Ezičimi
From Almeopedia
Ezičimi [ɛ zi ˈtʃi mi] was the autonym of the Eastern invaders of the Xengi valley. In Almean studies, Ezičimi (singular Ezičiz) is used generally for the Axunaic peoples till the establishment of Axunai in 890, in preference to Axunemi, which is anachronistic, or Axunašin which is the name of their language.
The Ezičimi conquered Yenine excluding the delta in -325, forming the Inbamumakei Empire. They maintained the administrative, economic, and religious bureaucracy of the Wede:i (merely replacing the top slots with Ezičimi), and were careful to preserve the irrigation works and the Wede:i engineers. To maintain their authority, the Ezičimi instituted a form of theologized racism: it was taught that the Ezičimi were a superior race— fiercer, hardier, and above all requiring a greater level of material comfort. A Wede:i must obey an Ezičiz of any station without question.
Ezičimi were allowed multiple wives, and took many from among the Wede:i; the children were considered full Ezičimi, a practice called hyperdescent. The natural result was that within a few centuries almost everyone claimed Ezičimi status; the “Wede:i” who remained were a slave caste (and indeed edi, from wedei, is the modern Xurnese word for ‘slave’).
The Ezičimi were unable to maintain unity over the entire Xengi plain, and devolved into a set of squabbling kingdoms, until the establishment of the empire of Axunai.
Etymology: Ax. ‘powerful’, X. eziči; cognate with Cuêzi Zîtēi Enalādi ‘great riders’, thus very likely the autonym of all the Eastern peoples; Wede:i ge:ŋgun 'bearded men'.
