City-State of Lonys (Loh-Nees)

Connecting Najha with Radhaputni and Chientzu, the land bridge known as The Asseri Strait Is known for it's slave trade and arid landscapes. The land is divided by two city-states with the eastern one being the city-state of Lonys.
The area belonging to the city state of Lonys has a dry weather, with jagged mountains making it harder to pass through the Asseri strait. Nonetheless, every year, caravans pass by, slowly but steadily, zigzaging through the landscape, first passing through Merya and, before entering Radphaputni or Chientzu, it's mandatory to pass through Lonys.
The Lonysians and their neighbours have perfected the trade of a commodity shun by many but still used immensely on some states: slavery. The biggest slave markets can be found in these cities, but each one has different ways of getting them.
Lonys is one of the oldest cities of the human world and it's the birthplace of the shortbow. Lonysians were the first to use this tool for war and their soldiers have perfected the art shooting their enemies on non lethal spots, so they can be easily captured and eventually sold in the large slave markets that are spread through Lonysian territory.
Aside from their elite archers, Lonysia's military strength is quite similar to Mérya. However, these prefer to use more mobile and simple cavalry, thus not using the heavy chariots employed by the Méryos.
Due to the intense heat most of the year, the city-state soldiers and warriors avoid wearing heavy armor, prefering some extra mobility.
Both Asseri city-states spread their religion and tradition through small cilindrical stones, no bigger than a forearm, called "Nam-Sub". These stones are spread througout the region, each having a prayer, incantation or teaching. Priests are known as "En" while high priests as "Ensi". Priestesses have their own hierarchy and are known as "Nin".
Lonysians, just like their neighbours, are extremely zealous folk, worshipping their gods, the Asseri Pantheon, blindly. In fact, the city-state is a theocratic Republic. In this group of influential "Ensi" the most prominent of the current era are Amurab and Nebuconozor II. Names of ancient and recognized Ensi include, Sumu-abum, Karaindash and Nebuconozor I.
Their monumentality can best be seen through the worship of the cult of Utu, their sun god, who govern the region with tall and wide temples of this god spread throughout the land, some carved onto the very mountains.
The nations of the region are highly dependent on the main river of the Asseri Strait, Tehphrat, that passes through both cities and it's flooding is crucial to the farming of these nations. The river and it's floods has helped both states to develop their irrigation systems, with canals built to allow the water to spread to more urban areas, while reservoirs help keep the water reserves in times of need.
Lonysian and Meryan architecture is monumental. Since the land lacks proper stone materials, but has good conditions for clay, their buildings are mostly made of clay bricks and colored with colorful tones. Their entrances have wide columns, brimming with colors and a foreigner visiting their cities will recognize their wealth just from their buildings.
Their most monumental buildings are obviously temples, which reach massive sizes, with thin layers of zync and gold. Inside, halls of torches are held by terracota reliefs and the corridors with statues made of obsidian (a rare ore in the region)
Both Lonysians and Meryans speak Asseri, the language of the Asseri Strait, and one of the oldest languages in the world. Due to it's remote location, the language has barely seen any changes since it's conception, Being so different from other languages, makes it also harder to learn, but that won't stop the most curious ones.
The inhabitants of Lonys are avid enthusiasts of the arts and science. Being specialists in astronomy, medicine, alchemy, mathematics, philosophy and literature.
Despite having a religious government, this is quite open, encouraging its inhabitants to cultivate themselves and expand their knowledge. This, combined with the slave markets, led to a concentration of less worthy people, with Lonys ending up functioning as a center of knowledge for arts considered less ethical by the other peoples of the continent.
In the field of astronomy, they have gradually mapped the stars of the universe, aided by an exhaustive use of mathematical calculations and various devices dedicated to the study of the cosmos, such as the astrolabe.
In medicine, its researchers are good at diagnosing and prognosing ailments and have an extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and foods that help treat them. In addition, its healers have an extensive knowledge of human anatomy.
In literature, this is encouraged by the creation of multiple libraries across the various cities and temples of the microrealm. A Lonysian proverb says that “he who wants revenge in the school of scribes must rise with the dawn.” Both men and women are taught to read and write.
Philosophy flourished thanks to the encouragement of literature, much built by its wise scholars and scribes. This debate on the fields of life, particularly ethics, through the forms of dialectic, dialogue, epic poetry, folklore, hymns, lyrics, prose and proverbs. Lonysian reasoning is developed beyond empirical observation.
In architecture, the city-state of Lonys and its territoriy is known for the particularity of creating gardens on top of their massive buildings, giving a very green and natural view, with artificial streams traveling through the city. This architecture, which contrasts with the arid landscape of the Meryans, reveals extensive knowledge in the area, showing complex systems of ascending irrigation, water pumps, and botany.
Alchemy is a more obscure field. Its scholars try combinations of potent chemical reagents, some trying to unlock the secret of the Muabin gunpowder. The result is not what was expected, but these have had their discoveries. The use of naphtha as an explosive, for example.
Such investigations are carried out in huge laboratories built in the basements of giant temples, where various experiments are carried out, on both animal and human guinea pigs, most of them slaves, but also some volunteers.
Locals of Asseri Strait are usually between 1.50 and 1.80 meters tall. Men tend to have a tanned skin tone, due to the intense sun in the region. Their hair is always in dark tones and they like to wear elaborate beards, forming them into straws and interconnected by gold rings. These wear colorful and golden robes. The women likewise have a tanned skin tone and wear light, golden garments.

Main Hub

Lonys

Located close to the Tehphrat's riverbank, the city is a testament to the wealth of the Lonys, with tall walls made out of of clay bricks, glazed in blueish color to look similar to lapis lazuli, a coveted stone in the region. The immense size of the city (over eighty thousand inhabitants) made it necessary to build several gates and expand the city walls multiple times. The most well known gate to the city is the ninth gate, called the Kinstar Gate.
The Kinstar Gate is massive building with multiple gates for entering the city. It sports several towers as part of it, two on the first gate and behind it, on the second gate, two taller and wider towers, all made of the same materials as the walls. with elephant reliefs along the towers.
The city is also famous for it's gigantic palace, where the Ensi Council gather. This building has multiple layers, like a zigurat, but each layer has an irrigation system and water pump, to make several water canals and irrigate the vast gardens on the multiple layers.
Besides these landmarks, the city has a decent port to acomodate international trade, a gigantic market district, with several inns to harbour traveling musician troupes, and a a large academic quarter, for their many academies.

Lonysian Traits

Lonysian Ethnic Proficiencies

Characters with this trait are proficient with the following: Shortbow.

Heavy Armor Restrictions

Characters with this trait can't use heavy armor.

Sect of Utu

+1 to the Spells DC check for Clerics, Warpriests, Inquisitors and Paladins of Utu. This bonus increases by 1 every 5 levels.

+1 to Heal skill checks. This bonus increases by 1 every 5 levels.

Lonysian Archery

+1 to Attack rolls with shortbow. this bonus increases by 1 every 5 levels.

On successful crit with these weapons, the target's move speed is reduced to 5ft for 1d4 rounds (Reflex save DC 15+ 1/2 character level). An enemy can only be under this effect once per day.

Characters can choose to cause non-lethal damage without penalties with shortbows.

Wealthy People

Characters with this trait start with double the amount of starting gold.

Shrewd Merchant

Characters with this trait can roll twice for Appraise and Profession Skill Checks and choose the higher roll.

Zealous Faith

+1 to Will saves. This bonus increases by +1 every 5 levels.

New God

Utu, The Asseri Sun God

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domains: Fire, Good, Law, Protection, Sun.

Mysteries: Flame, Solar

Favored Weapon: Shortbow

Type

Geopolitical, City-state