Ammuyad Caliphate
The Ammuyad Caliphate is in northwestern Libynos, between the towering Zakros Mountains and the shore of the Sinnar Ocean. Most of the land is deep sand desert that is sparsely populated by nomadic tribes, while the rest of the population is concentrated on the large peninsula in the central part of the coast. The caliphate itself is nearly 3,000 years old and has been ruled for close to 2,000 years by various branches of the House of Ammu.
The desert is divided into the Western Erg and the Great Eastern Erg. The western desert is comparatively small; the Eastern Erg, on the other hand, is hundreds of miles in width and length and makes up the large majority of the caliphate’s land area. The two similar deserts are separated by the Great Desert Wall, a range of mountains that curve completely around the landward side of the populous area of the caliphate. Other than the desert area, the western peninsula is hilly and semi-arid except along the western coast where the climate is excellent. The other exception is the low-lying tip of the peninsula, which has marshes.
The best way through the Desert Wall for most people is to travel along the bank of the Havari River, which makes its way through the mountains via a badlands area called the Painted Canyons. The river’s route provides a road for the frequent trade caravans as well as individual travelers. The caliphate trades its own products and those that come by ship from the west, for items and materials from Jaati and the Crusader Coast, through the city-states of Istaflumina.
History and People
The caliphate has the privilege of encompassing the area in which the deity Mah-Barek first came to mankind, and where his four disciples walked with him on the earth. At that time, northwestern Libynos was under the nominal rule of the Hyperborean Empire but the area had been in dangerous confusion for centuries. Once a region of well-watered fields, a series of volcanic eruptions and a change in prevailing winds led to hot, dry winds that blasted the Ashurian Plains into the Ashurian Desert. Only the intervention of powerful genies enabled the people of the region to survive. They lived mostly in small villages, with nomadic tribes roaming in between, and warred constantly over resources and authority.
The Hyperboreans were little concerned with a new religion and did not object even when Karram, eldest grandson of Mah-Barek’s First Disciple Fatimashan, founded a new realm in 534 I.R. and was declared caliph, the secular protector of the religion. However, the Hyperborean authorities did require Karram to swear fealty to the empire. Soon, worshippers of Mah-Barek flocked to the territory dedicated to his veneration, and cities grew and prospered in the Karramid Caliphate. When Karram’s line failed in 1610 I.R., the burden was taken up by the descendants of Ammu, another of the first disciple’s grandsons. The caliphs of today continue to be of the line of Ammu, for whom the caliphate is named.
The power of the Hyperboreans waxed and waned over the centuries as the caliphate continued to grow. The end for the empire came quickly after the shift of the planet’s poles and the destruction of the imperial capital of Curgantium in 2496 I.R. At first, the Hyperboreans withdrew into Libynos, abandoning all of Akados by 2516 I.R. When Polemarch Daan marched on Tircople in 2584 I.R., many soldiers of the caliphate were part of his force that brought down the undead Imperatrix Trystecce. The Hyperborean Age was over, and within 50 years, the last of that race abandoned Libynos as well.
Into this vacuum, the caliphate spread. It had long traded with its neighboring provinces of the empire, but now it saw the opportunity to make a new empire under the banner of Mah-Barek. The region of the Antioch City-States was the first to come under its sway in 2611 I.R. This was followed in 2619 I.R. by a colonization effort in the Irkainian Peninsula of northeastern Akados, where the caliphate founded the Principality of Pelshtaria.
Unfortunately, this period of expansion was not destined to last. After 150 years or so, the Antioch City-States became restless, wishing to form a league of independent city-states without the oversight of the caliphate. When a great plague struck the trade city of Bhutan and its vicinity in 2768 I.R. and the capital city of Hava in 2769 I.R., all resources inside the caliphate were engaged to deal with the disease and to maintain food production and such trade as could still go on. The city-states took this opportunity to sever their ties with the caliphate. The plague years also broke down communications with Pelshtaria. By the time those were re-established in 2772 I.R., the colonists had learned they could do quite well without the caliphate’s assistance. In 2773 I.R., a new prince of Pelshtaria was chosen without the consent of the caliph and the empire of the caliphate came to an end.
In many ways, this was a good result for the caliphate, which was no longer required to devote resources to administering foreign lands. Instead, the government concentrated on the growth of trade, and messengers focused on proclaiming the religion of Mah-Barek. Wealthy nobles sponsored groups of settlers in the great Maighib Desert of central Libynos, which eventually resulted in the establishment of the independent Sultanate of Khartous and the spread of the worship of Mah-Barek to Caddesh and Guurzan.
Religion
All followers of Mah-Barek are welcome in the caliphate. While other worship is not forbidden, no other obvious temples are permitted. Although the churches of Hafaz and Koua have no public centers of worship, the Church of Marwan has active worship facilities in all the major cities and many smaller locations as well. However, the hearts of most people are given to the Church of Fatimashan and following in her path of benevolence.
Trade and Commerce
Trade is key to the prosperity of the caliphate. This is exemplified by Bhutan, where ships arriving from distant parts of the world meet caravans that made their way across the Great Eastern Erg with goods from northern and eastern Libynos. The Great Caravan Road is a true economic accomplishment; after centuries of work, the Ammuyad Caliphate developed Caravanserais about a day’s march apart for most of the more-than-900-mile journey from Bhutan to the Empire of Assuria. The caliphate maintains good trade relations with dozens of countries around the world and cautiously profitable connections with many more.
Loyalties and Diplomacy
The Ammuyad Caliphate exchanges embassies with most of the countries of northern and central Libynos, as well as those along the Sea of Baal. Representatives from many royal or ducal courts in Akados can also be found in Hava. Although the kingdoms of the western Maighib Desert are co-religionists of Mah-Barek, no formal treaties of mutual defense exist with them.
Government
Grand Caliph Rayan bin Azhar Al Ammu is the hereditary monarch of the caliphate. He encourages court intrigue among his nobles, partially because as long as they are intriguing against each other, they will not be inclined to ally together against him.
In general, rather than the rule passing to a minor child, a caliph designates an adult relative such as a brother or even an uncle as his heir, and then changes his heir when his sons are grown. Several times the monarchy has passed through all of a family of brothers before being handed on to the next generation. Rayan bin Azhar himself caused some controversy when he took the throne. His father was the last of a generation of brothers but not the oldest, so some thought the throne should have gone to one of the current caliph’s cousins. Caliph Azhar bin Husni clearly designated Rayan as his heir, though, and the inheritance was clearly within the law, so the situation was eventually resolved. However, the caliphate’s authority was damaged among some of its more distant settlements, and Caliph Rayan bin Azhar faced a difficult few years with fractious tribes and lesser nobles before peace was achieved.
No woman has ever served as caliph, though women can be sultanas and amiras.
Military
Much of the Ammuyad military is employed in defense of the caliphate’s lucrative trade. The navy, headquartered at Cordival, actively patrols for pirates and keeps watch for any sign of an invasion by sea, however unlikely that may seem in this day and age. The most persistent pirates are the Northlanders, whose longships slip through the Mulstabhin Passage. Sometimes they come peacefully to trade or enjoy the amenities of the cities; other times, they raid the north coast or western extremities of the caliphate and dash back to their home waters.
A primary responsibility of the Grand Army is protecting the Great Caravan Road from bandits and from dangerous creatures of the desert that may be beyond the capabilities of caravan guards. Another is securing the border of the caliphate. However, since borders with neighboring areas are nearly all nebulous and drawn in shifting sand, this can call for diplomacy as much as vigilance.
Given the distances the army travels, it is understandable that there are no true infantry units. The common soldiers are camel riders, and a company’s equipment is all planned to be transported by camel-back. The elite units ride strong, light horses that are also trained to fight, and the troops are some of the best cavalry in the world. Another notable achievement by the Grand Army is its development of high-quality crossbows that it issues to all its troops. All soldiers are trained to use the weapon, and some units develop exceptional skills with it. Some Ammuyad soldiers, after the close of their seven-year enlistment, join (or form) mercenary organizations where their skills command high prices.
Major Threats
The greatest threat at this time to the peace of the caliphate is the lightning raids of the Northlanders. When several ships attack together, they can threaten the food stores of a local area or even supplies intended to feed the population of one of the large cities. The navy deals severely with any Northlander pirates they catch to discourage others in the future.
Region
Ammuyad Caliphate
Capital
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
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