Xeros

Xeros (Zair-Ohs)

History
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Government
Xeros is made up of independent city states, often but not always lead by a Governor. The vast deserts are largely lawless, but roads are often protected by patrols from the nearest city state. Smaller settlements are clustered close to cities. Very few settlements are further than a day’s travel from cities. City-states will often extend protection to surrounding settlements, but in darker times these settlements are sometimes left to fend for themselves.

While there are no official alliances, governments of city states are generally allied with each other. The political scene is more isolationist, but willing to make mutually beneficial deals on occasion. The economic scene sees much more action, as merchant guilds often hold just as much sway as Governors and are more likely to bicker. As long as taxes are paid, Governors have a tendency to leave merchants to regulate themselves. These taxes are often high, but many merchants are willing to pay them if only to maintain business in a settlement that is safe, stable, and most importantly, unlikely to meddle in their affairs.

Governors are often dutiful and genuine. Xerosi citizens will not settle for anything less. In fact, one of the few nationally recognized laws indicates that a Governor who abuses their office for personal gain at the expense of the city-state is to be stripped of all belongings, bound, and cast into the desert. For society to survive in such a harsh environment, organization is key and a good leader is needed to orchestrate it. Their duties are to maintain the city-state as a safe haven for citizens. They prioritize quality of life, reducing dangerous crime, and upkeep of public infrastructure. While dangerous crime isn’t any higher in Xeros than anywhere else, the burden of maintaining the town is a heavy one. Therefore, there’s very little expectation for Governors to do work outside the realm of maintaining the city. All of the subterfuge, diplomacy, and campaigning that may happen in the political scenes of other countries simply are not done Xerosi politics.

Governors are chosen by a vote, but only property owners within the city are allowed to vote.

Economy
The coasts of Xeros has wealth of black sand and clay, both easily obtainable spell casting components. Before the Decline, these components were major exports and used within the desert for enchanting. The Xerosi people were prolific enchanters that made many innovations in the art. In the early centuries of magic, foreign wizards that visited the country took these innovations home and took credit for them. As time went on, the Xerosi people became less inclined to share their methods. In the era just before the decline, enchanting patterns were closely guarded and shared only from master to apprentice. The spell economy was excellent, however. In other countries where spell patterns were easier to find, anyone could find a way to cast a spell for only the cost of the components. In Xeros, it was a lot more common to hire wizards to cast their exclusive spells.

Just about everything that could be etched or painted with runes was enchanted. Black-clay bricks were enchanted to repel sand so that roads and houses wouldn’t be swallowed up. Carts were enchanted to travel smoothly across any terrain. Windows were enchanted to keep out debris but let a cool breeze through. It made life in the desert not only survivable, but comfortable.

With the Decline, however, these comforts have greatly evaporated. There are still many active enchantments, but with no way to refresh them, the people of Xeros are living on borrowed time. Any enchanted item made of Black Clay remains strong, but it is expected they will be completely defunct within 10 years. Enchanted items with limited uses rather than an active timespan are highly sought after and used only when in dire need.

Many outlying towns have been evacuated as protective magics waned. City-states have become crowded and many have left the country all together, seeking easier to survive climates.

Many in Xeros were quick to give up on making magic work again in favor of finding immediate, mundane survival solutions. Wealthy wizards from other nations, however, still buy magic components. Now in even larger quantities. Trading caravans who are willing to risk the desert roads without magic can expect to make fortune transporting black clay and sand to neighboring countries.

Notable People, Places, Stories, etc.
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Aliquam vulputate faucibus enim ut condimentum. Ut eget viverra risus, nec tincidunt neque. Nam hendrerit suscipit ante eget tincidunt. Integer vehicula, justo et interdum posuere, tellus nulla lacinia elit, nec rutrum lorem enim quis nisi. Proin id odio ac ex mattis egestas sed sit amet enim. Pellentesque in porta diam. Sed sit amet vestibulum nisl. Vestibulum fringilla nibh id nisi auctor rutrum. Nulla nec eros nibh. Morbi nec rutrum tortor. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Proin at placerat est. Integer scelerisque pulvinar porta.

Naming Conventions
Xerosi naming conventions are unique in that people will take up several different names throughout their life. Traditional naming conventions include, minimally, a given name that mothers choose for their child, a chosen name that the person chooses when they come of age. It’s also traditional for people to take up names for use in specific situations or by specific people. A lover’s name, a stranger’s name, a work name, a traveling name. Some change names as often as they change clothes, but most keep only 2-5 names.

These additional names are NOT the same as nicknames. If a woman’s chosen name is Ayeris and she goes by Glimmer when she is at her job as a jeweler, if a customer, coworker, or business rival were to call her Ayeris it would be at best an embarrassing mistake, at worse an insult. To call her by any other name than the one she chose as a jeweler may imply that she isn’t skilled enough to claim a jeweler name.

Similarly, if a couple has decided to take up new names for each other, it would be hurtful to call each other by any other name. It is excusable for new couples to fumble names early in the relationship. Often, “I want to break up” can simply be expressed by no longer using their lover’s name.

Traditional Xerosi names were based on the Demonic language, but in recent generations, people are hesitant to take on such names or give them to their children. In more recent times it is fairly common to take up foreign names or noun or verb names.

Xerosi people do not have last names in the same sense that other countries do. Instead, a Xerosi may tack on either their clan name or the name of where they are from, either as “Kai of the Sandstriders” or “Kai Sandstrider.” First names are often sufficient, so these sorts of “last names” are only used if it was necessary to differentiate between two people using the same first name, or if their place of origin was important enough to warrant announcing.

Trivia
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