The Abanye told stories of their brothers to the north, the Rhulam (Shinye), but for generations untold the two had been out of contact entirely. Emboldened by sturdy ships and broad sails, some Abanye attempted to trace the northern coast in search of the Shinye.

For two generations there was failure. Some turned back after making it a short way, while others became distracted and returned with the products of trade. Still others settled small villages along the coast, either having abandoned their expedition or lied about their intent in the first place. A select few made it farther than anyone else had, yet still returned once they were certain there was nothing to find. And in addition to all of this, some ships never returned, taken my storms, rocks, or unseen creatures of the deep.

There was good reason some had become disheartened. The farther north one went, the less hospitable the land seemed to become. The coast got steeper, becoming characterized by rocky bluffs and steep embankments. In the north, Mountains could be seen on the horizon. The coast was arid and devoid of trees, transitioning from the mild steppes of the eastern Abanye lands into hot, dry grasslands. It was almost as if the world was saying "you wont find what you're looking for; no one would choose to live here." Some Abanye began to doubt that the Shinye were even real.

It was a particularly well-stocked expedition from Dhoyalam that turned the tide. Departing in strong, large boats with plenty of provisions and adept fishermen and hunters, the group was prepared to sail until they found someone, Shinye or not. They had been underway for many days, and soon encountered the dry grasslands of the north. Foraging for water became hard, and there was less to find on the land near the shore. It became obvious to the group why most had turned back, even though they were only 3 days beyond the nearest major Abanye village.

It was after several additional days of travel that things began to change. After rounding a long bluff, the ships found themselves facing almost due south, and there was a large village ahead. The land around was arid, but they could see a river running beside the village, and fishing boats floated out before it.

The people of the village seemed to be fascinated by the sails as the Abanye ships approached. When they came up alongside the fishing vessels, they shouted in a thickly accented but recognizable language. They spoke the tongue of the Luturru! Could these be the Shinye?

An ad-hoc festival was thrown. It was not as grand as a naming festival or the pan-village solstice festivals, but it was a grand occasion nonetheless. The Abanye provided the village with gifts, as was customary. They had brought pottery painted in brown with striking geometric patters, regular in form due to the kick-wheel. It was clear the Shinye of this village found them to be quite acceptable gifts.

When the time came to leave, the Shinye provided the Abanye visitors with gifts in turn. These too were pots, but there was something striking about their design. The pots were quite crude in form, clearly having been shaped by hand without aid of a kick-wheel, but their surface was painted in a verdant green. The Abanye were very impressed, and delayed their departure to learn the source of the hue. Was it some root, or some kind of shell?

The Shinye revealed a green stone with a deep hue, found in the hills upland of the village. The Abanye were entranced, and immediately recognized the gains they could make in the markets of Athalassa should they arrive with bright green pottery painted over in the Abanye style. As the Abanye headed back to their ships, some remained behind. They intended to teach the Shinye many of the tools and trick which they had learned in the south, in order to better make use of their land, their waters, their clay, and their green stone. The remaining Abanye departed for home with their gifts in tow, but they would return shortly.

After all, the Shinye had bene rediscovered, and they weren't far. There was a green fortune to be made through renewed trade with their northern Brothers!

Abanye Luturru rediscover the Shinye Luturru people, and discover they have been employing Malachite paints to decorate their pottery. Seeking to introduce the distinctive color to Dhoyalam potters in order to increase the value of their craft, Abanye begin to integrate with a small coastal Shinye village. Within a few years, this village has become a productive hub for Abanye-Shinye trade; a regular outpost in the north.

MAP