![[zeif.png|250]] *His Omnipotence, the Glory of the West, the Padishah Sultan of Zeif, Maxas Murad al-Baklun III, ==Goblinoid==* **Government:** Independent feudal monarchy with hereditary ruler; advised by an immortal Efreet grand vizier and the Diwan, a semi-hereditary bureaucracy; royal line has uncertain claim of Akheer, descent from ancient Baklunish Empire royalty, but still claims to rule all civilized Baklunish lands; noble families are all related to the royal family in various degrees; religion is sub-subservient to the state **Capital:** Zeir-i-Zeif (pop. 53,500) **Major Towns:** Antalotol, Ceshra, Dhabiya, Nafik, Onnax, Sadhan, Sundar, Tyran **Provinces:** Thirty-eight timars (rural fiefs); cities and towns, and surrounding lands, are governed by beys, amirs, and pashas (including the capital, administered by the “Pasha of Zeif” for the sultan) **Resources:** Foodstuffs, gems (II, III) **Coinage:** efrit (pp), marid (gp), djinn (sp), dao (cp) **Population:** 1,628,300—Human (Bco) 85%, Orc 9%, Genasi 2%, Orc 2%, Other 2% **[[Languages for Genies & Giants|Languages.]]** Baklunish (low, Ancient), Goblin, Orcish, Primordial **Allies:** Ulakandar (sometimes) **Enemies:** Ekbir, Ket (sometimes), Ulakandar (sometimes), Brethren of the Coast, Knights of the Watch --- [[Zeifan Characters]] ___ The *Baklunish Empire of Zeif* is the largest single nation of the Baklunish peoples although it is an Empire in name only as the other Baklunish nations ignore Zeif’s claims of suzerainty. Formed within a generation of the utter destruction of the ancient Baklunish Empire, the Zeifan nation came to be much as did the other Baklunish successor states; with the aid and assistance of great elemental nobles, in this case, the Efreet Prince, *Zeif-al-Mak-al-Molol*. Zeif led the last cohort of Baklunish refugees from their temporary homes around the great stone circle of Tovag Baragu north to the Dramidj around the year -389 CY. Amongst his wards was the highest ranking member of the now decimated Baklunish royal family: Ozsef al-Baklun, first cousin, once removed of the last Padishah of the Baklunish Empire. Zeif, being a typically power-hungry Efreet lord, sought to gain dominance early over all of the Baklun who had survived the sudden collapse of their civilization. He declared Ozsef the legitimate heir to the empire and named him *Padishah Sultan of the Baklunish Empire*. This, of course, meant little beyond the immediate followers guided by Zeif himself. Zeif led his charges to the current site of the Peh’reen Palace in Zeir-i-Zeif where his people settled and began rebuilding their lives and their civilization. Over those first decades, the refugees often came into conflict with tribes of orcs that had been used as mercenaries in the final decades of the Suel-Baklunish Wars. Ozsef’s grandson, Padishah Sultan Sayeed I, under the close guidance of his efreet vizier, raised an army and defeated each tribe, enslaving the orcs and making them the core of a new professional Zeifan army. To this day several orc and ogre tribes live in the sparse hill lands of Zeif and these tribes continue to provide military strength to the Sultan through the famed, and feared, *Eurozary Corp*. Although Ozsef al-Baklun’s successors continued to use the title Padishah, no other Baklunish nation acknowledges such claims, a fact that has led to several wars between Zeif and her neighbours over the centuries. In fact, there is only one Pasha that swears fealty to the Padishah of the Baklunish Empire of Zeif and that is the Pasha of Zeif who is responsible for the administration of the city itself (i.e. essentially a mayor). Zeif (the efreet) is actively involved in the greater politics of the nation but does not bother himself with the day to day details of the administration of the Empire for which he has a number of Vice-Viziers who oversee the various ministries and who are usually of fire genasi descent. Zeif’s current northern and eastern boundaries are formed by the Dramidj Ocean and the semi-independent amirates of the Bakhoury Coast at the mouth of the Gulf of Ghayar (the Jannasib Isles remain stubbornly independent), while its eastern border is formed by the Tuflik river. Grasslands give way to fields along the Tuflik, and in most of the area north of the town of Antalotol. Zeif’s climate is balmy along the coast, though her interior has cold winters and very hot summers. Zeif’s broad southern border is the open plain, still dominated by the uncounted tribes of Ulakandar, horse nomads of mixed Baklunish and Suhfeng descent. There are two distinct populations in Zeif: nomads and city-dwellers. The sedentary Baklunish favour exotic colours and almost gaudy styles in their clothing, and the types of colours can vary from man to man, village to village, or beylik to beylik. They often wear single piece garments, like long robes or coats over breeches. Turbans are a commonly worn on the head. Nomads, on the other hand, tend towards pastels and earth tones, and their garments are often much more complex, including puffs, frills, and slits to show contrasting undertones in their clothes. They wear leathers and hides during war time, as well as, of course, their clan’s heraldry. Sea trade is vitally important to Zeif, and her coastal cities are by far the most prosperous. The greatest merchant fleet in the western Flanaess is that of Zeif. These ships travel as far afield as the Murian city-states and throughout the islands of the Dramidj Ocean. Her war fleet is also imposing, but it is divided among the many ports along the vast stretch of coast it must patrol. Special attention must be paid to the Bakhoury Coast client states, whose loyalty to the Padishah is ever in doubt. Heavy cavalry patrol the land routes between major settlements, and heavy infantry are garrisoned in the larger towns. The Ulakandar nomads tend to roam freely across the nebulous southern border of Zeif, for many are mercenaries in the service of the Padishah Sultan’s armies and so are seldom questioned. They are expected to carry the badges of their mercenary units, but these are easily obtained—legitimately or otherwise. Few others travel the plains, though caravans still trek to distant western realms like Risay, Komal, and even the city-states of Mur. Many caravans employ Ulakandar guards, but this is seldom proof against attack, for the Ulakandar war upon each other as readily as upon outlanders. Towns like Antalotol and Sadhan still profit from such caravan traffic, but none compare to the nations capital city on the green waters of the Dramidj. Known as Zeir-­i­-Zeif, most foreigners mistakenly refer to it as Zeif City. Nearly fifty thousand subjects of the Padishah Sultan make their home in this coastal metropolis. Today, its blue granite spires and shining riches mark Zeif as a rich and powerful nation among the Baklunish people. Government in Zeif has many layers and an established, and educated bureaucracy. The Grand Vizier Zeif himself is the highest-ranking minister, and answers only to the Padishah Sultan although in reality, depending on the competency of the current occupant of Peh’reen Palace, the Efreet vizier may, in fact, hold more power than a weak or ineffectual Padishah of the day. The military of Zeif is very strong, yet because its supreme leader is the sultan himself, their interests suffer when his attention is distracted. High in the ranks of the military are the Spahis, the knights of the sultanate (usually paladins, or samurai fighters); they are landed gentry of wealth and position, but without the discipline of the better organized spahis of Ekbir. The trans-national alliance of merchants, known as *the Mouqollod*, has perhaps the next greatest power, for they too have wealth, though no authority. Finally, assassins and spies are also plentiful in Zeif, serving any number of masters or causes. From a combination of their plains and steppeland environment and their proximity and interactions with the Ulakandar nomads, horses hold a prominent role in Zeifan culture. In Zeif, the senseless murder of a horse is likely to draw equal if not more ire from those who were friends with the animal than it would were the victim a man. Just the reputation of Zeifan cavalry inspires fear in the enemies’ hearts of their enemies. Horses have permeated their culture to such degrees that they follow many customs which might be strange to outsiders, such as toasting at meal times to each horse in the family, or sharing hair braids with a favourite horse. Zeifans even celebrate their horses’ birthdays, putting flowered wreathes on their necks and feeding them special treats. Most of Zeif’s agriculture occurs in the lands bordering the Dramidj. Here are grown olives, dates and many citrus crops and seafood is harvested in great quantities from the Dramidj. Wheat is grown as far south as Antalotol where the land gives way to pasturage for vast herds of horses, goats and sheep. Cattle and hogs are rare in Zeif with most beef being imported from Ekbir and Tusmit.