Koltai

Koltai is an independent city state in the far south of Lower Zagesi, and part of the continent-spanning Yurekai trading network. The Yurekai are a vast group of nomadic merchants, traders and craftsmen that inhabit and travel through The Daga-Kurum Desert.
Originally founded by a Yurekai warlord by the name of Kolaghatar around 400 pSF, Koltai was for most of its history not all that important to the larger political map of Kashura.
This however changed with the decline and then collapse of The Ashuurian State, as the city now finds itself in the enviable position as one of the central links of the new trade routes that are manifesting between east and west, as more and more traders avoid the chaos of Upper Zagesi and The Shattered Sea, relying more and more on The Yurekai.
Nowadays Koltai is known for 2 things above all else: its beast and its slave markets, which are unrivaled in both size and variety in the entire east. People come here to buy and sell exotic beasts and people from all over the continent, and the rulership is happy to take a small cut from all sales in exchange for providing shelter for new products and venues for sellers.

Territory:

Koltai is located in the far south of Lower Zagesi along The Nezendi River, where it meets with its last tributary, east of The Yurtus Hills and north of The Tolema Graywoods. It does not lay claim to vast territories, only concerning itself with the city itself and the lands in its immediate vicinity.
As of 32 SF, Koltai is home to a mixed population of around 45.000 people, with a roughly equal spread of all strains except for elves.

Government:

The rulership of Koltai has changed many times over the centuries since its founding, as is custom per the traditions of the Yurekai. After the death of its founder Kolaghatar, his successor was not one of his many children, but instead another Yurekai elected by their elders. This appears to be the custom in all Yurekai cities, but the election process, who gets to have a say and where, or rather if there even is a meeting spot is unknown to outsiders.
The current ruler of Koltai is a mouse wildkin-hominid hybrid by the name of Momo.

History:

Koltai was originally founded around 400 pSF by a Yurekai warlord, and rulership has changed many times since. The city's location has made it a target for attacks many times during its history, be it from the north, with other cities trying to expand their influence, or from bandits and marauders from The Daga-Kurum Desert and The Yurtus Hills. While Koltai was never conquered, it came close many times, so each time its walls were built higher and more robust, ramparts were raised, moats were dug and bridges were built, until Koltai is now one of the most heavily fortified cities in all of Kashura.
As part of The Yurekai Trading Network, Koltai was always rather connected to the rest of Kashura, and often one of the first avenues through which news spread into the region of Lower Zagesi. Its tendency to stay neutral in most conflicts also gave it the privilege of playing host to many peace talks, between different tribes and nations in both Lower Zagesi and The Conflux Sea. Momo, the current ruler of Koltai came into power in 25 SF.

Culture & Society:

To most observers, The cities of The Yurekai tend to assimilate into the culture of the lands surrounding them. Things are no different for Koltai it seems, The most followed religion here for example is The Ur-Ashaar and many people, even non-hominids, practice ashuurian traditions. That is how it appears at least, the reality though is that Yurekai are never the majority in any cities they build, as most of the populace comes from… well, the local populace. Knowing that, the fact that these people tend to assimilate somewhat to a minority in the lands that they themselves inhabited long before them certainly paints a different picture.
How exactly this manifests of course varies from city to city, the thing that can be said about Koltai itself though is:

Extended Families:

While families in the region don’t tend to be particularly small, The Yurekai have a different understanding of family. They don’t distinguish between fathers and uncles, mothers and aunts, siblings and cousins. To them they’re the same, which is reflected by the fact that the Yurekani language doesn’t even have different words to distinguish the two. They are kin, and you are obligated to help them if they require it. That goes both ways though, no matter how distant the actual blood relations may be, if you are picking a fight with a Yurekai, be aware that you may be taking on far more than you bargained for.
These practices of extended families have found their way into the population of Koltai. While their families and networks are not even remotely as vast as those of the actual Yurekai, it is always good to keep in mind before one starts picking fights here.

Laws & Institutions:

The Laws around Kashura generally don’t vary all that much from one another, murder and theft is pretty much illegal everywhere for instance, this section will therefore focus only on the noteworthy:

Weak Courts:

Murder is bad, most people would agree to that. Therefore it is illegal, yes even in Koltai, though one might not necessarily find repercussions at the hand of the law. You see, the courts of Yurekai cities tend to not be particularly… robust, and law enforcement is usually more concerned with protecting the merchandise of bigwigs than looking after whoever shanked your uncle Bill. That doesn’t mean that criminals aren’t convicted by the courts but unless they’re caught red-handed, or you/someone you hire produces the evidence required they’re not gonna be doing much.
Now this doesn’t mean that there are gonna be no repercussions for shaking your good ol’ uncle Bill, they’re just gonna take the shape of Bill's extended family, and they’re all really mad that Bill is dead, he was such a good guy!

Slavery:

As one might expect from one of the biggest and most well-known slave markets on Kashura, slavery is not just a business in Koltai, it is an institution. There’s even a three-part grading system so buyers can make a well-informed choice about their product:
The first grade deals with overall value and usefulness:
Grade 1 Slaves are your typical run of the mill slaves, good for manual labor but not much else.
Grade 2 Slaves have some skill or attribute that could make them valuable to buyers. Such skills can include but are not limited to: good at fighting, knows some Magic, is trained in a certain craft, can sing, can dance, can play an instrument, can read and write, can speak an exotic language, is good at math, is attractive, is a freak of nature, is good at cooking, is a recognized member of a minor noble family. (Make sure to speak with your local slaver to learn more details about your product of choice.)
Grade 3 Slaves either have a large number of skills and attributes that could make them valuable, or have 1 skill/attribute that would make them exceptional. Some examples of Grade 3 Slaves are: Someone that's good at fighting AND knows some Magic; Someone that can sing, dance AND cook; Someone that is REALLY attractive. (AND MORE!)
Grade 4 Slaves are the cream of the crop, the kind of stuff that most people would spend their life saving on… if they had any. These slaves are usually either very Good at a lot of things, or possess one certain quality that makes them so exceptional it would justify putting them in this category. Examples include: Being really, REALLY, absurdly attractive; Being a powerful mage and ALSO really good at fighting; Being a recognized member of a royal house. (AND MORE!)
The second grade deals with how docile and well-trained the slave is:
Grade D stands for DANGER! Buyer beware, these slaves will not obey their master unless significant incentive is given. Keeping their restraints on them at all times is advised.
Grade C stands for CAUTION! While these slaves might not be jumping to strangle you as soon as you loosen their chains, caution is still advised when giving them tasks to minimize their risk of running away or stabbing you in your sleep.
Grade B stands for BROKEN IN! These slaves have learned their place in life and have accepted that no one is coming to save them. They will likely not attempt to run away or kill you unless they are being severely mistreated. Best value for money according to most buyers.
Grade A stands for ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE! These slaves are even more docile than your family dog, and likely wouldn’t even think of hurting you or leaving if you gave them their keys and told them to, or if you beat them within an inch of their life (not that we recommend it!).
The third grade deals with how the slave in question was procured. As many different nations ban certain types of slavery this information is valuable for buyers that travel a lot:
Haras (The Cross): represents a Slave that was procured through what some might consider “unethical” practices: raiding, kidnapping etc.
Golos (The Circle): represents a Slave that was procured from prison or as spoils of war. These slaves usually are expected to be granted freedom after serving a certain amount of time, depending on the jurisdiction. That said, as long as you don’t plan on visiting those places, do with your property what you want.
Trias (The Triangle): represents a Slave that either entered slavery as a result of debt, or voluntarily sold themselves into slavery.
All this information will be provided free of charge along with any purchase in the form of a buyers certificate.

Koltai

Geography:

Region: Middle East - Lower Zagesi

Society:

Population: ~45.000 people
Strains: Hominids ~30% Other ~70%
Religion: The Ur-Ashaar

Politics:

Government: Yurekai Government
Ruler: Momo
Influence: moderate

Commerce:

Currency:
50 copper grains = 1 silver glimmer
25 silver glimmers = 1 gold sovereign