Porteek

Porteek /pɑr'tiː/ was a notable traveler and historian who lived in Tarnaria in 1-2 CSR. Known for his analytical style of writing, he authored three volumes of "The Movers of our Previous Generation", a historical treatise of Tarnaria, focusing on the histories of Asdoh, Toor, Empire of Barud and Yammoe at the end of the first revolution. The book contains a wealth of data about his contemporaries, but he regards that information to be meaningful only if given historical context. He also proceeds to provide commentary on the culture of various nations.

As a traveler, Porteek visited as far south as Yammoe. He has sections in volume II, dedicated to Gantolia, but it is not clear whether he has ever been there. Due to his extensive travels, intimate acquaintance with various cultures and proficiency in several forms of asdoh, it is not exactly clear where he was born, but it is generally assumed that he was from somewhere in Asdoh. The spelling of his last name, as well as his ability to travel, gives away his noble background: he was clearly a wealthy individual.

Porteek's writing is noted for careful analysis and his focus on considering several explanations, listing his sources and providing reasoning around their reliability. In this he is usually contrasted with Ludoh, who was a more prolific author of the era, but whose sources are rarely listed and who tends to state hypotheses as fact. None of Porteek's sources have survived, but the list of sources is at the very least helpful to realize the extent of early Tarnarian literature that was lost, most probably due to the spread of Mōroh.

Porteek was the last historian of the second revolution to approach history more as an academic subject, as opposed to a political narrative. Mlan, one of the first analytical historians of the third revolution, held Porteek in high regard and named him as an inspiration.