Ikanbo People

The Ikanbo People are a ethnic people who originated in the Selebi Valley of Elysian during the early part of the Age of Empires.

• Timeline: 450 AE - Present
• Population:

  • Elysian

    • Selebi Valley
  • Miran

    • Xian
    • Kingdom of Dakar
    • Three Kingdoms

What divided this culture from the surrounding cultures was the early rise of Zarnism among the people of the valley around 250 AE. Zarnism pushed out the previous tradition of local spirit-talkers and shaman that the Ikanbo revered previous. Within a hundred (100) years the Ikanbo led by Zarnic Priests had killed all other tribes living in the Selebi Valley that did not submit to Zarn.

The influence of Zarnism and the growing strength of the Ikanbo eventually led to the de facto creation of the Ikawa nation whose borders extended outside of the surrounding valleys as well. Ikawa was ruled by the most powerful of the Zarnic Priests and aggressively expanded, killing or driving out its neighbors until by the early six-hundreds (600s) AE it stood as the largest nation in Elysian.

For three-hundred (300) years Ikawa received tribute from its neighbors too strong to be conquered and the Zarnic Priests grew wealthy and complacent. They left the true path of Zarn and instead embraced the path of slovenly wealth and debauchery. By 1114 AE a counter-culture centered around true Zarnism rose up from the Ikanbo whom had been enslaved by debts to the priests. Within seventy (70) years Ikawa was burning from civil war and less than a hundred (100) years later fell to ruin as its neighbors descended upon them.

The Ikanbo were either massacred or enslaved by their neighbors; although a enough managed to escape that their culture was not wiped out. There are still Ikanbo who live in the Selebi Valley or as outsiders in other lands, but the largest number of them fled in large arks across the Isaurus Ocean.

With the destruction of Ikawa, the Ikanbo scattered across the lands. While a few of them turned away from Zarnism and formed small conclaves in other lands - the priests and the true believers left Elysian in large arks. Over the months of voyage many of the arks were sunk or lost at sea, but the majority of them eventually reached the western coast of Miran. Once there they founded the nation of Xian centered on the pillar of Zarnism.