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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mythusmage" data-source="post: 301649" data-attributes="member: 571">Back again, with another installment of the series.The land of Yarbay lies east of Khemit, across the Mare Rubine. It is an arid land, inhabited mostly along the coast with nomads wandering the interior desert.To the east is the Sea of Yarbay, to west is the aforementioned Mare Rubine. She is bordered elsewise by Babylonia to the norths-east, Nejd to the south, Philistia to the north-west, Shamash to the west, and Hasur to the north.At present she is allied with Shamash and Babylonia, and engaged in low level conflicts with Khemit, Hasur, Nejd, Farz (across the Sea of Yarbay), and Ophir and Sheba on the southern edge of the Yarbay Penninsula. At present, should there be a break between Babylon and Shamash, Yarbay is most likely to side with the former. But Shamash's growing power may change that, and sooner than many expect.Yarbay lives mostly off trade and piracy. She is the midway point for many trade routes from East Afrika and Azir to North Afrika and Æropa. Besides the sea lanes, there are a number of caravan routes through her territory from the lands of Ophir and Sheba. As noted before, the bulk of the population dwells along the more fertile coast. Recently pools of mineral oil have been found underground along her Sea of Yarbay coast. Once thought useless at best (and a positive menace to life and limb at worst) this naptha (as it has come to be known) has come to be a major export of Yarbay, being used (with the proper preparation) for lighting lamps and lanterns, greasing axles, and as materia for numerous spells. Grease being a popular one. The highest grades of purified naptha have become famous for the great heat of their fires, thus making it popular for the production of cast iron and steel.Very recently the Kingdom started experimenting with the use of waste "tar". After some experimentation they have devised a substance they are now using to pave roads along the east coast. This black "asphalt" is proving to be cheaper than stone or concrete, and very durable. Also very smooth, nearly eliminating the wear and tear caused by irregularities in the ground. Thanks to the paving travel times between cities has decreased by as much as 20%Currently Yarbay has faced an increase in both Khemite and Farzian punitive raids. In addition, the land of Axxum in the Horn of Africa has joined with Sheba to stage anti piracy patrols. The growing tension between Shamash and Babylon isn't helping matters much.On the other hand, Yarbay is cooperating more with Shamash in staging raids on Hasur. Rumors of talks with Shamash for a joint military expedition against Hasur are gaining credence in some circles. The stumbling block to such is the possibility that Shamash might be after more than just the conquest of Hasur.Her relationship with Nejd is problematical. While trade between the two countries is profitable, both Yarbay and Nejd have long standing animosities. There is also the fact both feel they are the rightful rulers of the Yarbay Penninsula. While both have restrained their bellicosity to raids, both are confident war is not far away.-----That is our look at the desert kingdom of Yarbay. Tomorrow we'll be taking a look at the first of Khemit's Afrikan neighbors, the mountain kingdom of Axxum.</blockquote>

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