Al Bah Jira

The land of the sun.

I. Early history 2000 BCE The historiography of Al Bah JiRa begins about 2000 years ago. The events of that time led to a different development than in the northern parts of Tirakan. The gods and titans are known but have different names and are worshipped according to their principles. Thus, sun and water and air, i.e. Ginae, Zyral and Pailos are the trinity of the spiritual life of the Land of the Sun.

According to the sacred book of the people and the religions that arose from it, called JiRa as they themselves are, the caravan leader Apademak of TA'Re once travelled through the desert to the El Kurru mountains. But in the desert, the small caravan was caught in a sandstorm the likes of which no mortal had ever seen before. Only Apademak survived the three-day storm and managed to escape on foot to the foothills of the El Kurru Mountains. There he slept in a cave, thirsty and hungry. The JiRa reports that in this night the two main gods of the desert peoples, the sun and the water (incidentally a dispute between scholars as to whether these beings can be compared with the known Titans) appeared together to Apademak. The sun fed him with bread, the water refreshed him with date wine. That night they were the first to teach Apademak the JiRa glyphs and gave him the task of uniting the land of the sun and its tribes. Full of awe and gratitude, he agreed. The day after next, he arrived at the oasis of El Kurru on Lake Usuda, his home.

The JiRa reports: "Oh how my heart leapt when I saw my wife and my house again. I gave thanks to water and sun and prayed with thanksgiving."

At that time, the Kushiite tribe ruled from Kerma, the distant capital located in the Gem Delta. They cleverly played the 4 tribes of Ar'Amin, Bel'Sheil, Yachim and Kushiites against each other and were rumoured to have unholy rituals and practices to maintain their power. Apademak preached tribal unity and his dualistic philosophy of water and sun in El Kurru, where his father was the tribal elder of the oasis.

The JiRa reports: "Tirelessly I, the yachim, forged unity under the rule of sun and water. Once, at dawn, the son of the Bel'Sheil tribal elder came to our oasis. He listened to me and asked in amazement: "How can the sun and water coexist? Doesn't the sun evaporate the water and doesn't the water suffocate the warmth and brightness of the fire, the son of the sun?" "Wait my son," I said and left. After a short while I came back to the young man and placed a vase in front of his feet with a desert rose whose blossom was still closed because the sun had not yet fully risen. Tense, but also confused, the young man looked at me until the first real rays of the morning sun shone on the flower. And at the moment when the rose felt the water under it and the sun above it at the same time, the calyx opened and its lovely fragrance flowed out to those present. The young man marvelled and was mute and stiff with delight. "I bow to your wisdom." "No," I replied, "I'm just a silly old man with a mission," and helped him up. This young man was my first disciple, Tanjidamani."

After a year, Tanjidamani returned to his tribe in Tare. The flame of national unity that Apademak had kindled in him glowed within him and he also proclaimed the two pillars of JiRa, the water (religion) and the sun (national unity). But the Kushiites eyed the new philosophy suspiciously. The new alliance between Yachim and Bel'Sheil was a thorn in the side of the Sharif of Kerma, the actual ruler of the Land of the Sun, and was even considered very dangerous for the dominant position of the Kushiite tribe. Tanjidamani received word from a representative that he and other leaders of the new philosophy were to be arrested and fled to El Kurru.

The JiRa reports: "On the night of the 24th year after the revelation, the sun appeared to me again. Brightly her face shone and she said "It is time! One the people!" and disappeared. Thereupon my beloved wife came and said "Tanjidamani and 100 of his warriors are here seeking your advice".

Apademak did not understand this as a coincidence and had his friend and disciple explain the situation to him. Together they deliberated for many hours. As the JiRa reports, Apademak got up at night and shouted "Stop the strife and tyranny! It is time to show the Kushiites what the divine plan is!". Tanjidamani's wife was a princess of the Sharif of A'R'Amin and she suggested that she could ask her father for support. Amanishachete was her name. She travelled with Apademak, whom she called "Uncle", and her husband Tanjidamani to Mussauwarat, the island city of the A'R'Amin. And so the alliance against the Sharif of Kerma, the Lord of the Kushiites, was forged. The JiRa tells of the battles of the parties, of misery, betrayal, love and death, and thus also became the first known epic on Tirakan soil. Only the end is quoted here. When Apademak besieged Kerma after four years of campaigning, he had doubts.

The JiRa reports: "I saw innocent Kushiite brothers die in the name of their corrupt masters. I saw us, who now called ourselves JiRa, wading in the blood of innocents. The Sharif of Kerma was holed up in his palace. Desperate and worried for the brothers, I wept. Then the good Tanjidamani approached me and put his arm around me. "That is why I and my wife saved you when you came into the sandstorm. You feel not only duty and responsibility but also compassion and love for your brothers and sisters. You know your duty, that's why we chose you to unite the land." Confused, I looked around at my young friend and saw his face shining like the sun, no he was the sun! I recognised and threw myself on my knees "Why did I never recognise, oh why only?". "Because you are my friend and have taught me a few things about you humans" was his answer."

The JiRa goes on to tell of the revelation of the Tanjidamani, his explanations of the aims of JiRaism as it was later called by the theologians. And then it tells of the conquest of Kermas by the JiRa. In 1980 BCE, the state of Al'Bah'JiRa was founded under the Sharif Apademak I. The JiRa were the first to conquer Kermas. And this is where the classical JiRa ends.

Apademak begat a son, Nasachma, by the grace of the 2 gods, while still very old. Nasachma begat Apademak II. The latter begat Amtalka and the latter Kashta. Kashta begat Shabaka and Shabaka begat Shabataka. Shabataka begat twins, Tabirka and Harsiyotef. Both could not agree on who should follow on the throne. A civil war broke out. The Bel'Sheil and Yachim held to Tabirka the Mild and the A'R'Amin and Kushiites to Harsijotef the Magnificent. Many lives were to be lost in this war. After almost 30 years, the JiRa were tired of killing and mourning, and Tabirka the Mild voluntarily renounced his claim to the throne to finally bring peace. Harsijotef, long a puppet of a few Kushiite families, was full of appreciation for his brother's deed and since that day the JiRa have distinguished between the Tabir, the spiritual leader, and the Harsi, the worldly leader. For the next 1200 years, the only wars fought were the Al'Ibarti wars. Al'Ibarti means "who are not human" and according to legend they were monsters from the depths of the desert and hell.

II The Sharifat emerges anew around 400 BCE. For a long time the offices of Tabir and Harsi were held by the descendants of Tabirka and Harsijotef. But in the 23rd dynasty of the JiRa, both lines of the ruling family were without heirs and Amtalka II, Tabir by blood, tried to appeal to the gods so that they might grant the ruling duo some heirs. But nothing happened, and after the old Harsi Pisakar I. also died without an heir and Amtalka II followed him into the grave shortly afterwards, no one was to be found far and wide who could fill the power vacuum. The age-old tribal feuds promptly broke out again. A'R'Amin, Bel'Sheil and the Yachim fought skirmishes over and over again for oases, water points, camels and women. No oasis, no village was safe from the raids of supposed desert robbers. In this situation, the transparent veil of the women of the Land of the Sun, which used to have a purely decorative function, was transformed into the jah'dir, the black, strict veil prescribed for women in remote regions.

Only the Kushiites in their capital Kerma were almost entirely spared the unrest. While the other 3 tribes were economically depressed due to the hostilities, the Gem Delta grew back to its old glory. The old family council of the old Sharifat became dominant again and the descendant of the last Kushiite Sharifat, the beautiful but devious Amanirena, was appointed Sharifi. Despite the protests of the still dominant JiRa sect, which was still well aware of the ancient practice of demonology in this ruling family, she became the albeit only nominally unrestricted ruler of Kerma. Pomp and splendour were the hallmarks of Amanirena's reign, for in the early days of the new Sharifat, the ruler's influence on legislation was still very slight. This was to change when her son Nakrinsan took office. Even at his birth, it was rumoured that the prince was the result of the queen's relationship with her twin brother Amanisto, others saw him as the result of a dark and wicked ritual of the demons of the old ruling family. Nakrinsan was stealthy and cunning, and within a year of his Throbe ascension, he had also usurped political power. He enacted army reform, introduced conscription and thus created the most belligerent army of men all of Tirakan had ever seen. In just another year, he conquered all of Al'Bah Ji'Ra except for TA're, installed his minions as new tribal leaders and controlled every grain of sand in the desert. Those who resisted, especially many upright JiRai, were expelled or killed. The Ji'Ra remained official because Narkinsan promoted the tradition to support his claim to power. At the age of only 36, Nakrinsan died, and legend knows how. Sabrakamani, his 16-year-old daughter, is said to have poisoned him one evening in their shared chamber during their immoral and reprehensible acts together.

This patricide, which is not unusual in history, became the dynasty of Sabrakamani's children, which would last for 340 years, until today...

1. al Bah'Ji'Ra up to date

I. General situation in the year 0 EC. The current situation in the year 0 EC. in the Land of the Sun almost corresponds to the situation as Apademak I found it 2000 years ago. Internal political squabbles and tribal wars are not uncommon. The common state consists only of the long tribute caravans that travel from El Kurru, TA'Re and Mussauwarat to Kerma. While these three tribes have largely remained loyal to JiRa, Kerma and the surrounding Gem Delta is considered a place of godlessness. The current Sharifi in 0 Bartare II reintroduced some custom and law in the land of the Kushiites but the rift with the 3 brother tribes seems insurmountable. In total there are 5 major "cities" in the Land of the Sun.

TA'Re, capital of the Bel'Sheil El Kurru, birthplace of the proud Yachim Mussauwarat, home port of the seafaring AR'Amin Kerma, the capital

The fifth "city" is Mastabapolis, the city of the dead whose entry is permitted only to priests and where most of the country's dignitaries are buried. In the last 100 years, dozens of expeditions have set out to draw a general map of the City of the Dead. Only three expeditions have returned alive and the survivors went insane. Not one of the three maps even roughly matched. The people believe in the undead and also in black sorcerers who are said to have settled there, but no one would look. Mastabapolis is not mentioned and one should not necessarily ask everyone about it, unless one wants to make oneself unpopular...

MASTER INFORMATION: The people in the Land of the Sun are not quite what Novadis are in other worlds, for example. Their skin colour is a little darker and their cultural development is NOT on the level of the comparable Arabian Middle Ages. Rather, the culture was quite different 4000 years ago, earthly more comparable to the land of Kush which at the same time built up a civilisation similar to the Egyptians in today's Sudan (The personal names of Al Bah JiRas, for example, are all taken from Kushiite hieroglyphs from the royal tombs of the Kushiite dynasties. See the historiographical book "The Black Pharaohs" ).

Much lies dormant, just waiting to be rediscovered. And some things WANT to be found...

II. TA'Re

TA'Re is situated at the mouth of the Ta River. Today the city has a population of about 22000. On the east coast, the commercial harbour nestles up against the city, which is also called the "city of golden roofs" because of the crenellations, which are often made of bronze. The word "TA'Re", however, means "sun in the water". The harbour district, which adjoins the port, is known for its many taverns and amusement establishments. Many a Nordic sailor saw his first belly dance here and fell in love with many a dark-haired desert beauty. The harbour quarter is followed by the merchants' quarter. Here one quickly notices the two main trade goods of the Bel'Sheil. Wine shops and so-called charrasim are located close to each other, and often one family owns both a wine shop and a charrasim. Charras is a local herb that is cleaned of its flower resin once a year. The resin is used to make smoked herb additive, wine wort and, above all, sweets such as caramel sweets or the refreshing and slightly numbing Bh'Angh, which is made from the resin and fresh cool yoghurt. Excellent weapons are also traded and forged here. The bourgeois quarter, which also adjoins to the west, is a purely residential area where the city's noble families live, but also many a newcomer who wants to make a name for himself among the old-established merchants. Due to the rather homogeneous social structure, unrest is quite rare and even when it comes to strife, the TA'Resche composure proverbial in the whole land of the sun helps. The family of rulers that goes back to Apademak I has always fought revolts and unrest with bread and water instead of sword and fire, and always successfully. The so-called "palace quarter" is always open and anyone with an important request can ask for an audience with the ruler. At present this is Sherkarer IV, an 85-year-old man who, together with his wife Naldamak, 10 years his junior, mediates between the old families and who, like his wife, is an ardent representative of the pious JiRa. A fact that the current Sharifi Bartare II observes with a wary eye from distant Kerma. But the years are on the side of the young Sharifi...

MASTER INFORMATION: Correct, due to the history of the JiRa, TA'Re is, next to the holy El Kurru, the main place of popular belief. The ruling couple is pious but defensible, for so far none of the many assassins sent by Bartare have returned to Kerma alive. Although both have already been seized, they are true masters of Bel'Sheil's swordsmanship, the Sayaf Re, the "Sword of the Sun". TA'Re is the place where the conflict between the JiRa and Sharifi tribes is most likely to collide.

III. El Kurru - Pearl on the Usuda

The holiest city of the JiRa is the oasis of El Kurru. Situated on Lake Usuda and surrounded by the El Kurru mountains of the same name, it has become one of the central trading centres in the desert of the Land of the Sun. The local Yachim tribe is pious, proud but also extremely hospitable, a custom essential for survival in the desert. On an island in the lake stands the temple of Apademak, where the JiRa glyphs and the bones of Apademak I and his disciple Tanjidamani are kept. The bazaar with the surrounding caravanserais is filled with a constant background noise and rumour has it that everything can be bought here and what is not there does not exist anywhere. The actual number of inhabitants is around 2500, but due to the many branches of all the well-known trading houses near and far and the many traders passing through, there are probably 6000 souls in the oasis at any given time. As befits a proper oasis, El Kurru is surrounded by plantations fed with precious water from Lake Usuda. Date palms provide fruit, juice and above all wine, while olive trees produce olives and olive oil. Vegetables are also grown. A typical curiosity of the country is Ra'Is, a type of grain grown in the water. Lake Usuda is also quite rich in fish and offers such delicacies as fish, crabs, ducks and other aquatic animals to the menu.

The Gem, the great river that feeds Lake Usuda and flows for many miles to the delta at Kerma before pouring into the sea, is unfortunately not navigable throughout, so there is no boat connection from El Kurru. The route can be shortened by shorter stages through the desert to avoid the unnavigable stages and thus alternate between the water and land routes. There is nominally a tribal elder and also an religious leader, but the inhabitants of the oasis do not really need a leader. The trade guild regulates the economy and since every trader and farmer has voting rights within the guild council, the atmosphere is the most relaxed and the cohesion the greatest in the land of the sun. The bel'sheil from TA'Re are accepted as natives with their own voting rights because of their long friendship and even kinship. Here, strangers are hardly mistrusted and even helped, but travellers should be prepared to be questioned for hours by this inquisitive tribe at evening invitations to dinner.

This has even led to the fact that a man from the distant Hadewald, a blond giant of over 2 steps and blue eyes, found himself on the day of his invitation, with lots of charras and date wine, as the son-in-law of the guild master. There are hardly any secrets if one disregards the temple complex. But perhaps more about that later... Think as a master of earthly Ebrberian culture at its highest level many, many centuries ago. Hospitality happens here because of the same hostile environment and nature, a social consensus that must not be broken. Also, business acumen with a touch of slyness is ingrained in these people.

MASTER INFORMATION:In El Kurru, women have the right of the house!

IV. Mussauwarat - Island in the Sea

The third tribe of JiRa prophets are the A'R'Amin, whose centre is on the island of Mussauwarat. Mussauwarat is a classic fishing and seafaring nation. The capital has about 6,000 inhabitants but nevertheless gives the impression of a quiet fishing village, if it were not for the war harbour of Al'Bah'JiRa's fleet. Here, 20 war galleys of the heavy type are permanently moored, as well as a dozen smaller battleships. There are a total of 2000 maritime soldiers in the garrison.

The tribal elder is the senior captain of this tribe. He is the sheikh of this tribe and also represents it before the central government in Kerma, which nominally still rules, as evidenced by the annual tribute of fish and other maritime products.

In contrast to the other two tribes of JiRa, the A'R'Amin are more secretive. Some travellers even say that these people are extremely aggressive and quarrelsome for the otherwise calm inhabitants of Al'Bah'JiRa. But they are also valued as the most loyal friends, the best poets and especially among the fine ladies of Kerma as hot lovers.

It is said that the island holds a dark secret at its centre at the volcano Phar, which explains why there are no human settlements or economies within 80 miles of this volcano. And maybe that's why the walls of the city are thicker than elsewhere and why all the gates of the city are locked after sunset...

MASTER INFORMARTION: In the centre of the island, the battle against chaos has been raging, the vacuum for thousands of years. Blessed by the gods and not even resented by the demons, thousands of the small people, about 1 step tall pointy-eared miners, toil so that Chaos does not win against the flaming heart of Tirakan. Every player character who crosses the circle of 80 miles feels every mile more of superstitious phobias, until he really thinks he is sailing a hair's breadth away from the deep black abyss called madness, and is constantly threatening to fall into it.

3 The Role of Al Bah JiRa in the Historical Development

85 EC - Due to the emergence of the Minotaurs, refugees flow through Al Bah JiRa to the Hadewald border and finally lead to the closure of this border. 99 EC - The volcano Phar on the island Mussauwarat awakes 107 EC - Refugees from the southern barbarian regions are turned away at the borders of Al Bah JiRa, there are massive clashes with individual tribes and the Abu Omar border troops, the land of the sun is now completely sealed off 110 EC - The already very old magus Teriomek seizes power in Al Bah JiRa and declares himself Sharif of the country. 117 EC - More and more people disappear in Al Bah JiRa, the order of Teriomek accuses the temples of Zyral and Pailos and seizes the goods of these communities 129 EC - In Al Bah JiRa, supported by some former Abu Omar, militant resistance against the black-magic Sharifat of the Teriomek slowly forms. 131 EC - Open civil war breaks out in Al Bah JiRa 151 EC - The civil war in Al Bah JiRa ends under the new Sharif Apademak X., black magic is from now on punished by death. 160 EC - The island of Mussauwarat is beset by minotaurs running from Mount Phar towards the city walls. 190 EC - At the various borders of Al Bah JiRa, there are repeated raids by Minotaur expeditionary detachments. 200 EC - On the island of Mussauwarat, the trapped humans receive help from a small-tempered race, the dwarves. 206 EC - Al Bah JiRa joins the Tirakan Alliance of Fighting Bulls, but still keeps its borders closed. 211 EC - In Al Bah JiRa the black art is considered eradicated but the white and the grey magic is promoted by the state. 270 EC - The new Sharifi Al Bah JiRa's Jezbechea III is a practising white magician which leads to complications with some foreign diplomats. 390 EC - The army of the Minotaurs takes northern Al Bah JiRa 479 EC - A bloody massacre of El Kurru|Massacre of Lizards occurs in Al Bah JiRa's cities of TA'Re and El Kurru. There are almost no survivors 479 EC - Survivors from El Kurru report minotaurs rushing to the aid of the humans and getting in the way of the lizards. 511 EC - With Company Dawn, the armies of the United Realms begin a major offensive of unprecedented scale. In the Battle of Al 'Re Jun, the largest battle on the Al Bah JiRa front, lasting a full three days, combined JiRa cavalry militias destroy vital supply facilities in the enemy rear, as well as Asgoran-Hadewald forces south of the Hadewald borders. The Battle of Akarra, leads to the capture of the eastern Minotaur main war port. 602 EC - Fleeing beasts (Train of Beasts) arrive at Al Bah JiRa from the south. They flee from the shadow world that has reached the continent

1. the rulers of Al Bah JiRas The Sharifi of the Ancient Times

ca. 1980 bEC - Apademak I, founder of the Jira, the theological-mythological tradition of the Land of the Sun ca. 1900 vEC - Nasachma I. ca. 1855 vEC - Apademak II. ca. 1800 vEC - Amtalka I. ca. 1775 vEC - Kashta I. ca. 1725 vEC - Shabaka I. ca. 1680 vEC - Shabataka I.

For the next 1200 years, the Sharifat was abolished for political reasons and replaced by a dual form of rule, the Tabir & Harsi system.

The classic Sharifat

400 vEC - Sharifates I. 370 vEC - Nakrinsan II. 364 vEC - Sabrakamani I. 323 vEC - Alara I. 300 vEC - Kashta 266 vEC - Pije I 250 vEC - Sharifates II. 220 vEC - Pije II. 186 vEC - Shebitko I. 170 vEC - Senkamanisken I. 143 vEC - Apademak III. 100 vEC - Senkamanisken II. 80 vEC - Amtalka II. 70 vEC - Nasakhma I. 69 vEC - Karakshmani I. 68 vEC - Shebitko II. 35 vEC - Bartare I.

The New or True Sharifat

5 vEC - Bartare II. 110 EC- Teriomek I. 151 EC - Apademak X. (actually IV.) 270 EC - Jesbechea III. 320 EC - Arnekhamani I. 350 EC - Arqamani I. 390 EC - Aktisanes I. 425 EC - Harsiotef I. 430 EC - Baskakeren I. 465 EC - Harsiotef II. 475 EC - Bartare III. 495 EC - Jesbechea IV. 525 EC - Arikamaninote I. 555 EC - Karakshmani II. 556 EC - Alara II. 570 EC - Apademak XI (actually V) 595 EC - Analmaaje I.

1. Magic in Al Bah'JiRa

Magic is nothing unusual in the Land of the Sun, but also not something people like to talk about very much. As in most parts of Tirakan, there is no real distinction between religion and magic. Most of the magicians in the country are priests of JiRa. Their powers can make it rain in arid zones and they also seem to be able to stop the sun. The monentanly most powerful magi are Teriomek on the left hand and Teritnide on the right or both hands.

The priests and prayer leaders are all trained at the JiRa Academy in Kerma. The most skilled in the arcane arts disappear (or end up in the Sharifi secret service), the rest become prayer leaders, priests or administrators throughout the land of the sun.

A special feature of Al Bah Jira's magic is the language of Enoch. A few centuries ago, some magi succeeded in making contact with an entity called Ion-Dee from the star Terra, who communicated by means of this rudimentary but very magical language.

1. the culture of Al Bah JiRa The culture of the Land of the Sun is richer than in many other countries of Tirakan. Storytellers and musicians are held in high esteem and it is customary that the clan houses are always open to a travelling storyteller and he can hope for free board and lodging if he tells the stories of the past to those present.

Literature

The literature of Al Bah JiRa is based on the tradition of the storytellers. Even the JiRa is strictly speaking a historical chronicle. Almost every self-respecting clan has one or more storytellers in its ranks who preserve the stories of the people, but especially of the clan's ancestors, and teach the young members of the extended families about their heritage. Many of these stories have been preserved in chronicles which are kept in different places in the country (depending on the tribal affiliation). An example of this is the epic Journey to the Sun by Master Al Vatsug, which blatantly depicts many of the rulers and their machinations. This is an example of the "fools' freedom" of the artists, for such truths as the involvement of powerful people in forbidden and unholy cults would cost all other citizens their tongues.

Another important branch of Al Bah JiRa's literature is poetry. However, this genre is always either religious or romantic in nature. Since rhyme is considered an example of divine harmony, mock poems, for example, are common only among a few and mostly the lowest classes. A real poet would only think of such a thing after too much charras or grape wine.

Music

Al Bah Jira's music is quite monotonous to the ears of strangers despite its diverse ornamentation. Mostly, only one motif is transposed through the matching harmonies. The "Quint", the harmony teaching of the musicians of Al Bah JiRas, which is meanwhile widespread in other countries, has even led to the fact that even in Hadewald the music has become better in the last 200 years (no wonder, before that axes on trees were the main instrument of this Nordic people).

No motif may be longer than 2 bars, because according to the inhabitants of the Land of the Sun, no action in the presence of the gods and titans should last longer than 2 "moments" (a very interpretable term that has been discussed among the artists of the land for 2000 years). An example is the hymn Al Bah JiRas (OGG follows) which adheres to these rules.

Instruments The Dabla :A percussion instrument consisting of 3 differently tuned (mostly C, D and E) small drums covered with camel skin.

The Chadir: A flute played through a thin tube. The form and linguistic studies of the University of Kerma show that this probably originated many centuries ago from a water pipe. The Al Bah JiRan saying "Charassi kadena marci" means both "Charrassi smokers never die" and "Music will never perish".

The Tahb: 3 thick iron wires are passed along a resonating body made of pumpkin via a rod. The sound is very bassy and by damping individual strings, a wide variety of effects can be added to the actual sound.