Ufudu Mweupe

Ufudu mweupe is characterised by vast deserts, thick rivers and the namesake dragon turtle skeleton embedded into its crust. The planet’s atmosphere is heavy,

and traps heat unusually well. This leads to a searing heat, and the ways in which ufudu’s residents have adapted to this heat now define their entire way of life. Those who found shelter in the insular shell of the great turtle call themselves the Kamba Joka, while those who roam the desserts are known as the Muraqan.

## Government

Before the spelljamming developed in the sphere, Ufudu Mweupe had no significant political unity. Within the shell were kingdoms, free city states, stretches of tribal land, theocracies and everything in between. The closest thing to a unifying factor was the sheer influence the three great families had across the shell. When news of the other spheres reached the kamba, they recognized a need for change. They needed a strong front, at least for the purpose of interstellar politics. Together, the greatest powers within the shell called together a council, and agreed to a treaty that would form a loose confederation of their sovereign states, called the Yekamba Coalition. They created a position called the Judge Empirica, who would serve as the head of the coalition, governing it alongside the council. They would also serve as the political face of the planet, and a peacekeeper between the nations. Today, the Judge Empirica functions largely as intended, overseeing international projects and interplanetary diplomacy. The Muruqan are not part of the Yekamba Coalition, but since any major forien project using the planet’s lands or resources needs to be approved by the Judge Empirica, their lands are technically under their protection.

### Notable powers in the Yekamba

#### The Three Great Families

The Kamba Joka are people familiar with draconic creatures, as they have been sharing their home with them since time immemorial. Some deal with them more closely than others, however. Few boast a greater connection to the draconic than the three great families, who’s Ancient magical blood pacts tying their lineage to that of a dragon’s have made them known throughout the land. Though the exact terms of each pact are family secrets, they have these basic terms in common:

* The dragon and its offspring cannot physically harm the humans and their descendants, and vice versa

* They are required to come to the other’s defense and aid in times of need

* They are to share resources

These pacts were made millennia ago, but have continued through generations. The descendants of these peoples are now each ruler of a vast domain.

## Prejudices

Among the host of internal squabbles and grudges held by the Kamba Joka inside the shell, There are a few which are prominent enough to be notable.

There is a mutual mistrust between the Kamba who live inside the shell and the Muraqan who live outside of it. This suspicion is stronger on the side of the Kamba Joka, who view the Muraqan as dangerous and other. This manifests in mildcases as an unease with the unfamiliarity of them and the desert, and in the worst cases people decry them as ignorant and uncivilized bandits. The Muraqan in turn are rarely actively hostile as a whole, but are immediately suspicious of any group of Kamba joka venturing into the desert.

There is a tension between the Zawadi, Aboiye and Kumbula families. Though not in any active conflict or hostility, The fact alone that they hold so much power means there is an unspoken sense of competition for resources and influence. This only serves to further highlight their differences. That being said, they still currently partnered in trade, and collaborate in many affairs.

Tabaxi are regarded with heavy suspicion in many areas of the shell. Many dismiss them as capricious thieves by nature, not to be trusted in a community, and unreliable to boot. In some places this simply means the occasional glare or clutched purse, while in others it can impede their ability to find gainful employment and decent housing at all. Because of this tabaxi tend to form their own neighborhoods, and have established themselves as seeking work as messengers and merchants.

Lastly are the Mhepo vana. The Mhepo vana are a mostly nomadic cultural group that often travel between cities. They are characterized by ancestral and religious connection to the plane of elemental air, particularly djinni heritage. They are regarded similarly to tabaxi, if more intensely. Some see them as criminal, unclean and flighty, they are usually met with suspicion by the city's population and sometimes establishments and individuals will go out of their way to express to them that they are unwelcome.

## Crime

The law and it’s enforcement varies from area to area, as most sovereign powers in the shell handle their internal affairs independently. The Yekamba coalition however does have a set of universal rules, which the powers within are expected to uphold. There are the expected laws against murder, rape, assault and slavery present in most civilizid societies. Along with that, the killing of a dragon is expressly forbidden. Cases can be made for situations of dire necessity, such as defense, but in all other circumstances the standard punishment is death. This goes doubly so for anyone from outside the shell.

## Climate

Ufudu mweape is a desert planet with no ocean to speak of, only a network of surface rivers that shrink seasonally during the year. The planet is relatively flat, with no mountains. Most of the land is dunes speckled with the occasional oasis. There is also a titanic dragon turtle embedded in the crust.