Gharu'n

Ispar Index Isparian Heritage Groups Aluvian Gharu'ndim Sho Viamontian Milantan Roulean Silveran Souia-Vey History History of Ispar Timeline of Ispar Lands and Locations Isparian Geography Category:Ispar Location

The Naqut Desert, which divided the land of Milantos from the decaying Roulean Empire was where it was that the people known as Gharu'ndim lived.

History

From the Naqut Desert, Rakhil al-Khur started his conquest of the Roulean Empire to the north, after slaying the demon Hayyaz.

Together with Yasif ibn Salayyar, he conquered a large part of the old Roulean Empire. When the raiders laid siege to Tirethas, the City of Lore, however, Rakhil made the mistake of threatening to burn the books within her walls. Yasif struck down his king in rage, and the conquest came to a sudden end.

He was succeeded by his son, Amul ibn Rakhil. Amul died heirless, poisoned at his own birthday celebration, and the former court of Amul ibn Rakhil at al-Nafalt competed fifteen years for the throne.

No fewer than twenty-five Maliks ruled over the next hundred years. The al-Nafalt was razed, and dark times fell over the land. From across the sea, the conquest-hungry kingdom of Viamont sent armies to invade.

The Viamontians succeeded in the Gharu'ndim nation because of instability in the succession of the Maliks. They set up Zahir ibn Ma'mun as a puppet while they ruled Gharu'n from afar. One by one, Zahir murdered his rivals – all save a young lord, Jawhar al-Shamshir. In the end, Jawhar defeated the puppet king and drove the Viamonters from the shores of Gharu’n. He became the new Malik, returning his kingdom to the glory it had known in Yasif’s time.

Led by their queen, the Malika Qadira bint Balj, the Gharu'ndim are a proud and prosperous people. There is always the threat of war, from both Viamont and Milantos, but the desert kingdom is once again a place where the sharpness of a man’s mind is far more valuable than that of his sword.

The second invasion of Gharu'n under leadership of King Varicci I initially went well for the Viamontians. Within two years, after a siege by sea and by land, they took Tirethas. The Viamontians marched to the northern edge of the Naqut Desert, driving the Gharu'n armies before them. The Gharu'n resistance solidified around the city of Shiryaz and fought to a standstill. One morning, the guards of the northern wall looked out over the battle plain and found that the Viamontians were gone. The great army that had camped there the previous evening had vanished in the night, leaving behind only their refuse and the tracks of thousands of boots, streaming north. A crisis at home compelled the recall of the Viamontian army.

Royalty and Rulers

Name	Bloodline	Rank/Title	Years of reign
Rakhil al-Khur	Name	Malik	?? RC - 977 RC
Amul ibn Rakhil	Name	Malik	977 RC - 1003 RC
(100 years of chaos with 25 Maliks)
Tu'azar ibn Amul	Name	Malik	around 1019 RC?? (death of his Vizier Mansur al-Rajan
Ladriya bint Daum	Name	Malika	1018 RC - ?? RC
Taraj al-Saum	Name	Malik	?? RC - ?? RC
Zahir ibn Ma'mun	Name	Malik	?? RC - ?? RC
Jawhar al-Shamshir	Name	Malik	?? RC - ?? RC
Qadira bint Balj	Name	Malika	?? RC - ?? RC

In Dereth

When they first came to Dereth Island, the Gharu’ndim found it already occupied by the Aluvians, another people from their world. There was little conflict, however, for the Gharu’ndim were glad to live in the island’s badlands and deserts. They have maintained peaceful relations with the Aluvians, as well as island’s newest occupants, the Sho. As they try to find their place in this strange new land, the Gharu’ndim look to the proverbs of Yasif ibn Salayyar for guidance.

Culture

Desert-dwellers who favor knowledge and trade over war and bloodshed, the Gharu'ndim are an eminently honorable, formal culture, but they also have a reputation for being somewhat distant and proud. Preferring to talk before fighting whenever possible, they speak with great politeness and formality, peppering their speech with honorifics and references to their national hero, the poet Yasif ibn Salayyar.

Customs and Traditions

In winter, the howling storm-winds called the Djinaya begin to gust across the Naqut Desert. The Djinaya bring with them a period the Gharun'dim call the Dusk, for the flying sand catches the light of the sun, and filters it into a dim and ruddy memory of itself. Only the boldest and most skilled mages venture out into the disorienting, blinding sandstorms. To aid travelers, the Gharun'dim erect oil lamps along their streets and near the gates of their towns. These burn with a bright, clear blue light that can be seen through the harshest weather. The Gharun'dim celebrate the Night Feast at this time, offering shelter and hospitality to any brave enough to go visiting. During the day, men and women shut in by the storms spend their time in prayer and reflection -- prayer for fortune in the coming year, and reflection on the failings and triumphs of the preceding one. As the poet says, wisdom can be found only in quiet places. Each evening, however, the entire populations of Gharun'dim towns dress in their finest garments and gather in the marketplace. Food and drink are shared, and the most accomplished storytellers stand before the assembled host, telling wild tales of magic, whimsy, and romance for the amusement of the feasters.

Those traveling in the Gharun'dim lands during the Dusk will be warmly welcomed in any home, and invited to share a cup of palm wine and a tale. For the Gharun'dim, Night Feast is a time for storytelling and contemplation.

Texts

Derethian Skies Excerpts from the Zharalim Lashanda's Hand Letter From Home (Gharu'ndim) Midnight Revelation Recalling the Calling The Hundred Trackless Paths The Silifi of the Crimson Stars To Be A Shadow

Town Network Signs

Gharu'ndim (Town Network Sign) Al-Arqas (Town Network Sign) Al-Jalima (Town Network Sign) Khayyaban (Town Network Sign) Qalaba'r (Town Network Sign) Samsur (Town Network Sign) Tufa (Town Network Sign) Uziz (Town Network Sign) Xarabydun (Town Network Sign) Yaraq (Town Network Sign) Zaikhal (Town Network Sign)

Internet Articles

• Zogblaster.com - Gharu'ndim Introduction
• Zogblaster.com - Gharu'ndim Factions
• Zogblaster.com - Lashanda's Hand
• Zogblaster.com - A Poet Vanishes (To Be a Shadow)
• AC:DM CD Lore - Gharu'ndim Heritage
• Character Creation - Racial Lore: Gharu'ndim
• Character Creation - Naming: Gharu'ndim

Factions

• Jaladhaqa Qalathina, the Jaladh - The Warriors’ Brotherhood
• Khuraqa Tha'ratali, the al-Khuraqa - Children of the Eagle
• Ighazaqa Talina, the al-Ighaz - Academy of Sorcery
• Walim - The Searchers
• al-Sadharamad - The Way of Stealth
• Shagar Zharala, the Zharalim - The Order of Assassins

Items

Shadow's Garb Veil of Darkness Shroud of Night The Poet's Mask Mask of the Malik Ibriya's Choice Wings of Rakhil Star of Gharu'n

Art & Images

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