Carrion Kings of the Dead Sands

## Carrion Kings

Official flag of the united Carrion Kings

The Carrion Kings of the Dead Sands, also known as the Carrion Kingdoms or simply just the Carrion Kings, are a collective of sovereign states and micronations that control the vast desert region known only as the Dead Sands. Led by the vulture-like Carrionites, they are the only nation that has claimed true mastery over the sands. For it is they that rose from the seemingly innate savagery of the desert and forged a civilisation of their own, all during a time that saw the one-great Dwarven Empire collapse and the Elves' Dominion wane in influence.

Long ago, just as Humans were emerging from their caves and migrating from the bitter north, the beings that would become the flamboyant Carrion Kings wandered aimlessly across the sand dunes. They did not live in villages or towns. They did not have an army or organised government of any kind. They were scavengers and opportunists, feeding on whatever scraps they could find and living only in small family groups. In this dreadful age, the Carrionites were at the mercy of vicious predators, piercing sun and blistering heat. But this fate would change in an instant. One lucky group stumbled across travellers from another land, who traded food for the Carrionites' bone trinkets. Fascinated by this concept, they stopped wandering and built settlements from which to trade from. Others followed suit and, over time, the luckiest and most intelligent of their kind rose to power and prominence. The Carrion Kingdoms had formed.

In modernity, the Carrion Kings are amongst the wealthiest of all the world's nations. They live in great pyramid palaces made from marble, sandstone, and precious metals. They field large armies of mercenaries and desert beasts. Though some refuse, many of the ruling Carrionites have rejected their feeble gods and now dedicate themselves to a new obsession - wealth and trade.

But, despite their vast riches, it is not enough. The Carrion Kings bicker and fight amongst themselves for riches and power. Indeed, it could be argued that the sands are no less bloody now than during the primitive age of the scavengers. That being said some kingdoms are clearly more powerful than others, and they grow more ambitious by the day. Perhaps, then, a time of final conquest, of true unity, is just around the corner.

## **Geography**

The Carrion Kings inhabit the desert known as the Dead Sands. Due to the extreme heat and aridity of their homeland, a majority of the Carrion Kings' major cities can be found at along the coast or at the base of rivers. For example, the city of Ptra, the largest city of all the Carrion Kingdoms, is built on and around the great Iteru River, which flows from the Iris Sea.

The Carrion Kingdoms are bordered by the Scaled States to the west and by the Eleven Dragon Dominion to the north. The rest of their border comprises a coastline with the Great Sea, which the Carrion Kings use to great benefit in their attempts to dominate global trade.

Apart from the coast and river valleys, the majority of the Carrion Kings' landscape is desert, with a few oases scattered about. The most notable of these desert areas is the Sea of Sand, a giant and largely unmapped province that houses huge sand dunes and ancient ruins. Another notable area are the provinces that encompass the "red land." These territories are known for their rockier terrain and the vast savannahs that can be found along the border frontiers.

Outside of its home region the Carrion Kings directly control very little. Though some of the larger kingdoms do technically possess small trade colonies in other lands, these are officially governed by the country they are constructed in. The only notable exception is a sizable island off the south-western coast that falls under the Tekunatin region.

## **Politics**

The specific politics of the Carrion Kingdoms is a complex affair, and one that would take an unreasonable amount of time to describe. For the Carrion Kings do not rule over one united state. Instead, their 'nation' is one comprised of several major kingdoms and an innumerable number of smaller ones. Simply put, the Carrion Kingdoms are often referred to as one entity by other states for the sake of simplicity, rather than genuine correctness. As one might expect, there are many differences between these various kingdoms - but surprisingly also quite a few similarities.

Practically all of the Carrion Kingdoms are monistic autocracies. The ruling monarch, often a king or queen of some kind, make policy and legal decisions that are enforced by the institutions they, similarly, govern. In addition, many of the Carrion Kingdoms are also a variation of corporatocracy - though not officially. This stems from the ruling Carrionites' obsession with wealth, which affords incredibly lenient labour laws and increased influence for guilds and corporations when compared to other states. That being said, these two branches of power often come hand-in-hand, for it is the Carrion Kings themselves that often control the largest companies in their kingdom, and thus much of the wealth ends up in their coffers either way.

### **Foreign Relations**

Since each Carrion Kingdom is technically an independent state, 'foreign' relations refer to relationships between both other countries (like the Empire) as well as how the different kingdoms interact with each other.

Internally, the relationships between the different kingdoms are, frankly, very messy. The Carrion Kings are always searching for ways to gain advantages over their rivals and peers. As a result, the signing of treaties and agreements are incredibly common - as is the breaking of them. This makes things difficult for ambassadors and representatives of these kingdoms, for they often find themselves in an allied city one week and an enemy city the next. The most powerful kingdoms, most notably Ptra and Shedet, enjoy an uneasy peace with one another, which allows them to maintain dominance over the smaller kingdoms.

On a larger scale, the Carrion Kingdoms are considered a very influential world power and are vital players in the global economy. Much of the world's trade will find its way to Carrion King cities in one way or another. Foreign and exotic goods are traded in their marketplaces and merchants both big and small will often travel to Carrionite cities in search of fortunes and trade deals. Interestingly, though, the Carrion Kingdoms do not often sign treaties with other powers outside of simple trade agreements. This is more than likely a necessary neutrality in the face of international tension, and an attempt to keep the trade and wealth flowing.

### **Law**

There is no single code of law that encompasses all of the Carrion Kingdoms. Each kingdom has its own laws that are created and monitored by its monarch. Courts are held by representatives of the monarch or, rarely, the monarch themself. These courts are held without jury and are solely decided by the overseeing judge or relevant representative.

Given the culture and society of the Carrion Kingdoms, many of the national laws can be explained through the lens of radical mercantilism. For example, corporations and trading guilds are granted higher leniency than others, though import taxes are usually quite high. On the other hand, workers' rights are virtually non-existent. Though slavery is technically illegal in most kingdoms, keeping in-line with international law, a strict version of 'indentured servitude' does and is practiced by many of the upper classes. Those under this servitude are required to work without pay for a fixed term, dictated by a contract. However, it is known that these people are often pressured into accepting unreasonable contracts and, even when these contracts expire, are not given the resources to function independently, more often than not forcing these people to return to servitude once again.

Though many Carrion Kingdoms are often in a state of conflict against one another, a form of common law exists that attempts to keep a relative peace. These laws, known as "ma'at" (meaning 'harmony' in the Carrionite language), are a series of loose guidelines that prevents all-out civil war between the different kingdoms. The general idea is that as long as each kingdom maintains a common balance, all will be able to prosper without risk of economic insecurity. Though most kingdoms follow this code, there are still those that enjoy significant power and influence over the others, a state which will always cause conflict.

### **Kingdoms and Notable Factions**

Though there are many different Carrion Kingdoms, many of these are tiny and unimportant - often controlling little more than a town or two. There are those, however, that control significantly more land and wield much more power than their insignificant counterparts. These kingdoms are listed below:

* Ptra.
* Shedet.
* The Imazagh Kingdoms.
* Theset.
* The Monshez Junta.
* Masinissa.
* Men Nefer.
* **Citium** - an island nation and local maritime power. It is also known for it's unique fusion of Carrionite and High Elf culture.
* **Babilim** - also known as the 'jewel of the Red Land.' A powerful and prosperous kingdom known for being a scientific and cultural centre.
* **Ashur** - a kingdom struggling to maintain the power and land established by its revered founder after generations of ineffective kings.
* **Hattusa** - a mountainous kingdom known for its economic power and unique system of government and law.
* The Golden Sentinels.

As well as the Carrion Kingdoms, there are also several factions that are not officially kingdoms themselves. These groups are often rebels, insurgents, bandits, or cultural traditionalists. The most notable of these are the two listed below:

* Followers of Gabbin.
* **Namiri Rebels** - a collection of various revolutionary, insurgent, and rebel groups all united under the leadership of one man: Al Namir.

## **Economy**

With their cultural fixation on economics, the economies of the Carrion Kingdoms can be incredibly elaborate. However, they all tend to balance themselves on some key similarities. Many kingdoms' economies rely on the exporting of raw natural resources, particularly minerals like salt and ore. Unlike most other states, that export agricultural goods, the Carrion Kingdoms do not. Instead, they horde these goods for use and sale in their own kingdom, using the harsh conditions of the Dead Sands for profit. Ultimately, though, most of the Carrion Kings make their money through the exploitation of trade and foreign investment. The Carrion Kingdoms are one of the largest trade markets in the world, especially the larger cities like Ptra. The Carrion Kingds, very much aware of this, impose huge trade tariffs and import taxes on the merchants that travel to their cities. This system, as excessive as it is, has proven to be very effective at pushing economic growth.

Despite plenty of money travelling into the Carrion Kingdoms, very little of this wealth trickles down to the general populace. An overwhelming majority of the national economy is controlled directly by the Carrion Kings themselves, whose obsession with personal wealth means that they keep most of it for themselves. The result of this is that very little money is spent on social welfare of public works. Only the essentials retrieve reliable funding. Income distribution is incredibly unequal, with monarchs and high-ranking officials or generals receiving most of the nation's wealth.

### **Tourism**

Interestingly, a rising market in the economies of many Carrion Kingdoms revolves around tourism. More specifically, the influx of adventurers arriving to earn personal fortunes or to explore the Dead Sands' many ancient ruins. In an attempt to capitalise on this trend, many Carrion Kingdoms have employed new policies such as citizenship fees, legally enforced escorts for travellers (which cost a fee naturally), and the bizarre 'tomb tax.'

Some foreign nobles and influential figures also occasionally travel to the more powerful Carrion Kingdoms, to enjoy the hot climates and sandy beaches. Roylandian nobles, in particular, favour the coasts of these lands.

### **Transport**

Given the harsh desert that comprises the landscape of practically all Carrion Kingdoms, extensive travel over land is considered impractical. As a result, a majority of travel across the kingdoms is done via sea or (where possible) air. Since a pattern of settlement can be found across the coast and major riverbanks, this makes sea travel in particular quite favourable. The river Iteru, in particular, is considered incredibly important for travel. For those few villages that lie in the desert, however, convoys of camels and other desert creatures are typically the only means of access.

### **Water Supply**

As a desert country, the supply of water is considered fundamentally important to all Carrion Kingdoms. For those situated on riverways and coastline, the natural water provides relief. However, many settlements have to buy and import water, to supplement what little they can scavenge from the occasional rains.

Due to the absence of appreciable rainfall, all of the Carrion Kingdoms' agriculture relies on irrigation. An overwhelming majority of this is sourced from the river Iteru, but the kingdoms that do not have access to the river are forced to make do with whatever water sources they can get.

## **Demographics**

The Carrion Kingdoms are truly an international melting pot in every sense of the term. This is very beneficial for the Carrion Kings themselves but makes demographic statistics very difficult to track.

It is believed that the Carrion Kingdoms have a relatively high population - not as high as the Eleven Dragon Dominion but higher than the Scaled States. But they are held back by a combination of the less-than-hospitable terrain and the lack of willingness for the Carrion Kings themselves to invest in smaller settlements. A majority of the Carrion Kingdoms' population can be found in major cities, like Ptra. These cities are dense and more often than not highly urbanised, being concentrated along the coastline or the banks of the Iteru river.

### **Races and Ethnic Groups**

Though the Carrionites are easily the most powerful race, the kingdoms themselves even bearing their name, they are actually a minority in their own country. There are several reasons for this, the most notable of which is the needlessly convoluted tradition of breeding contracts. Population-wise it is the Gnolls that are perhaps the most populous race in the Carrion Kingdoms, having notable populations in both the urban and rural areas of the Dead Sands region.

There are also very high populations of other races, such as Arachi and the Human races. Most of these immigrants are merchants or mercenaries that travel to the Carrion Kings in search of work and opportunity. There are also large clans of Humans that populate the areas known as the red land, most of which consider themselves societies independent of the Carrion Kings. Naturally, they have been branded as "people of concern" by most of the Carrion Kingdoms.

### **Languages**

The official language of the Carrion Kings is, unsurprisingly, Carrionite. However, this tongue is typically only spoken by royalty, nobility, and high-ranking merchants. On the streets, most people speak a combination of Elvish and Common. Since Common is an internationally recognised trading language, it is considered by many to be the more important of the two. A popular in-joke amongst Carrionite nobility makes reference to how Common is the unofficial first language of the country - rather than Carrionite itself.

## **Military Doctrine**

The Carrionites themselves are too few in number to field armies of their own kind. Besides, their biology means that they are not exactly suited to up-close martial combat anyway. As a result, practically all the Carrion Kings field armies of hired mercenaries. These hordes of soldiers-for-hire serve their respective lord in exchange for housing, amenities, and a living wage.

Smaller Carrion Kingdoms rely on overwhelming numbers to win a battle. However, the larger kingdoms use their mercenary forces as supplemental to their true coup de grâce - destructive war beasts and monsters. The desert, for all its dangers, is a treasure trove of creatures that, as the Carrion Kings have learned, can be very advantageous in battle.

### **Infantry**

The Carrion Kings employ large numbers of expendable mercenaries to make up the bulk of their infantry forces. These soldiers of fortune are comprised of many different races and specialise in many different weapons - however the larger kingdoms will often supply their troops with weapons and armour that is suitable for desert combat. When not at war, Carrion infantry is kept occupied with keeping the peace. This includes purging bandit groups, protecting trade roads, and guarding settlements. Unfortunately, accusations of corruption and bribery are not uncommon, especially amongst the lower-ranking forces.

Carrion King infantry includes:

* Mercenary Guards
* Mercenary Archers
* Mercenary Soldiers
* Medjay
* Gnoll Mercenaries

### **Cavalry**

The desert terrain makes fielding large groups of cavalry difficult but, at the same time, the wide-open spaces make mounted warfare a potentially useful strategy. Due to this paradox, many Carrion Kings do field forms of cavalry, but often in limited numbers. Heavy cavalry, like knights, are also particularly uncommon as the landscape simply doesn't allow it. Aside from the typical horses, Carrion armies also utilise camels and giant sand serpents as mounts - creatures that are better evolved for fighting in the desert.

Carrion King cavalry includes:

* Mercenary Horsemen
* Mercenary Camel Riders
* Mercenary War Chariots
* Mercenary Serpent Riders

### **Beasts and Monsters**

The Dead Sands is home to a wide variety of vicious beasts and horrifying monsters. To many, these creatures are dangerous and to be avoided at all costs, but for the Carrion Kings they represent unparalleled opportunity for utilisation. Many Carrion Kingdoms use the various species of the desert in some shape or form, most commonly in combat. The size and scale of these war beasts typically parallel with the size of the kingdom. Smaller kingdoms will field small flocks of dire vultures, whilst the larger kingdoms employ war elephants and mighty ushabti pyramid golems.

Carrion King war beasts include:

* Dire Vultures
* Giant Scorpions
* Sand Serpents
* Ushabti
* War Sphinxes
* War Elephants
* Desert Titans

### **Artillery and War Machines**

The Carrion Kings do not field weapons of engineering in the same way most other states do. The sand makes the movement and employment of siege equipment impractical and cumbersome, for example. Due to this, the few artillery pieces that the Carrion Kings do employ are limited in number and often outdated. Uniquely, though, larger armies will often employ gold carts to better incentivise their troops - a economically risky but ultimately effective strategy.

Carrion King war machines include:

* Mercenary Catapults
* Gold Carts

### **Specialist Units**

Like all nations, the Carrion Kings employ specialist units to fulfil vital and specific roles in their armies. This includes leadership roles, as one might expect, but also magical matters, beast taming, infiltration, and more. It is in these roles where one will often find the Carrionites themselves - filling roles that do not necessarily require them to get directly involved in the fighting.

Carrion King specialists include:

* Mercenary Beast Tamers
* Mercenary Captains
* Carrionite Mortuary Priests
* Carrionite Treasurers
* Carrionite Sand Whisperers
* Mercenary Infiltrators
* Mercenary Generals

## **Culture and Society**

The shared culture of the Carrion Kingdoms can be categorised into two camps - appropriately dubbed 'old culture' and 'new culture.' New culture involves culture that developed as a result of the Carrion Kings shift to economic fixation and the rejection of their traditions and old way of life. However, despite this huge cultural shift, many Carrion Kingdoms still incorporated many aspects of their oldest traditions, things we still see today. This is known as old culture.

Due to its influence over the global economic market, many nobles and wealthy individuals visit the Carrion Kingdoms at one point or another. More often than not, these people assimilate part of the native culture and will take home mementoes to remember. Thus, it is not uncommon to see a piece of Carrion art hanging in the drawing room of an Imperial noble, for example.

### **Art**

Outside of simple wealth accumulation, the Carrion Kingdoms are known to be huge contributors to art and architecture. The wealthiest kingdoms, especially, have a plethora of elaborate art pieces, sculptures and buildings constructed in their name. Some of this art is sold for a profit but most is kept by monarchs for their own personal vanity.

The Carrion Kings hold the symbolism of colour in extremely high regard and are credited with the popularising of various associations that are typical today. For example, purple is considered the symbolic colour of royalty and power. As a result, in some kingdoms only the ruling elite are permitted to wear it. The colour yellow and gold, unsurprisingly, represents wealth and perfection.

Another aspect of the arts that the Carrion Kingdoms are known for is their contribution to architecture. More specifically, the elaborate pyramid-palaces they build. These pyramids are constructed whenever a new ruler rises to the throne. More often than not, attempts will be made to make their pyramid larger and more elaborate than their predecessors. Upon the ruler's death, they are entombed in their pyramid and the following ruler will construct a pyramid of their own. Some famous examples include the Great Pyramid of Ptra, one of the largest and most imposing of all pyramids, and the Golden Pyramid, a pyramid so ancient that even the Carrionites themselves don't remember its origins.

### **Literature**

The earliest known examples of Carrion literature date back to their time as a nomadic people. These old papyrus texts detailed the traditions of their culture and the beliefs of their religion. Though many of these texts have been lost to history, or purposefully destroyed, some survive in the hands of traditionalist holdouts.

In modernity, the Carrion Kingdoms have been the inspiration for many writers and poets - both domestic and foreign.

### **Media**

Like most countries, the Carrion Kingdoms are home to various news and media agencies. Officially, most Carrion Kingdoms practice a law of free press, similar to how the Empire of Man conducts itself. However, in reality an overwhelming majority of these domestic news companies are owned by the Carrion Kings themselves. As a result, only stories the ruler wants shown is published.

### **Music**

Traditionally, music has always held an important role in Carrion society. Even during their nomadic age, Carrionites would craft basic instruments from bone and dried shrubbery in order to pay respect to their gods. Ancient texts suggest that they considered music a gift from the gods in order to civilise the world.

In modernity, technology and conditions have improved drastically but the importance of music remains. Though the religious significance is long gone in most places, many Carrion Kings field full-time professional musicians to play for them in their palaces. These performers are expected to play both traditional pieces as well as music from other nations. Naturally, the number of those capable is extremely small.

### **Dance**

Dance in Carrion society holds an important and privileged status. Groups of dancers perform at feasts and diplomatic events, often incorporating traditional dances from the visiting countries. Lavish festivals and showy funerals also see crowds of dancers performing in a variety of styles. Interestingly, though, outside of festivals and events, dancing in public is considered socially taboo - a trait of the lower classes. Even outside of the ruling and upper classes, it is uncommon to see people dancing in public under normal circumstances.

### **Festivals**

Though most Carrion Kingdoms have moved on from their older traditions, many still celebrate the same festivals and religious carnivals of times past. However, where these festivals were considered spiritual in nature before, they now mainly serve the purpose of flaunting a Carrion King's wealth and ensuring that the populace remain compliant.

These festivals are typical grand and opulent, utilising performers, lights, music, and parades. The ancient spring festival of Shomu is a particularly widespread celebration across the Carrion Kingdoms, for it celebrates the new harvest, prosperity, and wealth.

### **Cuisine**

Due to the conditions of their home region, many Carrion Kingdoms are known to import at least some of their food supply. Due to this, purely native dishes are surprisingly few in number. Those that are, however, are often meat-based dishes that can be made from whatever animals can be scavenged and hunted in the desert. That said, meat has traditionally been quite expensive for the poorest citizens and so they have developed several vegetarian dishes. For those able to acquire meat, it is often preserved by drying it out. But, where most nations use salt for this process, many regular people in the Dead Sands simply use the intense desert heat to achieve a similar effect.

Some consider bamya (a type of stew made from a wide variety of meats) to be the national dish. Another contender is kushari (a mixture of rice, lentils, and macaroni) as it is very popular amongst the common populace. Fava beans are considered a popular snack food.

### **Sports**

The national sport in most Carrion Kingdoms is the old art of chariot racing. This is usually done on public tracks and arenas, the chariots driven by professional drivers or military personnel. In rarer cases, the rulers of competing kingdoms will partake in a chariot race in order to settle a dispute or disagreement, bound by contract of course.

Other popular sports in the Carrion Kingdoms include combat sports like boxing and wrestling, javelin throwing, fishing, rowing, and gymnastics. Archery and hunting are also considered popular but is often only practiced by the upper classes.

## **Religion**

Religion in the Carrion Kingdoms in a complex affair. It has no official state religion of its own, preferring to abandon spirituality of the past to focus purely on economics. That said, the largest Carrionite cities are popular destinations for merchants of all countries, and so has notable populations of many different faiths.

The traditional Carrionite religion is a complex series of polytheistic beliefs and rituals. Though they once formed an integral part of Carrionite society, especially during the nomadic age, many of these practices have been abandoned in favour for a fixation on wealth. In some cases, practicing the old faith is considered illegal. That said, there are still holdouts that reject modern society and continue the teachings of the old faith, most notable of which are Kemethotep and the Followers of Gabbin. Unfortunately, the worship from holdouts is often not enough to maintain the Carrionite gods. As a result, some believe that the power of these celestial beings has waned in recent years.