Weer

The Weer are an ethnic group native to Akaria.

Status in the Kingdom of Akaria

The Weer predominantly live in the Weer Kadrike, though Weer can be found in all other Kadrikes. Most Weer outside of the Weer Kadrike work for the Weer Kadrike in some way. A small number of Weer also live in the Andu Lands, working as "traders" for the Weer Kadrike.

Most Weer live in the city of Manser, the largest city in the Kingdom of Akaria.

Religion

Most Weer practice a version of Mirroi called Weer Mirroi. Adherants of Weer Mirroi see the Living King as the most learned scholar on The Pools and do not see the Living Kings as having any importance beyond this.

History

Origins

The origins of the Weer are obscure, they are not closely related to any other Akarian ethnic group. The Weer are believed to have originated in the Sero as the first records of Weer are from there. The first recorded Weer villages appeared around 2200 TT and went unnoticed by other Akarian powers for a time due to the inhospitable nature of the Sero.

Vassal of the Andu Kur

On 22-10 1939 TT several Weer fishing villages formed a confederation called the Weer Nation under the leadership of the Oceanic Council. Soon after they began organising trade routes which drew the attention of the Andu Kur. On 8-11 1907 TT the Andu Kur, forced the Weer Nation into becoming their vassal and established the city of Manser to serve as the Weer Nation's capital. The vassalisation did wonders to the Weer economy as traders from the Andu Kur came in increased quantities and Weer traders in the Andu Kur had the rights of citizens. During their time as a vassal, most of the Sero came under the control of the Weer Nation. Despite this, the Weer did not like being a vassal as it meant a portion of their income went to the Andu Kur in exchange for their supposed protection. On 13-10 1860 TT, the Oceanic Council voted to secretly research weapon technology to overthrow their Andu Kur overlords.

On 1-1 1790 TT, the Weer Nation attacked the Andu Kur using newly developed incendiary weapons which utilised gunpowder and omtarre, beginning the Andu-Weer War. The new weapons proved highly effective against the Andu Kur allowing the Weer to occupy a portion of the Thessda Range, though they lacked the manpower to take the whole area. The war ended on 6-6 1780 TT with a treaty that recognised the full independence of the Weer Nation from the Andu Kur whilst retaining their traders' rights in the Andu Kur.

Second independence

After the death of Gotiph, Leader of the Akarinian Confederation, in 1699 TT the Ikane and Skrake –members of the Akarinian Confederation– began engaging on raids on Weer villages on the edge of the Sero. These skirmishes got larger and bolder up until 24-3 1682 TT when the Ikane raided and razed the village of Maisas, formally a part of the Weer Nation. A week later the Weer Army entered the confederation and occupied a sizeable section of land in the border area. On Akarinian army led by Wayok, Leader of the Akarinian Confederation arrived at the edge of the occupied zone on 2-1 1681 TT. The army split into two parts; one being led by Ekank of the Deram, which was tasked with liberating the occupied areas and the other half being led by Wayok which was tasked with journeying into the Sero to capture one of their major cities. His forces faced little resistance on their way through Weer territory though many became afflicted with disease and had trouble moving through the swamps and bogs of the Sero. They arrived at the outskirts of Manser on 15-2 1681 TT where they came into contact with the Weer Army. They fought a battle which was decisively won by the Weer who used their incendiary weapons to great effect. During the battle, Wayok lost consciousness and was captured.

Wayok was imprisoned in the Manser Tower Prison and forced to sign many treaties with the Weer Nation on behalf of the Akarinian Confederation. On 22-2 1681 TT Wayok was forced to sign the Akarinian-Weer Peace Declaration ending the war and establishing the official borders between the two polities. Many other treaties were signed, including the Weer Merchant Protection Treaty (Granted Weer merchants the same rights they enjoy in the Andu Kur) on 9-4 1681 TT, the Weer Fishing Rights Treaty (Granted Weer fishers the right to fish off the Karinian coast and to port at Akarinian ports) on 19-7 1681 TT and the Weer Garrison Treaty (Granted the Weer Nation the right to instal military installations in the Akarinian Confederation) on 22-7 1680 TT. Wayok, along with the rest of his men were released on 24-7 1680 TT. Following these treaties more Weer began operating in the Karin Plain, most of whom did so whilst working for the Weer Nation. Ambassadors were sent to the leaders of the drikes of the Akarinian Confederation to make sure the treaties were being followed.

Of the treaties signed the least popular was the Weer Garrison Treaty. On 21-5, 1677 TT Living King (What the leaders of the Akarinian Confederation were now called) Ekank, spoke before the Oceanic Council to persuade them to remove the garrisons. After five days of negotiations, an agreement was reached; the Weer Nation would remove their garrisons from Karinia and in exchange all of Ekank's children would be educated in the Weer Nation. This began the process of Weerising the Karinians.

Ekank's son, Kamore Deram, who had been partly raised in the Weer Nation, became Living King on 23-2 1630 TT. The Weer Nation joined the Akarinian Confederation on 8-6 1608 TTduring Kamore's reign. At the time there was a movement in the Andu Kur to revoke the Weer's special trade rights. Joining the Akarinian Confederation ensured that the Akarinians would join the Weer in any conflict against the Andu Kur that might have arose if their trade rights were revoked.

Within the Akarianian Confederation

Joining the Akarianian Confederation did not affect the inner workings of the Weer Nation, with most Weer considering the Akarinian Confederation to be a collection of independent entities rather than a singular sovereign state as many in the Karinians of the Confederation also did.

The Weer Nation eventually become the industrial backbone of the Akarianian Confederation.

Living King Matart Kakay officially reorganised the Akarinian Confederation into the Kingdom of Akaria on 19-1 1196 TT through Matart's 227th Dictate. The dictate also formally renamed the Weer Nation to the Weer Kadrike.

Within the Kingdom of Akaria

Pre-calming

On 13-6 467 TT the Oceanic Council anounced that the majority of their iron mines in the Weer Range had begun to deplete and were expected to be completely out of iron within the next decade. A deal was struck between Klaichandoi and the Deram on 13-8 454 TT with iron for Akaria now being mined by the Deram and traded to the Weer for Weer-made weapons.

The Great Weer Fire started in Manser on 17-3 143 TT and lasted until 22-3. Many died in the fire, which also destroyed a large portion of Manser's industrial sector. Soon after, strikes and protests took place in Manser with the majority concerning the production of volatile chemicals in the city centre which had greatly contributed to the size of the fire. A deel was made between the Oceanic Council and Leader of the Oken, Naikar Oken on 4-5 143 TT. The deal gave the Oceanic Council control over a portion of the Oken's land in Oksken for twenty years, at which point the land and anything on the land would revert to Oken control. In addition, ten percent of all profits generated from the land would go to the Oken.

in Manser to discuss a proposal he had come up with. Naikar told the council about how Oken owned a large amount of relatively worthless land in Oksken and was willing to let Oksken take on Manser's chemical production. The deal he proposed would give the Oceanic Council control over a portion of the Oken's land in Oksken for twenty years, at which point the land and anything on the land would revert to Oken control. In addition, ten percent of all profits generated from the land would go to the Oken. After three days and the murder of Amsani Weer, the Oceanic Council accepted the offer. During the two decades following the industrial sector in Naikar continued to decline leading Naikar to make further deals of a similar nature with other Weer. The Naikar Deals marked Oksken's transition from a rural backwater to an industrial hot spot.

Post-calming

After the Grand Calming some Weer began moving to other islands, often under the authority of the Oceanic Council. A significant number of Weer are employed by the Akarian Trade Fleet.