Matawe

Matawe
"The mountains began at the north edge of the desert, growing high into jagged peaks and extending farther to the north than any Whisperer had dared to travel." (Orope, p.3)
Type	Kingdom
Ruler	Queen Kessara III/King Hatturigus VI/King Laberne III
Capitol	Nesate/Hattute
Inhabitants	Matawega/Mountain Men
History

Matawe (mah-tah-wei) - the Mountains

• The Whisperers of the Gods refer to the mountains of Matawe as the Teeth of the Gods (Kerlra Hal'Gepe (CURL-rah hal'GEH-pei)). They only know of the southern tip and have no idea how far north it actually reaches.

Matawe is both a kingdom nestled in the mountains, and the name of the mountain range most commonly used. The people of Matawe are known as the Matawega.

The Nine Great Valleys

Although there are countless smaller valleys, most of the population lives within one of the following nine.

Nesate Valley

Home to the capital city, Nesate, this is the highest valley.

• Nesate - The capital city is famed for it's defensive, with it's inner and outer double-walls and the complex architecture of Nesate castle, the city is considered completely impenetrable.

The Western Valleys

There are the valleys controlled by the Queen and the Five Sisters in Nesate.

Sky Valley

Location of the Moon Temple where the Sisters are sent from ages nine to thirteen.

The Eastern Valleys

These are the valleys controlled by the Kings in Hattute.

Sheep Grotto

The river that emerges from the grotto in this valley and cascades over the cliff in considered by some to be the source of the Hiperu.

Hattute

• Full article

Lesser Valleys

God's Mirror Lake

The location of the original temple dedicated to the Sun god and Moon god. The God's Mirror, a nearly perfectly circular lake, is one of the holiest sites in Matawe.

It was next to this lake that the brother Takalti and Tuthalya, brothers battling for the throne, met with their armies and battled. Tuthalya is executed on the steps of the temple. Afterwards this lake is considered cursed, and the temple abandoned.

The Whisperer's Temple

The temple found in the Sea of Sand at the foot of the mountains is considered sacred to the Whisperers. The origins of the temple are lost, and all that remain now are the crumbled remains of the outer walls, but some believe at one time the temple reached as high as the mountain peak and you could climb the spire to reach the gods.

Every twelve years the Gogepe come here to perform the Calendar Ceremony, but tribes will often visit throughout the rest of the years to perform sacred spells and curses.