Dahabu

• Government Type: City-States
• Symbol: Waning Crescent & Caduceus
• Major Races: Cosmopolitan
• Capital: None
• Demonym: Dahabi

The deserts of Dahabu are almost entirely unsettled save for the city-states scattered around its landscape. Dangerous and almost entirely uninhabited, the creatures that can make their home in the abandoned towers and ancient elven ruins in the desert should be feared. Glistening off in the distance, the abandoned ruins can climb almost as high as the mountains. The few humanoids that settle in this desert are either wandering, nomadic rondos or brutal warlords that hunt and rob whoever they can find. As dangerous as the hot sun is, it becomes even more dangerous at nightfall as deadly predators roam. Dahabu is loosely based on the real-world countries of Egypt and Turkey.

The majority of Dahabu is part of the Aihtaraq Desert, an unending sea of vast sand dunes. The majority of Golden Age ruins are located here, yet to be uncovered. In the north is the Crescent of Aset, a fertile oasis in the otherwise hostile climate and home to several city-states, as well as the Twin Ranges region, where an abundance of natural resources is found. In the southeast is the Al-Kharshi Bay, Dahabu's gate to the outside world. It has become a popular destination for Ruefang researchers to visit, stock up, and hire guides and protection before conducting research in the ruins of Dahabu.

On the southeastern coast of Dahabu is the Al-Kharshi Bay, which features many small fishing villages and bazaars to purchase goods in the towns of the Kharshi Collective.

Hidden and buried in the sands of Dahabu may be an untold number of resources and riches. However, the travelling troubadours of Cahyali mainly tell of Milphite Crystals, a rare magical resource found in towering ruins. Rumor states that, many centuries ago, when the calamity that stripped Dahabu Elves of souls happened and turned Dahabu into a desert wasteland, the souls of the elves themselves crystallized with the sands to form these crystals. Whether or not the rumor is true, no one knows. Most people covet these crystals for their magical properties, but those who risk their lives venturing into the Dahabi deserts seldom return.

Dahabu is broken down into five broad regions.

The large bay in the southeast side of Dahabu. The coast of this bay is one of the few places on Dahabu capable of supporting settlements and towns, and so many have cropped up around and even within the bay. The Al-Kharshi Bay is Dahabu's first contact with the rest of the world, most of the time.

Literally translating to “scorched desert”, this desert covers most of the landmass of Dahabu. In the ancient days, this land was covered with lakes and rivers, all of which were boiled and dried away during the Day of Solar Wrath and its aftermath. Now, all that remains is vast sand dunes and ruins of buildings that cannot be accurately described in their grandeur. There are no major settlements within the Aihtaraq Desert.

At the mouth of the River Aset is a fertile delta fit for habitation, followed by a massive curve in the river downstream. Perhaps the most abundant area in modern-day Dahabu, the Crescent of Aset hosts the most life out of any Dahabu region.

The Crescent of Aset mainly exports cultural and artisan goods, as well as some agricultural products. As the region closest to Buyuk Vahsi and Vervand, they also receive trade from these two nations.

Encompassing most of northwestern Dahabu, the Twin Ranges region is named as such due to, fittingly, the two ranges of steppeland mountains. One, the Daglik Range, is located in the most northwestern portion of the entire landmass, while the Al-Jibal Range is several hundred miles due south. The Gokkusagi and Yasamak Rivers originate in these two ranges, joining into the River Aset.

The location where these rivers join has rich soil and an abundance of natural resources, and the mountains themselves are full of precious metals. Many dwarves live in the Twin Ranges region, exporting mainly natural resources, metals, and forged tools and weapons.

The very southwest of the continent is a rare sight to behold. New life eventually begins to thrive after widespread destruction, even in one as harsh as the Day of Solar Wrath. Along the western shores of the continent, thin grasses and shrubs have taken root. Some of these shrubs seem to have migrated and then evolved to better fit a niche in the area. This thin, grassy plain causes some scholars and environmentalists to hope that one day the lush forests of Dahabu will return.

Despite the vastly differing governments of the city-states, a few laws have been observed to be constant between all of them, albeit with differing punishments.

• Theft: Varying from a short incarceration to cutting off the thief’s hands.
• Open worship of demons, eldritch beings, or fey entities: Ranging from unpunished, to fined, to executed (Abydos only).
• Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: Ranging from long incarceration, to exile, to execution.
• Assault: Incarceration.
• Murder and rape: Incarceration or execution, depending on the degree.
• Treason: Execution or exile.

Leviathan has a distinct pirates' code of laws.

For more information on the history and culture of Dahabu, follow this link: Dahabu History & Overview

The city-states of Dahabu tower above the desert, shining jewels of alabaster and a testament to the resilience of mortals in even the most hostile of environments.

Soko, Oasis of Man: Soko is perhaps the oldest remaining city on Dahabu, and had served as the imperial capital before the Day of Solar Wrath. Many of the outside city states consider Soko a place of both brains and brawn, but without any semblance of tact or charm. Modern day Soko is a bit stuck in the past and obsessed with its own history. As of late, they have been ruled by warrior-pharaohs who claim divine right not only over the city, but over the continent. They are a militaristic city, hoping to restore Dahabu to its former glory despite the clear impossibility of the task given that the rest of the world, and Dahabu itself, has moved on.

• Kiben: Upstream from Soko, where the River Aset begins to form a delta, is the town of Kiben. This town exists under Soko control, and concerns itself mostly with farming, fishing, and acting as a port town to the northern waters of Cahyali. Over the past few centuries, Kiben has traded hands from Soko to Tasarazi and back again multiple times.

Leviathan: A city sitting in the Al-Kharshi Bay: a haven and mercantile hub for pirates and thieves of all sorts. Black markets run the place here, and a loose pirates' code, as well as the constant threat of retribution, is all that keeps the city in relative peace.

The Kharshi Collective: An organization made up of several towns across the coast of the Al-Kharshi Bay, involved in trade with Ruefang and Ulos. Though it holds little power relative to Leviathan just off the coast, the Kharshi Collective acts as a check to Leviathan's ambitions and effectively keeps the pirates who run it from expanding further inland. Towns within the Collective include the villages of Amactus, Envaruna, and Syraea, among others.

Abydos, The Holy City: Abydos is the most religion-fueled city on Dahabu, by far. While the everyday residents are not necessarily fanatics, the holy nature of the city brings in many tourists on pilgrimages from across Cahyali. A few even hail from Jaern. As a theocracy, the city is ruled by priesthoods and all priests within its walls are treated with the utmost respect, save for Vormaxians and Zepherinites, who are acknowledged but not venerated, Almarians - which are afforded the same disdain here as they are in most of Dahabu, and Tenebrians, who are arrested on the spot for demon worship.

Tasarazi, Citadel of War: Built almost entirely from stone, Tasarazi is as tough as they come. The walls are tough. The warriors are tough. The people are tough. Life in Tasarazi is tough. Tasarazi is ruled not by a pharaoh, but by a sultan. This sultan claims they are very different from the pharaoh of Soko, that they clearly are not a monarch. Tasarazi is a city heavily focused on its military, and is the birthplace of the warriors' School of the Wolverine known across Cahyali.

Aksahin, Mountainborne Haven: Aksahin resides in the northern Daglik range. Specifically, the city is built from the hollow remains of a mountain that rises above the clouds. The city is shaped distinctly like an inverted cone suspended within the peaks, with the shape giving shade to much of the city and lands below. Given this conical shape, many avians find it easy to fly there. An oddly high number of Eufalconi and Spheniscines live in Aksahin for such an arid climate. Aksahin is ruled by a democratically elected triumvirate.

Sivvum, The Great Forge: Approaching the southern range, one may begin to worry about the massive smoking volcano surrounding a large, walled city. Fortunately, this is not a volcano, merely a massive forge the size of the steppes themselves. No one knows how the forge came to be, giving it the name The Forge of the Gods. It has both the ability to make stronger variations of common metals like iron or steel, and the ability to forge any common weapon. Sivvum is a direct democracy, appointing a group of leaders every five years.

• Ekcasai: Ekcasai is a town located just outside Sivvum's walls, on the opposite side of the Yasamak River. The two settlements have existed for nearly the same amount of time, with Ekcasai never being absorbed into Sivvum rule due to the strong presence of the Dahabu Delvers' Guild within the town. It has unofficially become one of the main hubs of the Guild within the Twin Ranges region, and Sivvum seems content to let the town be for now.

Andromeda, the City of the Stars: Lying on the northern edge of the Daglik Range, Andromeda was established during the height of the Dahabi Empire. Initially built by a pharaoh obsessed with the stars, the city quickly became a cosmopoilitan hub for the learned to meet. Because of this, the city just barely survived the Day of Solar Wrath. Their spot in the mountain makes the area quite rocky, with sand and dirt resting on the small plains below the city. The spot in the mountains was chosen due to its height and lack of clouds, making it ideal for stargazing. The city eventually became a sultanate, but it seems even among the learned power corrupts. Sultan Abdur al-Hakim was recently killed, with a small faction of revolutionaries doing their best to organize a new government that does not rely on the will of a singular person.

Dahabu is not an easy place to live, even within the city-states. City leaders are cutthroat, always feuding with their advisers and nobles, and the life of the poor is brutal. Water is a precious resource, given that the River Aset dries up partially during the summer months. Given its necessity for all life, water is almost as precious as gold when it comes to trade.

Most Dahabi are expected to be able to fend for their lives, whether it be from thieves in the streets or wild beasts in the wastelands. Only about 20% of Dahabu citizens are literate, with most simply having no need to learn to read. This has given rise to a rich tradition of oral and musical storytelling. Scholars write these folktales down when they can.

Dahabu dress is very colorful, adorned with a variety of dyes, textures, and patterns. The bustling cities are full of life and color despite the bleak world outside their walls, and some religious buildings are truly awe-inspiring with their geometric designs and rich shades. In Dahabu, black is considered a color of abundance and good; as rich soil and the cool night sky is black. On the other hand, white, the color of bleached bone and raging sunlight, is often considered a color of mourning or evil.

The roots of Cahyali religion trace themselves back to ancient Dahabu. The names of the gods known worldwide are Dahabu names; it was here that worship of the gods was first codified and organized into priesthoods. In the modern era, the gods are seen in equal measure good and evil, and are considered by many to simply be greater beings whose favor can be earned through devotion. Some city-states have more emphasis and power given to priesthoods and the divine, while some operate in more secular spheres. The most highly venerated gods are Aset, Anpu, and Peregrinus.

Dahabu has come a long way from its past as a superpower built on mastery of magic, but magic remains a large part of Dahabi society. Mages are at the top of the pecking order in every city-state, and most chieftains of nomadic tribes have some aptitude in magic, whether it be elemental, divine, psionic, or spiritual.

Witch-Queen's Gambit is a popular card game, reportedly created by the last Pharaoh of the Empire. It plays somewhat similarly to the game of poker, played in Western Cahyali.

Often living outside of the city-states in small nomadic bands or in large underground tunnel complexes, there are as many sandtail tribes in the Aihtaraq Desert as there are stars in the sky. The nomadic tribes are often contracted as couriers as they drift along long, winding routes from city to city; much of Dahabu's nonmagical logistics is reliant on them. Though the specific culture of a sandtail tribe may differ wildly, many have common threads.

• Water is precious. In the desert, no resource is more valuable than water. To steal water is the highest of taboos and crimes, and it is even a common funerary rite to use spells to drain the water from a corpse for recycling.
• In stationary tribes, the dead are often buried in massive funeral mounds, the largest of which can be several stories of bones and naturally mummified remains. Many tribes believe these mounds lead the spirits of the dead to eternal communion, where they can reach out as one to speak with and guide the living.
• To do it yourself is to do it with confidence. Sandtail tribes help one another, and it is considered wasteful and arrogant to try and try on one task, rejecting help, in an attempt to improve solo or prove a point. There is little room for waste in the Aihtaraq.