[edit] Introduction

Mairada is one of the most important states in all of Khinasi - while it lacks the military strength of Min Dhousai or Khourane as the site of the Temple of Rilni it is the place to which all Khinasi magi must travel in order to swear their oaths.

Thus magi across Khinasi regard it as the centre of their profession and despite its small size as many Mages live within Mairada as within any of the other Khinasi states. At the same time its physical isolation makes it one of the Island states and its political attention is directed firmly towards the Ajari deeps and the Islands which surround it. Mairada pursues a policy of strict neutrality in political matters, allowing ships from the Isle of the Serpent to trade here, while they would not be permitted to land (at least officially) in Suiriene or Ghamoura. This policy of neutrality has meant that it has few allies - of the neighboring lands only Khourane could be counted upon to come to its assistance.

[edit] History

Possibly the oldest continually inhabited state in Khinasi Mairada was one of the first Masetian settlements settled by the sailors fleeing Aduria due to the deep natural harbor in Mairada. The Masetians used great magics to terrace the hills around the port and built the great shipyards of Mairada to repair their ships after the long voyage.

Later Masetians would settle elsewhere for the steep hills and mountains of Mairada were unwelcoming even with the terraces, however the tradition of wizardry and ship-building remained even after the Basarji nomads conquered the Masetians after Deismaar and claimed the proud city as their own.

Today the realm is open to all, only the vilest goods are banned and, so long as they are discrete, even slave traders can operate without hindrance from the law. Because of Mairada’s long tradition of neutrality it is often used by neighboring regents as a meeting place where differences can be settled.

[edit] Government

The Sultana has little interest in governance, which is how her people like it. Her police are to few to patrol the streets, although a large riot or suchlike will bring them out in force supported by local military units. The temple of Rilni provides moral guidance to the government and overseas all official actions – although the Great temple of Avani is increasingly unhappy with the role of the ‘priests of the mountain’ seeing themselves as the true state church of Mairada.

[edit] The People

Few places in Khinasi show more Masetian heritage than Mairada, the temple of Rilni, centerpiece of Mairadan culture, never fell to the Basarji and the older elements are pure Masetian. Only on the Isle of the Serpent is the Masetian culture stronger, albeit perverted to suit the Serpent’s will. In Mairada many unusual customs persist such as the use of knives made of glass to cut meat, the practice of wearing a mujo – a talisman or fetish said to bring luck although more commonly used to carry perfumes and the festival of flowers when real flowers, and painted paper flowers are cast into the water during high tide bearing messages – typically prayers, moral resolutions and the like.

[edit] Holdings and trade routes

Law: The Sultana enjoys the respect of her people, but makes little attempt to rule them or dictate how they should live their lives, the secret police of the Serpent have far more influence over the day to day lives of the people despite having no official role.

Temples: The folk of Suriene hold many gods sacred, powerful churches are the Great Temple of Avani led by Dizel Lafirz and The White Sword of Khirdai which maintains a sizable presence in the capital, and struggles constantly against the Serpent’s ploys. Despite its small size the most influential temple is the legendary temple of Rilni which is the center of magical culture for all Khinasi. Every wizard must study at the temple during their life and swear loyalty to the five oaths of Rilni, most rulers will not accept a wizard without a testament from the temple to the wizards worth.

Guilds: The folk of Mairada value trade highly, and the Sultana herself controls the Maraidan Trade Company which co-ordinates much of the local trade. This competes with the 'Free Island Traders', these merchants deal in bulk goods and are noted for their charity to the poor, their occasional dealing in dubious goods is generally overlooked given their substantial charitable activities unfortunately for the folk of Mairada the Free Island Traders are a front for the Sons of the Serpent and their charity is simply a mask – those citizens who are considered potential threats by the Serpent are quietly disposed of and the Serpent’s influence grows constantly – he me already be strong enough to overthrow the Sultana and is unlikely to wait much longer before taking action.

Sources: Although the Sultana has a small amount of magic she does not control the sources of Mairada, by immutable tradition the temple of Rilni holds all sources in the realm and no Khinasi wizard would ever presume to challenge them.

[edit] Provinces

[edit] Dalceir

Dalceir is a tiny collection of Islands set in the Azure waters of the Serpent’s reach. The Islands that make up the province are universally inhospitable, but support a thriving population that subsists on fish from the surrounding seas and trade generated by the Pearl Fisheries that surround the Island. Islanders travel out on boats to the Oyster grounds and send boys and young men down to bring up the Oysters - the Pearl Divers are highly skilled and can stay down for much longer than normal men. Those oysters which do not contain Pearls are either eaten (giving the people of Dalceir a reputation for licentiousness unmatched in all of Khinasi). The others are pickled and sold in Mairada where they are exported across the rest of the region.

The Terror of Isirebi

Isirebi, the most northerly of the four Islands which compose Dalceir has the richest Oyster grounds in this region. In recent times boats have begun disappearing while fishing these grounds. Whispers have begun mentioning some sort of Sea Serpent in the waters and rumor has it as either the progeny of the Serpent himself or of the Sea Drake (as the more widely traveled suggest).

[edit] Cecidein

This Island is dotted with Masetian ruins which are regarded with suspicion by the region’s inhabitants. They are rumored to contain Hasir Irkouzi (Bringers of Death) – legendary horrors which wiped out the surviving Masetians after Deismaar. Like Dalceir it survives on the bounty of the seas, but since the waters which surround it are much deeper than the shallow oyster beds that surround the western Islands it survives more off deep-sea fishing; the fishermen of Cecidein are unmatched in the whole of the region in such fishing, knowing of secret techniques for catching fish larger than anyone else in the area knows how to catch (except for the Suirienese of Cape Arvuold who also tend to fish far out to sea).

An area speciality is known as ibn-Fisiri or Gourands, these fish are typically up to 20’ long and are only rarely seen near land. When caught they are cut into steaks and smoked over kelp fires which imparts a rather unusual taste to the meat. Gourand is also known as the royal fish as it has been favored by the upper classes since the Masetians first began fishing the Sea f Storms – although it is only in the last few centuries that the sailors have caught Gourand more often than the Gourand has caught them.

Troglodytica

Cecideine’s southern peninsula is home to a tribe of fierce lizard-like humanoids who slay & eat those who approach to closely. They do not venture far from their homes and so the previous Sultans and Sultanas never saw fit to exterminate them - far too much effort would be required to root them out from their sea caves. Stories in Mairada’s taverns tell of fires seen burning upon the tip of the point, and the crews of those ships which dared approach closer speak in hushed whispers of chanting and weird dances around the fires.

[edit] Mairada

This mountainous province is the centre of Khinasi magical life. The province is relatively sparsely populated except for the city itself. Few people live away from the coast except for goatherds, the miners in Al-Fasir and those few denizens of the town of Rillinsya which lies at the bottom of the path that ascends Mt Ormassi towards the temple of Rilni. [The city of Mairada will be considered later.]

The fishermen of Mairada live in small towns in the few useable harbors of the mainland. Unlike the fishermen of the island provinces they don’t make enough from pearl diving or fishing to be able to supplement their lifestyle with trade, so they have to raise crops in cramped terrace farms in order to provide vegetables and the like. Also goatherds raise herds of goats in the mountains and bring various dairy products down into the villages to trade. Goatherds can make quite a bit of money (by local standards) as local guides, since they know the mountain tracks better than almost anyone else.

Mt Ormassi

The tallest mountain in Mairada, Ormassi lies in the far north of Mairada. The road that leads towards it from Mairada dates back to the height of the Masetian empire and is kept in good repair by the rulers of Mairada. Ormassi’s slopes hold one of the largest glaciers in Cerilia, a vast moving river of Ice which flows towards a 6000 foot cliff before plunging off in a constant but slow rain of small & large chunks of ice. The ice melts and irrigates the rich forest at the bottom. This forest is inaccessible save for a single path that leads down from the temple of Rilni. This forest is the Source for the province. When the moon is full, the glacier catches its light and sparkles, ice facets scattering the light over the scenery in one of the most beautiful sites in all of Cerilia.

The Temple of Rilni

The Temple of Rilni

Sited upon the top of an arête the Temple is a huge stone building with a host of outhouses that cluster around it, hanging on to the side of the mountain. Built more for practicality than for show, the building’s thick stone walls keep the heat in at night. It holds some 100 monks and priests, together with some 200 guards, 300 servants (many of whom attend to visitors) and their families. It represents one of the major storehouses of lore in the region, and also contains many books of dubious contents that are sealed away never to be read unless knowledge of the terrors of which they speak

[edit] Domain Holding Table

Categories: Atlas | World:Aebrynis | Continent:Cerilia | Region:Khinasi | Domain:Mairada