Name~ Hakkhumar(Hock-cum-mar)
"Land Of The Gods"
Religion~
"Gods" - Hakkhum
A combination of Native American and Pre-Islamic Mid-Eastern religions. It has totems, similar things to totems I can't pronounce, and a few Native gods like Thunderbird, other Native American deities, few Mid-Eastern deity names, although some made up ones appear. There is a Tiamat, an Akhetaten (A rename of Aton in this RP), Ibis, the Lord of the Weather, clouds, rain, thunderbolts, wisdom and knowledge, as well as birds and one is Mitra, based loosely on the almost identically spelled Mithra, he walks the world, perhaps as an avatar, much like Gandalf (Mithrandir), in Lord of the Rings. He isn't necessarily Mithra though.
Basically, the greatest popular gods, forming a Pantheon known as "The Ten" are Akhetaten, Thunderbird, Mitra, Quetzacoatl, and Masauwu as the most prominent. Masauwu is Skeleton Man, the Lord of Fire and the Underworld. According to this nation's myth, Masauwu once ruled the world, in a blase, kind of dismal but peaceful world, maybe even boring, but not bad. Masauwu was worthy to rule the world, but he was a fun loving ruler, having feasts and jovial days all the days of his life. However, one day the world began to run out of food and resources. Masauwu's power over the earth began to wane, every nation was losing it's fertility in the soil, and only the capital was still capable of having their festivals. It was Tiamat.
Tiamat was devouring everything. In her corporeal form she was devouring entire forests. In her power as one of the oldest dragons, she was draining the World of it's power to feed her own. Masauwu, and Akhetaten begged and pleaded with Tiamat to stop destroying the world. Eventually, however, Tiamat swallowed the Holy City. The Holy City where "the gods" were born. "The gods" of the World, and the Sky, that some people just call Earth and Sky, and their first children, Quetzacoatl, Mitra and Masauwu. "Earth", "Sky", some sources say Ibis, others say Thunderbird, still others say "Skan". In the Holy City, it's said that five deities were devoured during Tiamat's final assault on the world.
The shamans, the seers and magicians of the city were all devoured. A sacrilegious and disgusting act that cost many thousands of people their lives, not even including those making pilgrimages to the Holy Country, a City-State who's true name is forgotten to time. The Holy City's name is said to be a word of power that's too glorious to be said without mysterious events occurring. Thus it is not recorded. The destruction of the Holy City is this national religion's version of "Original Sin", and why the world has it's problems of death, why children sometimes perish, why people age, etcetera. Finally, Quatzacoatl fought Tiamat for one thousand years. Thunderbird briefly struggled with her and brought her to the Void, leaving her to fight Quatzacoatl. Quatzacoatl then fought Tiamat, and cut her into ten pieces. Five pieces have been restored already.
Thunderbird was left to collect her scales, Mausawu imprisoned Tiamat in the Underworld, Akhetaten blinded her eyes, and for one thousand years, the one known as Mitra worked to restore the world. His power severely limited since the world was covered in shadow before, draining The World of it's Power. Mitra restored the world into today's lush, green and fertile place, but Tiamat has become a menace again. Less than before, she plans for the world's devouring once again. Finally, the Five Lost gods returned when Mitra was done restoring the world. Legend says that a shadow is growing somewhere in the Void, and when Tiamat's shadow covers the entire world, she will attempt to devour everything again, and it will take all the Pantheon to destroy her. "All the Pantheon" is subjective. It could mean all of them from everywhere, all the new gods or all the old gods, or the Five gods, meaning that the original five who were "The Lost Gods" cannot die or the entire world is damned to living inside fiery Tiamat's belly.There is a figure in this Kingdom that is based on Zoroaster as well. This man, named Gad, is a celebrated Prophet who founded a Monotheistic religion. Gadarenism, the religion's name, is extremely successful in sincere membership, but only mildly successful in sheer numbers.
Ruled by Taurin IV
Enemies/Alliances~ Tiamat ((Occasionally foreign gods out of cultural misunderstanding))
Education System~
Scholars, Scribes, Hired Mentors, Tutors, and The Academy : (Instructors)
Scholars/Scribes write down, record, and speculate, spread philosophy and tales. Hired Mentors teach life lessons, try to teach people from youth to middle age for practical reasons. Tutors are more like hired well, tutors. They teach for money, although Mentors earn far more than Tutors, there's a difference. A Mentor could be of higher birth from Aristocrats, but a Tutor, even if aristocratic, is usually more like the "Ronins of Education", wandering from student to student.
Rarely, a Tutor can earn a lot more than a Mentor. Astronomy is one of the highest and most grandiose educations a learned man can receive. Astronomers have the same respect as "Astrologers", and "Diviners", but this mostly superstition and tradition, but half of Astronomers are "Astrologers", with an emphasis on Priestly duties or Mysticism. Half are pure scientists.
Defense/Weapons~
The Maquitl exists alongside the sword in Hakkumar. Those who use the sword also know the Maquitl. The sling, which is thrown to destroy enemies from a long distance exists along side the thrown spear, or the marksman based composite bow and arrow. Their iron and lesser resources are used to maximize efficiency in warfare. For example, they known how to make cotton armor. Soaking cotton in brine, hardens it until it's as practical or better than chain mail. A light plate based armor is also made, as good as most armors of more European based smithing. Harder armors are difficult to come by, but middling Aristocrats can buy intricately made armors strong enough to put anyone else to awe.
On the other hand, trying to make all the army bearers of "totally bad" Michael Jackson level combat armor is just not plausible. Not enough iron. Everyone can have ring mail, cotton armors, or if the nation is having good times, either light plate mail, some kind of scale mail (more like hired mercenaries to use that), and maybe equally powerful weapons. Damascus steel is not unheard of to be processed here, but note, this is not exactly Damascus steel, although it's of identical quality. (No Damascus on another planet).
The King of Hakkhumar, and the Royal family and most important individuals of the armed forces likely have some steels that are mysteriously present in the real world, putting Scientists to awe, ((There are some ancient metals that are in such good quality, we either barely discovered how they made it, or still don't know)) so much so that these metals can effortlessly slice through heavy plated mail when properly made. This metal quality set of weapons or armors are high expensive, however.
Any Landmarks/special information about the Kingdom~
Hakhim'Na is the capital. The Bedouins are replaced mostly by "Native American" tribes, and there are some roaming Arab-like tribes around the desert/tropics and plains as well. The land is surrounded by mountains, one third desert, some inland seas, plains and lowlands. ((Like the Great Lakes of the American/Canadian North/South)). Mostly, the Middle Eastern portion of this nation is either located in cities or traders roaming across the land mass. The nation is large, almost huge, but not quite, with many nations larger than it is, but it's definitely not a country in either land area or in population to scoff at. It has a few disputed territories but at the moment, everything formerly disputed is not counted as part of the land, and they are consolidating wealth by leaving the other lands to former enemies, both as a good will gesture and partially as a common sense "Live and let live" philosophy, they aren't AS violent as their ancestors.
Occasionally there are still feuds, but punishments have been moved to mere fines or at worst beatings with rods/fists/whips instead of murder, scarification, or maybe something more like limited imprisonments. Aristocrats still have the power to remove enemies with imprisonment, but even a higher classed man or woman is forbidden by law to kill or torment their political enemies. This is only the beginning of the third generation of such gentle treatment to enemies, but it's enforced by the stern gaze of the King, sometimes called the Shah. Taurin IV is the current King, and he has ruled as a figure thought to be like, or identical to a demigod for thirty five years.
Also, although it's a Kingdom, this nation is an Empire, ala United Kingdom. Not of Britain, of this particular area. Technically England over the Saxons, conquering the north and western area of the UK, maybe along with Ireland, was an Empire. This nation might be the size of the Akkadian Empire, 300,000 square miles or up the size of Texas, but no larger. If not at the maximum size I request, I would rather it be around 400,000 square miles, maybe between 400,000-500,000 at the least, although I"m not the GM, the other territories are connected to this Empire, but they are not governed by it anymore, so obviously if the GM says no to my request I'm not going to send an invisible knife wielding ninja to the GM for dishonoring me. lol. :D
Likewise, I guess if for some reason he decides to refuse the NPC surroundings that are just beyond the mountains, that's fine too. ((Just note when GMs do that, I am confused)).
Note: Please Listen: Disclaimer:
I only made some vaguely ME sounding words. I mean no ignorance or disrespect, if I've said something mean or ugly on accident in my haste to write this, please say something.
1x Laugh
