Ibesh Sultanate Background

The Ibesh Sultanate - also named Imka-Qasab in the besihc tongue, is a monarchy that has endured within the northern continent for roughly five centuries since the succession of the Emirate of Ruya and the Yallac dynasty, bringing to heel the remaining three Emirates of the wetlands. This territory expands over every swamp and marsh across the regional expanse, laying claim to each of these geographical attributes that exist above the Shimeji Sea and ending only with the western half of the boot strait.

Marshland Figures

The Yallac Dynasty rules from Ruya and retains the standard of the verdant crocodile upon their banners. Their accomplishments and supremacy over their rivals affirmed by the legendary Sapphire Fleet and the harbour from which it calls port. Their origins reaching back to Sultan Atadi I, an exceptionally brutal figure that is storied to have commanded the greatest force upon the tides in history. Each member of the regal bloodline carries the title of Sultan or Sultana, preceding or following their given names according to gender and regardless of whom presently sits upon the royal seat.

His Magnanimity, Sultan Nasir II, lord of Fabled Ruya and rested upon the Seat of Reeds
A tested captain upon the deck of the I.S Alnuwras and participant of the War of Avengement, Nasir ascended to the Seat of Reeds after the death of his father the late Sultan Farrukh IV by Vestrian arrows - taking up Sayf Altun, the sword of discernment and station of rule over the Sultanate. The monarch distinguished himself in his youth during clashes against the Rokkarians and their mighty handlers while having been considered a brooding and hesitant figure compared to the headstrong nature of his predecessor. His slow cunning has caused frustration for many nobles of the Sultanate. A quiet man that at times is spoken for by his advisors, his true resolve remains a mystery.

The Splendour, Sarir "Yadis" Sultana, heir to the Seat of Reeds
Having come of age in the years following the strife that saw her brother's ascension, Sarir has swiftly asserted herself as a prudent steward of the domains surrounding Sulhufaa. Her efforts treated with gracious hospitality given royal station and accompanied by rising popularity from the commons while continuing to provide an abundance of bilum for all that live within the southern emirate. Tutored in many matters by her deceased grandfather Emir Rashid, their bond had seen the development of rather ornery traits that the Sultana now employs in her ruthlessly efficient administration of the Burj bilum lodges. Much to the resentment of the Court of Nobility, she remains firmly situated as Nasir's only potential successor.

Hyadina
A triumvirate priesthood that stands above all mortal figures in the Sultanate's religious hierarchy, the singing priests or "smiling ones" as they are known are exemplars of a radiant joy sourced from being bestowed upon a fraction of the sibling god's knowledge. Consecrated in the warmth of Mount Haraq, these three souls thought to be former Qadi of Alsharqarya have surrendered their previous lives to assume this divine charge and often travel abroad to grant gifts and blessings to those they encounter. As tradition dictates, their names are unknown nor do they hold permanent residence.

Standing aside from the Yallac Sultans are the three Emirs which each represent a significant aspect of the monarchy as a whole. Their fiefdoms constitute the backbone of the land's economy and are bound by oath to muster their levies when called upon either in the name of the Sultan or by honour's sake on behalf of the Hyadina. Their issue are known as Sayed or Sayeda according to gender.

The Emirate of Miqyas has long represented the firmly defensible barrier of the Sultanate's coasts, a vanguard against encroachers and those charged with safeguarding the swamp routes of the Sultan. The castle Miqyas remains the most formidable keep in the realm from its position atop the highlands at the center of the surrounding bogs. Their dynasty boasts the ivory sea eagle for their standard. Its domains include Zhurad Village and the bogwoods of the west.

Emir Imadh, master of the western reeds and lord of Miqyas, Councillor to Shimeji
Imadh was charged with commanding the Sapphire Fleet during the Avengement and earned the few victories won by the vindicators in the conflict. Enriched by lands vast in lumber, there is little dispute as to the power wielded by Imadh and the influence he might muster when called for. Often deemed as the more reasonable of the Ibeshi lords and always advocating for peace with the southern realms, his few rivals consider him unwilling to mete out retribution for the crimes of Rokkarstan, though they refrain from challenging his combat prowess. Captain of the I.S Abyas.

Sayeda Seludh, daughter of Imadh
Known as a morose figure that occupies herself mostly with the Miqyas aviary, betrothed to Emir Zarqawi.

Sayed Muamar, son and heir of Imadh
A devoted pupil of his renowned father albeit less shrewd, he is a particularly robust sort that has earned accolades in his young age through several personal duels of honour and aptitude with a short spear. Captain of the I.S Muntaka.

The Emirate of Sulhufaa is the youngest of the three not blessed by royalty, nevertheless a bustling nexus of trade with foreign realms that furthermore is sustained by a local abundance of agriculture that supports the rest of the country. The harbour at Sulhufaa is both a haven for any vessels near the southern border of the Sultanate and conversely a source of infamy as a base of piracy upon the seas. Their dynasty raises the teal swamp turtle as their standard. Its domains include Eamiqa, Burj, Alsharqarya and Bakram.

Emir Zarqawi, master of the southern reeds and lord of Sulhufaa
Considered a remarkably pernicious personality, Zarqawi has always relished in the freedom afforded him by the deaths of his siblings in numerous skirmishes and mysterious incidents throughout the years. The control that his father Emir Rashid possessed had always allowed a pursuit of controversial endeavours to his liking. Now as the new ruler of Sulhufaa, he is bound to continue his already growing legacy as one of the more actively opportunistic figures in the land - leaping at any opportunity to stoke tensions with the infidels of the south. Captain of the I.S Kahif.

Shtayeh, son of Zarqawi
Sole and illegitimate child of the Emir, the boisterous hooligan is known for little more than hurling seagull eggs at the decks of any ship anchored within the harbour.

The Emirate of Jalmud has historically been seen as the custodian of the Sultanate's often remote and most treacherous regions, their far eastern borders reach as far as the holy Mount Haraq and they provide the lion's share of the realm's stone and minerals. Though the distance of their territory has left them considered the least wealthy of the three regions, their holdings also produce many fighters determined to take service away from their homes. Their dynasty sustains the golden toad as their standard. Its domains include Nufaya Village and Fort Meshta.

Emir Jabir, master of the eastern reeds, lord of Jalmud and Royal Steward
Jabir has often been viewed as incompetent or simply too timid to rule, a corpulent man subjected to numerous slights and humiliations by others within the Court of Nobility. His reputation upheld only by a choice arrangement with the Sultan, his position is an assumed placating of the many aggrieved veterans within his territory.

Sayeda Julna, daughter of Jabir and wife to Emir Imadh
Tormented by ailments that have rendered her bed stricken for many years.

Sayed Uhmad, son and heir of Jabir
Alleged rival of the Sayed Muamar in martial competitions. Captain of the I.S Zaftan.

Sayeda Halima, daughter of Jabir and wife to the Sultan
An exceptionally fetching individual far removed from her family's unsightly traits, leading to occasional rumour of her lineage.

Viziers
The Viziers represent a caste that exists exclusive to those few Qadi that show great promise yet have not achieved the traditional position of Sheikh, strictly reserved to five individuals fostered in esteemed scholarly knowledge and entrusted as caretakers of the sacred Neazima Temple within Ruya. They often handle letters and ledgers for the seated Sultan. The current wisemen are Jarmen, Mullah, Juhziz, Faymed and Kassad.

Sheikhdom is an honour reserved to the more prestigious or popular among the Qadi - the lowest caste of nobility that represent local elders and figures of religious teaching. Upon earning the title of Sheikh, a Qadi is awarded a small estate and a position of eminence in their respective town or village, entrusted as an advisor to their Emir and at times granted greater privileges that might see them carry out duties of greater import to the Sultanate as a whole.

Moctar, Sheikh and Qadi of Burj, servant of Sulhufaa, consulate to Færødale and national treasure
Foremost of his kind and widely beloved, the portly and jovial fellow is known by many beyond the borders of the realm. Eternally cheerful and said to often gift southerners bilum and trinkets during his visits.

Abbud, Sheikh and Qadi of Eamiqa, servant of Sulhufaa and diplomat of the Sultanate
A relatively youthful fellow raised to Sheikhdom in order to aid the famous Moctar by taking on a portion of his responsibilities. Exceedingly polite in all dealings and always accompanied by a bronze gecko.

Farhan, Sheikh and Qadi of Bakram, servant of Sulhufaa and consulate to St Yuellasburg
A quiet and thoughtful man renowned not only for his illustriously long beard but for his talent as an educated linguist.

Ehysaad, Sheikh and Qadi of Alsharqarya, servant of Sulhufaa
Infamous tall talker with a penchant for incomprehensibly long rants, insists he strangled Kloinicus with his bare hands.

Akeem "Cobbler", Sheikh and Qadi of Zhurad, servant of Miqyas
An eccentric soul that earned Sheikhdom with his marvellous craftsmanship of footwear, much respected in his village and said to still sell his wears within the Gregarious Gecko tavern.

Blasio, Sheikh and Qadi of Nufaya, servant of Jalmud
A native Advarian and supposed witchdoctor, his position is mired in suspicion.

Sharaw, Sheikh and Qadi of nondescript hovels near Fort Meshta, servant of Jalmud
A crackpot with a red beard and half his limbs.

Timeline of the Sultanate

Those foreigners that deign to learn of the Ibeshi calendar and their handling of years and seasons are often burdened by tremendous migraines or cease in their attempts all together. Their exotic traditions on the matter present as utterly bizarre to those not native to the marshlands and the nuances of their faith, with supposed eons known as a Hiqba and accompanying time between any variety of events dubbed as a Mahj. A vague construct dictates passage through the eras by small and yet also significant omens, at times influenced by nothing or often changed on a whim from the slightest of incidents. Should a singular nobleman die from illness, it may warrant a new Mahj - or it may only occur during a great calamity. Similarly a Hiqba may present as even more impossibly elusive, with viziers claiming thousands of years may pass without a change in Hiqba. The only known example in living memory came about with the deaths of the previous Hyadina. Their convention is completed by the statement "Following the Revelations of Occulem", inferring that the recording of history stretches as far back as the affairs of the sibling gods. Unimaginable inconsistencies exist with each iteration of the calendar in question.

1-68th Hiqba - No preserved records exist beyond their numbering prior to this date.

69th Hiqba
1st Mahj - The date when Isbe shepherds began to cultivate bilum, supposedly.
3rd Mahj - The first indication of a formed Emirate, though viziers insist they have existed before this.
7th Mahj - Neazima Temple is allegedly built in the middle of a barren mire.

70th Hiqba
1st Mahj - Shepherds begin to neglect their prehistoric aptitude for animal husbandry to stake out settlement of coasts and the deeper waters.
5th Mahj - The discovery of stone masonry in meaningful execution, defying previous mentions of Neazima.
6th Mahj - A total of seven Emirs are said to compete with one another to no result

71st Hiqba
1st Mahj - The first mention of the cultural moniker of the Ibeshi peoples, inseparable from the suspected first construction of a seafaring vessel.
2nd Mahj - Large swathes of ancient forests are carved out in order to appease an explosion of maritime emphasis.
3rd Mahj - The title "Sultan" is formed by an Emir upon the day of his succession. He is found drowned an hour later.
12th Mahj - Ruya comes into being, preceded by several castles of which no longer exist to this day with the exception of Jalmud.
13th Mahj - Ancient shepherd traditions become rarer as seafaring and even piracy become infinitely more commonplace.
23rd Mahj - The Emirs are culled to no more than four, none so powerful as Ruya and Jalmud. The captains under their rule commence a generation of conflict upon the tides.

72nd Hiqba
1st Mahj - Ruya stands supreme over their adversaries with the power of the Sapphire Fleet, taking royal station to their Yallac dynasty and proclaiming the first secure Sultanate. The reign of Sultan Atadi I.
4th Mahj - Miqyas castle is constructed, affording the once poor masters of the western reeds a seat of power to rival all others.
45th Mahj - The Sultanate becomes embroiled in an exceptionally ruthless civil war that is unusually brief. The result beggars the emirate of Jalmud and grants wealth to the south. Reign of Sultan Shyad VII.
46th Mahj - The longest living monarch, Sultan Farrukh II, dies after tripping over his beard.
49th Mahj - The Sultanate establishes prosperous trade routes with the foreign realms of Shimeji and Advaria. Reign of Sultan Nasir I. Emir Ulmet of Miqyas is devoured by his own pet crocodiles.
52nd Mahj - Greater settlement expands across the coasts that exist beyond the marshlands, firmly entrenching the Ibeshi peoples more deeply in the historical annals of the northern continent.
54th Mahj - Sultan Atadi V attempts to reinvigorate deeper worship of Occulem before being keelhauled by the Court of Nobility west of the docks at Ruya. His daughter Jetima Sultana reigns as the first woman upon the Seat of Reeds.
67th Mahj - Maritime eminence of the Sultanate attracts settlers from neighbouring Advaria, the foreigners permitted to live within Nufaya village under ample taxation for their heathen status.
68th Mahj - Sulhufaa is constructed
70th Mahj - Sheikh Moctar is born. Prosperity follows unlike anything ever seen in memory.
71st Mahj - Enigmatic plague claims the life of Sultan Shyad IX.

73rd Hiqba [Drugoyvia Begins]
1st Mahj - Sultan Farrukh IV ascends. Shores up against potential instability by marrying the daughter of Emir Rashid of Sulhufaa, the Sayeda Yeshta.
2nd Mahj - Diplomatic ties established with southern continent, Sheikh Moctar represents the Sultan during the first meeting of Aldu'waltum (Moot Rock)
3rd Mahj - The Hyadina venture to the Madlands, leading to the War of Avengement with Khrom-Vestria and Rokkaria.
4th Mahj - Sultan Farrukh IV dies of his wounds after the war, his son Nasir II ascends.

74th Hiqba
1st Mahj - Emir Imadh of Miqyas becomes the Ibesh representative to the new council of Shimeji. Closer ties pursued with the Republic of Fanhorim-Dûr. New Hyadina are selected through ancient rites.
2nd Mahj [Resumption] - Revolts personally quashed in the east by Sultan Nasir II.
3rd Mahj - Settlement begins of Jadria. / Present.

Military and Economy

Far estranged from their origins as shepherds particularly adept at the cultivation of hallucinogenic flora, the Ibeshi folk have long since embraced their perceived affinity with the dominion of water. A fixation that permeates all layers of society to significant boons contrasted by limitations of a different variety, still distinguishing them as those narrowly respected in their stern spheres of capability.

Military

Unlike many of the countries that have expanded upon the many continents of Drugoyvia over the past millennia, the Ibesh have conformed to their restrictive geography in ways that have been established much more than in matters of domestic commerce and expressions of necessity. The absence of horses in the bog-ridden north is a factor that has resulted in their use being an extreme luxury often never seen beyond the richest of individuals that live within the Sultanate, a privilege only the Sultan himself and his Emirs might ever boast. As such, the Sultanate has long lacked any employment of cavalry in their devout army, something that has only begun to change with the rise of the Jadrian cavaliers - enthusiastic yet fully inexperienced light horse mustered from newly settled lands. Centuries of contentment with these boundaries have increased the value of the spear, an instrument of war that is even more common than the curved scimitars that Ibeshi warriors wield in conflict.

However a matter that can never be denied by those that understand the potential of the Ibesh in battle is a profoundly disciplined devotion to their control of the sea. Generations of Sultans have been safeguarded by the unmistakably significant might exuded by the Sapphire Fleet, argued to be the largest naval concentration upon the nine seas. An azure-sail armada that operates as a singularly unrivalled force of dozens if not more vessels crewed by the most seasoned sailors the Sultanate has produced. With Ruya as their home port, the fleet remains the most powerful and threatening asset that the nation can muster, their crews spending a considerable portion of their lives upon the tides with experience in the use of the longbow at deck and the prudence provided by their curved blades in close quarters when challenged by hostile ships.

The standing army of the Ibesh is brought to bear by levies bound by each of the three emirates, most commonly answering the direct call of the Sultan or in times of great religious strife - on behalf of the Hyadina themselves. These latter examples are extremely rare and those that participate in such holy wars earn the moniker of vindicator for their zeal, with some exclusive orders formed among the veterans of this manner of conflict. In the past century only the War of Avengement has qualified. On foot the banners of the Sultan might compare little to their foes except in number, their drilling of both long spear and short spear stand as their only defence against enemy cavalry. Lightly armoured levies form the vanguard guided by faithful determination, followed by the committed faris - a standard of warrior granted chainmail and rounded shield for their commitment to their respective emirs. Their example comprise the entirety of Ibesh heavy infantry and are organized into a force of one hundred known as a janissary, responsible for the command of the levies accompanying them. Each contingent is then instructed by either the most decorated individual present or one of noble blood.

When brought to siege, the army of the devout favours a practiced use of mangonels. This device has allowed the versatility of fixture to the decks of many Ibesh vessels as much so on the land, a basic traction mechanism capable of hurling large stones at fair distances and especially effective versus coastal bastions. The history of their prevalence owed to the civil wars fought intermittently between ambitious emirs against the holdfasts between them within the marshlands.

Economy

With generational investments in a proximity to water at all times throughout the entirety of Ibesh society, the production of grains became especially niche for the Sultanate as options were explored for agriculture that might sustain in spite of the seasons and flooded landscape. While bread is not unheard of in terms of palate, the option has been often relegated to those of middling or greater status while an incredibly excessive surplus of rice has taken root as a popular staple for serfs and sailors alike. Many villagers subsist on naught but rice depending on seasonal yields, though any born within the realm have surely sampled the nationally esteemed dish of alsibh - a stew fashioned from freshly caught fish, brown swamp mushrooms, carrot and rice. Alongside this age old tradition has recently been joined in past decades by the inclusion of rudimentary teas, calling on regional knowledge of marshland leaves and cultural inspirations from the neighbouring Shimeji.

The aforementioned ingredients to alsibh represent the only familiarity for the seafaring peoples that might be seen on a yearly basis, the many supposedly exotic produce of southern nations remain strange and absent from the diet of any person or upon the fields. Their attunement with the ocean has thrust seafood into the only option more common than rice itself, Ibeshi fishmongers sustaining a career of considerable longevity and security. The handling of livestock also remains comparatively limited to their competitors in all but the unusually adept rearing of sheep, known as suf'wahsh in besihc. Antiquated practices dating back to the Isbe shepherds have guaranteed the proliferation of these creatures in a habitat that might otherwise prove nearly impossible for their ilk, further contributing to wool and fleece as one of the most excessive exports of the Sultanate as much so as source of their headscarves.

Also in relation to recent historical exposure to foreign realms, the demand by distant peoples for many exotic goods and other niche commodities has created a budding market for the Sultanate in what they would otherwise discard. Of exception are spices procured from the most dense thickets and mangrove blossoms north of Miqyas, though scarce in quantity they serve as a potentially lucrative asset to be exchanged with those markets that exist abroad the belt. Honey is cultivated in meagre quality by keepers from Alsharqarya while a sort of sugar is extracted from the excess of domestic bilum production in spite of eccentric properties on those that partake of it.

Though not especially prevalent or supported by an official market, chattel slavery is on occasion permitted through an archaic principle in Ibesh law that dictates customs regarding the treatment of those captured in raids or war. Acquired on a need by basis, what more resembles thralldom is thrust upon unpaid labour for particular instances of tedious construction or the clearing of dangerous paths. In return is every slave guaranteed their freedom upon completion of the purpose they were shackled for, rewarded for their involuntary service with lifelong Ibeshi favour in the form of a mark of the marsh - scribed upon their flesh.

In tandem with maritime expertise and fisheries, bilum has never ceased as a unique commodity exchanged between the northern nation among themselves and those they deal with. The plant, of which is considered a discreet recipe that may or may not pertain to the curation of swamp reeds and sugar cane if not one or two more suspicious components, is certainly a contender for the most potent of recreational substances present in international trade superseding any appreciation for alcohol at home. A reputation exists among the Ibesh as rarely being absent their bilum pipes, with those even more exceptionally talented smokers being granted the colloquial title of "Yadis." Alongside bilum, wool and fleece, the only resource more abundant in the Sultanate is surely the sapphire blossoms and deep blue stones that are brought from deep within the earth, leading to the nearly ridiculous plenitude of blue dye in the country. So much so that it is typically prioritised over other artistic demonstrations in standards or deviation in attire by any person with blue headscarves worn by virtually every living soul. The Sapphire Fleet itself owes its namesake to the propensity of His Magnanimity's ships bearing only sapphire sails.

Beyond these examples, the control of the seas by the Sultanate provides a continual relevance as far as international exchange is concerned. Any country that intends to sail a ship past their own coasts must first always consider the Ibesh, their standing with them and the promise afforded by their favour in mercantile - or rather their disfavour and the impact of their aggression against opposing fleets.

Culture and Religion

Set apart from the many other peoples that might be spoken for upon the Shimeji council, the Ibesh have long remained exemplars among the cultures that developed within the distant north. Foremost in prevalence and most populous despite the unusual climate within which they have surprisingly thrived, these factors have contributed to an influence felt by those few neighbours upon the continent. Long before they mastered the sea were their folk considered a constant endurance that established eminence over smaller tribes and settlements that might have vied for the privilege of expansion.


Culture

The traditions fostered by the Sultanate have their origins steeped in queer and curious standards that suited the inundated landscapes from which they sprung forth and adapted to. A stubbornly adhered example is surely the prominence of headscarves of varying design and luxury, owed to the abundance of wool furthermore washed and treated to azure dyes produced from local flora. Every man is expected to wear such an article at all times, obscuring any hair that does not exceed the temples and in battle to be worn in full furl around their countenance. For women the difference exists in a long shawl and veil that presents a thin guise which may serve as a decorative piece when concealing expression is desired. The role of both genders is a fickle thing that proves consistent only in matters of a priority in succession, otherwise remaining fluid in various other facets of society. Males, being more commonly oriented toward seafaring and conflict, are given preference in successions before women for the sake of dynastic security - though this does not exclude the latter from the line all together, nor are they entirely unheard of in serving with the janissary contingents or upon the crew of a ship, simply less common.

Certain practices are dictated by elements of the faith that persist through daily life, especially in comportment and the disfavour with which sorrow had always been perceived for centuries untold (A product of the belief that sadness was worthless when comforted by the knowledge that the sibling gods must possess on one's behalf.). It was not until the utmost of calamities was experienced in the murder of the previous Hyadina that a significant change was experienced in this tradition. Where once it was considered unsightly or dishonourable to expose woe and misery outside of personal privacy, the sight became radically more familiar and even accepted granted the circumstances to an extent that although a stigma still exists, it is no longer seen as a source of disgrace. So deeply were the Ibesh effected by the incidents that lead to the War of Avengement that no other example is recorded by the viziers as having so drastically altered an aspect of their culture, so much so that a generation of resentment has taken root coupled with an ambitious striving for compensation at home and abroad. Still cherished however is the strict manner leant toward cheerfulness and hospitality that though rarer in the present day still determined the ethic of the Ibesh.

With feudalism deeply ingrained in the structure of the Sultanate, castes are determined only by one's birth within either nobility or serfdom, relatives of higher birth afforded greater quality of life and a wider range of choices of which role to fulfil in society. While an heir might captain a vessel of their own at sea, second sons and daughters are expected to marry in order to guarantee continued agreeable exchange between noble families, with male issue just as likely to take to a life navigating the oceans and as such perishing in their travels. The peasantry however achieve opportunities as sailors or with work in the field while carpentry, smithing and fishing to name a few remain highly valued professions. All are bound to duty as levies when their Emir might call, while only few are fortunate enough to distinguish themselves as farris living lives of martial capability and greater protections permitted by their masters. As serfs grow older, they begin to qualify for the nomination of Qadi by their respective communities which opens pathways to potential Sheikhdom in their future if further trusted by those around them in a system which amounts to low nobility by popular vote.

Recreational activities are by no means limited for the Ibesh, though faith and worship takes a place of great significance in any individual's routine. Between their prayers and duties, the Ibesh amuse themselves with practices such as stone skipping across small bodies of water and word games where phrases in their tongue of besihc that cause frustration even among native speakers are employed in humorous japes awarded for their increasingly nonsensical structure - so long as they might rhyme. Alcohol is almost unheard of within the marshlands, produced only in limited and poor quality for those rare few that might afford a niche taste for it. Across society is bilum instead valued as the most appreciated and often indulged vice, the casual intensity of the substance shared among those young and old which often contributes to a merriment in small communities and often is naturally curated and shared by local Qadi. Either enjoyed during the time when one imbibes their bilum pipe or not, dancing is also done a great deal by those especially of low birth. Spontaneous hops, skips and jumps alongside the flailing of arms in eccentric motion providing a wellspring of laughter and good natured exercise between individuals.

The dialect of the Ibesh is by contrast a heated thing that can easily become lost in translation when set against body language and gesture. The exceedingly animated movements that often accompany besihc speech might mistake enthusiasm where one intends to convey anger or even comradery, yet the tongue competes with itself as a swift and at times combative language that is well suited to commands shrieked by a ship captain or by merchants in a rush. The repetition of names might differ little from other cultures, though for serfs it is a given that only changes when one might achieve higher station in life, being granted the right of selecting an entirely different name than that of one shared by a fifth of the village from which they hailed. The same speech was employed during the origin Isbe culture and associates quickly spoken designations to animals and plants in particular, emphasizing the importance of having a concrete moniker for many of the strange creatures that inhabit the swamps they live in. With headscarves owed to their sheep and decorative and celebratory ornaments made from the scales of lake lizards, each creature that moulded the land and water so closely was given a degree of respect as fishing and agriculture became a necessary staple whereas the need to hunt was virtually non-existent.


Religion

Fundamentalism guides the founding principles and practices of the faith for all that hold northern ditheism to heart. The worship of the sibling gods permeates all aspects of society and perception held by the Ibeshi people, from their keen affinity with water to their unapologetically conservative views on mysticism. The unwavering and paramount figures of the religion are the brothers Occulem and Paratis, great observers of all things from whom reality existed by virtue of their first glance. Their ideals and lessons intended for mortals inscribed within the Kitab Aleuyun - the book of eyes, the most vital piece of literature to any of the devout. Matters of behaviour, worldview and even any modicum of academic understanding is sourced primarily with reverence to these tenants provided by the text.

The Kitab Aleuyun is claimed to have been written by the first of the Hyadina, the three men initially granted the smallest shred of wisdom that the gods themselves could boast of - the experience driving them to boundless joy and benevolence as much so as inspiring them to commit the decrees of the omniscient ones to parchment. Though today there exists a few footnotes translated into the dialects of the south in the hopes of inspiring others to take up the faith, the true book itself contains one hundred and fourteen sections with the first hundred devoted to the tale of their origins and Paratis himself - While Occulem is reserved only to the final fourteen in keeping with the eyes of the distant lord and his place as it pertains to the intended limited mortal understanding. The siblings and their influence are so known.

Occulem, lord of the distant and bizarre. Ever devoted to the realms and dominions that existed beyond the world as it is comprehended by man, Occulem scoured reality to discern all that might exist near and far to the extent that the deepest secrets of the beyond were so kept only because of his knowing. His domain forever was the places that man was not to reach, never to go and never to understand. Reserved only to affairs that exceeded the senses, this knowledge unravelled the divine comportment that both brothers had upheld and ultimately lead to the warping of the great god. Both had beheld existence with one eye each, yet the weight of wisdoms that surpassed the world of the living had instead split Occulem's gaze into fourteen so that he might all the more appraise all things further. The prospect was disconcerting to Paratis and the consequences dire were the understandings of his brother to exceed his own to limitless potential, thus did he bind Occulem for eternity within the stars during this inundation of sight. There does the distant lord rest and continue to observe the unknown chained only by the extent of what he had achieved in ages past, seen by the naked eye at night as a wide constellation of fourteen stars.

The idols and structures associated with Occulem are the oldest of religious symbols erected by Isbe hands, they include the broad pillars that aim to resemble the formless shape associated with the distant one carved with fourteen eyes and the rare few murals lost to time beneath the marshes.

Paratis, master of the familiar and present. Determined to consider the world of man and the proliferation of life as it spread across the land, Paratis contented himself on measuring the capabilities of those that would come to walk and in time became invested in their destiny. All matters of the world upon which brought them to being was acknowledged in his keeping, from both the earth and the sea - the latter providing the abode preferred by the present one forever. When the Hyadina were granted their blessings, Paratis ensured that the faithful would come to adore the oceans as he had and grant them a reverence second only to the worshipful grace of the brothers. Though Paratis is afflicted by remorse for the necessity of restraining Occulem, his rule of the mortal domain is assured and his favour earned by those that stay true to the teachings of the text as much so as flourish upon the tides.

The idols and structures associated with Paratis became more common within the present era as a sense of privacy and mystery descended upon depictions of his brother. As such they are chiselled of new and pale stone, they include the the sky spires found on temples such as Neazima and Eamiqa, as well as the pillars which support the singular pale eye of the familiar one. Throughout the land are there also stocky spiral statues in honour of his claims to the sky.

These beliefs are held in sincere esteem and undeterred piety by all Ibesh, the absence of religious thought is an incomprehensible prospect that would surely sunder their society in ways that it might never recover. In keeping with the mandates of the two gods, the consideration of the magical or elusive is condemned beyond the learned dispositions of the viziers and the colourful ways in which Qadi might communicate the tenants of the religion to followers. No threat is considered greater than the intrusion of Occulem's realms or insult to the infallible Hyadina, treated to a demand of holy retribution that provides a rallying cry for the Sultanate in such rare occasions.

Those on high and those below all equally are expected to pray, from the Sultan to the lowest serf are the twin prayers considered utterly essential for every day experienced. Though mats, carpets or cloaks are often employed in the act, they are secondary to the crucial requirement of material with which to blindfold oneself. In honour and acknowledgement of all things being perceived by the gods, the faithful eliminate their own sight for the duration of the practice to respect the woeful comparison in understanding between themselves and the two. The morning prayer is conducted with the blindfolded participant kneeling or prostrating themselves to the material provided below and is intended for worship of Paratis in accordance with the dawn. The evening prayer may be done similarly or even standing if desired though is done with the dusk to give tribute to Occulem at day's end. Wherever the Ibesh might be in the world, prayer is required once at dawn and once at dusk as the act of greatest importance in any individual's life.