Hadašhim Subcontinent

**Hadašham** or the **Hadašhim subcontinent** is the southwestern reach of the Manewala continent, beyond the Zabirath and Tobkhat mountains. From the west and the South (partially from the east) the landmass is bordered by the Southern Ocean. Because of its geographic situation, the lack of all but three year-round travellable passes the region has a unique flora, fauna and social system on the continent.

The region was named after the Hadašhim Empire, founded by Harko the Navigator after his Grand Voyage. Along the east-westen axis the subcontinent spans nearly a thousand mile, while north to the south it is almost three houndred long. It is well south the equator. According to Hadašhim tradition, it is parted into three, along the river Šyul and its both large tributaries into Hadašham proper in the southeast, Ahargan in the north and the Western Territories in the southwest. Further subdivision is, whether the region lies inside or outside the inferior mountain chains. They are accorded into the coastlands and the interior. Outlying territories, like the Wild Islands in the West, or the uncounted islands along the entire southern coast were never under the full control of Hadašham but they are normally counted to it.

The Northwestern area of the Subcontinent is mountainous, it is also known as the Western Ore Mountains. Smaller but long bulges from the Zabirath penetrate well into the south, dividing the land. This territory is full of mines and industry divided among several chiefdoms. The Red Šyul originates here. Further to the south, a large, densely forested area, the Wildlands have presented a challange to every eastern authority. This is where the conquerors of Hadašham have stopped. The border remained ever since steady, with Ragod and the surrounding foothills separating the better organized eastern and less state-like eastern areas.

Along the coast, both in the west and the east, a wet, mild climate dominates with warmer temperatures in the more northern east. Small ridges separate this region from the dryer interior, which become more pronounciated on the eastern banks of Šyul. There they are called the Eastern Ore Mountains, a chain of separate massivs countinuing until the Tobkhat ridge.

At large, the interior is the most productive agricultural area of Hadašham. With rugged terrain it remains at places extensively forested, despite the thousand years of human inhabitation. Other soils were turned into farmland or pasture. Latter dominates in the small valleys of the north, where the combination of heat and low precipation creates semi-desert like conditions. With clever planting techniques, two harvests aren't unknown in the wetter parts of the interior.

During most of the year the Subcontinent enjoys a moderate climate supported by westward moving winds bringing plentyful rain. Cold blases do occur chiefly during the winter when winds from the south sweep across the lang, bringing large snow even to the northern areas. Most of Ahargan gets it precipation in this manner. After the late spring, from the Month of the Shower onwards a Strong monsoonical current starts to dominate, pushing hot, occasionally wet air over the Zabiraths. Ahargan becomes an especially hot place during this period, but the northern Westerlands and the interior of Hadašham proper also benefits from this phenomen which enlongs the growing season. Mid-autumn, after five months of inward-drawn rains the wind regime returnes to the prior situation.

Culturally, the region is largely parted into the three large aforementioned areas. As Hadašham once ruled over the entire area, it's cultural traits are still to be seen almost everywhere. Ahargan has serious influences from the northern, outlying Šalmaram, while the west developed several unique civilizations, first based upon the local and Hadašhim intermixture. During at least two large waves with serious population influxes, different regions developed different strains.

Overall, Hadašham is a huge landmass, encompassing some 9,000,000 square kilometers with the outlying island counted, and boasting a population almost 130,000,000 strong. It has uncounted cities, townships and villages, numerous regions, several religions, and polities, some as small as an urban area or valley, to the both paramount empires of Hadašham and Ahargan.