Marzum
| Allegiance | Sirdabi Caliphate |
| Capital | Qaysum |
| Governor | Hanatan ibn Shahnour |
| Demonym | Marzumite |
| Official Language | Sirdabi |
| Official Religion | Azadi |
| Currency | fals/dirham/nour |
| Native Heritages | Sirdabi |
The province of Marzum is a mountainous strip of land south of Rahoum, a place whose rich history far surpasses the narrow borders of its coastal plain. Grain and fruit abound in that slender strip of fertile ground, while the great incense routes wind through the hills and valleys bringing exotic scents to the great port of Qaysum and the lands of the Sea of Sala'ah that washes the province's shores. Proud of their storied past, yet deeply invested in the present prosperity of the Sirdabi Caliphate, the people of Marzum cherish the famous sites from their history while pursuing new opportunities in commerce and foreign relations.
Geography & Climate
Marzum lies just to the south of Rahoum, bounded by the Gulf of Adwa on the west and the Sea of Sala'ah on the south and east. It is overall a heavily mountainous land, with numerous ranges spanning the middle of the province and a succession of dry hills and valleys stretched along the northern border with Rahoum. The range known as the Endless Mountains covers the greatest area, with the lower and drier Bitter Mountains making up its western extent. The heart of the Endless ranges includes several very tall peaks, including the famed Mount Maysa which is visible well out to sea. Snow remains on the highest peaks year-round, forming a picturesque backdrop to the green slopes below.
The mountains are dry and stony on their northern face, but on their south sides they are able to capture much of the moisture from the Sea of Sala'ah and the summer monsoons. This produces a very marked difference in vegetation and terrain between the eastern and south-facing ranges of the mountains, and the western and north-facing ones. The eastern mountains, especially the al-Ummat, are the wettest and can turn into a dense tropical tangle during the monsoons. The south-facing portions of the Endless Mountains, their terraced slopes further above the sea and somewhat more temperate, are the orchards and gardens of the Marzumites as well as a source of Ruleskan pine and native Halori cedar. The western and northern mountains contain more savannah and steppe, where common drought-hardy trees such as acacia and camelthorn mingle with Marzum's highly prized incense trees -- frankincense, ishmarila, and myrrh. Even the drier mountains do receive some rain from the occasional short-lived yet intense cloudburst more typical of the desert, and when this happens their own parched slopes will also burst out in a sudden abundance of blooms, bright pink and orange against the rocky slopes. Desert roses can be found here as well, and are particularly abundant in the Garden of Inilt-esh where they share this legendary valley with a host of other unusual plants.
Between the mountains and the sea lies a narrow but fertile coastal plain watered by cold-water rivers spilling down from the highlands. With a subtropical monsoon climate, the Plain of Kings grows a plentiful variety of fruits and grains, while more temperate weather in the foothills above suits the growing of still more produce upon the extensive terracing that embraces the steep hillsides. Less hospitable, the marsh and swampland known as Ghanur's Bane nevertheless supports limited bloodrice cultivation as well as an abundance of fish and wildfowl. As no part of the plain is far from the sea, most of it is subjected to a salty sea breeze for much of the year, as well as the heavy briny fogs that can settle in during the monsoon season. As a result, the plants in this region must be hardy enough to withstand their maritime conditions. Crag pine is abundant on the sea cliffs, while ishmarila clings to rocky slopes above both sea and desert. Tamarix grows in shrubby clumps all along the coast and is often used to shield more tender plants from the briny wind.
The weather patterns of Marzum's coast are similar to those of nearby Zalawi, with heavy monsoon rains through the spring and a long sweltering summer. Many of the province's wealthier inhabitants prefer to retreat to the cooler heights during the hottest months, or even just to the city of al-Dhoum. The mountains remain relatively cool even through the summer, and winters can be surprisingly bitter, with snowfall quite common.
People
The people of modern-day Marzum are chiefly of Sirdabi heritage, just as in the neighboring province of Rahoum. The Sirdabi of the northern hill country share especially strong ties with the people of Rahoum, and indeed tend not to recognize the artificial boundaries between the two provinces as laid out on the maps. Marzumite Sirdabi are famed for their zeal for construction, particularly the multistory buildings that cling to the hills and cliffs in all parts of the province. The Banu Selim and the Banu Fariqqa are two of the most influential tribes in the region, dominating political life in the incense country of the hills and in al-Dhoum, respectively, but numerous other tribes and clans are scattered around the region.
Aside from Sirdabi, several other peoples can be found in Marzum due to its unusual history and its age-old commercial ties with the nations of the Sea of Sala'ah. The coastal areas in particular still contain sizeable enclaves of the Yehani whose ancestors once ruled the great kingdoms there. Less trace remains in the population of the Elukoi who settled here in the days of the Marzum Despotate, but within the old capital of Roshul individuals can still be found with the pale eyes and olive skin of their forebears. The cities, naturally, have attracted numbers of people from nearby lands, with Jalanit and Irulao well represented in Qaysum especially, and numerous Salawi in al-Dhoum.
Economy
Much of Marzum's economy is centered around its trade in precious luxury goods, chiefly incense and gems. Aromatic resin from the torchwood trees is harvested in the dry northern hills of the province, furnishing frankincense and myrrh, while the ishmarila of the coastal cliffs similarly offer its ruby-red sap for both incense and perfume. The lovely violet-red marzite, found almost exclusively in the Endless Mountains, is not only used in jewelry, but is often crushed to form a glistening powder that has the power to neutralize poisons. Other precious materials of the province include maysali quartz, dragonblood, treestone, and celeirite.
More pragmatically, the pine and cedar clad slopes of the mountains are a source of timber and tar for the ships of the caliphate, as well as lumber for buildings and furniture. Fruit from the coastal plains includes lemons and limes, lusks, dates and figs, and numerous types of melon, which may be consumed as they are or used to make a variety of candies, cordials, and pastries. Pistachios and honey are also harvested here, leading to Marzum's reputation for some of the best baklava in the caliphate. The presence of regular snowfall in the highlands is also used to advantage, as some amount of it is collected every winter, compressed into blocks, and transported down to the plain to be stored in subterranean chambers during the summer months. Here it is used to make the delicious iced sherbet for which Marzum is also justly famed.
A less tangible component of the province's economy is its role as a destination of pilgrims and curious travelers, who come from near and far to visit its many sites of religious importance and historical interest.
Religion
Azadi is the chief religion followed in the province, as well as its official one as part of the Sirdabi Caliphate. This close to Rahoum, the heartland of Azadi, the faith is strong among the populace and pagan survivals in local tradition are limited. There are several pilgrimage sites scattered across the province, and fact Marzum is nearly as important in the prophet al-Azad's history as Rahoum itself. The Bitter Mountains and Ishmarila Hills are known for the role they played in sheltering the Prophet and his followers from their enemies during the early days of the faith, while the Garden of Inilt-esh is revered as a place visited by the early prophet Bithlah as well as Kalen. The tomb complex of Haleb, al-Azad's third wife, located in her own city of al-Dhoum, is another draw for the faithful.
Cities & Towns
- Qaysum, an ancient port city on the Sea of Sala'ah, full of colorful buildings and an equally colorful populace, legendary as "the world's bazaar."
- Ain Yarwah, home of the great Incense Bazaar of the Fragrant Plain.
- al-Dhoum, the ancient Yehani capital set upon the shores of the highland Lake Dhoum, still famous for its Stepped Shipway.
- Bab al-Hajri, "the Pilgrimage Gate," marking the entryway onto the Garden of Inilt-esh and the beginning of the Marzumite portion of the great Pilgrims' Path.
- Jaleabh, the Crossroad City of Marzum, where merchants and miners, pilgrims and pastoralists, and a host of other more unlikely people all bump elbows.
- Lazalim, an almost tropical town that shares both the rain and a mixed Sirdabi and Irulao population with the nearby Sodden Isles.
- Maz-Halom, the breadbasket city of Marzum, cradled by its lush and fertile farmlands.
- Nidris, an austere mountain city known for its production of beautiful and resonant prayer stones.
- Riluth, a town built upon terraces within the narrow wedge of Rathnul Bay, where Razmani mingle with Sirdabi and Yehani.
- Roshul, "Ro's gift," the old capital of the former Marzum Despotate set in the mountainous heart of the province.
- Salehim, an architectural gem set in the hills and islands of Marzum's central coast.