Anun

“Our souls find their way to the sun, through trials and great darkness.” -First Verse of the Chant of New Life, The Baset’khat Book of Magic

The Anun are a bygone people, quite literally pulled out of ancient history to once again interact upon the world stage. Dwelling in the Hedjmet, the ruins of their ancient empire in western Terra Nova, the few remaining Anun have begun to awaken, coming to grips with the world around them after uncounted years in magical slumber. They are human -like in appearance, save for a faint golden glow that radiates from their eyes. Discovered by the adventurers of Port Harmony, the first Anun were re-awakened from their entombed sleep several years ago, and have begun to re-establish their old culture and practices. Ruled by the Qa'kosi Neferghala, the Anun and their ever faithful Khepara aided Port Harmony in their war against the Janja, and have taken over as stewards of the western lands since his destruction.
Long ago, in the western deserts of what is now called Terra Nova, the Anun made their home. Humans who worshiped their ancient sun god, Amun’qa, the Anun quickly established a mighty kingdom, subduing monstrous foes that prowled the deserts of their homeland. They called their lands Hedjmet, or “The Lands of SIlver”. With the blessings of the Sun God, the Anun were able to wield raw sunlight as a weapon against their enemies, and through Amun’qa’s children, the Anun learned of medicines, warfare, and agriculture.
Early in their history, the Anun dedicated their population to the emulation of the Sun God, and his three heirs. The noble class of the Anun were the Qa’jer, named after Amun’qa himself, who saw to the matters of state, and were ruled in turn by the Qa’kosi, who was believed to be the bride of Amun’qa given mortal form. These female rulers of the Amun’qa were dynastically chosen, and whose bloodline was rich in magical power. Ruling with near limitless political influence, the Qa’kosi was rarely, if ever seen as anything less than the absolute ruler of the Anun people, though the other nobles still could exert control on minor matters.
The military class of the Anun was the Sekhemar. These warriors emulated the Lion of the Dawn, Sekhaten, who was Amun’qa’s first born son. Favoring brutal cavalry charges, supported by hardened infantry support, the Sekhemar were a fearsome force on the field of battle. Above their training, the Sekhemar were infused with the light of Amun’qa, and in dire times could wield it to defend themselves. These soldiers were granted land as payment, and were often farmers in peacetime.
The scholars and healers of the Anun were the Baset’khat, who emulated the Eagle of the Day, Sene’baset. Emulating the second born and first daughter of Amun’qa, these wise folk dedicated their time to scholarly studies such as medicine, agriculture, astronomy, and architecture. Many of the Baset’khat were arcane magic users, and were often called to support the Sekhemar in times of war.
The civil servants of the Anun were the Sema’khat. These Anun were judges, and guardians of the people, who emulated Sema’at, the Serpent of Twilight, last born son of Amun’qa. Tasked with monitoring the day to day struggles of the people, the Sema’khat kept internal peace within the Anun territories, and ensured that Amun’qa was worshiped and given his due as the patron god of the Anun. These taskmasters were also responsible for the caretaking of the Khepara. The Khepara were a scarab-like race of creatures who were discovered during the Anun’s early history, and were absorbed into Anun culture. Over the generations, the Khepara became completely subservient to the Qa’jer, and followed their orders without question, seeing the Anun as a whole as semi-divine.
The Anun that now live were mostly nobles. Warriors, scholars, priests of great importance and skill, these Anun were entombed with magical rights that were meant to preserve them for when their people would have need of them, blessed and fueled by Amun'qa. Now slowly being re-awakened by the Qa'kosi and her servants, only several Anun who have awakened were those entombed during the fall of their empire. Though through the records that have been discovered and the insight of those few most recently entombed Anun, it seems that the Janja was responsible for the destuction of their people and empire, and at the same time, the creation of the Bright Wastes.
So it is with these ancient nobles and their surviving servants seek to reclaim what was lost to them in ages past. Willing to aid Port Harmony and the denizens of Terra Nova against the Janja and his undead hordes, the Anun currently are at a cautious peace with their neighbors in the time since the Janja's defeat. They seek to uncover the precise nature of their empires fall, and to re-establish what was lost to them in the unknown ages since the fall of the Hedjmet.
In the early weeks of the Spring of 1024, the Hedjmet was assaulted on multiple fronts. From the far north of their territory, a tide of lamashtu swept southward, preying on lightly defended settlements of Khepara, avoiding heavily defended settlements for the time being. A splinter force has headed south into the Bright Wastes, and makes war upon the strange mutant folk that make their home there. In the far west, near the ruins of the Janja’s fallen fortress, a cabal of hooded sorcerers perform ritualistic raids upon the khepara settlements, launching volleys of devastating spells and summoning eldritch creations before disappearing back into the desert sands. The Qa’kosi Negferghala has marshaled her forces, marching the bulk of her armies north to stem the tide of lamashtu. A new auxiliary wing of humans, called the Jackal’s Maw, marches under Anun command to the west to aid the khepara settlements there against their sorcerous attackers.
9/1024 - The people of the Hedjmet have been renewed in spirit, and despite their hardships, are marching to victory after victory since the return of the Lion of the Dawn. The demigod Sekhaten, Lion of the Dawn was released from the imprisonment of the Black Sun by the direct intervention of a group of heroes from Port Harmony. Since his return to his people, he has been growing in power, and set out immediately to lead the Hedjmet’s northern armies with the blessings of the Qa’kosi Neferghala. It seems with every day and every victory his power grows, and to date no being of shadow or blood has been able to bar his path. It is said that in his presence, Anun have begun to regain their previous power over the Divine Geometries, allowing some precious few to conjure the spells that grant them control over the sands of the Hedjmet itself once again. In re-conquered territories, Anun and Khepara raise shrines to Sekhaten, praising him as the Risen Sun, and pray for the continued deliverance under the rule of the Qa’kosi Neferghala. On the western border, the Jackal’s Maw auxiliary troops earn favor in making slow but steady progress hunting the sorcerous cabal that strikes at lightly defended settlements, but with the lightning-fast progress delivered on the northern front by Sekhten’s intervention, it seems only a matter of time before more troops can be allocated to hunting down these cabalistic saboteurs.