Mauvani Caliphate

The Mauvani are ruled over by a Caliph or god-king, who resides in the holy city. Rather than an all powerful creator god, they believe that a lesser god created the world unintentionally, trapping itself in the process. In their religion, the Caliph is the current incarnation of this god. He is to be appeased, but does not hold any real power. For divine intervention, the Mauvani turn to the immortal Shah (singular and plural).

It is said that when a hero or saint dies, they ascend to godhood, and watch over the world. When these figures are still in living memory, they are often venerated and petitioned as individuals. When they pass out of living memory, they become one with the powers they champion. Thus, the war hero “Alishar bar Munaazar the defender of Nazub” will eventually become one of the immortal Shah of battle.

It is the practice of Theurges to intercede with the immortal Shah, asking them for miracles and protection and in turn enacting their will on the world. Theurges may intercede with any of the immortal Shah, but they tend to carry holy relics associated with their most favoured. These relics provide a physical connection between the Shah and the mortal realm, and make communing easier. The dress of Theurges vary wildly, from the local cure-all to organised sects of warrior priests. Often their raiment will feature colours and iconography associated with their favoured Shah.

The Mauvani see wizardry in the studious sense as sacrilegious. An unwelcome interference in the natural order which the Shah so carefully balance. Studying and practitioning magic outside of religious instruction is outlawed throughout the Caliphate. Those who are caught are pursued and punished by disciplinary orders and typical believers alike. For this reason, the wizards who do exist within the borders of the Caliphate are forced to live on the fringes, and keep their secrets tightly held. Remote wizard towers for master and apprentice only are to be found through the deserts and badlands, and no towers of knowledge exist within the walls of the great walled cities.

The Jhajbiri (Desert Halflings)

The Jhajbiri dwell in the deep desert, south of the Caliphate’s main territories, on the eastern side of the Gartnait Alps. The desert here is marked by endless rolling sand dunes, and these people live in burrow complexes within the dunes.

Standing roughly to the height of a grown man’s hips, the Jhajbiri are the smallest of the civilized races of Kaelera. Their skin tends to be very light and their hair is always dark, with a subtle colourful tinge such as green, blue or orange that sparkles beautifully in the desert sun. Both genders grow their hair long, and hair straightening is a cultural practice, apparently to mimic the hairstyle of the Kethe, the great woolly mammoths with which the Jhajbiri have an ancestral affinity. Venerable elders of their tribes can sometimes appear to cast a long shadow as they trapse across the dunes, dragging their magnificent sparkling hair-train behind them. The Jhajbiri tend to have high foreheads and round, weathered faces, which can make them look a little like an old man in a child’s body.

The Jhajbiri do not swear direct allegiance to the Caliph, and their dune tribes are autonomous. The Jhajbiri culture however, has been intertwined with that of the Caliphate for time immemorial. They speak the common tongue shared with the Mauvani and their religious practices are very similar, barring differences in their local Shah.

The Jhajbiri dress similarly to Mauvani humans, preferring light, flowing attire. They are able to carry much greater burdens relative to their size than humans, and thus tend to travel much heavier, wearing great packs that overhang in front of them and appear likely to crush them at any moment.

Their social organisation is based on tribal groups that each claim one or more dune clusters which they develop into something resembling villages, but with structures almost exclusively underground. Between tribal groups there exists a tenuous relationship. Generational feuds over contested territory and past misgivings are commonplace, and in a land of scarcity, this has bred a culture of hoarding and distrust of outsiders. The Jhajbiri are not warlike, however, and prefer to settle their disputes with battles of wit and trickery.

These little people enjoy fantastic relations with the nearby remaining dwarves, and many dwarves can be found dwelling under the dunes with the Jhajbiri. It is said that dwarves are particularly drawn to the Jhajbiri hair which reminds them of glittering gemstones.