Sons of Sand

From Storing Don

The Sons of Sand are the most potent and skilled mystics on the continent of Maris. Their skill with magic is unparalleled, and the might of Nabata's dragons is something to be feared.

[edit] Nabatan Statistics

First Ruler of Nabata: Athos

Current Ruler of Nabata: Vayla Arcantine

National Weapon: Vajra

Heraldic Color: Cyan

Capital: Arcadia

Estimate Population: 934,200

Major Imports: None

Major Exports: Knowledge, Magic, Wisdom

[edit] Nabatan Geography

[edit] Ecological Information

[edit] Census Information

[edit] Provincial Information

[edit] Historical Information

Unlike most of the pre-Sundering civilizations, Nabata survived the great floods and world-shaking disasters of decades ago. Nabatan historians still have records of many pre-Sundering civilizations, their cultures, and their innovations. As the premier experts on magic in post-Sundering Maris, they have kept meticulous records of all spells ever invented. Due to this, they are able to make exact replicas of ancient spells previously thought to be lost, such as Elfire and Bolting. They are also very knowledgeable about the various ancient weapons sealed across the land, and retain records detailing their abilities to a certain degree.

[edit] Nabatan Military

See also: Sons of Sand Military Numbers

In general, the inhabitants of Nabata are a peaceful group. They're mostly content with keeping their own secure borders, though they don't hesitate to fight back if attacked. Nabatans are willing to go to war if something of global importance is at stake, however, such as a legendary weapon. In general, the military of Nabata can be separated into six groups: three magical, two conventional, and the dragons.

[edit] The Order of Earth

The Nabatan love for nature is made very clear by their most prominent magical order, the Order of Earth. Their fine anima casters delve deep into magical lore and knowledge to produce and recreate natural phenomena. This magic is what keeps the agriculture of Nabata alive and well. In addition, they are the ones who maintain the magical amenities such as uphill aqueducts and the herbal gardens.

Typical members include Mages, Sages, Mage Knights, Virtuosos, Elementalists, and any others who focus on the usages of Anima casting.

[edit] The Order of Above

This organization exists to keep in line with equality in magic, as well as to keep the foreseeable future under control. The Order of Above is responsible for acting as physicians and maintaining the health of the populace, as well as keeping the aspects of religious faith in the people's minds. In addition, they act as augers and mystics, divining the future so that any preparations necessary can be made in good time.

Typical members include Monks, Clerics, Bishops, Valkyries, Mystics, Seers, and any others who are adept with healing or the holy word.

[edit] The Order of Below

These magicians act as the secret-keepers, researchers, and arcane experts of Nabata. Their research produces new forms of enchantments and charms that keep the populace at a decent level of health. The Order of Below is also the best equipped to handle legendary weapons, and their greatest casters are even capable of sealing away such weapons if the need arises. Experimentation is very common in this group, as a large portion of them are elder magic users.

Typical members include Shamans, Druids, Summoners, Warlocks, and any others who are skilled with elder magic and researching.

[edit] The Bedines

Traditionally, the Bedines are the masters of the desert. Their prowess at stealth in sandy terrain is so great that they're believed to be unstoppable when in a sandstorm. They act as patrolmen in times of peace and guerrilla soldiers when war arises. Border patrols and escorts usually have a squad of Bedines in them as well, especially when crossing the deserts between Arcadia and the outlying territories.

Typical members include Lancers, Myrmidons, Archers, Dragoons, Swordmasters, Snipers, Bedines, and a varied assortment of other martial fighters.

[edit] The Guards of the Sanctum

Every serious country has a conventional military, and the Sons of Sand are no exception. The Sanctum in question is the Nabatan desert; ever since it was spared the disasters of the Sundering, many have referred to it as a sanctum. The military adopted the name, and it stuck fairly quickly. The Guards usually, as their name suggests, guard places, items, or people of significance; that is, when they're not off fighting a war.

Typical members include almost any melee class one could think of, though Swordmasters, Dervishes, and Dragoons are common.

[edit] The Dragons of Arcadia

As their name suggests, these are the dragons who protect Nabata. They serve as extremely elite warriors, bodyguards to the most important Nabatan officials, and as heavy artillery in battle. They live by a rigid code of honor, duty, and selflessness; most are incredibly intelligent and wise (owing to their long lives). A dragon is said to be capable of taking out ten men without breaking a sweat; and after seeing one up close, it isn't too hard to believe.

Typical members include, of course, dragons.

[edit] Innovations

-- Teleportation System: A system of platforms powered by Order of Earth teleportation specialists. Using the network, civilians can travel between major cities without ever having to trek across the desert, ensuring their safety. Any movement of freight is also handled through the network. This system is actually a prototype, however. The amount of time it takes to get from place to place, though greatly reduced, is still about twenty minutes minimum. Furthermore, the amount of people maximum that can be teleported at once is about twenty.

-- Nabata is currently working on large platforms suspended in the air by way of dragons, as well as a system of long range sight and mapping called 'scrying'.

[edit] Nabatan Armament

[edit] Martial

[edit] Swords

Scimitar - Fatal Curved Steel Hand Sword - C Rank

Shamshir - Armorslaying Killer Curved Steel Hand Sword - C Rank

Kilij - Reversing Fatal Curved Steel Hand Sword - B Rank

Tulwar - Keen Fatal Curved Broadbladed Steel Hand Sword - B Rank

[edit] Lances

Naginata - Keen Horseslaying Armorslaying Steel Lance - C Rank

Yari - Keen Armorslaying Steel Spear - C Rank

Guan Dao - Keen Serrated Langeted Armorslaying Guard Steel Lance - B Rank

[edit] Axes

Ono - Killer Armorslaying Steel Woodsman Axe - C Rank

Jitte - Keen Reversing Steel Mace - C Rank

[edit] Bows

Hankyu - Killer Armorslaying Steel Shortbow - C Rank

Daikyu - Keen Composite Compound Steel Longbow - C Rank

Yumi - Brave Recurved Slim Longbow - B Rank

[edit] Magical

[edit] Anima

[edit] Fire

Fire [E] – Standard Area of Effect (Burst) Fire Spell

Melt [E] – Standard Armorslaying Fire Spell

Flamewhip [D] – Standard Short-Ranged Beastslaying Horseslaying Entangling Fire Spell

Elfire [C] – High Powered Fire Spell

Bomb [C] – Strong Short-Ranged Impacting Fire Spell

Incinerate - Strong Area of Effect (Chain) Armorslaying Unstable Fire Spell - A spell used by the sages of SoS to burn straight through armour, this tome plays upon the weakness of heavily armoured units. It is a thin line of fire that melts right through the armour, leaving at least a burn on the skin of the person at its weakest. When a powerful unit casts this spell, it can go right through one enemy, and into the next. One of the nastier side effects of the spell is its tendency to explode violently when inside the armour of the afflicted enemy, essentially flooding the inside of their armor with deadly heat.

Brand [B] – Strong Short-Ranged Igniting Permanent Fire Spell

Meteorite [B] – Strong Area of Effect (Burst) Artillery Fire Spell

Wildfire [B] – Strong Brave Fire Spell

Meteor [A] – High Powered Area of Effect (Burst) Artillery Fire Spell

[edit] Ice

Fimbulvetr [A] – High Powered Freezing Entangling Area of Effect (Burst) Ice Spell

[edit] Wind

Aircalibur [C] – High Powered Wind Spell

Tailwind [B] – Enhancing (Speed, Magic) Wind Spell

Tornado [B] – High Powered Conjuring Wind Spell

[edit] Earth

Sandstorm [B] – Amalgamating (Wind) Conjuring Area of Effect (Full) Earth Spell

[edit] Lightning

Shock [E] – Standard Unstable Lightning Spell

Thunder [D] – Strong Lightning Spell

Electrocute [D] – Standard Electrocuting Lightning Spell

Bolting [B] Strong Unstable Artillery Lightning Spell

Shockstorm [B] High Powered Area of Effect (Chain) Lightning Spell

Amprison [A] Conjuring Permanent Entangling Electrocuting Lightning Spell

Plasma [A] High Powered Impacting Unstable Lightning Spell

[edit] Water

Fishbowl [C] - Entangling Permanent Water Spell - Puts the target in a magically sustained sphere of water. Though they can breath, movement is excessively difficult due to the water.

Drown [B] - Strong Conjuration Drowning Water Spell - Envelops the target in a sphere of water. If they can't hold their breath, they're likely to drown.

Undertow [A] - Conjuring Impacting Area of Effect (Line) Water Spell - Fires a beam of water forward, knocking anything caught in its path away to where the spell ends.

Aquifer [A] - Conjuring Permanent Entangling Area of Effect (Wide Spread) Water Spell - Instantly immerses the affected terrain in a couple feet of water, turning any sufficiently loose earth into a muddy bog or making smooth tile a slippery mess.

[edit] Glass

Shard [D] - Standard Glass Spell - Launches a sharp piece of glass at a target.

Wall [C] - Standard Area of Effect (Wide Spread) Glass Spell - Creates a structure of glass around an area. Perfect for isolating enemies or making camp at night.

Slice [C] - Standard Unstable Beastslaying Glass Spell - Fires a scything disk of glass that preys upon tough hide due to its sharp edges. The blade is prone to shattering, increasing its damage potential.

Chasm [B] – Standard Area of Effect (Full) Amalgamation (Earth) Glass Spell - Creates a thin layer of glass just beneath the ground, then excavates a twenty-foot deep pit beneath it with jagged glass at the bottom. If too much weight is put on the glass layer, it collapses, sending the caught individuals plummeting.

Shrapnel [B] – Standard Brave Glass Spell - Fires a multitude of Shard spells at high speed.

Rampart [B] Standard Area of Effect (Wide Full) Glass Spell - Basically, a Wall spell heavily amplified to increase its size.

Fortress [A] – Strong Area of Effect (Wide Spread) Heavy Permanent Glass Spell - The final stage of the Wall and Rampart spells. The Fortress spell creates strong, thick glass that doesn't lose its magical qualities over time, allowing for the making of fortifications on the battlefield with ease.

Pierce [A] - Epic Glass Spell - Creates an unstoppable shard of glass that can cut through nearly anything, barring of course Adamantine weapons and armor.

Shatterwall [A] - Heavy Delayed Area of Effect (Line) Glass Spell - Creates a wall of jagged glass stalagmites. This spell is especially potent due to the fact that it can be delayed indefinitely, essentially stopping enemy forces in their tracks for fear of walking right into this spell's area of effect.

[edit] Light

[edit] Darkness

[edit] Staves

[edit] Nabatan Religion

Essentially, Nabatan religion can be divided into three groups. There are complex subgroups and mixed religions practiced by smaller groups, but most tend to be derivations of these three. Religious law in the Sons of Sand is almost inexistent, but one law remains prominent: any individual within the borders of Nabata must respect any and all religions they encounter, regardless of what their own affiliation is.

[edit] Zhevalianism

An animistic religion that practices reverence and care for the natural earth. Zhevalianists believe that everything has a spirit, and is therefore important and precious to the world's survival and well being. Reincarnation is a prime aspect of the religion, for they believe that spirits don't simply vanish when their vessels die. They do not necessarily have a principle god; instead, there is a circle of elder spirits who are said to be the most powerful among their kind. These elder spirits are highly revered and widely respected; entire temples can be devoted to just one of these spirits. Some of them are as follows.

Amida - The head spirit, considered to be the creation spirit by devout Zhevalianists. It is said that a piece of his spirit lives within a select amount of objects, animals, and plants; these things are considered sacred to his worshipers and to consume one is to give great power and a euphoric feeling to the consumer.

Rhiania - The spirit of the water. It is well established that she is the highest in strength of her three counterparts. Thealin is her archrival and she is a friend of Sapherai. Her domain is Lake Verunaila, a pristine lake located just outside of the desert's western edge. Skilled anima casters and those with flowing blades follow her guidance.

Eviath - The spirit of the winds. She's considered to be the second most powerful of the elemental elder spirits, behind only Rhiania. She is the mortal foe of Sapherai and is good friends with Thealin. Her domain is the Infernal Basin, a sandy, bowl shaped depression to the east of Arcadia that is constantly plagued by sandstorms. Agile wielders of light and dexterous bowmen consider her their patron in combat.

Thealin - The spirit of flames. She is the third in power between the four elemental elder spirits, just ahead of Sapherai. She strongly dislikes Rhiania and enjoys Eviath's company. Her domain is the Falain Caldera, a lava filled pit far to the south of Arcadia. Wielders of the deadly axe and destructive darkness are enthralled by her fierce power.

Sapherai - A spirit of earth. She is the weakest of the four, but still retains a fairly large amount of power. Eviath is her enemy and she spends a lot of time with Rhiania. Her domain is the Obelisk Terrace, a spiky depression at the northern border of Nabata. Those with the piercing lance and faithful healers often seek her guidance.

Zhevalianism is most common in the Order of Earth, where reverence for nature is at its peak.

The real life counterpart of Zhevalianism would be a mix of ideas between Taoism and Shinto.

[edit] Davarism

A form of henotheistic religion derived from the teachings of St. Elimine long before the Sundering. They follow her teachings devoutly, swearing to aid those in need of aid and to fight the darkness wherever it manifests itself. It is similar to Zhevalianism in that Davarians believe in reincarnation, but they only believe that humans and certain animals are capable of it. They follow a principle goddess, whose power is said to be sealed within the tome Aureola.

Orianna - The central goddess of Davarism. She is believed to be kind, benevolent, and very wise. Davarians believe that her spirit manifests itself into a new vessel once per millenia, and one vessel was St. Elimine herself. A new vessel is due in approximately three hundred years, a fact that many Davarians are awaiting anxiously. Her many powers included self resurrection and holy lightning bolts, two abilities which are quite prominent in Davarian texts.

Oracleas - The son of Orianna, born physically blind. It is said that he was capable of seeing the future in incredibly vivid dreams and visions, and predicted a series of events that were compiled into the Book of Oracleas. It is believed that, after death, his spirit began to possess the bodies of those he saw worthy. These vessels carried the same powers of foresight, and became the first Oracles of Maris.

Saturlerion - The god of strife and war, a principle demonic god in the tales of Davarism. It is said he fought Orianna for eons at a time before both slew the other in a chaotic burst that created the world as we know it. However, whereas Orianna was capable of resurrecting herself, Saturlerion was not. His spirit is thought to manifest itself randomly in the form of a dragon, causing an apocalyptic catastrophe that only the heir of Orianna can face and defeat.

Davarism is prevalent in the Order of Above, where holy faith runs high.

The real life equivalent would be a mix of Buddhism and determinist/fatalist philosophy.

[edit] Magiphysics

Magiphysics is a nontheistic religion based on the view of magic as a controllable science. Magiphysicists believe that the world and all of its phenomena can be explained through a number of unifying magical theories, or Magiphysical Laws. These Laws are cited again and again in the volumes of work created by Magiphysicists, and seem to present valid theories on the creation of the world. They do not believe in resurrection or anything else of the sort. A vast majority of these laws are the work of a powerful Dark Druidess named Malta; each law is thereby named "Malta's (ordinal #) Law of Magiphysics" regardless of the creator.

Malta's First Law of Magiphysics - States, in short, that any and all phenomena that occur in the known world can be logically explained by a set of unifying theories. It is also known as the Base Theorem, as it sets the foundation for any study in the field.

Malta's Second Law of Magiphysics - The phenomenon called magic is simply the manipulation of energy in such a way that a desired effect is produced, to whatever extent the will of the caster can handle.

Malta's Third Law of Magiphysics - The boundaries of the mind are known as the collective willpower of the mind, and these boundaries cannot be surpassed; therefore, there is a limit to the collective understanding of the entire world's population.

Malta's Fourth Law of Magiphysics - Any and all magical phenomena can be grouped into nine kingdoms, no more and no less. These kingdoms are known as follows: Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Water, Light, Darkness, Healing.

Malta's Fifth Law of Magiphysics - Reality in all other places but one's own is so fragile that a sufficiently large release of entropy is capable of rending apart the space time. It's important to note that the Sundering is used as proof of this Law.

Malta's Sixth Law of Magiphysics - A Law in the process of discovery. It seems to be based on the principles of Malta's Fifth, and deals with the theorized existence of other material planes.

Magiphysics are almost entirely exclusive to the ascetics of the Order of Below, leading some to believe it is entirely fake nonsense.

In real life, Magiphysics has no counterpart.

[edit] Nabatan Politics

[edit] Internal Relations

In general, the political setup in Nabata works fairly well. The system of government is actually tricameral and composed of the House of Sagacity, the House of Common Interest, and the House of the Military.

[edit] House of Sagacity

Arguably the most important house of Nabata's political system. This house is composed entirely of wise individuals who act as the judiciary authority of the entire desert, as well as half of the country's legislative capacity. They hold a number of checks over the House of the Military and the Magister herself, which can be a problem due to the number of close-minded elites in this house.

[edit] House of Common Interest

The largest of the three houses. Each city with a population over 5000 is permitted to send two representatives to this group, which holds partial legislative capacity and partial executive capacity. They can pass laws on a province-wide basis without the approval of any individual outside of their own house.

[edit] House of the Military

This house is the home of the military, headed by the Magister of the Sons of Sand herself. They hold partial executive and partial judicial power, and are allowed to execute military movements without external approval so long as at least 2/3 of the army remains on standby. They are also allowed to hold prisoners of war and try any individual who commits a war crime.

[edit] Foreign Relations

Ainor - The Sons of Sand are on decent terms with Ainor, though it would be best to describe their relationship as neutral.

Endal - Endal has always been a good neighbor to the Sons of Sand, enough for the Nabatans to consider them an ally.

Kaeldar - The Nabatans view the Kaeldarians as savages, an out of place uncivilized tribe in a civilized age.

Lequall - The peace between Lequall and Nabata is fairly stable, though the shared border remains extremely well guarded.

Illyria - The Sons of Sand are very hostile to morphs, and have banned Illyrians from entering Sons of Sand territory.

Tavrica - Historically, Nabata and Tavrica have never had any relations.

Vadal - Nabatans respect the Vadali warriors for their defeat of the hostile northern dragons, but relations are limited due to distance.

The Thanedoms - Relations with the Thanedoms have taken a turn for the worse with the suggestion of a ban on dark magic. A majority of Nabatans feel that the Thanedoms have no right to suggest such a ban, as their own emphasis on magic is quite low.

[edit] Typical Nabatan

[edit] Complexion and Appearance

Skin: Nabatans are noted for being quite tan, as befits their hot and sunny climate.

Hair: Hair colors of all sorts are very common in Nabata, to the point where saying one hair color is the most prominent would still be undermining a vast majority of the desert's inhabitants. It is believed that this mixture is due to the amalgamation of cultures in Nabata.

Eyes: Like their hair, the eyes of Nabata's inhabitants vary greatly from person to person. Again, this is due to the ethnic diversity of the desert.

Height: Generally, Nabatans are of moderate stature. There are notable exceptions, however: the dragons in particular range greatly in height.

Weight: As a magical society, Nabatans are well informed of how to stay healthy. Ninety percent of all Nabatans are vegetarian, while the remaining ten percent composed of recent immigrants or those who live in outlying areas.

Armor/Dress: Nabatans wear light, flowing clothing to protect themselves from the harsh sun. As such, both genders wear cloaks, capes, and robes. From there, clothing differs greatly based on personal taste. It is common for military personnel to wear armored or plated robes in combat; while not very large, these metal plates are almost always warded to increase their effectiveness.

[edit] Nabatan Life

Generally speaking, Nabata has a very loosely defined culture. All sorts of people from varied heritages live here, and thus have different cultures. As a child, he or she is subjected to this whirlwind of cultures and thus finds his/her own identity at a young age. Magic is highly commonplace and a high number of the citizens of Nabata make a living based on its power. Most individuals are very accepting and kind, though a smaller portion of the population is quite elitist. These people are quite rich and influential, so their prejudice is hard to root out, but the Nabatan Cultural Authority (a branch of magicians combined from all three Orders) keeps the general populace in line very nicely.

Nabata itself is known to be off limits to outsiders. The outlying territories, such as Aquitaine and the southern portion of Chulain, are still open to traders and travelers. The desert itself is well protected: jagged mountains border the desert to the west and south, allowing the sparse armies of Nabata to patrol and guard smaller areas. Border patrol remains heavily enforced: aerial scouts and spell platforms work together to ensure that any assaults by sea or land are immediately reported to the proper officials. In addition, the coasts themselves are patrolled by foot soldiers. All of these precautions ensure that no outsiders are able to set foot in Nabata without the permission of the Magister or those who she places her trust in.