Vasha

Fashion

Vasha people wear tight or easily removable clothes for swimming.

Food & Drink

Vashain’s are vegetarians out of respect for their aquatic animal friends and the flow of life energy. You can find water farms throughout Ue Oe Empire’s lands. These water farms are located underwater in ideal locations to grow water plants, such as seaweed.

Eya

The favored beverage of the Vashain’s is Eya, named after the sound many make after trying it for the first time. Eya consists of fermented seaweed and ginger. Typically, people sip Eya warm, but you can also drink it cold. It comes in filtered and unfiltered, with filtered having higher alcohol content.

Geography

Their cities vary from a more traditional land settlement to underwater metropolises to a combination of both.

Inner Sea

The water of the Ue Oe Empire off the coast of Tsuru is a sight to behold. Entering the Inner Sea from the Outer Sea is like entering a new aquatic world. The shift in water is that of night and day, like passing over a wall in an airship. Their water is crystal clear, as if nature has erected a barrier of pure liquid to keep the outer sea at bay. Elemental energy currents have been found flowing in the waters of Ue Oe by their scientists. By utilizing these currents and their boundaries, they established the borders of their empire. The energy flows' origin is a mystery to scientists, yet religious individuals view them as divine wonders.

Uiao

In the heart of the Ue Oe Empire, the capital and metropolis, Uiao is the central hub for trade between the two major continents of Nisumari. Uiao stretches inland and down deep into the depths of the ocean. Because of its specific location, it can provide trade for land, ocean, and underwater dwellers. This is because of half of the city being submerged deep in the ocean. You cannot access many parts of the city without the ability to breathe underwater. Aquatic courier services are used to transfer goods between the different parts of the city. This service is always in high demand for employment because of its unique requirements.

Laws & Regulations

No Fishing!

Fishing in the Ue Oe region is highly illegal as the Vasha are dedicated to protecting the aquatic wildlife and preserving their environment. The penalty for fishing is imprisonment in one of their underwater prisons. If you are a creature that can not breathe underwater, this is a death sentence.

Trade Restrictions

Although Uiao is the hub for trade coming and going from the continent, it has some major restrictions. The largest restriction being that no aquatic animal-based products are allowed through their ports. This goes against their protection of the oceans and all life that lives in it. To trade aquatic animal-based products, traders must travel north to another empire’s port.

Religion

While most Vashain’s worship multiple deities, there is a large group that believes in only the deity of water, Yooi.

Ie’Uay (Life Water Cycle)

The Life Water Cycle is a religious organization dedicated to the worship of Yooi, the goddess of water and life. They believe her ever-flowing waters grant life to all. That without her water, the world would dry up and die. They believe that the healing abilities water provides the Vasha are proof that Yooi has blessed their culture and the Empire of Ue Oe. It is also proof that her power is truly divine and superior to all other gods. While the Ie’Uay believes that Yooi is the one and true god, they do not deny the existence of other deities. They acknowledge other gods, yet affirm that Yooi is the most powerful and allows the worship of other deities in their temples.

Ie’Uay Banquet

The Ie’Uay Banquet is a yearly festival held off the coast of the Ue Oe Empires coast. It is a joint festival with the Tharish and Ue Oe Empires to celebrate the goodness and honor of their great water god. The festival is a worldwide event that draws in all kinds of people. See Tsuadi Banquet in the religious section of the Tharish culture for more details.

Traditions

Oi’Ae Festival (Flowing Water Festival)

Twice a year, the Ie’Uay holds a massive festival in honor of Yooi and all her blessings. People celebrate and have fun during the seven-day festival. Many of the attendants travel to Uiao from across the region to enjoy the festivities.

The Ie'Uay water dancers perform acrobatics and manipulate water each afternoon of the festival. The final afternoon, the dancers put on a longer and more extravagant performance to wrap up the festival.