Ankhara

Stretching from sun-scorched deserts to fertile riverlands and glittering coasts, Ankhara is one of the oldest continuously inhabited civilizations in the known world. When the other nations of men were still living in nomadic tribes, Ankhara was already carving its laws into tablets and raising monuments designed to outlast history itself.

Land & Climate

Ankhara is a land of stark contrasts. Vast deserts roll endlessly beneath merciless skies, broken by ancient trade roads and half-buried ruins. These deserts give way to the Shiyarah River, whose seasonal floods nourish rich farmlands of grain and dates.

Along the coast, white-stone cities gaze out over sapphire waters, their harbours crowded with lateen sails and foreign merchants. Further inland, frontier settlements entice fortune seekers with their bountiful mines and unexplored tumuli.

Ancient Legacy

Ankhara’s history stretches back thousands of years, with each subsequent empire leaving its mark on the landscape. Colossal ziggurats and god-kings’ tombs dot the interior, embellished with bas-reliefs depicting ancient heroes flaying enemies, binding demons and parading captives beneath the blazing sun.

Dynasties may have risen and fallen, but the core of Ankharan culture has endured. Indeed, nearly all of the nation's major cities stand atop the ruins of their previous iterations. Most are blissfully unaware that entire kingdoms may lie entombed beneath their feet.

Government & Power

Ankhara is presently ruled by Sultan Hamid Belisarius. While the Sultan supposedly has absolute authority, this power is shared with viziers and noble houses whose lineages predate the current dynasty.

An extensive bureaucracy maintains records on everything, all the way back to when they were written on clay tablets. Ankharan law is both merciless and precise; crimes are punished severely but only after meticulous trials.

The sultanate maintains a formidable standing army, famed for its disciplined infantry, elite chariot corps and horse-mounted archers. Fortresses and watchtowers guard trade routes that have existed for millennia, deterring bandits and beasts who inhabit the sand dunes.

Religion & Belief

Religion permeates every aspect of Ankharan life. The sun has long been revered as the eye of the gods and ancient temples are frequently aligned with celestial events. Priests wield enormous influence in society, having the right to act as judges or viziers when they see fit.

While modern worship centres on monotheism under the god Asura, relics of many forgotten gods are buried beneath the sands—crueler powers whose names have been chiseled from monuments but persist all the same. Tomb-robbery can be a capital offense, not merely for theft, but for fear of rousing these slumbering deities.

Culture & Society

Above all else, Ankharan society values tradition and reputation. Tabaxi, orcs, dwarves and humans are all common sights in Ankhara, though castes are rigid and deeply ingrained, with non-humans typically only thriving in frontier towns.

Clothing is elegant and practical: flowing robes, turbans and jewelry of gold and lapis lazuli. Music and dance—particularly forms like the mysteriously rhythmic rakh charkee—are central to celebration and storytelling.

Slavery exists but is heavily regulated, more often involving criminals or debtors than captives of war. Foreigners may rise in status through service, but true power remains in the hands of noble families.

Magic & the Old Arts

Spellcraft in Ankhara is formal and ritualistic, often tied to astrology, sacred geometry and engraved sigils rather than spontaneous casting. Many of the most powerful mages are sorcerers whose bloodlines stretch back further than recorded history.

Some relics—sealed within tombs or ziggurats—are said to predate the gods themselves. Of these relics, none are more highly sought after than those buried in the lost city of Zerzura. Many adventurers believe such stories, though none have returned to confirm their veracity.

Trade & Influence

Given its location in the world, Ankhara serves as gateway for trade between many other powers. Its port cities—such as Khufu and Aldebaran—allow goods to be shipped in massive quantities. More recently, its significant investment in the lightning rail has seen trains swiftly transport cargo and passengers through neighbouring Zhongho, all the way through to Izumo and Bruslavya beyond.

Spices, silks and incense all flow through its markets. In return, Ankhara imports timber, steel and mercenaries to protect its merchant caravans and mining settlements, like Diamondback and Quickstone.