Kelesh

The vast Padishah Empire of Kelesh dominates much of south-central Casmaron, along the Obari Ocean’s large Kardaji Bay. It grew during the Age of Destiny, and its line of emperors has been unbroken for thousands of years. Half-a-dozen satrapies the size of countries separate Qadira from the imperial heartland of Kelesh. Each satrapy pays homage to the decrees of the empire, but the the grip of the empire is looser the farther one goes north

History

The Empire of Kelesh first rose to prominence in the Inner Sea region at the end of the Age of Destiny. Guided by its merchants, Keleshite warriors invaded what today is Qadira, raising the green battle flag emblazoned with the Black Blade of War. In -43 AR, the Padishah Emperor Adalan IV approved of the conquest and the Silver Blade of Kings was added to the Qadiran flag. Soon thereafter, Qadira became a satrapy to be ruled by the emperor’s subordinate, the Satrap Cerush.

A civil war engulfed the empire from roughly 4067 AR to 4079 AR, leading to widespread disorder. This freed the satrap of Qadira, Gheber III, to act on his own and attack Taldor. That war, in turn, drew so much of Taldor’s military to its eastern border, that its western prefecture of Cheliax achieved independence in the Even-Tongued Conquest.

People

The Keleshites are a difficult folk. Their tremendous sense of superiority grates on those unfortunate enough not to be born among their number, and the existence of the Keleshite Empire in the distant east means the Keleshites’ sense of entitlement is not based purely on fancy airs or past glory. Their power, learning, and skill are all quite real. Yet they are also cruel slavers, jaded mystics, zealous warriors, and hot-blooded lovers—a race bred from the heat and fire of the desert. A Keleshite, it is said, will never bore you. As a whole, they value boldness, wit, and sly tactics over caution, brute strength, and proven but unfashionable pursuits. They can be quite aggressive, and are quick to anger but also quick to forgive. Non-Keleshites never forget the sting of their insults or the warmth of their smiles. Keleshites dare you to find someone more interesting than them.

Keleshites are great lovers of luxuries. East of the Inner Sea region, the great Diamond Sultanates of interior Casmaron stretch for vast distances, and Keleshites rule in almost all of them. These sultanates are legendary in their decadence—and such extravagances are the rule in Qadira and Katapesh as well.

Many Keleshites claim their people were among the first humans to learn agriculture and other aspects of civilization, gaining this knowledge from the genie races or (in some cases) as a result of deals made with powerful blue dragons. Neither genies nor blue dragons deny these claims; rather, they are more than pleased to take the credit.

Some Keleshite nomads tattoo the space below their eyes dark blue or black as a protective measure against the sun’s glare in the desert, which gives them a haunted, ulish appearance. Slaves and sailors among the Keleshites wear only scanty shirts and loincloths for men, or long pantaloons for women. Keleshite sailors are common throughout the Inner Sea, even as far north as the Lands of the Linnorm Kings in summer, and they are both loved as the bringers of luxuries and hated as slavers. Keleshite slavers use barbed nets, poisoned cups, and bolas to capture their victims. Once they catch victims, they restrain them with magic or heavy manacles until their merchandise can be brought to the Great Market in Katheer or to one of the slave galleys that ply the Obari Ocean.

The proud Keleshite dervishes—graceful soldiers equal parts warriors and dancers—represent the most iconic image of the Keleshite military tradition. Dervishes wear long kilts or skirts that twirl and spin with them, creating breathtaking splashes of color and fabric even as the dervishes themselves set about their grim work of blood and steel. Wherever Keleshite people live, dervishes live among them. Dervishes receive preferential treatment in all lands controlled by Keleshites, and in many satrapies and other satellite states of the Padishah Empire of Kelesh they operate above the law (if not completely outside it).

Keleshite faith is a complex thing—many worship Sarenrae, the goddess of the sun, and follow her with great zeal. Yet not all Keleshites follow the spirit of Sarenrae’s teachings all that well. While she is a goddess who promotes honesty and encourages redemption, she is also a goddess who encourages swift justice to those who deserve it. It is unfortunately easy, however, for an unwise leader to misinterpret Sarenrae’s command to wage war swiftly and efficiently as a command to wage war often and energetically. As a result, a schism between those who use her faith as an excuse for war and those who truly understand her teachings may be inevitable.

Keleshite names derive from the cultures of interior Casmaron, east of Qadira. Members of high culture tend to adopt names from imperial Kelesh, while the lower classes and certain distinguished warrior castes have names that express their cultural ties to the horse cultures of the unaligned nations of the north-central steppes. The latter often have surnames associated with their clan and family, while the former generally go by a single name.