Free cities of Mytosh

### **The Capital**

The capital of the cities of Mytosh is known as Izborsk heavily centered around medieval middle eastern life and is a center of trade and prosperity in the east. The trade winds put their capital at a prime location while their extensive road networks all over their empire allows them to travel across it effectively. The capital is a well-built city in the center of the empire on the bay of traders. The capital city a wondrous place of innovation but is held back by its more traditional leaders. Aqueducts run throughout the city carrying water from the lakes to the east to the bountiful amounts of fountains and water features that fill up public squares and streets. The use of Lapis Lazuli is used to dye sandstone blue and when crushed into smaller chunks gives the buildings a bit of sparkle to them in the desert sun. The high walls that surround the city also provide the civilians with protection from the frequent dust storms that plague the desert surrounding them.

### **The Different Groups Living in the Capital**

The “Al-Altaqlid” wish to see their capital focus on preserving their existing way of life and the needs of their religious population. The traditionalist sees progress as a threat to their culture and would see to their country to cut all trade with outsiders. Their idols are to be protected at all costs and any non-believers would be shunned from their communities. They will gladly die protecting their idols.

The “Al-Yawm” wish to see their culture expand their global influence through the usage of these early muskets and to seize the day. They also view scholars as a way to obtain this global position and will often kidnap them to work for the military. Although they haven't been proved to be doing so. The military engineers had designed what we know as (muskets) “Bunduqiat Qadima” they are called for their ability to propel small Iron pills toward their target at high speeds by use of an explosive powder (Gunpowder).

The “Al-Tajir” wish only to open their ports and lands to the nations of the world. They see coinage as a way of control and the best way to control the world is through the money they use to fund their plans. People often wonder where they get their money from but some suggest it is from their illegal importation of drugs.

The “Al-Tadrijiun” seeks to abolish religious worship of the idols and do not believe of their power to control and quell the desert. They wish to continue their studies funded by the government to further their technological leaps. They will try to use what knowledge they have to their advantage crafting political ploys in advance, although never caught a few poisoned water supplies had been pointed in their direction.

### **The Tribal Culture**

Coastal towns dot around the empire on rivers that flow to the ocean and Oasis’s that provide refuge from the desert. These provide rest for travels that decide to cross the country through its vast unrelenting desert. These towns host clans of people who in their own beliefs worship Idols of importance. These idols allow for these clans to be protected in some unique way against the wrath of the desert which makes them the most important thing to them. These idols although worshipped can only be utilized by a high priest of each clan and their process is unknown to outsiders. These priests along with their clan leader meet back at the capital every 2 years where they talk through inter-tribal disputes and overall threats to their land.

### **The Tribal Clans**

There are 4 main tribes of people. These tribes make up the towns for which they are accustomed to.

There are the Oasis tribe who pray to an Idol that protects them from Locus, they are called the
“Kaj”. They export many wines and fruit drinks to the capital and surrounding villages. Much trade comes through this tribe and they benefit greatly from an extensive network of roads and camels to get them around.

The “Yhim” River tribe pray to an Idol that allows them to control the flooding that is seasonal to them allowing them a plentiful harvest. They export grain and other food necessities to the capital.

There are the “Drewse” who live in the desert mountains in the center of the lower peninsula. They pray to an idol that brings rains from the lower sea, the rains prevent dust storms and fill the lake for which they drink from. They are one of the most well-protected tribes due to their position. However, are the least contacted amongst them. This group of people is self-sustaining as well as acting as a pseudo-country but still under the control of the capital. (Not known to the capital is that their mountains are gold rich. Allowing them to stockpile much of their reserves. They do not tell the capital of this or they might send the military to come to collect.)

The “Fa-hamid’ live on a wooden settlement on the largest lake in the world within the empire. The town is built of interconnecting wooden piers and homes that rest on them. They mainly fish and collect seaweed while the entire lake is freshwater which they drink from. This town, however, suffers from sickness. The capitals musket factories runoff feeds into the lake which causes the water in some parts of be murky and unfishable. It creates these dead zones of water where fish that enter cannot breathe and will float to the surface and die. The smell is unbearable. They pray to an Idol of a small curved woman with coverings from head to toe. In times of mist it can see this woman come to the aid of people who are sick in the town from the water although these reports were that of drunken men.

### ***The wants and needs of the Mytoshian people:***

The desert is a harsh place on the people of Mytosh and they will usually seek outlets for stress whether this is the Alcohol and Drugs they import,To the strong coffee that gets them the High. The desert also lacks important ores so they rely on trade imports for Iron.