Azrael's
Population
Azrael's population is
approximately 2,187,500 persons.
43,750 residents are isolated or itinerant.
1,946,875 residents live in 2,782 villages.
131,250 residents live in 27 towns.
65,625 residents live in 6 cities.
The average distance between villages is 3 miles.
The average distance between towns is 34 miles.
The average distance between cities is 72 miles.
The inhabitants of Azrael have been building
castles for the last 400 years. There are approximately 53 standing
fortifications in Azrael. 44 castles are in active use, 9 castles are
ruined or abandoned, 40 castles are located in settled areas, and 13 castles are located in remote areas, unsettled areas, or wilderness.
Government: Autocracy
Capital: Balangir
Religions: Yam ibn Saud
Imports: Timber, Grain, Food, Livestock, Iron, Weapons,
Slaves, Wine, Ale
Exports: Coal, Silver, Soldiers, Chains, Slaves, Lumber, Herbs, Mushrooms
Major
Geographical Features of Azrael
The Holy River: This is the longest river system in Azrael, and provides the life blood of most of the villages, towns, and cities of Azrael, either directly or indirectly. Infested with crocodiles in many parts, the river is considered to be blessed by the gods. Most of Azrael's arable land surround this massive river system.
Lake Amir: This is one of the great lakes of Inzeladun, and none knows the depths of this one. Some claim that a great city is hidden by the depths of the cold water.
Desert of Dragons: This desert, one of the hottest in Inzeladun, is a little traveled land. It is also the only known location of the elusive yellow dragons. This anvil of heat is in the north of Azrael.
Desert of the Lost King: Many years ago, a desert sheik led his people out of slavery toward a new land. Seeking Amir, which was rumored (truthfully) to be arable, the sheik became lost and he and his people all perished in this desert. This tract of desert is adjacent to the Desert of Dragons.
Important Azrael Sites
Balangir: The capital of Azrael. Balangir has a population of 12,927 persons. Balangir sits at the mouth of the east fork of the Holy River. Characterized by sharp, cutting, militaristic edges and stark neo-gothic palaces and temples, this city, like most of Azrael's cities, is noted for its whiteness. During Yam ibn Saud's absence, Kaantar the Great lives in the Grand Palace of War. The city is fairly intolerant of strangers, especially strangers from the West.
Ad Damman: Ad Damman has a population of 10,937 persons. Located at the mouth of the west fork of the Holy River, this city is noted for its many temples. Highly religious, the people of this town seem to pray constantly - or at least so it seems to an outsider. The town is also a major trade town, and several of the white temples in the city are erected to foreign gods - the only city in Azrael to be so accommodating to outlanders and their ways.
Socatra: Socatra has a population of 9, 812 persons. Socatra sits on the shores of the Sea of Demons, and is plagued by a wraith-of-the-deep not far off of its shores. Secluded because of the underwater monster, Socatra is a place of pilgrimage for Azraelite psions. The only known psi-gate in all of Azrael sits in the main plaza of this white-washed city. This city is noted for its silence, as many of its inhabitants are telepathic.
Khera: Once the capital of Amir, it lies on the northern end of the Sea of Demons in some of the little arable land in all of Azrael. It has a population of 10,586 persons. Hard to reach by sea due to the Wraith-of-the-Deep, the town is noted for its fabulous gardens and talking trees.
N'syre: With a population of 10,579 persons, N'syre is famous for its legendary battles with sahuagin. Although the town now enjoys an unprecedented (and unexplained) peace with the Devil Men of the Deep, it has become more reclusive than ever. Outsiders are not welcome.
Angul: Angul, the city of crocodiles, has a population of 10,784 persons. This city is the home of Iss'ul, Yam ibn Saud's famed assassin. The white buildings of Angul are decorated with images and effigies of crocodiles.
Life and Society in Azrael
"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front
of him, but because he loves what is behind him." (General Morgul,
4th year VIII)
"War is not the best way of settling differences; it is the only way
of preventing their being settled for you." (Yam ibn Saud, 3rd
year VIII))
War and hardship is a way of life for the Azraelites. Azrael began as a colony of Zakhara, the land of Fate. Known
as Ara'bya, the colony refused enlightenment. The country was taken
over by Yam ibn
Saud without the movement of a single troop. No country in
Inzeladun has ever been conquered in this way before or since. A land of
burning deserts and white cities, Azrael is a harsh, cruel land.
Ruled by Yam ibn
Saud, Azrael is a major power in the world, extending its boundaries even into the West.
Azrael is a desert realm divided into several smaller provinces. Azrael itself is governed by Kantaar the Great while being the heart of the Saudian Empire.
The buildings of Azrael are akin to those of Zakhara. There
are variations that one might think to find on the plane of fire.
Sharp, cutting, militaristic edges and stark neo-gothic palaces and
temples are widespread. The people themselves are not as tolerant as
the Zakharans, yet they do not openly persecute other races or
peoples.
Being a state that worships war, naturally there are many
gladiator sports and games. Fighting is a past time here, the
Barakans being strong in this particular setting. Yam ibn Saud also
employs highly elite warriors to guard his palaces, and sponsors many of
these warriors in annual games wherein ritual sharing of the salt takes
place as a symbol that the people and the desires of Yam ibn Saud are one
and the same: Prosperity through Conquering.
Although genies operate here, their presence is less
than in Zakhara.
The priesthood, while strong, is not permitted any
official decision making powers.]
Free trade routes are well established between Synibia, Khemt, Zakhara, and even now trade routes are being established to the northern kingdoms. Peace between Azrael and Khemt has existed for some time; Yam ibn Saud seemingly has abandoned his desire for such rulership. Speculation exists that an alliance has been formed to strengthen borders and trade.
RACIAL MODIFIERS FOR CHARACTERS
Characters from Azrael may choose character classes as with Al~Qadim. Mages and spell casting priests must register with the qadis (judges) of Yam ibn Saud. Most of the inhabitants dress entirely in white, although some merely wear white kaffiyahs (head wraps) and turbans.
Religion and other Superstitions in Azrael
The religion of Saud is the most prevalent religion here, although other religions are also tolerated. The people of Azrael experience freedom within a rigid frame of law. The eye for an eye principle is exacted here with impunity, and there are many who believe that Yam ibn Saud is either a dragon, or the Desert itself. Therefore there is also a certain amount of fear and secretiveness that threads through the population. Indeed there are sandling agents, secret assassin guilds, ghosts, and genie spies that watch over the Empire for Yam ibn Saud at all times. While this rigid control might seem oppressive, the people accept their Fate and experience moderate wealth.
There are many gods in the pantheon of Azrael. The Father of Gods is Kor the Venerable. The remaining gods are the sons and daughters of Kor. Some notable deities include Erleg Saud (the god of war), Ulgen Tenger (the god of the desert winds), Hakiyah (goddess of the sea breezes), and Yam ibn Saud (the son of Erleg Saud).
Mythology
Long ago Kor the Venerable had two children, Ulgen Tenger and Erleg Saud; Ulgen became the lord of the upper world and Erleg Saud became the lord of the lower world. At that time the earth was covered with water, there was no land. Ulgen Tenger asked the loon to bring up mud from below the water to create land; he was not able to do so, and he was punished by having his legs broken so he could not walk, and the goldeneye duck was called next to bring up land. The duck created a small piece of land that Ulgen was able to lay on. Erleg Saud, seeing that his brother had fallen asleep on the new land, tried to pull the land out from under him, but instead the land stretched out in all directions as he pulled it.
Next, Ulgen Tenger created animals and humans out of mud and he spread them out to dry. These creatures were a failure; they couldn't see, they dissolved when it rained, etc. So the god broke them up and tried again. This time he made men out of wood. They were better than the mud-men. They could walk and talk; they had many children, built many houses, but they had no minds nor souls nor hearts. Ulgen was disappointed with what he had created, so he sent a great flood to cleanse the earth of his mistake.
With the advice of his father, Kor, Ulgen created man of flesh. He laid them out to rest while he fashioned souls for them. He created the dog to keep watch over the bodies of the new humans while he was gone. Erleg Saud, unhappy to see that his brother was creating humans, came to see the new bodies. The dog would not let him come close, at that time the dog could talk but had no fur. It was cold, and snowing, so Erleg Saud tempted him, saying that if the dog allowed him to see the humans' bodies he would give him a beautiful fur coat. The dog agreed, and was given a shiny beautiful coat. Erleg Saud then spat on the bodies so that humans would have diseases and not be immortal. When Ulgen returned he saw that the dog had fur and that the humans had been damaged, so he punished the dog by making his coat smelly, taking away his voice, and by making the dog follow humans in order to get its food.
Other gods attempted to take over the Creation, and many men fell
prey to these gods. Kor gathered all of his children and Erleg Saud
suggested war. The Children of Kor fought against the foreign
gods, and the land was laid waste where the wars were fought, but Erleg
Saud, who led the Children of Kor, was victorious, and Saud was lifted
from the underworld and made to be the god of war by Kor. The humans
felt that the wastelands were holy, since those lands were trod upon by
gods, and so they chose to remain in the desert.
Regional History
Azrael began as a colony of Zakhara, the land of Fate.
In 1413, the Fourteenth Grand Caliph of Zakhara founded the colony nation
of Ara'bya. In 1440, the land of Ara'bya gained its independence
from Zakhara. The Fifteenth Grand Caliph fought to regain the land,
but the Ara'byans, fighting for a cause they believed very strongly in,
won the battles.
At the end of the first year of the Seventh Age, (116 years after Ara'bya achieved independence) a knight of the Silver Tree was transported to Ara'bya. There, he destroyed a small city that was dedicated to a god inimical to Saud the Destroyer and was given the name "Yam Ibn Saud" by the natives. Yam ibn Saud traveled north with Hiss the Lizard Man after destroying that southern city and encountered a barbaric tribe of nomads, who thought that Yam ibn Saud was a coward due to his wearing of armor. One of the nomads, named Morgul, doubted Yam ibn Saud's boasts and challenged him to a personal duel. Morgul defeated the young armor clad warrior. When Yam ibn Saud was healed of his wounds, he rechallenged the young barbarian. Again, Morgul defeated him. Soon, Yam ibn Saud challenged the barbarian again. A third time Morgul defeated the knight from Silvergate. Deeming the barbarian "worthy" (and knowing a good adventuring companion when he saw one), Yam ibn Saud offered the barbarian an opportunity to leave his tribe and lead a life of high adventure. Admiring the knight's courage and persistence, Morgul agreed to accompany him.
The following year, Yam
ibn Saud, the terror of Ara'bya, heard of The Desert of Kaantar...the
uncrossable desert ruled by a villainous dragon. Upon hearing that the desert could not be crossed upon pain
of death, Yam ibn Saud decided to cross the desert. He gathered all the intelligence he could on Kaantar the Blue
Dragon and on the famed Heart of the Desert.
He gained the Shield and Sword of the Desert and went into The
Desert of Kaantar with Hiss, Morgul, and Demi.
Nef bint Yam remained in the care of Morgul's tribe of barbarians.
The Sandy Sea caused the most difficulty to Yam ibn Saud and his
warriors, but they passed through it to the heart of the Desert.
They confronted Kaantar and defeated him, taking from the ancient
dragon the Heart of the Desert. Yam
ibn Saud was now the Power behind the dreaded Sandy Sea and the entire
Desert. The Desert of Yam ibn
Saud became even more deadly and infamous than ever.
Kaantar lived and was subdued and finally retained in a
subterranean lair near the castle of the Desert.
Yam ibn Saud lived a year of peace in the Desert. No one attempted to cross or to otherwise antagonize the powerful Yam ibn Saud. He spent the fourth year VII experimenting with his powers. He met several of the more powerful denizens of his Desert.
Ara'bya and the Desert of Yam ibn Saud began a war. The short war only lasted a couple of months, at the end of which, Yam ibn Saud pulled out. A tentative peace was called.
Yam Ibn Saud planted the seeds of religion in Ara'bya, a religion based upon his own "godhood". Using Thigru Thorkisen to summon sandstorms and to augment his voice, Yam Ibn Saud would appear to the common folk as a deity. a young female mage that served Yam Ibn Saud would project dreams of his coming to the mystics of Azrael. Offering hope to the downtrodden, Yam Ibn Saud gathered a huge following of people convinced of his godhood.
Yam
Ibn Saud began to garner the aid of the genies, making a treaty with a
powerful Efreeti Lord, freeing a trapped Marid, and being considerate to
the Djinni who agreed to serve him for 1001 days.
Yam Ibn Saud sent a tasked slayer genie to assassinate the King of
Azrael. The
genie failed.
Yam Ibn Saud then "sold" the King's palace to the Efreeti
Lord and hired a Holy Slayer to assassinate the King.
The Holy Slayer succeeded and the King was dead.
During the coronation of the heir to the throne, the Efreeti Lord
took possession of the Palace, transporting it to the Plane of Fire.
When the palace disappeared, the Efreeti Lord shouted out in a
terrifying voice, "ALL THINGS THAT YAM IBN SAUD WANTS, HE SHALL
TAKE!"
Rumors persist that Yam ibn Saud is dead.
Iss'ul may have allied himself with Kherit; the latter is using the former to hunt down wizards and sorcerers across Inzeladun.
The silent city of Socatra was attacked by giants and the psi-gate, the only one in Azrael, was shut down by a pair of giant siblings.
The city of N'syre has closed its doors and isn't allowing anyone in or out.
Notable NPC's
Iss'ul: A lizard man Fighter/Sorcerer/Assassin (8th level/4th level/8th level) who was formerly a cohort of Yam ibn Saud. He now runs his own network of assassins.
Kaantar the Great: A great wyrm blue dragon. Currently he rules Azrael and the Desert of Yam ibn Saud.
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