Category:Puntish



PUNTISH "Land of Gold" Punt is in the eastern Black Kingdoms south of the Turanian desert, east of Keshan and west of Zembabwei and Iranistan. Punt is typically hostile toward its neighbors, especially Keshan and Zembabwei. As a result, Punt is relatively narrow-minded and limited in its ability to conduct extensive international trade.

Description
Punt was established by adventurous Gallahs of Kush after they discovered the wealth of gold in its mountain streams. They named the nation after their home, the outer-city of Shumballa.

Punt is a tribal land filled with savages and chieftains who answer to a king.

The Gallah, who founded Punt, are ebon giants and dark brown in colour.

Tip: The Punts use in-game Kushite race when creating a character.

Clothing
The people of Punt wear short robes with cowls. The spearmen wear ostrich-plumed headdresses, hold rhinoceros-hide shields and wield feather-tufted spears. The priests wear purple robes with cowls.

Behavior and Notable Oddities
Social Standing: Social standing in Punt is determined by who controls wealthy resources, such as cattle, gold, myrrh and other trade goods. Further, being regarded as a skilled orator or poet adds to one’s social standing.

One special classification of the people are the Mesnitu, who are a secret society of blacksmiths and weapon smiths. They control the power of fire and are considered in touch with powerful spirits, giving life to the metal.

In the south is a huge alkaline desert lake where the Puntish people throw their dead.

Religion

 * Nebethet
 * Jamankh
 * Primitive Beliefs

The people of Punt worship an ivory goddess – Nebethet. She is primarily worshipped in a shrine-temple located in an uninhabited place not far from Kassali, the royal city of Punt. The temple, which was built before the arrival of the Gallahs, is a round, domed marble building in the shape of a skull. The statue is made out of a single piece of ivory.

There is also a fair amount of demon-worship in Punt. One example of this is the hyena-demon Jamankh. Jamankh represents dark wisdom, greed and sexual deformity. He preys upon corruption and vileness.

In addition to the Ivory Goddess and various demons, the people of Punt also engage in ancestor worship, much like in the rest of the Black Kingdoms.

Priests in Punt portray themselves as messengers of the gods or spirits, for the gods speak only to the priests by way of oracular statues. The clergy of Punt has so much power from being the mouthpieces of the gods that they can even command the kings to commit suicide and those commands will be obeyed.

Government
Ruler: King Lalibeha

Punt is ruled by King Lalibeha. The king is a stout man with greying, woolly hair. He wears a crown made of sheets of gold hammered into the form of a hawk with its wings spread out. He is known to be canny and cautious, not given to rash decisions. He is aided by his counsellor, the High Priest Zaramba. The chiefs of Punt often consult the oracle of the Ivory Goddess before making any grave decisions.

Capital punishment is practiced in Punt; traitors are fed to crocodiles. Other punishments include drawing out a person’s bowels inch by inch while he is still alive and staking a person over an ant-hill.

Economy and Common Professions
Punt’s economy is based on the gold trade, for they supposedly sieve from the mountain streams great nuggets of gold, some the size of goose eggs. The Puntish people also hunt and manage some subsistence farming on the hot plains. As with most of the Black Kingdoms, cattle herds are the embodiment of wealth.

Punt is also a land of incense and myrrh. These are traded with other nations, along with cinnamon, cloves, ivory, ebony, gum and exotic animal skins such as panther, monkey, dog, ape, cheetah and giraffe. There is a small amount of iron ore in the nation and that is largely controlled by the Mesnitu secret society.

Much of Punt’s trade is with Stygia, especially the gold, myrrh and frankincense goods. Stygia sends massive caravans every few years to make extensive trades with Punt, so the trade is not constant.

Common Professions:
 * Prospector
 * Crafter
 * Merchant
 * Warrior (Spearmen are the predominant warrior type)

Sex Roles and Marriage
Most Punts do not particularly subordinate their women politically. Indeed, some women rise to chieftain positions. Women who bear children are seen as strong, so women with many children and who manage houses with many wives are practically trained to be fine leaders; the Punts recognize this.

Men are expected to be able to provide their wives with enough cloth for two outfits each every year; however, men are usually found sitting under a tree talking to other men if they are not out raiding, while the women are always doing work.

Slavery
Slaves are used to work in gold mines. Male slaves are therefore preferred. There is little to none public trade with people.

Influences
Architectural influences: The Ghana Empire.

Kassali, the royal city of Punt, is built on a great, grassy hill. The walls are made of sun-dried mud spangled with ornaments of glass and gold. In its center rise the gold- and crystal-encrusted towers of the sun-dried mud palace of King Lalibeha and the painted temple to the ivory goddess. The temple is a round, domed marble building in the shape of a skull, built before the arrival of the Gallahs. The statue is made out of a single piece of ivory.

''Tip: Buildings pieces of T1-T2 (stone) are fitting for Puntish settlements and fortresses. More uncommon, but existing, are white marble buildings for the wealthiest. You can use Aquilonian pieces to make a small tower or the like in this fashion.''

More Information
RPGS:
 * Return to the Road of Kings (Punt, p 170-171)
 * Faith and Fervour (Gods of the Black Kingdoms, p 25-27, 29-30)