Alshifa

> "A paradise without people is not worth living in." - Yuan-Ti Solkash
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A region developed by the Yuan-Ti Pureblood after *The Great Awakening,* built around the original temple of Makan Alshifa Sisavah. It's named after the word for healer. The cities that aren't built from the temples are built into the natural aquifer and interconnected with tunnels that run through The Dragon Spine (locally called Eawdat Altanin/عودة التنين/The Dragon's Return). The original population of the area were Yuan-Ti, Lizardfolk, Earth Elves, and Loxodon, though after the unification it was open to all other races. Tensions have been strained as the majority of the political leaders have been mainly Yuan-Ti purebloods.

## History

A country founded by a colelctive of species, mostly stemming from an original tribe of humanoids, many thought to belive past elves who made a deal to become the Yaun-Ti of note and legend. They have gone from nomadic families to the group who rules the mostly desert nation,

## Politics

The governing system is intermixed where the local level of government is run as a meritocracy, with each mayor running for a predetermined lite and either step down or age themselves into the middle levels. The middle level is run as a gerontocracy, where the elder council help decide the chairman/governor/leader of the region/state. The only ones who can be elected into any of the levels must first pass the rite of Aikhtibar Mutaeamad (the willful test). There have been very few non-yuan-ti mayors, council members, or even governors.

The Councils of Power:

Elder Council

Northern Council

Eastern Council (Debunked)

Western Council

Southern Council

When one becomes a high ranking official (the governor), they must take the surname Solkash, and gain an epithet on their name.

**Current Leader**: Hakim Ssimalli Solkash (Sage), The Wise (3031 - Now) , born Ssimalli Marketh.

Previous Leaders:

* 8003-7891 PHE: Yuan-Ti Solkash - An outspoken healer/leader who attempted to heal all he could, died in line of duty.
* 7549-7341 PHE: Sisavah Solkash - First Solkash by title, one of the leaders who preformed ritual of Niemat Alsiha/Leanat Alshifa'
* 9PHE - 31 HE: Al'maealij Ashmun Solkash (healer) - The Peacemaker attempts to broker a peace with the incoming humans.
* 5 - 111 HE:  Al'Maealij Zihu Althae  (healer) - The Silencer who refused to take the surname Solkash as a way to protect the hidden Yaun-Ti.
* 12 - 217 HE: Alkatib Mustashar Otleh (scribe), The Learned, took to Kaune Lona to protect the Yuan-Ti from destruction.
* 371 - 451 HE: Zaeim Malik Solkash (Leader), The Sun Bringer, leads the long hidden Yaunti back to Makan Alshifa Sasavah.
* 1093 - 1179 HE: Khalifa Zihu Solkash (Successor) - The Unbeliever, argues that separation of Yuan-Ti and the other races will keep the people safe.
* 1113 - 1141 HE: Sissillia Mareotis (Eiraf Sissillia Solkash, Diviner) by her followers), The Diviner, spoke of a cataclysm coming but was silenced.
* 1150 - 1238 HE: Hamia Utel Solkash (Protector), The Survivor, leads the nation through Gods' War.
* 1495 - 1545 HE: Qady Zenzu Solkash (Magistrate), The Warrior, attempts to squash Ima Shallows.
* 1520 - 1605 HE: Sahir Manuya Solkash (Wizard), The Peacemaker, helps dismantle the army of Ima Shallows.
* 1832 - 1919 HE: Muahad Sisava Solkask (Unifier), The Unifer, officially brings Alshifa into the Confederacy of Andalus.
* 2015 - 2060 HE: Zaeim Asutali Solkas (Leader), The Stern, attempts to quell an uprising, one of the few leaders to step down from power before death.

## Geography/Flora

The Northern regions of Alshifa are predominately covered by The Dragon Spine, with the river Nahr Jawfi cutting a deep ravine towards the desert. The river feeds the deep lake of Baythun and then drops into underground caverns that feed an aquifer beneath sands.

The Middle region is covered by a desert known by the locals as Alwaed Almaksur, there is a large temple hidden within the heart of the desert. It is only hidden because it's hard to get to due to nature of the dunes, they tend to bury large sections of the temple under layers of sand.

The Southern region has desert set directly against Urma Ear where only two rocky inlets allow access to a port, these inlets have a growing interconnected community that relies heavily on the fish in Urma Ear.

## Demographics

Alshifa is was originally Yuan-Ti, Earth Elves, roving Loxodon, a desert breed of lizardfolk, and a few air elf tribes intermixed. After The Great Awakening the numbers of Yuan-Ti increased, and a large selection of them went into hiding out of fear of being rejected by a society as a whole. During the rule of Khalifa Zihu, a large subgroup of Yuan-Ti, with more snake-like features come out and increase the overall numbers.

Currently the main population is 51% Yuan-Ti (32% Pureblood, 39% Halfblood, 29% Other), 13% Earth Elf, 22% Human, 5% Loxodon, 9% Lizardfolk

The primary language of the region is Common, though legal documents that stay within the region are writtin in Yaun-Tinese (mixture of Draconic and Abysmall), Elvish, and Loxodon, there is very little still written in ancient draconic, but modern draconic can be found to be spoken in areas with high Lizardfolk populations.

## Population Centers

### Alkuhuf

- A mountain fortress that is only accessible from Hafin, has watchtowers poised towards Castillia to the west.

### Aljabal

- Mountain fortress set on the eastern border of Alshifa, mainly houses those unfit to be intermixed in the main society. This is the agreed on safe territory of the rebellion.

### Khalid

- Large resort town that has hot springs set deep into caves under the dragon spine.

### Makan Alshifa Hafin (Hafin)

- Vast Complex, most of the original structure has been remade with smooth marble. It houses large open markets and the primary religious buildings seperated by Baythung from Sisasvah.

### Makan Alshifa Sisavah (Sisavah)

- Complex structure that has been completely rebuilt and spread into the near countryside. It is the capital city of the region, holding the offices of the major council members, the governor, and any other high ranking officials.

### Mina

- Port city that was constructed on the ruins of a previous fishing settlement on the edge of Urma Ear.

### Que Alnahr

- old river city that sits above a vast aqueduct, it is used as a border town between Castillia.

### Rawili

- An art collective and pirate haven that rose to become the secondary port, known as the second capital of Alshifa, mainly constructed by the Loxodon Empire.

## Cities

1. Mina - Port City

2. Joyadel - Old Castillian Fortress

3. Que Alnahr - City on edge of dried river bed

4. Alkuhuf - Remote Fortress

5. New Hope - Desert Ranch

6. Bustan - Logging Camp

7. Ramili - Port City

8. Mutagha - Shifting trader city that moves with the sands

9. Hafin - Religious Capitol, seat of the high religous individuals

10. Khalid - Lake resort

11. Burjal - Mining Town

12. Milisa Arn Temple - Temple city

13. Sisavah - Political Capital, seat of the govermental body

14. Ak-bahira - Boria Naval Academy

15. Nahjal Sharq (Eastern Approch) - Desert Archive

16. Aljabal - Mountain Refuge

17. Khashab - Druidic Grove

## Culture

The Yaun-Ti have a complex and mixed view on the idea of grave shrines and ancestor worship. The graves of many early Alshifian figures are holy sites for them, including Alishifa Sisavah, a temple for which the capital is based around. Many other mausoleums are major architectural, political, and cultural sites, including the Makan Alshifa Talash in Castillia and the Makan Alshifa Zelul in Saqaf. However, the religious movement of followers of Rao disputes the concept of saint veneration. Followers of this movement have destroyed many gravesite shrines, including in Haznya and in territory controlled by the Earth Elves, though it was the teaching of Sahir Manuya Solkash to visit graves and practice of followers to visit the holy shrine of prophets and supplicate there.

### Dieties:

#### Zehir

* Diety of darkness, poison, and assassins. Snakes are his favored creation, and the yuan-ti revere him, offering to him in pits full of golden serpents

#### Meyanok

* Diety of Serpents, Poison, Discord, Darkness, and Famine.

#### Mok'Slyk

* The entity known as the Serpent, an entity of godlike power believed to be the personification of arcane magic

## Places of Importance

### The Mustashar Otleh Archives

The original archives moved from Kaune Lona once the Yaun-Ti reemerge after The Great Awakening, the main campus for the scribes and archivist of the state. There are three separated areas the original campus is in Sisavah.

### Otleh House of Wisdom

The secondary campus is located in Hafin, it is mainly used by the interconnected religious buildings and some of the higher ranking wizards, druids, and clerics have permeant homes here.

### Otleh University (Jamieat Otleh)

The tertiary campus located in Rawili, it was built by funds collected from the pirate raids and outside funding from the other states around after Alshifa was entered into the Confederacy.

## Notable People

### Duke Echart Lorraine the Second

== Locations ==\*Alwaed Almaksur

* + Alkuhuf
	+ Que Alnahr
* The Dragon Spine
	+ Aljabal
	+ Makan Alshifa Hafin
	+ Makan Alshifa Sisavah
* Baythun
	+ Khalid
* Urma Ear
	+ Mina
* Nahr Jawfi
	+ Rawili