Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26210095-20160405195041/@comment-26210095-20160409215623

Akhstar-Kadar, or just "Akhstar":

(To really understand this city, you have to know about its history. Here you go)

This city is a slaver city, the old capital of the Old Empire, who's name is now lost to history. It reigned long before the Numenoreans came to the shore. It began in the first age, and was an ancient Empire when the Numenoreans were young. It was not however, as advanced as Numenor, and the weapons of the old empire were made of bronze. The Numenoreans arrived on the shores of the Empire, and at first relations were amiable, as their God-Emperor did not see the danger that they posed till it was too late. The Numenoreans descended upon the coasts in their full might, wearing weapons of bright steel. However, the Empire would not be an easy nut to crack, like the other dark men of Middle-Earth. 3 wars were fought for the Empire, and in the end the Empire was destroyed. The Numenoreans were furious, as the Empire had resisted for so long and they sacked and burned the ancient city. The nobles of the city had fled into the lands of the East. The Numenoreans in their wrath layed utter waste to the once-fertile fields of the Empire, hacking and destroying all that grew and slaying the people wantonly. They sowed the fields of the Empire with sulfer and salt, and other toxic substances so that living things choked and died, and the fields would be fertile no more. They made Akhstar-Kadar the new capital of their province over the lands of the Old Empire, although they had gone too far. The dusty earth of the Empire's lands became unconsolidated, and turned the land into a field of dust which would stir at even the slightest wind, creating the Haradrim Red Desert. It was worse then a desert though, it was a field of red dust. The Numenoreans had taken any value out of the land they had conquered, so they turned to slavery, enslaving the remaining inhabitants of the region, and filling Akhstar with Numenorean nobles. Numenor fell, and after a long series of wars, they joined Ambarona. The old nobles of the Empire who had fled to the east returned to their homeland, and became slavers once again. The culture of the Old Empire mixed with the culture of the Black Numenoreans.

The people of the city are a mix between the inhabitants of the Old Empire and the Black Numenoreans. The people of Akhstar tend to have black hair, with amber skin, and black hair with red highlights. Eye colors tend to be dark. Not always just black, sometimes dark blue, green and grey.

The city is quite military, with each royal house having its personal soldiers, as well as an army for the defense of the whole city, made of utterly loyal slave-soldiers trained from the cradle to fight. Unlike the soldiers from the blood-tax (more on that later), they are slaves which does make them a bit less motivated. The economy of the city is almost completely dependant upon slavery, and they hire pirate captains to bring them a constant supply. The unskilled slaves (the soldiers, the crude workers, ect.)are sent to Akhstar, and the intelligent slaves (scribes, translators, ect.) are sent to Astarus. Bed slaves... what happens to them will be seen later. The city is designed in a very Old Empire style, with large pyramids housing the lords. There are 13 pyramids in the city, each housing a noble house. The Black Numenorean overlords and the Old Empire lords who returned have pretty much mixed, although their longevity is not much affected. The city is governed by two kings in a duumvirancy. Their powers are held in check by the 6 Khazar-Lai, who are elected by the citizens of the city from the eligible members of the noble families, and the council of 33, which are 33 of the most powerful and influential men in the city, chosen by the Khazar-Lai.

The commoners mostly all follow the ancient god of the Old Empire, which is reverence of the Bloody One, Lord of Sacrifices. The two kings preside over the religious ceremonies as near-godly figures. The Bloody One demands blood (who would have guessed?) by means of sacrifices, sometimes of humans. The humans in question are usualy prisoners of war, slaves who were caught running, or thieves. The city is made out of red bricks the color of blood, and is the second biggest city in the realm.

Any questions?