Talab
City of Questing
Travelers who follow the river Al-Muti east from Hilm, heading nearly 100 miles into the scorched wilderness, will reach the river's source. This is also the site of Talab. Dubbed the City of Questing, Talab is the most common starting point for adventurers entering the Ruined Kingdoms and Haunted Lands from a Pantheist city.
Without the work of men, Talab could not survive. The city's water is brought from wells in the Al-Sayaj Mountains to the south through underground conduits. The impressive manmade conduits lead to Talab's reservoir, which is the source of the river Al-Muti. This water is the lifeblood of Talab. A mamluk organization known as The Parched is charged with protecting the reservoir and its conduits. They have no other duty but this, yet they are fiercely proud of its importance.
Like Halwa to the north, Talab is a meeting place of cultures. Tribes of the Ruined Kingdoms come here, though most are unwelcome. A healthy slave-trade has sprung up in the city, and if enlightened men are locked in shackles, Kia's men look the other way. Caliph Kia's predecessor rigorously persecuted illegal slaving, and this may have led to his demise at the obsidian blade of the holy slayers.
Talab is the site of a major university staffed by moralist barbers and Pantheist priests. The university is devoted to theology, priestly magic (Pantheist, of course), and healing. Many of Zakhara's most knowledgeable minds on these subjects were schooled at Talab's university.
The natives of Talab are insular and secretive. They keep private matters private and show a public face of reserved concern. Of late, outlying areas have suffered numerous raids, and Talab's citizens are particularly suspicious of desert tribes and their riders.
Government
The Ruler:
Caliph Kia al-Sadid, Humble Servant of the Enlightened Gods, is a mousy, stoop-shouldered bureaucrat whose appearance does not suggest the great power he wields within the city. His voice is soft, yet his words convey his wisdom. He was installed as an interim caliph by the Pantheist League following the assassination of his predecessor. (The murder was allegedly performed by the The Storm Which Destroys, a group of holy slayers based in the Al-Sayaj Mountains.) Caliph Kia has proved to be a capable administrator, and he does not interfere with the traders and merchants. Though he is rarely seen in public, the force of his pronouncements are felt throughout the city.
The Court:
The caliph's chief assistant is a priestess of the Pantheon, Aranah al-Mursal. Aranah serves as scribe, librarian, and record-keeper. She oversees the official documentation of all trade, including slaves. Bookish and quiet, Aranah is often sent to Hilm as a representative of Talab. She also visits the outpost forts in the role of an inspector.
A remarkable addition to the court is Hanyar al- Muhif, an enlightened Pantheist who hails from the unenlightened tribes of the Al-Sayaj Mountains. Hanyar serves as the caliph's emissary to the mountain tribes. His people, sweating in their furs, are often seen in the nearby countryside. Hanyar is a sly, secretive individual who prefers to remain in the background, from which he can carefully observe life in the court.
Defences
- 3,000 Pantheist infantry
- 2,000 Pantheist cavalry, most of which are concerned with the protection of trade and patrolling the pass into the Ruined Kingdoms.
- 1,000 city guards
- a unit of 100 clerical reserves (priests of levels 1 to 6)
- 900 mamluks of the Parched society, charged with protecting the water supply.
Industry & Trade
Points of interest
Major Mosques:
- Pantheon
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