Earia

SOCIETY “So powerful is the light of unity that we know it can light the whole world.” This saying signifies a hierarchy of loyalties based on the proximity of some people to oneself, beginning with the self, and proceeding through the adopted family as defined by kinship. Disputes are settled, interests are pursued, and justice and order are dispensed and maintained by means of this framework, organized according to an ethic of self-help and collective responsibility. The people of the Frozen Sands share an ethos comprised courage, hospitality, loyalty to family or friends and pride of one’s identity.
When resources are plentiful, it is common to see several families or groups of friends band travel together and help one-another as much as is feasible. While these groups were sometimes linked by a specific lineage, others were just as likely linked by alliances or guilds. The people of the Frozen Sands traditionally have strong honor codes, and traditional systems of justice dispensation in their society typically revolved around such codes. Neutrality in all things is highly encouraged and practiced in many aspects of life in the Frozen Sands.
ETYMOLOGY Al’shizar linguist Ahmad Kasavi had related in the "Tome of the Sand" suggested that the cities name is a combination of ancient towns which merged into one several centuries ago. The ancient town of Eiran had a neighbor, Iana. While lost to history, it is believed the two town’s names comes from ancient words meaning "end" or "bottom", and the other meaning "[mountain] slope"—literally, the bottom of the mountain. With the city being located at the base of a great hill, this description is a logical one.

Government

Sultanate / Monarchy (Al'shizar Empire)

Industry & Trade

IMPORTS Glass, livestock, linen, spices, fragrant oils, and pottery
EXPORTS Sugar, rice, fruit, incense, precious metals, and alchemy/potions
TRADE AND COMMERCE The Al’shizar Empire is efficiently run and has always welcomed trade from outside its borders. Its merchants can be found throughout the lands of Dayne and many of its exports are highly sought after. Numerous measures have been undertaken by the empire to increase agricultural production. Canals were dug to facilitate the irrigation of agricultural lands throughout the island. Cultivation of sugarcane was officially encouraged to meet the great demand of it by both the local inhabitants and foreign nations. Thanks to this acceptance of foreign trade, several new plants were introduced to the Frozen Sands, including sesame, carob, millet, rice, lemons, melons, apricots, and shallots.
The main factor which boosted industry and trade under the Al’shizar was the new interests Pallidon nations developed when they came into contact with the desert people. Commodities included incense, scents, fragrant oils, and aromatic plants from Arabia and India, as well as ginger, alum, and aloes. Likewise, Valo developed new tastes in the matter of fashions, clothing, and home furnishing. Rugs, carpets, and tapestries manufactured in the Frozen Sands were introduced to the East through Pallidonian-Al’shizar interaction. Adventurers visiting Earia have returned with old reliquaries for the keeping of relics. In addition, eastern works of art in glass, pottery, gold, silver, etc., were highly prized in Kerak.
The demand for agricultural products and industrial commodities stimulated maritime activity and international trade to an unprecedented extent. The Al’shizar have played a leading role in this as they controlled sea-trade routes which passed through the ports of Earia and Tradetown via Kings Bay and the Arin Sea. The trade policy of the Al’shizar Sultanate placed them in a position of great advantage; although they cooperated with the Dabu Greenlands and Valo in the Kings Bay, they limited them from having access to the Arin Sea. Thus, they kept the trade of the area exclusively in their hands.

Districts

• Bridge District • Old Sultan Ward • Healers District • Garden District • Arcanist Borough • Sultans Ward • Iron Wharf • Bathhouse District • Iron Scepter Ward • Serpents Canal District

Guilds and Factions

The Unbound - Are appointed members of the Al’shizar military with near limitless authority to act in the Sultans name in terms of law enforcement and espionage. These fully masked individuals never give their name and rarely identified publicly. They are found everywhere in Earia and the major settlements of the Frozen Sands, to include acting as the Sultan Amir’s personal bodyguard. While normally viewed as magistrates or constables, they are also considered the elite warriors within the army. Their name comes from the policy of unrestricted access to records and approaches to investigative manners.

History

Although Earia is well-known to be an ancient city, it remains unclear exactly when the oasis was first settled. The first certain written reference to the city is in the hieroglyphic tablets of Tellan Birad, where it is listed among territories conquered by unnamed tribe. An important material trace from that period is a basalt orthostat (stone slab) depicting a winged sphinx, found during excavations at the Great Mausoleum. In succeeding centuries, the settlement around the large oasis grew dramatically into the city known today. Several nomadic tribes formed into one and quickly became the defacto power on the island. Earia became an important military outpost for the growing Al’shizar Empire. Doctrinal, theological, and political differences, however, increasingly divided the Frozen Sands people.   With the Consolidation (unification of all the Frozen Sands tribes) complete, the Al’shizar moved their capital to Earia. During this chaotic period, the city walls were rebuilt with strengthened gates, and a fortress-palace was founded in the northwestern corner of the city. The appearance of homogeneous, introverted, and self-reliant residential quarters emerged in this period. Roughly 120 years ago, the city was divided into multiple communities, each neighborhood equipped with its own amenities, including a guildhouse, bath, public oven, independent water supply, and small markets. The Great House and central market remained centrally located and under sultanate control. The capital is a modern marvel and is considered to be one of the most populated areas in Dayne.

Points of interest

Great House - An impressive stone-walled building, decorated with wrought-silver metalwork. The three-story structure contains a large meeting hall and several large rooms shared amongst several magic, trade, and healers guilds.
The Light Merchant - A single storey stone-walled building, the shop of a female human equipment merchant named Tehia Diehi. It is said to be built atop a crater where a piece of a star fell to earth long ago, and everything Tehia sells glows with warmth when needed.
The Oasis – The freshwater oasis is 6 miles long by 4–5 miles wide and has about been fed by roughly 150 springs. Two rock outcrops provide the sites of the old walled settlement, which made the location a veritable fortress for many years. The oasis was expanded over many years by multiple means and is heavily protected by the military.

Geography

Earia is located in the northeast portion of the Frozen Sands and is on the coast facing Kings Bay. The desert area around the city has multiple large hills and plateaus.

Climate

Earia, as with the majority of the Frozen Sands, has a unique climate system. Summers are prolonged, dry and exceedingly hot with less humidity. Winters are brutally cold and somewhat rainy; snowfall is frequent. Autumn is very brief and mild, but has the most drastic temperature change, unlike spring where the transition to summer is more gradual and steady. Annual rainfall is around 130 mm (5 in), occurring from October to May.

Type

Capital

Population

3389

Inhabitant Demonym

Mixed - Majority Human, Biata, and Stone Elf

Location under

Frozen Sands

Owner/Ruler

Amir Reza Fardin

Owning Organization

Al'shizar Empire

Characters in Location

• Amir Reza Fardin