Iridat Seh-Rawaq

Flag of Iridat Seh-Rawaq

Iridat Seh-Rawaq, gold coloured with red outline.

**Iridat Seh-Rawaq** is a city-state located in the oasis furthest North East. The city is a safehaven for wanderers, travellers, peddlers, merchants, gleeman and so forth. The nation has no immediate neighbours, but their closest neighbour is the nation of Meskhqoqo. Important geographical locations in the area include; **White End** (Salt flats), **Heaven's Peaks** (Mountains up North), **The Life** river, **Endless Blue** (ocean to the East) and **Hope's End** (Mountain range south of the desert).

## History

The Rawaqi ancestors had lived in The Yellow Sea for thousands of years before the formation of Iridat Seh-Rawaq. The history of Rawaq is divided into three chapters.

### Tribal Era

For the majority of the Rawaqi history, men were nomads. Tribes lived nomadic lives, never staying in one place for too long. The languages spoken by these nomads were mutually-intelligible, but there was many differences in terms of pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. Tribes didn't keep any written records of their history up until the Late Tribal Period, when writing was discovered using papyruses made out of the sugarcane grown in the oases. The writings describe long periods of peace between the tribes and occasional bartering, interrupted by short periods of disputes, some leading to fights or battles. It can be said that the tribes got along rather well for the majority of their existence.

### Settling Era

After a long time, the tribes started communicating a lot more and even though some of the previous grudges or reputations stayed, they decided that the tribes should unite. The oasis was known to be the centre of life in the Rawaqi area of the desert so the tribes concluded that it would be the best fit for the settlement. First, houses were built along the oasis, which are now the rich houses. They were inhabited by previous tribal leaders and other important people. All other tribesmen settled in the (now) middle-class housing, a little further away from the oasis waters.

### Present Day

The population had a boom in recent times and therefore many slums and more middle-class districts were built. New walls were put up to protect the slums, leaving the old wall around the original settlement as a secondary line of defense. Rawaq has interacted with many nations, mostly for trade reasons.

## Economy

The Rawaqi economy is primarily made up of trade, however the country is mostly self-sufficient. Rawaq trades in goods such as papyrus, sugar, salt, sugary foods (desserts), sugarcane, jungle wood, sand, mud, etc. Rawaqi imports are mostly made out of various food sources and minerals. The oasis provides enough fertile land to feed 4 out of 5 Rawaqi, but because there isn't yet enough food, there is often need for import.

## Culture

The Rawaqi are welcoming of strangers, but they do not necessarily treat strangers as they would, their own people.

### Treatment of Foreigners

For example, foreigners who haven't converted aren't allowed to live in Rawaq. They'll be allowed to enter and to their business but settling in the city as a *Jawai* is illegal. there are many different words to describe foreigners, each having a slightly different meaning and connotation. Here they are listed;

## Geography

Rawaq is located in the *Yellow Sea* as the locals call it, meaning "the desert". More specifically, it is East of the river diving the desert, where the only oasis is located. The most important geographical feature in Rawaq is the oasis itself, other than that, the salt flats are also very important. The desert is ruthless and can prove lethal to unaccustomed travelers.

## Army

The Rawaqi army is made purely for defensive reasons. The city of Rawaq has two sets of walls, one huge set of outer walls, called impregnable by the inhabitants of the Yellow Sea. The second wall is older and stands from the first settlement of the oasis. Soldiers patrol the walls everyday and control who comes in and out. Rawaq is known for it's proficiency in archery. The army is specially trained to ward of any army before even reaching the walls.