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Qadir
Introduction
Qadir, worshippers of the sun and lords of the Dunes. The Qadir are unrivaled sword fighters, as well as excellent mages, contributing to the strong Qadir Sultanate , spanning almost the entirety of Farah’deen . Qadir have a vibrant culture based on the deserts and their slavery, the biggest export and factor of their daily lives. Qadir Pirates are also the most feared on the seas, marauding Regalian merchant vessels and much more in search for loot and slaves.
Racial Traits
Culture groups
Among the proud race of the desert that is the Qadir, sit two distinct cultures. On one hand you have the “Azir” city builders and dwellers of the magnificent sandstone structures housed within the swelling deserts of Farahdeen. They have dark brown, black some might say, skin, paired with pure white hair and golden eyes. This half of Qadir culture are the builders, the priests, the royalty, the high ones amongst their kin. They are the ones to thank for the pristine temples, the palaces, the beauty and luxury that the deserts have to offer Aloria . On the opposite spectrum of Farah'deen sit the others, the “Meshket”. Wanderers of the desert, those who lurk in the harsh sands, the slavers, the shady merchants, the bandits, the nomads. Oftentimes not to be trusted, they make up dark secrets of the Sultanate. Sporting dark black hair, and sharing the splendid golden eyes of their kin, their tan skin is often what will be seen in back alley deals and black markets. This half of the Qadir culture is oftentimes associated with the travelers of Farahdeen’s deserts – those who do not stay in one place often, such as merchants, slavers, and as has been stated, nomads and bandits. The two sides offer very different views into the lives of those who live in the desert, and their distinctions should be known to any who wish to travel the vast, sprawling seas of sand and heat.
Appearance
Qadir appearance is always similar in all regards but two small deviations. The people of the desert are all born with skin of anywhere from a deep tan to a darkened brown, the shade having developed from the many many years living in the desert it grants them more protection from the harmful effects of the sun than the fair skinned people of the human and chi'i race. Qadir also are always tall at the end of their growth, standing anywhere from the lower to higher range of six feet, only accentuated with the Seraph inherited trait of slightly longer limbs. The two features of the dark skinned Farahdeen people of which there is minute variation would be the eyes and hair. Azir Qadir, often considered the highers of the people, have white hair, as white as the snow which they never set eyes upon in the desert. And the eyes of the Qadir are either a stunning gold or a shining silver, these traits stemming from their closeness to their seraph ancestor's and represent a strong connection to the veil, making all Qadir rather proficient in the magical arts if they so choose to be.
Magical Aptitude
The Qadir as a whole are much more adept with the ways of magic, and have an aptitude for learning it. They as a people are closer related the Seraph than many other races of Seraph descent, including Humans , Dwarves , and Tigran , leading to their slightly extended limbs, white hair, and golden eyes. This relation correlates to their magical prowess and makes their mages often quite adept with their art when compared to others.
Natural Fighters
The Qadir as a whole are much more physically capable than humans, their longer reach and increased height do apply to this feat, and there are many more of these desert people who are athletic, or muscular than frail or bony. Their fighters are a force to be reckoned with, leading their militaries to be quite the danger, their bandits something to look out for.
Societal Information
Religious preference
Most if not all Qadir of the sprawling desert continent follow the Sun Religion of Shama-Abdala . Qadir culture practically revolves around the worship of the Sun. The giant yellow orb looms over the desert, a source of life, death, judgement, it’s presence seeps into all walks of Qadir life. It’s shape adorns walls, flags, banners, carpets, and the robes of priests and priestesses, hundreds of thousands of Qadir can be heard singing hymns to the Sun from the many Minare of the capital, all of Farahdeen prays every morning and night to the Sun and it’s glory. Even going as far as to deal with their prisoners by putting them into the blazing sun for days, allowing the light and heat of the sun to judge them for their crimes. All of those within the reach of the Sultanate follow this religion or are condemned for their heresy, being seen as lesser’s, outcasts of Farahdeen and heretics by their peers, and the non-Qadir of Aloria are seen in the same light and treated as such by those of the desert.
Politics
The deserts of Farahdeen house more than just the Qadir. They hold within their shifting sands the only large scale political establishment that remains stable in all of the world of Aloria, except the human Empire of Regalia. The Sultanate of Farahdeen, also known as the “Qadir’iyye”, is currently headed by the Qadir Sultan, Warith Min’ramhl the Second, whom has all but full sovereignty of Farahdeen. This establishment is similar to a Monarchy, wherein it’s Sultans pass on the right to rule to their eldest son – the line only switching when either all of the current family die out, or when taken by force. Sultans often have many sons, birthed by the many women of the Sultanate harems, whom often fight against one another, or orchestrate civil wars against their fathers to take power for themselves. The Sultan controls the most power when it comes to governmental affairs, though the sub groups of the Emirs and the Beylik do have some power resulting in them having a small say. The current Sultanate of the Min’ramhl is a rather new line, having rose to power through what some might hear whispered as underhanded means.
Slavery
The largest trade of the Qadir would be slavery. Qadir slavers are plentiful throughout the unending dunes of Farahdeen, and often make their ways to other continents in search of new “products”. Slave markets are in most areas of the desert continent selling all sorts of races from all walks of life, slaves themselves make up much of society for the Qadir, making up much of the Qadir’s standing army, and being seen in large numbers in the upper ring of Qadir society, and are not as rare as you might think within the middle class. The exporting of slaves is the largest and most successful business venture for the Qadir, slave ships are often seen in and out of Qadir ports, transporting “wares” to Elves , Humans , Dwarves , and other races alike. The Qadir slavers of Farah'deen have mastered their craft and are rather efficient and dangerous, it is not often their merchandise escapes them nor alludes their capture.
Conflicts
Regalia
As might be expected, large political entities do not always see eye to eye, the Sultanate of Farahdeen and the Regalian Empire are at odds with one another, and the tension between the two groups is rather high. The Sultanate frequently funds pirates in secret, using them to target Regalian merchants throughout Aloria’s seas. And in retaliation the Regalians offer a rebuttal of cannon fire from their large navy upon many Qadir port towns, punishing Farahdeen’s citizens for the secret dealings of their Sultans. But the two never go much beyond these acts as they have very opposite focuses in terms of military strength. The Qadir have an enormous standing army of captured slaves from all walks of life and rainbow of races and cultures, larger than any standing land military in all of Aloria . Where as the Regalian Empire’s might is largely invested in naval might, having the largest standing Navy force in all of Aloria, putting the two world powers at odds, as the Imperial Fleet and Regalian Navy do not have the manpower to lead a ground assault against Farahdeen, and the Qadir do not have the power at sea to transport their troops to Regalian lands nor defeat the Regalian navy.
Sadeir
Recently, strange being’s have been sighted within the shifting sands. Ghostly Sand Wraiths wander the dunes and are sighted heavily around very large sand filled necropolises scattered throughout the deserts. The Qadir have taken to calling them “ Sadeir ” and are to be avoided at all costs, seeming to be very violent and unreasonable, they mercilessly kill and Qadir they stumble upon in the deserts. The appearance of the Sadeir is a mystery to the Qadir people, having seemingly come out of nothing for an unexplained reason. These specters have been found to be immune to all assaults except those of magic ; swords, spears, and axes alike slipping through them as if they were air. They have made the deserts a larger danger than before and have caused many Qadir to change their travel routes, trying to steer as clear of these ghostly sand people at all costs.