The Emirate of Al-Khadir

The Emirate of Al-Khadir

Location	Anjyarr
Races	Dark Elves The Khadan
Primary Religions	Pantheon of the Phoenix The Path
Political System	Monarchy
Current Leader	Sultana Phaedra, Al Masri Torsec
Royal Council	Kelthraid Vikhari Sig'vyl Al-Buthara Mithariel Undotauré

Culture and Society

Apparel

Despite the many differences between the two races, both the Khadan and the Dark elves have managed to develop a common trend in apparel.

The harsh climate of Anjyarr has made both races favor loose, layered robes and dresses made out of many different materials such as cotton, linen, silk or satin. The wealthy will often be seen wearing clothes accessorized with many different jewels usually made of precious metals such as gold or silver.

The robes and dresses of the Akhadi are usually very colourful and often have accents of gold weaved within the fabric. The only difference between the two races, when it comes to their apparel, is that the elves prefer elegant dark-coloured robes decorated with mostly purple gems and inlaid with silver instead of gold. It is also usual for Akhadis to wear piercings.

While traveling through the desert of Anjyarr the Akhadi are often seen wearing hoods over their heads as protection as well as to hide their identity. On top of that the women are often seen wearing veils covering their face in order to keep the sand out of their face and prevent it from reaching their eyes.

Festivals and Celebrations

Al-Khadir city ~1521 A.F.S

Wahid  - A two-day festival in which the Akhadi celebrate the alliance formed between the Khadan and the Azari’ Lunn. The first day is spent with A fishing contest and boat race, The second day is spent with music, dancing and ending the night in a feast prepared by the entire Emirate, including the Sultan

Samudara - A celebration that indicates the start of a new fishing season, during which new   sails are raised and the fishermen of the nation are honored.

Feast of the Sultan - Marking the end of a year, this feat is considered as one of the most important events in Al-Khadir. Following the traditions, the emir would welcome all their citizens into the palace for a feast and games. Accordingly, it is customary for the people to wear their best attire in attending this event.

The Khadan

• Sangh - A three-day festival that takes place annually. Starting on the believed date of the reunion between the two Clans, the Khadans spend their time hosting duels (in a friendly and sportive manner), feasting and dancing. Traditionally the two strongest warriors would also put on a performance duel that would continue throughout the festival, but due to such performance being too exhausting, it has been replaced by shorter duels between anyone who would like to be challenged.

• Kura- A festival that emphasizes the significance of love of life in the Khadan’s life philosophy. A significant trait of this festival is that different events would take place during the day and the evening. During the day, the younger people would celebrate by hosting a series of competitive sports events such as horse racing or archery, while the elders would spend time visiting their friends or relatives. On the contrary, the evening is a time when the lovers would spend time with each other and when the singles would seek for a potential partner.

The Azari’ lunn

• Mereth -A feast that celebrates generations that lived and those that are to come. During this feast the entire village will often sit and prepare special dishes. Each household is required to prepare at least two dishes of their specialty, food will be shared and a massive gathering will take place.

• Linnas -A massive parade that celebrates the Azari’lunn’s enthusiasm for music and accumulation of wealth. Being quite an important event on the Azari’lunn’s calendar, it is customary for one to  dress up in their finest clothing and parade around while listening and dancing to the music being played. The music is often produced by lutes or drums, their music is very upbeat and the dances are a lot more lively. The music, often produced by lutes or drums, is usually very upbeat with the accompanying dances a lot more livelier than the regular dances performed by the Azari’lunn.

• Gwinnig -This is a festival that will celebrate new life and elven fertility. Much like the High Elves, reproduction is important to the Dark elves. This is why Gwinnig takes place three times per elven year to celebrate the birth of younger elves and the fertility of an elfess.

Commerce and Work

Export:

The Emirate of Al-Khadir has a long history of producing precious metals such as gold or silver. Long before the Azari’lunn and the Khadans’ alliance, the earliest Khada traders began trading with Hadrian traveling merchants using golden nuggets. The formation of the human-elven alliance has drastically increased the fining technology of precious metals and gemstones, therefore increasing the value of the already-rich reservation of precious metals gemstones in the territory of Al-Khadir.

It is also because of the arrival of the Azari’lunn that fine jewelry and hand-crafted artifacts began to constitute a heavier share in the exporting goods of Al-Khadir. The natural resources, combined with the Azari’lunn’s inherited skills, have made Al-Khadir-made jewelry and glassware one of the most delicate in Eden.

In addition to the aforementioned goods, dyed products such as clothes, silk, carpets or tapestries also account for an essential portion in Al-Khadir’s export goods. This is largely attributed to the Akhadis’ preference for colorfulness in their daily decorations or clothes, where such preference has incidentally led to the gradual advancing of their dying technologies.

Some of the other less staple export goods of Al-Khadir includes fish or the according derivatives and ship-building technologies. These products share the common origin of being the long-possessed livelihood skills of the earliest Khadan inhabitants.

Import:

Despite the many valuable natural resources that spawn in the desert, Al-Khadir’s territory also lacks some essential, life-sustaining resources. A good example of which is freshwater, a variety of crops and meat-producing livestocks. Because of this, Al-Khadir depends heavily on the import of raw material and food. The Kingdom of Hadriana, being Al-Khadir’s biggest trading partner, usually takes the role of being Al-Khadir’s most essential importer of aforementioned goods.

Admittedly, Al-Khadir’s heavy reliance on Hadriana and this unbalanced scheme of exports and imports have created potential political problems between the two nations. One famous incident in the history of Al-Khadir is the embargo during the rotting plague, where Hadriana cut off all trades and left Al-Khadir isolated, indirectly wiping out 80% of Al-Khadir’s human population.

Political beliefs

The pursuit of loyalty and unity have taken such significance in the Emirate of Al-Khadir that the political beliefs of many Akhadis are shaped surrounding these concepts. The political system in Al-Khadir is generally considered one of the most free and open-minded in Eden. However, it should be noted that despite its diversity-embracing natural, the political system and beliefs in Al-Khadir still possess several distinctive traits, as follows:

The concept of “unity” manifests in the democracy of Al-Khadir. The Akhadis value different voices, and each perspective is equally treasured and respected despite one's gender, race, occupation or wealth. This gives birth to the unique representative counsel system in Al-Khadir’s political sphere, as one representative from each dominating occupation or specialization is selected every five years to gather as a counsel in assisting the ruling Emir/Emira.

Imaginably, the Akhadis are proud of their democracy and inclusiveness. Their sense of pride and loyalty are seen through the authoritarian nature of Al-Khadir. The ruling house of Al Masari Torsec has been well-liked by the citizens of Al-Khadir, not in the manner of subordinates to the sovereign, but more intimate, similar to a family patriarch/matriarch. This is primarily due to the initial election of Nevaso Al Masari Torsec, but it is also evident that the house has indeed fulfilled its responsibility in it’s many years serving as the guardian of the Emirate.

Religious Beliefs

The Emirate of Al-Khadir is widely renowned for bringing forth excellent merchants, hardened warriors, daring adventurers and ever-inspiring artists.

The Akhadis take great pride in their work and will often be seen working tirelessly on their respective professions until the sun paints the sky in a beautiful mixture of golds and purples while setting over the vast sand dunes of the surrounding desert.

Nevertheless, exploring the well-illuminated and colorful streets of Al-Khadir, one couldn’t help noticing an absence of places of worship. This absence, unlike how some would suspect, is not due to the constant commercial hustle and bustle that dominates the streets in Al-Khadir; it isn’t just that, one would regularly find priests preaching in any other regions in Eden, whereas in Al-Khadir the sounds of the bustling streets would suppress any such religious attempts.

Instead, to many’s surprises, the absence of religious activities in Al-Khadir is mostly attributed to the fact that the Akhadis are arguably not as religiously enthusiastic as other inhabitants in Eden.

The primary reasoning behind this is that despite being open-minded people, the Akhadis highly encourage thinking for oneself and pursuing self-love as well as inner peace instead of pleasing others. Within everyday life there are many priorities which the Akhadis value, and simply put: religion isn't one of them.

This is however not to say that being devoted to a religion is prohibited and not a single Akhadi is religious. On the contrary, one is however simply free to forge their own path and believe in whichever deity he/she wishes as long as this doesn't go against the principles of Al-Khadir society.

Freedom of mind has long been a very important standard within Al-Khadir society, and this has resulted in a slight aversion towards individuals who wish to force something onto others, especially outsiders, with religion being a great example of that.

Besides that, it is quite well known that Al-Khadir's population consists mostly of Azari'lunn and the Khadan who both have their own separate religious beliefs. Yet both races believe that religious beliefs should be passed on from the elderly onto the next generation, teaching them about the past and allowing them to explore the world for themselves with the wisdom of their ancestors to guide them along their path.

These two religions of the Azari’lunn and the Khadans are, respectively, as follows:

The Path,

a philosophy exclusive to the Khadan way of living that focuses on finding inner-peace.

A Khadan's view of the world is heavily influenced by the unwritten rules of this sacred philosophy. It should be noted that The Path is not entirely a religion, as it is more of a life philosophy instead of worship.

In addition to all aforementioned reasons, the lack of places of worship can be explained through the fact that in specific the Azari'lunn firmly believe that their god will heed his children's call no matter their whereabouts.

It should also be mentioned that the Akhadis believe that worshiping and praying to their beloved god may be done on any occasion and is not limited to being done only within the confined walls of a place of worship.

Pantheon of Fineall,

a religion that is based around worshipping the god Fineall who is a part of the Pantheon of the Phoenix. This specific religion puts a heavy emphasis on loyalty, freedom and unity. The majority of this religion’s followers are Azari’lunn, but occasionally, Khadans who share an extremely close relationship with certain Azari’lunn could be influenced and persuaded to devote themselves to Fineall. However, generally speaking, one would rarely find anyone besides the Azari'lunn devoted to Fineall.

Military and Law

The strengths and virtues of the Akhadi swordsman and bowman are etched deeply into their identities as discipline, devotion, wisdom and sacrifice are generally considered as the lifeblood of an Akhadi soldier. Such ideology truly enlivens the army of Al-Khadir.

Also known as the Royal Guards, the Akhadi army may have had some dark pasts and struggled through difficult times. However, under the recent command of admiral Munace Vikhari and his son, the now-admiral Khelthraid Vikhari, the Royal Guards has gone through multiple reformations and is now considered  – if not surpassing –as powerful as any other armed forces in Eden.

Like the nation of Al-Khadir, the Royal Guard consists of a mixture of dark elves and humans. The different fighting styles, weapons and techniques from both races are equally encouraged in the military, with an example being the Water Dancing fighting style originally practiced by the Zenthir clan of the ancient Khadan humans.

The preferred weapons of choice of the Royal Guards include spears, short bows or curved swords. This preference of quick and elegant weapons is common among both dark elves and humans, as the Khadan humans have been long accustomed to spears and bows, and the dark elves significantly favor swiftness due to their relatively slender physique in comparison to other elven races.

It is worth noting that the use of non-aggressive strategies or subtle means of attack is highly encouraged and even accoladed in the army. Examples of such strategies or means include poisoning, stealth or espionage. The army has witnessed a growing trend in the use of such means under the command of admiral Khelthraid Vikhari who, upon noticing some of the typical shortcoming of dark elves, decided to develop and promote a fighting style that “truly belongs to the Azari’lunn”. As such, it is very common for the Akhadi army to praise a soldier not only for their ability to surpass others physically, but also for their intellectual superiority. The act of only using one’s strengths or brute-forcing one’s way out is therefore often considered a simply-minded approach rather than bravery.

The admiral, being the highest ranking individual in the army, will first assess a candidate’s eagerness; upon being approved to be truly whole-hearted and possessing the necessary sense of honor, the candidate is then sworn in by reading the Royal Guard Oath to the ruling Emir. One is then officially considered to be a Jundi, and from there one can start exploring their skills and preferences under the guidance of higher-ranking officers.

Military Apparel:

The Royal Guards of Al-Khadir tend to wear lighter armour that are cloth-based with chainmail covering the fatal weak spots. Brass plates heavily enamelled and inlined with shining silver or gold are also used to prevent one from being struck with a sword. In addition to armour, it is also common for soldiers to wear masks. This is because of several reasons: first, one can remain unrecognisable and is able to keep their work life separate from personal life; second, one can protect themselves from the frequent sandstorms and the burning heat of the desert.

Ranks:

Ranking in the Al-khadir goes in order of:

• Admiral
• Ghazi
• Jundi

Each rank is important to the army; it is just seen as the different roles having different responsibilities and roles:

The Admiral: the highest in command being in charge of everyone in the Royal Guard. They will often be seen accompanying the emir of Al-Khadir protecting them. But could also be protecting the other high nobles of the nation.

The Ghazi: under the admiral and are in charge of smaller squads, they take charge of the Jundi and make sure everything runs smoothly for the admiral. They always accompany the Jundi on their quests and orders.

The Jundi: the normal soldiers but this does not make them any less important than any other role. They focus on doing what they are told, they can be asked to do patrols or protection of important people on their travels.

Crime and Punishment

In the Emirate of Al-Khadir, crime is something you do not want to get caught up in. Although humans and dark elves have different beliefs as to how criminals should be punished, both races are known for holding honor and loyalty with high regards. Since the humans were supportive of  “giving second chances” whereas the dark elves tend to be more vindictives, the two races came up with a compromise to bring both beliefs together: criminals are to be punished by serving their time in forced labour camps. Generally, unless one has committed a felony, they are to be working in the city or the gold mines. Although some humans view such punishments as justified slavery, most dark elves would consider such punishments as labour duty,

Depending on the severity of one’s crime, possible labour duties range from cleaning the stables to gardening in the palance. However, despite what one might end up doing, these jobs are often looked down upon unlike any other professions in Al-Khadir. This is because the law enforcement in Al-Khadir wish to preserve the punitive nature of these labour duties, therefore deterring one from potentially commiting a crime.

Like aforementioned, depending on the crime that was committed, the jury will decide one’s work for the rest of their sentence. The less severe crimes such as stealing or disrespecting the higher-ups of Al-Khadir are usually associated with less demanding jobs and would only result in a sentence of at most two years long. The more severe crimes, however, could lead one into doing jobs such as rat-catching, which are often extremely hideous for the deterring purposes mentioned before.

However, one would be very wrong to think that most crimes are punished only with forced labour. In fact, many crimes are taken very seriously and the Al-Khadir law actually contains one of the most numerous statues of potential felonies. This is primarily because of the trading-hub nature of the Emirate. Afterall, it is natural for the nation having hosted visitors from all around the continent – to implement a stricter law to keep most in check. In addition, Al-Khadir also wishes to preserve its status as the trading center of Eden, whereas a city filled with crime would certainly hinder the city from getting a good reputation.

Examples of crimes:

• Trespassing into people’s private homes, the palace or any restricted places would result in little to no punishment if the act was unintentional. Otherwise, the offender is usually fined. In such cases, one should pay their fine at the tax office in the royal palace.

• Stealing is a serious crime as it is considered as trust-breaking. Stealing is punishable through labour duty but for a limited amount of time. The judge would usually ask the offender how long they think they should be punished for before making the final call. The severity of this crime is usually associated with the value of the goods that have been stolen.

• The act of murder is unacceptable and is one of the most severe felonies. In judging a suspect of murder, a public court meeting is held and the community would decide their fate. Unless with understandable motives or specific factors, murders are usually displayed publicly before starting to serve an indefinite time in forced labour.

• Treason is the most severe of all. Any plotting or scheming against the emir will be considered treason. The Royal Guard will constantly be on high alert if there are rumors of a potential plot. The punishment for treason would be a public execution with the offender’s body left exposed and displayed. It is also considered every citizen’s social duty to report any suspicious activities, and failure to comply so, upon being discovered, could also result in criminal punishment.

*It should also be noted that no weapons or substances may enter the Royal Palace. The only people permitted to have weapons are those trusted by the admiral and the Emir/Emira. Taking a weapon inside the palace without permission will be considered as attempt at murder.

History

Although the separate histories of the Khadans and the Azari’lunn stretched far beyond that of the Emirate itself, most Akhadis would agree that it is the first contact between the two races that truly symbolizes the birth of their beloved nation.

It is believed that the Azari’lunn stumbled upon the Khadans and the city of Al-Khadir – still a trading town back then – purely by accident. The Azari’lunn, having barely survived the civil war, were living as the gipsies of Eden for almost two centuries. Roaming the lands of Eden, this group of refugees had been seeking a place that would greet them if not with welcoming arms, at least not with scorns and detestation.

Yet their search had been fruitless. Although the Azari’lunn had proven themselves to be quick learners of various skills with their elven wisdom and inherent perseverance, few of the towns or villages were willing to take in this group of exiles.

It is believed that the Azari’lunn had never stayed at a place for over a month. It was also during this period of unresting travel that the group size of the Azari’lunn hits its lowest. The Azari’lunn, already barely able to sustain themselves, were also subjected to the menace of bounty hunters, mercenaries or even elven assassins. Thugs would constantly pick on the group of exiles, and the local authorities were often fleecing the Azari’lunn of the few coins in their pockets. The kidnapping of women and children was also frequent, as the former were often sold with a high prices for their elven figures in brothels and the later exploited for slavery. This period of time, now known as the Difficult Days, is recognized undoubtedly as one of the most glooming during the entire history of the Azari’lunn.

Yet it was almost as if the children of Fineall had not received enough challenges in their already dismal journey. With the death of their leader Zebrac Torsec, the Azari’lunn were ill with grief and also directionless. Under the guidance of a few elders, the Azari’lunn ventured into the wasteland of Anjyarr, only to find themselves in the middle of a lifeless desert. With the burning sun vamperiozing most of their water reserve during the day, and the chilling strong wind freezing what’s left, it did not take long before the group of exiles had to face the harsh desert climate under devastating hunger, thirst and extreme exhaustion.

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In the most desperate of their times, the elders in the group gathered to discuss the fate of the Azari’lunn. As most agreed to leave the desert following their footprints, the destiny of the exiles was still uncertain as the way out would be equally as harsh. But just as the Azari’lunn were about to turn around, amidst the brewing sandstorm, a glimpse of something colorful and artful could be seen in the distance.

In their last hope, the refugees sent out three brave ‘lunns to scout the structures. When they finally arrived at the gates of the town, they were greeted by the Khadan guards who, despite noticing their shabby appearance and storm-torned clothing, welcomed them respectfully. The three elves were treated with food, water and a warm bed to rest on while a team of Khadan soldiers were sent to help the rest of the group. For the first time in two centuries, the Azari’lunn were invited into a town filled with people who not only treated them with kindness and respect, but also willing to host them for long.

And as such the Azari’lunn’s hundred years of search ended at the trading town of Al-Khadir. Most Khadans were first curious about their dark-skinned new friends, but their curiosity soon turned into astonishment as the ‘lunns started displaying all the skills they picked up along their journey. Indeed, among the Azari’lunn were skilled seamstresses, jewellers, carpenters and smith; their knowledge in herbalism, Eden’s history and politics were also found useful as the Khadans were able to treat their sick more efficiently and to the barge for a better price when trading with the travelling merchants.

It should be noted that it would be inaccurate to state that none had ever questioned the Khadans for their warm welcomes. After all, for centuries the Azari’lunn had been hunted for, deceived, exploited and sneered at. In fact, a considerable portion of the exiled were reluctant to put their guard down. They remained distant and set up a separate camp outside of the town, cutting all connection to the humans except for when living necessities were traded for.

But the Khadans were not judgemental. Also having an ancestry of war refugees, they relate by heart to their dark-skinned friends. The vigilant and kind nature of the Khadans also made them loathe the bounty hunters that were after the Azari’lunn’s trails, and many Khadan soldiers even took pride in hunting down the thugs reversely to an extent that not a single ill-minded person would even dare to enter the desert.

And as such the two races of Al-Khadir lived their separate lives in harmony for the first century or so. This distant harmony, although perhaps not the most ideal in the eyes of the Akhadi today, would have lasted longer. Yet the true unity between the two races would not have happened if it wasn't for the impact of the deadly rotting plague.

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It only took one sick Atian merchant to infect a whole market. At first, Khadans returning from the market started to fall ill, throwing up every last drop of liquid they consumed until there was nothing but blood. The Khadan doctors who actively treated the first wave of patients were then infected, followed by their families and neighbours. Given that the plague also spread through water, once the sewage system in the city was infected, the plague went almost uncontrollable. Soon, it was documented that 80% of the Khadan’s population were wiped out by the rotting plague. With people dying every day and the remaining of humans falling sick, bodies were left unburied, lying on the streets to rot and for animals to devour.

The once-flourishing trading centre of the desert was made a ghost town, but the worse had yet to come. With the other cities of Eden also plague-bonded, all ties to the desert were cut and travelling merchants soon stopped appearing at the gates of Al-Khadir. In addition, the majority of the surviving Khadans were either too sick to even walk or too young. Supplies in the city started to run short, and as if the plague was not worse enough, the surviving Khadans soon found themselves having to decide if it would be better for the dead bodies to be buried or eaten so the living could struggle for another day.

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And in the most desperate of the human’s time, their decision to take in the Azari’lunn had finally proven itself to be a correct one. The rotting plague wiped out 80% of the humans but left the elves unharmed. The Azari’lunn resolutely abandoned their settlement and went into the disease-ridden town, knocking on every door in search for survivors and cared for them just like how the Khadans used to care for the ‘lunns.

And as such the Azari’lunn treated the sick, cared for the orphans and buried the dead properly. The town of Al-Khadir, although drastically damaged, was able to return to its old-day glory much faster than other settlements around Eden. With the population of the Khadans greatly impacted, the Azari’lunn now surpasses the humans in numbers. And when the aftermath of the rotting plague finally ended, the Khadans and the Azari’lunn were treating each other like brothers with either race reluctant to live without the other. In an almost consensual vote, the leader of the Azari’lunn, Nevaso Torsec – descendant of the heroic Zebrac Torsec – was voted as the ruler of Al-Khadir by both Khadans and ‘lunns. To honor the lost lives of the Khadans and the former chief Al Masri,  Nevaso Torsec added the last name to his bloodline, and the house of Torsec Al Masri continued to rule Al-Khadir until today.