Ravre

Ravre is an ethnic / cultural name used by and applied to the hillfolk of the Khurorgos Mountains of southwestern and south-central Khutu, as well as neighbouring mountainous areas of Daligash and Taizi. The Ravre are generally agreed to be the descendants of a range of pre-Omban societies that no longer exist as distinct groups.

The term ravre itself is of disputed origin. One theory holds that it is from Old Omban ragaffe raisse ('children of the springs'), on the theory that these groups inhabited the headwaters of the great rivers. However, a more likely theory is that it is a remnant term from one of the old pre-Omban languages, now largely lost except through certain Ancestors. There are other such words in the local dialects of the Ravre that would make this theory plausible. It is clear from pre-Imperial and early Imperial texts in Old Omban that there were various historical societies and languages in the area at least 1000 years ago, and occasionally ancestors have been found who speak languages totally unknown today. The term Ravre as an ethnic term was certainly used by the founding of Nemnosti in the third century, and was not new at that time.

Today, Ravre are primarily monolingual Ombesh speakers; if any of their historical languages are still used today, it is in pockets so far removed from civilization that they have not attracted the attention of scholars. They are also devoted followers of the Corps; there have been no known Hulti in Khutu among the Ravre since the Great Purge of 534, over two hundred years ago. However, in Daligash, which has traditionally been more tolerant of Hulti, there may be some Hulti living as hillfolk, either because they are descended from old Ravre lineages there, or because they have moved into the hills for safety.

A note: Comparisons with modern European ethnocultural groups are instructive. Ravre are similar in some ways to Irish Travellers, the Vlachs of the Balkans, or the Gorals and Hutsul of the Carpathians - rural, culturally distinct in some ways, but otherwise adhering to the language(s) and religion of the majority. But they are unlike, say, the Basques, Sámi, or Roma, all of whom are highly linguistically and culturally divergent from their neighbours.

As they are not descended from Omban citizens, Ravre are generally reckoned as members of country lineages. Their lineages are much like other rural country lineages elsewhere, at least those of modest means. Importantly, though, not all members of country lineages in the area are Ravre. Some of these other country lineages may have been reckoned as Ravre in the past, but are no longer. Others are the descendants of foreign corvee labourers brought to the region by the Empire or by Khutu. Ravre iftibals are mainly the houses of whoever happens to be the hengi at the time.

Some of the ways in which the Ravre are distinct from other Khutuans are as follows:

• Names: Personal and lineage names tend to be quite distinct from those of other Khutuans. Some of these names are clearly non-Ombesh in origin, though often obscure.
• Words: There are a few dozen words that are specific to Ravre communities, not used widely by anyone else. These are likely much-changed holdovers from ancient, now-forgotten languages. There is a special counting system derived from a pre-Omban language used by Ravre used for counting goats, and also in children's rhymes.
• Sigillants: Ravre art and magic is centered around painted and carved glyphs on natural rock formations as well as columns and monuments erected over the centuries. Central to this practice are the sigillants, practitioners of a non-fos-based glyphic magic, which, while not as powerful as that of the mystics, has survived the centuries more or less intact.
• Vultures: Ravre culture is centered around the vultures (ikhanne) who live in the high hills and scavenge. Vultures are seen as people having ancestors, and a set of myths and taboos have arisen around them. The great hunters of the Ravre are known as vultures and some can even transform themselves into vultures.
• Folk tales and songs: There are a number of distinctive folk songs and stories told by the Ravre and no one else.
• Juskai: A layered tunic made from the wool of local mountain goats/ibexes, worn by Ravre in cold weather and evenings.