Hepekeria [A5+] is a large island separated from Lythia by the Elanas. It is mostly desert and semi-desert, but there are grasslands and evergreen hardwood forests along the coasts. The Hepekerian desert is the source of numerous tales of fanciful beasts and hidden riches beneath the sands.
Most Hepekerians are semi-nomadic tribes people, and the tribes or clans of the interior drylands are "organised" into a confederacy that does little to prevent conflict among them. This "Hepekerian Confederacy" seems to exist only to keep foreigners out of the region, and they succeed to the extent that very little of the desert is known, since few outsiders who venture off the trade routes emerge with their lives.
The coastal regions are civilised, but those who dwell around the cities are shunned by their desert cousins, the Numec. These desert nomads, a hard and sometimes cruel people, dwell in one of Lythia's harshest regions, and consider themselves to be the "nobility" of Hepekeria. The Numec look with disdain on the Falani and Korlic peoples of the coast.
Perhaps because of the harsh environment in which they live, the Numec are reputed to be among the world's finest warriors. Surprisingly, they also produce the world's finest steel (with the exception of Khuzdul steel, of course).
The secrets of the manufacture of Hepekerian steel are jealously guarded by the Taugari Cult, a spiritual/artisan class that has existed since 10 TR. The cause of its foundation is unclear, and heavily masked by legend, but it seems likely that refugees from the Targan Genocide brought the steel-making art to Hepeker. It is known that the Targan Empire (the predecessor of Dalkesh) contained weaponcrafting clans of considerable skill. Some believe that the techniques were passed from the fabled khuzdul city of Merdain, to the ancient Mafani, and from there to the Targan River cultures. Why the skill seems to have been lost everywhere else in the world is a mystery.
The Taugari cultists dwell in small permanent settlements in the heart of the desert. They acquire iron by mining several ore-rich rock outcroppings and occasionally in trade with the coastal cities. Taugari swords are seldom available in trade; the Numec tend to regard their weapons as semi-sacred objects.
Modify character generation with the following:
BIRTHDATE: Numec tend to be born in mid-summer - roll 1d30:
1d30 Month 1d30 Month 1-3 1. Nuzyael 23-24 7. Azura 4-6 2. Peonu 25 8. Halane 7-9 3. Kelen 26 9. Savor 10-13 4. Nolus 27 10. Ilvin 14-18 5. Larane 28 11. Navek 19-22 6. Agrazhar 29-30 12. Morgat
HEIGHT: 5d6+48" (Male), 5d6+46" (Female).
COMPLEXION: 3d6+4.
STRENGTH: 4d4+2. Up to two d4 can be re-rolled (Key Attribute).
ENDURANCE: 4d4+2. Up to two d4 can be re-rolled (Key Attribute).
DEXTERITY: 4d4+2. Up to two d4 can be re-rolled (Key Attribute).
WILL: 3d6+2. One d6 can be re-rolled (Key Attribute).
SKILLS: In addition to the Sunsign bonus, all Numec males gain a +2 bonus to Sword SB, and a +1 bonus to Dagger SB. These benefits are only available to Numec males who were born and raised in the inland regions of Hepekeria.
The Numec, being semi-nomadic, tend to move from one oasis to another. Herding is common (particularly of goats), but agriculture is nominal, sometimes even non-existent. Hence, the Numec tribesmen of Hepekeria are very similar to the Bedouins of ancient Terra.
RELIGION: Hepekerians worship a god called Baf'hamet, or Father of Wisdom. Most are fanatical worshippers. Worshippers of this religion are typically described as being vengeful, honest, proud, suspicious and temperate. Baf'hamet is a fierce warrior, as harsh as the Hepekerian desert, but he is proud and true to his word. Priests of Baf'hamet enforce religious laws that are unquestioningly obeyed by all Hepekerians, regardless of rank. Worshippers are forbidden to drink alcohol or eat pork. Women have almost negligible rights, and married women are forbidden to show their faces outdoors, and must wear black robes and masks when outside the home. Polygamy is popular under religious law, as a man's status is increased in proportion to the number of wives he has.
LANGUAGE: The principal language of Hepekeria is Numer, characterised by long vowel sounds and abrupt guttural stops. The script, which reads from right to left, is called Hekori.
NUMEC WEAPONS: All Numec males can fight, and are always armed. Typical weapons are described below.
The Thanath only fights willingly for virtuous and fanatical worshippers of Baf'hamet who have a Sword ML of 120+ (the worshipper must also have an initial Piety Point total of 100+ to be granted the sword in the first place). A terrible curse is said to befall any lesser person who wields it.
ARMOUR: Common Hepekerian belief is that "no-one can die save on the day appointed", and for this reason they will not wear armour. A Numec's turban (0.8 lbs) provides some protection to the Skull, however: B2 E3 P2 F3 S0 T3.
CLOTHING: The Numec tribesmen proudly wear their traditional clothes. They characteristically wear a camel-wool robe with long, wide sleeves, called a Gubba. It is usually black, or striped with diagonal bands of red, blue or brown. A turban is also worn, wrapped around the head in such a way that one strip always passes beneath the chin. The Gubba and turban are typical items of clothing for the Numec.
Many Hepekerian men wear a Tiraz on the upper arms. Tiraz are bands or strips of brocade or cloth of a contrasting colour, sometimes richly embroidered in gold and coloured thread. Real Tiraz, in an honorific sense, are granted only to the most deserving warriors by a Priest of Baf'hamet - all other Tiraz are technically decorative fakes. Tiraz often feature quotations from the Holy Scriptures, but are sometimes left plain.
Whereas the coastal people tend to wear their swords at the waist, the Numec adhere to the traditional custom of suspending their swords from a baldric across the right shoulder.
MOUNTS: All Numec tribesmen can ride camels, although some can also ride horses, particularly in the semi-desert to coastal regions. Camels are considered to be far superior to horses, since they require less food and water, can travel for days without either, and move much faster over sand. To a Numec, a camel is more valuable than a wife.
PRIESTS OF BAF'HAMET: The Priests of Baf'hamet are the keepers of religious laws. Although the Emir rules a tribe, he always listens to the wise counsel of his Priest(s). Because they are seen to be closer to Baf'hamet than normal people, Priests are regarded with awe. To offend or harm a Priest is to seek eternal damnation from Baf'hamet. Only the eldest son of a Priest may become a Priest of Baf'hamet.
The "Church" is divided into hierarchies, or Circles of Command. Ritual Invocations that can be called by a Priest of Baf'hamet are as follows:
Awe (V/25)
Battlelust (IV/40)
Command (IV/20)
Courage (III/10)
Curse (II/10)
Endurance (V/30)
Summoning (V/30)
Weapon Charm (III/20)