United Clans of Harrullah

### Official Language(s)

Primary Language: TebruSecondary Language: AkkaruRegional Languages: Ferziyad, Isiriad, Nanguj

### Religion(s)

Tebru Qabiit, Akkaru Hakkit, Mazadanid Zayyarat

### Currency

Diiam

The **United Clans of Harrullah** (UCH), also called simply **Harrullah**, is one of the 9 Human Nations originating from the world of Ulfon, first of the two habitable worlds orbiting the primary star Verdzanas and the most alike to Old Earth. Harrullah is a mostly arid land whose people fall into primarily two cultures sharing the same cultural group, these cultures being the Tebru and Akkaru cultures which are also related to the Isira people of Locia. In the nation's history it has largely been on the losing side of a long struggle against the various governments of Ferziya, with that animosity continuing to the present day. The struggle against Ferziya, as well as the clan-based caste system, has left Harrullah relatively poor when compared to other nations.

## **Geography**

The west is taken up by the great desert, called the Tebriim (desert-land in Tebru). It is largely surrounded by mountain ranges, open to the sea in the north and the south, connecting via the Saniim (San-land) Isthmus to the Akkarim in the east. The westernmost mountain range in the desert is called the Khariil (Highrock in Tebru), Mount Jakoriil (Jak’s Rock) is the highest mountain of the range at ~4.1 km in height. The second mountain range of the Tebriim Desert is in the south-east and is called the Bayriil (Ocean Rock), with the highest peak at 3.2 km (Mount Quubwiit (Lands End)). At the southern coast of the desert, to the west of the Bayriil, rises the capitol city Miiradesh (Central-Market City).

The east is called Akkarim (Akkaru-Territory in Akkaru), it is a more developed land centred around the Akka river. The Akka springs from the twin mountain ranges of Korul (Tallstone) to the south and Gakkul (River Mountain) to the south-east. The highest peaks of those ranges are the Kajkir (Flattened Tower) at 2.1 km and the Chikkir (Sky Tower) at 4.6 km. To the immediate north-east of the Saniim Isthmus is the Yukkup Peninsula (Yukk’s Land), and on the other side of Akkarim is the Kastim Isthmus (fortress territory) running to the tri-border with Mazadanid Ferziya and Locia.

## **History**

Timeline- Battle of Gizidpil, Harrullid Golden Age, Wars with Ferziya and Locia, Imperialism, Anti-Imperial Revolution, formation of the modern Harrullid state

### Formation of the Harrullid Cultures

Through the science of archaeology, much of Harrullah's ancient history has been discovered. A clear line of descent has been defined by anthropologists, connecting the ancient peoples to their modern counterparts. In the Tebriim, the precursors of the Tebru lived nomadic lives similar to many of their descendants. Transported by camels, family groups would moving between oases and wells in order to feed themselves and their livestock without consuming all the water, occasionally building permanent structures which would be maintained communally by all the passing groups. In Akkarim, some of the oldest cities on Ulfon were founded in this period by the proto-Akkaru, with running water and man-made aquifers to store water in the hot climate. Tebru trade caravans would come, trading processed goods like clothes, rugs, jewellery and weapons in exchange for the dry food goods of the city, or any of the other things produced in, by or near the cities. These precursor cultures would also jointly develop a system of writing, and some of the first pieces of literature on Ulfon would be produced, such as *The Tale of Shargut and His Dog and Their Travel To the West and Back to the East.*

### Battle of Gizidpil

The Battle of Gizidpil is considered the ethnogenesis of the Tebru and Akkaru cultures, occurring in the year 4006 BM (~5294 BRC). News of a group of Segemani migrants intent on settling in Akkarim came down from the North. A coalition formed between the fledgling Akkaru city-states, which then sent a delegation to the various Tebru Hiibin, who joined in the defence of their homeland. The united forces marched to what would come to be named the Kastim Isthmus, setting up a defensive position in the Gizidpil Pass (North Gate Pass), a narrow cliff-side pass with bluffs to one side and the sea to the other. The Akkaru heavy infantry formed an impenetrable shield wall which the Segemani warriors could not penetrate, while the Tebru waited for the entire force to enter the pass. When they did, the Tebru light infantry and cavalry moved through hidden goat paths in the bluffs to encircle the Segemani, then they drove into the force and annihilated them. After the battle, the gathered leaders of the coalition met and congratulated each other, vowing oaths of brotherhood on the spot. Then the leader of Hiib Izra volunteered to go forth into the isthmus to the north and settle there to keep a watch for any further invading force. The leaders of the coalition were thankful to Hiib Izra, and honoured them and their leader by naming their country after their Hiib's leader, Hariil, though that name has since been mutated into Harrullah for the Tebru and Karila for the Akkaru.

### Harrullid Golden Age

In the period after the Battle of Gizidpil until the Breaking of the Brotherhood, roughly 4006 BM - 3630 BM (~5294 BRC - 4786 BRC), there was a golden age of prosperity for the people of Harrullah. The Tebru returned to their desert and some continued their nomadic tradition, while others would take inspiration from the Izra and settle on the green shores of the desert, founding verdant trading cities centred around great public libraries and markets. The Akkaru would continue to live in their cities beside the river Akka and on the coast, building great palaces, temples and monuments in the great peace. Together, the Harrullid People would accomplish great advances in natural philosophy and engineering, furthering the fields of alchemy and biology in particular.

### Breaking of the Brotherhood

The Breaking of the Brotherhood is not one historical event, but a general trend in the history of Harrullah which most historians agree to have begun with the War of Sharpak Succession in 3630 BM (~4786 BRC). This era is defined by its warlike nature, brought about by a complex intersection of causes. Population growth exceeded what could be comfortably fed and housed, especially in Akkarim, leading to overpopulation in the cities. Increasing stratification between the upper and lower classes, causing social unrest exacerbated by overpopulation. Increasing greed on the part of the ruling classes, greed for power, wealth and prestige. By 3630 BM, these forces reached a boiling point, and a succession war was all it took to drive the country into chaos. Displaced people formed bandit Kiib or mercenary companies, plying the land for plunder and employment. Cities rose and fell, and entire dynasties were ended in single, bloody actions. The warring began in the Upper Akkaru Valley, near the mountains where the river began, but it gradually spread to involve the entire river, then spilled over to affect the Tebru peoples as well. The country would not know true peace again until the Anti-Imperial Revolutions in later ages, yet the advances in natural philosophy for which the Golden Age is renowned would not stop, only slowing somewhat with the wars.

## **People**

### Cultures

The people of Harrullah, as said above, are divided into two primary, related cultures, the Tebru and Akkaru. The Tebru people live primarily in nomadic groups travelling between oasis settlements in the Tebriim desert. A group is typically composed of a few families belonging to the same Hiib which share the same or similar specialities. A Hiib is a clan-like assembly of allied families which specialise in a certain sector of economic activity, such as the San which focus heavily on trade, taxation and general mercantile ventures. The Hiib is the centre of social, political and economic life in Harrullah. One's Hiib determines what Hiibiim (province (literally Hiib-land)) one may cast their vote in, what jobs one may pursue and in many cases people's first impressions of a person are based on their Hiib. To leave one Hiib for another requires a person to marry into another family belonging to the target Hiib, forsaking their old family and joining completely with the new. This practice is largely frowned upon, as the person's original family name will not pass on to the next generation and their line will be seen to have died out. In the case of the mining Hiibin Jahiib and Biiran, whose professions have always been looked down upon as strange obsessions, marrying out of the Hiib is more common and less frowned upon due to the social ostracisation faced by the Hiib.

Oasis towns are generally composed primarily of the tents carried by the nomadic groups, with some common buildings made of brick, stone and, increasingly, metal, constructed for communal use and upkeeped by all the passing groups in common. The groups bring with them animals, typically goats, camels, sheep, mules and in some cases cows, which they allow to roam the desert in search of whatever they may find which is edible. In the past, those animals would also have been the primary method of travel for the Tebru, riding on the backs of camels and donkeys along with their items. In the modern day, few Hiibin continue on with that tradition, many instead using electric automobiles or trains to transport themselves and their livestock across the desert. Many of the advancements of modern life have been adopted by the Tebru. They make use of the world-wide Free Electricity Network to power air conditioning, water pumps, lighting and more. Computers are commonly kept among them, in all of the forms commonly used in the civilian sectors of life, and connection to the Sysnet is very common. In most ways, Tebru nomadic life varies from settled life only in that they continue to move year-round, from oasis to oasis as the year progresses. Only in the major cities on the coast do the Tebru fully settle, having built there cities to equal any of those built in the east. The nomads move in and out of the great cities, which welcome them in to their designated Nomadic People's Apartments, built to include all the parks, stores and amenities enjoyed by the sedentary Tebru of the cities.

While the Tebru are newcomers to city life, the Akkaru have always lived in grand, ancient cities, farming fueled by the Akka river leading to centralisation of local resources into powerful city-states, composed of a major city and its hinterland towns. In the past, these city-states were fully independent and were in near-constant strife against each other for hegemony, which would grant a city an unparalleled level of power and control across Akkarim. Now, the old city-states are consolidated as yet more Hiibiim, or Kibim in Akkaru. The city states created sub-cultures, which over time became more and more devoted to a single sphere of economic activity in much the same way as the Hiibin of the Tebriim, their names even being related (Hiib for the Tebru and Kib for the Akkaru), despite how their origins were nearly unrelated.

The Akkaru have always lived in green cities. Native plants grow in lush gardens around nearly every building, trees line the roads and tightly trimmed bushes take the place of fences around many properties, although fencing is not unknown to the Akkaru. They continue to live beside the ancient palaces and temples built in the Akkaru Golden Age. The palaces have since been converted to some of the world's best museums, attracting history lovers from across the Binaries, and the Temples are in large part still used for their original purpose, as well as holding some of the oldest writings and artefacts in existence. Farming as well is still a major sector of the economy of Akkarim, with lush river-side gardens supplying fresh food to neighbourhoods while major farms supply food which is exported around the country, to other human countries and in some cases into space and onto the other worlds of the Binaries.

### Religion

The Tebru, Akkaru and Isira people all follow a common pantheon of deities, split into henotheistic traditions based on Hiib. Each deity has many names, some specific to a certain Hiib and others specific to a certain culture. To use their culture specific names, the head of the pantheon is Ayid(Tebru)/Uid(Akkaru), the wise one, the merciful, lord of the Wiityuba(Tebru)/Idyudi(Akkaru) field, the final resting place of the virtuous. Jak/Dukkal is the lord of the underworld Gaadaf/Kadab, lord of stones and mountains and the dark places beneath the earth. Miiram/Nyrum is the goddess of livestock, herding and trade. There are many other gods, one for each Hiib, and they will be listed in the section below alongside their patron Hiib.

## **Government**

### Economy

Harrullah is in the third tier of economic development and wealth, and so its economy is similar to those of Prandiwar and Chochipelli. Private companies compete in a heavily regulated national economy. In the case of Harrullah, however, the companies are replaced by the Hiib, with each family serving as a kind of branch of the company, being more focused than the wider Hiib which itself is legally bound to conducting work in only one 'sphere' of the Harrullid economy.

### Army

The army of Harrullah is split largely into two major sections. Regiments of Akkaru soldiers recruited from the Gapar Kib are generally equipped more heavily and are expected to be the close-range fighters, the heavy infantry, artillery and tanks of the army. The regiments of Tebru soldiers, meanwhile, form a much lighter force expected to conduct hit-and-run attacks, raids and guerrilla warfare. In a typical assault, the Tebru soldiers will take the lead, not to conquer but to weaken for the heavy formations behind to sweep over shortly after. On the defence, the Akkaru are to form a defensive line while the Tebru wait behind the lines. If the enemy breaks through the Harrullid line, the Tebru surge forward to harass and slow the assault until Akkaru formations move in to aid with the engagement, aiming to push them back and to retake the former line before the order is given to push. If the enemy hasn't broken through, the Tebru are meant to conduct flank attacks and to infiltrate behind enemy lines. Once there, the Tebru soldiers are to attack staging areas, encampments and supply caches, and is to halt, seize or destroy supply caravans wherever possible in order to hamper the enemy's capabilities.

### Navy

The Navy of Harrullah is generally considered an oversized coastguard force, equipped with many light vessels centred around a few powerful warships with heavy support from shore-based airfields and naval bases expected in nearly all engagements. Harrullah possesses no true aircraft carriers, only fielding 3 helicopter carriers, and battlecruisers are also a rarity with only 5 in use around Harrullah. The Harrullid navy fields 12 cruiser-class vessels and 24 destroyers, supported by 237 patrol boats of various types. The nation's primary harbour is located within the city of Tarruk on the south-western side of Seafarer's Gulf.