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{{NationInfobox
{{NationInfobox
|name = Tirione
|name = Tamkaranu
|image =  
|image = Flag_Tamkaranu.svg
|capital = [[Tirione (city)|Tirione]]
|capital = [[Nindara]]
|ruler = 102nd Assembly
|ruler = Judge-council
|government = Parliamentary republic
|government = Republic
|demonym = Tirionite
|demonym = Tamkaranu
|adjective = Tirionite
|adjective = Tamkaranu
|languages = [[Telan]], [[Common]]
|languages = [[Telan]], [[Common]]
|religions = Common pantheon, especially Abadar and Gozreh; other pantheons to lesser degrees
|religions = [[Chaskan pantheon]], especially [[Hasamel]] and [[Usumu]]; other faiths to lesser degrees
}}
}}
'''Khapesh''', formally the Kingdom of Khapesh, is an ancient land full of mysteries and remnants of the distant past. Old ruins are frequently only a short distance from major cities, and the remains of a prehistoric civilization hide beneath the sands. One of the most densely populated regions of the world, the [[Aur River]] provides the lifeblood of Khapesh within the inhospitable deserts of the [[Red Lands]].
'''Tamkaranu''' {{Pronunciation|tahm-kah-RAH-noo}} is a republic on the eastern coast of the [[Chaska Sea]]. Inheritors of a long history of seafaring traditions, the people of Tamkaranu still look to the waves, and the nation thrives off its merchants, colonists, and navigators throughout the Chaska.


== Geography, flora, and fauna ==
== Geography, flora, and fauna ==
Khapesh is centered around the Aur River, its lifeblood in the otherwise hot and inhospitable [[Sangora Desolation]]. Aside from small settlements around oases within the Red Lands, the Khapeshan term for the Desolation, almost the entire population of Khapesh lives along the river. The Aur River provides the means of transportation that ties the kingdom together by trade, and the river’s regular yearly cycles of flooding ensures agricultural plenty in the middle of the desert. Farmlands, mostly growing wheat and other grains, cling close to the river. Reeds and other tall grasses grow along the riverbank in places where it is not cultivated.
Tamkaranu stretches along the eastern coast of the Chaska Sea. Though a largely coastal nation, Tamkaranu also reaches into the arid highlands of the [[Kurzag Mountains]] that separates the temperate coast from the dry inland of the [[Taizzan Expanse]]. The area is warm but dry most of the year, with a cooler and wetter winter.


To the north the Aur reaches the [[Chaska Sea]] - most international travel and trade from Khapesh comes and goes by this route. To the east is the [[Salt Coast]] of the [[Kilche Sea]]. Far less kind to human habitation than the northern coast, there is little here beyond beaches of salt and outposts established to collect it. Some small fortresses exist here as well, in an attempt to deter pirates along the trade routes between [[Avaris]], [[Rudamun]], and [[Tarkuss]].
Once the domain of wide-ranging cedar forests for which the region is famous, millennia of use has seen these forests reduced greatly, largely replaced with farmland or pastureland. Once the economic centerpiece of Tamkaranu, these trees still hold great cultural significance. Certain cedar groves also serve as homes to a unique type of arboreal that closely resembles these trees.


Sandstorms are a periodic concern to the inhabitants of Khapesh. Sometimes taking days to pass, these storms inhibit travel, damage crops, pose health concerns, and cover settlements with a thick layer of sand once they pass.
Large herds of goats roam the highlands, well suited to the arid landscape and protected from beasts by attentive shepherds.  


The Red Lands are a barren wasteland of rocky sand and dunes. Small shrubs and cacti, well adapted to live in these dry conditions, are the only vegetation to be seen. Most vegetation in the Red Lands is inedible to people, save for sparse prickly pair cacti, black persimmon, and a handful of other species. Few choose to travel through these harsh conditions, much less live in it.
A small number of blue dragons reside on the eastern side of the Kurzag Mountains. At higher elevations the mountains feature snow-capped peaks that feed seasonal waterfalls, some of which fall for spectacular heights.
 
Along with a handful of smaller oases, the [[Turquoise Oasis|Turquoise]] and [[Kharga Oasis|Kharga]] Oases are the major sites away from the Aur River. These refuges from the desert remain sparsely inhabited, though ancient ruins are common sights near both. Rumors abound of strange phenomena surrounding both oases. However, there is little to entice adventurers, and most stay away.
 
The fauna of Khapesh is separated based on proximity to water. Along the river, northern coast, and oases, one can find crocodiles, hippopotami, and large flocks of birds. Within the Red Lands, there are few animals besides scorpions, snakes, small rodents and reptiles, jackals, and foxes. Magical creatures are also relatively commonplace within Khapesh. While most native magical creatures live only in remote parts of the river or in the desert away from civilization, non-native magical creatures can be found with relative ease near the cities, whether they moved there by choice or were inadvertently set free.
 
The Red Lands are home to a number of sphinx, generally in remote locations where they can avoid those that wish to seek their advice.
 
Some bagiennik live in the reeds along the Aur River. While their pranks can be an annoyance to farmers and those travelling the river, many towns accept or even welcome their presence due to their healing abilities and their enthusiasm to use them.


== History ==
== History ==
The Kingdom of Khapesh is an ancient kingdom built on the ruins of civilizations even older. Founded somewhere around Y300 by the quasi-mythical [[Narmer the Conqueror]], Khapesh has been ruled since by monarchs of thirty-one dynasties. This has not all been a time of peace, with many wars, both external and within, breaking up long periods of fairly high degrees of stability. At times the lands of Khapesh have been temporarily divided among multiple states and later reunified again.
=== City-state period - to {{Year|5000}} (approx) ===
 
For most of its history Tamkaranu was a loose coalition of maritime city-states, not truly united but rather tied together by an ever-shifting patchwork of alliance, rivalries, and agreements. Like the surrounding [[Eastern Chaskan city-states]], those of Tamkaranu were frequently the subject of both [[Khapesh|Khapeshan]] and [[Dalbanu]] ambitions, though their influence in trade meant it was typically more lucrative for foreign powers to foster mercantile relationships with Tamkaranu rather than engage in conquest.
=== Prehistory ===
Relics and ruins of civilizations even older than Khapesh can be found by adventurers, provided they are willing to go deep enough or far enough out into the Red Lands. Architecturally these ruins look utterly alien to Khapesh: circular structures carved deep into the earth, with impenetrable walls of perfectly smooth metals and green lights embedded within. Surviving relics are treated with great scholarly curiosity, though their purposes are rarely understood. The [[Incident at Faiyan]], in which a legion of constructed creations terrorized the region around its namesake city, was by far the largest “discovery” of relics of this civilization. Very little is known about the creators of these artifacts, save that they were vaguely humanoid and had a grasp of magic and technology extremely rare within the world now.
 
=== Unification - Y300 (approx) ===
Though historical records are inexact, sometime around Y300 Khapesh was founded by Narmer the Conqueror, bringing the separate small kingdoms and city states along the Aur River into a unified nation. Contrary to the name given to him by later historians, evidence points to the unification as a mostly diplomatic effort, not borne of conflict.
 
=== First Dynastic Period - Y300 (approx) to Y1087 ===
Not much can be conclusively dated from this time, and few records exist. Settlements began to be founded in Upper Khapesh, away from the early unification in the delta. Worship of the Osiron pantheon became well established in this period, as temples began to be established around these local dieties.


The lands outside the river are known to have been more habitable in this period - mostly arid grasslands instead of barren desert. Most of the ancient ruins away from the river originate from this period in Khapesh’s history.
Throughout this time Tamkaranu seafarers journeyed throughout the Chaska Sea, establishing trading posts and colonies as they did so. While many were founded in [[Thadria]] and in [[Hellea]] to trade with the existing populations there, the majority of their new towns and ports were settled on the southern and western coasts of the Chaska. For many centuries these prospered as the trade networks between them and Tamkaranu grew. Some, particularly those on the island of [[Nivaria]] at the gates of the Chaska, eventually grew to the point that they were equally as influential as the city-states of their homeland in the east, able to send forth their own merchants and navies across the seas.


The [[Stoics of Iteru]] were formed during the First Dynastic Period. While they have varied in size and influence since, the order of living monoliths remains active to the present day.
=== Belet-Shuthnir and the Eastern Crusade - {{Year|5431}} to {{Year|5452}} ===
{{SeeAlso|Eastern Crusade}}


=== First Intermediate Period - Y1087 to Y1292 ===
In {{Year|5431}}, the powerful [[necromancy|necromancer]] [[Belet-Shuthnir]] took control of [[Anaharath]], a city north of Tamkaranu. After consolidating power, she began an unholy war against the other polities in the region, quickly conquering south to [[Aradet]] and [[Gath Padalla]], north up to the [[River Qes]], and east to the frontier of the [[Arrajan Wilds]]. The city-states of Tamkaranu, long accustomed to peaceful trade rather than war, were completely unprepared for such an assault and quickly fell to Belet-Shuthnir's undead armies.


The Scouring, a massive centuries-long magical sandstorm, forced drastic changes in Khapesh, causing a near total societal collapse. Those that survived were forced into a pattern of yearly or sometimes seasonal migrations along the river, moving to avoid the worst of the storm. Most settlements are abandoned during this time. It is unknown what caused this storm.
After years of study and terrible deeds, in {{Year|5440}} Belet-Shuthnir succeeded in her goal of attaining lichdom. Powers around the Chaska began to take notice and draft plans to defeat the new evil. The Eastern Crusade began in {{Year|5446}} as a direct result, a coalition between [[Thadria|Thadrian]] and [[Hellea|Hellean]] states alongside a variety of religious orders. Though slow and extremely costly, the crusaders were eventually successful in pushing the necromancer back to her capital in Anaharath. In the final battle outside the city in {{Year|5452}}, half the remaining allied crusader force was flash-petrified, where they remain outside of the city today at the [[Field of the Victorious]]. With her phylactery destroyed and scattered, the body of Belet-Shuthnir was entombed and warded deep below Anaharath to seal it away, where she remains today. Devastated by almost fifteen years of war, Tamkaranu took decades to fully recover from the crusade.


=== Second Dynastic Period - Y1292 to Y4030 ===
=== Kingdom period - {{Year|5452}} to {{Year|6360}} ===
Out of the ruins of Tamkaranu, the Kingdom of Tirione was formed in {{Year|5452}}, its [[House Antar|founding dynasty]] headed by one of the most renowned of the crusaders. Initially including just the cities of [[Nindara]] and [[Karka]] as well as their outlying areas, soon through both conquest and alliance Tirione encompassed the entire territory of modern state of Tirione as well as [[Sarepta]] and [[Rusadir]]. The kingdom took its name from the language of its founders from eastern Thadria, who intentionally sought to sever the region from its historical roots.


During the later part of this period, the kingdom reached its greatest extent, stretching east up to the Tela River and the [[Lakes of False Promises]], and south to [[Lake Nulukkhaz]].
With such a drastic change in their homeland, many of the Tamkaranu settlements across the Chaska Sea began to look in other directions or more strongly assert their independence. Most became part of the patchwork of the [[Western Coast]], absorbing waves of new colonists from elsewhere, though the monarchy retained control of [[Korymbos]].


King [[Khentimeresh the Evil]] reigned from Y1756 to Y2001. A despotic tyrant, Khentimeresh is best remembered for his attempts to attain immortality via lichdom. Legends hold that magical countermeasures of some type were put in place so that this could not happen again, though there is much dispute as to what form this would take.
The kingdom persevered for almost a millennia before collapsing in {{Year|6360}}. The cyclical droughts in the lands along the eastern Chaskan coast, historically weathered by the smaller communities of the region, had become the kingdom's responsibility to mitigate as the cities centralized and grew greatly in population. Years of mismanagement following the start of particularly severe drought in {{Year|6348}} caused increasing unrest in Tirione, as crops failed and large segments of the populace had little to eat. Protests turned to violence, as groups of discontent commoners seized grain from storehouses and the small professional military of the kingdom refused to intervene. Across Tirione monarchist city leaders were removed from power in a series of events known as the Victory of the Empty Stomachs. By early {{Year|6360}} the drought had abated, but so had the power of the monarchy. A new republic was declared later in the year, re-adopting the name Tamkaranu in honor of its history.


=== Second Intermediate Period - Y4030 to Y4955 ===
=== Republican period - {{Year|6360}} to present ===
 
Loosed of the monarchy, Tamkaranu once again began to turn to the sea, seeking to reestablish its position as the foremost maritime mercantile power of the Chaska. Though its previous colonies had moved on in the ensuing centuries and gone their own way, new ones were established, ranging from large-scale efforts between trade coalitions, like [[Ashnan]] and [[Ellu]], to small, largely independent ports. Korymbos, which had remained under the control of the monarchy, declared its independence in the chaos - a fleet sent by the shufet of Tamkaranu to reconquer the colony in {{Year|6365}} was defeated by the hastily-formed navy of the nascent nation.
Internal wars caused by droughts and famines brought upon the separation of Khapesh into shifting alliances of city states. Control of Khapesh’s outer territories collapsed, helped by scavenging bandits and raider lords.
 
=== Third Dynastic Period - Y4955 to present ===
 
The Third Dynastic Period has been an n almost two millennia long era with a high degree of stability
 
In Y5940, the mages and scholars that would later found the [[Citadel of Yhidothrus]] within the [[Arnkelvik Magocracy]] were expelled from Khapesh.
 
During the Incident at Faiyan in Y6975, ancient automatons under the control of [[Zamanth]], one of the vizers of [[Faiyan]], terrorized the area around the city before they were defeated and contained.
 
Clearsilence Noir, also known as Chephren the Learned, took the throne of Khapesh in Y6976 after the disappearance of [[Menes II]].


== Demographics ==
== Demographics ==
The population of Khapesh is mostly [[Common]]-speaking humans, though especially within the northern cities there are large populations of other races as well. There are sizable gnomish, [[tengu]], and [[catfolk]] communities, especially in Lower Khapesh. Khapeshan cities are quite cosmopolitan, and individuals of most races can be sighted without much searching.
Tamkaranu is primarily [[human]], with sizable [[Dwarf|dwarven]], half-elf, and half-orc minorities. There is also an unusually large oread population. Due to the importance of Tamkaranu's ports for trade within the Chaska, visitors and permanent inhabitants of almost all ancestries can be found as well.
 
Away from the river, bands of [[kasatha]] live within the Red Lands. Not large in number and to a significant degree separate from the rest of Khapeshan society, these kasatha live as nomadic hunters within the desert. It is rare for a kasatha to live in a river-dwelling community, though some find work as guards and guides.


== Culture ==
== Culture ==
Although other pantheons and deities are followed in Khapesh, the local Osirion gods are worshipped in particular. The veneration of these gods began millenia ago, in the First Dynastic Period, and has continued largely uninterrupted since. Each major city within Khapesh has a patron deity - in most cases, the patron deity has a particularly large temple and following within the city’s surroundings. However, the reverence towards the entire pantheon stretches across all of Khapesh - a city with a grand temple to Ra, for example, will still have smaller temples dedicated to Anubis, Sobek, and so on.


Many of the cultural traditions of Khapesh are as similarly ancient as their religious beliefs. The yearly flooding of the Aur River serves as the beginning of a series of festivals and rituals, both a celebration and an offering to their gods to ensure an orderly and prosperous year. These festivities vary by city, but typically include the giving of alms and offerings to the major temples, elaborate reenactments of particular stories of their pantheon, feasts, and the consultation of oracles.
=== Religion ===
The inhabitants of Tamkaranu mostly follow the [[Chaskan pantheon]], with a particularly strong focus on [[Hasamel]] and [[Usumu]]. Grand temples to the two gods exist in the city of Nindara, and smaller temples to both, as well as to their peers, are found throughout the country. The large merchant class of Tamkaranu is particularly devoted to Hasamel, following the god’s tenets in hopes of greater rewards and business opportunities. Meanwhile, Usumu is worshiped by those that sail from Tamkaranu, who pray to the deity for safe travels. Small shrines to foreign deities, particularly those of the [[Khapeshan pantheon|Khapeshan]] and [[Hellean pantheon|Hellean]] pantheons, can be found in Tamkaranu cities as well, visited primarily but not exclusively by travelers from other lands.


The Khapeshan [[calendar]] is divided into three seasons - Akhet (inundation), Peret (growth), and Shemu (harvest). As the Aur river floods with great regularity, these seasons end up starting at very nearly the same times every year. Irregularities tend to be viewed with superstition or fear, usually prompting  more and greater offerings to the Osirion deities. The start of the year is considered to be the end of Akhet, when the river’s flooding ceases.  
Religion is a very public affair in Tamkaranu - great ceremonies and celebrations mark religious occasions, and the life in the cities of the region revolves around the schedule of these events.


The beginning of the year is marked across Khapesh with a great week-long festival, celebrating another year passed and giving offerings to ensure the next is bountiful. Communal feasts and gifts of food between neighbors are traditional, and generally looked forward to with anticipation by Khapeshans. Most tavern and inn keepers will make their goods and services available for free during this time (though donations are, of course, appreciated). In most cities, a large parade is organized, typically featuring large numbers of musicians and dancers. Until recently, the king and his retinue would also travel from city to city during this time to take part in the parades as well.
Many believe Tamkaranu to be the first place where the Chaskan pantheon was worshiped, based on the age of the many ancient temples and ritual sites that can be found in the foothills of the Kurzag Mountains.


Another week-long festival marks the end of Shemu, or the harvest season. This is a more muted affair, focusing more on rest and recuperation after the hard work put in during the last two seasons. Non-essential shops typically close, and those that remain open tend to only be available during the early part of the morning. Even less devout followers of the Osirion pantheon frequently spend long periods at the temples during this time in the year.
=== Society ===
Through millennia of contact with faraway places Tamkaranu has become a strongly multicultural nation. The culture and traditions of the region inherit from those of the eastern Chaskan coast, of course, but also take influence from those of Khapesh, Hellea, Thadria, and [[Amshan]]. While most of this cultural diffusion is the result of Tamkaranu's maritime trade, it is not the sole source. During the nation's period as a kingdom, crusaders from both Thadria and Hellea remained in the region after the necromancer threat was vanquished, becoming a significant part of Tamkaranu's upper classes. Over the centuries their traditions and practices became less distinct from others in Tamkaranu, as a result of cultural shifts in both directions - not only did the new upper classes adopt aspects of the culture of the Tamkaranu majority, but so to did the rest of Tamkaranu draw influence from the crusader transplants. This legacy can be seen in many parts of Tamkaranu culture, but especially clearly in personal and family names. Names drawn from old Telan origins are widespread in Tamkaranu, often bearing a strong resemblance to Dalbanu names, as are those that are clearly Thadrian.


Khapeshan music, often performed by devotees of Hathor, usually centers around vocals accompanied by flutes, harps, clarinets, shells used as whistles, and a variety of percussion instruments, particularly cymbals. Most Khapeshan bards are not soloists, but rather train as part of a group or choir. Music is frequently involved in religious and magical rituals, especially but not exclusively in rituals to the gods Hathor and Bastet. Funerary rites also usually involve rituals of chanting, other instrumentation, and dancing.  
Tamkaranu has relatively high levels of population growth, partially as a result of immigration from other parts of the world, but at the same time a steady stream of people leave for the colonies. By and large, however, those that depart are the lower classes who are in search of better employment and living conditions elsewhere, while those who arrive are mostly wealthier merchants or the like.


Khapeshan art follows a tradition many thousands of years old. While artists have their own techniques and flairs, they follow guidelines and standards that have persisted across the ages. Khapeshan paintings, carvings, and reliefs commonly feature simple lines and shapes, flat areas of color, and flat projections of figures without spatial depth, in order to create highly ordered works. Temples, palaces, graves, stelae, and other structures of socio-religious importance are usually covered in reliefs and paintings that depict subjects closely related to the structure’s purpose. Art often depicts historical or religious events, and is a method to teach about these events to the common people. Stone is the most common medium, and paints are usually sourced from mineral ores.
The cities of Tamkaranu maintain only a large enough military to serve as local guards. The nation as a whole is broadly uninterested in war against its neighbors, the many city-states of the eastern Chaska, preferring to grow and wield their strength in mercantile form instead.


Today, most citizens of Khapesh speak Common, though it is not unusual to hear the languages of other races and regions in the major cities. In the past, Khapesh had multiple languages of its own, though many of these died out thousands of years ago. [[Meritoic]] is the only remaining Khapeshan language in wide use, both as a scholarly language and as an everyday language by the common people. Those that use Meritoic as their primary tongue tend to live in upper Khapesh, away from the cosmopolitan delta, where there is less reason to learn Common to communicate with people of diverse backgrounds. Other older languages, for example [[Demotic]], are completely extinct. In the northern coastal cities, [[Telan]], [[Thadrian]], and [[Hellean]] are also quite commonly spoken.
=== Traditions ===
The culture of Tamkaranu holds the native cedar forests in great esteem. Many of the oldest tales and legends in Tamkaranu folklore take place in the cedar groves, and the trees are viewed almost with reverence. Despite this, today the forests are a pale shadow of their former extant, having been cut down for material and profit. Today much of the remaining forests are protected by the [[Libani Order]] of druids, who tend to the remaining ancient groves, encourage new growth, and protect the trees from those who wish to cut them down.  


Architecturally, most buildings in Khapesh are made of sandstone or mud brick, usually with flat roofs and many canopies to provide shade and cool the structure. Buildings, particularly homes, are frequently painted bright colors in either geometric designs or murals representing the lives of the inhabitants. Reeds are frequently used to construct awnings and other scaffolding, as well as for floor mats, but the use of wood is uncommon and mostly limited to temples, state buildings, and other structures of importance, owing to its rarity in the desert. The style of temples vary by the deity. Temples to a city’s patron deity are usually constructed as large centerpieces of their cities.
Races are especially common sporting activities in Tamkaranu. Using chariots pulled by horses or more exotic creatures, races are team events - betting is widespread, especially if one has a preferred team. Teams are often sponsored as well, usually by wealthy individuals, cities, or guilds. Sometimes these bets and sponsorships result in fans (or teams themselves) sabotaging other teams in various ways - though completely against the rules of the sport, this behavior is widespread regardless. Winning a race not only brings wealth but also a great deal of prestige.


Khapeshan cities tend to be quite densely populated, though with larger than normal distances between them. Cities are exclusively located along the Aur River, as the waters of the river provide for the irrigation and means of travel that the cities require. Along the river between the cities are low-density, rural, agricultural landscapes. Each city relies on the food produced in a large area up and down the river from itself in order to support its high population. The majority of Khapeshan people live in these rural regions.
=== Seafaring ===
The people of Tamkaranu have a very long maritime tradition as some of the first to chart the Chaska Sea. They are still renowned as some of the finest sailors and navigators of the [[Three Great Seas]], with ships and crews hailing from the nation found far and wide across the Chaska, [[Kilche Sea|Kilche]], [[Kirnashal Sea|Kirnashal]], and [[Phiora Sea|Phiora]]. These ships, typically galleys like biremes or triremes, are easily recognizable by their dolphin-headed prows honoring the goddess Usumu.


A large percentage of the citizenry are farmers, supporting Khapesh’s relatively large population. Craftsmen of varying specialties are also very common, usually working in cottage industries. A smaller class of merchants trades wares between and within cities. Scribes hold a particularly respected occupation, usually requiring extensive training before being given the responsibility of tracking the calendar, administrative bookkeeping, and other tasks. Dockworking is also a very profitable trade, as river travel is key to transportation across the kingdom.
=== Languages ===
Though [[Telan]] and its dialects are native to the region, and nearly all inhabitants of Tamkaranu are fluent in it, the country is very multilingual, an inevitable result of being one of the nexuses of trade through the Chaska. Usage of [[Common]] is very prevalent to bridge language gaps, though travelers through the streets of Tamkaranu will encounter people speaking in all manner of tongues, finding shared languages where possible. Signs in the cities of Tamkaranu are frequently written in multiple languages - nearly always Telan and Common, with other languages depending on the particular location.


Most people in Khapesh eat fairly simple diets, largely centering around bread, rice, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, dates, beer, and fish. Simpler spices are commonly used, such as pepper, ginger, coriander, and garlic. Other spices are imported into Khapesh, mostly from Tarkuss, though these are priced out of the reach of most people. Wealthier individuals are more likely to eat a greater proportion of meat in their diet, as well as pricier foodstuffs like honey, fruits, and items imported from other lands.
=== Occupations ===
Tamkaranu has an outsized merchant class, who make their living shipping and trading all across the seas. The inhabitants of most cities work as laborers of some description, particularly as longshoremen. A significant bloc of craftspeople also make their living supporting the city populations and visitors. In the interior, traditional agricultural roles like farmers and shepherds remain common. The city of [[Karka]] is renowned for its apothecaries and those who run them, with many ships stopping by this city specifically to pay these shops a visit.


Besides typical subsistence fare, inn- and tavern-goers in Khapesh are likely to encounter some of the following well known dishes:
The economy of Tamkaranu is strongly influenced by its guilds, associations of professions that wield significant influence in setting prices, availability of goods and services, and so on. Merchant guilds in the form of trade coalitions are especially powerful in Tamkaranu. These coalitions, organizations of merchants with shared interests, are generally aligned either along geographical lines or by what they trade. They exercise sweeping authority throughout Tamkaranu, its colonies, and even in the ports of foreign nations, providing their members with mutual protection and supplying them with crucial information.


* Rice and barley with tomatoes, garlic, and onions
=== Food and cuisine ===
* Fried eel
Among other crops, Tamkaranu farmers commonly grow legumes such as chickpeas and lentils, grains such as wheat and barley, and a large variety of vegetables. Eggplants, grapes, beans, tomatoes, olives, and garlic are farmed widely, as are various kinds of nuts and fruits. Goats and sheep are, by a significant margin, the most common livestock, with cattle and poultry kept to a lesser degree. Some spices and herbs are grown locally, such as anise and parsley, while many others are imported.
* Baked carp or perch marinated in cider vinegar
* Gourds with brown sugar and sauteed vegetables
* Baked hedgehog
* [[wikipedia:Haleem|Slow-cooked stew of lentils, lamb, and barley]]
* [[wikipedia:Sfenj|Fried spongy dough, often eaten with honey as a street food]]
* Deep-fried balls of ground fava beans, often eaten with vegetables and flatbread
* [[wikipedia:Imqaret|Date-filled pastries]]


On the Salt Coast, a popular method to prepare seafood involves creating a mixture of egg white, salt, and optionally extra spices for flavoring, completely encasing the whole but gutted and cleaned fish with the mixture, and slowly cooking it over a low fire.
Tamkaranu cuisine is heavily based around fish, goat, dairy, grains, and legumes. Regardless of social status, these ingredients are available at low cost to all citizens, in large part due to state subsidies. Class distinctions arise mostly in spices and seasonings, with more expensive flavorings gracing the tables of the wealthy.
<!--
Besides typical subsistence fare, inn- and tavern-goers in Tirione are likely to encounter some of the following well known dishes:
* Goat kebabs
* Parsley, olive, chickpea, and lemon salads
* Chickpeas, lentils and rice in spicy tomato sauce
* Anise-flavored moonshine-->


Many domesticated animals are kept in Khapesh. Oxen and cattle are most commonly used as draft animals or for meat - in the past, native aurochs were kept for this purpose, though they have been functionally extinct for millenia. Domesticated waterfowl are kept for meat and eggs. Some hunters and scouts are known to train jackals to assist them in their treks across the desert.
=== Architecture and urbanization ===
Tamkaranu architecture tends to favor [https://www.pinterest.com/pin/447404544233913887/ mud brick or stone construction], usually with flat roofs made of stone, thatch, or lead. A simple yet refined architectural style similar to those used in Dalbanu and Khapesh, this type of construction has been used for many centuries in the region. Travelers to Tamkaranu have remarked on the large row houses in the districts of cities inhabited by the merchant classes, often up to four stories tall with small fenced gardens in both front and back.  


While the technology of Khapesh is quite similar to the rest of the world, broadly speaking, the subterranean workshops of [[Tamiat]] are renowned for their remarkable clockwork creations. Elsewhere in Khapesh, particularly around Faiyan, these clockworks are often seen with suspicion due to their similarities with the more advanced ancient automatons that have appeared on occasion. Khapeshan agriculture relies on quite advanced irrigation techniques and methods, a necessity when the river is the only consistent source of water. Paper in Khapesh is made from the plentiful papyrus that grows on the river bank, used for books and other written material.
The population of Tamkaranu is heavily urban and primarily concentrated in the coastal cities. Inland cities have seen slow emigration towards the west for a long time as prospects for economic and social growth lessen in the interior. The rural population in particular is remarkably small and low density, to such a degree that Tamkaranu farmers do not grow nearly enough food to support the nation's population, and the state relies heavily on imported foodstuffs as a result. Many of the younger generations have given up entirely on rural life, driven by inconsistent harvests and persistent ankheg infestations.


Khapeshan sports tend to center around displays of practical skills, including rowing, javelin-throwing, archery, weightlifting, and other physical feats. Sporting activities are generally unorganized - unlike in [[Hellea]], there are no central guilds to govern the rules of sportsmanship. Board games are quite popular among all people in Khapeshan society, from farmers to viziers. Games often emphasize strategy or random chance, and betting is widespread.  
=== Arts ===
The most distinctive characteristic of Tamkaranu music is its extensive use of harps, alongside drums, pipes, and lyres. Most Tamkaranu bards use this instrument or variants upon it. It is considered not only an instrument for the music of the upper classes but also for the common people - it is frequently heard at religious events, fancy parties, and everyday taverns alike.


Linen is by far the most common textile and material used in Khapeshan clothing. Dyes derived from plants are sometimes used to add extra color, but more commonly the material is left in its natural color. Among the upper class, bleached and dyed clothes are more widespread, along with jewelry and other cosmetics (particularly eyeliner and other makeup). Sewn leather sandals are the most common footwear. All clothing is designed to be light and avoid excess material, in order to keep the wearer cool in the hot desert climate.
The works of Tamkaranu potters are known throughout the world. Their finished goods are not only exquisitely well-made, but also artistically decorated with depictions of animals, magical creatures, and holy symbols. Tamkaranu art, not only pottery but also jewelry, glassware, and more, can be found throughout the Chaska, both in the form of items made in Tamkaranu and those by artists inspired by Tamkaranu traditions and practices. This art is inextricably tied to the commercial interests of Tamkaranu merchants, often made explicitly to appeal to trading partners across the sea.  


Khapesh has a high literacy rate; the vast majority of city dwellers can read and write, at least at a basic level, and around half of the rural population can as well. The cities of lower Khapesh are widely known for their printing industries, as large numbers of books are published there, printed on sheets of papyrus paper and bound in leather covers. Books are inexpensive enough that an average commoner can afford to buy one or two a year without too much trouble. Broadside [[newspapers]] are also fixtures of many Khapeshan cities, though usually only published on a weekly basis.
=== Travel ===
Most travel within Tamkaranu is either by way of sea or by way of the extensive and mostly well-maintained road system of the region. Wagons can reliably travel between the major cities and towns without running into dangerous creatures or damaged stretches of road that are difficult to pass. Farther inland, the road system becomes rather more unreliable.


Education and magical studies in Khapesh are closely tied to the temples. Even non-religious learning is usually conducted by priests and priestesses. While most Khapeshans receive their primary education as children, temple schools are open to the public and those of any age who wish to learn. Besides general studies, temples usually also teach classes that emphasize the domains of their deity. For example, temples to Ptah often teach metalworking and other forms of craftsmanship.  
=== Magic ===
The [[Apsium Magical Institute]] in [[Harkek]] is one of the foremost centers of magical learning in the world, and is especially prestigious among mages around the Chaska Sea. The Institute has cemented Tamkaranu's reputation as a desirable place to live if one is interested in the magical arts.


Khapeshan mages, while generally experienced and learned in the same types of magic as elsewhere, also know certain spells and techniques more specific to the kingdom. These include spells involved in the internment of the dead, manipulation of aging, and unique methods to raise and control undead.
=== Education ===
Basic levels of education are easily accessible to all in Tamkaranu, as schools are funded by the state and are free to attend. Higher levels require the attendee to pay, though large numbers of people from Tamkaranu achieve higher levels of education regardless. Basic education focuses on subjects like mathematics and literacy, while higher education emphasizes oration, history, and related topics.


Most travel within Khapesh is done via the Aur River. Most settlements are located directly beside the river and feature at least small docks, so the river provides a reliable method of transportation. Boats range from smaller vessels, able to carry a couple individuals, to larger river boats. Almost all are made of bundled reeds, sometimes coated in tar for waterproofing, and propelled by a combination setting poles, oars, and sails (on the larger vessels). In the cities, wooden carts are used by those that can afford them, though more commonly seen are sledges. Either can be pulled by draft animals but typically are not. Within the desert, most travellers wisely choose to travel light, as the effort required to move cargo over the rough terrain is rarely worth it.
=== Fashion ===
Tamkaranu clothing primarily centers around simple tunics and robes, similar in style to those of Khapesh and Dalbanu. Among the common people clothing is usually sparsely decorated or ornamented, while both are far more widespread among the upper class. Most clothes are made of linen or cotton and dyed in various colors. Purple is especially popular among the upper class.


Khapeshans tend to be superstitious about the ancient ruins surrounding them. While adventurers might gladly enter such structures in search of treasures or mysteries within, ordinary citizens tend to associate these ruins with burial places of the long dead. While Khapeshan scribes and scholars recognize the wealth of knowledge and items that could be found, they tend to be focused more on the vast amounts of poorly understood material already in easy access to them, and do not usually venture forth themselves or hire others to explore and gain more.
== Government ==
After the dissolution of the monarchy, the people of Tamkaranu revived and expanded upon their ancient system of rule by elected judges. Called [[shufet]], two of these judges are elected by each city in Tamkaranu to serve one-year terms. While these judges have expansive executive and judicial powers, they also preside over elected city-level assemblies who advise the shufet.


=== Kasatha ===
In this form of diarchy, any shufet can veto the actions of their peer, thus forcing them to negotiate and reach an agreement on any issue in which they hold differing views. On certain matters the shufet must defer to their assemblies, most notably on any question of military action, trade embargo, or other such diplomatic activity.
Kasatha culture is centered around each extended family, or clan. Clans tend to be very close knit and led by a matriarch, who is usually the oldest capable female member of the family. The kasatha clans move seasonally, travelling to follow the most favorable conditions in the desert. While kasatha camps typically appear plain from the outside, merely a collection of hide tents, inside each dwelling is usually brightly decorated with colorful fabrics and items valuable to its inhabitants. Kasatha normally eschew entering the ruins they occasionally live beside, viewing their abandonment as the result of ancient curses.


Kasatha religion involves an eclectic mixture of faiths. Some worship the gods of the Osirion pantheon, like their settled neighbors by the river. Others favor the Eldest, particularly Shyka, Magdh, and Ng. Most, however, follow their own variant of the Green Faith. Kasatha do not have permanent temples, but do have particular sites in the Red Lands they regularly return to for worship.
Above the shufet is the judge-council. Formed of all the shufet of each city of Tamkaranu, the judge-council is responsible for any decision that affects the nation as a whole rather than only a single city.


Most kasatha speak their racial tongue, Kasatha, as their primary language. Many are also fluent in Common, useful when interacting with blacklanders, but it is not uncommon to encounter Kasatha who only know their racial language. Most kasatha clans can speak Meritoic as well. and there are rumors that a small number of Kasatha who live deep in the Sangora still speak Demotic.
Tamkaranu has universal suffrage - any adult inhabitant of a city or its surrounding regions may vote, regardless of time of residency, occupation, social status, or other such factors. Like most regions around the eastern Chaska, Tamkaranu has no notion of citizenship.


While most kasatha remain in the Red Lands near their clans, some seek out work elsewhere. For Khapeshans who wish to travel across the desert for some reason, it is widely understood that kasatha guides provide the best chance for a safe and speedy journey. Others find jobs in river towns and cities. Kasatha adventurers are less common, as they generally prioritize remaining somewhere near their clans, but some do choose to set off and see the broader world.
Those elected to positions in the assembles or as shufet are invariably individuals of some degree of wealth, typically prominent merchants, as these positions do not confer any salary or other personal benefits.


The Khapeshan kasatha are not agriculturalists, but rather are hunter-gatherers. Most food is sourced through what can be found in the local environment, sparse as that sometimes may be. The kasatha are masters of these environments, often able to acquire food in places others would quickly starve. Foraged foods are supplemented by milk and dairy products, mostly from camels, as well as occasional supplies brought back by those who found work by the river. While ingredients can often be highly variable, depending on what can be acquired at the time, kasatha cuisine is not simple, and often involves complex mixes of flavors and seasonings. Teas are the drinks of choice for most kasatha.
Tamkaranu has a long and detailed legal code. Though it once varied greatly between cities, with the formation of the kingdom and then the modern republic it has become universal nation-wide. This legal code is disproportionately concerned with maritime matters, including fishing rights, the crews of ships, and fair mercantile dealing.
 
Kasatha travel through the Red Lands almost entirely on foot, carrying their possessions with them. Some use camels or dogs as pack animals as well. It is often quite difficult to track even large clans as they move through the desert, as they have become experts in hiding their movements.
 
Among the kasatha there are many who are knowledgeable about magic. Kasatha casters are disproportionately druids who closely tie together their magical understanding of the world and their desert survival abilities. These druids almost always have lizards, jackals, or other desert-adapted animals as their companions.
 
Kasatha clothing consists of loose robes and layers of fabric that cover the entire body and most of the face. These serve a practical purpose, as they keep the sun and sand away. Clothing is usually the color of the desert sand and rocks, in order to help blend in and remain unseen. Sometimes spells are infused into the clothing to assist with this as well.
 
Kasatha archers are renowned for their ability to use two bows at once, as well as use their arrows to disarm, trip, and otherwise incapacitate foes. Other kasatha martial experts often use a unique style of sword that is covered in bony spines and used to better poison their targets. Both these techniques are passed down by clan elders to younger members beginning their training.
 
At one point during the early part of the Second Intermediate Period, kasatha monarchs ruled most of Khapesh. Only one of the clans descended from these monarchs still survives. While the kasatha acknowledge this history, they do not view themselves as having a close connection to the Black Lands and have no desire to return to ruling the desert kingdom. The Second Intermediate Period was a time of great political instability, and Khapeshan scholars and historians still debate the causes that led these normally reclusive desert dwellers to gain political control of the major population centers.
 
== Government ==
Prior to Y6976, Khapesh was nominally ruled by King Menes II. Even prior to his disappearance in Y6975 he was rarely seen outside of his traditional role in pageantry and parades. Few had even seen the king directly, as he would almost never appear in public as anything more than a shadowy figure in a carriage, and all royal communication was handled by his retinue of scribes. Most of the primarily human population of Khapesh never knew another monarch, as Menes II had been the ruler for almost three hundred years - supernaturally long for a human.
 
In practice, each city and surrounding area within Khapesh is administered by one or more viziers, entrusted by the king with near complete autonomy to oversee the day to day governance. Viziers are granted a great deal of discretion over their territory, and are essentially given a lifetime position as long as they perform in line with the king’s expectations. However, it is not unknown for a vizier to be recalled and replaced if the king judges them incompetent.
 
After the disappearance of Menes II in Y6975, most viziers turned their cities into their own personal fiefdoms. The rulers of Faiyan, [[Sakha]], [[Arthribis]], and [[Akmis]], in Upper Khapesh, formed an alliance but the others became de facto independent, at least for a time. With the ascension of the new king Chephren the Learned to the throne, this situation was soon righted.


== Economy ==
== Economy ==
Khapesh’s economy is primarily agricultural - at most times, the kingdom is able to produce an amount of food well in excess of what its inhabitants require. Much of this agricultural output  is exported to other lands, in exchange for spices and precious metals. A thriving gray market deals in antiquities, selling relics of Khapesh’s ancient past to wealthy collectors and scholars overseas. Some cities within the kingdom have more specialized economies - for example, the workshops of Tamiat prospers through selling their mechanical contraptions. The coastal cities benefit through trade passing through as well, supporting the large number of merchant vessels within the Chaska Sea.
Across their millennia of prosperity, the cities of Tamkaranu have greatly depleted many of their local natural resources, and therefore in the modern day have turned to importing raw resources from their colonies across the sea. These are then turned by local craftspeople into a wide array of finished products to be sold in markets and bazaars across the Chaska. Tamkaranu pottery, dyes, jewelry, and clothing are particularly sought after.


== Relations ==
== Relations ==
Khapesh has generally good relations with its neighbors, and has not been involved in an external war in many centuries. Instead it prefers diplomacy by trade, exchanging its agricultural surplus, magical expertise, and ancient relics for resources that cannot be found in the desert or along the river. Despite past wars over mutual ambitions along the [[Asyut Coast]], relations with the city states of [[Tirione]] are today quite close. In addition to commerce, Khapesh has at times also provided military support in defense of Tirione’s western colonies. This has mutual benefits, as Khapesh has become increasingly reliant on the mineral wealth extracted from [[Nionegrast]] in particular.
Tamkaranu is one of the few surface states surrounding the Chaska to have official diplomatic relations with most of the underwater cities and kingdoms of the sea. Though many are typically rather xenophobic in nature, Tamkaranu has managed to curry enough favor with most underwater polities to at least cause them to be open to discussions. Tamkaranu uses these relationships to the advantage of its merchant fleet, frequently creating deals with powerful undersea spellcasters to ensure calm waters or to blow the fleets of its rivals off course.
 
Aside from trade and diplomatic formalities, Khapesh has little relations with its other neighbors across the Chaska Sea. Khapeshan monarchs and viziers generally view the tensions between the many states of Hellea and surrounding islands as petty squabbles, unworthy of getting involved in. Similarly, Khapeshan interest in [[Thadria]] remains low, though ties with the the cities of [[Ashurayu]] have been solidifying more recently.
 
Khapesh has very close ties with the city state of [[Avaris]]. Nearly all Khapeshan trade within the Kilche Sea passes through the ports of Avaris, and Khapesh maintains something of a client state relationship with the city. Avaris is mostly left to continue its day to day operations under its own terms, but trade and diplomacy is dictated by Khapesh.
 
Prior to the collapse of [[Ker]], Khapesh had cordial but not close relations. After the [[Deluge]], Khapesh assisted in the rescue and transport of the survivors to [[Rudamun]]. Khapeshan merchants frequently travel the Kilche Sea to Rudamun, though there remain no official relations.
 
The [[Arnkelvik Magocracy]] is openly antagonistic to Khapesh, and Khapesh returns the favor, short of ushering in war. Privateers hired by Arnkelvik mages search the trade routes within the Kilche for easy targets, looking for ships to raid and capture. All Khapeshan travellers are told to remain well clear of the [[Archipelago of Alabras]], and Khapeshan ships attempt to intercept the privateers. The Citadel of Yhidothrus is particularly hostile to Khapesh, and will sometimes contract privateers to outright sink any Khapeshan vessels they encounter.
 
Khapesh has no relations with the [[Free Captains]], and both are content to keep it that way. Pirates based in the clipper islands frequently target Khapeshan ships, and Khapesh refuses to recognize the [[Pirate Council]] as legitimate.


In spite of some past conflicts, relations between [[Tarkuss]] and Khapesh are quite good. Both are now mutually dependent on their trade, and have an agreement to stay out of each other's affairs, even when it may lead to conflicting interests.
{{CitiesTamkaranu}}


Khapeshan relations with the [[Dawnflower Refuge]] are complicated. On one hand, Khapesh wishes to maintain a good standing with the crusader state, to avoid provoking the ire of Sarenrae’s followers both inside and outside of Khapesh. On the other hand, Khapesh’s ties to Tarkuss greatly complicates this. The official stance, then, has become an odd arrangement of both providing occasional gifts and tributes to the Dawnflower Refuge while at all other times pretending it doesn’t exist.
{{CitiesTirione}}
[[Category:Nations]]
[[Category:Nations]]
[[Category:Tirione]]
[[Category:Tamkaranu]]
[[Category:Republics]]
[[Category:Chaska Sea]]
[[Category:Chaska Sea]]
[[Category:Eastern Chaska]]

Latest revision as of 23:12, 13 October 2024

Tamkaranu (pronounced tahm-kah-RAH-noo) is a republic on the eastern coast of the Chaska Sea. Inheritors of a long history of seafaring traditions, the people of Tamkaranu still look to the waves, and the nation thrives off its merchants, colonists, and navigators throughout the Chaska.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Tamkaranu stretches along the eastern coast of the Chaska Sea. Though a largely coastal nation, Tamkaranu also reaches into the arid highlands of the Kurzag Mountains that separates the temperate coast from the dry inland of the Taizzan Expanse. The area is warm but dry most of the year, with a cooler and wetter winter.

Once the domain of wide-ranging cedar forests for which the region is famous, millennia of use has seen these forests reduced greatly, largely replaced with farmland or pastureland. Once the economic centerpiece of Tamkaranu, these trees still hold great cultural significance. Certain cedar groves also serve as homes to a unique type of arboreal that closely resembles these trees.

Large herds of goats roam the highlands, well suited to the arid landscape and protected from beasts by attentive shepherds.

A small number of blue dragons reside on the eastern side of the Kurzag Mountains. At higher elevations the mountains feature snow-capped peaks that feed seasonal waterfalls, some of which fall for spectacular heights.

History

City-state period - to Y8000* (approx)

For most of its history Tamkaranu was a loose coalition of maritime city-states, not truly united but rather tied together by an ever-shifting patchwork of alliance, rivalries, and agreements. Like the surrounding Eastern Chaskan city-states, those of Tamkaranu were frequently the subject of both Khapeshan and Dalbanu ambitions, though their influence in trade meant it was typically more lucrative for foreign powers to foster mercantile relationships with Tamkaranu rather than engage in conquest.

Throughout this time Tamkaranu seafarers journeyed throughout the Chaska Sea, establishing trading posts and colonies as they did so. While many were founded in Thadria and in Hellea to trade with the existing populations there, the majority of their new towns and ports were settled on the southern and western coasts of the Chaska. For many centuries these prospered as the trade networks between them and Tamkaranu grew. Some, particularly those on the island of Nivaria at the gates of the Chaska, eventually grew to the point that they were equally as influential as the city-states of their homeland in the east, able to send forth their own merchants and navies across the seas.

Belet-Shuthnir and the Eastern Crusade - Y8431* to Y8452*

See also: Eastern Crusade

In Y8431*, the powerful necromancer Belet-Shuthnir took control of Anaharath, a city north of Tamkaranu. After consolidating power, she began an unholy war against the other polities in the region, quickly conquering south to Aradet and Gath Padalla, north up to the River Qes, and east to the frontier of the Arrajan Wilds. The city-states of Tamkaranu, long accustomed to peaceful trade rather than war, were completely unprepared for such an assault and quickly fell to Belet-Shuthnir's undead armies.

After years of study and terrible deeds, in Y8440* Belet-Shuthnir succeeded in her goal of attaining lichdom. Powers around the Chaska began to take notice and draft plans to defeat the new evil. The Eastern Crusade began in Y8446* as a direct result, a coalition between Thadrian and Hellean states alongside a variety of religious orders. Though slow and extremely costly, the crusaders were eventually successful in pushing the necromancer back to her capital in Anaharath. In the final battle outside the city in Y8452*, half the remaining allied crusader force was flash-petrified, where they remain outside of the city today at the Field of the Victorious. With her phylactery destroyed and scattered, the body of Belet-Shuthnir was entombed and warded deep below Anaharath to seal it away, where she remains today. Devastated by almost fifteen years of war, Tamkaranu took decades to fully recover from the crusade.

Kingdom period - Y8452* to Y9360*

Out of the ruins of Tamkaranu, the Kingdom of Tirione was formed in Y8452*, its founding dynasty headed by one of the most renowned of the crusaders. Initially including just the cities of Nindara and Karka as well as their outlying areas, soon through both conquest and alliance Tirione encompassed the entire territory of modern state of Tirione as well as Sarepta and Rusadir. The kingdom took its name from the language of its founders from eastern Thadria, who intentionally sought to sever the region from its historical roots.

With such a drastic change in their homeland, many of the Tamkaranu settlements across the Chaska Sea began to look in other directions or more strongly assert their independence. Most became part of the patchwork of the Western Coast, absorbing waves of new colonists from elsewhere, though the monarchy retained control of Korymbos.

The kingdom persevered for almost a millennia before collapsing in Y9360*. The cyclical droughts in the lands along the eastern Chaskan coast, historically weathered by the smaller communities of the region, had become the kingdom's responsibility to mitigate as the cities centralized and grew greatly in population. Years of mismanagement following the start of particularly severe drought in Y9348* caused increasing unrest in Tirione, as crops failed and large segments of the populace had little to eat. Protests turned to violence, as groups of discontent commoners seized grain from storehouses and the small professional military of the kingdom refused to intervene. Across Tirione monarchist city leaders were removed from power in a series of events known as the Victory of the Empty Stomachs. By early Y9360* the drought had abated, but so had the power of the monarchy. A new republic was declared later in the year, re-adopting the name Tamkaranu in honor of its history.

Republican period - Y9360* to present

Loosed of the monarchy, Tamkaranu once again began to turn to the sea, seeking to reestablish its position as the foremost maritime mercantile power of the Chaska. Though its previous colonies had moved on in the ensuing centuries and gone their own way, new ones were established, ranging from large-scale efforts between trade coalitions, like Ashnan and Ellu, to small, largely independent ports. Korymbos, which had remained under the control of the monarchy, declared its independence in the chaos - a fleet sent by the shufet of Tamkaranu to reconquer the colony in Y9365* was defeated by the hastily-formed navy of the nascent nation.

Demographics

Tamkaranu is primarily human, with sizable dwarven, half-elf, and half-orc minorities. There is also an unusually large oread population. Due to the importance of Tamkaranu's ports for trade within the Chaska, visitors and permanent inhabitants of almost all ancestries can be found as well.

Culture

Religion

The inhabitants of Tamkaranu mostly follow the Chaskan pantheon, with a particularly strong focus on Hasamel and Usumu. Grand temples to the two gods exist in the city of Nindara, and smaller temples to both, as well as to their peers, are found throughout the country. The large merchant class of Tamkaranu is particularly devoted to Hasamel, following the god’s tenets in hopes of greater rewards and business opportunities. Meanwhile, Usumu is worshiped by those that sail from Tamkaranu, who pray to the deity for safe travels. Small shrines to foreign deities, particularly those of the Khapeshan and Hellean pantheons, can be found in Tamkaranu cities as well, visited primarily but not exclusively by travelers from other lands.

Religion is a very public affair in Tamkaranu - great ceremonies and celebrations mark religious occasions, and the life in the cities of the region revolves around the schedule of these events.

Many believe Tamkaranu to be the first place where the Chaskan pantheon was worshiped, based on the age of the many ancient temples and ritual sites that can be found in the foothills of the Kurzag Mountains.

Society

Through millennia of contact with faraway places Tamkaranu has become a strongly multicultural nation. The culture and traditions of the region inherit from those of the eastern Chaskan coast, of course, but also take influence from those of Khapesh, Hellea, Thadria, and Amshan. While most of this cultural diffusion is the result of Tamkaranu's maritime trade, it is not the sole source. During the nation's period as a kingdom, crusaders from both Thadria and Hellea remained in the region after the necromancer threat was vanquished, becoming a significant part of Tamkaranu's upper classes. Over the centuries their traditions and practices became less distinct from others in Tamkaranu, as a result of cultural shifts in both directions - not only did the new upper classes adopt aspects of the culture of the Tamkaranu majority, but so to did the rest of Tamkaranu draw influence from the crusader transplants. This legacy can be seen in many parts of Tamkaranu culture, but especially clearly in personal and family names. Names drawn from old Telan origins are widespread in Tamkaranu, often bearing a strong resemblance to Dalbanu names, as are those that are clearly Thadrian.

Tamkaranu has relatively high levels of population growth, partially as a result of immigration from other parts of the world, but at the same time a steady stream of people leave for the colonies. By and large, however, those that depart are the lower classes who are in search of better employment and living conditions elsewhere, while those who arrive are mostly wealthier merchants or the like.

The cities of Tamkaranu maintain only a large enough military to serve as local guards. The nation as a whole is broadly uninterested in war against its neighbors, the many city-states of the eastern Chaska, preferring to grow and wield their strength in mercantile form instead.

Traditions

The culture of Tamkaranu holds the native cedar forests in great esteem. Many of the oldest tales and legends in Tamkaranu folklore take place in the cedar groves, and the trees are viewed almost with reverence. Despite this, today the forests are a pale shadow of their former extant, having been cut down for material and profit. Today much of the remaining forests are protected by the Libani Order of druids, who tend to the remaining ancient groves, encourage new growth, and protect the trees from those who wish to cut them down.

Races are especially common sporting activities in Tamkaranu. Using chariots pulled by horses or more exotic creatures, races are team events - betting is widespread, especially if one has a preferred team. Teams are often sponsored as well, usually by wealthy individuals, cities, or guilds. Sometimes these bets and sponsorships result in fans (or teams themselves) sabotaging other teams in various ways - though completely against the rules of the sport, this behavior is widespread regardless. Winning a race not only brings wealth but also a great deal of prestige.

Seafaring

The people of Tamkaranu have a very long maritime tradition as some of the first to chart the Chaska Sea. They are still renowned as some of the finest sailors and navigators of the Three Great Seas, with ships and crews hailing from the nation found far and wide across the Chaska, Kilche, Kirnashal, and Phiora. These ships, typically galleys like biremes or triremes, are easily recognizable by their dolphin-headed prows honoring the goddess Usumu.

Languages

Though Telan and its dialects are native to the region, and nearly all inhabitants of Tamkaranu are fluent in it, the country is very multilingual, an inevitable result of being one of the nexuses of trade through the Chaska. Usage of Common is very prevalent to bridge language gaps, though travelers through the streets of Tamkaranu will encounter people speaking in all manner of tongues, finding shared languages where possible. Signs in the cities of Tamkaranu are frequently written in multiple languages - nearly always Telan and Common, with other languages depending on the particular location.

Occupations

Tamkaranu has an outsized merchant class, who make their living shipping and trading all across the seas. The inhabitants of most cities work as laborers of some description, particularly as longshoremen. A significant bloc of craftspeople also make their living supporting the city populations and visitors. In the interior, traditional agricultural roles like farmers and shepherds remain common. The city of Karka is renowned for its apothecaries and those who run them, with many ships stopping by this city specifically to pay these shops a visit.

The economy of Tamkaranu is strongly influenced by its guilds, associations of professions that wield significant influence in setting prices, availability of goods and services, and so on. Merchant guilds in the form of trade coalitions are especially powerful in Tamkaranu. These coalitions, organizations of merchants with shared interests, are generally aligned either along geographical lines or by what they trade. They exercise sweeping authority throughout Tamkaranu, its colonies, and even in the ports of foreign nations, providing their members with mutual protection and supplying them with crucial information.

Food and cuisine

Among other crops, Tamkaranu farmers commonly grow legumes such as chickpeas and lentils, grains such as wheat and barley, and a large variety of vegetables. Eggplants, grapes, beans, tomatoes, olives, and garlic are farmed widely, as are various kinds of nuts and fruits. Goats and sheep are, by a significant margin, the most common livestock, with cattle and poultry kept to a lesser degree. Some spices and herbs are grown locally, such as anise and parsley, while many others are imported.

Tamkaranu cuisine is heavily based around fish, goat, dairy, grains, and legumes. Regardless of social status, these ingredients are available at low cost to all citizens, in large part due to state subsidies. Class distinctions arise mostly in spices and seasonings, with more expensive flavorings gracing the tables of the wealthy.

Architecture and urbanization

Tamkaranu architecture tends to favor mud brick or stone construction, usually with flat roofs made of stone, thatch, or lead. A simple yet refined architectural style similar to those used in Dalbanu and Khapesh, this type of construction has been used for many centuries in the region. Travelers to Tamkaranu have remarked on the large row houses in the districts of cities inhabited by the merchant classes, often up to four stories tall with small fenced gardens in both front and back.

The population of Tamkaranu is heavily urban and primarily concentrated in the coastal cities. Inland cities have seen slow emigration towards the west for a long time as prospects for economic and social growth lessen in the interior. The rural population in particular is remarkably small and low density, to such a degree that Tamkaranu farmers do not grow nearly enough food to support the nation's population, and the state relies heavily on imported foodstuffs as a result. Many of the younger generations have given up entirely on rural life, driven by inconsistent harvests and persistent ankheg infestations.

Arts

The most distinctive characteristic of Tamkaranu music is its extensive use of harps, alongside drums, pipes, and lyres. Most Tamkaranu bards use this instrument or variants upon it. It is considered not only an instrument for the music of the upper classes but also for the common people - it is frequently heard at religious events, fancy parties, and everyday taverns alike.

The works of Tamkaranu potters are known throughout the world. Their finished goods are not only exquisitely well-made, but also artistically decorated with depictions of animals, magical creatures, and holy symbols. Tamkaranu art, not only pottery but also jewelry, glassware, and more, can be found throughout the Chaska, both in the form of items made in Tamkaranu and those by artists inspired by Tamkaranu traditions and practices. This art is inextricably tied to the commercial interests of Tamkaranu merchants, often made explicitly to appeal to trading partners across the sea.

Travel

Most travel within Tamkaranu is either by way of sea or by way of the extensive and mostly well-maintained road system of the region. Wagons can reliably travel between the major cities and towns without running into dangerous creatures or damaged stretches of road that are difficult to pass. Farther inland, the road system becomes rather more unreliable.

Magic

The Apsium Magical Institute in Harkek is one of the foremost centers of magical learning in the world, and is especially prestigious among mages around the Chaska Sea. The Institute has cemented Tamkaranu's reputation as a desirable place to live if one is interested in the magical arts.

Education

Basic levels of education are easily accessible to all in Tamkaranu, as schools are funded by the state and are free to attend. Higher levels require the attendee to pay, though large numbers of people from Tamkaranu achieve higher levels of education regardless. Basic education focuses on subjects like mathematics and literacy, while higher education emphasizes oration, history, and related topics.

Fashion

Tamkaranu clothing primarily centers around simple tunics and robes, similar in style to those of Khapesh and Dalbanu. Among the common people clothing is usually sparsely decorated or ornamented, while both are far more widespread among the upper class. Most clothes are made of linen or cotton and dyed in various colors. Purple is especially popular among the upper class.

Government

After the dissolution of the monarchy, the people of Tamkaranu revived and expanded upon their ancient system of rule by elected judges. Called shufet, two of these judges are elected by each city in Tamkaranu to serve one-year terms. While these judges have expansive executive and judicial powers, they also preside over elected city-level assemblies who advise the shufet.

In this form of diarchy, any shufet can veto the actions of their peer, thus forcing them to negotiate and reach an agreement on any issue in which they hold differing views. On certain matters the shufet must defer to their assemblies, most notably on any question of military action, trade embargo, or other such diplomatic activity.

Above the shufet is the judge-council. Formed of all the shufet of each city of Tamkaranu, the judge-council is responsible for any decision that affects the nation as a whole rather than only a single city.

Tamkaranu has universal suffrage - any adult inhabitant of a city or its surrounding regions may vote, regardless of time of residency, occupation, social status, or other such factors. Like most regions around the eastern Chaska, Tamkaranu has no notion of citizenship.

Those elected to positions in the assembles or as shufet are invariably individuals of some degree of wealth, typically prominent merchants, as these positions do not confer any salary or other personal benefits.

Tamkaranu has a long and detailed legal code. Though it once varied greatly between cities, with the formation of the kingdom and then the modern republic it has become universal nation-wide. This legal code is disproportionately concerned with maritime matters, including fishing rights, the crews of ships, and fair mercantile dealing.

Economy

Across their millennia of prosperity, the cities of Tamkaranu have greatly depleted many of their local natural resources, and therefore in the modern day have turned to importing raw resources from their colonies across the sea. These are then turned by local craftspeople into a wide array of finished products to be sold in markets and bazaars across the Chaska. Tamkaranu pottery, dyes, jewelry, and clothing are particularly sought after.

Relations

Tamkaranu is one of the few surface states surrounding the Chaska to have official diplomatic relations with most of the underwater cities and kingdoms of the sea. Though many are typically rather xenophobic in nature, Tamkaranu has managed to curry enough favor with most underwater polities to at least cause them to be open to discussions. Tamkaranu uses these relationships to the advantage of its merchant fleet, frequently creating deals with powerful undersea spellcasters to ensure calm waters or to blow the fleets of its rivals off course.

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