Ja'Nahiz

It is said that the desert consumes all. Indeed, they are some of the least hospitable places on earth. Despite this, the nation of Ja'Nahiz has thrived under the sandstorms, the suffocating heat, and the insuferable lack of water. Despite being only a dozen days away from frosted mountains and tundra, and despite being perched along an ocean, the Black Pire Desert is almost impossibly hot and dry. Though oases dot the sands, and around them towns and cities inevitably spring up, it is a harsh and unforgiving landscape. Nomads travel from safe haven to safe haven, monsters roam the sands and bandits wait to ambush those who would be caught without protection. The peoples that make up this nation are incredibly diverse in both species and in societies. As a result, the nation of Ja'Nahiz lacks a unified national identity and is often viewed as more of a coalition of city-states governed by a unified council which has historically taken a hands off approach.

There is a word that is common in the dessert, Faqua. Loosely translated, it refers to some combination of amibtion and determination, usually refering to the ability to get up after being knocked down. In Ja'Nahiz it is likely the most important trait a person can have, and certainly something that the nation is known for. While there may be palaces, great bazaars, fine silks and exotic spices, the nation is one of ultimate danger. One of the few elements that unifies the culture is the caste system. You are born into a position in life and are expected to stay within that position. The open secret however is that a man is only as great as his Faqua, and for the most ambitious, the caste system is a glass ceiling that they break through. The average man or woman however is defined by their caste and rarely rises above it. The son of a baker will become a baker, and his lot in life is planned. There are rare few ways to elevate your caste, and most require one to take great risks. For most, Faqua is represented most by their ability to be the best at what they do within their caste.

For the first time in centuries the nation of Ja'Nahiz has experienced a radial shift. The head of the council, Sahim Waheid, has been proclaimed a living god. He has headed the council for just over seventy years, elevated to that position after a great war with a people to the south. As the only survivor on the battlefield and severely outmatched, he was said to have continued to fight through blows that would kill any mortal man. He proclaimed his divinity, proving them with miracles. When his followers were found to have divine magics, it was accepted that he was a living god and granted a position on the council. His worship has drastically increased in popularity in the region, and has been perhaps the first force to unify the region in recent memory.

The nation of Ja'Nahiz is known for trade and great accomplishments. Many raods lead through Ja'Nahiz specifically to gain access to its ports and the trade from far foreign lands. They have laid claim specifically to large portions of the North Aresh, something which has only been asisted by their fairly copasetic relations with the natives. Like other costal nations, they have been hit hard by the imigration of refugees from the Aresh Jungles. While vast slums exist for them, entering socity only in the lowest caste, a number have found themselves able to elevate beyond this. Most cities however do tolerate their presence, providing at least basic necessities in exchange for work. Great temples, permanent roads, and massive works of construction have gone up since the imigration as the number of low caste laborers has boomed.