Jawharan Empire

The Sahib Alsiyada, Sahib for short, is the elected sovereign of the empire, though he does not have absolute control.  He still must answer to the council of Emirs. Each Emir is in charge of a major city and the surrounding province, though they have a great deal of autonomy. The High Vizier is the chief advisor fr both the Council of Emirs and the Sahib, and he also serves as the intermediary for the provincial court that handles inter-provincial disputes and trials. Kufahs are local mayors, but they act more like magistrates who are in charge of maintining law and order.

Their culture is probably the least touched by Old Imperial influences as they defined themselves by their resistance to Asturian rule.  independence is a core part of their culture as each city in the empire prides itself on being able to take care of its own affairs.  In addition, each city boast a unique culture idiosynchrosy as some area are more adapted to desert travel while others are more adept in agriculture.   The imperial authority embraces these differences and plays on each areas specialty.  The empire functions more as a confederacy than a true empire, but the divers nature of the land makes the latter title more apt than the former.   Clothing and fashion differe by region, but on the whole, silk robes and tuncs are favored as they can keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  In additioon, that type of garmnet is ideal for desert travel, which is important, as the northern wastes are home to multiple desert peoples who act as the gateway for northern trade.

They wish to expand their power base and reclaim the territory they lost in the Ademic War (Trimaran War).  They also wish to become the dominate trading power in the southern regions.

The mountains provide plentiful depositis of minerals and precious metals:

• Iron
• Sulfur
• Coal
• Copper
• Silver
• precious stones

In addition, revitalised trade with the Akkadian principalities and city states has brought new life into the spice trade, while the extended trade routes with isaria has provided another market for...

• Old imperial magical items
• Isarian weapons and tools
• Arcane lore
• technological blueprints and secrets from the Shattered Lands.

Jawhara boasts over 2000 years of continuous history, and they claim to be the cradle of civilization on the continent.  Situated between the two rivers south of the Galore Desert and the Arkosian wastes, the first cities started being built under the illustrious founder, Jawhara Al'Azar Iben Al'Abast, who the Jawharan's claim predates the zenith of the Asturian empire.  According to legend, Jawhara founded the principle city state that would come to dominate the region in around 2500 IE, and even though, the area did not officially organize into an empire until 867 IE, the cities of the area would band together for mutual defense.  Jawhara's city was the largest and most pwoeerful, so most of the local city-states took their lead from them. The Jawharan city-states prided themselves on their freedom and committment to idendependence, and they would occaissionally hold a conclave of local leaders to settle trade rulations, establish borders, and agree how local guilds would work.  In addition, they would conscript members of every city and town to form a unified defense force.  Southern Astur essentially revolved around Jawhara, and they even spread their influence to Akkad.  However, this preeminent position would not last as the ever expansionist Asturia was on the rise.  The Galore Desert, the Arkosian Wastes, and the Goran Strait were fairly effective geographic barriers, but the Imperial Highway allowed imperial legions to circumvent those barriers and attack from all sides.  Jawhara put up a valient defense, and their forces were able to go toe to toe with the Eldritch Knights and magical artillery the Asturian employwe, but the local leaders could see that they could not hope to hold off the imperials indefinitely.  Therefore, they decided to sue for peace while there was still a stalemate.  They submitted to Asturian rule as long as they were guaranteed a measure of autonomy.  During the intervening centuries, the Jawharan leaders were not idle.  Al'Adammam took the initiative and overhauled its organizational structure and they began covertly investing in arcane study, naval construction, anmd military training under the guise of "local self-preservation". They clashed with Asturian authorities a few times, and while their efforts were delayed, the Jawharan leaders maintained the long view.  When the twilight years of the empire finally arrived, Al'Adammam took its shot.  It managed to convince or coerce the southern city-states to join together and form the Jawharan Empire (named after the hero king of Al'Adammam).  They forced out local Asturian garrisions and managed to stave off full reconquest by Asturian authorities.  When the final collapse of the old empire began, they conquered the remaining imperial holdouts, and they became the dominant power of the southern coast...until the Trimaran Empire would come to power.

The empire has over 1,000,000 people throught the empire, and the population is fairly concentrated in the major population centers in the west,  though a good portion lives in the eatsern cities and trade hubs. Al'Adammam is the largest city and about 20% of the total imperial population lives there, while a further 40% is spread across the other major cities or Bursa, Persis, and Iconium.   The major racial groups in the empire are...

• humans--60%
• Dragonborn--15%
• Elves (primarily wood elves and drow)--10%
• Goliaths--5%
• Dwarves--4%
• Orcs--1%

Most other racial groups only have a tasntitory pressence.

Virtually all of the Transgaloran plains encompass Jawharan Imperial territory.  The western river lands, known as the twins, is the heartland while the badlands in the middle form a natural barrier between the west and the eastern city states.  The eastern coast along the Gulf of Ademn used to be part of the empire until the coast lands got their independence during the most recent war with Trimara.

The imperial military is divded into three main forces:

1. The Vermillion Fleet--this is the naval branch of the military.  The fleet is compirsed of dozens of ships organised into small armadas made up of mostly light, skirmishing ships backed up by heavy frigates and war galleys.  The navy took a hit during the last war and is reduced in size.   The fleet is now mainly responsible for protecting overseas trade routes to Akkad.
2. The Topaz Fist--The main military arm of the empire that is comprised of conscripts and levies from every province and city state in the empire.  Even though the provinces and city states are largely autonomous, the military is always communal and is at the beck and call of the Shaib and the imperial council.
3. The Home Guard--Each governed region has its own local guardsmen that maintain the peace and uphold the laws.  These are not meant as military levies, but they can be called upon to serve if the need arises.  Many guardsmen units were combined into a smalle legion to help deal with the recent Trimaran incursion that almost sacked the capital.

While some lesser cults are recognized, and there are many faiths, the five core denominations of the empire are as follows:

1. The cult of Umberlee--The increasing reliance on naval power, and specifically naval trade, has promted many to adopt the worship of the demon goddess of the seas.  This faith is relatively new, but it has a dedicated following with shrines dotting the coast and a major temple in the part town of Basra.
2. The Church of Avandra--the Changebringer has been one of the core deities of the empire since its inception.  Dedicated to the pricniples of change, rebirth, and travel have allowed many people to endure great hardships and still maintain their dedication to themselvea and to the empire.  The main branch of the church is in the capital city.  Also, Avandra is the patron diety of travelers and nomads, so the varius tribes in the hinterlands created small shrines along their routes.
3. The Bank of Waukeen--Though called a "bank", the priesthood of Waukeen maintain the core tenets of thier god and ensure that all commerce is conducted fairly and all contracts are honored.  All money entursted to the Bank is sanctified and protected by the clerics of Waukeen who can give a promisary note for any donation, and that note will be honored at any other major branch of the Bank, and only a fool would dare to steal from the cleric of Waukeen.  They are the leaders of monitary charity among the empire, and the cult of Waukeen is also honored with a temple in the capital.
4. The Platinum Sanctuary--the worship of Bahumut has become common throughout the empire, but the large population of dragonborn in the empire has brought this religion more the fore.  The core tenets of the faith are justice, law, and order with the emphasis on doing good within the law, and the empire supports this new faith as many of its adherent are the councils biggest supporters.  Paladin of the Platinum Dragon are highly repected and some have achieved high ranks among the imperial military whn called up.
5. The Faith of Aeolus--the great god of wind is highly reveered in the hinterlands and badlands as it is the wind that balances the climate, but its wrath can also ruin and destroy.  The nomads in particular praise the Wind Rider.

  Some of the lesser faiths and banned cults:

• The cult of Tiamat (banned)--the Platninum Dragon is not without his evil counterpart.  The dragon god of trickery, deception, and conquest has her adherents, though those remiaining in the empire have been driven underground.  The rest have escaped to the Arkosian Wastes where they hope to drag her back from Avernus.
• The Knights of Torm (allowed)--the risen god of justice seems superfluous to those who worship Bahamut, but there are still those who follow the tenets of the Iron Knight.
• The Evlish Triad--Correlon Larethian, Sehanine the Moonweaver, and Lloth the Cursed are accepted, but the imperial authorities have not authorized any public worship buildings.  Only small shrines exist, and usually these are kept within elvish communities near the mountain forrests or small meeting houses in the major cities.

Jawahra has the best relations with the burgeoning kingdopms and city states on the Akkadian coast.  The empire has worked hard to cultivate this relationship and use their markets to rebuild Jawhara's economy in the wake of the most recent war with Trimara.  There is still a lot of bad blood between the two empires, and the fact that Trimara has established nominal control over the eastern coast is a bitter pill for Jawhara to swallow.

The western provinces are able to provide some of the major fod staples, but a lot of additional grains have to be imported from neighboring states.  The pastoral sector thirves, however, and imperial drovers and various nomadics tribes manage the large flocks and herds that help clothe and feed the empire.  Meet, fish, sea plants, and grains provide much of the agricultural market.   Jawhara is not known for its dedication to industry.  there is some mining and smithing, but those are small aspects of Jawharan culture and industry.  Artisans and craftsmen guilds also dominate the means of production, and they usually quash any large scale conglomoration or factory.  The crafting guilds provide what is needed for day to day operations and living for the populace, and they are also called upon to produce weapons and siege engines in times of war.  However, this method of relying on guilds has proven inefficient and many within the lower levels or government have been calling for change.

Trade is central to the empire and to ensure that its spice, ore, and craft tradesmen can ship their product, a robust system of roads are used for quick overland travel.  However, the overseas trade routes are far more lucrative and thus the Vermillion Fleet helps ensure merchants are safe from pirates and other hazards.  Trade overland to the east has slowed to a trickle due to continued antipathy, but some merchants are still brave enough to do business.  Usually they get around trading with the Trimarans by going through the high elves of Cy'Tania.   Also, while many other nations' merchants will create markets for old Asturian artifacts, the current Sahib has issued an edict forbidding the sale of any old imperial goods to outside buyers.  All acquired artifacts must be present to Jawharan imperial authorities for inspeciton, cataloguing, and study.

Due to the mercantile nature of the empire, most towns and cities have small schools or academies that will give the general populace a basic education in reading, writing and arithmatic.  Most people do not progress much past that, though there are some options for advancement in the military sector.  The burgeoning middle class and the upper class elites have access to the several universities and centers of magical learning throughout the empire.

Great paved roads connect all of the major population centers, and massive aqueducts cary water from the northern mountains to the dry areas of the central plains.  Aqueducts, canals, and irrigation projects are used in the west to ensure that all people have access to fresh water.  in the larger cities that are near rivers, sewers are maintained, and canals are also regularly cleaned to prevent stagnation and disease.