Rune'Daathian

Rested in the harsh desert continent of Rimal Al'ajdad, the people of Rune'Daathian Sultanate are an iron-willed people. With rich culture, a strong military and a quite specific way of life, Rune'Daathians are willing to go to any and all lengths to preserve this life they love so much, and seldom leave their continent, finding themselves most at home there, and other ways of life strange. Most lead a hardy life in Rimal Al'ajdad, only those who have the most riches live in a life of luxury.

Rimal Al'ajdad is a rather large continent, surrounded by a series of six smaller islands: Samakk, Tijara, Ahmid, Kharedan, Bilial, and Fahim. The mainland is typically what one speaks of when mentioning Rune'Daath, as the smaller islands mostly exist for the purpose of exporting and trade. No outsiders are allowed into the mainland.

## **Appearance**

Rune'Daathians are a darker toned people, ranging from a tan to a dark brown. Their hair is generally light blonde, nearing whites even, to black. Natural red hair was unknown to the Rune'Daathians; Some may dye their hair to get reds, or other unusual colors. They tend to have gem colored eyes, ranging from very vibrant blues, greens, and gold being the only unusual one.

## **History**

### **-Foundation of the Rune’Daathian Sultanate, 1E 1**

Jawahir El-Hashem proclaims himself Grand Sultan, and unifies much of Ancient Rimal Al'ajdad, beginning the Sultanate of Rune’Daath. He establishes this as the *Era of Prosperity.*

### **-Tale of the Fida'an, 1E 212**

Though few and far between, historical records that mention the vibrant Sultanate and it's surroundings depict the region as a lush, verdant landscape. Though the reasons for the abrupt changes in many later records, documenting the region as a harsh desert unfit for the weak are entirely unknown, many Rune'Daathians would swear by the age old tale of the Fida'an.

### **-Formation of the Sultan’s Army, 2E 349**

The Rune’Daathians went centuries without need of an army. Though, once a more organized nation of Ulyssa began looking to gain more land, refused to give up any land that they had laid claim to. The Sultan deemed that any fit for battle from the age of 16 and up be granted access to the army. This was mandatory and created quite a large, rag-tag group of soldiers. Though it was imposing nonetheless.

### **-War of Forgotten Sands , 2E 450**

The Grand-Sultan's army would grow and become more akin to the modern Sultan’s army. With specialized branches focusing in different skillsets. This led to a conflict of borders against the once Ikhung kingdom that resided in the, now, Jawhira emirate. This was a long, lengthy battle that took 20 years before any resolution was found.

### **-Rune’Daath is Victorious, Reclaims Land, 2E 472**

Rune’Daath wins the War of Forgotten Sands and expels the Ikhung out of Rimal Al’ajdad. This led to a large definite wall being built across the border between the Nobugo and Rimal Al'ajdad.

### **-Splitting of Emirates, 3E 234**

After disputes and fighting between Emir Hanbal Salib and a Syd Alttajir by the name of, Ma’d Bazzi, in the old emirate of Almawani, the Grand Sultana Gharam El-Hashem decided to split the emirate in two. The northern half being known as Qarab and the southern becoming known as Khalij.

### **-The Tathir Alkhasis, 3E 1185**

Following a large boom in slavery, the Sultana sought to necessary and merciless culling of slavers and those who had any involvement with them. The Tathir Alkhathban had their skills aimed at the slavers rather than exiles, leading to many rings and ships burnt to the ground in the dead of night. Cities along the coast had known very bloody months as the Sultana kept her focus on the culling for almost three months.

## **Culture**

### Social Statuses

#### **Alrraei**

Though uncommon, there are a few Rune'daathians that exemplify the qualities revered by the desert civilization. These people who serve valiantly and achieve feats of great measure are considered an Alrraei, one who will pass and be revered with the other Fida'an who tore the Goddess from her perch in the sky. This is an incredible honor and can even raise the family out of poverty, allowing them to live comfortably for the rest of the bloodline’s existence. The Alrraei that survive and live to tell the tale are allowed positions of importance among the government. Often working closely with the leaders of the military, and even the current Sultan/Sultana.

#### **Emir**

The Emirs are the families in charge of the various provinces of Rune'Daath. They are directly under the current Sultana and answer only to her, the highest ranks of the army, and the currently living Alrraei. They work very similarly to the Sultan's bloodline. It is very uncommon for the seat of the Emirate to change houses. It has happened a few times in history, in which a house decided to try and rebel or overthrow the Sultan at the time. The house is quickly removed and replaced with one of the Alttajir.

#### **Alttajir**

The ones in charge of large merchant companies and reach a faux-nobility status. These people usually hold a high position in small villages based on trade or a position in a merchant’s guild in larger cities. Alttajir are able to provide for their family and hold great feasts and parties. Some specialize in different resources to trade, ranging from crops to brothel workers. Many of them are very gracious merchants and tend to lend or donate money to villages and farms that require the money to flourish. Others have run various loan sharks, extortion and blackmail rings. Some have even reached their position because of forgery and counterfeiting rings. Alttajir tend to have various ties to the Tunin Alsham Triad, and many Rune'daathian believes that some of the Alttajir could even be the residential leader of the Triad that remains within Rune'daath.

#### **Harfiiyn**

These are the artisans, the craftsmans, and the specialists. They hone their craft and sell their wares to the public. Some may even be hired by the Emirs, Alrraei or even the Royal Family themselves. Alharfiiyn are born into this caste, and some rise to it from the Rajul Eadi caste. These caste tend to live a life of luxury befit them. Some can produce as little as one product every several months, and others can put out a hundred of their product in a month. It merely depends on the trade they choose to pursue.

#### **Rajul**

This is the caste of the common folk. They’re merely left with menial labor jobs and usually poorer housing. The Rajul Eadi aren’t treated poorly, but they’re not treated favorably either. They’re mostly left to their own devices. Some rise to Alharfiiyn, or Yubarik Jundiin. A family is truly blessed if they can become Eijlat Alkarasi because of one of their children. These families tend to run general stores or work as farmers or ranchers.

#### **Kathban**

Members of this status are born exiles. Though, they’re exiles trained to hunt down those who would try to re-enter society. The members of this are imposing and a fear to all exiles who would dare think of trying to re-enter. Known for their intense torture methods, these are not people to be messed with. They are silent defenders who are appreciated by no one. To leave the dunes and abandon their duty would mean to put themselves and their families to the blade, and the same torture given to the exiles they capture.

Legends surround them, stories of dragging men behind their horses with ropes. Captured exiles being given minimal food or water, a crumb and a drop a day. Capturing members who tried to escape, and forcing them into servitude until they die.

#### **Rwhkhayin**

The opposite of the Alrraei. These are families of Rune'daathians who had multiple members of the family banished from the Sultanate. This has caused the entire family to be removed from society. The Rwh Alkhayin tend to travel in large groups of caravans, settling momentarily in areas to try and find others to trade with. Covered in head to toe with tattoos so as to have no way of hiding who they are if they attempt to enter society again. All of the Sultanate’s citizens fear becoming one of the roaming caravans, as far as to quickly correct the children who might show signs of non-ideal behaviors. Though, there are some who despise the ways of the cities and how the city is run. These are people are called Most of these roaming clans are peaceful, though there are few who will attack trade caravans or patrols that wander too close. There are many stories behind these nomadic people, covered in the dark ink, traveling through the dunes of Rimal.

### **Clothing**

    A lot of their clothing as well tends to lean towards being less dressed, but golds and multicolored jewels as part of the garment are found in almost every person of moderate wealth's attire. Vibrant colors, reds, oranges, blues, and purples are common fashion for those that live within cities. Those that travel often find themselves wearing colors closer to the desert around them, though, colorful adornments are still worn, as well. Those in the military braid their hair and add beads to them the longer they serve. An old Rune'Daathian warrior would have braids that reached the floor should they be unraveled or let free. Military uniforms generally consist of lightweight armors no heavier than chain mail that allows for ease of movement and minimal heat retention. Commonly so, hardened leather is worn over thin chainmail, topped with a light-colored cloth to ward off the sun and keep it from heating the armor below. Head wrappings were common and used to keep sand out of their faces.

### **Practices and Beliefs**

Honor, resolve, and self-worth are qualities that can be described as sacred to these people, it being the basic structures for the way of life. With such a firm belief in their culture and land, they expect those who visit the lands of Rune'Daath to respect that, or even hold some of these values highly.

#### **Education & Magic**

In a nation where militaristic might is the backbone of life and prosperity, nearly all advanced education is contained within the teachings of the Grand-Sultana's Military and relevant to one's specialized training. For example, the Shibha who are trained with explosives tend to be taught the finer details of physics to properly employ their skills with minimal error. The fields of math and physics are reasonably adept within the Sultanate, but what would be today called biology and chemistry are not so much. The fundamentals of making explosives are about as scientific as it gets, whereas much of Rune'Daathian medicine and health practice is steeped in mysticism and herbal remedies.

Rune'Daathian teenagers often seek enlistment for higher education and training. Beyond this, those that seek to pursue a trade are allowed to, but all citizens of Rune'Daath are expected to spend some years of service within the military. Because of this, many Rune'Daathians retain some kind of higher education granted by service to the Sultanate.

The smaller populous of those who find themselves living life outside of the Rune'Daathian military tend to have conventional knowledge related to a trade or skill that they perform for typically their entire life. At a young age children will enter training under another craftsman and learn by observation and assistance until they are proficient themselves. Typically, a Rune'Daathian child is no longer considered as such at the age of 16 so by that point they must be able to perform a skill to a reasonably talented degree.

The most common fields of magic to be taught in Rune'Daath are Earth and Fire, a tradition started by their ancestors who used these magics to tear Abia out of the sky. It was earth mages who were said to have torn the walls from the ground to secure Rune'Daath, and fire mages represent the fury of the sun that scorched their lands. Although less common, but still prominent than the rest, Songweaving and Water are found often across the sands to bolster and heal the masses.

#### **Death & Funerals**

Death in Rune'Daath is seen as an incredibly honorable thing. It is smiled upon to die during a fight or battle. Be it with other Rune'Daathian, or the monsters that slink across the dunes of their homeland. A typical funeral might be along the lines of burning the body, as burying it in the sands could allow it to be easily revealed after a single sandstorm, and the body simply becomes food for the beasts. The ashes are likely to let free into the sands or to float off in a storm. Some families can afford for sandstone mausoleums to be created, for bodies to buried within stone beneath the earth, but most commoners will simply burn their dead.

Suicide is seen as dishonorable, and a sentence to a limbo. Those that commit suicide do not join their ancestors in the afterlife. They are left to wander aimlessly, never able to be reunited with those before them. On the matter of suicide, it is said that doing so traps the victim in limbo between life and death and their soul wanders the sands for the rest of eternity causing bad luck to those it passes by. Suicide is the most dishonorable death you may receive, and therefore the bodies of victims are not even buried or tended to and ignored entirely if possible, otherwise disposed of like trash.

#### **Banishment**

     Banishment can result from being a heinous criminal, greatly disrespecting the Rune'Daathian culture or way of life, or proving that you shall not benefit the Rune'Daathian Sultanate in any way and are simply a nuisance. Upon being banished, the person is marked with scarification so the outside world may be aware of their wrong doings upon seeing then, and they are "gifted" a dagger, that many refer to commonly as "The blade of Redolence." Rune'Daathians believe that being banished and receiving scars to show it is a fate worse than death, as they have disgraced their beloved homeland. The blade of Redolence is often referred to as a 'suggestion'; A suggestion for the banished person to seek justice upon themselves, or just serve as another memento of their once home.

#### **Social Views**

Homosexuality in Rune'Daath is generally seen as a way of ending a bloodline, something that is frowned upon in the sands. There is a disdain towards the idea, especially of those with only one child. Families are generally large and one of the sons or daughters will continue the bloodline should one of the siblings not be capable, or wish to. Most sons or daughters seen having relations with the same sex are usually treated more harshly or unfairly. These views can vary into the extreme in smaller, more closed off towns and villages. Cases of homosexuals being berated or treated poorly are common in these places. All the views of this subject trickle down from how a prominent house treats them.

#### **Wedding Ceremony**

A Rune'Daathian wedding, like all others, is an intimate affair which range from a modest gathering of just the two to-be-wed to a boisterous celebration which carries into the night and beyond. Unlike the picturesque wedding that most envision, however, it follows a structure unique to the culture. Bright yellows, blues, golds, reds, and purples are very common colors to be dressed in.

Ceremonies typically begin before dawn, a tradition held from previous generations that the sun blesses those who work before the sun rises. It is also common to start the ceremony at this time, as the hot days are meant to be spent inside, celebrating and cooling off. The couple will then exchange pieces of jewelry after affirming they wish to continue with the ceremony. Common pieces of jewelry include circlets, bracelets, and rings. It isn’t uncommon for families with shared ancestors, or shared bloodlines to have the same familial gem.

The couple then enter into a ribbon fastening ceremony. This is known as the “mulzimat alddam”, or binding the blood in Common. For each vow the couple affirms, the silk cloth will be wrapped around their waists or hips once, symbolizing a strengthening of bonds. The couple may be asked to make their own vows, offering a chance to offer more personal commitments to each other.

Finally, once the vows have been affirmed, the one presiding will pronounce them married and their vows may be sealed with a kiss. Afterwards, depending on the preference of the couple, may be preceded by lively music and dance, grand feasts, and an acceptance of gifts meant to help the newlyweds start a household. It is a common tradition that the first dance the couple will have they  will have the ribbon still wrapped around them.