Ashebahiri (Ah-she-bah-hear-ee)

Ashebahiri, named “shadowless wastes” by common folk, and home to the “Viskari” is a dangerous place for many reasons; The sun directly overhead giving everything a shadowless quality mixed with the blistering heat already makes navigating the planes a difficult task, add in the monsters that lurk in the sand and bandits hidden in ambush ready to take ownership of any/all goods and produce passing through their land, Ashebahiri should be treated with caution.  

Buildings and Settlements:

The City of T’ebikai sits at the north-east at the foot of the mountains. This city consists of sandstone, stone and marble buildings. The halls of the Malik run deep into the mountain where only a select few may venture.   Many of the smaller towns and settlements are far more rudimentary and are typically self governed. This makes for quite the inconsistent travel experience.  

Clothing and Fashion:

Within the Cities the fashion is for bright coloured silks or other lightweight fabrics. Loose fitting garments tied closely at the waist, wrist and ankles are considered fashionable.   Headwraps and face veils not only protect from the heat and sand, but are seen as a sign of dignity and importance.   Small metal trinkets are used to decorate one's outfit, especially around the hands and head.   Out in the wastes, the colours of the clothing tends towards more natural sandy/rock colours. The loose clothing is still prominent and head coverings are nearly always worn. The metal trinkets are replaced by a number of other quieter alternatives such as bone or wood.  

Traditions and Culture:

The “Malik” or “Amirah” is the title given to the King or Queen of T’ebikai   The trinkets on one's clothing is designed to be as noisy as possible as one moves around, this is especially important during parties, dances and celebrations. Many Viskari will compete to be the loudest member at the event without having to raise their voice.   Some especially raucous parties are so full of clanking and jingling that it is hard to hear the music everyone is dancing to.   Viskari also see the noise as a sign of strength; they will not sneak up on a victim, they will always be heard approaching, giving the person a chance to fight back.   Out in the waste there are no laws, so anyone is treated as fair game. Most clans and tribes won’t attack on sight, but it’s not the kind of place where an insult is tolerated. Some clans on the other hand exist purely to take from others. These bandit tribes might skulk along the trade routes behind a convoy and strike at the most opportune moment. Or they might partly bury themselves and lay in wait for an unweary traveler.   For many of the people of Ashibahiri, they believe the leopard signifies agility, nobility, ferocity, aggression, and courage, and some consider it to be the Great Watcher. The leopard is also considered as a totem animal and healers believe it to have special powers, with some even using their skin as ceremonial attire. Given the animal’s exceptional eyesight, locals believe the leopard has the ability to see what others cannot; as their skin helps them camouflage in the wilderness. For these reasons and more the Leopard has been adopted as the regional animal.