Category:Khaurani & Khorajans

KHAURANI & KHORAJA ''In the first place, Khauran is a kingdom of no great size, one of the many principalities which at one time formed the  eastern  part  of  the  empire  of  Koth,  and which later regained the independence which was theirs at a still earlier age. This part of the world is made up of these tiny realms, diminutive in comparison with the great kingdoms of the West, or the great sultanates of the farther East, but important in their control of the caravan routes and in the wealth concentrated in them.– A Witch Shall Be Born'' 

Both Khauran and Khoraja are small  principalities  that  won independence from Koth and Shem. Robert E. Howard names but a couple of these tiny realms. Khauran and Khoraja control portions of the trade routes into Koth and derives much of its wealth from those caravans. Its domination over the trade routes keeps Koth from reacquiring the kingdom as part of its empire. Too much turbulence in that land might well be bad for business. Still, both nations fear usurpation by Koth or Shem, as they are small kingdoms without much of a military presence.



Description
As a breakaway kingdom from Koth, the principalities share many similarities with its sister-nations. A population influx from Shem and Stygia has darkened their aboriginal's skins to an olive color, and many sport black hair. Khauran & Khoraja are a melting pot of Hyborian, Shemite and Stygian cultures, appearances and ideals. The ruling class of Khauran could be described as more Hyborian in appearance than the lower class, while the ruling class of Khoraja are more Shemitish in nature.



Clothing
Khaurani

Male Khaurani wear hose and shirts; otherwise the Khaurani dress in a manner consistent with Koth, although individual fads and fashions   occasionally rise. Beards are popular in Khauran. The women wear their hair piled high, often wrapped around cones or other head-gear to give the illusion of volume. The wealthy weave pearls and jewelry into their hair as well. Earrings of pearls or gems are also common and the women lacquer their eyelashes to make them glisten and appear longer. Necklaces are often worn around their necks. The women wrap bandeaus of silk around their upper bodies. They wear heavy girdles that support their silken skirts. The skirts are worn long and voluminous, slit up the sides to reveal flashes of leg. Their sandals are upturned at the toe and sport lifted heels.

Khorajan

In most respects, Khorajan nobility is the same as Kothic nobility. Khorajans are guided by tradition and are proud of their  independence  from  both  Koth  and  Shem. Their hair tends  to  be  curled  and  scented. Pointed moustaches are  the  fashion  for  the  males. They wear  pointed,  satin shoes   and   gold-broidered   velvet   cote-hardies.

Behavior and Notable Oddities
Khaurani

Khauran is a civilised kingdom, one that does not like scandal among its rulers, nor does it appreciate wild debauches, despite its state religion. Over drinking is frowned upon.

In order to gain assurance of continued independence and prosperity, one of the early queens of Khauran mated with a demon. The demonic blood still runs through the veins of the royal family, and once per century twins are born, one with a crescent birth mark on her bosom, the other without. The crescent-marked child is named Salome, after the first witch of Khauran, and usually is slain. The demon apparently is a jealous godling, for those who marry the queens of Khauran seem to lead short lives thereafter.

Khorajan

Khorajan nobles do not care much for  barbarians  or  mercenaries  despite  their  reliance on mercenaries for national defence.

Religion
Khaurani

Despite the ruling caste’s Hyborian heritage, Khauran’s primary religion is centred around the fearsome goddess Ishtar, the daughter of Anu, instead of Mitra. Ishtar is worshipped as the Queen of Heaven and a goddess of sexuality, fertility and war. She is usually depicted as having wings and is symbolized by the lion. She is a Shemite goddess, said to have been birthed full-grown from a stone cracked open by a bolt of green lightning on the site where Asgalun now stands. As the Queen of Heaven, Ishtar rules the cosmos and the stars, for these things govern human behaviour. The Zodiac is her girdle and divination is an important aspect of her religion, practiced in the courts of Khauran. The religion believes in an afterlife. Hell is hot and guarded by seven gates and legions of demons. The damned there are tormented.

Korajan

The Khorajan religious environment is identical to Koth’s. Khoraja is fairly tolerant of religious beliefs (so long as they do not involve demon-worship), as befits one of the gateways between East and West. Khoraja has little tolerance for sorcerers, however. The Khorajans revile sorcery unless it is associated with one of the temples, so Khorajan sorcerers hide their talents for fear of execution.

Government
Khauran is ruled by the Ashkaurian dynasty, a matriarchal line of  nobility. Currently it  is  ruled  by  Queen  Taramis, who is growing old and wise. She is a well-regarded ruler, almost worshipped by the Khaurani. She is ‘famed for her virtue, justice,  and  tranquillity.’   Taramis  is  the  daughter of  Queen  Ialamis. The queen  dresses  conservatively,  so that only her face, palms and fingers are unhidden by the shimmering satin and yielding velvet of multiple skirts and royal robes. This dynasty is cursed, both with promises of a succession of evil witches and through the brevity of life for those who choose to be consorts to the queens.

Khoraja is an independent realm but is often pushed around by Koth, who wishes to control this little slice of Shem.

Economy and Common Professions
Khaurani

The ruling  class  of  Khauran  are  warlike  and  valorous Hyborians. The aboriginal common people are not warlike at all. Only Hyborians  are  permitted  the  possession  of arms,  so  the  commoners  are  wholly  dependant  upon  the city and its soldiers for protection.

Many caravan  routes  pass  through  Khauran. One such caravan  route  has  the  ominous  name  of  the  ‘deadman’s journey.’  This  route  passes  through  the  southern  deserts and  around  the  bend  in  the  River  Styx  into  the  Black Kingdoms. It is  a  deadly  route,  passing  through  several hostile territories. Slaves from Zimbabwe and Punt are the primary goods  traded  on  that  route. Another trade  route runs to Shadizar. Although trade  is  important,  Khauran’s  ‘horn  of  plenty’ comes from its abundant crops of fruit and grain. Although Khauran does  not  have  great  plantations  like  Zingara  or stock  farms  like  the  mightier  Hyborian  nations,  the  tiny fields  and  vineyards  of  Khauran  produce  three  or  four crops per year. The common villagers of Khauran, of mixed aboriginal stock, are agriculturalists.

Khorajan

Khoraja derives  its  wealth  from  the  caravan  route  that passes through the Shamla Pass. Caravans from Zamboula pass through  this  route,  as  do  others  from  some  of  the Shemite  city-states. Khoraja does  not  tax  its  citizens;  it earns its revenues from trade levies placed on the caravans, which can reach as high as 10%. Some industry does exist, such as  coin  minting,  pottery-making  and  glass-blowing but most of the economy revolves around trade.

Most of the underclasses in Khoraja are of Shemitic origin. The vast  majority  of  them  function  as  traders  or  service providers for traders (caravansaries and such).

Common Professions:
 * Trader
 * Nomad
 * Farmer
 * Agriculturalist
 * Winemaker

Sex Roles and Marriage
Not much is known about Khaurani gender traditions, other than that it is a matriarchal society. As its close relation and history to Koth, it can only be assumed that it is more likely for Khaurani women to be treated with equal respect in their society. They are able to speak freely among their peers, yet still must retain decency in regards to their husbands. The Khaurani believe in marriage and its sanctity and expect its rulers to act in a regal manner.

On the other hand, Khorajan society is male dominated and patriarchal. Women have far less rights than in Khauran, and are more geared toward Shemitish traditions than Kothian.

Slavery
As Khaurani acts as a buffer between Koth and other nations, they receive much of the same trade as their counterpart. Slavery is a large aspect of the Khaurani trade, and many live harsh and unforgiving lives if made a slave in Khauran.

Influences
As an independent states from Koth, which is a representation of the Byzantine Empire and it's melting pot of cultures, both cultures are best described as one of the nations of the Arab Caliphate during the same time period.

More Information
The Road of Kings, Khoraja & Khauran - Conan RPG