Zeif
Proper Name: Sultanate of Zeif
Ruler: His Omnipotence, the Glory of the West, the
Sultan of Zeif, Murad (LN male human Ftr15)
Government: Independent feudal monarchy with
hereditary ruler; advised by a grand vizier and the
Diwan, a semihereditary bureaucracy; royal line has
uncertain claim of descent from ancient Baklunish
Empire royalty, but still claims to rule all civilized
Baklunish lands; noble families are all related to the
royal family in various degrees; religion is subservient
to the state
Capital: Zeif (called Zeif City in the east)
Major Towns: Antalotol (pop. 10,700), Ceshra (pop.
16,600), Dhabiya (pop. 14,900), Zeif (pop. 43,500)
Provinces: Thirty-eight timars (rural fiefs); cities and
towns, and surrounding lands, are governed by beys,
deys, emirs, and pashas (including the capital, administered
by a pasha for the sultan)
Resources: Foodstuffs, gems (III), horses, livestock
Coinage: Magus (pp), efrit (gp), marid (ep), djinn
(sp), dao (cp)
Population: 1,628,300—Human 88% (B), Orc 10%,
Halfling 1%, Other 1%
Languages: Common, Ancient Baklunish, Baklunish
dialects, Halfling, Orc
Alignments: LN*, N
Religions: Istus, Al'Akbar, Mouqol, Geshtai, Xan
Yae, other Baklunish gods
Allies: Tusmit (sometimes), Paynims (sometimes)
Enemies: Ekbir (sometimes), Tusmit (sometimes),
Ket (sometimes), Paynims (sometimes), Knights of
the Watch
Overview: The Sultanate of Zeif is the largest single nation of the Baklunish. Its northern and eastern boundaries are formed by the Dramidj Ocean and the Gulf of Ghayar (the Janasib Isles remain stubbornly independent), while its eastern border is formed by the Tuflik river. Grasslands give way to fields along the Tuflik, and in most of the area north of the town of Antalotol. Zeifs climate is balmy along the coast, though her interior has cold winters and very hot summers. Zeif's broad southern border is the open plain, still dominated by the uncounted tribes of Paynims.
The Paynims roam freely across the border, for many are mercenaries in the service of the sultan's armies and so are seldom questioned. They are expected to carry the badges of their mercenary units, but these are easily obtained—legitimately or otherwise. Few others travel the plains, though caravans still trek to distant Kanak on the shores of the salt-lake of Udrukankar. Many caravans employ Paynim guards, but this is seldom proof against attack, for the Paynims war upon each other as readily as upon outlanders. Towns like Antalotol and Barakhat still profit from such caravan traffic, but none compare to the city of Zeif, on the green waters of the Dramidj.
Sea trade is vitally important to Zeif, and her coastal cities are by far the most prosperous. The greatest merchant fleet in the western Flanaess is that of Zeif. These ships travel to all the nations of the gulf and throughout the islands of the Dramidj Ocean. Her war fleet is also imposing, but it is divided among the many ports along the vast stretch of coast it must patrol. Special attention must be paid to the Bakhoury Coast client states, whose loyalty to the sultan is ever in doubt. Heavy cavalry patrol the land routes between major settlements, and heavy infantry are garrisoned in the larger towns.
Government in Zeif has many layers. The ministers of the sultan's cabinet, or Diwan, all hold the title of Vizier; the Grand Vizier is the highest-ranking minister in Zeif, and he answers only to the sultan himself. The power of the viziers is legendary, and most of these scholarly officials are also wizards or clerics. The military of Zeif is very strong, yet because its supreme leader is the sultan himself, their interests suffer when his attention is distracted. High in the ranks of the military are the Spahis, the knights of the sultanate; they are landed gentry of wealth and position, but without the discipline of the Farises of Ekbir. The alliance of merchants, called the Mouqollad, is perhaps the next greatest power, for they too have wealth, though no authority. Finally, assassins and spies are also plentiful in Zeif, serving any number of masters or causes.
Zeif has a significant minority of orcs and halforcs,
the distant descendants of nonhuman mercenaries
used by the old Baklunish Empire before the
Invoked Devastation. These tribeless nonhumans
have become fully integrated into the state, though
most are within the lower class. A number of noted
generals and spies of Zeif were obviously half-orcs.