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-====== Turan ======
-<div class="floatright">
-<img src="./images/m_nationmap_Turan.gif" alt="Map of Turanian Empire" border="0">
-</div>
-<div class="story">
-<p>Fluffy story</p>
-</DIV>
-<P>The only
-nation in the Realms that also controls territory outside of the continent, the
-Turanian shipping fleet makes even the Xian navy appear small. However, unlike
-the Xian the Turanian fleet is comprised of eighty percent trade and slave
-ships. There is no direct threat to their empire from the sea so most of the
-warships are designed to stop pirate and smugglers.</p>
-<h3>History</h3>
-<P>For as
-long back as the Turanian history extends they have been without a homeland.
-The earliest writings told of their ancestors living aboard huge ships for
-several generations. Several times these ships were driven towards a shoreline
-as the Turanians searched for a homeland. Each time they were driven off the
-land and back into the sea by the hand of Uhl.</p>
-<P>Uhl had
-denied them their paradise for the arrogance of their ancestors in questioning
-his will. They saw themselves as equals and sought to elevate themselves to
-divinity. Uhl was angered by their arrogance and planned to strike them down.
-Before killing them he spoke to those that remained faithful — he bade them to
-build large ships and sail towards the evening sun. As their paradise was
-bathed in fiery water, the ships were past the horizon.</p>
-<P>Uhl
-promised them a second homeland, where they could live off the bounty of his
-sea. For Uhl had put the secret of everything within the sea and stars and when
-the people solved the secret the gates to a new paradise would open before
-them.</p>
-<P>As
-Uhl’s breath guided their ships and his hands steadied the sea, the people of
-Turan continued their journey west. It was the birth of the seventh generation
-since fleeing their paradise that marked the end of their travels. As the small
-boy was born the lookout announced land sighted on the horizon. It was upon
-this land that the people built their temples and gave thanks to Uhl.</p>
-<P>The
-people prospered and claimed all of the surrounding land as well. The native
-people living there were converted to the true faith or killed. Within seven
-generations Turan had grown from a band of refugees to a thriving empire. It
-was then that the astrologers said that it was time to again take to the sea
-and unlock Uhl’s secret.</p>
-<P>Their
-best explorers and shippers set out on a voyage of discovery. For seven months
-they studies the stars and waters, looking for the sign of Uhl everywhere. When
-the lookout announced the sighting of land they knew they unlocked a piece of
-the secret. The image of the land matched the exact shape of one of the holy
-lands of Uhl.</p>
-<P>The
-natives of the land seemed friendly, but were ignorant of upon whose land they
-were trespassing. The Turanians tried to speak to them of Uhl, but they would
-not listen — they only wanted to trinkets the Turanians brought with them.</p>
-<P>The Turanians began to teach the
-children of the true righteous path, but their savage parents attacked. Through
-the unerring hand of Uhl, the Turanians defeated the savages and pursued them
-over the Abjurer Mountains. They would have slaughtered all of them, but Uhl is
-compassionate in victory.</p>
-<P>It was then that the Turanians
-discovered that many lived in Uhl’s land, some of them non-human races found
-only on the small islands the Turanians conquered. The Turanians didn’t have
-the strength to defeat them all, but Uhl was patient and would show his true
-path in time.</p>
-<h3>Land</h3>
-<P>The
-land of Turan in the Realms stretches from the Abjurer Mountains on the north
-and west, to the salt marshes on the south. Their eastern border is the sea,
-although most of the Turanian Empire is actually found well beyond the horizon
-of the sea to the east.</p>
-<P>The
-land itself is a lush oasis surrounded by large dunes of sand and loose dirt.
-The sandy earth makes it difficult for large forests to survive for long as the
-area is regularly hit by warm tropical storms. Instead, the south is mostly
-large palm trees, known for their shade and oil, while the north is mostly
-scrubby pines and rocky steppes. </p>
-<P>Although
-Turan gets plenty of rain, but the high salt content and loose soil means there
-is very little freshwater available on the surface. Most of the freshwater
-flows from a few underground springs into middling pools scattered about the
-land. It is here where most of the fruits and nuts are grown to compliment
-their diet of fish, goat, and reptile.</p>
-<h3>Major Cities</h3>
-<h4>Darribar</h4>
-<P>Capitol
-of Turan and all their western holdings, the city of Darribar literally means
-&quot;Jewel of the West.&quot; Its large white towers are topped with the golden minarets
-commonly found in Turan; however, instead of being simple guilt they are made
-from solid gold. The large central bazaar, huge deep water port, and First
-Temple of Uhl are just a few of the reasons many Turanians visit this city.</p>
-<h4>Uhlan</h4>
-<P>This
-city is called the “Face of Uhl” and is where the original settlers landed.
-Carved into a bluff just south of this town is the symbol of Uhl that predates
-the settlers’ first arrival. When they saw this sign they knew they had reached
-the place of Uhl. Most Turanians visit Uhlan at least once in their lives to
-reaffirm their commitment to Uhl. Many of the travelers through this city are
-religious teachers from other Turanian commonwealths across the sea.</p>
-<h4>Rashaman</h4>
-<P>This
-small city is the most southern Turanian City, Rashaman is located next to a
-large freshwater pool just north of the salt marshes. How it stays fresh this
-close to the marshes is a secret that has remained closed. This city is where
-the central library of the stars is located and where all astrologers are
-trained. Called the &quot;City of Stars,&quot; Rashaman’s main interest lies in piercing
-the veil around the salt marshes and uncovering the city at its center.</p>
-<h3>Landmarks</h3>
-<h3>Neighbors</h3>
-<h4>Kresh</h4>
-<P>People
-believe the Kreshites range from simple religious monks to evil heretics. The
-religious leaders see the Kreshites as heretics that have turned their backs on
-Uhl, just as their ancestors did before their paradise was destroyed; however,
-most people view them as simple monks that are exploring a different view of
-Uhl.</p>
-<P>Several times the Followers of Uhl
-have tried to storm their mountain dojos and put them to the torch, but each
-time the fickle hand of fate twisted against them. The clam between them does
-not signal the end of the temple’s activities — instead they are trying to
-gather what few mountain warriors still live and send them to root out the
-traitors.</p>
-<h4>Red Wolves</h4>
-<P>The
-Turanians and Red Wolves have fought several fierce battles, with neither side
-able to finally achieve victory. The Turanians rule the deserts and gentle
-hills of their homeland, while the Red Wolves command the Abjurer Mountains. It
-is only through the faith of Uhl that the Turanians have not lost the gap for
-the southern trade route.</p>
-<h4>Sithara</h4>
-<P>The
-Turanians know the shoag are hiding one of the secrets of Uhl, but they have
-not been able to find it. The shoag are very territorial and resist all
-attempts to take their land by force. Instead, they kill those that are foolish
-enough to enter their lands. The last explorers to enter their lands never
-returned, but are presumed dead.</p>
-<h4>Tarak</h4>
-<P>Since
-most of their purchases and sales travel by sea, the Tarakian pirates are a
-particular concern. While most of the Turanians traders carry a single
-ballista, this is not always adequate to fend off a particular nasty pirate. To
-keep the pirates from attacking every ship, the Turanians have outfitted some of
-their warships to appear as merchant vessels, while other merchants travel in
-small groups watched over by a single warship.</p>
-<h2>Culture</h2>
-<P>Everything
-about Turan centers on the secrets of Uhl and the keys into paradise. This requires
-a strong educational system, with everyone required to study both numbers and
-letters. The Turanians have built extensive libraries, academies, and schools
-to teach those Turanians with a desire to learn.</p>
-<P>In reality, most of the population
-is still kept poor and stupid, considered not worthy entering paradise.
-Instead, all of these buildings are only open to those with money, political,
-or religious connections.There is a
-very large gap between the poor and rich Turanian with the strong central religion
-and clear afterlife in paradise to keep the poor under control.</p>
-<h3>Populace</h3>
-<P>Like the Xianese, the Turanians are
-quite different physically from the other human nationalities in the Realms.
-They are shorter, averaging 5’5", with a skin tone that appears as sun
-weathered leather complimented by very dark eyes. In contrast they favor
-brilliantly colored clothes, typically in several thinner layers as opposed to
-the heavy leather and fur in other nations.</p>
-<P>Turan is a male dominated society built around the power of the
-extended family. The honor and wealth of the family determines is place in
-society.Wealth and long-standing
-family traditions is more important within the cities, where the true power of
-the nation is held.The centers of
-trade and religion are all found in the largest cities where the wealthiest
-Satraps overlook their lands.</p>
-<P>Among the poorer Turanians living
-in the northwestern Abjurer Mountains a man’s word and the adherence to Uhl are
-more powerful than wealth. A man must be humble before Uhl, compassionate to
-his enemies, and respectful to strangers. A woman must be subservient to her
-man, supplicate to Uhl, and bountiful of children. These ideas form the pillars
-of society outside of the cities.</p>
-<h4>Honor</h4>
-<P>Honor is one the strongest aspects of
-society and is reflected in a man’s word. Uhl defines this honor as adherence
-to his words, strength in battle, and compassion for those below you. Blood
-feuds that last several generations over matters of honor are not uncommon.
-There is even honor in thievery, since using
-just your wits and skill to outwit an opponent is considered very honorable;
-however, an assassin has no honor.</p>
-<h4>Wealth</h4>
-<P>As
-honor is important among the lower class, wealth is important to the upper
-class. This wealth is often reflected in how little a man’s wives has to work.
-A wealthy man will have bodyguards to protect their honor while they shop in
-the market. A man with even more wealth will have servants fetch those things
-she wants from the market, care for the house, and prepare the meals.</p>
-<P>The very wealthy have extensive
-harems of women so that the wife’s only responsibility is to give birth to a
-male heir. Those that are wealthy must have the multiple blessings of Uhl upon
-their household; therefore, wealth is more important than honor within the
-political structure.</p>
-<h3>Rulers</h3>
-<P>Those
-who rule Turan, from each household to the palace are men. Women are always
-subservient to men; although their men, or those responsible for their safety,
-are expected to defend their honor when necessary. </p>
-<h4>Sultan</h4>
-<P>This man rules all of Turan from
-the capital city of Darribar. Like his western counterparts he must balance the
-power and position of the Satrap under him. However, unlike the west Turan has
-never seen any open rebellion — which is believed to be from their strong
-central religion. However, this is a two-edged sword since this makes the
-church a powerful political entity.</p>
-<P>The Sultan maintains the largest
-army in Turan, but it still can’t compare to many of the armies of the western
-nations. Instead, it is designed to be a balance against the rebellion of one
-or more Satraps. Each Satrap has their own personal army and while no single
-Satrap has a larger army than the Sultan, several of them combined do. During
-times of war the Sultan will call upon the each Satrap to give him command of
-their personal army, which gives him the largest army in the Realms.</p>
-<h4>Satrap</h4>
-<P>The
-Satrap holds the real power of Turan through a combination of wealth, marriage,
-and political machinations. Each Satrap is expected to rule their territory to
-bring the greatest honor and glory to the Sultan. In reality, they rule to
-bring themselves closer to the peak of power. Since all Satraps have a
-bloodline to the Sultan, any of them could become the next Sultan if the
-current Sultan dies without a male heir.</p>
-<P>Few
-Sultans discourage the political in fighting that takes place between the
-Satraps, preferring them fighting each other rather than in open rebellion to
-his rule. However, there have been times when the Sultan has been forced to
-send some of his personal troops to quell the matter.</p>
-<h4>Hetman</h4>
-<P>This is the ruler of the extended
-families found in the northwestern Abjurer Mountains. The Turanians in the
-mountain accept no Satrap as their ruler, instead only following the will of Uhl.
-The Hetmen is the oldest male or the oldest male of the most powerful faction
-of the family. He is responsible for the group and any setback could be viewed
-as a slap at his honor.</p>
-<h4>Women</h4>
-<P>Unlike
-many of the cultures from the Realms, women within Turanian society have no
-real place of existence. They are not slaves or servants; instead they can
-travel freely through Turan if accompanied by a male relative or household
-servant. These laws tend to be more strongly enforced among the poorer areas of
-Turan.</p>
-<P>Women
-in the lower classes must do more work as they also cook, clean, and maintain
-the household. Since most of the males are out working or tending the fields,
-several households share the younger males to escort them to the market for
-their goods. The women of richer households seem completely different, often
-seen in public in sheer silks and oiled eunuchs for bodyguards.</p>
-<P>Although
-religion is the most important aspect of life for a Turanian, women are not
-allowed to worship Uhl with the men. Instead, a smaller religious ceremony is
-held within the house of a married woman by one of the priests. A woman’s place
-in paradise is determined by her husband’s place &mdash; if he will be rich in
-paradises then so will she, if he is denied paradise then so is she.</p>
-<h3>Economy</h3>
-<P>The
-Turanian economy is built on trade and an expansive empire. While the small
-part of the empire located in the Realms has not managed to expand since its
-founding, the rest of the empire has nearly doubled in size. It is not
-inconceivable that the sun never sets on the Turanian Empire.</p>
-<P>Given
-the size of the empire there is a great deal of trade that passes between
-various lands of the empire. The realms are most interested in purchasing
-dwarven metals, elven carvings, and various items of magic. While Uhl forbids
-the use of magical items, his writings do not forbid the trade of these items.</p>
-<h4>Goods</h4>
-<P>The
-Turanians trade a great deal of goods that have never been seen before in the
-realms. The most profitable items have been ivory, strange animals, slaves from
-foreign lands, teas, coffees, and cocoas. Unlike the rest of the realms that
-spends most of their manpower on the creation of goods, the Turanians gain
-wealth by trading.</p>
-<P>Given that Irill is the most
-eastern of the nations and has an extensive road network, the Turanians have
-signed exclusive trading deals with their merchants. It’s Irillian merchants
-that must make the trek through the bronze sea and trade for goods in Turanian
-markets. Then the merchants must travel back to sell the goods, which has given
-Irill the enviable position as the trading center of the realms.</p>
-<P>This was a compromise between the
-needs of the nation and the wealth of trading with other nations — and the
-desires of the church, which considers other religions to be more akin to devil
-worship. The Turanian markets are only to Turanians of faith; however, the
-Irillian merchants can buy and sell on the docks or just outside the city.</p>
-<h3>Military</h3>
-<P>Given
-the combined military might of the Sultan and each Satrap the Turanian military
-is the strongest in the Realms. However, no Satrap would ever give the Sultan
-their entire army during a war, as this would leave them vulnerable to attack
-from their neighboring Satraps. Instead, it is typical that the Satrap would
-commit less than half of their forces.</p>
-<P>The
-second thing that keeps the Turanians from sweeping the other nations aside is
-the great distance they must travel to reach the other realms. This stretches
-their supply line a long distance through hostile territory. The Turanians have
-learned the futility of expanding their empire to cover the western realms.</p>
-<h4>Empire</h4>
-<P>The
-combined military might of the Turanian Empire is unsurpassed in the world.
-However, it’s spread across the entire world and could never be brought to bear
-against a single point. Instead, the Sultan of each area is responsible for
-maintaining their internal peace. If they are having difficulty additional
-troops may be sent from the homeland; however, this is politically risky for
-the Sultan.</p>
-<h3>Religion</h3>
-<P>The worship of Uhl dominates every
-aspect of life in Turan. While it’s true that people also visit astrologers and
-Sultans have Viziers that conjure forth genies, these all exist with the
-sufferance of the temple. </p>
-<h4>Temples</h4>
-<P>Huge temples of white stone and
-gold, called mosques, are built to worship Uhl &mdash; who is symbolized by two
-circles bent in upon them.Upon the
-rising of the sun large numbers of worshippers will gather inside and on the
-western side of the temple to greet the coming dawn. They will pray that the
-hand of Uhl will descend and guide their daily steps, strengthen their honor,
-and smite their enemies.</p>
-<P>A proper worshipper should pray at
-least three times a day, once at first light, at high noon, and again just
-before dusk. A worshipper should always face true north and look to the
-brightest star. In the temple, the prayer tower is always located true north
-from the worship floor. In the tower will be the clerics of the temple, singing
-together to unite the voices for Uhl.</p>
-<h4>Uhl</h4>
-<P>Unlike
-the gods of the rest of the world, the god of the Turanians is all-powerful,
-all seeing, and all knowing. There are not other gods in the entire universe
-other than Uhl. This is obviously very different from the pantheon so common
-throughout the realms.</p>
-<h3>Magic</h3>
-<P>The magic the Turanians brought to
-the realms was unlike anything seen before. It didn’t draw power from the
-world, other realms, or the mind; instead it drew its power from the stars. The
-proper alignment of the stars, their constellations, and other heavenly bodies
-yielded the power used by Turanian sorcerers.</p>
-<P>While this may be slow, sometime
-requiring several years to cast the proper spell — it can be incredibly
-powerful in the same way a small storm can become a hurricane. Unlike the other
-western magic, the study of astrology lies in perfection. The slightest mistake
-can to disastrous results.</p>
-<P>The Turanian astrologers keep tight
-control over the secret of their magic and the knowledge it contains. They believe
-that astrology was given to them by the hand of Uhl as a way to unlock the
-secret of the world and gain the key to paradise. They have already plotted the
-tides of the sea in conjunction with the movement of heavenly bodies.</p>
-{{tag>nation eastern_jewels miran jackie}}