Arberia (/Ar-bee-ree-ah/)
History and Government
Arberia is an ancient land, the "end of the world" for the old High Elves; when Delos'Nordan ruled the continent of Pharos, its borders stretched until they hit the sun-blasted sands, where only the bravest of so-called Desert Elves dared tread. The exact origins of human civilization in Arberia are not known, but they seem to stretch back at least as far as the first human kingdoms on Pharos, a fact which the people of the capital in Hirse hold quite proudly. If one were to ask a loyal Arberian, they would say their nation has existed for eternity, under the watchful guidance of the Kings-of-Kings. The Shalazzar - or King-of-Kings - is the sole ruler and authority of Arberia, and his will is final... or so it goes. The current man to hold this title is Delshad Alinejad Sherazi, a name which is as extravagant as the man's personality. From the capital of Hirse, Shalazzar Sherazi guides his expansive lands through fear and glamour, bolstered by his eyes and ears - the elite Shavar assassins. The Shavar are a name whispered of throughout the desert, and all who rule within its borders bow to their will. Despite Sherazi's grand reputation, his involvement in desert affairs is minimal. He has taken no actions against the colonies erected in the desert's south during the Age of Enlightenment, viewing the prospect of enforcing such claims as requiring of too much effort; much better that the foreigners tap into wealth and brighten the great Arberian markets! The cities of The Strand have similarly gathered much independence, bolstered by the fact that they are the primary trade route between the Kcalsbury Continent and Pharos. So long as they swear their oaths and pay their taxes, however, neither Sherazi nor the Shavar bother with direct intervention. Beyond its importance as a road between continents, Arberia is renowned for the beauty of its cities. There are, officially, seven such cities, the most opulent of which is Hirse itself. Beyond these seven cities, and the hundreds which dot the slim region of the Strand, Arberia is largely devoid of any permanent settlements. The governors of the seven cities are chosen directly by the Shalazzar himself (they are typically family members) and are known as Lazzars, while governors of the Strand divide various unofficial titles amongst themselves.Insurgents and the Desert War
Due to Arberia's relatively laissez-faire attitude within the Strand, there is a recent history of revolts across their varied cities. Many of these revolts owe their allegiance to the Human Workers Bloc and other revolutionary causes. Others, however, are religiously-minded or based around autonomy rights for the desert's sizable nomadic population. In the beginnings of the colonization of southern Arberia, the Shalazzar had significantly funded tribesmen to fight against the colonists. These tribesmen came to be known as the Karavali, and their war [Karaval. The Karavali have long lost the support of the Shalazzar, but they still thrive in southern Arberia and have spread to the Strand and even the Jewel-Cities. The Karavali primarily oppose the exploitation of their desert lands, though their interests have diverged since the Shalazzar's abandonment, and the term Karavali has come to be synonymous with any enemy of the Arberian state.Cities
Hirse
Hirse, the City of the Sun, is the capital of Arberia, and the seat of the Shalazzar. It lies far in the desert's north, along the critical Hirsid River, which is the only source of water for its peoples. Along the Hirsid River, running all the way from Hirse to Tajar, are the nation's primary farmlands, which grow specialized crops in the humid floodplains. These farmlands are sometimes considered as part of Hirse itself, leading to estimates of a population greater than a million, though the primary city of Hirse only houses a few hundred thousand permanent residents.Tajar
Tajar, the City of the Sea, is connected to Hirse by a long string of farmlands, and operates as the primary point of trade between the capital and the outer world. While the Sea of Mists is a dangerous ocean, it is far less treacherous than endless miles of sandy wastes, and small ships typically drift by the shore to Lasthold and Barisea, careful not to be caught by the tide and sent further out to sea. Aside from being a point of trade, Tajar is known as a center for piracy, though most "illicit" activity is actually sanctioned by the crown, and targets only foreign shipping, from which a portion is paid to the Shalazzar's treasury.Rayyab-hul
Rayyab-hul, the City of the Rock, occupies a place at the southern base of the Sand-Snow Peaks, famous for being tipped with frost and snow year-round, despite their presence in the otherwise-burning desert. The city is within close proximity of The Strand, but is directly ruled by the Shalazzar, and is a primary headquarters for the Shavar, from which they can influence the Strand's affaris without getting too close. Rayyab-hul has a permanent population of just under a hundred thousand people, but Desert Elven tribes often visit it for trade and rest, bringing their goods along with them.Kadarasto
Kadarasto, the City Beyond, lies segregated from the rest of Arberia by the Highstone Cliffs. The Sea of Mists brings in a cooler temperature, and rain falls commonly upon its shores, making it a strangely habitable portion of the desert. Still, it is virtually unreachable by land, and only ten thousand people live here. The only reason anybody does is because it serves as an important resting point for sailors from Tajar, who come through to trade with Lasthold and the Kcalsbury Continent. Over time, some visitors have settled down to help run its affairs, and the town has boomed recently. Despite its smaller stature, Kadarasto still very much deserves the status of a jewel city, its domes and spiraling towers imposing when hidden by the ocean's mists.Bashal-Talab
Bashal-Talab, the City of Doors, is thusly named for its wooden foundations. In broader Arberia, where brick, clay, and hardened sand consist of the nation's building blocks, doorways are an uncommon fixture, especially as open spaces far better permit the air through. In Bashal-Talab, the architecture becomes a lot more western, but it maintains its Arberian flavorings, making heavy use of spires, domes, pillars, and arches - it's just that they happen to be wooden. Bashal-Talab is a city of two hundred thousand, and the most common Arberia jewel city to visit, for it is on the border and in a favorable climate. It is well-known as a haven for drugs and prostitution, as well as other darker elements which are not quite as endorsed by the city's governor.Geography
Arberia is predominantly a desolate wasteland, a vast expanse of white-and-yellow sands thare are unrelentingly blasted by the sun. Few can survive here, but settlements have built around its rare creeks and rivers, especially in its central portion, where Lake Kiagna is a critical reservoir that feeds much of The Strand. the Silent Wastes form the most uninhabitable portion of the desert, in the nation's north-east, while the nation's borders tend to be more forgiving. In Arberia's west, where it meets the Kcalsbury Continent, the sands fade into sparse savannahs and even woodlands, especially along the West Arber River. Further south, mountains flank much of Arberia's border, breaking only for the rolling hills that bleed into The Horse-Lord Lands. In the nation's east, there are but two passes through the Dragon's Mountains; one lies north, in the Silent Wastes, and is virtually inaccessibly, while the other connects The Strand to Highgard, and serves as the primary link between the two neighboring continents. The nation's south is less severe in climate, though is barely inhabited, simply due to lack of exploration. Here, foreign nations have claimed foothold colonies, which they use to tap into the region's resources and ship them outwards, but most of the region still remains unknown. In the north lie the Highstone Cliffs, beyond which is a similarly more mild climate, where rains and mists abound as they are pulled in from the treacherous Sea of Mists. These lands are hilly and have plenty of rare flora, which live nowhere else in the world, but are inaccessible except by sea.Resources
Arberia's south has plentiful and untapped reserves of gold, which is the primary motivation of colonial ventures there. Its north boasts a bounty of silver, from which the city of Hirse is largely built. All manner of mineral wealth can be found in Arberia's bordering mountains, but these are claimed alternatively by Dwarves, Thalgor, neighboring nations, and even dragons, making their exploitation a dangerous endeavor. The floodplains of the Hirsid River boast plenty of exotic crops, especially spices and drugs, which are largely banned from export. Still, smugglers take these goods across the desert itself, trekking hundreds of miles to sell them at high cost. The central region of Arberia, The Strand, boasts all manner of goods coming through its borders, as it was once the only trade route between Pharos and the Kcalsbury Continent. Today, much of that trade has moved to shipping, but a good tenth of the world's goods still make their way through its sprawling cities, and anything you might dream of can be found within its length. Throughout all of the desert grows the cactus-like plant Aio, which possesses a luxurious spice. The Arberian government has a virtual monopoly on this resource and prohibits private harvesting, both because of Aio's slow growth rate and the dangers of collecting it.Ethnicities
The founding peoples of Arberia, now largely known as Arberians, are the Arbers. Some people still identify with Arber more than Arberian, but they are largely conflated abroad; Arber typically refers to the nomadic, tribal humans of the desert, which have largely been integrated into Desert Elven tribes. The Arbers were strong followers of Ah'yelan, and possibly settled along Arberia's rivers, and in The Strand, as early as the Age of Blood, concurrently with the High Elves of Delos'Nordan. The Desert Elves, while typically considered a separate race rather than an ethnicity, deserve a more explicit note here, as they make up a significant proportion of the desert's folk who are not integrated into cities and reside within it permanently.Diplomacy
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"The Great Kingdom - Homeland of the King of Kings"
Adjectives: Arberian
National Animal: Wind-Winder
National Instrument: Tanbura
Ethnicities: Arberians, Arbers, Desrati
Languages: Arberian, Arobo'rithei, Human Common
Capital: Arberia
Ruler: King-of-Kings Delshad Alinejad Sherazi
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Hallmarks: Divine rule, exotic crops and spices, worship of Ah'yelan, magnificent jewel-cities
Characteristics: Adventurous, cautious, profit-focused, reserved
National Animal: Wind-Winder
National Instrument: Tanbura
Ethnicities: Arberians, Arbers, Desrati
Languages: Arberian, Arobo'rithei, Human Common
Capital: Arberia
Ruler: King-of-Kings Delshad Alinejad Sherazi
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Hallmarks: Divine rule, exotic crops and spices, worship of Ah'yelan, magnificent jewel-cities
Characteristics: Adventurous, cautious, profit-focused, reserved