Modairo

The Modairo River Valley is home to a veritable plethora of life compared to the surrounding desert. The river, from its source in the Rana Mountains to its mouth in the Ovala Bay, is the primary source of life in the western Khar. Its banks are dotted with farms, villages, and cities. Unusually, these settlements are home to both humans and gnomes. Although the Modairoans are nominally adherents of Habor, they are far less militant about their faith than most Haborians.   Historically, the Modairo valley was made up of semi-autonomous settlements that shared a common language and culture. There is no record of any serious internal conflict, and the people of the valley adopted Habor peacefully. Vanişad was intended to become the capital of the province during the short-lived Empire of the Sun, and it remains the nominal capital of the region. It holds the Forum of Modairo, the assembly where representatives of the different cities meet to discuss issues affecting the valley. Each city remains largely autonomous, however.   Humans and gnomes live side by side along the Modairo. Relationships tend to be monogamous, although there are exceptions. Marriages usually occur for couples having children, although this is not required. Divorce is not uncommon and carries no stigma. Marriages occasionally occur between couples who wish to affirm their commitment to be paired for life, even though no children will come from the union (as in the case of elderly relationships, sterility, homosexual relationships, or even the human-gnome relationships that occur in the region). Among humans, women generally are in charge of child rearing while men work the fields, although children are often left with elders if their mothers work. Modairoan society is highly communal, and it is common for its inhabitants to help care for their neighbors’ children. gnomes and humans interact with a general disregard for species, and it is normal for humans to baby-sit gnomish children and vice versa. People generally live with their parents until they have the resources to establish their own dwellings. This is irrespective of marital status and it is not uncommon for married couples to live in the house of one of the pair’s parents.   The Modairoan civilization is known for its relaxed, positive outlook on life. Protected by the desert, its history is not marked by the constant warfare of the surrounding regions. Its culture is influenced by Akai philosophy and has incorporated the traditions of the Modairoan gnomes, and aspects of Habor. Although the people of Modairo converted to Habor when the Radiant Army arrived, they have largely bent the religion to fit their preexisting beliefs.   While the Modairo and the Akai civilizations share a general outlook on life, they do not share many customs. Modairo's natives are not inclined towards philosophical debates or universities; they are interested in such things, but they see them more as hobbies and usually become board with prolonged philosophical discussion. They spend most of their free time relaxing. People tend to congregate in the taverns in their off hours to play tab, shatranj, qirkat, and knucklebones while they drink various beverages (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic) or smoke cannabis from water pipes.   Theatre is a popular institution, although Akai plays are often too philosophical for Modairoan tastes. Locally written comedies are always enjoyed, however.   Thabrun, a kind of local ballgame, is popular and matches often draw spectators. The game involves a variable number of players and the exact rules vary from village to village. The game generally involves a pole of around three meters in length. Usually 25 – 50 cm have been painted at one end. The other end is anchored in the ground and the players try to score by hitting the painted segment with the ball. In some varieties a hoop is fixed at the top of the pole and is used for scoring instead. Generally, the ball cannot be held or touch the ground meaning that players must bounce the ball off of their bodies. The game is usually played in teams, collectively, or as a free-for-all.   Women and men play equal roles in Modairoan society. Men help out with the children in their free time and women frequent taverns, plays, and sporting events the same as men, and regularly drink and smoke. Children get extensive allomaternal care, and mothers can always find a neighbor, friend, or relative to care for their children while they are on errands or when they just need a break. This strong social network permeates all aspects of life along the River.   People generally only have a first name. If they leave their community, they tend to take their village name as a surname (e.g. Nifren Aşal = Nifren from the town of Aşal).   Traditionally, there has been little difference between the clothing of men and women. Both wear a roughly knee-length linen or cotton skirt called a Kuram. An additional wrap can be worn around their shoulders and torso for when the temperature drops at night. Various dyes are employed to add color to garments. Kuram come in various colors and patterns. Bangles and hairpins are commonly worn. Both men and women tend to be conscientious of their appearance. Bathing is an important aspect of the culture. Men usually wear their hair short and are clean shaven. Women usually wear their hair long and carefully groom themselves, shaping the eyebrows and removing the hair from most other parts of the body. Male fashion also tends towards a minimum of body hair although not always to the extent that female fashion does. Sweet smelling oils are often used by both genders (although with much more moderation than in Laistemeni. This obsession with grooming has given rise to the stereotype that Modairoans are vain, superficial people that are interested only in beauty and leisure.   Buildings in the region are generally made out of mud brick. Modairoans do not build monuments or palaces like those seen in Tara, but they do have an elaborate network of sewers, aqueducts, and large public bath houses. Towns are unwalled and are not situated with defense in mind. The Imperials constructed stone forts near Vanişad and Damu Kran, but they have since been abandoned.   Due to influence from Akai, Modairoan Cuisine is light on meat. Meals are usually eaten with wheat flatbread and generally consist of some sort of legume (chickpeas, fava beans, lentils, or tigernuts) with curried vegetables. Pomegranates, oranges, dates, apples, and jujube berries are commonly eaten as desserts. Cheeses and yoghurts are made from goat and sheep milk. Flax and sesame seeds are sometimes eaten as well. Eggplant is used in several dishes. Juices, Horchata (a milky drink made from tigernuts), and beer are all commonly drunk. Fish and other sea food is eaten in Vanişad. Fresh water fish are eaten along the river. Sheep and goat meat appear in stews on occasion but are not part of the regular cuisine. Modairoan food uses spices imported from the Divine Archipelago. Honey and sugarcane juice are used as sweeteners.   Foreign trade primarily occurs through the port city of Vanişad. Overland trade with Nafa happens via Damu Kran. Copper from the mines at Damu Kran is a primary export. Scented Oils, papyrus, sugarcane, grains, and linen or cotton textiles are exported as well. There are some glass blowers in Modairo, mostly in Vanişad, but they do not compare to Akai artisans in skill. As such, the glass is mostly traded domestically. The main imports in Modairo are silks from Akai, iron and coffee from Nafa, tea and spices from the Divine Archipelago, and salt and incense from Tara. Modairo mostly runs on a barter economy, but some merchants make use of foreign coins (mostly the Hykath from other Haborian polities).   The Modairo valley has historically been a militarily weak region. The people of the area have never had a standing army. The region briefly fell under the suzerainty of the Manasan Empire shortly before Skyfire, but the empire's contraction during the Year of Dark Sun meant that this had little effect on the lives of the people. It was peacefully incorporated into the Empire of the Sun.   The strong communal bonds mean that crime is a relatively minor problem for the region. There is no codified legal system, but general societal prohibitions exist against theft, violence, charging interest, and other destructive behavior. These issues are usually solved by communal meetings and mediation.   The people of Modairo generally have only a cursory interest in other cultures which they view as brutish, greedy, and generally misguided. They focus mostly on their own communities and think little of what lies beyond the river. In general, they are generous people who greet strangers with hospitality, especially the Akai and Nafa.