The accompanying map offers a sweeping view of Zakhara. Here are some locations of note:
Huzuz, City of Delights: The heart and pulse of the empire, Huzuz lies near the Golden Gulf at the junction of major east- west and north-south trade routes. The city is ruled by the hereditary Grand Caliph and boasts the greatest palace in Zakhara. Most other rulers pay homage to the Grand Caliph (even if they pay him no other mind). The House of the Loregiver, a place of meditation and reverence, is located at the center of Huzuz.
Hiyal, City of Intrigue: Located farther inland along north- south trading routes, Hiyal is Huzuz's dark twin a gray, moody city which grew out of a swamp. Within its smoke-filled back rooms, dark pacts are made and broken. Hiyal's sultana is a crafty, scheming woman.
Qudra, City of Power: A major port on the Great Sea, Qudra has been heavily fortified over the years to fend off pirate raids and barbarians. Now it is a potent military and naval power, the best-defended city in the Land of Fate. Qudra's emir is a patient, calm dwarf who was elected by the city's ruling mamluk societies.
Pantheist League: A collection of city states bordering the Golden Gulf and the Crowded Sea, the Pantheist League is a religious hierarchy controlled by moralist factions. (Moralists are described in Chapter 3.) Members of this league tolerate all who recognize and worship Kor, Najm, Hajama, Selan, and a local deity named Jauhar. People who worship other gods are shunned or persecuted. The Pantheists pay lip service to the City of Delights as the home of the Loregiver and the Grand Caliph, but their government remains completely independent.
High Desert: The land across from Hiyal and Huzuz rises to a high, windswept plateau, dotted by cases and deep wadis (seasonal streams). Here the great nomadic tribes of Zakhara raise their herds and raid their neighbors.
Haunted Lands: The second great desert of Zakhara, this region once held a powerful collection of warring city states, petty nations, and proud, nomadic tribes. All disappeared many centuries ago, leaving their cities in ruins. According to one legend, the pride of a single ruler brought about the downfall of everyone. Whatever the true reason, nearly all of the Haunted Lands have been abandoned by men. Except for the outskirts, this region now belongs to genies and the creatures of the wilderness.
Afyal: A number of small nations are scattered throughout the Crowded Sea. Of the four major islands, however, only Afyal is ruled by a common government. Afyal's padishah seeks to extend his power by establishing colonies on nearby islands.
Afyal is a typical island nation: it has a rich, mostly unexplored hinterland and a thriving coastal trade. It also has a very strict social code, or caste system.
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