Kurashai (Old Lore)

## Introduction

The Kurashai is the easternmost empire in Apophis. Governed by the Esharin it is the largest unified region in the entire dimension. It is governed by five sacred cities at its western border.

## Geography

### Esharic Riverland

In the heart of the Kurashai lies the Esharic Riverland. Its lifeline is the migthy river *Ala Sut* which crosses it from the shores of the kharafian sea to the shores of Kune. At its shoreline lie three of the sacred esharic cities aswell as countless smaller villages and holds. The river is covered by large boats and barges at any time of the day, transporting exotic riches, soliders and refugees. Its banks are mostly covered with farmland while the brown river remains wild and full of hippos, crocodiles and worse.

When the Aniter first crossed this land, it was green and fruitful. In modern times it has grown dry as the deserts sands swallow more and more land with each passing day. The sacred cities are not as well supplied with water and farmland as they used to be, yet the Riverland provides enough food to feed the majority of the population without the constant shipments. Its west facing the Stormplanes is covered in grassland and a few small trees while the land close to the water is overgrown with reed and papyrus where no farmer cuts it back to sow grains. Its eastern part is extremly dry, sometimes a sandy desert with a few cacti and thorned trees rising to the cloudless skies.

### Land of Oases

Close to the White Coast lies the land of oases. The earth is less sandy then the surrounding Kunic Wastes. Rain creates small havens of green in the endless ocean of white, grey and brown. Alongside them flow the three rivers *Sudash*, *Elon Kai* and *Rochai* carve valleys of water, swamps, palm forests and wetlands into the desert. These lands are sacred to the Haquid tribes, yet many Malid farms and settlements taint their sacred oases. The esharic armies partol these lands day and night to protect their precious water and farmland.

### Kunic Wastes

Surrounding the neutral Kune desert lie the Kunic Wastes. Most of it is a barren wasteland covered in dunes or rocks. Once in a while cacti and succulents grow out of the dry soil. When it rains, the majority of the wasteland turns green and yellow as countless plants hidden in the sands sprout and grow. Where the earth is more solid, temporary rivers and lakes form and host a population of primitive crabs that lay buried since the last rainfall. The Haquid settle in this shortlifed paradise and harvest its treasures. What they can not store they sell on the countless esharic markets.

### Kunic Coast

The Kunic Coast is almost as dry as the subsequent desert. Large cliffs of white stone rise above the stormy sea. In some cases they create safe bays, lagunes and brakish rivers in the barren inland where the tribesmen can fish and hunt. Yet the majority of the Kunic Coast is hostile and dangerous where thrist, blistering sunlight and venomous animals become deadly foes. Along the Shatter Cliffs to the White Coast the humans rely on trade and the stromy sea to survive.

### Kharafian Coast

The Kharafian Coast is a dry region in the north-west of the Kurashai. It is mostly covered in dry grassland, overshadowed by large cacti and palm trees. There are several small rivers crossing this land, most of them full of brakish water. The Kharafian Coast is famous for its hot springs and large salt lakes. It is a land of birds, camels and antelopes, frequently crossed by caravans and traders.

### Greenreed Bays

The Greenreed Bays are close to the ocean and rich with life. It is also known as the *Great Delta* with thousands of smaller rivers stretching into the land. Next to tropical trees, large herbs and lianas the delta is mainly inhabited by all sorts of reeds, some even growing up to five meters in height. Besides the rich plant life there is also a vast amount of bigger animals that stalk the delta. Most of them are either crocodiles, aligators or *Alawathi* specialised in ambushes. The most prominent animals are the birds however, living either in the trees or the shallow water, eating larvae or smaller crabs. Where the wetlands and jungles grow dense, the pratonian ruins rise to the skies. These shadows of former glory are often cursed and feared by the Reedmen, yet they are often tasked with reclaiming materials and treasure from its forgotten halls. The outer regions of the Greenreed Bays are used as giant fields, flodded with water. They grow vegetables, figs, palm trees and crops. Those fields strech across thousands of kilometers and feed the southern and western civilisation across all neighbouring regions.

### Amalian peninsula

The land of Amali is diverse and in constant change. Small forests shift to sandy or rocky planes surrounded by fields of reed, grass or cacti. It is a land of cypress, poplars, pine trees and figs. While its flora is suprisingly diverse for the dry climate, the fauna is mostly limited to large insects and spiders. The largest animal roaming the planes and hills of Amali are the donkeys, the only mount the Amalians knew before the Esharin brought antelopes and *Mulakk*.

## Vassals

### Oracle of Kawa

The Oracle of Kawa lies in the heart of the Kurashai. It is the oldest and most powerful of oracles, attracting soothsayers and seekers of knowledge since the reign of the Pratonians. It hosted a secred cult around the oracle as it was in fact a creature of the eather that had taken refuge in Apophis and exchanged its knowledge for offerings. It was presumably destroyed by Aton and replaced by a secret order of dedicated Dawnbringers.

While the oasis of Kawa used to be a barren pilgrimage bare of buildings for ages, the Esharin began to build a large city around it. In modern times the city has grown in the sands surrounding to oasis while farming and worshipping the land in its center. On a peak inside the oasis stands the temple in which the oracle can be found. Kawa has developed exepctionally strong spirits which make the oracle one of the outer sanctuaries. It hosts the *academy of knowledge* in which many Aniter are trained in the arts of Foresight and fortune telling.

### Pearl Cities of Kune

The Pearl Cities of Kune are spread across the entire White Coast. They feed from the sea and the surrounding desert and have build large walls and towers which are painted pale white. In the surrounding bays they hatch clams and produce so many pearls that they can afford to clad their gates and dresses in them.

#### History

The Pearl Cities of the Kune desert stretch their origins back far into the mists of history. Along the White coast several tribes have been lost to starvation in the dry desert of Kune. They abandoned their nomadic culture to become hunters of the beasts of the sea. Since generations their large ships have sailed out into the stormy seas to hunt and slay the great lizards of the ocean, the *Mahabar*. From their bones they build their first villages. When the Amalians came, they brougth their ships, architects and merchants. They where not strong enough to conquer these huntsmen of the sea so they established trade and cultural exchange with them.

Through this the simple Malid of White Coast build their own cities, painting them as white as the pearls they found in the ocean to protect them from the blistering sunlight.

It was Shaar *Kalran of Riat* that sailed to these cities with an army after being exiled from his homeland. He occupied each of them and created an indipendant *Shaarat* across the white coast. His dynasty endured for almost a thousand years.

After Amali fell in the hands of the Esharin, the High Queens of Tatoth and Assuan gathered an army and took the majority of the cities; either through force, a blockade on land and sea or bribery. It took the Esharin almost 100 years to occupy the last of the twelve great cities and the smaller ports inbetween. Since this day the Pearl cities are part of the Kurashai, each of them ruled by a sovereign known as *Shraat.*

#### Economy

The Pearl Cities have no fertile land at their disposal exept a few oases and havens along the coastline. Like almost every vassal in the Kurashai, they rely on trade to fully sustain their growing population. They mainly feed themselfes with fishing and hunting of the great *Mahabar*. In their shallow bays and lagoons they cultivate clams and kelp. They insert sand or metal into their clams so that each of them grows a pearl. They have mastered this technique so far that pearls are included into their dresses and architecture. Across the steeper parts of the coastline they carved terraces into the white stone. The sea fills them with water during storms and in the drier times they harvest large amounts of salt in these pools. In the surrounding desert they cultivate special sorts of cacti that can be harvested for their juice and meat. Their main exports are salt, pearls, fish, *Mahabar* meat aswell as oil and bones that can be harvested from their corpses.

### Reedmen

The *Ryadshin* of the Greenreed Bays live in a feudal soceity. They focus most of their efforts on farming

#### History

Since the land was first settled by the Hilarim the Reedman had to face constant conflict with their neighbours. Since they where amongst the first of tribes to abandon the teachings of old and embrace the fate of *Malid*, the surrounding Haquid had turned hostile to them. When the Pratonians came the Greenreed Bays where quickly conquered and build up to become the granary of Apophis.

Since their invasion the *Ryadshin* have never been under their own rule, serving a new master at the beginning of each century. Hagash and his men had quickly overthrown the few Pratonians that still remained in their cities and destroyed most of them. He reoccupied the land to ensure a constant supply of food for his growing empire.

After Hagash perished, the Bays where the main subject of the war between Esharin and Amalians. Both sides had conquered and lost it countless times since neither could survive without its ressources. When the Xyrillians invaded Apophis, they had pillaged and occupied the Bays aswell until being defeated by the Ashen Council. Atlast the Esharin ceased their controll over the fertile lands when uniting the east to the Kurashai.

Across all these centuries the Reedmen have become famous for their guerilla warfare and rebellions. Although being crushed every time, the *Ryadshin* became formidable warriors and always caused heavy casualties to their masters.