Sarmania
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 straights and across these straights 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 whos economy is based on the mining of Amber and the logging of Cedar wood. Both of these resources are abundant in the region between Altenel and the Atibul Mountains to the west. Due to Altenel's heavy reliance of these two resources and being located on the eastern side of the river the city relies heavily on imported food stuffs.
Haphtep: (Population: 8,000)
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.
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 multiroom 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
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 southern trade route Jherakh 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.
Creator/s: Kirk Smith
