Nubia
Nubia is a country to the south of Egypt. It is where the Nile begins, and one of the oldest kingdoms in Africa. Many Nubians served in Egypt, and they also had their own empire. The latter also seen them build their own pyramids and there is some debate as to which of them learned to build these structures first. The early empire is called Kush, and were followed by the Meroe. Eventually these fell in time and others took over, including being taken over for a time by the kingdom of Aksum. The Blemmyes followed, then the Nobatians, and finally the Makuria took over and converted to Christianity. At this time their capital is based in Tungul (Old Dongola). During the 7th century they held back Muslim Arabs of the Rashidun Cephalate, who tried to invade, stopping any further expansion south at this time. A non-aggression pact was signed and trade resumed. Items like ivory, gold, wood and other exotic goods has travelled up and down between them before, and does so again. They have pushed north into Egypt in the past 150 odd years.
Makuria is in it's own Golden Age, with power centralised and encoded with a Afro-Byzantine bureaucracy, and has ties to Alodia (a similar empire just to it's south). Arts have flourished, especially pottery & wall paintings, and their alphabet is Old Nobiin based on Coptic (has elements of Greek & Arabic in it). Women have the distinction of being treated as equals, with high education between both sexes, and the women being able to own & sell land. They have wealth that many use to build & decorate churches. The society is Matriarchal, with even the kingship passing to the eldest son if the king's sister should he pass.
They have always had some strong connections to Egypt, mainly through trade, and movement of peoples, mainly north (especially for the latter).
The country has much scrublands, woodlands, deserts, and savannah in it's borders. It has a large amount of acacia trees in the country that it can harvest to use or sell. Animals & plants are abundant throughout the differing regions, and some make a living hunting these for food and skins, and in rare cases for medicines along with indigenous plants. The people also avoid different areas of the regions as there are rumours of disappearances linked to hyenas (and bipedal versions in some tales / likely Gnolls), and to what the locals call 'The Serpent Devils (rumoured to tied with ancient ruins hidden away & possible Yuan-Ti cities / temples).
Type
Geopolitical, Country
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