Fantasy Ahrammaria: Lore

[Murdergurl]

• Introduction
• World Lore
• Map

• 
  In the distant East, across the Torric Ocean and over the Arion Mountains, the Kingdom of Ahrammaria rises out of the perpetual desert sands. The barren region is known as The Palm of Zalas. It is a land of shifting secrets and hidden enemies. Much like the Burning Sea, the great desert that stretches out eastward, the people are enigmatic and abstruse. Words are spoken with obscured meaning, and the culture is steeped in nuances. The land is foreboding, offering seductive whispers of wealth and power only to deliver swift death to the unwary. The Amir of the land, Hashad Zareb Ibn Taariq, rules over the arid kingdom from within his residence in the opulent city of Tamyr. The alabaster palace sits atop a hill at the edge of a savannah, and the views from its minaret-capped towers take in the great yawn of the territories from all around.
  
  In Ahrammaria, assassins lurk in shadowy corridors, thieves infest the pathways of bustling bazaars, and bandits lay in wait by popular roadways for unwary passersby. Even while legions of Ahrammari soldiers bolster the larger cities and outposts, warriors of various tribal affiliation are in locked in an incessant struggle over their age-old territorial disputes. For as sovereign as the land of Ahrammaria reigns on its bed of swirling sands, it is wrought in civil strife and sits on the precipice of upheaval.
  
  But the politics of rulership and governmental affairs are not the concern of this story. This is not a tale of sheiks and courts. This is not an account over the rival clans of the land and their turmoil. This is a story about lowly murderers and liars; marauders that ride as a plague upon the provinces and prey upon the weak and unwary. Coming from a variety of walks of life, their number is gathered from the native peoples as well as those having come to Ahrammaria from the outlands. They call themselves the Red Talons, and their reputation is nothing if not one of malefaction. Their late leader, Hadid Al-kaib, had prospered greatly in his wicked career as a desert bandit. He had ridden his lot of vicious raiders back and forth across the sands of Ahrammaria and into local legend. They had pillaged and raped and murdered to their black heart's content. But that era would inevitably come to a violent close.
  
  Hadid was dead. His corpse lay stiff and cold on a feast hall table, his head nowhere to be seen. Around the mauled cadaver, the remnant of the Red Talons cavorted and indulged in the carnal delights and hedonistic pleasures that only the city of Kaladaar could provide. And of all the service houses in Kaladaar, the ones run by the fat merchant Zosar were known to be the most epicurean in their ministrations. They attracted the most low-borne and sordid of characters. And thusly, they were common haunts for members of the Red Talons.
  
  A feast was being held in Hadid's "honor". Both allies and rivals of the dark-hearted man sang drunken songs of his misdeeds, often boasting of their own deplorable acts in the same breath. Whores and grog were both served up in great abundance at the den of debauchery, and the district was filled with their raucous cacophony. But the Red Talons were splintered with the Bandit King's death. Despite the festivities, the once well-organized mob had already started to break down into conspiring gaggles of the thugs. Many aspired to replace Hadid as leader of the Red Talons. But few had the capacity for it. And as word of Hadid's death spread across the land, other gangs would surely seek to fill the vacuum of power left by the infamous marauder. As the fire lights of Kaladaar burned and flickered in the warm night air, so too did the power-hungry eyes of ambitious villains.
  
• 
  
  
  Spoiler: Native Races

  The following are races native to the Ahrammaria region. I would very much prefer the players to create original characters using one of the described peoples below. Please feel free to ask about any details that you would need in order to better flesh out your character for a submission.
  
  

  

  • Ahrammari Human: Humans are the most popular race in Ahrammaria. They inhabit every major city and outpost, barring the Orcish village of Mez' Kabal. These native humans are deep-toned with wavy, dark hair and tend towards sharp features. Brown to honey-colored eyes is the norm for them, though eyes of green and hazel are uncommonly found as well. Average heights are between five to 6 feet tall, with females typically being slightly shorter than the males.
    (Helpful character faceclaim searches for humans could include: Armenian, Persian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Indian, Arabic, etc.)
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in late teens/early twenties. Middle age at 40. Elderly at age 70.

  
  

  • Apisian: Named so after their patron deity Apis, the Apisian peoples have a humanoid upper body with the head of a bull. Their entire bodies are covered in short fur, and they have unguligrade legs with cloven hooves. Apisians have no tails. As a whole, they are a stubborn race, slow to adapt to new ideas and as a result are very traditional. Religion plays a huge part of their culture, with temples and worship being at the center of every Apisian community. Their people were traded as slaves in eras past, and only recently had they won their freedom by proving paramount in winning a past war for the great-grandfather of the Amir. The Apisians were granted their freedom in a royal decree and have settled painstakingly settled themselves into Ahrammaria since. However, the rest of the races of the land still bear a stigma against them. One of the longer-lived races, there are still a few elder Apisians that can still remember the days when their people were shackled into servitude.
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in early twenties. Middle age in early 60's. Elderly at 100 years old

  
  

  • Black Orcs (Desert Orcs): Ages ago, Orc tribes from the west migrated to Ahrammaria. While most simply passed through to other regions, a handful stayed and built communities in the desert. They learned to survive the environment from the native populace, digging wells and securing habitats against the sandstorms and wildlife. Generations later, and the Orcs have adapted to the climate, their green skin deepening to a considerably darker hue than their predecessors. Mez'Kabal is the largest and most predominant Orc community in Ahrammaria. They have built a large settlement around a naturally occurring oasis in the middle of the kingdom. They are generally hostile to outsiders, and the sentiment is generally mutual. The Amir grants them leniency, as long as the Orcs continue to make regular tithes and stay within their territories.
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in early teens. Middle age in early 30's. Elderly at age 50

  
  

  • Hyaenah: One of the oldest races in Ahrammaria, the Hyeanah were deeply seated in their presence when the desert was only being discovered by the other races that now call it their native land. Ironically, they are also one of the most short-lived. Because of their limited lifespans, the Hyaenah are not very cultured or even particularly civilized. Many of the other denizens of Ahrammaria do not recognize them as being sapient, considering them to be little more than capable beasts. They exist in small packs, often living in crude huts on the outskirts of inhabited areas. The phonic language of the Hyaenah is rudimentary, with their communication with one another consisting of barks and growls and whines. Most recognizable of the Hyaenah is their near-constant giggle. Entrepreneurial merchants have taken advantage of the Hyaenah people, cultivating them as pups and raising them into competent fighters. They would then be contracted out as warriors after quickly growing into adulthood.
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in 3 or 4 years. Middle age at 10. Elderly at age 25

  
  

  • Krokotam: A large, reptilian people that resemble a bipedal crocodile. They are one of the larger races of Ahrammaria, as well as one of the longer-lived. Their skin is scaled and rough, with sandy colors and a shaggy mane of dark hair. Krokotam are infamous for their cruel dispositions and unrivaled strength. They are often found in employ as slavers, bodyguards, or other jobs inclined to violence. Though they are smaller than the Nephilim, the average Krokotam is more than a match for even a swarthy example of the desert giants. Krokotam vocalize in a rough, hissing articulation. They are often solitary from one another, and only seek out others of their kind for mating purposes. One of the rarest races in the region, the Krokotam are often gawked at when espied by others, even native Ahrammari. They gestate and grow into adulthood quickly. But after reaching maturity, the Krokotam age much more slowly.
    • - Lifespan: Eggs hatch after 8 months, Adulthood reached in 15 years. Middle age at 100. Elderly at age 200.

  
  

  • Mardamaar: In their dogma, the Mardamaar are descendants of the goddess Shamaran. Shamaran is depicted as a half-snake, half-woman, and her people bear that likeness in that their upper half is humanoid whilst the lower is scaled and serpentine. They come in a variety of colors though most are earthen and brown. Those with more vibrant colors are regarded as especially beautiful by their society. Adult Mardamaar grow to lengths of anywhere between 12 to eighteen feet. However, most of that length is their snake half. As they stand, they bear roughly the same height as a human. Mardamaar are a rare species in Ahrammaria, often existing in tiny groups and living in remote habitations away from the rest of the populace.
    • - Lifespan: Eggs hatch after 2 years, Adulthood reached in late teens to early twenties. Middle age at 45. Elderly at age 70

  
  

  • Nephilim: Giants of the desert region. In many ways, they resemble humans. However, the Nephilim stand at anywhere between 9 to 12 feet high and can weight several hundred pounds. They are stocky and well-built, with tawny or olive-skinned complexions. Their faces are wide and flat, with course, dark hair. They tend to have large, rounded ears, and the males commonly sport robust beards. Nephilim are reclusive by nature, and prefer to live in smaller, outlying villages over the large, noisy cities of Ahrammaria. They are regarded as a dutiful, reliable people and often employed for hard work.
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in early twenties. Middle age in early 50's. Elderly at 100 years old

  
  

  • Sun Goblin (Desert Goblin): Unlike the commonly regarded goblins of the west, known for their cowardly and skittish nature, the Sun Goblins of Ahrammaria are vicious and full of audacity. Also contrary to their outland cousins, the Sun Goblins do not have an aversion to the bright light of day. Goblins are banned from most places of civility, and usually run off on sight. Where goblin communities do exist within city walls, they are usually hidden places, often only accessible to creatures with small frames such as theirs. Most goblins live the lives of thieves, holing up in small congregations and plucking through crowds that gather in market districts after wrapping their bodies in makeshift disguises to hide the telltale green of their flesh. Many of these goblins also file down the horns that jut from their foreheads, and wear hoods to obscure the stumps as well as their yellow-orange eyes.
    • - Lifespan: Adulthood reached in about 10 to 12 years. Middle age at 30. Elderly at age 55
  
  
  Spoiler: Magic and Technology

  Magic is not rampantly available in this world. As a Sword and Sorcery setting, magic is both rare and usually very ritualistic. Objects of power, and pacts with demonic entities are often (but not always) at the root of a sorcerer's ability. Even the smallest spell must be meditated upon and often requires the use of many components. Very few people have the psychological fortitude to wield magic, and the study of that power is something to be undertaken only by those that would devote their lives to its pursuit. Sorcerers are feared and infamous for their powers. Often, they are cult leaders or tyrannical rulers that abuse their powers. Less sociopathic practitioners might otherwise relegate to a hermetic lifestyle away from others to hone their witchcraft. Regardless of what path a sorcerer might take, their kind are extremely rare and sought after only with great trepidation.
  
  The technology level of the region is roughly bronze age. An influx of goods from more advanced regions has recently become commonplace in the markets, as well as traded from outlander caravans. Therefore, weapons of iron and steel are present to those who can afford to purchase them from traders of exotic goods. No region of the world is more developed than the iron age. Though, Black Powder is an extremely rare commodity that is occasionally imported from the far east regions of the world (colloquially referred to as The Orient). It has not yet been weaponized into firearms but can be packed into hard casings with an implanted fuse in order to fashion a crude explosive.
  
  Because of the extreme desert heat, heavy armor is not only impractical to wear, but potentially perilous to one's health. Only in the precipice of war do soldiers don heavy armors, and even those metal pieces are often just chest plates, helmets and leg guards. Most common armor is consisted of hardened leather. Sometimes with metal plates or studs affixed to it for added deflection.
  
  
  Spoiler: Faith and Religion

  The land of Ahrammaria is one of many faiths. Few people are atheist in this world, as denial of the gods would take a certain level of ignorance not easily attained. Even the low-borne criminals hold some form of acknowledgement to the gods at large. Shrines can be found in just about any place of significant gathering, and even the traveling caravans have makeshift altars to which they pray and meditate upon during their travels. Though there are likely many more obscure religions and faiths in the mix of the Ahrammari peoples, the main religions are as follows:
  
  

  Izalad​

  This is the foremost faith in Ahrammaria. Izalad is endorsed by the Amir as the official religion of the kingdom, and the rulership is closely tied in with the dogmatic doctrine. Izalad is a monotheistic belief in the god Zalas as the omniscient deity that created the sea, land, and heavens in a time immemorial. Followers of Izalad are called Izalim. Their doctrines preach of peace offered to others, and practices of discipline in both physical and spiritual hygiene. Izalad is very ritualistic, and very traditional. And this is reflected in the general mood of the people of Ahrammaria. Gender roles are prevalent and even lawfully enforced, though the social expectations in most of the kingdom's societies usually do well to sustain these dogmas of their own accord. Prayer to the sun is offered three times a day, as Zalas is synonymous with the Light of Heaven.
  
  Eternal Life is granted in death to those that uphold the tenets of Izalad and uphold the teachings of the prophets:
  

  Spoiler: Core Teachings of Izalad

  1) Actions are judged by their intent
  
  2) Zalas only accepts the pure of heart and soul into eternity
  
  3) Do not involve yourself in what does not concern you
  
  4) Love for your brother what you love for yourself
  
  5) One should not harm themselves or others
  
  6) Do not focus on amassing material possessions.

  
  
  
  

  Shajiri​

  The religion of Shajir believes in a trinity of creator gods. They are Rashad, Jidam, and Makala. They rule creation in the separate domains of the Heaven, Aerth, and Sea. In the Shajiri dogma, a fourth deity known as Yamahr rules the Narakana, a place of eternal pain and suffering.
  
  Rashad rules the heavens, Varghamma, and passes judgement on the souls of the deceased. Those who have led lives of benevolence and charity are admitted into the realm of paradise. Other souls are turned away and either go to the Sea or to Narakana.
  
  Jidam rules the realm of Aerth, the plane of mortals. He is in charge of enacting justice and keeping balance in the world. He also keeps tally of the rights and wrongs that are committed by the followers of Shajiri. He ushers the souls of the dead up to Rashad.
  
  Makala is a goddess of the sea and its mysterious depths. All lost souls who do not ascend into the heavens but are not wicked enough to be sent to Narakana instead go into the deep darkness of the sea to be cradled by Makala.
  
  
  
  

  The Cult of Apis​

  This religion is practiced almost exclusively by the Apisians. They worship the avatar Apis, a bull-god who aeons ago came down from his golden temple amid the heavens and created the Apisian people in his image. Apisians do not deny the existence of other gods but believe that Apis is exclusively the god that their people owe fealty.
  
  Appeasing Apis is the focal point of this faith, and followers of the cult are constantly taking action in the name of Apis or otherwise making regular sacrifices to altars. Tithing is also a common thing, and wealthy Apisians often have elaborate shrines to their Bull-God in their homes and place of business.
  
  The dogma of the Apisians believes that Apis will take up all his children to his realm when they die. But their place in his kingdom is determined by the favor they incurred during their life. Only children who died early are pardoned from this scale, and are believed to be reborn in a new life to have another chance.
  
  
  
  

  Morlochian​

  The Orcs do not believe in any gods, but rather that everything in creation possesses an inherent spirit. In an ancient age, Morloch was a great teacher of this philosophy in Orc culture, and his teachings are spread through the Morlochian faith. There is no realm of eternal paradise or suffering in the Morlochian religion. Instead, the spirit of the deceased passes into a new form when it dies. What that form is, depends on how honorable a life was lived in its previous incarnation. Orcs believe that their race is a superior form to the other sapient races of the world.
  
  For orcs, an honorable life consists of winning just battles and protecting one's family and clan. Raiding and pillaging are not seen as misdeeds unless they are done to other orcs and in an unfair method. The killing of lesser forms (i.e. other races and animals) is not dishonorable, as long as the death was with purpose. Any orc that has lived their life in a dishonorable manner risks being reborn as a lower form after they die.
  
  
  
  

  Sha-Maar​

  In the religion of Sha-Maar, the followers believe in the Goddess Shamaran. She is the divine Aerth mother that birthed all life in the world. Shamaran is a giant half-woman, half-snake. Mardamaar and some Krokotam are the main worshippers inthe Sha-Maar religion. Shamaran is often depicted as encircling the world with her lower, snake-half. Shamaran's love is unending for her followers, and they are all welcomed to her bosom upon death regardless of how they lived life. The only thing she asks of her people is that they make regular blood sacrifices to her. These sacrifices are violent, and usually involve an unwilling captive as the sacrifice. For this reason, followers of Sha-Maar are not public about their faith. In many places, they are even persecuted. Ahrammaria is one of those places. As such, the temples and meeting places of Sha-Maar rites and rituals are kept secret.
  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  ​
  Spoiler: Places of Interest in Ahrammaria

  Aljibaar
  

  The most northwestern settlement in Ahrammaria, Aljibaar is an out-of-the-way farming village that makes use of the nearby Ashari Falls for irrigation to their crops. Located on the grassy plains between the Arion mountains and the Buring Sea, the village enjoys a more agreeable and inviting climate compared to most of the kingdom. The population are small and guarded to outsiders, not offering much in the way of amenities to travelers. Humans are the majority of the inhabitants. But there is a small mix of other, common races that also dwell here.​

  
  Al-Mimr
  

  One of the smaller outlying villages in Ahrammaria, Al-Mimr is an often-forgotten place nestled in the arid hills overlooking the edge of the Burning Sea. Al-Mimr has a minimal populace, and goat herding is the trade of the peoples there. A significant presence of Mardamaar live in Al-Mimr, and they do well to keep to themselves.​

  
  Ashari Falls
  

  A beautiful waterfall cascades from the craggy heights of the Arion mountains. The base of the waterfall forms a small lake that dissapears into an underground cavern and subsequent river. The waterway flows through uncharted waterways until it finds its way to the surface again in the depth of The Maw to the southeast.​

  
  Band of the Three Daggers
  

  A group of outlaws known as the Band of the Three Daggers have claimed a small region of northern Ahrammaria as their territory. This area is generally avoided by anyone not wanting to incur robbery and possible death at the hands of these bandits. While the Amir has many times sent in soldiers to rid the area of these criminals, they have repeatedly eluded capture.​

  
  Buried Shrine of Ta’ Lom
  

  Deep in the desert, the entrance to an old ruin is sometimes swept open by sandstorms to reveal the foreboding relic of a temple to the evil deity Ta'Lom. Worshippers of Ta'Lom must practice in secret, as their lot are openly persecuted by royal decree. If caught, disciples are arrested and often executed with little deliberation.​

  
  The Burning Sea
  

  A sprawling expanse of seemingly endless sand dunes that disappear into the eastern horizon. The Burning Sea is an uncrossable desert landscape that borders the edge of the Kingdom of Ahrammaria. To attempt to travel through it is an assured death, even by the most resilient of peoples. The Burning Sea has been an effective buffer for the ruling Amirs since the beginning of their rule. The massive desert, along with the Arion Mountains that cradle the border of the rest of Ahrammaria, have effectively safeguarded the kingdom from invading forces. The desert alone is a formidable hazard. But the terrible creatures that live within its basking climate are just as deadly.​

  
  Damasc
  

  As the closest city to Tamyr, Damasc bathes in the collateral trade that passes through to the capital. The city exists mostly as an outlying trade hub from Tamyr, especially to those barred from entering the capital. It is also used as a staging area for Ahrammari troops and has a large garrison of soldiers present at all times. Because of the military presence, crime is considerably lower than in settlements further out. There is a clan of Apisians that live in Damasc that are renown across the land for their iron-smithing talents they learned three generations ago from a Dwarven outlander.​

  
  Kaladaar
  

  Regarded as the most hedonistic and degenerate locale in all of Ahrammaria, Kaladaar is tolerated in its shameless depravity because it is also host to the miners that extract the cassiterite ore from the Halas Crater. The crater provides the ore that makes tin, used to create the bronze that has been a great source of wealth for the kingdom. Although Kaladaar boasts a generous market district, it is the Service Houses that are the infamy of the seedy city. Wine, women, and song all abound in a booming economic conspiracy that keeps the workers of the mines content to their backbreaking labor. Of course, there is also a fair number of slaves that do the more menial and laborious tasks. Miners are not the only ones that enjoy the indulgences of Kaladaar, of course. As its reputation spread over the years, men (and women) of all sorts came to pass through the city's gates to indulge their desires. Kaladaar also sees the biggest influx of outlanders, as it is the closest large city to the western pass through the Arion Mountains. For many foreigners, treacherous Kaladaar is their first and last stop in Ahrammaria.​

  
  The Maw
  

  Located between Shih-Ras and Aljibaar, The Maw is a great canyon that opens up in the arid savannah. to many creatures of the region, its shaded recess is a respite from a more hostile environment above. The underground river stemming from Aahari falls also sprouts from the canyon walls and pours into a gentle lake. Contraptions of pullies and rope and sluices route water from The Maw to a collection station where it is loaded onto carts and transported to Shih-Ras and the other outlying communities of Ahrammaria. The water trade is one of the most stable ventures in a desert environment, after all. The biggest danger outside of bandits, is the monstrous creatures that tend to congregate in the canyon.​

  
  Temple of Shajir
  

  Although the prominent religion in Ahrammaria is Izalad, the monotheistic worship of the god Zalas, a few other religions do manage to pronounce themselves. Shajiri is another faith that is practiced and is one that believes in a tripartite theism. The Temple of Shajir is the center of the religion's community in Ahrammaria.​

  
  Mez’Kabal Tribe
  

  Nearly in the center of Ahrammaria is the tribal grounds of the Mez'Kabal; the Black Orcs that call Ahrammaria their homeland. Many different clans comprise the Mez'Kabal, and they have within their own people, many a civil rivalry. However, they will unite with little dispute in their undying quarrel with the other races that occupy the desert kingdom. The Orcs are fiercely territorial, and brutal in their delivery of rebuttal for trespassing on their lands. They live much more primitively than the cities belonging to the Amir and are natural survivors of the harsh Ahrammari desert. They are also natural raiders, seeing the robbery of caravans and pillaging of poorly guarded villages and outposts as a way of life.​

  ​

  The behavior of the Mez'kabal orcs is tolerated by the Amir for one simple reason: Gloaming Powder.​

  The Orcish shamans of Ahrammaria are unique in the world for their ability to produce a chalky, blue drug known as Gloaming Powder. Its creation is a heavily guarded secret that only a few, elder shamans truly understand. And the knowledge is only passed down to a single apprentice for each master. Gloaming Powder can be mixed into an herbal tea, and ceremonially drunk during a waxing moon in order to be temporarily bestowed with visions of the future. The visions are difficult to decipher, and oftentimes the aftereffects of Gloaming Powder will render those who drink with a lasting madness. But the Orcs sparingly trade this and other valuables to the Amir in the form of tithes in order to be left in sanctity within their home of Mez'Kabal.​

  
  The Nomads
  

  The enigmatic Nomads of the Desert are a mysterious people. They live away from the rest of civilized Ahrammaria, never coming into the cities of villages and purportedly live off of the desert without even the aid of the water wells dug upon the common travel routes. Their encampment is constantly moving, never staying in one place for more than a few days. Many strange and exaggerated tales surround the nomads, like their ability to ride the sandstorms like a stampede of horses.​

  
  Omun
  

  This northerly-located village is best known for its lack of human populace. Not to say that humans do not live in Omun, but rather that they are inversely the minority there. The village is mostly comprised of Apisians and Nephilim. Though a handful of Mardamaar families exist there as well. Omun is otherwise unremarkable, except that it is a common stop on the road for those traveling to the Temple of Zalas from Shih-Ras or Aljibar.​

  
  Serpent’s Nest
  

  High in a lonely peak, known as The Devil's Finger, the den of a great serpentine creature is hidden away in the treacherous terrain. Tales of the creature that lives in that forbidden hole are older than any can remember. The cave entrance is seemingly impossible to reach. Most adventurers who have been stupid enough to attempt the climb have ended up seriously injured or dead. Though no one has seen the creature that lived in the cave for over three hundred years, the legends of the beast are still recanted to children to scare them back into the safety of their homes after nightfall.​

  
  Shih-Ras
  

  If Kaladaar is the city of hedonistic indulgences in Ahrammaria, then Shih-Ras is the center of slave trade and gladiatorial fighting arenas. Though the underground fighting pits are common across all of Ahrammaria, no place raises such raucous celebration of it like Shih-Ras. Admittedly, the culture was inspired in Ahrammarian from the outlands. The name of Shih-Ras' most exalted arena reflects that fact by its very name, the Circus Magnus. Here, the Lanistas bring their pit fighters to fight (often to the death) in hopes of achieving a spot in the greatest of stages their trade can achieve. Most do not get passed the provincial brackets. And their fighters, or slaves, are fated to death and dismemberment. A great deal of money and glory is to be made in these circles. Both for the Lanistas and also for their fighters. Some slaves are even granted their freedom of they can secure a victory at a main event in the Circus Magnus. This does not often happen, of course.​

  
  The Swallowed Ruins
  

  Lost to time and memory are the origin of these ancient ruins. Their architecture predates even the oldest of building in any city of Ahrammaria. The dunes of the Burning Sea periodically hide and then reveal various entrances in the crumbled remains, often after a sandstorm. Many looters and explorers both have delved the depths of the sunken structure. And the insides are reported to be a labyrinthine maze of passages, many corridors having caved in or otherwise filled impassibly with sand. More than a few individuals have entered, never to return. Whether they got lost in the confusing halls or met a more sinister fate is unknown. The ruins are large, and never fully covered by the desert dunes. An outpost with a water well has been established in the vicinity of the ruins and marks a common trade route.​

  
  The City of Tamyr
  

  Home of the Amir and capital of Ahrammaria, Tamyr is a city that is gilded in opulence and wealth. Much of the trade in the kingdom passes through its guarded gates, as well as the caravans carrying the provincial tithes to the palace. The Royal Palace of Nashar is an ivory crown in the midst of merchant districts and skilled artisans. Special permission must be given by the royal magistrate in order to live or even sell merchandise within the walls of Tamyr. Only the finest goods and most well-reputed artisans are allowed to set themselves up inside the prosperous markets of Tamyr. A generous garrison of the finest warriors of the Amir's army are stationed in the city, keeping the nobility and rich merchant class well-protected from outside threats.​

  ​

  Just outside the city walls, splayed out for miles, is the detritus of shantytowns and other ramshackle habitations. This is the poor class that lives outside the official city border. Here, the quality of life is a stark contrast to the living situations of Tamyr inside the walls. Hunger is rampant, and the people are desperate and diseased. The most common occupation is that of a farmer or shepherd, either role trying their best to live off of the dry savannah.​

  ​

  
  Valley of the Dead
  

  Said to be an accursed place, the Valley of the Dead is haunted by the angry spirits of those who are too vengeful to pass on to the afterlife. Despite being surrounded by rolling grasslands, the valley itself is a wasteland where nothing grows, and nothing lives. Not even the wind blows over the hard, cracked ground here. Dead trees dot the terrain sporadically, their desiccated, white carcasses reaching to a sky that is bereft of stars during nightfall. Many aspiring necromancers have made a journey to the Valley of the Dead in the pursuit of their craft. But few have returned.​

  
  The Wells
  

  Across the desert, often dictating the route of trade paths, are dug what is colloquially known as The Wells. The Wells are just that, water wells dug into the earth to offer up communal rest stops for travelers on their way to villages and cities. Some of the larger wells are set up with minor outposts and structures to protect from the desert elements. A few have even become minor trade hubs when merchant caravans happen to convene. But most importantly, they are a source of life-giving water. Military patrols occasionally make rounds across Ahrammaria in order to assure that these wells remain free to use by the citizens and have not become lorded over by bandits or greedy despots.​

  
  Zabasai
  

  What originally started out as a simple trading post, set up at a major crossroads on the routes between Kaladaar, Shih-Ras, and the capital of Tamyr, was gradually built upon over the years. Eventually, the outpost became a small village comprised of merchants and traders. The village eventually grew to establish a steady economy. Walls were built, guards were employed, and a governmental council was established. An envoy was sent to the palace in Tamyr to request acknowledgement as a province, in exchange for homage to the Amir. It was granted, and the merchant city of Zabasai was born.​

  
  Temple of Zalas
  

  Izalad is the foremost religion in Ahrammaria, and is practiced by the majority of humans as well as a considerable number of peoples from other races. Nestled at the foot of the Arion Mountains in the northern reaches of Ahrammaria, the Temple of Zalas is a famous place of pilgrimage to followers of the faith. Generations ago, it was proclaimed by the Amir Jahaan Zareb to be a sacred place, and it is largely left alone by criminal sorts. Though, it is likely fear of the wrath of Zalas himself that keeps them at bay. Regardless, the place is inhabited by a priesthood and paid regular visits by pious individuals seeking to worship their patron deity.​