Outsiders often refer to the people of Shankhabhumi collectively as “riverlanders,” but the folk of the three city-states call themselves Sagorpuri, Ashwadhatuj, or Tippuri, and claim to have little in common with one another. However, that’s an exaggeration; the people of Shankhabhumi share unifying traits and experiences. #### Clothing and Accoutrements The folk of Shankhabhumi favor clothing composed of lengths of cotton or silk cloth called bastras, which are wrapped around the body in various styles. These include the loose, voluminous drapes of a sedentary noble, the tight, ropelike wrap of a Shankha Trials contestant, and the practical, gathered garments of a laborer or river navigator. Wavy or curly hair is common in the region; people rub it to a shine with coconut oil and wear it long or in thick plaits. Ornaments include conch-shell bangles and hairpieces, as well as designs of white clay painted directly onto the skin. Gold and gemstone jewelry, a specialty of the ruined city of Manivarsha, is popular among wealthy citizens and often crafted by the descendants of artisans from the Manivarshi diaspora. #### Manivarshi Diaspora The city-state of Manivarsha was destroyed five hundred years ago under circumstances that have never fully been explained. On the last day of that year’s Shankha Trials, the city simply vanished, along with everyone there. A few survivors who were just outside the city at the time told of a towering wave along the Adirohit River that marked its demise; subsequent attempts to reach its former location found nothing but endless swamps. Citizens who were away from home were left stranded. Those survivors and their descendants assimilated into the other cities, bringing Manivarsha’s traditions of gem-cutting and jewel-setting to their new homes. This jewelry is now common throughout the land, and many pieces are fantastically valuable. #### Power and Politics Aside from their cultural rivalries, Sagorpur, Tippurika and Ashwadhatu rarely engage in major conflicts—living in a land that constantly changes with the caprices of the riverines is precarious enough. The shadow of the lost city of Manivarsha hangs over the remaining cities as a reminder that life in Shankhabhumi can easily be swept away. Power in each city is shared between three factions—fifteen senators who officially govern the affairs of the city-state; a network of river-navigator majhis known as the Bhatiyali; and former Shankha Trials contestants who become famous public entertainers and heroes, if they don’t become senators themselves. #### River Bounty Every meal in Shankhabhumi includes fish, though each city proclaims its own style of preparing it to be the best. In fact, cooking is a competitive discipline at the Shankha Trials. Sagorpuri fish curries are fragrant with spices imported from foreign lands, while Ashwadhatuj cook their fish with locally farmed vegetables, and Tippuris ferment their mountain fish in tea. #### Sign of the Shankha The shell of the conch mollusk, known locally as a shankha, is the eponymous icon of Shankhabhumi. The sizable Riverine’s Shankha is the legendary shell trophy that circulates among the cities via the Shankha Trials, kept at the riverine temple in the current champion’s city until that city hosts the next trials. Smaller shankhas are rare and precious, and they are often worn like pendants by those who can afford them. Shankha motifs decorate all riverine temples and adorn weaving, white-clay body art, jewelry, children’s toys, pastries, and more. #### Names The given names of people in Shankhabhumi tend to be many syllables long and indicate the bearer’s gender. Most folk use a last name based on their city of birth—Sagorpuri, Ashwadhatuj or Tippuri. The only exceptions are the descendants of Manivarsha (many of whom still use “Manivarshi”) and majhis who take the last name “Bhatiyali.” The following are common names in Shankhabhumi: **Feminine.** Amrapali, Bhanumati, Jamdani, Phullora **Masculine.** Anuttom, Chakrayudh, Rudrashekhar, Udayaditya **Gender-Neutral.** Kheya, Kobi, Palki, Ulka