Al'Marat

Al'Marat, Jewel of the Desert
Life is not easy in the harsh sands of the desert, but if any Kingdom truly strives past the hazards of their environment to build something magical it is Al'Marat. Due to the freezing nights and blazing days it is not very often that one would ever dare to attack Al'Marat, as the preparation required would be massive. Their arcanists, called magi in the region, are capable of unique styles stemming from their culture and trying to pin one down will only lead to you getting lost in the shifting sands. They have also developed the most specialized and unique form of pictographic glyphs in the world, called Heiroglyphs.

Queen's Rule
Lady Aziza Ubaid rules over Al'Marat as Queen. Her name means "Respected Slave", which matches her outlook in life. She sees herself as an extension of her people even though the burden of leadership has been passed down her family for generations. Her closest council are known as the 'Court of Animals', for everyone enters wearing a mask that looks like an animal to protect their anonymity. This is in place to make sure that no one bites their tongue for fear of repercussion.

Among the outside world she is known for her persuasive charisma. She is known as one of the most attractive women in the world and that is an asset that she uses willingly when it comes to negotiation. Although she has never had to show it, her family are known for prodigious levels of Earth magic. It is rumored that her beauty is enhanced by illusion, but no one can confirm this...

The Court of Animals
Within the Court, no idea is too crazy. Their first rule is to truly consider every idea that is put forth and the second is to take that consideration to any idea presented before presenting it. While they won't outright punish you for a bad idea, it can color ones perception of you for that session. Thankfully it doesn't last as they change masks each meeting and they are equipped with voice modulation runes to hide the true identities of the wearer.

Of course, this can lead to disaster if anyone else was able to get into one of these meetings. It's possible for someone to secretly manipulate the inner workings of the Court if they can get past the security. To be fair, the masks are handed out privately by guards before each meeting, so this would be difficult.

This methodology, while secretive and inclusive, has also sprouted some of the most radical ideas when it comes to running a nation and creative solution to common problems.

The Culture
Al'Marat values the personal freedom and happiness of every one of their citizens. That said, they are not against the enslavement of criminals, illegal immigrants and addicts. For normal citizens this can be temporary, especially for addicts as it is usually considered part of rehabilitation. Criminals for minor infractions can work off their sentence, although major crimes and most illegal immigrants are slaves for life. Furthermore, Al'Marat has some of the largest slave markets in the world. For the desperate, the poor, the starving there are social programs in place to help those needy that other Nations would turn down for being unsuccessful with their lot in life. Due to this, Al'Marat has an extremely high population density - don't expect any privacy among the streets and pickpockets run rampant.

Women in Al'Marat tend to be favored for leadership and management roles. In the eyes of the people they are simply better suited for it and thus women enjoy a higher social standing based on their gender alone. It is not uncommon for titles commonly used in other cultures to be a sign of respect in Al'Marat, for example calling someone "Mother" is reserved for one of a higher station than you typically and "Sister" is for someone whom you respect deeply. When a woman is pregnant it is considered a sacred thing and any legitimate workplace offers enough maternity leave to make other Regions swoon, as they believe it is important not only to birth the child but to get to know them afterwards.

Men typically do other kinds of work, such as construction and cooking. Often men are the ones holding down the fort at home while the women go to work. The tapestries and cloth weaving created by the men of Al'Marat are legendary, which isn't to say that they don't do more mundane work that benefits their muscles either. The most honorable work to be done by men is considerd to be military service. Despite the fact that women are more regarded, the men in Al'Marat are far from second class citizens and the intertwining work between the two genders is part of why it is so successful today.

That said, crime in Al'Marat is handled ruthlessly. If you steal, you get a choice. Lose the hand you stole with or spend at least a decade doing back breaking community service for 'rehabilitation'. In truth, they are more generous towards their addicts than their criminals, which can attest to their incredibly low crime rate. Those who rape are castrated and forced into service, or otherwise executed.

While this does manage to stop most of the petty theft, it has also hardened the criminal element. The true thieves of Al'Marat are masterful at their work and live in an environment with natural sandstorms, Cabals also form around these people leading to large, sometimes multinational, criminal enterprises. Despite the guards vigilance the hard laws, it is a natural haven for thieves, especially due to the high population density. Due to how many live there, it is easy to pick pockets and the buildings are so densely clustered that parkour is easy. During especially daring heists the thieves of Al'Marat even place small scraps of wood and rope to make it even easier, allowing a swift thief to cross the rooftops easily.

The biggest criminal faction within the region are known as the Salator. They use their wealth and influence to exert their will over the areas they run, even keeping the guards out of those areas sometimes. They have their ties in most any business that goes on in Al'Marat and are rumored to even have their fingers into some politicians. On the flip side, the most notorious mages within the ranks of Al'Marat are known as the Phantom Blades. Often these two factions clash in secret on the rooftops above the city streets.

Of course, there is something to be said for the food. Ful medames, Kushari, and Molokhi are common delicacies. Kebab, falafel, curry, Ful wa Ta'meya (Fava Beans and Falafel), Ful mudammas, Ta'meya, Kushari, Kabab wa kofta, Sugoq wa Kibdah Iskandarani (Alexandrian Sausages and Liver), Hawawshi, Shawerma, Fattah, and Sayadeya are all foods that, while they can be found elsewhere, are the best when coming from Al'Marat.

The Dancers
One of the most intriguing aspects of magic in Al'Marat is their unique blend of swords and sorcery. Those who see them fight compare it to dancing, but it is fact part of a fighting style taught only in Al'Marat called the Last Dance. They mix martial arts, magic and weapons such as khopesh, scimitars, throwing knives, whips, spears and battle axes. Conspicuously missing are shields, which are considered to hinder the true art and spirit of battle. It takes years alone to even be considered adept in the style, and a lifetime to truly master.

Typically they focus on acrobatic dodging and then flowing into counter spells that come quickly. While the force behind a quickly cast spell isn't as impressive as one that takes longer to cast, it comes quickly, which the style focuses on. In a group battle the dance is good for surviving, but it truly shines as a style of dueling. Many Dancers channel their element into their weapon to create distracting lights or sounds and attack their opponents who lose focus.

Some wind and earth magi are especially in tune with the style when around sand, as it allows them to create shrouds that move with their own flow. When they are in tune it can almost be done without thinking about it, and a Dancer in tune with their song is truly a dangerous foe.

Freedom in Flight
While every region has access to enchanters, Al'Marat enchanters are especially known for their ability to infuse flight into objects. They are capable of creating extremely beautiful and extremely expensive flying carpets that can actually hold the weight of a man. For those with particularly deep pockets it is possible to create cloaks or shoes capable of levitation or full on flight, although the latter requires a true master of the art.

This translates to their products as well. They create amazing airships, which given their location is amazing. The sheer quality of craftsmanship required to keep one of these in the air despite the sandstorms is a testament to their will and craftsmanship. In wartime they can be used as horrific weapons, raining death from above or transporting large amounts of soldiers from one battlefield to the next, however they are not plentiful enough to focus their entire military effort upon.

They tend to shy away from heavy armor due to the heat, although the armor they do get is typically worked by runic magic from Verrilas to give them a cooling effect. Even their war strategies are fluid as they use their superior knowledge of the deserts and maneuverability to weaken opponents before they even truly engage them. Although the current Queen shuns expansion, the nation was once a superpower that could challenge even Venepatria, although its influence has waned, it is still indomitable.

The Shifting Sands
What truly makes them a fearsome foe is their miraculous ability to avoid the battle itself. In a secret passed down only to the most trusted of royal architects, they are able to combine solid foundations and large amounts of earth magi to literally move the city. Of course, not every little village or town is blessed with this, but all of the strategic positions and major cities have been carefully constructed to be gifted with this ability. This actually contributes to the high population density in Al'Marat as it is difficult to construct new buildings without having to redo the entire layout of the city.

This makes Al'Marat one of the most defensive Kingdoms, truly allowing them to avoid losing battles by sinking under the sand and reappearing elsewhere. That said, it's not easy on the citizens - a city wide alert has to go out and the fool who remains outside is buried where he was born - in the sand.

Religion
Generally there is a freedom of Religion within Al'Marat, and thus there are not many Gods that they specifically call their own. The worship of other members of the pantheon are not shunned or looked down upon, but they do have one of which to call their own.

Sliveros, the Cobra Goddess. Sliveros is the Goddess of deflection, guile, manipulation and the shifting sands, for a snake is always shifting as they move. By far the most popular is Al'Marat, their initiates go through a rite of passing when increasing their ranks by putting their hopefuls in a room and giving them all a card with a drink. The card tells them if the drink is poisoned or not, which they must memorize before discarding. From there, they have to charm their way into convincing others to drink - they are not allowed to drink from their own cup.

This is known as the Snakebite Gambit and often bet on by the viewers. Most of the more talented politicians have come from the other side of this Gambit and won. Each round has half the drinks poisoned, and it continues until there are only ten chosen. This is not for the faint of heart, and only for the most dedicated of her followers. As you can imagine, bartering is a big part of life in Al'Marat.

Apothecos is another taking the guise of the snake and follows in popularity after his sister. He is the god of Consumption and Victory. Unlike most gods, his own dogma highly elevates that of his sister's, and states that one cannot worship him without worshipping her. He himself is depicted as a massive Cobra embracing the moon. Generals are known to make sacrifices to him before battle in order for his favor. Where Sliveros embodies the civil aspects of deception, Apothecos embodies the more martial aspects of it. The most famous maneuver of the military is even given to him in his honor, the Apothecan Constriction.

Tourists
Al'Marat is open to tourists if they fill out the proper paperwork. It isn't particularly difficult compared to more stringent Kingdoms, especially for those that they have allied with. Due to their incredibly mobility and defensive capabilities against an attack combined with their harsh take on crime, most tourists aren't seeking to do harm, but just to enjoy the unique flavor of their culture or purchase some of their exotic wares, their open bazaars are some of the best in the world, no matter what one is looking for.