Serdanese

The Serdanese are an ethnic group indigenous to the island of Serdica, which divides the western and eastern halves of the Serephanian Sea. The Serdanese have traditionally lived in Serdica and its surrounding islands, but also the Ithados region of Itonia, the Jabruz Islands, the northeast coast of Amaan, and western Dellos.

Serdanese people are a combination of the numerous groups which have inhabited Serdica throughout history, including the Pharaeans, Ancient Delliks, Phocenians, Tonans, Terzigs, Sarabs, and others.

History
The Serdanese are a Tonic-speaking ethnic group who are a mix of Tonic, Hematic, Dellik, Terzig, and Iseret peoples. They emerged as a unified people during the Middle Age.

Early
The earliest inhabitants of the island were three tribes; the Siduri (Serephanians), Sabits (Sargonians), and the Takurtum (thought to be of Tauressian origin). The Pharaeans created settlements on the south and west coasts.

Antiquity
From 700 BCE, the Ancient Delliks began to live in Serdica, establishing many important settlements. The most important colony was in Selicyon, located on the east coast. Selicyon grew to become the largest and most powerful Dellik city-state. The city expanded to create numerous other colonies throughout the island. The native Siduri and Sabits were easily absorbed into the Dellenic culture, and became part of Greater Dellos.

The Phocenians, one of the successor states of the Pharaeans, controlled the western portion of Serdica while the Selicyon Delliks controlled the east and north. The two cultures clashed and resulted in the Dellik-Phonic Wars. The Delliks developed close relations with the Tonan Republic, and put up little resistance when the Tonans annexed the Selicyon-controlled portion of the island. The Delliks aided the Tonans during their conquest against Phonic Serdica, known as the First Phonic War, which resulted in a Tonan victory.

Tonan control over the island, in both the Republic and Empire, was characterized by Dellik rather than Tonic culture. The Tonans made only minor settlements in Serdica, choosing to favour the Atria province instead. Serdica became a breadbasket of the Empire, and the islands inhabitants were more of an afterthought.

Bergaric rule
As the Western Tonan Empire began to fall apart, various Bergaric tribes invaded the empires borders. The Bangals, an East Bergaric people who previously conquered Hiberia, moved into North Atria and invaded Serdica. Bangal-controlled Serdica was short-lived as the Osterbergs, another Bergaric tribe who controlled peninsular Itonia, conquered it from them. The king of the Osterbergs permitted the Bangals a small portion of the island in return for help defending Serdica from the Torosyans.

Torosyan rule
The Bergic Wars occurred between the Torosyan (Eastern Tonan) Empire and the Bergaric Kingdoms, and resulted in a Torosyan victory which saw them regain former territory in North Atria, Itonia, and Serdica. The Torosyans were able to regain control over Serdica for 400 years and change the religious makeup towards the Church of the East. There was also serious discussion about moving the capital of the empire to Selicyon. The fall of the Torosyans in Serdica was partially due to the Bergic Wars, which drained the Torosyans of their resources and made them vulnerable to Bergaric invasions to the north and Sarab-Terzig invasions to the south.

Sarab rule (Hamir of Serdica)
An exiled Torosyan general in Atria offered the Sarab Awlaniyah dynasty the opportunity to invade the island, in return for safety and position as a general. The Awlaniyahis summoned an army of over one million men composed of Sarabs, Terzigs, Numerians, Hiberians and Parsians to conquer the island. They were successful in defeating the Torosyans, and claimed Serdica for themselves. The Sarabs reinvigorated the island and restored it to its former glory. They introduced a series of improvements in agriculture, architecture, economic policies, and land ownerships. The Sarabs brought new crops with them, which flourished in the islands fertile soil.

The Sarab rulers introduced the Sarabic language into Serdica, which largely replaced Dellik among the population. Sarabic served as an inter-ethnic language that united the numerous groups living in Serdica (the Delliks, Tonans, Phonics, Sarabs, Terzigs, Numerians, Hiberians, and Parsians). They brought their religion; Almanism. It became economically advantageous to convert from Chalceanity and Jadism to Almanism.

Under Awlaniyahi rule there was considerable religious tolerance for all denominations and religions. During times of political turmoil on the mainland, waves of refugees arrived from Atria to escape persecution, specifically the Surani adherents of Almanism.

Language
Serdanese people speak several different languages. In the east most Serdanese speak Daelik, which descends from Ancient Dellik. This also includes the islands largest city, Costanza.

Genetics
Serdanese people can trace their ancestry back to four original groups; Serephanians, Sargonians, Tauressians, and Pharaeans. The Ancient Dellik and Phocenians initiated separate mass-migrations to the island and Dellenized/Phocenized the natives. The Tonans conquered the island and severely weakened the Phonic population, causing many to either assimilate into the Dellik-speaking population or leave Serdica for the island of Hyrum. Only a small Phonic-speaking population remained.

Tonan colonization was minimal and the only settlements served a military purpose.

The Serdanese descend primarily from a mix of Euterians and Atrians.