Behoustan (City of Topaz)

Location: North-eastern along the river Kimri

Sheik: Jalal ibn-Bahari

Vazier: Quavar al-Takish

The city of Behoustan lies to the north of Darvash Kapur along the Kimri river and many of its inhabitants are descended from the nomadic Bahari who settled here and built the city. As such the city, cherishes its old mud and hatch buildings that are unique in the Caliphate. The rich mudlands along the riverside have allowed the city a prosperous trade in ceramics and caravans and riverboats visit its bazaars with much needed goods from the other cities in exchange for its pots, vases and fine strong bricks. The Kimri is prone to rise to high levels and thanks to the dam building and alterations to its flow by the city of Pearl, Behoustan's outlying villages are often swept aside in flash floods. It is perhaps part of the character inherited from their Bahari forefathers that the people of this sheikdom accept the temporary nature of their homes and are skilled at rebuilding their livelihoods after the rainy seasons. The swells of the river bring change and uncover long forgotten mysteries and rumours of strange creatures driven west from the Thousand Grains make life in Behoustan one of uncertainty and tribulation.

Parviz (City of Emerald)

Location: Northern coast of the Golden Gulf

Sheik: Tamatsu al-Mahmudi

Vazier: The Veiled One

The city of Parviz lies on a natural bay in-between the cliffs overlooking the Golden Gulf. Its great docks are famous for the dhows they build to order for those bazaari that can afford them as well as the green vines that rise and cover its sea-walls. Besides the famous shipyards of the city, it is also home to one of the great wonders of the ancient Ankivari: the Tower of Light, a looming structure on a small island not far off the coast, that may have acted as either a lighthouse or portal to the Elemental planes during the Heresy. Despite being abandoned and unused for hundreds of years, it is still a potent reminder of the dark powers preying on the people and many a soul has been lost venturing inside. It is no rumour that Umbrian sea raiders make a habit of preying on ships leaving the city as the Golden Gulf is their hunting grounds and few dare to venture into the water without a suitable regiment of hired swords.

Yasminah (City of Diamond)

Location: Western coast on the Azure Sea and Golden Gulf

Sheik: Kuduzsullush al-Darvasha

Vazier: Mohatmar ibn-Artesh

The city of Yasminah is unofficially the capital of the Caliphate although those of Shushan would debate this. It is certainly where the sheiks, muftis and other orders have been gathering on an irregular basis since the rule of the last Caliph. It is as such a busy metropolis; many powerful bazaari and orders maintain a large presence in the city. It is also home to a small but growing cult called the Mehdi (martyrs) who are famed for their suicidal but effective attacks on the powerful who are deemed not to adhere sufficiently to the Holy Scriptures. It is the subject of much speculation as to who the Mehdi's leaders and backers are with some believing the Sheik himself responsible and others believing it is a mufti plot against the Sheik instead. The city is almost on the verge of civil war due to the rivalries of various high born families and some muftis are known to stir the pot with powerful tirades against the corruption in the city. Rumours of an elemental portal allowing Djinn to travel to the mortal plane and sow discord amongst the people is a common topic in the coffee houses.

Atash-Azadi (City of Ruby)

Location: North-western hill lands

Sheik: Fatima Maryami

Vazier: Khourush Mehdari

The city of Atash-Azadi is built on the hills which legends say are the fallen body of the last Fire Giant of the North. The city is literally known as “freedom from fire” in the ancient dialect and beyond the legends, it is famous for its rich iron ore and renowned for its steel. It is therefore no coincidence it is also home to the largest population of fereng Darvaki in the Caliphate. It is unusual in being the only sheikdom that chooses the oldest female member of the Maryami family as its sheik, following the tradition laid down after the Fourth Prophet. As one of the few cities not on a major river or on the coast, it relies solely on caravans who make the journey regardless of the dangers involved, to buy some of its high quality refined metals. Besides the ever present danger of Darvaki raids, rumours of foul beasts in forgotten caverns in the hills beyond the city bring a steady stream of adventurers seeking fame and fortune.

Shushan (City of Saphire)

Location: Central southern coast on the Azure Sea.

Sheik: Hamid Al-Fardur

Vazier: Tossan ibn-Mahadra

Shushan is perhaps the oldest city of the Caliphate, having been founded by the First Prophet himself according to legend. It is certainly the most populated city. Its temples house the greatest collection of antiquities and ancient scrolls in the lands. It is sometimes called the City of Coronation for it is here the Caliph was crowned and it is here that the next one will be if ever a single sheik rises to such power. Whilst it is a port city, it is not a usually busy with the exception of travelling muftis who make the pilgrimage to its temples on an annual basis. The sheikdom has some fertile lands along the deltas on the banks of the Targyr river but these only manage to feed its own people. Rumours of hidden vaults of holy scriptures and artefacts abound.

Helespolis (City of Opal)

Location: Jazeera (Island)

Sheik: Reza Cyrusia

Vazier: Hamish al-Torfan

Helespolis is a sprawling city on Jazeera, an island off the southern coast in the Azure Sea. Throughout much of the year it is a busy port city although the typhoon season in late summer / early autumn leave it isolated as the water ways become too dangerous for most bazaari dhows. The city is famous for its enclave of scholars in the arcane with a Sheik who is tolerant of experimentation and some say borderline heresy. On more than one occasion a careless or dangerous wizard has opened a portal to the Elemental Planes on Jazeera and the city has survived only thanks to the efforts of the Jandicary. Rumours persist of untouched Ankivari ruins and towers of necromancers upon the island.

Darvish Kapur (City of Pearl)

Location: South-eastern coast on the Azure Sea

Sheik: Omar al-Kapur

Vazier: Freydun al-Mosar

Darvish Kapur is a bustling port city with regular ships visiting from the west along the coast of the Azure Sea and beyond. It is also visited by the Dragonships of the T'chin Empire on occasion. As such the city is particularly wealthy and cosmopolitan and thanks to its location far from the northern borders and dangerous gulf to the west, a relatively safe harbour. The greatest dangers come from the Thousand Grain marshlands across the Kimri river. Rumours of sea serpents and islands of undead to the south also keep the gossips in the coffee houses busy.