East of the Wall Culture (Origo Mundi)

The East of the Wall Culture is a culture of refugee camps and shantytowns located along the eastern edge of Hythus' Wall, and therefore to the east of Hythia. The East of the Wall Culture is a highly stratified society, which relies upon secret tunnels underneath Hythus' Wall to trade with and profit off of Hythia.

The East of the Wall culture is controlled by tunnel lords, who maintain access through the secret tunnels, and who manage the various shantytowns of the culture. The major cities of the culture include Rocinjabel, Ghesjali (home of the Kingdom of Mecjodola) and Nujulcari.

History
The history of the East of the Wall Culture is largely mysterious prior to the 880s, when the oral record first recalls the settling of a few hundred refugees along the eastern portion of Hythus' Wall. These first settlers established the shantytown of Rocinjabel in the shadows of the wall as they sought entry into Hythia. By the 890s, Hythia had sent an envoy into the town and it was recorded to be ever-expanding with more and more refugees from the east finding themselves in the community.

When Hythia decided to intervene and civilize the culture, the theocratic state was met with great opposition. Tunnel lords led protests and kidnapped many Hythian soliders who were assigned to patrol Rocinjabel. Then, in the 900s, a secret Hythian operation launched thousands of pots of burning fire from the Wall into Rocinjabel, incinerating large parts of the shantytown.

Hythian planners, builders, and religious clerics then entered Rocinjabel and assisted with rebuilding the city, including constructing a temple to Hythus the Builder. The people of Rocinjabel had, by 910, established clear mercenary bands under the leadership of tunnel lords which aided Hythian administrators (to the extent they were willing to pay) in maintaining a semblance of order in Rocinjabel.

Religion
The original refugees who settled the first shantytowns of the East of the Wall Culture practiced a traditional, spiritual religion from the east. Those who arrived at Hythus' Wall began to worship the wall as a source of protection. The Hythian missionaries who arrived early in the history of the culture first portrayed themselves as sent from beyond the wall, and ultimately a temple to Hythus the Builder was constructed up against the wall in the decade of 900.

Around 920, many in the culture began to worship a deity known as Dyphedeg - who was the god of mountains, rocks, and magic. The cult of Dyphedeg grow immensely among the culture, quickly surpassing the foreign-imposed Hythian church (despite the church adopting Dyphedeg as the son of Hythus himself).