Editing Sarmania

[[Image:Mapofsarmania.jpg|frame|'''Map of Sarmania''':  The canals along the Harstor river are not to scale, but are included on the map to show their locations.]]

'''Location and Geography'''

The city states of Sarmania are all located along the ''Harstor river''.  The Harstor' river flows north along the western edge of the ''Atibul mountains'' and ends in the ''Bay of Menit''.  On the eastern side of the Atibul mountains lies the ''Thismus Straits'' and across these straits is the land of ''Stavishik''.  To the west and south of the Harstor river lies the ''Mubitku desert''.  Most of the population of Sarmania lives within a mile or two of the Harstor river though there are smaller settlements and villages located along the base of the Atibul Mountains. Though the Samanians have explored areas adjacant to the region there are no settlements on the eastern side of the Atibul Mountains. All along the length of the Harstor river both large and small canals have been dug to provide irrigation for fields. These fields mostly lie on the western side of the river while the eastern bank of the Harstor is given over to large tracts of wilderness and forests.  The hot dry winds of the Mubitku desert evaporate large quantities of water from the Harstor river but then these moisture laden winds climb the Atibul mountains and cool.  This cool moist air returns as rain on the western slopes of the Atibul's thus watering the forests before returning to the Harstor. This cycle is central to the religious pantheons of the Sarmanian city states, and Sarmanian culture in general. The origins of the Harstor river are unknown but near the southern extent of the Atibul range the river suddenly appears out of the desert.  The river, for much of it's length is an underground river, though to the south of Sarmania there are numerous areas where the river reaches the surface for short periods. These oasis are known as ''Afthusen'' in the Sarmanian tongue and may be as small as a few feet across or as large as 20 miles long.  Though no major cities are found on these oasis, small villages can be found around the larger Afthusen. These villages play a major role in trade with the city states of the The Jhera Valley to the south, and make the desert crossing possible.





'''City States'''

[[Atiscalla]]: (Population: 10,000) The second largest city of the region is the only one not located along the Harstor  river.  It is located to the northwest of Tambylia along the coast.



[[Tambylia]]: (Population: 11,000) The largest city in the region is located at the mouth of the Harstor river on the Bay of Menit and is a major trade hub between the inland cities and regions outside Sarmania.



[[Hamira]]: (Population: 8,000)





[[Butroan]]: (Population: 7,000)





[[Altenel]]: (Population: 6,000) Is a wealthy city that lies on the eastern bank of the Harstor river and it's economy is based on the mining of Amber and the logging of ''Atibul Cedar''.  Both of these resources are abundant in the region between Altenel and the Atibul Mountains to the west. 



[[Haphtep]]: (Population: 8,000) A city known for its fine beads and jewelery made from the semi-precious lapis lazuli and for it unique fruit tree, the ''Hilavia'' (Apricot).





[[Silak]]: (Population: 8,000)





[[Estrastos]]: (Population: 4,000)





[[Jaratu]]: (Population: 4,000) This city is located where the Harstor river emerges from the desert and is the site of the main Temple of Harstor.  The city is a major pilgrimage site for all Sarmanians.











'''People and Culture'''

The Sarmanian male population averages around 5'6" tall while females are slightly smaller (5'4"). They commonly have straight black hair, dark eyes and epicanthal folds. They may be distantly related to the Aertepians though they lack the cleft chins and are slightly lighter in color. Sarmanian culture, like other civilzations revolves around agriculture. Sarmania has thousands or miles of small and large canals that irrigate what would otherwise be only marginally productive agricultural land.  The officials who manage these canals have managed to gain a place of prominence in Sarmanian culture and are now considered to be part of the elite aristocracy. The average farmer owns his own land and animals but the aristocracy owns the canals and the water that flows through the canals.  The farmers trade crops and their labor (maintaining the canals) in exchange for water rights. The canals also serve as a means of transportation and could be thought of as the "Sarmanian Interstate", as lightweight shallow draft boats ferry cargo and people throughout the region via these canals and the ''Harstor'' river. These boats are often pulled by donkeys or oxgangs who pull the boats upstream on the adjacent canal roads, while boats heading down stream use the flow the water and poles to traverse the canals.







'''Religion'''

Sarmanian religion is monotheistic if one does not count the limitless hordes of evil.  Harstor is the protector of Samania the god of sky and water, in Sarmanian mythology it is he alone who faces down the two hordes of evil with his sickle sword, bow and shield.  In this eternal struggle Harstor is often killed but unfortunately for the forces of evil he has the power of regeneration.  Each time he is killed his blood falls to the earth where it flows back into the Harstor river and the land of Sarmania, and he is born anew and takes up his eternal battle again. In each city state Harstor is the principal god, and the only one worshipped openly.  The other gods are actually demons with whom Harstor battles.  The existence of malign spirits led and ruled over by demon warlords plays an important part in the daily lives of the Sarmanians.  It is commonly believed that these demons are divided into two principal groups.  The first group of demons is those who dwell in the Mubitku desert, the second are evil creatures that dwell in the forests and mountains of the Atibul range to the east.  It is between these two groups of evil beings the valiant Harstor is trapped, and without Harstor battling these demons all of Sarmania would be over run with evil.  These demons are collectively know as the Ateko and are divided into two clans, the Horde Atibul  and the Horde of   . Each city state in Sarmania has three demon warlords from each of these clans in addition to Harstor in its pantheon.  These warlords are not worshipped except by underground cults as they are to be feared and not revered. In addition to these demonic warlords there may be dozens of local malevolent spirits that citizens acknowledge or blame for misfortune, illness and such.

The [[Hordes of Atibul]] dwell in the mountains and forests of the Atibul mountain range in eastern Sarmania.  These demons and spirits are most often depicted as being a cross between a man and some type of wild animal or insect.  They often have the bodies of men but the heads and or limbs of animals / insects.  

The [[Hordes of Mubitku]] dwell in the deserts west of Sarmania.  These demons are associated with heat, fire and mummified corpses (undead) and lack some feature or have misplaced or exaggerated features, such as large mouths, no mouth, numerous eyes, or no eyes, thousands of teeth, eyes below the mouth etc.  These demons may also have these attributes combined with the features of domesticated animals, such as horns, hooves, etc. 

In order to protect themselves from these demons and the troubles they cause (bad luck, illness, poverty, starvation etc) the Sarmanian’s have developed numerous signs and symbols of protection.  Each symbol will protect its owner from depredation of one particular demon. As such the Sarmania has devolped an extensive market for protective magical fetishes and talismans.  Some are not simply content to carry one or a dozen charms, and it has become much more economical and practical to have these symbols tattooed on ones body as permanent form of protection.  Tattooing is also used as a means of curing illness and insanity caused by the Ateko. Tattoos can be placed on any part of the body and people who are especially fearful of the Ateko may be covered with them from head to toe.  





'''Architecture'''

The average Samarian dwelling is made of fired mud bricks covered over by plaster.  Houses among the poor and lower class tend to be small single room dwelling.  While the houses of the rich are composed of multi-room dwellings centered around a central courtyard.  Multi-story building are rare, even among the rich.  Stone is used only in the construction of royal, religious or military buildings and irrigation canals. 






'''Clothing'''






'''Hair Styles'''

Men - The lower classes keep their hair either shoulder length or longer and often keep them pulled back in pony tails.  Sarmanian men generally have little or no facial hair.  Men in the elite caste keep their hair long but shaved off in the back and on the sides and tied in a top knot.


Women - All women in Sarmanian society keep their hair long and wear it in several styles.  The most common is one or two braids but aristocratic wives and daughters have more elaborate hair styles for formal occasions.  This applies to all women except for widows who cut their hair short as a form of mourning, and may only regrow their hair when they have re-married, if they are allowed to do so.



'''Sports and Leisure'''

Chariot racing

Foot Races

Wrestling

Swimming

Canal Jumping

Bowling

Stone throwing





'''Language''' 

Sarmanian, though there are slaves who speak a variety of barbarian tongues.  The Sarmanian language
is linguistically related to the Aertepian language, though very distantly. The two languages share approximately 20% or less of the same words. Along the Markan Road, the southern trade route to [[The Jhera Valley]], Jheran is commonly spoken as a second language.





'''Domesticated Crops'''

Pomegranates, Citron, Almonds, Chickpeas, Vetch, Mung beans	





'''Common Herbs and Spices'''

Bay Leaves, Celery Seed, Marjoram





'''Domesticated animals'''

Horses, Oxen, Dogs, Sheep, Goats and Donkey





'''Naming conventions'''

Male names often end in: rha, era, tas, vala, tyon, los, bek.

Female names often end in: gyao, iana, ona, usa, aris, riga, ella.

Surnames often end in:









'''Creator/s:''' Kirk Smith


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