Giro-jji (Karanduun Setting)

"We are the Tigers that bite the Dragon."

(Comes from Qirong-jii’tsee, lit.: Children of Qirong) are the proud people of the Tiger. The Tiger that Bit the Dragon. Humans born from the Near East Region of Kat-jja, they are the tawo who travelled east after the War of the Four Datu. There they discovered the vast geomantic empire of the Naga, a civilization of humanoid dragons covered in scintillating scales and iridescent feathers, whom they worshipped. The Naga (which in Giroan is Qirong. The Naga referred to themselves as the “Ryukahn”) took the fleeing humans and gave them civilization and technology, but made them slaves. When the time of the Final War of Sunder happened, they rebelled and won, escaping from the Far East and moving to the Near East of Kat-jja, where they have created a vast Empire that spans for most of the Near East.

Society

The Giroans have a strong sense of nationalism, partly inherited from the Naga, and partly because of their achievement of liberation from them. To them, the Rebellious Tigers will not bow to any, not even to their former masters. In the half-whispered myths of the streets, it is said that the Giroan Military is preparing to assault the center of the world.

Their current Emperor, Yujao Gi’kuo, the Mooncopper Tiger, is said to be the eldest in a long line of half Dragon Lord half-human people that are superior to normal humans, since they have a Divine Right to Rule from the Populis of Heaven.

The Hwangtsir, or the Imperial Family, have the highest societal status, which included all the brothers and children of the Emperor.

The relatives of the Emperor belonged to the Go-gwihan, the noble class of society, however, which enjoyed the second highest social status in Giroan society. The noble class enjoyed an entire echelon of rule and power over the most of the rest of the people, and they tended to be educated. Many Go-gwihan Noble Families contribute directly to the Emperor, as well as have large power over various different parts of the Empire itself, but for the most part, the emperor has complete control over everything, and they are all overseen and administered by me.

The Gwan-rideru, or the Officials, are the third highest, and they are usually the most well-educated since they are educated from a young age to work for the government. Even if they don’t find a seat in the government, they are still liable to be well paid since they are educated.

The Nong-bu, or the Peasants, are one of the lowest classes but are highly regarded for they farm and produce the food from which everyone sustains themselves. They usually live outside the cities and are well-protected by the imperial army. They rarely have a day off and are usually the hardest workers, and are still taxed.

The Tsang-in, or the Artisans, are on the same societal level as the peasants and include the painters, potters, carpenters, metalworkers, and jewelry makers. As with the Peasants, they are highly regarded for their skills.

The Sagikunde-ru, or the Merchants, are on the same societal level as the commoner, but are regarded as lazy cheats and traders that only work for their own profit, and do not contribute to society as a whole. This was because they could gain so much wealth that they could challenge the nobles and the imperial family. Ever since that happened, restrictions have been placed, such as mandatory enlistment and overwrought taxing.

Slaves exist in Giroan Society but made up a small percentage, and are usually criminals.

Outside of the Empire they have Satrapies that have their own governing body who still answer to the Emperor. Their most well-known satrapy is the one to the north, bordering the Winter Isles, known as Dzeoronggar, where they are engaged with the military of the House Al-Alarius in daily combat.

An order of monastic knights known as the Koccha Kishi, the Flower Knights, are said to be trained in the mountains of the East. They follow the teachings of Omism, seeking to distance themselves from the Naga. They employ poetry and sutras in accordance with their fighting style, creating an order of educated Poet-Warriors that are privy to a certain Martial Art that is widely feared and revered by almost all of the Known Lands of Sanlibutan, known as the Starflower Song Style, which the Koccha Kishi know to be the Lower Echelon of the Starweave Rhapsody Style, a Martial Art that is esoteric to even the most well versed of martial artists.

Names in Giroan Society usually are made up of a first name that resonates with the baby’s being or the dream of the parent for them and a family name that is the name of the father, followed by the three indicators of place in the family as decided by the family (tsu for daughter, ko for son, and tsi for a neutral sound).

Names are always one to two syllables long, as mandated by the Second Emperor of Giro-jji for ease of calling and recording.

Names usually end in -a, -i, -im, -eum, -u, -eul, or -ur

A list of first names: Koccha (Flower) Bulka (Fire) Soneul (Sky) Tsii (Violet) Kigeum (Gold) Negyi (Cat) To-hlang (Tiger) Kuleum (Cloud) Jikku (Earth) Bami (Sea)

So names can look like this: Soneul’tsu Bami (Bami daughter of Tohlang)

Language

The Giroan language is known as Giro'dan and their script is Qi'tsi (derives from “Child of Qi, short version of Qirong) a language of its own, with distinct resemblances to Lakungdulan (words like Dayaw, which is Dahau, as well as the word (Karan-deun) Ka-ra-na-deun, which is the same in Giro'dan, and means the same (Worthy)). Most of their vocabulary has since been borrowed from Qirong words, many of their words being mostly pronounced by strange, draconic tongues, twisting their pronunciations. This language is one a bit more difficult to learn, and with its own writing system and characters and verbiage.

Everyday vocabulary and Grammar [VERY WIP]:

• Dan-nyo~! - Hello
• San-nyo~ - Goodbye
• Zhikfudo~ (pronounced chig-hudo) - Silk Hoodie
• Ieum (pronounced "oum~!") means yes
• Naieum (pronounced "na-oum~) means no
• Sareum - THANK YOU (Formal is Sareummakkasso. Used in most formal situations).

noun -> adjective (Usually, removing the last consonant (if it ends in a consonant) or the last two letters (if it ends in a vowel) turns a noun into an adjective.

• maewo (name)
• truth (jjin) -> true (jji)
• gama (darkness) -> ga (dark)
• kiran (light) -> kira (bright or light)
• Place (Hajji) -> Placed (Haj)
• kawarai (Female, Me/I) karinano (You, female)
• komanai (Male, Me/I) konariko (you, male)
• gottayo (wait)
• kyupda (beautiful) -> kyup (pretty)

Pure Adjectives

• Ojiri (this)

Possessives

Base

• Kiwa (mine)
• kawa (our)
• Doron (Yours)

Connected form

• Ki- (My...)
• Ka- (Our...)
• Doro- (Your...)

Connector

• na (links subject to direct object)
• onna (links subject to verb)

Verbs

Verbs are always in the end and are usually preceded by "ke" if after a direct object. Removing the last vowel and adding"-diasso" makes it past tense, and adding "-kiamsso" makes it future tense.

• Dozoki (jump) (dozokdiasso is jumped/dozokkiamso is will jump)
• tahazaka (eat) (tahazakiasso is ate/tahaza
• shiwassa (kill)/shiowasso (die)
• aejja (love) (aejjdiasso loved/aejjkiamsso is will love)

Emphasizers (Basically like saying "Very")

• -karamnasuda (ie. kyupkaramnasuda is saying "very pretty")

Honorifics

• -makesso (formality) (Important for when talking to superiors.)
• -munkeanssa (for those in the same vocation as you but of higher rank. Kind of like saying "senpai")
• -safisso (for teachers).

Grammar syntax hammered together: subject is ALWAYS first. Na is used to connect a subject to a direct object, except if the direct object has an adjective, in which case it is connected with "ra". Adding-makesso [more archaic is magakejjesso, but that's a left over from the Naga) makes everything more formal, but only if it is put at the end of a sentence (at the last word). Anywhere else and it will be deemed as "mock politeness".

Nouns can be turned into adjectives by removing the last consonant if it ends in a consonant, or the last syllable if it ends in a vowel. This applies to possessives as well.

In order, possessives always go before adjectives.

ex.

Dan-nyo! Kaira na kimaewomakesso (Greetings/Hello! My name is Kaira.) Less formal: Dan-nyo. Kaira na kimaewo.

Dan-nyo! Kaira da kijjimaewomakesso (Greetings! Kaira is my true name)

Hajji na gama. ([This] place is dark). or the more formal "Ojiri hajji na gama" (This place is dark, but usually doesn't need it)

Religion

The Giroans worship their ancestors and have various festivals to celebrating the dead, as well as hold various famous ancestors in the same regard as they hold their gods. They believe in reincarnation, and think that the highest attainment of reincarnation is the Naga, which is said that when you reincarnate from being a Dragon Lord, you attain either supreme peace for 3,000 years, or ascend past the confines of the earth.

There are two dominant religions in Girotsi: Omism and Qirong-mideum.

Omism is the belief in oneness with the All, which is all of creation and the universe, which they call the “Om”. Many elders and sages put forth the principle of “Action Lacking Thought”. Which is to say they perform things with such oneness with the all that they do it without actively thinking about the activity. This Oneness is the ultimate goal in Omism.

Qirong-mideum (Ki’rong mi-doom) is the majority religion and the official religion of the state. This states that the Naga are the highest form of reincarnation right before ascension or Supreme Peace. This emulates the Naga, which includes veneration of the dead as well as worship of the First Flame, from which the Naga came from. The head pantheon of the Qirong-mideum are made up of Naga as well. Various shrines are scattered across the Near East land, mostly natural vistas with statues of the Naga carved into them so that they can pay tribute. The rest of their religious practice involves fasting as well as practice and following of the Naga Dragon Lord Sutras, which was written by a Human loving Naga named Shengren Ranshao. The Naga Dragon Lord Sutras, which they call the Ashen Scrolls, are read and followed by the monks and priests and adherents of Qirong-mideum.

Military

The Giroans hold a yearly census that spans the entirety of their mandala of influence. The main reason of this census is to look for able bodied, 19 to 28 year old men who are conscripted to Military Service.

The White Tigers spread like flame. It is well known that Tigers are a lonesome predator, but so is the Giroan. They rely on no other strength than their own, similar to how the Tiger guts the Dragon. The Giroan Military is split into 27 different Legions, with the Third Legion being the largest. A Legion is known as a “Claw”. Each of the 27 different Claws have distinct names that reflect their greatest achievements. The Third Claw is known as the “White Tiger Claw” because they were the ones that delivered the killing blow to the Qirong military. The First Claw is known as the “Dependable Turtle Claw” for they were the ones that protected the capital of Giro'jji.

The third most notable Claw is the 28th. It doesn’t exist, and never did, but it was crucial to the delivery of messages, sabotage of supplies, and infiltration. The 28th was also responsible for the tide turning assassination of the Sixth Glorious Dragon General.

Each Claw has a population of around 1,000 soldiers. Each claw is split into 4 to 5 smaller subgroups known as Talons. Some Talons work and have autonomy, while other Talons are split even further into smaller Warbands. The White Tiger Claw is known to have been split into six Talons, and each Talon was split into Quarters, and each quarter was split into 5 Warbands.

A military man is usually illiterate, completely trained in combat and strategy. Literate soldiers usually ascend the ranks, eventually becoming Marshals on their own right.

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