Meleki

Meleki, the unbearably hot southern country, is a barren, desolate land. Hundreds of years ago, just after the Heavenly War, ten of the newly gifted magicians broke apart from the homeland of Eirena. They believed that Shahar’an was in the right and should be ruler of the heavens.
For their insolence, Elyon cursed the land they claimed. Gradually, the fertile, prairie land became barren and dry, with only a few green places left near the rivers and oases. Because of the difficulty in farming, the population has remained low, with only one million people calling Meleki home.
It is due to the curse that Prince Tekreln decreed that they must conquer Eirena, to make use of its fertile lands. When he managed to usurp the throne, however, he announced that only the families of his warriors would be allowed to join them in Eirena, marking the beginning of the failing relations with his homeland.
Meleki is mostly desert, with about 10% being the mountains of the east and 5% forest in the northwest. There are three rivers, one large lake, and three oases, where most of the farming occurs. Farona Jamila has tried to increase farmlands. She hopes to gain Elyon’s favor once more by returning her people to His worship, leaving behind Shahar’an. Many are open to the idea, but the dark magisters fight her, and many have attempted assassination. They believe that she is being corrupted by the Eirenen blood in her veins as her mother was an Eirenen concubine.
Magic abounds in Meleki, with a magister in every town and several in the palace at Ensou. The magisters practice dark magic and fire magic. Farona Jamila is trying to make contact with the Elders of Hanzar to bring their control of water to boost growth. She is also in search of a druid of the north to encourage seeds to root.

What’s your story?

-common Meleki greeting

TRADE

Trade is very important for Meleki, as they do not have access to many of the resources that other countries have. Because of the expense of importing coin metals, barter is the main method of exchange. Meleki is home to master glassworkers, astronomers, calligraphers, and potters.

Imports

• Spices • Silver • Silk • Wool • Wax • Honey • Cheese

Exports

• Cotton • Sugar • Textiles • Silk • Glass • Soap • Paper
Trade is highly regulated and merchants can only trade with authorized traders from other countries who sell high quality items.

BIRTH AND DEATH

Births are a tricky thing. They are celebrated, but because of the lack of resources, it is difficult to be happy about another mouth to feed. There are a few mostly effective methods of birth control, the most effective being a paste made from an not quite ripe fruit of the senega tree, honey, and dates soaked into a piece of cotton. Otherwise, pregnant women are attended by three midwives, one to catch the baby as it falls from the birthing seat, and two to support the mother. The child is immediately introduced to the family, but then the mother and child are confined to a room in the back of the house for purification.
After a death, the family of the deceased cover their head and face in mud while beating their chests as they walk through the village. The body is then taken to the embalmers and mummified in preparation for the afterlife. If a criminal has been renamed as penance, their spirit will be lost in the afterlife and so they are rarely mummified, but burnt on a pyre.

May the shadows guide you.

-Meleki farewell

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Body hair is considered unattractive, so all hair is shaved and wigs are worn. This keeps lice away. The Meleki are a short people due to lack of proper nutrition. The average male is 5’5” and the average woman is 5’1”. The skin tone ranges from tanned to dark. Brown eyes and black/brown hair is the most common. There are few obese citizens. Most are laborers of some kind and trim bodies are considered the most attractive.

HEROES AND VILLIANS

Yethaym was the first ruler of Meleki after the exodus from Eirena. He introduced the worship of Shahar’an and began the practice of sacrifice
Ausam was one of the most popular kings of Meleki. He was killed by his jealous brother, Sultek. Ausam’s wife, Ashet, found his body and tried to bring it back to the palace for mummification, but Sultek found out and destroyed the body, making it impossible for Ausam to travel to the afterlife. Ashet, in her grief, set out to find the pieces, and was finally able to bring him home.
Inzeluk is the Fallen Guardian of Chaos who strives to control the humans. Magisters must burn an effigy of him with a human sacrifice trapped inside every year to protect the kingdom.

EDUCATION

Boys are the only ones who have the privilege of a formal education, which is paid for by the government through taxes until the age of 14, when apprenticeships begin. There are schools available for some children, usually one school per city. Those in outlying towns would need to travel and are fostered by a local family during the week. A well-rounded education is reserved for the wealthy, who can afford the private tutors that can cost up to the equivalent of 50 gold per year.
Paper is produced using the marrow of the papir plant. Pages are pasted together into long, horizontal scrolls and are usually used for histories and religious rites.

POLITICS

Meleki is a theocracy, the Faron or Farona being chosen by the Guardians and advised by the royal magisters. The Royal Family typically goes from one generation to another, although a child only has to have one royal parent, the ruler. The ruler must have the ability to do magic, either dark or fire. The current Farona, Jamila, has the magic of the earth, thanks to her Eirenen blood.
The ruler makes the laws with the help of their advisors, and, depending on the ruler’s benevolence, may take suggestions from the merchant class.
Taxes are collected based on productivity and used to fund the military, schools, and upkeep of the temples and government buildings.
Every six years, treaties and laws are renewed or changed. The council meets with the ambassadors from every country except for Hanzar. A treaty with Amarfias has just been renewed and the treaty with Eirena is due in the next two years.

MILITARY

The Meleki military numbers about 40,000 during peacetime. When at war, slaves and children as young as 13. Typical weapons are clubs, maces, axes, kepesh, spears, javelins, bows, and slingshots.

GAMES

The most popular games in Meleki are wrestling, swimming, archery, tug-of-war, and cenet.
Cenet is played on a 3x10 board and each player has seven pawns that alternate spaces on the top row of the board. Bones or dice are rolled and depending on the marks shone, the players move their pawns accordingly. The moves happen in a serpentine pattern. The winner is the first one to get all of their pawns off the board.

Geography

Meleki is mostly desert, with about 10% being the mountains of the east and 5% forest in the northwest. There are three rivers, one large lake, and three oases, where most of the farming occurs

Fauna & Flora

Fauna: Hyena, gazelle, crane, faharon, zhiraf, crocodile, na’aema, fyel, hidalgarn, weasel, gerbil, shrew, toad , addax, lion, fox, jerboa, ibex, jird, dilib’alar, polecat, vulture, eagle, hawk, falcon, owls, stork, heron, egret, pelican, quail, covra, viper
Flora: Aspic, corn rose, genieve, lemon, mountain’s joy, nettle, papir, pinhead, rose, seebright, senega, service-tree, swordlily, wheat, wormwood

Natural Resources

There aren’t many resources, so much comes from trading. Paper is made from the papir plant, farmed along the rivers.

Hierarchy:
Faron/Farona: King/Queen
Alnab/Alnabi: nobleman/woman
Elwazin/Elwezin: chancellor
Jinraln: war commander

Type

Desert

Council:
Shadow Magister
Fire Magister
Trade Master
Jinraln
Elwazin/Elwezin