Underneath the migration path of the majestic Panshito whales sits the arid, dry land of Suna. Three separate civilizations live in these lands: two distinct groups of Thri-Kreen bugmen and a ragtag grouping of humans and halflings called the "Men of Suna." While the three groups live in relative harmony with each other, internal strife is tearing at the seams of each of these group's social and political structures.
(Thri-Kreen definitions can be found
here or at the bottom of the page.)
Capitol
Oashisu
Trading Goods
Brick, Citrus, Dates, Olives, Precious Metals, Spices
Population
500,000+
Prevalent Races
| Races | Percentage |
|---|
| Humans |
55% |
| Thri-kreen |
28% |
| Halfling |
14% |
| Misc. |
3% |
Geography
Listed below are the main geographical areas of Suna. The italicized titles are the areas' names in the Kreen language. The parenthesized names are those given by the humans and halflings who fled here from the fallen Sistine Empire 300 years ago.
She'aqikor (Erugu Desert)
Stretching across the entire North side of the country from Shinyū to Ningen is a large desert erg called the Erugu Desert. The dunes are formed entirely out of gypsum, giving the desert its iconic white sand. The people of Suna have yet to colonize the desert. Instead, the
Ko'isqa'e, one of the 4 Kreen hives, live out a nomadic life here. These Thri-kreen worship the massive Panshito whales that fly over the desert as part of their autumn and spring migration. In addition to the
Ko'isqa'e, the desert is also speckled with large, red obelisks ranging from 50 feet to over 500 feet tall. Underneath these obelisks are the tombs of hive leaders from the other three Kreen hives that live in Shadow's Swelter.
Te'ekirqiqi (Seikatsu Oasis)
The Seikatsu Oasis is a stunning 100 mile wide body of freshwater located in the center of Suna. It is the lifeblood of all non-Kreen citizens of Suna. Around the oasis is a plethora of plant and animal life not found anywhere else on the island, including several types of palm trees, reed plants, and fruit trees. When the first human settlers arrived 300 years ago, they discovered a variety of wild, exotic spices and citrus growing around the oasis. They quickly took advantage of these foreign goods and now use them as some of Suna's main trading wares. The oasis is quite deep, allowing for a large variety of fish life to flourish, as well. However, overfishing has forced the inhabitants of the oasis to rely heavily on Danjon's grains, instead. Along the northern side of the oasis lies the capitol city of Oashisu while the east, west, and south sides are occupied by small villages that harvest the variety of spices and fruit grown here.
Kirqisha'akaqi (Shadow's Swelter)
As one begins to travel south past Shinyū, hard, red rocks begin to dot the white, sandy landscape. Eventually, the desert is replaced entirely with confusing, mazelike terrain full of slot canyons and tall, red mesas. This is Shadow's Swelter, the hottest region of Suna and home to the three main Kreen hives. The rock of Shadow's Swelter is honeycombed with circular caves, marking the entryways into the Kreen's sprawling subterranean cave system. While the Kreen technically spread throughout the entire region of Shadow's Swelter, the human population of Suna label an area in the south of Shadow's Swelter as their capitol for convenience. In reality the area labeled Dorai is merely the Kreen palace where the three Kreen hive leaders live.
Qiqa'esho'otiq (The Soled Pass)
Sitting between the Seikatsu Oasis and the Unity Ocean is a sliver of land called the Soled Pass. Here, neither the large dunes of the Erugu Desert nor the red rock of Shadow's Swelter have dominion. Instead, flat, rocky earth stretches across the land. A large reservoir of ground water allows a few hardy trees and bushes to poke out of the rocky landscape. Underneath the hard exterior lies a massive amount of soft clay. Ningen exists solely to extract this clay and form it into bricks, a main Sunai export.
Geographical Areas of Suna
Map of Suna showcasing the land's four distinct geographical areas as drawn by world famous cartographer, Jaurdin Shores.
Culture
Suna's cultures are nearly as varied as its environment. At a basic level, Suna is split into three distinct societies:
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives
The Thri-kreen of Shadow's Swelter are a rather private group. However, in recent years, they have begun to branch out past the safety of their caves and interact with the humans that populate the country. Some have even gone so far as to migrate to the port city of Dokku in Danjon, where they have their own member of the local Conclave. For the most part, however, they remain within the red rocks of Shadow's Swelter. These Kreen are separated into three distinct hives, each with its own leader. These hives work together to create a functioning society. The
Keta'aqi Hive hunts cave creatures to supply the Kreen with food. The
Sho'aqeq Hive studies medicine and the arcane to help improve Kreen quality of life. The
Ska'aqo Hive excavates the ground and builds homes; however, with the rising interest in trade, the
Ska'aqo have focused more on mining precious metals as of late.
Even though the Kreen have a system established that focuses on supporting the entire Hive, they are rather solitary creatures. There are no Kreen cities, instead, groups of three called
Kaqi'oti'or live in isolated, underground homes throughout Shadow's Swelter. These groups consist of one member from each hive and are the closest approximate to a family the Kreen have.
Kaqi'oti'or (or Kreen families, as they are called by Sunai humans) are grouped at birth and stay together until one member of the group dies. If the
Kaqi'oti'or was young enough, they will be given a new member. If they are old, they are sent to Dorai, the Hive Palace, which contains a retirement home of sorts for old Kreen who have lost their partners.
The Thri-kreen are asexual, meaning the strongest of their kind are systematically selected to reproduce. These Thri-kreen lay eggs they both made and fertilized that are then kept in the palace. When they hatch, the older Kreen that live in the palace teach the younglings and assign them to their
Kaqi'oti'or at age 14.
Recently, the Kreen have begun to open trade with the rest of Sebai, exchanging their multitude of precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum for other goods across the alliance. This increase in communication with the outside world has cause many Kreen to abandon the hive and travel elsewhere. This is seen as a serious betrayal to the Kreen and these bugmen are no longer welcome at Shadow's Swelter. The Kreen are also extremely xenophobic and don't take kindly to creatures other than the occasional trader entering their land.
Men of Suna
While not an official title by any means, "Men of Suna" refers to all non-Kreen creatures living in Suna, the majority being either human or halfling. Most of these people are the descendants of those who fled from Danjon when the Sistine Empire fell 300 years ago. They are almost exclusively found in the cities of Shinyū, Ningen, and Oashisu. The Men of Suna are a hardy bunch who prefer to settle disagreements with a well-placed punch rather than words. Out of the three nations of Sebai, Suna is by far the most hostile and would quickly end their relationships with Danjon and Samui if they didn't badly need the resources they provide. This is especially true towards Danjonians. The Men of Suna still carry a strong hate for the monsters who ejected them out of their homeland. Outside of the port city of Shinyū, where dealings with Danjonians are commonplace, monsters who visit the human cities of Suna are heavily harassed and often assaulted.
Ko'isqa'e Hive
To scholars' best understanding, the K
o'isqa'e Hive branched off from the
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives roughly 1800-2000 years ago. When the Kreen first began building tombs for their leaders in the Erugu desert, they discovered the Panshito whales that fly over the desert. Many Kreen felt a spiritual connection to these majestic creatures and desired to live in the desert so they could be ready to watch the whales next time they pass. These Kreen, the
Ko'isqa'e Hive, left Shadow's Swelter and began a new, nomadic life in the white sands of the Erugu desert. These Kreen are the least developed people in Suna, preferring a nomadic life of hunting Nandok (elephant-like creatures who can magically extend their trunks to reach far beneath the desert sand to the water that lies beneath) and collecting Panshito whale dung.
Like their brethern in Shadow's Swelter, the
Ko'isqa'e Hive strongly dislikes intruders. However, unlike the
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives, who simply throw out intruders, the
Ko'isqa'e will kill trespassers on sight. They tolerate the Kreen of Shadow's Swelter who continue to bury their Hive leaders in the desert, but anything past this is met with intense hostility.
Religion
Much like the cultural aspect of Suna, its religious beliefs greatly vary. The
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives believe in a version of reincarnation, named "Kreenism" by theologists. In their religion, there are 7 planes of mortal existence called
Sho'as. In each of these planes, there is only one civilization that follows the teachings of the creator god,
Ro'otik. These civilizations- called
Tka'o- run a tight society ruled by 3 leaders. It is the duty of all creatures to discover these societies and accept them as the true form of culture. Once an outsider accepts this, they only need wait to die, after which they will be reborn into the
Tka'o of their current plane of existence. At this point, they must remain dutiful and obedient to the wishes of their leaders, or
Qoqaqi. The three leaders of
Tka'o are seen as gods in the eyes of the Kreen. This is because, in Kreenism, the only way to progress to the next
Sho'as is by becoming one of the
Qoqaqi. When these leaders die, they are sent by
Ro'otik to the next plane of existence. Those not chosen are simply reincarnated once more into the
Tka'o. As such, the
Qoqaqi are treated with the upmost respect and are given grand funerals upon their death, as their spirits have advanced to the next plane. It is because of these beliefs that abandoning the Hive is so frowned upon. The Kreen see this as a soul who has already recognized
Kirqisha'akaqi as the
Tka'o choosing to reject the truth and become stuck in this realm for all eternity.
Once a creature has advanced through all 7
Sho'as, they ascend to
She'eqako'o, the home of the creator god,
Ro'otik. Here, they spend eternity resting after the thousands of lifetimes they spent to reach
Ro'otik's realm. Sajistin, the planet Sebai is located on, is considered the 6th
Sho'as out of 7.
In the Erugu Desert, the
Ko'isqa'e Hive also believe in reincarnation and
Ro'otik. However, they believe that
Ro'otik desires his worshippers to find freedom in whatever plane of existence they find themselves in. For the
Ko'isqa'e, that means reincarnating as a Panshito whale. They believe that, if they spend their lives admiring and worshiping both
Ro'otik and the Panshito whales, the creator god will answer their prayers and reincarnate them as Panshito. The
Kirqisha'akaqi view these beliefs as a horrible bastardization of their religion and refuse to associate themselves with the
Ko'isaq'e in any degree. That being said, due to the obvious similarities and shared roots, theologists refer to the
Ko'isqa'e religion as "Modified Kreenism."
The Men of Suna could best be described as agnostic. While none can deny that there are powerful gods interacting with the world around them, most are too busy to care. Missionaries from the Church of the Masked God have attempted to teach these people, but most are either stabbed, shot, hanged, or cast out if they're lucky. It should be noted, however, that a certain cult has gained some leeway in Suna over the last few years. Traders from Magjistar have shared rumors of the power their patron, Jixer the noble genie, has granted them. A few have even stayed and begun to attract quite a following, especially in Ningen. They teach that, under the care of Jixer, all are given equal share to the state's profit. Due to the staggering poverty that exists in Suna, these teachings have been met with overwhelming positivity amongst the poor. The Sunai government despises this group and has given the order to execute anyone caught affiliating with the Cult of Jixer.
Government
There are two prevalent governments in Suna: one for the
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives and the other for the Men of Suna. The
Ko'isaq'e Hive is split into small groups that are each run by the eldest member of the tribe. Due to its simplistic nature, this system is not considered a form of government.
As previously stated, the
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives are governed by three Kreen leaders called the
Qoqaqi. Since the Thri-Kreen live isolated from one another in their
Kaqi'oti'or, the
Qoqaqi uses telepathy to communicate with the Hives. The Thri-Kreen's main task is to support their
Kaqi'oti'or however they deem necessary. However, at times, the
Qoqaqi will issue mandates such as a specific mineral to harvest or cave creature to hunt. Whenever a member of the Hives discovers something new (such as a member of the
Sho'aqeq Hive inventing a new form of medicine or a member of the
Keta'aqi Hive discovering a new way to defeat a creature) they are required to telepathically report it to their Hive leader who then informs the rest of the Hive of this new advancement.
The Men of Suna operate under city governors who maintain the three human-owned cities alongside a set group of advisors called the Panel. A governor stays in office for 10 years, or until they are deemed unfit by their advisors to maintain the position, after which they, along with their advisors, vote for a new governor to take their place. This new governor chooses their own Panel. The three governors, along with their Panels, from Shinyū, Ningen, and Oashisu meet once a month to inform each other of their city's status and share ideas. The governors' main focus is quelling crime and settling disputes. Beyond this, Suna's government tends to avoid involving itself. While this has allowed Suna to proper a great deal, it has also caused a massive separation of class with a small number of wealthy merchants controlling all trade and production. It is common knowledge that the governors, along with their advisors, benefit greatly by remaining neutral on the issue.
Important Organizations
Kirqisha'akaqi Hives
The three Thri-Kreen hives that live in Shadow's Swelter. Outside of Dorai, where the three Kreen leaders live along with the young and old of the hives, these Kreen live isolated lives in groups of three called
Kaqi'oti'or. Similar to a family, these
Kaqi'oti'or provide each other with everything they need to survive. They are very closed off, but have recently begun to trade with Sebai.
Ko'isqa'e Hive
Name for the Thri-Kreen that reside in the Erugu Desert. In reality, these Kreen no longer identify as a single hive, but rather as several smaller hives scattered across the desert. They worship the Panshito whales that fly across Suna twice a year and are highly territorial.
Suna Government
A group of three governers along with 30 advisors who make up the federal structure of the Men of Suna's government. In exchange for a small tax fee, the governors provide the people with protection against crime. They do not involve themselves further into the lives of Sunai civilians.
Cult of Jixer
While the exact number of followers is unknown, the Cult of Jixer is a fast-rising group that worships the noble genie Jixer from Magjister. They teach that once the majority of Suna accepts Jixer as their god, he will come to destroy all unbelievers. Afterwards, Jixer will establish a system where all will live equally underneath his control.
Warforged Wranglers
Relics from the Sistine Empire, the Warforged Wranglers are metal beings given life through a lost form of magic called "Programming." They live in a small, secluded town called the Rusty Ranch in the middle of the Soled Pass. These warforged build copies of themselves called "Carbons" which they sale for ridiculously exorbitant sums to whomever can afford them. Any attempt to understand how the warforged are created has been unsuccessful and the original warforged are unwilling to share their secrets. Depending on the material, model, and accessories ordered, these "Carbons" can range anywhere from 250,000gp to over 500,000gp. As such, ownership of one of these robots is seen as the ultimate display of wealth.
Cities
Dorai
Considered the main city of the Thri-Kreen by the Men of Suna, Dorai is, in reality, the underground palace of the
Qoqaqi. The palace is built around a massive cylindrical chasm within the earth. At the top of the chasm is the throne room for the
Qoqaqi. Below it sits an open chasm with stone walkways and stairs interlaced across it that connect the multitude of rooms honeycombed along the sides of the chasm. Inside these rooms resides the old and young Thri-Kreen. This is because, in addition to being the Kreen palace, Dorai serves as a dual nursing home and nursery for young and old Kreen alike. After they are born, the Kreen birthers return to their
Kaqi'oti'or, leaving the old to raise them. These Kreen elders teach them of the Kreen religion and run courses designed to help determine which tribe the young should be placed into. Once they reach the age of 14, the young are placed into their selective Hive and
Kaqi'oti'or and sent to find a place to live amongst the rocky caves of Shadow's Swelter.
Ningen
A hot, smelly town, Ningen is located in the arid flatlands of the Soled Pass. Due to the rich, dense clay that exists there, Ningen's main export is bricks. Because of this, the city is surrounded by large pits and work yards where clay is mined, dried, and turned into bricks. The city itself is a complete mess. Buildings of clay, brick, sandstone, and wood are tightly packed together by narrow, overcrowded streets. Despite holding a population of nearly 50,000, these roads have yet to be paved. Crime is rampant and it is common knowledge that the Cult of Jixer's headquarters resides in the city. Despite the government's best efforts, they have yet to locate it.
Oashisu
After departing from Shinyū, travelers are subjected to days of travel through the dry, dusty land of Suna. Eventually, the trail meets a large sand dune surrounding the Seikatsu Oasis simply called "The Barrier." Upon cresting the dune, travelers are greeted with the beautiful site of Oashisu and the Seikatsu Oasis. Along the northern side of the oasis lies the sprawling city of Oashisu. The capital of Suna is surronded by a massive, 50-foot tall wall built of sandstone- encompassing nearly 50 square miles of land along the oasis' banks.
The Suna government focuses greatly on presenting the city as prosperous. As such, all government buildings, main trading hubs, and wealthy neighborhoods are located near the western gate. This area, named the "Yufuku District," is surrounded by a smaller internal wall that divides the district from the majority of Oashisu that lives in poverty. The Yufuku District accounts for a little over 5 square miles of land, so, while visitors will be presented with what appears to be a prospering city, the majority of it is filled with hovels, decaying infrastructure, and destitute people struggling to survive. Besides maintaining a large police force to keep the peace, the governor of the city pays little attention to these outside districts.
Outside the city are several villages along the banks of the Seikatsu Oasis that grow produce Oashisu uses for trade. Despite being outside the city walls, these villages are still kept under the watchful eye of the governor with guards and city officials keeping the peace and overseeing exports.
Shinyū
Shinyū is not only Suna's main trading port, but also its only trading port. As such, there is not a minute that goes by in this bustling city when business isn't being conducted on the docks. It is notorious for its poor management and limited spacing that often forces sailors to wait anywhere from an hour to several days outside port to gain a space to dock. When spaces do open, port officials ask those on the waitlist to dock immediately, no matter if it is 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning. As a result of this, Shinyū has received the nickname "The Sleepless City." The city itself is quite large with its streets almost always jammed full of merchants and traders selling their wares. The buildings are built out of sandstone and often have multiple stories. Due to the high foot traffic that comes with Shinyū's large market, many people make a living as street performers.
Shinyū is easily the most diverse city in Suna and the most tolerant of the citizens of Danjon. They also have a more diverse and equal class system when compared with Oashisu and Ningen due to the city being the center of trade in Suna. Because of this, the teachings from the Cult of Jixer are less influential here.
Holidays
Unfortunately, there are no official holidays in Suna (excluding Navy Day). As each city is more or less independent from the other, it is difficult for an official, dated holiday to form. That being said, Sunai cities are known for their street performers and vendors, making nearly every day feel like a festival. Larger festivals tend to form sporadically and at random throughout the year. It is assumed that the Thri-Kreen might have their own holidays; however, due to the fact that no outsider has ever visited for a long period of time, such information is unknown.
Navy Day
Created in order to raise more support for the newly created organization, Navy Day is the only holiday observed by all three countries in Sebai. The holiday is celebrated on the 15th of Edogas and has struggled to find a footing in Sebanese culture as the Navy continues struggling to create exciting events to celebrate their existence. It mostly consists of impressive military displays at costal cities followed by minor festivals. Citizens that live more inland, however, rarely even acknowledge its existence.
Comments