Tayns

The Tayns were once the dominant cultural group in the north prior to the arrival of the empire. Historically, there were five major Taynish kingdoms, though now only two remain as semi-autonomous kingdoms under Imperial rule.

Though they are now largely agrarian people, their history dates back hundreds of years prior to the presence of the Empire as a collection of woodland tribes that shared similar cultural and language roots. Over the centuries, and in the face of foreign enemies, the tribes united first into many smaller kingdoms and confederacies, to their eventual peak of five allied kingdoms spanning not only Taynuit and Lynnla, but stretching into Negarta, northern Denrylak, and western Mulhong, at the time known as Gritia.

Tayns have a strong history of agricultural traditions. Land inheritance and ownership laws gives peasants more power in the Taynish kingdoms than serfs in other feudal systems enjoyed. The result though has been centuries of issues with Imperial land-grant policies that has led to continued issues with full assimilation of Tayns into the Empire.

Taynish religion is heavily grounded in the worship of the spirits that bring magic to the material world. Worship was overseen by local circles of priests, who were often powerful mages that acted as the bridge between everyday people and spirits.

Due to the strong support for the remaining Taynish royal houses and feelings of religious oppression, the Tayns have been a constant threat of rebellion to the Empire since the kingdoms were first invaded in the 3rd century. Though most Tayns in the cities have converted to the Imperial religion and enjoy many imperial customs, the ancient practices are still held in more rural parts of Taynuilt and Lynnla.