Padishah

## Geography

Along the coast of the Inland Sea, the single largest Shekami empire stretches its might. The Baraz is a mighty Broodmother holding suzerainty over an interwoven pastiche of Shekami broods. Large tracts of lands are worked by a variety of broods answering to their Broodmother who ultimately answers to the Baraz. The capital of Qazvin hosts the entire stable of Broodmothers under the Baraz, each of these Suzerains is kept close to maintain their brood’s loyalty. The intensely tribalistic nature of the Shekami is held in check, the Baraz’s tribe always holds the largest minority share of the population.

Though the history of the Shekami race is known only in fragments, their uniquely necessary tribalism lends to a huge diversity in dress and mannerisms. The Broodmothers making up the leadership of the Padishah were all conquered and forced to submit to the Baraz, ending their tribal histories. As more Broodmothers submitted in the region, the Padishah was able to continue expanding. To feed and provide finery to the Broodmothers, more outposts spread across the whole region. The outposts expanded into cities, made to glorify their broods.

## Biological Imperative and Culture

Though individual male Shekami have a biological imperative to serve their Broodmother, their geographical spread and original disparate land holdings before the unification under the Padishah leads to a much more individualistic society along the fringes. Outside of Qazvin, the towns and villages dotting the countryside keep the culture and stylistic integrity passed down by their mothers. Even within a small and well run farming community, architecture, music, and styles of dress seem incredibly random to a passing human traveler. Drab single room huts are built right next to great halls which are then next to multilevel tenement blocks, all within a single boulevard in areas inhabited by many broods. Wildly tattooed Shekami refusing any clothing but simple loincloths till fields next to their modest green veiled kin. Though the diversity is only sometimes evident in small areas, many of the larger, more heterogeneous cities are nearly impossible to navigate for someone mostly unused to Shekami customs. What is acceptable in one city block can be unspeakably taboo only a block away.

Their shared service nature lends to a mostly peaceable society. Movement is very common among the population as they seek to improve their nation with well-meaning individual initiative. Broodmothers communicate the general tone of their orders (passive, direct, or other) by pheromone meaning that ill-advised large scale projects are often begun by male Shekamis and can only be circumvented by a direct messenger rubbed with pheromones of their Broodmother from Qazvin. This inevitably leads to many half-finished and poorly conceived monuments or public works only stopped by direct order from their capital.

With a much lower individual ability than the average human, technological progress is generally only in the hands of a tiny minority of exceptional Shekamis and the Broodmothers themselves. Their disadvantage is slightly mitigated by superior organization. Exceptional Shekamis are easily picked out and put to work by their Broodmothers, they do not require the same arduous need to make themselves known or to find support for their work. They have a meritocracy, but one that relies solely on their birth.

## Relations

Humans and Shekamis generally have a difficult time understanding one another.The differences between the two species is even more evident by their extremely different reproductive habits. While a single Broodmother can produce many more Shekamis in a short time, humans are exponential. Broodmothers are very rare, while roughly half of humans are women. Humanity is relatively easily organized, gathering together five broodmothers is a feat, much less the many in Qazvin, making the Padishah extremely unique. The Padishah views all humans as a possible existential threat. Shekamis are by far the most populous, but the proliferation of humanity is worrisome to the Baraz.

Mykonos, situated to the south past the Thermal Pass, gives what they believe to be a perspective on all humankind. Relations with the Commonwealth to their north are cold but not hostile. ASH is viewed as a potential rival with wars being waged in the past in times when the Frontier Legions either provoked a conflict or were seen as weak. Mandumine is given a wide berth, the slavers are avoided whenever possible, every Broodmother in Qazvin fears what they hide in their mountain. Their eastern border is in constant conflict while the north sees internecine fighting with a newly aggressive Khuland and mercurial Oblivionites.

The Padishah has massive quantities of rigidly disciplined warriors. Every brood has strengths and weaknesses but Baraz shocktroops hold particular infamy with Frontier Legion generals. Shekamis view warfare from a biological perspective, the Padishah is forced to acknowledge the glacial pace of their technological progress. To supplement their ranks, they hire human engineers willing to work for non-humans. Many within State Security now believe they have begun to search out Fleshcrafters persecuted by the ASH or disenfranchised by the Commonwealth. Fear of the Padishah also harboring or even encouraging apocalyptic cults, renegade Cursed, and other factions hostile to the ASH is a very common concern. However, the power wielded by the Padishah keeps ASH aggression at bay. The difficult position of being mostly surrounded by opportunistic human states as well as jealous, unconquered Shekamiish tribes keeps the Padishah from flooding the Frontier Legions to cull the rapidly growing human population. Both empires keep close watch on each other, the Padishah knows that human power can only grow while they have an advantage in unity, their advancement is glacial. Autocratic forces grow in strength via technology quickly but face factionalism in their own ranks.