Lysantine Sultanate

Perhaps the greatest single power in Tol, the Lysantine Sultanate is an immense human empire spanning the length and breadth of the continent; from the coast of the Bara'al Sea in the West to the foothills of the Eastern Mountains ascending into Gamb.

The Sultanate is overtly an ethnocratic state; it exists, according to its rulers, as the ultimate expression of human civilisation, with the Sultan ostensibly the Ethnarch Sovereign of all Humanity.

### History

The beginnings of the Sultanate can be traced to before the arrival of the Faun, when humanity was far more stratified and dispersed.

It's origins lie in the lands of Mehemed, a bowl-like semi-arid lowland region in central-eastern Tol. The human tribes here - the Mehemeds - were semi-nomadic, migrating between particular sites throughout the year as the seasons changed. The Mehemeds shared a common culture, language, and customs, but their fractious nature and nomadic lifestyle prevented the consolidation of power, though small scale conflict was abundant.

It was perhaps fortunate timing that just before the arrival of the Faun in Tol, one of the tribes - led by the young and newly ascended Sargon - began the process of warring with and conquering their neighbouring tribes.

#### Sargon the Great

Sargon's journey began in the Dashir tribe, a tribe of no particular renown, when we has discovered by the tribe's leader as a babe abandoned. Normally easy prey for the many carnivorous creatures, it is said that the baby had been protected by a Great Hawk flying overhead.

As a youth, Sargon was not especially notable; he was not the strongest or the fastest, not the smartest or the most charming, he did not excel beyond others with the sword or the bow. But Sargon was ambitious, and long before the death of his adopted father and his ascension to leadership, he had begun to make plans to expand the tribe's holdings and power.

### The Society

#### Religion

Religion in the strictest sense isn't a term that could correctly be applied to the humans of the Sultanate; it is more a loose accumulation of spiritual beliefs with a number of key deities receiving widespread worship and prayer. It isn't central to society, and although most within the sultanate would profess to worshipping specific deities it does not create conflict to be worshipping a different god or gods to one's neighbour. Like the humans of the Galen League, with whom they share ancient cultural bonds, there is a vast array of deities and temples. As new territories and cultures were conquered, local spirits and gods were largely syncretised; analogues were found with existing deities, and so worship would continue but as an epithet of one of the existing gods.

The most widely worshipped pantheon, generally speaking, are the 9 Principles.

Apannar

* The Sky God
* Associated with learning and study

Bariyunaka

* The Sea God
* Not widely worshipped in the Sultanate, owing perhaps to their limited shoreline territories

Hurraea

* Goddess of Forests, Wildlands and meadows
* Widely revered in more far flung rural communities
* Offerings at the edges of forests are made to Hurraea to avoid their wrath

Innara

* Goddess of Rain, Rivers and Lakes
* Innara is usually worshipped alongside other deities, particularly Hurraea with whom she is often depicted with

Eryun

* God of Mountains and of Rocks

Mittale

* Goddess of Deserts and Drylands

Festia

* Goddess of Farmlands
* A staple deity outside of cities

Devash

* God of Cities and of Homes
* More so than others, Devash is depicted and worshipped very differently across humanity

Aghor - Death

* The God of Caves but also of Death

#### Governance

The Sultanate exists as a series of Satrapies subservient to the Sultan; these Satrapies (headed by a Satrap) are roughly equivalent to the kingdoms conquered and absorbed by the Sultanate. After conquest, rulership and administration of these regions was usually handed to the local aristocracy, with life continuing much the same as it did before.

Satraps hold varying degrees of power

Major Satrapies

Ghafgar

* Current Satrap is Moas
* Largely mountainous desert, home of the Parash tribes
* Despite being a somewhat barren and mountainous region, the Satrap of Ghafgar is rich due to the gold mines in these mountains

Lyr

* Current Satrap is Zatesh
* Very large Satrapy
* Major centre of learning
* Capital is the city of Lyr
* Hennera is another large settlement

Eshep

* Current Satrap is Sarrin
* Localised title is "The Exalted"
* The satrapy encompassing much of the fertile land around the Setantes River Delta
* It is considered the "breadbasket" of the Sultanate, exporting massive amounts of grain
* Capital is Eshep, but the city of Meroe is as big and perhaps as wealthy

Urkum

* The territory between the two forks of the Setantes before it meets again
* Based on Sumer and Ur, between the Tigris and Euphrates
* Urku is the capital
* Immit is another major settlement

Jasthan

* Located far to the south, closest Satrapy to Ekuka and the Oxylo Jungle
* Situated on the banks of Lake Samasar
* Capital is Jasthan
* Another major settlement is Chatni

Esepheen

* Relatively small Satrapy with only one major settlement
* Comparisons to Babylon
* Beautiful luscious city

Bursa

* Capital is Ghassan
* Asharbai is however a much larger city
* Willingly joined the Sultanate, allying with them against their oppressors the Djetsines
* City of Djetsia was given to the Bursa as war spoils
* el-Alfasim is the current Satrap

Jal'Hadai / Jal'Mayar

* The twin cities, residing on the north and south banks of the Setantes at its narrowest (but deepest) point
* It is a key chokepoint used by the Sultanate to control river access and trade

Eskyria

* The most recently conquered territory in the Sultanate
* Its capital is the eponymous city of Eskyria
* Razia is the current Satrap

##### Sultan Lysander

At the head of the Sultanate is the Sultan. Upon their ascension to the throne, they each take the regnal name of 'Lysander', after Lysander the Great.

##### Mehedish Emirs

Owing to their importance as the original homeland of the Sultanate, the lords of the original Mehedish Kingdom maintain a unique relationship to the Sultan. They style themselves as Emirs, and present themselves as the equals to the Satraps, though in practice they possess neither the wealth nor military power to match the Satraps. Despite this, they have historically had an important role in the Sultanates succession; their support has often proven pivotal in securing the crown and has been at the centre of many intrigues.

Many of the Sultans ministers and councillors have historically been drawn from the Emirs and their families. The degree to which they are able to influence and direct the Sultan, however, has waxed and waned with the inclinations and personal skills of each generation.