Ejen Horo
The Ejen Horo is a large vale between the Mountains of Copper and the Khopet-Dag Mountains. Its name means Valley of the God. This broad valley is sacred to the Tuigan, the largest of the nomadic tribes roaming the Endless Waste. Here, they believe, was the birthplace of their nation.
By the standards of the steppe, the Ejen Horo is a gardenlike land blessed by good weather and lush growth. Hunting is good, since much game ventures from the nearby mountains and the Shalhoond. Rainfall is more abundant than on the steppe, creating a number of small lakes and streams.
Because the area is holy to them, the Tuigan defend the territory vigorously. In the past they have driven out many other groups that have settled or considered settling in the region. The Tuigan have not been entirely successful in this and there now are a few other tribes dwelling on the fringes of the Ejen Horo.
The Ejen Horo is used for two purposes. Every fall the khans of the clans gather in the valley for a grand couralitai, a meeting of the princes. At this session they settle feuds, arrange marriages, fix blood prices for murders, and occasionally recognize a new khan. The couralitai is also the time when a new khahan can be elected.
The Ejen Horo is also used as a burial ground for the honored dead of the Tuigan. This includes great heroes, khans, and khahans, but few others. These burials take place during the couralitai. Some of the dead are carefully preserved for this burial, others are simply moved from their temporary graves to the valley when the time comes. The khahans are not actually buried, but are given over to a secret sect of the Tuigan, the rooukudel.
These priests live in the valley and watch over the embalmed bodies of the Great Lords. They have devoted their lives to this task and are ready to die to protect their lords. The wealthiest and most powerful of the ordinary khans are buried in tombs marked by primitive statues or cairns. The majority of the honored dead, however, are given a simple wind burial. Their bodies are laid out on simple wooden frames, offerings carefully placed around them. The corpses are left exposed to the elements and eventually the entire structure crumbles away.
The Ejen Horo is also a very dangerous place. The land is filled with spirits of the dead. Generally, these are benign, but there are many stories of the cruel fates met by those who foolishly tried to rob the graves found throughout the valley.
