The Tides of Lightning: The History of Yamnia and Beyond - A Cradle of Civilization TL.

[Sarthak]

The Tides of Lightning: The History of Yamnia and Beyond​

***​

-Prologue-​

***​

Urheimat (A), Ruaehneghithla Sector, 1250 Efahel (B) (50 AD)

Treyef sighed as he rubbed his back and walked through the streets of the bustling capital. The guards watched him carefully and eyed him as he smiled back sheepishly at the guards. They had seen him pickpocket an old lady a week earlier. Quite to his admonishment and embarrassment, Treyef had been forced to serve around 7 days under the old lady as an indentured servant as payment for the pickpocketing. It had been embarrassing for Treyef, as he had made a reputation of himself for being a famed pickpocket. Everyone knew he was one; but he hardly ever was caught. Gold was his objective, and everyone knew it.

Well, whatever, the old man had something to tell him. Treyef let out a snort as he thought about the old man. The old man was always full of horse dung. He would speak and mumble about history that Treyef had no interest in whatsoever.

Letting out a yawn Treyef walked across the busy sector as he eyed some of the delicious fruits being shown in the market places. The market owners and vendors scowled at him as he shot a nervous smile back at them. Well, not a day for stealing. After all, Treyef, knew that this day was the celebration of the birth of Earth Mother Dhegrom (C). A goddess known to be kind and the mother of all on the earth as they knew it. Treyef wondered idly as he walked if he should go and pray in the Earth’s Chapel later in the evening.

“Nah, I would rather much go at night; when there’s no crowd around, and no priests to steal my money.” Treyef thought idly as he walked through the market place finally reaching his destination; the house of his granduncle.

He knocked on the door twice and shifted his hands back into his leather pockets. A minute later the door swung open as the iconic grizzly white beard of his granduncle Laryef was seen. Laryef opened the door enthusiastically and looked at his grandnephew. “Ah Treyef! I thought you wouldn’t come! It’s already midday!”

“I had half a mind not to come.” Treyef muttered.

“Ah, don’t speak like that! You wound this old heart!” Laryef guffawed as he jokingly clutched his chest. Treyef snorted as he blew a tuft of Laryef’s beard away. “Anyway! Come in boy! We have much to talk about today!”

Treyef sighed and rubbed his back and neck before nodding and stepping into the cool warmth of Laryef’s cottage.

Treyef made himself comfortable as he sat down on the lower platform of the guest room; as was customary for guests of the house to sit on the lower platform of the guest room. He dusted himself as he saw some specks of dust in the Larha (D) of the old man. A twitch grew in his eyebrows as he remembered that his granduncle very rarely ever cleaned his house. He withheld the need to sneeze as his granduncle finally entered the guest room and sat down on the upper platform.

Laryef cracked the side of this neck as he worked himself in his position and extended his hands as his left hand covered his guts whilst his right hand covered his right hand. Treyef immediately went to attention as he saw that position. That was the position when the clan leader was serious. Laryef chuckled as he saw his grandnephew become upright and at attention.

“Well it’s good to see that in your time as a soldier for Her Majesty campaigning against the Eternal Horsemen to the east, you haven’t lost your recognition of our cultures.” Laryef murmured.

“I was only gone for four years.” Treyef muttered back as he sat at attention.

“Ouhu Shiwurua (E)!” Laryef chuckled. “Anyways lad, I believe you know what today is?”

“The Festival of the Goddes Dhegrom.” Treyef answered as he crossed his hands.

“Yes. And how old are you boy?” Laryef asked in a serious tone.

“24 Summers old. You should know this Old Man!” Treyef grumbled.

“And do you remember what this means?”

Treyef craned his neck and squinted. He strained his brain hard for a second and shook his head. “Nope.”

“By the mighty Vahlegha (F)! You don’t?” Laryef asked flabbergasted as he looked at his grandnephew.

“I’m sorry Ghipa (G), I don’t.” Treyef shook his head again as he leaned back slightly.

Laryef shook his head. “Today is your Bahihrha (H). How could you have forgotten? Your father wouldn’t have been proud.”

Treyef’s eyebrows shot up into his head and then his cord struck as his face quickly became panic stricken.

“Malara (I)!” He swore as he looked sheepishly at his granduncle and sighed. “I had forgotten. Today is the day I gain headship of our clan then?”

“Well.” Laryef harrumphed. “You could, and gain a seat in the Confederate Council. However that is my decision. Today I acknowledge you as my heir and as my successor. Whether or not you get the headship today is up to debate. I highly doubt the other chiefs would like to have an uncouth soldier and pickpocket among them.”

“Eh, what’s a few uncouth words between family Ghipa?” Treyef smiled nervously as he looked at the clan chief, who also happened to be his granduncle.

Laryef sighed. He fanned himself with light bark and murmured “One of these days, you are going to make the name of Saka drown my grandnephew.”

“The Saka clan shall endure.” Treyef murmured. “That is our motto isn’t it? The One Who Endures Wins……..?”

“I guess.” Laryef answered as he nodded. “Our clan shall endure a leader such as you as well. Anyways, today I tell you our history. The History of the Saka Clan. And of course, of Yamnia and the Imperial Dynasty and how it all came to be.”

“Why?” Treyef groaned in boredom. He knew this was going to be boring. He just knew it. A second later he clutched his head in slight pain as a small pebble had hit him there. He looked at his granduncle who looked deadly serious. Giving a watery smile he nodded his understanding and settled down.

“Our story is old…..as old as time one could say……” Laryef Saka, the head of the Saka Clan began. “It all began when our ancestors settled beside the mighty Vahelga River. The Story of Yamnia and how we came to be starts from there……..”

***

(A) - A Capital City
(B) - the Indigenous Dating System
(C) - The Goddess of Earth.
(D) - A kind of wheat carpet.
(E) - Of Course!
(F) - Volga River ITTL
(G) - Granduncle
(H) - Birthright.
(I) - Damn!


***

Author’s Note:-

Welcome to my first serious ancient TL, it’s a story about anthropology, agriculture, cruel might is right, Darwinism, and above all how a civilization settling in the Volga River, makes a huge impact. It’s a story about how Civilizations begin, and how they fall, and how from the ashes, the people rise up again to face their foes. A Timeline in which an old fascinating culture that could have been much more, never got to be in our world.

Welcome, to the Tides of Lighting, where civilization meets the gods, and cruel reality.

***

 

[Sarthak]

Welcome to my first serious ancient TL, it’s a story about anthropology, agriculture, cruel might is right, Darwinism, and above all how a civilization settling in the Volga River, makes a huge impact. It’s a story about how Civilizations begin, and how they fall, and how from the ashes, the people rise up again to face their foes. A Timeline in which an old fascinating culture that could have been much more, never got to be in our world.

Welcome, to the Tides of Lighting, where civilization meets the gods, and cruel reality.

****

Replies and constructive thoughts would be wildly appreciated

 

[Whiteshore]

Well, this sounds interesting.

 

[Sarthak]

Well, this sounds interesting.

Thanks, I've done like 5 months of research for this, and I hope I don't disappoint!

 

[Talus I of Dixie]

I'm darn intrigued by this, you caught my attention! Now you got us listening, what you gonna do with it!?

 

[Sarthak]

I'm darn intrigued by this, you caught my attention! Now you got us listening, what you gonna do with it!?

Thanks I'm gonna post the chapters of course!

 

[Rooki]

Nice start, can't wait to read more!

 

[Sarthak]

Nice start, can't wait to read more!

Thanks!

 

[Capacity]

Volga was mostly dominated by the Uralic people back then. Yamnia was South of it, I believe.

So the scenario might be similar to Franks conquering France, which kept the existing language (Latin) in a modified form, though. So you will probably have Volga Uralic/Finnic language with Indo-European influence, similar to the Germanic and Celtic influence on French.

 

[Sarthak]

Volga was mostly dominated by the Uralic people back then. Yamnia was South of it, I believe.

So the scenario might be similar to Franks conquering France, which kept the existing language (Latin) in a modified form, though. So you will probably have Volga Uralic/Finnic language with Indo-European influence, similar to the Germanic and Celtic influence on French.

Slightly. The Upper Volga near the eventual place where the Volga Bulgarians would settle was dominated by the Uralic People. The Don River Area and South Volga River Area was dominated by the Yamnayan Culture. Though as it expands, the Uralics and the Yamnians will have cross influences with one another.

 

[Capacity]

Interesting. My upcoming timeline is about a Cradle of Civilization of the World in what are today France and Switzerland. Good to see one in Eastern Europe, as well.

 

[Sarthak]

Interesting. My upcoming timeline is about a Cradle of Civilization of the World in what are today France and Switzerland. Good to see one in Eastern Europe, as well.

In France and Switzerland? That will be interesting as well.

 

[Sarthak]

-I-
The First Clan and the Creation. ​

***

2647 BCE

Asvabhu clutched his head in pain as he groaned out in pain as his old mother, already 60 summers old soothed him. Her old wizened face, which had seen her husband, Asvabhu’s father, die and all of his siblings beside him die in the cruel lands as well. Asvabhu had become the leader of the Suren Clan a few summers ago, when Asvabhu himself had only been 19 summers old. But now this disease seemed to be attacking him, and by the gods, Asvabhu was determined not to die! Not when he was only 24 Summers old!

He coughed out some blood which fell onto the light dress that his mother was wearing. She unflinchingly wiped it off and continued her work. She was currently mashing some herbs together as she looked worryingly outside of the small hillfort of their clan as the skies thundered and rain poured down. She was squeezing the bark of the Uaeye Tree (1), and was making tincture out of it in a hurried fashioned.

“How is the rest of the clan, ma?” Asvabhu coughed out again as he tried to crane his neck towards his mother’s tincture.

“The clan is fine my son.” She soothed. “All 120 accounted for.”

“That’s….good.” Asvabhu muttered. “I only pray to the gods, that I will survive this. Or else the tribe will splinter over who shall succeed me. I have no heir. My child died last summer in the cold as an infant.”

“Yes, I quite remember. A sad day to bury your own grandchild.” Mother murmured. Asvabhu ducked his head as he nodded. His mother had been through a lot, he knew. After a tense few minutes mother swirled the tincture in her small hands desperately trying to keep it in her hands. Asvabhu craned his neck and opened his mouth as the Tincture dribbled into his mouth. The taste was disgusting. It was hot, it was bitter and it was all round a distasteful liquid. However Asvabhu knew that it would be able to ease his pain.

“Your feud with the Asharia Clan will kill us one day.” Mother murmured as she started to mold some Eupra (2) together to add onto my skin to make my fever go away.

“I won the duel didn’t I?” Asvabhu murmured back.

“You did. But look at your state now!” Mother shot back. “You could have lost for anything. The fact that Karkava is dead means nothing to the Asharia clan. They will probably come back with a vengeance.”

“They can’t. Their leader is dead.” Asvabhu muttered. “These lands are ours. They got what we intended to tell them. Besides, we outnumbered two to one. It would be foolish of them to come after us.”

“Alliances can be made my foolish little son.” Mother replied as she dabbed some cold water onto the forehead of Asvabhu.

“True….true mother…….But I don’t intend to make them the only one with allies.” Asvabhu answered as he slowly stood up, as the pain subsided slowly and he was able to stand up slowly with aid from his mother.

“I know that glint in your eye boy.” Mother frowned. “What is it that you’re thinking?”

“Mother.” Asvabhu murmured. “We have been moving from one place to another ever since I can remember. The Great Sea to the south, the Grand Mountains to the South, the valleys amongst the high mountains there, the rivers of the east, and of course this mighty river we have currently made our home; why don’t we settle down here?”

“Settle down?” Mother frown grew. “We would be giving away our position to all enemies to bear down upon.”

“Not exactly.” He answered as he spread his hands as he watched the rain drops outside of the Hillfort. “We can live in a construction of multiple hill forts like this one in which we are living in. We would be secure from all attacks for a long time. In the meantime, the great river is right next to us, towards our east, at about a distance of ten minutes. Think about the cultivation we can commit ourselves. Our sustenance is guaranteed ma!”

“I am not sure about this my son.” Mother answered hesitantly. “I admit your idea does seem tempting, however it is also a risky proposition. The river can flood anytime, and we are taking a great deal of risk staying in one place.”

“Nothing can come to us without the risks being involved ma. I ended our feud with the Asharia clan which almost took my life.” Asvabhu stated as he touched his guts remembering the punches that his opponents threw at him. “Nonetheless, having a constant food supply is too tempting to lose at all. We cannot afford to move around everytime. We lose everything we gained in one go everytime we do so.”

“I still do not think this is a wise idea my son.” Mother sighed. “However you are leader. What you say is law.”

“Thank you mother for understanding.” Asvabhu nodded. He hadn’t wished to argue with mother and or order her to follow his direction, and was thankful that his mother had acceded so quickly, even though she was doubtful.

“Every settlement needs a name; I doubt the name we gave to this place as a temporary settlement will suffice. What will you name this place then my son?” Mother asked as she looked at her son expectantly.

Asvabhu clicked his tongue and looked at the droplets of water. His observant eyes saw it fall to the ground and disappear into the mud as he rubbed his chin. “I was thinking about……….Yamnia.”

“Home……….how poetic you’ve become, my son.” Mother clicked her tongue and nodded. “I must admit……it is a fitting name.”

Asvabhu smiled. “Indeed. And May the gods bless us and our new home then.”

***

Legends speak about the Great Ocean. It engulfed the entirety of the universe. It consumed the world, and churned creating havoc and chaos; sowing discontent as it pleased. But even the Ocean was a lonely being, having nothing to do for millennia. And thus out of the Ocean, out of it’s creativity came out the Earth. The Earth Assumed the form of a woman, and Ocean named her Dhegrom. They lived in harmony for many years, however the Ocean was not a kind being, it was abusive, and its daughter, the Earth took the brunt of the Ocean’s angry riots. Out of desperation to save her, she used her power, and out of the mud, her own flesh, she made a man. A Man whom she endowed with the power of the Lightning. And a child was born. The child was named Deyews. Deyews was quickly found by the Ocean. Angry that Earth had betrayed it. Deyews was thrown into the Eternal Prison of the Seas, where he grew up wanting to meet his creator. Dhegrom languished in pain as she continued to bear the brunt of the anger of her creator. But 18 summers later, Deyews, now being able to wield the great powers of the lightning that Dhegrom had given him broke out his prison and found Dhegrom. The reunion of the two was an emotional event, and the two quickly fell in love with another. They married one another, and with Ocean hot on their heels, they warred with Ocean. A War that lasted for a century. By the end of the century, Ocean was rendered unconscious forever, for he was immortal and could not die and he banished to the depths of the universe. To make sure that the Tyrannical Ocean would not rise from the Depths again, Dhegrom split herself and laid upon the physical manifestation of the Ocean and covered it, creating a barrier. To protect his beloved and creator, Deyews ascended to the skies with his lightning in hand and ruled over the skies, watching her every day to ensure her wellbeing. And thus the World Was Born.

……………..The Book of Creation, The Ghouhdha Book (3), Chapter 1, Verse 3

***

“They say that a small clan, a small clan settled down next to the Valegha river and created a small village. Nothing much for several decades, and clan grew in numbers. Eventually allies would settle down in the village as well, and it would grow. It would continue to grow. It would grow until the village became what we today know as our capital city. To think, that a mere clan, driven by the need of food security would settle down and create a civilization unlike anything anyone had ever seen, is frankly astounding.” – Oral Folk Tale of the Gharan Clan

***

Argehf Saka, “Early Yamnian Agricultural Review”, University of Urheimat, 1989. Translated by Leonidas Angelos, University of Byzantion, 1995.

Folk tales and oral tradition tells us that the first clan of the Yamnian Civilization settled down in what is today Urheimat due to the need for the clan to have a continuous food supply, and to use the hills next to the river as hill forts, which gave them an advantageous position against their potential enemies. Yet, when talking about this intricate history, every so often, people often ignore what crops these people, our ancestors, used to grow for their livelihood.

From first hand sources as well as second and third hand sources what we know is that the Old Clan’s primary consumption crops that were grown were primarily Wheat, Asparagus, and the Carrot. These three crops were often called the ‘Trinity of Food’ by the 17th Emperor of Yamnaya, Arbelef Surkeya. And this cannot be understated. From what we can understand, the entire ancient cuisine structure of the society revolved around these three crops.

We can discern that these three crops were first cultivated to feed the populace of the early clans as well as the domesticated animals of the clans; mostly cows and horses. However quickly wheat and asparagus became the mainstay food of the early clans, whilst the carrot functioned like that of a dessert.

From what we can understand as well, the Onion was also cultivated by the first clans, and was used as a taste expander for much of the different types of Wheat and Asparagus dishes they made; mostly for Asparagus though.

Another ‘crop’ cultivated by the early clans was the White Willow Tree. It’s Tincture was used as bitter juice by the population. It was bitter and very hot in taste, however it was a popular beverage as it eased the aches that one might have had after a full day of foraging and farming; something very soothing to an agricultural society. Till today, different kind of White Willow Tree Tinctures are drunk in Urheimat, and it remains a popular juice, even though virtually all foreigners find it’s taste distasteful.

Thus, we can ascertain, that the Wheat, Asparagus, Carrot, Onion and the White Willow Tree were the five main agricultural resources used by the early clans to thrive. It wasn’t much to live off of, when compared to other civilizations that we know of, however it gave a continuous amount of food that allowed the society to evolve and grow into what we today know as the Valegha River Civilization.

***

(1) - White Willow Tree
(2) - spurge flower
(3) - The Book of Gods

***

Author's Note: The first chapter is slightly rough, considering I have edited it about a million times; however it's a start. Some Mythology, folk tale, and educational standpoint given as well to expand upon the take.

 

[Sarthak]

Author's Note: The first chapter is slightly rough, considering I have edited it about a million times; however it's a start. Some Mythology, folk tale, and educational standpoint given as well to expand upon the take.

 

[altwere]

Good start

 

[Gabriel126]

Well done so a question what religion will this civilization have i recommend Zoroastrian religion its not used in many stories And has this civilization replaced Babylon as the first civilization

 

[Talus I of Dixie]

I may nitpick somewhat in the naming , since Urheimat is a pretty recent (and germanic!) word in historical data so i don't find really likely to be a name given some 4,000 (i guess?) years before present-day. Something derived from PIE ḱóymoséh₂d(i?) - that is basically the source for Urheimat - would be much more plausible taking into context. Otherwise, i think Yamnia is a plausible region-name albeit a pretty exotic one, i tried reverse reconstruction for the OTL word and it came down in PIE as ah₂(V)méh₂ + h₂n̥-eh₃ [ah₂(V)méh₂n̥-eh₃?], and with the right sound changes could very well turn into Yamnia (although natively it probably would be Yam(e/i?)nē/Amenia, in any foreign language Yamnia would be pretty plausible).

Otherwise i find it pretty intriguing, are the Yamnians fitting into any of OTL PIE language groups or they will form their own separate family in the Volga? I could see this language grouping being one of the languages more nearing PIE of all PIE languages (even more than Proto-Balto-Slavic!), and with it being a cradle of civilization could generate in some considerable arrogance on their part once the Proto-Indo-European connection is found ITTL, how the Finnic groups in the Volga are affected by taking in part in this cradle also will be pretty interesting, and may also turn Yamnian into the most finnic-influenced language(s?) in the PIE family (and vice-versa for the Eastern Finns regarding Finno-Ugrian). I particularly liked the mythological tidbits as well!

 

[Sarthak]

I may nitpick somewhat in the naming , since Urheimat is a pretty recent (and germanic!) word in historical data so i don't find really likely to be a name given some 4,000 (i guess?) years before present-day. Something derived from PIE ḱóymoséh₂d(i?) - that is basically the source for Urheimat - would be much more plausible taking into context. Otherwise, i think Yamnia is a plausible region-name albeit a pretty exotic one, i tried reverse reconstruction for the OTL word and it came down in PIE as ah₂(V)méh₂ + h₂n̥-eh₃ [ah₂(V)méh₂n̥-eh₃?], and with the right sound changes could very well turn into Yamnia (although natively it probably would be Yam(e/i?)nē/Amenia, in any foreign language Yamnia would be pretty plausible).

Thanks! Yeah naming can be a little tricky since we know so little about this period. Even some of the language tidbits are like the hardest to come around. Reading through so many books, I can only identify around 90 to 120 words or somewhere in between.

Otherwise i find it pretty intriguing, are the Yamnians fitting into any of OTL PIE language groups or they will form their own separate family in the Volga? I could see this language grouping being one of the languages more nearing PIE of all PIE languages (even more than Proto-Balto-Slavic!), and with it being a cradle of civilization could generate in some considerable arrogance on their part once the Proto-Indo-European connection is found ITTL, how the Finnic groups in the Volga are affected by taking in part in this cradle also will be pretty interesting, and may also turn Yamnian into the most finnic-influenced language(s?) in the PIE family (and vice-versa for the Eastern Finns regarding Finno-Ugrian). I particularly liked the mythological tidbits as well!

Oh, the Finnic influence will come no doubt, as population grows and the need for new settlements grows further and further

 

[Sarthak]

Well done so a question what religion will this civilization have i recommend Zoroastrian religion its not used in many stories And has this civilization replaced Babylon as the first civilization

Not exactly......It will have it's own faith,

 

[Whiteshore]

If a linguist from OTL were to classify Yamnian within Indo-European, where would he classify it as?