Cheyenna

Cheyennans carry sun-bronzed to deep tan skin, earned under the open skies of the southern plains. Dark hair is the near-universal norm, worn in warrior braids or topknots among the military class, loose or wrapped among civilians. Builds are lean to muscular, shaped by decades in the saddle and a culture that prizes martial excellence. Dark brown or black eyes are nearly universal. Scarification and ritual tattoos are common markers of warrior rank and noble lineage, with patterns unique to each ruling house.

The Warlord-King rules as both feudal sovereign and supreme military commander, with the title confirmed by the warrior nobility. Military prowess determines rank throughout the social hierarchy — a brilliant farmer who cannot fight holds lower status than a mediocre warrior who can. Succession is contested by the strongest warrior-noble clans; bloodline matters, but military dominance determines the outcome.

The Warlord-King must prove military worth continuously. A long peace weakens the throne by removing the primary justification for the ruling family’s authority. Wars with neighbors are sometimes governed by strict codes — fighting seasons, prisoner exchange, sacred days of no-combat — making Cheyennan warfare a complex negotiation as much as a conflict.

Captured enemies are a valuable resource: slaves, ransom, or ritual sacrifice depending on status. Religion is martial — the warrior gods are the primary deities, and priests double as military chaplains whose blessings before battle are considered essential rather than ceremonial.

Cheyenna is landlocked and surrounded: Ormal to the west, Ummalii to the east, the Empire of Urudu to the north, and the Maritime Republic of Tidereach to the south. This geographic position forces aggressive diplomacy to maintain trade access — Cheyenna cannot afford to alienate all its coastal neighbors simultaneously, which provides those neighbors with quiet leverage.

Agricultural surplus (grain, livestock) from the fertile interior plains funds the warrior class and provides export goods. Imports are primarily metal goods and manufactured items — the warrior culture values practical military supplies over luxury goods.