Byrakans

The Byrakans (Qymish: Бйракая, Byrakaja; Ottelian: TBD) were the group of proto-historic peoples inhabiting Byrak from the 12th century BC to the 3rd century AD. This ethno-cultural concept, born from the Ottelian vision of Northern Meran (?), which was then little known to ancient geographers, is commonly used to designate all the various peoples who occupied the territories of present-day Qym and NEIGHBOR.

From the 4th century BC onwards, and especially following the Ottelian conquest of Byrak, the Byrakans underwent a rapid process of acculturation due to extensive trade with and their subjugation to Ottelia. The markers of Byrakan civilization gradually faded, surviving only in limited fragments: the culture disappeared at the beginning of the 1st century AD, and the Byrakan language remained spoken but marginal, confined to religious texts, calendars, and votive dedications, in favor of the rise of Ottelian in the region. Byrakan pantheons survived only partially, sometimes intermingled with the Ottelian deities that were becoming dominant in the public cults of the Byrakan cities under Ottelian rule and integrated into the subdivisions of Byrak.

The Byrakans, strictly speaking, were politically composed of numerous independent nations and confederations speaking a range of Byrakan dialects. They believed they descended from a common ancestor, whose genealogy they knew, and were aware of some of the similarities that united them, much like what constituted Ottelian identity. To these ties of lineage, real or mythical, which sometimes created obligations of solidarity, asylum, and occasional military support, were regularly added alliances of convenience. As a result of these alliances and geopolitical balances, some Byrakan peoples became clients of other, more powerful peoples, forming tribal federations such as those of the Skuju and the Mishkas. All these peoples were divided into more or less defined political entities associated with a fixed territory, forming precursors to the administrative divisions of the Ottelian era. Most peoples had a capital, a political or religious center, surrounded by a neighboring territory containing secondary, rural communities. These structures sometimes persisted into Ottelian times which roughly correspond to modern-day Qymish counties.

Culture

Architecture

Probably just wooden houses and palisades U/C

Language

Byrakan is a FAMILY language, sometimes classified as a SUB-FAMILY language, while other sources emphasize its close relationship with the OTHER SUB-FAMILY language group. Qymish has certain characteristics of Byrakan origin. U/C

Religion

Byrakans followed a polytheistic cult U/C

Physical appearance

Second-century BC Ottelian historian DUDE described the Byrakans as tall, generally muscular, tanned-skinned, clean shaven, and auburn-haired, with long hair that is tied up:

The Byrakans are tall of body, clean shaven, and bronze of skin, and their hair is auburn, long and tied up behind their heads with ornaments made of wood or metals.