Bazwebwe

Bazwebwe, also known by many other indigenous names and also as simply the Southeastern Continent, is a continent and region comprising the southeasternmost lands of Kylorne. The continent is much more sparsely populated than the northern lands, yet it is considered by many anthropologists to be among one of the most diverse continents in Kylorne. Geographically, the continent is round and split into three parts: a region of subtropical forest and grasslands, a central desert belt, and a southern jungle. Most of the outlying islands to the south and east are included as part of Bazwebwe geographically.

Name
The continent's official name is highly contentious; nearly every tribe on the continent calls it a different name, and many have disdain for the use of a particular name as any "official" standardised name.

Geography
The continent is split into three major regions.

The northernmost region features a patchwork of subtropical broadleaf and mixed forest and plains. The western forests of Bazwebwe are known to contain some of the largest and oldest living trees alive today, having massive oaks that block out the sun and are several meters thick at the trunk. The northern region also bears several mountains; the Iwolintshi Mountains are an older mountain range with striped layers of sedimentary rock. The much higher Jüplisatu Range bears sharp peaks, and the highlands comprising the mountains and their surroundings have the coldest climate on the continent. The two ranges are separated by a large lake or inland sea known as the Sea of Gumbahlo or Surrounded Sea. An area of wetland exists on the eastern end of the continent.

The central region is much more arid, and bears the highest temperatures. There is a biome known as miombo- a seSanemi word describing a savannah-like region with many trees but little permanent ground vegetation. Only during the rainy season does grass naturally grow in the miombo. The soil is otherwise fertile when irrigated and plowed; still, most residents of the region's interior herd livestock as pastoral nomads instead of crop farmers. A large sandy desert crosses the continent; however, within the mountains of the desert, a small patch of miombo still grows.

The southern reaches of Bazwebwe are covered in a tropical rainforest known to its residents as the Arelian Jungle. The most humid area on the continent, everywhere from its highest mountains to the coasts are covered in lush tropical vegetation. The forest is thick, and prevents significant amounts of exploration or construction within it. The primary methods of travel in the south are to follow the rivers or the coast. South of the mainland lies the island of Owiff.

Hand Talk
There are many commonalities among the peoples of the southeast, despite the apparent diversity of the local peoples. One of the most common uniting factors is the use of a kind of sign language known as Hand Talk; originally derived from simple gestures and arm-waving, it slowly became the main method of inter-tribal communication where spoken language barriers halted trade and diplomacy in the past. Hand Talk is slightly different for each language, but the differences are minute enough that most experienced Hand Talk users can understand one another.

Barbecue
Cuisine is another common factor among the peoples of Bazwebwe. While many different modes of farming, fishing, and foraging are practiced by its different peoples, one of the most common ways to cook food among the southeastern tribes is barbecue. Open pits are usually kept burning or at least hot all day, and many kinds of meat, fruit, and vegetables are cooked directly over the fire. Large barbecue events can be held as local festivals including a whole village.

Ritual Pipe
While much of the inter-tribal diplomacy on the continent is done in Hand Talk, the meetings are usually completed with the use of a particular ritual pipe or "peace pipe", passed around among representatives or leaders during meetings. The ritual pipe can also be smoked during religious events, business meetings, or other significant social gatherings, and in some instances as medicine. The varieties of herb actually used in the pipes varies by tribe, event, and age, but often includes tobacco, hemp, and/or a mix of non-psychoactive aromatic herbs.

Races and Ethnicities
The indigenous humans of Bazwebwe tend to vary in appearance, particularly among their natural hair types and facial features. However, nearly all of them have dark, often curly hair and skin that varies from dark tan to dark brown. It is thought that the darker skin tones of the native peoples prevented their ancestors from severe sunburn. Despite superficial similarities, it is nonetheless unknown if their languages share much in common.

One of the most common non-human sophonts of the continent are the Kikiri, a group of sentient tortoise folk that primarily inhabit the southeastern jungles. There are also a number of animal-human hybrid peoples among the island-dwelling Reo'hoari of the east and the maSanemi of the continent's west.

Tribes and Nations
Note that Kylorne is still in the Tribal Period.

Contemporary

 * Fitek Tenkiswi
 * Hollurg en Oruna
 * Icarian Commonwealth
 * baSanemi
 * Tsaytsa
 * Reo'hoari
 * Zaraphia

Historical

 * Imbalitsi Confederation
 * baShani Kingdom
 * Reo'hoari warring states
 * maSanemi warring states
 * Tenkiswi Horde