Abbas Wastes (Ah-Bas)

Those Who Survive the Sands Find Themselves

Introduction:

The Abbas Wastes consists of the desert in east central Utican and small portions of the surrounding lands. Initially the Abbas Wastes were wastelands inhabited only by monsters and desperate outlaws. However, when the Helena Empire came to Utican the human Odion people refused to be conquered and retreated into the Wastes. Since then the Odion have survived and prospered amongst the dunes.

History:

Prior to the Helenistic landing in Utican, the desert known as the Abbas Wastes was home to an indigenous human culture known as the Abbasi. The region gained its name from the indigenous people who survived in the desert. The Abbasi managed to survive through the guidance of the Sand Speakers, shamans who could commune with the sands in order to identify sources of water hidden beneath the dunes.
The Abbas Wastes became the home of the Odion people during the Walk Among the Dunes. The Walk occured when the Odion choose to retreat into the desert instead of submitting to the rule of the foreign Helena Empire. The Odion who set out on The Walk Among the Dunes wandered the desert for four years scraping by thanks to the discovery of small oasis, the aid of the Abbasi, and the miracles granted to the priests of Ilmater that led the Odion refugees. The Walk came to an end when the Holy City of Nebbu was founded atop a seemingly endless underground oasis. The oasis was uncovered through the joint efforts of the Priests of Ilmater and a Sand Speaker whose name has been lost to the ages. Following the Walk the former rulers of the Odion were ousted and the Priests of Ilmater that had kept the Odion alive during their time in the desert were made the rulers of the Odion.
The Odion spread throughout the Abbas Waste and overtime founded six cities in total. It would take nearly two thousand years for the remainder of the Odion people to be forced out of northern Utican and into the Wastes. The Orc Nobles completed the conquest of northern Utican and the remaining Odion joined their cousins in the Wastes.
The final defeat of the Odion in the north led to a significant advance among the Odion. The last Odion to come to the Wastes were expert shipwrights. These builders utilized their talents to build the sandships allowing the Odion to quickly navigate the desert. This allowed for far safer and quicker travel between the distant settlements within the Abbas Wastes and effectively made the Odion Federation possible. Shortly after the last Odion left the north, the Odion Federation was formed. It is one of the great human nations which historians site when discussing the Age of Humanity.
During this time, the Abbasi also assimilated into the Odion culture. While there were conflicts between the Odion and Abbasi, many choose to assimilate due to the safety and comfort offered by Odion cities versus the wandering ways of the Abbasi.
As the Odion cities grew the overall monstrous presence in the Wastes diminished while never being fully eliminated. The Wastes would be invaded periodically by the Orc Nobles of the Orc Domain but these incursions never resulted in the Orc Nobles securing a permenant foothold in the Wastes. The Odion developed positive relationships with the Dwarves of Kumuldor and engaged in trade with the Gold Dwarves despite the Gold Dwarves coming to Utican with the Helena Expeditionary Force. During the Dragon Resurgence the Odion managed to slay the Brown Dragon, Khamasin the Sandstorm. While this would be an impressive feat at anytime, it was even more impressive because it was accomplished prior to the proliferation of dragon slaying weapons. After the death of Khamasin no dragons dared to conquer the Wastes and again the Odion maintained their independence.
During the Monstrous Era the Odion engaged in efforts beyond their borders. The Orders dedicated to Ilmater along with the Sentinels worked with peoples across Utican to combat the scourge of the first Centaur Horde. It was a paladin of Ilmater who discovered that the Centaur were being led by an ancient Manticore known a Har the Ravenous. This paladin was part of a group of adventurers that confronted and defeated Har while a coalition of the peoples of Utican did battle with the Centaur Horde.
A series of wars broke out between the Leonin of the Antheran Grasslands and the Odion along the southern border of the Wastes. Both sides claim that the other began the war, but the actual origins of the conflict are lost amongst the propaganda. The war concluded with neither side gaining any meaningful advantage and both sides suffering unneccessary loses.
Recently, rumors have spread across the Wastes of undead roaming the desert in the south and east. In the north a merchant class is rising and challenging the supremacy of the priest class. In the west the mountain tribes and pirates of Exgilios grow more bold in their raids upon the Odion. In Nebbu priests of Ilmater squable amongst themselves for power and influence. There is ample opportunity for ambitious adventurers to make their names, help the innocent, and gain wealth within the Wastes.

Geogrpahic Features:

• The Calm: A large portion of the desert that is flat and easily traversable. While traveling in the Calm is tedious it is the safest way to navigate the desert. The Calm mostly exists on the edges of the desert while dunes and ripples are more prominent in the interior.
• The Holy Oasis: The seemingly endless water reservoir underneath the Holy City of Nebbu. This large reservoir provides the water for Nebbu and even allows for limited agriculture through the use of pumps that draw water from the oasis.
• Shifting Lakes: Similar to the vanishing rivers, shifting lakes form when runoff from the mountains creates small bodies of water. These lakes then shift when the powerful desert winds sweep across the dunes and break upon the mountains.
• Vanishing Rivers: During the spring months rivers sometimes form from the melting ice coming of the Kyrr Mountain. This water forms muddy rivers in the east desert that quickly swell and then dry up. The Odion of Eksa have found a means to filter the water and use it for drinking and agriculture.

Cities:

The Abbas Wastes is home to the Theocratic Federation of Odion. The Federation is made up of six cities and the surrounding regions. The cities are;

• Abri: The southernmost city in the Federation. Initially built as a border fortress to repel Leonin from the south, Abri has since become a sprawling city. Although relations with the Leonin have improved, the Odion remain watchful of their southern neighbors.
• Avaris: The northern most city within the Federation. This city has the most interaction with the Orc Domain. The merchant class in Avaris is extremely wealthy and holds more influence than merchants in the rest of the Federation.
• Clynosir: The western most city in the Federation. It was built at the end of the Martyr River. This is the smallest and youngest city in the Federation. The fish captured by the people of Clynosir provide food to the other cities in the Federation.
• Eksa: The eastern most city in the Abbas Waste. Informational exchange with the Dwarves of Kumuldor has led to the formation of a unique and vibrant crafter class.
• Nebbu: The first city founded by the Odion refugees from northern Utican. Now Nebbu is the capital city of the Federation. The city hosts a gathering of the High Priests once a year.
• Tamathus: A city recently taken over by a powerful necromancer and his spellcaster alies. Tamathus is rapidly becoming a city of the dead.

Geography

The Abbas Wastes is dominated by the massive Abbas Desert. The Abbas Desert is the second largest in the world. Portions of the bordering forests and mountains are considered part of the Wastes, but make up only a fraction of land compared to the desert.

Climate

The Abbas Wastes has a dry climate. It benefits from very little rain. During the day it is extremely hot but when the sun sets temperature rapidly drops.

History

The Abbas Wastes was originally home only to monsters and desperate outlaws fleeing the justice of the Odion Lords. However in 264 AoC (3710^th year of recorded history) the first Hellena Expeditionary Force landed on the eastern shores of Utican. The Hellenistic forces landed in the north and south and began a methodical campaign across the continent. The people of the east lands were quickly pacified and brought into the fold of the Hellena Empire, but the Odion were not so eager to submit.
The proud Lords of the Odion refused to be ruled by others in any fashion and spent large amounts of resources, gold, and human lives in order to halt the Hellenistic conquest. However, the Odion Lords did not understand their enemy. After winning several decisive but costly battles the Odion Lords assumed the Empire would turn back. This was not the case, they raised new armies and redoubled their efforts in Utican. Soon the depleted Odion armies were losing ground to the Hellenistic armies.
In 274 AoC (3720^th year of recorded history) the Odion Lords called a meeting. At this meeting the Lords agreed that a war against the Empire would never be successful. However, they did not wish to relinquish their positions of power and privilege. It was at this time that one of the Lord's advisors, a cleric of Ilmater, spoke up. The Cleric named Hesso Katan, suggested a plan. The Odion were a faithful people and there were a number of individuals amongst the Odion capable of casting divine spells. Cleric Katan suggested that this resource be leveraged to create food and water that can be used to sustain the Odion while they retreat to the desert. The Cleric said the Odion, with the blessing of Ilmater, would outlast the Hellenans and one day emerge from the sands to reclaim their northern home.
After much debate the Lords were convinced and the Walk Among the Dunes began in 275 AoC (3721^st year of recorded history). Supported by a legion of clerics the Odion walked into the desert. Many of these clerics were part of Cleric Katan's Order of the Giving Hands and loyal to Katan. As the Odion ventured further into the sands they began to question the use of the Lords. The Lords had lost the war to the Hellenans. They had forced this hard journey upon the people. And they had done so to maintain their personal status. Discontent brewed and the Odion called for the Lords to be deposed and the Clerics to take power. In 280 AoC (3726^th year of recorded history) the Clerics of Ilmater answered the calls of the people and they overthrew the Lords. Those that willingly surrendered were allowed to live, but those that challenged the Clerics were put to the sword.
From that point on Clerics ruled the Odion and provided for the Odion during their time in the desert. However, what Cleric Katan hoped would be years turned to centuries and many Odion generations lived and died knowning only the desert as their home. The harsh environment hardened the Odion and the Clerics kept to their pledge, providing food and water with their divine gifts. The Odion accepted their new home and began building great cities out of sand and stone. Additionally, the Odion learned how to refine the sand into glass and used this process to form many beautiful glass pieces.
In 693 HE (5139^th year of recorded history) over one thousand years after the Odion had migrated to the sands the Hellena Empire began their withdrawal from Thinia. The Odion finally saw their opportunity to recapture their lands and return to the lives their ancestors had known. An army was formed and the Odion marched north, believing they would encounter little to no resistance. They did not anticipate how many people had stayed behind and made Utican their home. Nor did they anticipate the leadership of the Orc and Dwarf commanders who had remained in Utican. The armies of the former Hellena citizens and the Odion clashed in the War for the North. After many close engagements the Orc led armies of the former Hellena citizens prevailed. Those same Orcs would go on to found the Orc Domain and become the Orc Nobles or Eupitridae.
The Odion returned to the desert dispondent and believing they would never go home. However, the faith of the Odion people recontextualized their loss and their lives in the desert. Ilmater is the patron god of the Odion and the patron god of endurance. The Odion realized that their ability to endure and thrive in the harsh desert conditions had made them stronger people. They stopped mourning their exile and embraced the opportunities offered by the desert. Over the coming centuries and millenia the Odion would build majestic cities, further improve their glass works, uncover resources unique to the desert, and generally thrive as a culture.
In modern times the Odion are still a people defined by their faith in Ilmater. However, there has been a growing class of artisans and merchants who believe the power of the clerics should be challenged in some respects. Moreover a growing number of Odion are leaving the Abbas Waste to find opportunity and adventure in the rest of Utican and Thinia. Whatever changes may occur, the Abbas Waste and Odion people will endure.

Map of the Abbas Wastes

Abbas Wastes General Features

• Government: Theocratic Federation
• Current Ruler: Pharaoh Nexeu
• Capital: Nebbu
• Cities: Abri, Avaris, Clynosir, Eksa, Tamathus
• Geographic Features: The Calm, The Holy Oasis, Vanishing River
• Region Type: Desert
• Religion: Ilmater, minor worship of related gods
• Trade Goods: Camels, Craftworks, Gems, and Salt

Type

Region

Location under

Utican

Included Locations

• Abri