Perthic Caliphate

Map of the Perthic Caliphate at its height

## Heraldry

The Haja-saq Perthas, the Infernal script for the Perthic Caliphate

The **Perthic Caliphate**, also called **Perth** in a colloquial context, was a massive imperial dynasty that was the spiritual successor to the Muzdash Empire. It was led by a *caliph*, or spiritual leader who traces their lineage directly to Zadeh I.

The caliphate was composed of entirely tieflings for nearly two centuries, until the incorporation of the Emirate of Lonen. Thereafter, its population was a mix between cambinoids and Omerads until its official dissolution in 134 NCE.

By decree of the Dinamid Senate at the end of the Second Perthic War, Perepolis was made a client state of Dinam and had no governing authority outside of its own city walls. Without direct command from the caliph, the city-states across Cascadia became independent until the later years of the Magdamolia.

Perth is often cited as among the greatest of the classical civilizations, and by many scholars as certainly the most developed economically. By the time of its dissolution, their economic and financial inventions such as banking and fiat currency would be integrated into other civilizations like the Dinamid Republic and by the Hellastians.

## Society and culture

The most notable aspect of Perthic culture was the exclusion of non-cambinoids as part of Zadeh I's reconstruction of the Caliphate; that is, cities could only let in those who can trace their ancestry to Nebonyses the Great. This most often applied to foreign merchants, who were forbidden from going within city walls, and were forced to form settlements nearby that later became part of the Emirate of Lonen.

Exceptions to this rule were frequent, most notably slaves (almost always Omerads) and scholars-in-residence. Much of Perthic society was recognized by a quote from Zadeh II: "the ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr," stressing the value of knowledge and scientific learning over Moloch-focused human sacrifice. During this period, the Perthic world
became an intellectual center for science, philosophy, medicine and
education.

Cambinoids in the caliphate championed the cause of knowledge and established the House of Wisdom in Perepolis. Cambinoid, human, and even Auber scholars sought to translate and gather all the world's knowledge into one massive library and university. Many classic works of antiquity that would otherwise have been lost
were translated into Infernal here, and later in turn translated
into Dwarvish and Elvish. Perth, though greatly xenophobic, inadvertently became a cauldron of cultures which collected, synthesized and significantly advanced the knowledge gained
from the ancient worlds of Jigoku, Serenity, Dinam, Prace, and beyond. Modern Auber scholars often arrive at the so-called Perthic Razor: "If it is worth doing, a tiefling has already done it, and has done it better." Adding to this, the scholar Hadak of Jorif concluded that "[...] in virtually every field of endeavor—in astronomy, alchemy,
mathematics, medicine, optics and so forth—the Caliphate's scientists
were in the forefront of scientific advance."

### Science

In large part, scientific advancement was the result of the schismatic forces
 that had undermined the Muzdash regime, which relied on the assertion
of the superiority of Perthic culture
 as part of its claim to legitimacy, and the Perepolis scholars welcoming
support from the other Muzadan cities.

A number of classical thinkers and scientists living under Perthic rule played a role in transmitting Perthic science to the western human civilizations. In addition, the period saw the articulation of much of the mathematical, geometric and astronomical knowledge that would later be recovered and written down by Ptolemy.

Algebra was significantly developed by scholars and nobility during this time. Modern numerals are inherited from Perthic style rather than simplistic and cumbersome Dwarvish numerals.

In the *Book of Optics,* the most important development of the scientific method was the
 use of experiments to distinguish between competing scientific theories
 set within a generally empirical orientation, which began with Perthic scientists.

Medicine in antiquity, though historically very simple and rudimentary, was an area of science that advanced particularly during the Caliphate's golden age. During the Third Era, Perepolis was home to over 800 doctors, and
great discoveries in the understanding of anatomy and diseases were
made. The medicinal encyclopedias, *The Canon of Medicine* and *The Book of Healing,* were not incorporated into modern understanding until the time of Ilneval in the Ninth Era.

Alchemy was among the weakest of Perthic sciences, an amalgamation of Dwarvish and Elvish studies, fail to use pure alchemy and often relied on sorcery to utilize. However, developments of many divined solutions, such as "lime-fire."

### Architecture

As the power shifted from the Muzdash Empire to the Caliphate, the
architecture styles changed also. The previously Sasceri inspired designs into entirely new ones, utilizing mud bricks and baked bricks with carved stucco. Another major development was the creation or vast enlargement of
cities as they were turned into proper capitols housing most of the population.

First,
starting with the rebuilding of Perepolis, was crafted with the main palace at its heart with massive walls on its exterior. The walls had four gates to exit the city and meet with foreigners. Zadeh I, who was
responsible for the rebuilding of Perepolis, also had her Yagnothane rebuild the other Muzadan in the same style. This city saw 60 years of work, with race-courses and game preserves to add to the atmosphere.

Due to the dry, remote nature of the environment, some of the palaces built in this era were isolated havens. Most castles would be all-inclusive and would contain stables, living quarters, and a chapel, all surrounding inner courtyards. Mausoleums were most often build in towers rather than underground, allowing open-air mummification of the bodies to keep them sanctified. Other architectural innovations and styles were few, such as the four-centered arch, and a dome erected on squinches. Luster tiles were the latest additions to these designs.

### Glass and crystal

Due to its location and environment, Perth has been recognized as a center of
quality glassware and crystal. The types of objects made were
bottles, flasks, vases, and cups utilized for domestic use. Decorations
on these domestic items include molded flutes, honeycomb patterns, and
inscriptions. Other styles seen that may not have come from the Perths were
stamped items. These were typically round stamps, such as medallions or
disks with animals, birds, or holy inscriptions.

Colored lead glass, typically blue or green, have been recorded as being traded, though in light quantities, along with prismatic perfume bottles. Finally, cut glass may have been
the high point of Perthic glass-working, decorated with floral and
animal designs.

### Pottery

Whereas painting and architecture were not areas of strength for the Perthic Caliphate, pottery was a different story. The Perthic culture as a
 whole were at the forefront of new
ideas and techniques. Some examples of their work were pieces engraved
with decorations and then colored with yellow-brown, green, and purple
glazes. Designs were diverse with geometric patterns, Infernal lettering, arabesque scrollwork, along with rosettes, animals, birds, and humans.

Perthic pottery has been found all across the Old World. These were generally made with a
 yellow clay and fired multiple times with separate glazes to produce
metallic luster in shades of gold, brown, or red. Some would be inscribed with animals,
birds, humans, along with Infernal lettering in gold. These were
predominantly being made for the Caliphs use, though they were traded later on in Perth's history to recoup losses from their loss in the Perthic Wars. Tiles were also made
utilizing this same technique to create both monochromic and polychromic
 luster tiles.

### Technology

The Perths adopted papermaking from the Hellastians, and refined its use and passed it along to the Dinamians. It was easier to manufacture than parchment, less likely to crack than papyrus,
 and could absorb ink, making it ideal for making records and writing
contracts.

Advances were made in irrigation and farming, using new technology such as the windmill, to make use of the Cascadian land often deemed as infertile. Crops such as almonds and citrus fruit were common, and sugar cultivation has remained a staple of Cascadia even today. Navgable rivers were uncommon, so transport by sea was very important.
 Navigational sciences were highly developed, making use of a
rudimentary sextant. When combined with detailed maps of the period,
sailors were able to sail across oceans rather than skirt along the
coast.

Engineers in the Caliphate made a number of innovative industrial uses of hydropower. By the time of the Magdamolia, every province throughout Cascadia had mills in operation. These mills performed a variety of agricultural and industrial tasks. Tiefling engineers also developed machines (such as pumps) incorporating crankshafts, employed gears in mills and water-raising machines, and used dams to provide additional power to watermills and water-raising machines. Such advances made it possible for many industrial tasks that were previously driven by manual labour in to be mechanized
 and driven by machinery instead, something that would not see use again until the Mythic Ages.

Early industries for textiles, sugar, rope-making, matting, silk, and paper originate from Perth.