 an expedition from Meskause set out across the mountains, reaching Ayene in the autumn of that orbit. They returned in gt922 accompanied by Ba'hadim envoys, and over the course of the next 10 orbits great efforts were made to build a durable trail to connect the two Lands together.

Politics and economy

The Ba'hadim economy is almost entirely based on agriculture, with other activities such as building, quarrying, trade and management supporting the production of food. Even in the city, people will maintain market gardens (some on the roofs of buildings) and spend a good proportion of their time tending them. The concept of money is viewed as a foreign invention; bartering is the norm between the Ba'hadim. Light industries such as the manufacturing of household and clothing goods is largely an evening activity, often performed communally.

Political activity follows a similar, communitarian model, with every person over the age of 13 allowed to participate in community debates. Most political discussion revolves around the maintenance and expansion of the Plantation. Since re-establishing contact with the wider world, both the political and economic debate has become more complex. The Ba'hadim solution to dealing with the outside world has been to effectively set themselves up as a single trading entity, with everybody having an equal share in the risks and profits that come from trade.

The Ba'hadim are more reliant on the produce of their Type One lifeform environment than most other people, and have become highly adept at finding uses for what grows around them - it is this expertise, rather than the produce of their cultivations, that is mostly traded with the outside world.

Culture and other issues of interest

The Ba'hadim posess a rich oral culture, enhanced by performances and festivals over the course of the orbit. While some of this performance deals with the history of the people, more time is devoted to telling the stories associated with various folk spirits and their interactions with the creator.

Key natural features

The Froshmuu Uveson rises from around 750m at the southern border to 2,800m in the north, and is surrounded by much higher mountains to the east and west, including Mt. Yenuu in the south east (5,250m), Mt. Tibolestuu (3,900m), Mt. Gorhuu in the north (6,080m) and Mts. Alhekuu (5,420m) and Takyesuun (5,100m) in the west. To the south west, the giant volcanic Mt. Uveson (5,770m) dominates the whole valley.

Habitats

The bulk of the Land has an east central valley habitat, merging into a high valley habitat in the far north. The western ranges are part of the central mountains habitat.

Plantations and settlements

Ayene Plantation is the only cultivation in the Land, stretching some 210km along the upper reaches of the Vesuu river. In addition to the city of Ayene, built around the southern shores of Cebrhuu Veson, there are two other settlements in the plantation - one at the southernmost end and the other (at 1,800m above sea level) at the northernmost end, where the east central valley habitat ends.

Key towns and cities

Rural population: 0 (0.0% of total)