Kashar-Maht

Kashar-Maht is a continent in the Thousand Crowns world. It is located far West on most maps, with *Kashar* usually referring to the mainland, whilst *Kashar-Maht* typically includes many of the surrounding islands, including the De(u)van Isles and Anstria. The mainland of Kashar is known for its incredibly sandy environments in the West, whereas the surrounding islands tend to be more wet. The difference in climate is compensated by the cultural similarities between the peoples, despite occasional territorial tensions.

## Countries

### Aalda Esso

Aalda Esso is a far-western city state, despite the nations small size it is (relatively) highly populated. The Aessor peoples are incredibly pale and seemingly ill-suited to live in a desert climate but thrive due to their thin and tall bodies requireing little food or water to  survive. They are tall and gaunt but human-like in that beyond their white to grey skin the hair and eye colour of the people is varied. They also have distinctively long-black nails and bright red lips. They adjust to the harsh climate by wearing "sui'hes", large tan sheets that cover the entire body save the eyes, protecting them from the sun.

The geography of Aalda Esso consists of 2 cities, Jihn and Tohr, the coastside Tohr is the main food supplier of the nation and produces fish and labour whereas Jihn holds the aristocracy and deals with the politics of the other Kashari nations. The path of unity between the two cities is therefore vital to transport trading goods and food amongst the nation as the only safe method of crossing the gulf. Neither city was built by the Aessor, they are both gigantic and capable of holding millions of people in even the city centres before decending into slums further out. The Aessor believe the cities where gifts from the gods to keep them safe from the gulf.

### Ãangtje-te

The Confederated Tribes of Ãangtje-te are located on Great Devin (Pjuurakian: *Ka̯ruf-ufiimak*), north of Avalonia and the Institute. The nation's main motives are to achieve peace and prosperity regionally and globally. Ãangtje-te is inhabited by the Pjuuraks, a race of humanoid raccoon-like creatures, notable for their strong culture of diplomacy, democracy, and debate. Ãangtje-te's tribes are mostly self-governing, where all of-age tribe members vote on issues concerning the tribe, administered and overseen by an elected Tribal Council. Matters regarding the whole Confederation are resolved through the Confederal Council, comprised of representatives of each tribe. The Governers are the national and cultural representatives, also tasked with overseeing the Confederal Council. The nation's main export is tea.

### Adeldkulttar

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### Anstria

Anstria, although located relatively far from the mainland, contains one of the most active peoples amongst Kashar-Maht civilisation. It is recognisable by its maroon skin and white tattoo bearing population who write and speak in the ancient language of Anstese. Their passion for ideas and unity has given rise to one of the most interesting and timeless ideologies; Tertiarism. Across their three main provinces and island territories, including the capital, Elxaeris, the Anstrian people have developed and endured for millennia and yet are only beginning their journey of understanding each corner of the globe... and the universe...

### Avalonia

The first of the twin Avalonian states to emerge from the Witch Queen's rule, Avalonia prides itself on it's strong democratic values and the personal liberties it affords it's people. The states exists on the eastern half of the Deuvin Island, with it's Capitol being the historical city of Xin.

### Calashir

A nation of nomadic tribes located in the central desert of Kashar. Largely comprised of rocky desert and rolling dunes, the region also features the river Calosh, which lends its name to the nation and its people. It also contains a lake known as the Sea of Whispers. The human inhabitants are called the Calashi; an association of tribes who practice ancestor worship. The region is also inhabited by titanic sand worms which serve as the backbone of the local economy. Aside from the humans and the worms, the region is also home to a race of demonic spirits which are thought to dwell within the dunes.

### Elkeray

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### Hárpuyon

Located on the swampy isles off the northern coast of Kashar, Hárpuyon is nation populated exclusively by a race akin to bird-women. Exclusively female, the Hárpuoi are possessed of female torsos & faces alongside bird-like limbs & feathered head. Parthenogenetic & able to reproduce by simply laying unfertilized eggs which hatch into clones of the mother, the Harpuoi are divided into 10 broods that each claim descent from one of the 12 Wind Goddesses they worship. The basic unit of Hárpuik society is the flock, consisting of a family grouping led by a Matriarch who is either mother to the entire flock or who chooses which members get to keep their eggs. Most Hárpuoi dwell in villages consisting of one to several flocks, however many flocks have gathered to form Azísoron (Stormhill) in the north & Iomakalom (Many-Reeds) in the south, the first Hárpuik cities. At present Azísoron is the more dominant of the two and serves as an unofficial leader of the Hárpuoi, but its supremacy is far from assured.

### Í Cámai

Í Cámai is the nation furthest north of the mainland, on the coast. Its people, the Í Anárh, very likely migrated from the desert, which shows in their large amount of human features. Following the theory that they ventured far north from the desert towards the forests they live in now, the have adapted to their environment by having longer limbs and being naturally stronger and faster than standard humans.

Í Cámai is known for not having a set ruler at one time, instead casting a vote among their small amount of people every time a decision must be made. This has its upsides and downsides; the main one being that the Í Anárh have grown to have prejudice and distain towards those of their own kind who are not "athletically competent" in their eyes. This same prejudice, howeber is also targeted towards people who harm the jungle for no specific reason, with this being one their most heinous crimes.

### Keen

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### Navora

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### Plesothras

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### Ril'ya

The Ril'ya are a culture of nomadic desert dwellers. There is no central authority and they are primarily organised into tribes of 4 or 5 large families lead by one chieftan. They heavily value hospitality, to fellow Ril'ya and foreigners alike, and have lengthy hospitality customs. For example, it is considered a cultural taboo to refuse or not finish eating food offered to you outside of exceptional circumstances. One of the largest events in the Ril'ya calendar is the Khu'aesu, a large meeting of any tribes who can make the journey at the Yermam Chìs oasis, where tribes trade, settle feuds and train shamans.

### Rusmenstar

```
Rusmenstar is on the South-Eastern coast of Kashar-Maht in one of several temperate rainforest areas. Its people are of several different sentient species/races, but about 85% of them have some sort of magical or innate telepathic ability. Many of them also learn magic beyond telepathy. Because of these abilities, most people prefer to get along with one another, & each of the races/species have come together to establish a democratic nation with a capitol of Thialmal.

```

### Sunflower Valley

Sunflower Valley is a fledgling kingdom along the northeast coast of Kashar-Maht, boasting lush temperate forests and excellent sea views.

### Svaltra

Located near the heart of Kashar-Maht's desert, Svaltra is a kingdom ruled by a single monarch with absolute power. Whenever the current leader steps down (or dies), a new monarch is selected based on their proficiency in sand magic. They have immense power over the kingdom and its people, who must obey their every command, regardless of its absurdity.

Svaltrans are extremely proficient in sand magic and regard it as the most perfect form of power. They have also developed an extremely efficient method of using magic to convert sand into glass, which is used to manufacture many common items. Svaltrans greatly value intelligence and creativity, spending large amounts of time and resources on developing art or technology. They also seldom leave their cities and mostly spend their lives working for the monarch. Those who don't conform to such a lifestyle are exiled from the cities, and are forced to survive under the brutal conditions of the desert.

Svaltra is largely recognisable by its use of glass in architecture. Near the centre of each Svaltran city exists a massive palace made entirely from tinted glass, which houses the local rulers appointed by the monarch. Traditionally, each Svaltran ruler oversees the creation of a giant structure during their reign. The Svaltran desert is dotted with these structures, which are usually built for vanity purposes and made of glass. Perhaps the most impressive is the Tejsh, a detailed glass sculpture of a dagger the height of several towers, pointing downwards into the sand. Powered by sand magic, it is perpetually floating above the ground.

Due to Svaltra’s success in exporting glass, Svaltrans are reasonably wealthy and lead sophisticated lifestyles. Almost every citizen is sheltered in one of the kingdom's massive cities, meaning they have no need for physical strength and see it as barbaric. Svaltrans greatly value intelligence and creativity, spending large amounts of time and resources on developing art or technology. They also seldom leave their cities and mostly spend their lives working for the monarch. Those who don't conform to such a lifestyle are exiled from the cities, and are forced to survive under the brutal conditions of the desert.

### Synskinrwat

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### T'kko Banners

The T'kko Banners (T’kko N’ggùe; t‖kʊ n‖gʉe) is the name given to the federated clades of the T'kko, who occupy the western fringes of the Kashar desert.

### Takartum

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### The Institute

The Institute is an organisation of natural philosophers, whose primary objective is to decipher the Elder Texts. It is located on the western coast of Great Devin.

### Tropicagical

Tropicagical is located on the eastern outskirts of Kashar-Maht, filled with tropical rainforests. It is one of the more active parts of the area, filled with a luscious eco system and three distinct races that rule together as a nation over the land. Much of the active ecosystem in Tropicagical can be attributed to a large meteor hitting the land eons ago, filling it with magic. It is the magic residue that led to the two original races forming on the island, the native Wingfae and the Frogentine. The Wingfae, a nomadic people were altered by the magic in their systems, leading them to grow wings and for their skins to have an ethereal tint to them. They were a solitary people and were the last to join within the nation.

The Frogentine originally were serpent animals born on the land. When the meteor landed, a select few of them were given sentience and their bodies altered. Due to their fast breeding, they quickly grew in numbers and filled through the land, outgrowing the Wingfae by the dozens. They were extremely territorial and when the Ortrolls arrived, they waged war against each other before they made a peace treaty and formed their nation, recognizing they were stronger in numbers. The Ortrolls migrated to Tropicagical, forming their own tribes. Due to changes in their environment and mating between subraces, they became the now known Ortrolls. The Ortrolls were the ones to first come up with building a nation and were the forefathers in creating the current government. Due to a multicultural society, they formed a culture called Cullang, a mix of their various cultures, as well as a new language that most of them speak, due to mixing between the races. They are all well-versed in magic and rely on it for their society to survive. For this reason, they are technologically behind years but make up for it with their natural abilities and magic.

### Uskari

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### Vecc Castorea

Capital: Vecc Castorea

Castoreans are a race of ancient Beaver-folk, builders and engineers, known since the dawn of the world for their incredible structures and inventions. Castoreans are slow to trust, but loyal to a fault, and bond with the natural world. Castoreans can live up to 2 millennia in good health, and as such tend to take a long view on the worldly politics of neighboring realms, tending to stay uninvolved as much as possible. Castoreans distrust most types of magics, only relying on healing magic in the most dire of circumstances, instead trusting science and experimentation. Their medicine and mathematics are unparalleled, and they power their factories and underground cities with the energy from gargantuan Dams constructed across mountain rivers. In the reservoirs the Castoreans maintain a large stock of various fish, as they enjoy a largely aquatic diet.

Castoreans are excellent engineers and craftfolk, and as such they let their creativity show in their constructions. The massive dams built across their mountain rivers are the largest megastructures on the continent, and are finely carved with the history of their people. Their tunnels that lead deep into the cliff faces of their fortress cities are also laced with beautiful and colorful in-laid murals, depicting the various ages of the world in the form of flora and fauna.