The Rumayyid Sultanate

Timeline

Pre-History

Few records exist, as there was no written language in the region.  Verbal tradition among the Ishi'qo state that they had many settlements within the region, which was dry and arid though not covered in deserts.  The dwarves maintain (and some archaeological records support the claim) that before even this, a massive empire of reptile people existed, spanning the entire globe.

First Age

Other races begin to appear in the region, most notably humans.  After migrating and settling, they quickly rose to positions of rulership as the native Ishi'qo are not known for their ambition and the humans brought new farming and trade techniques that helped evolve the region.  Over time, the humans desired more and more power, expanding their cities into the surrounding areas, creating kingdoms for themselves.  Sorcery began to replace labor as the pastime of the ruling class.  After several generations, these human god-pharaohs cemented their power and were able to crush any dissidents, ruling with an iron fist.  Their greed, however, was insatiable.  Once the region was pushed to its breaking point in capacity, a cabal of of sorcerers came together with a handful of pharaohs to enact a ritual that would bring rain and vegetation to the region.  However, it did not go as expected, and floods covered the land, wiping the empire out.  Rumors persist that many of the god-pharaohs were able to hide, however, and using sorcery give themselves and their loyal followers eternal life hidden away, waiting for a time to return to power.

Second Age

Recovery from the Great Flood took generations, but eventually civilization returned.  Mostly in the form of independent city states around inland seas and amidst the large prairies that replaced so much rocky soil during this 'Green Age.'  In time, waters receded and were replaced with jungles and forests.  Once the city states began forming confederations, this became an era of expansion and conquest, pushing deep into the surrounding regions.  However, as the ability to administer government over such distances began to cause issues at the edges of the empire and overuse of resources domestically began the process of desertification at home, civil unrest collapsed the empire from within.

Third Age

The desertification process is complete early into this Era. Annual flooding of major rivers keeps civilization going, but nations exist mostly as city states near waterways with small villages further afield.  The ishi'qo, dwarves and elves force themselves into rulership positions, being better adjusted for life in desert and due to humans, who were blamed for the end of the Green Age, being unable to care for the land. The longer-lived demi-humans had more long-term plans and entered something of a golden age. While this was mostly successful, the elves had a deep-seated hatred for humans, causing a cultural split due to large scale rebellions. Elven nations kept most humans in near- (or actual-)slavery conditions, which was frowned upon by all other peoples. Border nations under constant attack from outsiders as all armies were simply militia-levies with no standing military. In addition, long-term thinking caused analysis paralysis of leadership, causing inaction on the part of the demi-human nations. Humans quickly rose back to prominence due to combat ability, bravery and decisiveness. The elves fought this the whole way and attempted a coup while human leadership was preoccupied with war. This was short lived and not popular among khazraj or Ishi'qo. When overthrown, the elves, along with most of the other non-human races, chose to trust their fate to the elements and live 'free' outside of civilization rather than be subservient to humans but comfortable, leading to a mass exodus.

Fourth Age

With the farming and land-use techniques developed during the time of demi-human rule, the city-states quickly recover from the Eleven Secession and stabilize their border conflicts. It does not take long for them all to unite under a single nation.  The Empire focuses on rebuilding the infrastructure destroyed during the long conflicts with foreign powers  and is mostly successful.  As its ambitions turn to expansion, crisis strikes, as droughts begin to return to the region.  They grow worse each season, with the demi-humans pointing to history and threatening revolt.  On the cusp of complete civil war, a wandering peasant comes to the sultan's palace and claims to be a prophet of Ish Ammon, the great god of law and bounty.  With no other path forward, the sultan converts to Ishurism and with the changing of the next moon, rains return to the land.  The religion spreads like wildfire throughout the region, becoming dominant almost overnight.

Fifth Age

The current era.  The sultan is the unquestioned ruler of all of Rumahl, but each kingdom is given freedom to rule within its borders as it sees fit.  While Ishurism is both the state religion and the religion of the vast majority of the population, there are pockets of other varieties of worship throughout.  These peoples are not discriminated against or criminalized, however, at least not officially.  Minor colonies have begun to spring up further afield, each with proselytizers spreading the good word as far and as wide as possible.

Current Map

Kingdoms

The Caliphate

The portion of the sultanate containing the capital, Abu Murai.  The caliph is given authority here in secular matters as well as spiritual, ruling form his palace in nearby Yasad.  As such, despite the fertile nature of the region, it is mostly natural vegetation and gardens, rather than farmland.  The sultan forces each of the kingdoms to sustain the caliphate with taxes and imports.

The Jeweled Emirates

A united front of 5 ashuadi noble houses that are constantly jockeying amongst themselves for power and influence.  The Rishadid Emirate controls the only sea route to the capital and shares the largest border with the caliphate.  The Tahirid Emirate controls the port on the only river route to the capital.  The Ammadid Emirate is built on the capital of the old empire and has the most profitable mines in Rumahl.  The Basarid Emirate is seeing its borders shrink in recent times, but still controls the largest sea port for international trade with the Barbary States.  The Nassarid Emirate is the most remote emirate of western Rumahl, but controls the mouth of the Sebu River as well as the megaport of Medhir.  They also have a land route between eastern and western Rumahl via the Ashvale Pass, but hostilities with the Khazramar have cut off this path recently.

Samar-Khet

Mostly cut off from the rest of the sultanate, this is a kingdom that shares its borders with only the caliphate.  As such, they consider themselves separate from typical politics, but are still completely loyal to the caliph and sultan.  The ruling class has harbored a culture that claims to be descended directly from the serpent kings of old.  While this helps their small, secluded people to maintain a sense of superiority and kinship, it has also had the unintended effect of creating a Samaran supremacy undercurrent among their traditionalists.

Niphea

The last bastion of the pre-Ishura times.  The ancient ziggurats are still well kept and maintained here, where the Old Faith is still the official state religion.  While there are always rumbles of rebellion among the extremists, the king is actually quite comfortable with the relationship between Niphea and the sultan.  Their extreme distance from the capital helps to keep the autonomy intact.

The Khazramar Commonwealth

A nation formed when the kingdom of Marush was destroyed and left as a cursed rumble.  The refugees came to parlay with the nation of khazraj dwarves to their north, offering to maintain their public relations in exchange for a place to resettle.  This relationship worked for generations, but eventually the Marushite minority grew tired of their status as second-class citizens.  The current ruler is a 'hero of the people' who rose up from the Marushite population and was duly elected as the queen of the nation.  While this was not welcomed by the most hardline dwarven nationalists, it was a mostly peaceful transition of power to the first non-dwarven ruler.

The Qorai Khanate

The easternmost extent of the sultanate, this was originally meant to be a launching pad for an expansion into the Pale Expanse.  However, the war to civilize the region was mostly unwinnable due to the mobile nature of the nomadic peoples and their society.  Eventually, after building fortification walls on the opposite side of river, the plan was abandoned.  There was a tribe of nomads that had retreated into the mountains during the initial push and after hostilities ceased, came down into the Qorai prairie.  They swore fealty to the sultan and vowed to ensure that the other tribes did not cross from the steppe into Rumahl.  The khan of their tribe still rules the kingdom, but many immigrants from the western reaches of the sultanate have created settlements throughout the region, with a regent from among them that generally handles diplomacy with the sultan's court.

The Free City of Garuda

 A city-state founded by the Tahoans as a compromise for an alliance during a war in the past.  It is now a mostly autonomous government, though does pay tribute to the sultan and is officially a vassal state.  Like the rest of the region, Ishurism has become dominant in the modern era, leading many of the old Oroko families to fear that their culture will disappear.  Due to its special status within the sultanate, Garuda is known as a criminal hotbed and a place where items not normally available can be obtained.

The Deep Desert

An arcane death trap spanning the entire center of the region.  Once the heart of the ancient empire of the god-pharoahs, it is now a constantly shifting erg full of things that should not be.  Some explorers that have attempted to cross the desert and made it back out have claimed to see the ancient pyramids of the serpent kings, full of the treasures of the past.  However, they also describe the original inhabitants still inside, decaying flesh sloughing off linen-wrapped bones.  If a path through the desert could be found, it would be an incredible boon for trade, but as is, only a small number of bedua claim to be able to skirt even the edges of the desert and their path has never been confirmed.

The Lands Beyond

Tahoa: A thalassocratic nation based out of the archipelago to the south of the sultanate.  With at least a small foothold on every continent, but no claim to any large land areas, the Tahoans have a powerful navy and are known for raiding settled lands while still managing to maintain good trade relations with most surrounding nations.

The Harrowed Lands: To the north and west of the sultanate, this region separates Rumahl from the Barbary States by land.  It is a forsaken place of cursed forests where a palpable aura of dread hangs in the air.  The creatures inhabiting it are monsters and quick to violence, while the small pockets of intelligent humans and demi-humans that make their homes within are even more dangerous.

The Barbary States: Due west of the sultanate across the Torpid Sea, a large, fertile, temperature region is home to a set of nations constantly warring against themselves for archaic claims to tiny strips of land and resources.  Their intense focus on noble blood over such long periods has created a labyrinthine web of interrelated kings and queens marrying into foreign religions and cultures then using them as justifications for war.

The Pale Expanse: To the east of the sultanate is a vast, effectively everlasting steppe.  Different nomadic peoples populate the region with varying degrees of settlement.  Some may have seasonal 'cities' while others may never camp in one spot for more than a night.  Trade is difficult due to the lack of cohesion among the various tribes.  It is unknown what lies beyond, as the incredible distances the steppe reaches are simply further than any explorers have ever ventured.

Peoples

Please be aware the pics are just 'close enough' and the written description is always going to be more accurate.

Human

Ashuadi

The main human race within Rumahl.  The Ashuadi tribes were one of several peoples throughout much of history and while widespread, were generally second to the Galoran people in terms of power.  This ended with the decline of the old empire as the prophet Mithustra was Ashuadi, giving them a special reverance with the rise of Ishurism.

Marushite

A hardy and independent people, they originally immigrated to the eastern reaches of the region from lands south of Tahoa.  They take their name from the once-thriving kingdom of Marush, which enjoyed great wealth and splendor until its destruction in the fourth age.

Samaran

An insular people from Samar-Khet.  They value cleverness and patience over strength and emotion, giving their culture a very different set of mores.  They also employ iconography and popular images of the god-pharoahs of the ancient Serpent Kingdoms - even constructing mock pyramids within their cities.

Steppelander

The humans that settled the Qorai plain in the aftermath of the failed eastern expansion efforts.  They rarely leave their horses' backs let alone their great plains.  Very rarely seen west of the Ashvale pass and often misunderstood when they are.

Galoran

A proud people that once were the rulers of all the lands of Rumahl.  Their time of greatness has passed, but the kingdom of Niphea still holds out hope that their people will rise again to prominence.  Most Galorans also hold tight to the Old Faith despite the ubiquity of Ishurism.

Ishi'qo (Halfling)

The most widespread of the demi-human races.  The ishi'qo are the only true natives to Rumahl.  As with all halflings on this world, they were created directly from the stuff of the earth itself and are thus perfectly adapted to their home in this dry, arid region.  They are relatively short to minimize surface area, but have large, wide ears to dissipate away heat, wide feet to disperse pressure across the sands, nostrils that can nearly shut to prevent water loss and a metabolism designed to utilize every calorie they consume.  This actually creates pockets of fat around their midsections (which cast shadows upon their feet to further defeat the damage done by the sun) as well as face for the storage of nutrients.  The side effect of this is that they can easily be mistaken for prepubescent humans and as such are often sought out by brothels with very specific clientele.

Halflings in other nations are known by varying names, such as hobbits, gnomes or merfolk, and tend to look quite different as they are all perfectly adapted to their own native lands.

Dwarf (Khazraj)

The dwarves, or as the clan that has settled in Rumahl is known - the Khazraj - are a long-lived but exclusionary species that immigrated to the region sometime after the Great Flood.  Despite not being particularly immersed in politics, the Khazraji people tend to be very well versed in foreign cultures and current technology trends.  They also have adopted Rumahlan cultures, even syncretizing Ishurism with their own ancient religion.  By and large, they stay within their mountain home in the westernmost reaches of east Rumahl.  However, this is simply one clan of dwarves.  There are various clans across the entire planet, each with their own mountain fortress.  The center of each of these lithopolises actually occupies the same physical space, despite the great distances separating them, due to teleportation magic.  As such, all dwarves actually live in one massive underground city that spans the entire globe, giving them unrivaled access to numerous cultures.  The outside of each is populated by specific clans, but the internal politics are run as if it were one single dwarven subcontinent.

Ogre

A proud people who stand noticeably taller than humans or even elves and tend to carry a commensurate amount of additional muscle as well.  They have very thick skin which is covered in thick, coarse hair to repel insects - an adaptation acquired during long years of traveling.  Within Rumahl they are known as sailors and explorers due to the races represented - but are also feared as barbarians or criminals due the cultures that have sprung up around those two races.

Oroko

The race of Ogre that immigrated via Tahoa and have settled in Garuda.  This is the only place in the sultanate where they can be considered a majority species.  While they have begun adopting Ashuadi culture and the Ishurist religion, their old island nation ways are still ingrained deeply, even conferring upon their Kahuna the ceremonial last name al'Mana.

Urrukh

Ogre of the great steppes of the Pale Expanse that have exchanged the infinite potential of the grass seas for free reign over the smaller prairies of eastern Rumahl.  While it's not unheard of for a steppelander human to rise up and challenge the ruling Urrukh for the title, the Khan of the Qorai Plain is nearly always drawn from their stock.

Elf

A truly alien race created by the inhuman Sidhe in their hubris to match the power of true gods.  The Sidhe used the elves for slave labor,  living storage units for spare organs or the source of their own twisted entertainment.  Eventually, whether intentionally or via some cosmic accident, a portal to the material plane was created and led to a great migration of elves from their fey prison - at least according to the elves' own verbal history, that is.  There is no evidence to this being the case in actuality, and many assume this is just a legend created to reinforce their cultural attachment to freedom, using the boogeyman of the Sidhe as metaphorical replacements for the humans they so despise that they willingly moved en masse into the deserts.  They now enjoy positions of leadership among many of the Bedua tribes and a growing minority are even attempting to reignite relations with the Hadhaim, though they are finding trust is difficult to earn.

Gnoll

Gnolls are the oft-overlooked leaders of many nomadic peoples.  While humans and elves are well known as shiekhs and chieftains, the gnolls also lead several tribes and have been in Rumahl long enough to adapt to the wandering lifestyle and arid climate.  The official name of the Beduan shamanistic religion, Beluhtu, is even derived from the Gnoll language.  They are vicious, protective and loyal on the whole, but are also incredibly empathetic and able to see connections between disparate data due to their genetic predilection for community and pack tactics.  Most gnolls enjoy the simple life of a nomad without the concerns or dangers of the city, but a growing number see nomadic culture as untenable if cities continue expanding and swallowing more resources, leading to an attempt at integration.

Orc

A primal race of anthropomorphic pigs that chafes at any sort of rules or politics that require too much critical thought.  As such, they are very comfortable living as nomadic hunters and herders.  A unique trait among some orcs is the ability to alter their shape to assist with specialization of labor.  Many orcs see no difference between the life of a nomad and that of a raider, and as such are pulled into banditry without much though to the harm they are causing.

Bedua

This is simply a term referring to the nomadic peoples as a whole - contrast with the Hadhaim, or the peoples of the cities.  There are countless tribes living outside of civilization for myriad reasons.  From simple cultural traditions to notions of racial superiority, to even exiles with no other choice for survival.  Bedua consider all nomads part of the same community, and thus designations such as Ashuadi, Samaran, etc are academic at best and nearly universally ignored.  Most Bedua keep in motion fairly constantly, but they are known to form semi-permanent encampments, and even some permanent settlements near oases.

Goblins

 

Diminutive humanoids with leathery skin that runs from a ruddy orange to a deep brown depending on the individual goblin.  They live in small communities known as "Hives" to the rest of the civilized world, though the governance of each Hive differs from matriarchy to monarchy to anarcho-syndicalist commune as the members see fit.  They spend an inordinate amount of time studying the world around them and are generally non-aggressive if allowed to indulge their curiosity unimpeded.

If Ishi'qo are the children of the planet itself and elves are the children of a land unknown - then goblins are nothing less than the progeny of elemental chaos itself.  Most other races misconstrue their actions and bizarre motivation to mean that they are  less than fully sapient or at least unintelligent, which is not quite accurate. Goblins are in fact so aggressively stupid that the universe itself cannot defend against it.  Their engineers are simultaneously capable of feats the most ancient archmage would be in awe of and unable to operate a rock properly.  Simply knowing that is a 1 in 5.2^61 chance that the molecules in your hand will be aligned with those in a table in just the right way to make it phase through means that a goblin can walk through walls.  A goblin musket loaded with rabbit pellets both shoots faster AND attracts wolves upon firing.  No amount of skill will protect you from the sheer luck of a chronic dumbass, and the children of chaos and entropy have no shortage of that.