Imouha

Four thousand years ago, the fey established Imouhar as the the first nation state. Centered on the fertile Naal River, in the northeastern quadrant of the Frikaran continent, the Imouhan nation was the most culturally and magically advanced in the world for thousands of years. Its dynasties built pyramids, monuments, and vast underground tombs, expending the lives of countless slaves in the process.

Although they had been unwilling allies of foreign Fey and had even suffered foreign kings to sit at the side of the divine Pharaoh, the Imouhar suffered their worst humiliation not by fellow Fey, but by the conquering legions of the Roma Empire. Only the frantic work of imperial councilors and Imouha priestess prevented the empire’s complete collapse at the hands of the humans. Even so, the Imouhar were forced to ally with the Roma, having to wholeheartedly support the Roma war machine and their conquests while receiving nothing in return.

When the Roma withdrew due to their own internal troubles, they had changed Imouhari culture. Since then the Imouhar have staunchly maintained their independence by playing human empires against one another, carefully doling out the mystical knowledge contained in the fabled library at Axandaria in exchange for favors, trade advantages, and military assistance while carefully and quietly building their military and naval might.

Imouha is ruled by the Abamenthep, a dynasty of scholar-kings boasting a three-hundred year pedigree as well as their ancient ties to the Acheulians. This is the last remaining line able to show direct lineage back to the time of the Acheulians. The current king is Pharaoh Nebtawi III. The ruling class is made up of wizard-librarians. True power lies within the Assembly of Scholars. Membership in the assembly conveys a life of wealth and privilege. Members assign contracts and monopolies to junior family members, who run their business concerns for them.

Free Imouhar households belong to totem houses, mutual aid societies whose members assist one another in business, marriages, magic, and politics. Totem houses provide a means for the ruling wizard-librarians to forge ties of support to influential members of the middle class, and vice versa. Each is named after an ancient symbol of Imouhar belief, and symbolized by a hieroglyphic cartouche. Members display their allegiance by wearing clothing and jewelry marked with the cartouche. The six largest and most important totem houses are Ibis, Falcon, Crocodile, Jackal, Cat, and Woman, which have remained at the top since the retreat of the Roma invaders. Other smaller houses are aligned with the greater totems out of necessity.

Beyond the fabled library, the great totem houses rule the day-to-day life of the Imouhar. They control everything from shipping and transportation to building, burial, and farming. A totem house is an interconnected society within the greater Imouhar culture. Houses maintain their own warehouses and cisterns, transports and ships, slaves, and armies. As much as possible great totem houses are self contained enterprises, excelling in one or two areas, but dabbling in everything. They rarely trade out of necessity. Smaller houses trade with their stronger allies or, when allowed, with others.

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