Halarbic (culture)

Halarbic culture is native to the region of Halarbia in the plains directly west of the Central Desert. It is the endemic culture in the countries of Mamelkert, Tadmor, Falsil and Roumidia, as well as being a minority in western Kajasthan.
Halarbic peoples tend to be around 5'8" to 6'2", and have mostly black or dark brown hair and eyes to match. Their skin is dark from exposure to the sun, though not as dark as that of Barcunians or Kajas.
To the Halarbians, permanent settlement is a new and sometimes dangerous concept. Their homeland is sparse and inhospitable in places, leading Halarbians to settle for a year or so, deplete local resources, then move on again. 
Cities tend to wax and wane on a seasonal basis, with considerable parts of the population only being present for the hotter summer months before striking out for the cooler and more liveable winter. The cities that have sprung up tend to be, by accident or design, in highly versatile and practical locations - places capable of supporting numbers far greater than they actually do.
The largest Halarbic settlement to far is the city of Tadmor, with around one hundred thousand permanent residents, and another thirty thousand of various tribes who seasonally migrate. It lies on the very fringe of the desert, being called the Gateway to Tianguo by travellers from the east. The reason for its success is its location - Tadmor lies on a large oasis that has, over the years, been built over and concealed as a small lake in the city centre, from which screw devices and aqueducts carry water to the various city districts. Most other large Halarbic cities follow this design, though on a lesser scale.
The people themselves tend to follow either Orthodox or Inclusionist Ekdianism depending on location - Roumidians and Tadmoreans are mostly Orthodox, while the Falsil and Mamelquar are mostly Inclusionist.
Category:Cultures