Central Kunark
Emperor Vekin
Cabilis is still in a state of growth. It is a large walled community located near the center of Kunark. Last of the Iksar cities, only the lost capital of Sebilis rivals its size. The Iksar constantly work to build this city to reflect their lost glory. Because of the boggy nature of the land it is being built on, some sections of the city require more work than others, as the ground is treacherous and foundations become weakened by settling. The building materials are clay, stone and wood. Some adobe work exists, but much of the city stands on a complex balance of stonework and carpentry. Some parts of the city still show elements of the town it was built upon. Because they are still building, there are still Iksar who live in tents. The city has four great entrances, opening on four distinct regions: The Lake of Ill Omen, Warslik's Woods, The Swamp of No Hope, and The Field of Bone. The pathways in Cabilis can be mazy and difficult to navigate, and the canal system that runs throughout Cabilis means that one must cross many bridges, most makeshift, to get anywhere.
Iksar and their slaves
Cabilis was once simply a town of little regard in the Iksar Empire. The reason it is now the center of Iksar civilization is directly related to the fall of their empire. When Emperor Ganak and Jaled-Dar clashed above the Field of Bone, it left both dead. This ended the war between the Iksar and the Ring of Scale. Unfortunately, the Dragons had one last act of violence to unleash. They destroyed the imperial palace and all of Ganak's hatchlings, leaving the Iksar without an heir to the throne.
In the absence of an emperor, the Emerald Circle was formed. Five nobles set together to rebuild what had been lost in the war. However, their ambitions divided the empire, each noble leading a separate faction. The Iksar Empire was divided by tribe for the first time since Emperor Venril Sathir united them. Soon after, the tribes began to fight amongst themselves again. The Ring of Scale had a hand in this, working covertly to increase tensions between the Iksar tribes.
Finally, weakened by infighting, the Iksar Empire fell asunder. Slave revolts, attacks by goblins and giants, and finally an asssault by Trakanon himself and his allies reduced the Iksar cities to ash and rubble. Free of Iksar rule, the other races of Kunark began to struggle for dominance.
Since the fall of the empire, the Iksar have been building the city of Cabilis from the town it once was into the capital it is today. Other cities have either been overrun by powerful enemies, or are too far gone to rebuild. The Iksar have worked hard, under their new emperor, and are quickly working to repair what past mistakes have torn apart.
In fact, many Iksar have taken to calling Cabilis "New Sebilis", though either name is acceptable and understood.
The Iksar society is based on castes. This structure was enforced to help erase the tribal lines that once divided the Iksar. The Scaled Mystics determine an Iksar's caste when the egg is first laid. An Iksar's caste determines what role he or she is to play in society. There are two main divisions, and within those divisions are the specific castes. These divisions are known as the Xe'tropi (loosely translated as "The Backbone"; comprised of breeders, merchants, artisans, craftsmen, etc.) and the Vitror (loosely translated to "The Hand"; comprised of The Swifttails, Scaled Mystics, Troopers, Crusaders, etc.). The Iksar understand that while your caste determines your role, it does not determine your standing.
Rank and priviledge are not based on something as unpredictable as birthright. Instead, each Iksar is promoted within their own caste based on their own accomplishments and merits. The Iksar are quick to promote those who excel and destroy those who fail. There is little stagnation in the ranks, as the Iksar understand that change, properly cultivated, makes them stronger. Each caste has its own hierarchy, and Iksar look to their masters within the caste for their instructions and orders. They are taught to respect those of a higher rank from another caste, but unless specifically instructed, it is rare for an Iksar of one caste to take orders from an Iksar of another. Even then, these assignments are usually temporary, as the guild masters do not wish to weaken themselves by allowing their guild to be dominated by another. Military operations are usually run, at the tactical and short term strategic level, by either the Crusaders or the Troopers, with the Scaled Mystics setting the overall goals. The Brood of Kotiz and Swifttails often provide the intelligence work, given their talents. In smaller hunting parties, this arrangement is often mirrored, however the personalities of the individual Iksar involved may make for some alternate arrangements.
Iksar do not have families in the way other races do. Each generation of Iksar are laid as eggs in a communal créche. They are tended by the brood mothers, who are responsible not only for the birthing of these Iksar, but also their formative lives as hatchlings. There is a provision here for the preservation of lineages. Iksar who prove themselves worthy are allowed their own personal créche. All guild masters, the Emperor, and other notables in Cabilis have their own broods to help preserve their line. Males tend to take advantage of this right sooner than the females, as a female Iksar would be tied down by the process, and they tend to postpone such time until they are unable to perform more strenuous duties.
As mentioned, once the eggs are laid, the Scaled Mystics consult the spirits and determine which caste an Iksar will be born into. When the eggs hatch, they are separated by caste, and are observed to see who survives. Not quite left to fend for themselves, the hatchlings nonetheless go through a period where their survival depends on their fitness to do so. Of a single hatching, it is rare for 100% of the young to survive. This is why there is such focus on having full time breeders to ensure a steady birthrate.
When the young have reached maturity, the Xe'tropi go on to take their place at their tasks, and this is done with little fanfare. The Vitror castes are introduced to their guilds, where they are "reborn," shedding their youth and stepping into the roles they were destined for. At this time, the reborn Iksar and the Iksar taking up their lifelong trades are granted full citizenship, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. Before the young have been reborn, they are without the protection of Cabilis law. They are not citizens, they are merely hatchlings.
In general, Iksar society is utilitarian. That does not mean that all individuals are purely acetic. The merchants, in particular, as they are the wealthiest of the Iksar, tend to enjoy the material comforts. Iksar have an appreciation for the finer things in life, but most of them endeavor to keep things in perspective. They are well aware of the dangers of decadence and the pitfalls of greed. The solitary exception to this is the Haggle Baron. This Iksar is the trade master for the entire city. By extention, the merchants under him are also expected to look for money. The current Haggle Baron, Haggle Baron Klok, is the most capitalistic of Haggle Barons in recent memory, and the economy of the Iksar has thrived under his watchful eyes. Merchants are considered agents of the Haggle Baron, and independant trade is very rare. As a reminder of this, important merchants are given the title "Klok" to show they are acting in the name of the current Haggle Baron. This title is much prized for it carries the prestige of a well-reccommended shop.
Iksar society is tightly knit. This may not be obvious to an independant observer, as the Iksar are quick with withering remarks whenever another shows a sign of weakness. However, the Iksar Empire's greatest strength is their unity. They know that they cannot stand alone, yet they cannot abide weakness in their own. The constant low-grade rivalries help to refine the Iksar and make them better. No matter how harsh one Iksar is to another, it is merely the harshness of the whetstone, or the bluntness of the forging hammer, making each Iksar stronger through survived adversity. Iksar guild masters are particularly harsh, as they know that each student that rises through their guild is a reflection of themselves. The hierarchial system means that, for example, Grand Master Glox must account for each Swifttail that goes awry. Inter-guild squabbling is rare, as that sort of divisiveness only hurts the unified power of Cabilis. There are minor rivalries, but they are much like the interpersonal rivalries: simply a means to drive the others onward to perfection.
It would be a mistake to assume that Iksar culture leaves no room for art. Their great statues are monuments not only of their once great empire, but also of the skill of their stoneworkers. Cabilis supports many sculptors, and some buildings are notable for their extensive mosaic floors. Frescoes and murals are also part of the artistic culture of the Iksar. The performing arts are not so well represented. They have little patience for theater, and their music is usually of a martial bent. There are a good number of writers. Most spend their time with chronicles of Iksar history, retelling famous battles and recording the Iksar Empire's rise and fall. Some historians are also poets, though their poetry is rarely appreciated outside of Iksar culture. Artisans are expected to add something to society other than beauty, and this is why the majority of artwork is also architecture, as it is easy for artists to express themselves at the same
Their enslavement at the hands of the Shissar has not made the Iksar sympathetic to ths enslavement of others. The Iksar feel that it is right that the powerful hold dominion over the weak, and enslave all who do not warrant immediate destruction. The Iksar do not waste their resources, and the slaves are no different. A slave is worked hard, but not so hard they die before their usefulness is used up. When the slave can no longer work, it is eaten; Iksar are not squeamish about where their sustenance comes from. The remains are then given over to the Brood of Kotiz to work their dark magics on, creating servants and performing other secret rites.
As stated above, Iksar have no rights unless they are Citizens. The Iksar earn their citizenship by surviving their childhood and being reborn into the caste selected for them by the Scaled Mystics. Failure to follow that path means exile. In fact, the harshest punishment in Cabilis is not death, but Exile. To be Exiled, in Iksar culture, means that you lose the connection to your broodmates, to the community of the Iksar. Your glory is stripped from you, and none will aid you. You are less than the dead, as the dead at least have memories. You become a non-entity, and are treated as the dirt beneath a Trooper's heel.
The Iksar government is both a totalitarian dicatorship and a theocracy. The rule of law is laid down and enforced by Emporer Vekin, who is backed by the Scaled Mystics. The Emporer rules only through the fiat of the Temple of Terror and Prime Hierophant Vek. The Temple lays down the religious law of Cabilis. None question this rule, as to do so is both heresy and treasonous.
It is rare for an Iksar to even contemplate questioning their leaders, however. Iksar life is regimented and constrained by the rule of law. Indoctrination at a young age, as well as the regimens of training after rebirth help enforce these laws and this behavior.
There are no committees, per se. No council will be accepted by the Iksar, as they remember the Emerald Circle and see it as the moment of their greatest weakness. Under their Emperors, they have thrived. When the Circle took power, the Empire was torn asunder by their enemies.
The laws of Cabilis are taught to all Iksar, and it is drilled into their heads over and over again. A young Iksar knows the law before he or she can write. The enforcement of the law is strictly in the hands of the Troopers and the Scaled Mystics. Vigilantes are discouraged, as it is hubris to think that one knows more than the Temple of Terror does. When an Iksar is accused of a crime against the city, the Troopers look at the accusation, and investigate the situation. If they feel a trial is warranted, they take the accused before the Hierophants. There, Mystics take the gathered information and consult the spirits to determine guilt, and the possible penalty. If an Iksar is found guilty, it falls to the Crusaders to carry out the sentence. Besides death and exile, common sentences include indentured servitude (used in cases that involve theft or some other financial wrong), disfigurement (used for unjustly attacking a fellow Iksar when death is not involved), and demotion (minor infractions). These are not all of the possible outcomes; the spirits have been known, from time to time, to be creative in their sentencing for especially significant crimes.
It comes as a surprise to many that the Iksar would enslave their own, however this is a punishment that preceeds exile quite often. Worse than indentured servitude, the Iksar in question are forced to work along side the Frogloks. They are still Iksar, so they are treated better than other slaves, but they are pressed into hard labor, in penance for their crimes. When their sentence is completed, they are allowed to return to society, but only at the lowest rung of their caste. They must work to reattain their former position. Any Iksar who escape from slavery, or prove troublesome while enslaved, are exiled. These pariahs are often hunted down to test the mettle of younger citizens.
Cabilis is a theocracy. All Iksar worship Cazic-Thule, and their society is lead by the Scaled Mystics in this respect. Their day to day lives are influenced by these teachings and visions.
Fear is the lynchpin of Iksar society. The Iksar use fear as a tool, both in self motivation and to demoralize and defeat their enemies. To the Iksar mind, death is an end to the horror, a respite where their souls go to join Cazic-Thule in the fight to spread terror without the presence of their own fear.
The Iksar, being a largely utilitarian people, do not have many holidays, however there are two events that are celebrated every year:
In Autumn, the Iksar celebrate Dragonfall. This holiday is a bittersweet celebration. Bitter, because they remember the day that Ganak fell in battle. Sweet because it commemorates the end of the Dragon war, and the death of Jaled-Dar. Pyrotechnics that emulate the great battle are set off in the Field of Bone, above the skeleton of the fallen dragon. Great feasts are eaten, and the Iksar are reminded that, while the heat of summer is done, the cold of Winter is approaching.
The Day of The Green is the Spring celebration in Cabilis. It is the celebration of their freedom from bondage and slavery at the hands of the Shissar. This is a very reverent celebration, and the Iksar take this time to renew their commitment to Cazic-Thule as the land is renewed by the turning of the seasons.
Cabilis has no allies
All other cities are enemies
Azlaar, Sinsar Shadowblade, Satrkorsis, Tarx She'Tain
Sumissra, Xikzak, Zhilik