Post by Horsie on Jan 5, 2015 2:04:47 GMT
The Al-Saigal have an appearance similar to tigers, and have a culture stylistically based on medieval Islamic nations. Their magical elements are fire and air.
The Al-Saigal hail from Jaydia, the continent to the north of Vellastrom. Here they are one of the four powerful nations that dominate that part of the world.
The land of their kingdom is hot and arid, bordered by the western ocean on one side and the great middle desert on the other.
Above all, the Al-Saigal are a people of faith, worshipping the war god Thane. Their beliefs regarding Thane are rather different from those of the Darsai in Vellastrom. They consider Thane to be a singular being, with no wife (or any other relatives) and also consider physical depictions of him to be idolatry. Idolatry is considered a very serious sin amongst the Al-Saigal, and extends to avoiding all pictures of people or living things in their art. Instead they favour elaborate abstract designs, patterns and calligraphy.
The rules by which the Al-Saigal live are laid out in the Seven Tomes of Immaculate Law, which are considered the divinely mandated word of Thane. These sacred texts lay out a lifestyle of piety, cleanliness, self discipline, and the virtue of martial prowess in the holy cause of Thane. Outsiders often find the Al-Saigal lifestyle to be oppressive and joyless. The Al-Saigal have strict dietary laws regarding what they can eat, are banned from consuming alcohol and monmul nectar, prohibited from premarital sex, and prohibited from art that represents living things or music that is about anything other than the veneration of Thane.
However, to the Al-Saigal this is simply the moral way to live ones life. Hedonism and giving in to base urges is the type of filthy behaviour that might be expected from foreigners, but a clean, honourably people are above such things.
Living amongst the Al-Saigal can be difficult to outsiders, as they are easily offended by anyone disrespecting or breaking any of their religious laws. However, they also have a strong tradition of hospitality. A guest of an Al-Saigal is under his host's protection, with Al-Saigal even going so far as to endanger their lives to protect someone that is staying under their roof.
The Al-Saigal are, like the Darsai, a warrior people and much of the power in their nation rests with their elite warrior caste- The Sipahis. These men are the social equivalent of the Darsai knights, being feudal warriors, granted the income from a section of land in exchange for their military service and loyalty. In battle they make use of bows fired from the saddle as their primary weapon, their arrows enhanced by magic to fly further and faster. The Sipahis are highly mobile and extremely lethal in battle, unleashing volleys as they gallop by, skilfully wheeling away to avoid any counter-attack. Though the bow is their primary weapon, they will also make use of the scimitar or lance, especially for running down enemy archers or charging an enemy already weakened by their projectiles.
The Sipahis can also use their magic to defend themselves, making barriers of air that can deflect incoming missiles, or buffet back attackers. Sipahi steeds are a combination of Suss birds (fierce and brave, but expensive in Jaydia and poorly suited to the hot, dry climate) and hannups (slower and more timid, but far cheaper and much more hardy under the desert sun).
The Sipahis owe allegiance to the Sultan, who is the monarch and hereditary ruler of the Al-Saigal. The Sultans are believed to be descendants of the first prophets of Thane, who brought enlightenment to their people in ancient times.
Al-Saigal society makes a strong distinction between men and women. Men's roles are working, fighting, and leading, while women should remain in the home, raising children and caring for their man's needs. The Al-Saigal believe their society treats women with proper respect, venerating them, protecting them, and not encouraging them to behave like whores as the women in other parts of the world do.
It is considered inappropriate for Al-Saigal women to show their ears or faces in public, and out in more rural areas this even goes so far as to mandate they dress in all-covering robes and hoods. It is generally considered taboo for a woman to travel outside of her home alone or in the company of any male who is not a direct relative or her husband. Crimes committed against women in Al-Saigal society are often viewed as property crimes against the woman's husband, or her father if she is unmarried.
Obviously, the role of the Sultan, the positions in his government and the rank of Sipahi are open only to men. Al-Saigal consider homosexuality to be an abhorrent sin, and it carries the death penalty. The same applies to other sexual misconducts, such as adultery or premarital sex.
The Al-Saigal have no tolerance for slavery, and are notable for taking no part in the slave trade that dominates much of Jaydia's economy. This goes so far as to not allow ships transporting slaves to dock in their harbours, and any slave brought into their lands will be immediately freed. This is often a symbolic gesture, as the freed slave, with nowhere to go and no source of income, will often be forced to return to their masters.
However the Al-Saigal are not welcoming of runaway slaves trying to escape into their country, as they do not desire an influx of pagan foreigners putting a burden on their society, and generally do their best to discourage, if not outright ban this practice.
The Al-Saigal nation is large and powerful, with a very sophisticated system of government, economy, and infrastructure, having made great strides in areas such as medicine, astronomy, and mathematics that are beyond anything seen in Vellastrom. Its people are intolerant of others ideas and their attitude to foreign nations is mistrustful and often aggressive, but they are also hardy, brave and pious, with clear morals that they rarely compromise even in the face of death.
The Al-Saigal hail from Jaydia, the continent to the north of Vellastrom. Here they are one of the four powerful nations that dominate that part of the world.
The land of their kingdom is hot and arid, bordered by the western ocean on one side and the great middle desert on the other.
Above all, the Al-Saigal are a people of faith, worshipping the war god Thane. Their beliefs regarding Thane are rather different from those of the Darsai in Vellastrom. They consider Thane to be a singular being, with no wife (or any other relatives) and also consider physical depictions of him to be idolatry. Idolatry is considered a very serious sin amongst the Al-Saigal, and extends to avoiding all pictures of people or living things in their art. Instead they favour elaborate abstract designs, patterns and calligraphy.
The rules by which the Al-Saigal live are laid out in the Seven Tomes of Immaculate Law, which are considered the divinely mandated word of Thane. These sacred texts lay out a lifestyle of piety, cleanliness, self discipline, and the virtue of martial prowess in the holy cause of Thane. Outsiders often find the Al-Saigal lifestyle to be oppressive and joyless. The Al-Saigal have strict dietary laws regarding what they can eat, are banned from consuming alcohol and monmul nectar, prohibited from premarital sex, and prohibited from art that represents living things or music that is about anything other than the veneration of Thane.
However, to the Al-Saigal this is simply the moral way to live ones life. Hedonism and giving in to base urges is the type of filthy behaviour that might be expected from foreigners, but a clean, honourably people are above such things.
Living amongst the Al-Saigal can be difficult to outsiders, as they are easily offended by anyone disrespecting or breaking any of their religious laws. However, they also have a strong tradition of hospitality. A guest of an Al-Saigal is under his host's protection, with Al-Saigal even going so far as to endanger their lives to protect someone that is staying under their roof.
The Al-Saigal are, like the Darsai, a warrior people and much of the power in their nation rests with their elite warrior caste- The Sipahis. These men are the social equivalent of the Darsai knights, being feudal warriors, granted the income from a section of land in exchange for their military service and loyalty. In battle they make use of bows fired from the saddle as their primary weapon, their arrows enhanced by magic to fly further and faster. The Sipahis are highly mobile and extremely lethal in battle, unleashing volleys as they gallop by, skilfully wheeling away to avoid any counter-attack. Though the bow is their primary weapon, they will also make use of the scimitar or lance, especially for running down enemy archers or charging an enemy already weakened by their projectiles.
The Sipahis can also use their magic to defend themselves, making barriers of air that can deflect incoming missiles, or buffet back attackers. Sipahi steeds are a combination of Suss birds (fierce and brave, but expensive in Jaydia and poorly suited to the hot, dry climate) and hannups (slower and more timid, but far cheaper and much more hardy under the desert sun).
The Sipahis owe allegiance to the Sultan, who is the monarch and hereditary ruler of the Al-Saigal. The Sultans are believed to be descendants of the first prophets of Thane, who brought enlightenment to their people in ancient times.
Al-Saigal society makes a strong distinction between men and women. Men's roles are working, fighting, and leading, while women should remain in the home, raising children and caring for their man's needs. The Al-Saigal believe their society treats women with proper respect, venerating them, protecting them, and not encouraging them to behave like whores as the women in other parts of the world do.
It is considered inappropriate for Al-Saigal women to show their ears or faces in public, and out in more rural areas this even goes so far as to mandate they dress in all-covering robes and hoods. It is generally considered taboo for a woman to travel outside of her home alone or in the company of any male who is not a direct relative or her husband. Crimes committed against women in Al-Saigal society are often viewed as property crimes against the woman's husband, or her father if she is unmarried.
Obviously, the role of the Sultan, the positions in his government and the rank of Sipahi are open only to men. Al-Saigal consider homosexuality to be an abhorrent sin, and it carries the death penalty. The same applies to other sexual misconducts, such as adultery or premarital sex.
The Al-Saigal have no tolerance for slavery, and are notable for taking no part in the slave trade that dominates much of Jaydia's economy. This goes so far as to not allow ships transporting slaves to dock in their harbours, and any slave brought into their lands will be immediately freed. This is often a symbolic gesture, as the freed slave, with nowhere to go and no source of income, will often be forced to return to their masters.
However the Al-Saigal are not welcoming of runaway slaves trying to escape into their country, as they do not desire an influx of pagan foreigners putting a burden on their society, and generally do their best to discourage, if not outright ban this practice.
The Al-Saigal nation is large and powerful, with a very sophisticated system of government, economy, and infrastructure, having made great strides in areas such as medicine, astronomy, and mathematics that are beyond anything seen in Vellastrom. Its people are intolerant of others ideas and their attitude to foreign nations is mistrustful and often aggressive, but they are also hardy, brave and pious, with clear morals that they rarely compromise even in the face of death.