Ahten

An ancient nation that developed along the River Ahten, this region would be terribly inhospitable if not for its mighty water source. The River Ahten flows reliably from a ground spring in the nation’s northwest and follows a predictable seasonal calendar down to the week. It floods every spring, and the water level lowers by a couple feet every fall. The river’s predictability has allowed the nation of Ahten to thrive.

The land, otherwise arid and rocky desert, is a flourishing oasis along the river. Farmers use the predictable seasonal flows to harvest abundant crops, which they use to enhance Ahten’s international economy. This is all overseen by a revered godking.

Academic.

Ahten has several prominent universities, the largest of which is in Khamen, the capital. Ahten’s scholars and scientists are quite prestigious, and their universities draw the interest of scholars from across the continent. The headmasters of each university in Ahten are sphinxes who relish the constant access to books and intellectual stimulation.

Aristocratic, Political, and Religious.

A theomonarchical dynasty rules Ahten. Each monarch is proclaimed to be a demigod, an emissary between gods and humanoids. When a demigod monarch dies, the nation goes into mourning for thirty days. Monarchs have enormous, elaborate mausoleums and are believed to ascend to full godhood upon their deaths, where they watch over Ahten’s prosperity. Ahten’s current godking, Pharenkan, places a strong focus on the nation’s military given the threat that Roshallan poses.

Mercantile and Trade.

In addition to Ahten’s renowned universities, Ahten produces tremendous amounts of crops given its arid climate. It also mines salt and gold from the foothills of the volcanic mountains to its northeast. Furthermore, Ahten has negotiated mining agreements with its neighbor, Gavare, which allows Ahteni miners to operate in Gavare’s territory of the Smoldering Canyon. This supplements Ahten’s economy with magical crafted goods and with ink pigments that contain magical properties.

Militant.

Ahten’s soldiers are sturdy and resilient to the extreme heat of the arid summer. Each soldier that graduates from training is tattooed with magical ink pigments from the Smoldering Canyon, enabling them to go for more days at a time without food and water than they otherwise could. Competent on chariots and horseback, and skilled in the ways of desert fighting, they have been able to keep Roshallan at bay.

Social.

Ahten’s large agrarian community quickly developed advanced agricultural practices and infrastructure.

The River Ahten floods predictably every year, allowing farmers to utilize floodwaters to their greatest irrigational effect. Because of the river’s predictability, many in Ahten view it as sacred and understand that their society might crumble if the river ever missed a year of its predictable patterns. Ahteni common folk tend to be hospitable towards one another but suspicious of strangers. Most Ahteni are very reverent of their godkings.

Underworld.

When one of the Ahteni monarchs dies, they are buried with many riches. This draws irreverent tomb raiders in search of easy loot. The catch, of course, is that many of these tombs are riddled with booby traps and curses designed to repel looters. Furthermore, as repayment for being made headmasters of the universities, Ahteni sphinxes guard the tombs with alacrity.

Three Major Cities

Ahten has three major cities, in addition to numerous towns and farming communities along the river. These major cities each house one of Ahten’s most famous universities.

Isirem. Isirem is Ahten’s most populous city, located at the mouth of the River Ahten. Its access to the ocean makes it a valuable trading hub with other nations that engage in maritime trade.

Khalen. Ahten’s capital is located approximately halfway between the river’s spring and its mouth. Khalen boasts enormous monuments to the glory of Ahten and its gods, and the capital is also only a day’s camel ride from the Valley of the Gods. Khalen’s monuments were constructed primarily by golems.

Set’then. The smallest of Ahten’s three major cities, Set’then is a fortified city that guards the river’s ground springs. If Roshallan were to conquer this city, then they could potentially dam the river, devastating Ahten.

Points of Interest

Valley of Gods. The Valley of Gods is where many enormous monuments have been built, along with elaborate mausoleums that have been dug into the side of the rocky hills in the area. Sphinxes and tomb raiders are constantly at war over this territory and the riches hidden deep within.

Smoldering Canyon. The Smoldering Canyon, though primarily within Gavare’s borders, is important to Ahteni culture. The canyon is ripe with valuable minerals, such as mysterious avadrium, primor, and mithril. The canyon’s vegetation also produces pigments that can be used to create magical tattoos. Finally, the Smoldering Canyon produces magical flames and other energies that Ahteni scholars have learned how to contain in stable form.

Quest Ideas

• After a sphinx turned up missing, its colleagues send the heroes to investigate. Unfortunately, the sphinx was murdered; what foul tomb raider possesses such strength? Can the heroes find and stop the thief
• The Gavarese want to revoke the rights of the Ahteni miners to keep working in the Smoldering Canyon, but will abandon this threat if the Ahteni send heroes to defeat some mythical monster that has been causing strife for Gavarese mining towns.
• The River Ahten has flooded - three months early! What could have caused this, and what will it mean for the future of Ahten? Can the heroes investigate and restore the river to its natural flow
• The new Ahteni godking has declared that no godking, including himself, has ever truly been divine. This causes tremendous social unrest and many believe that he should be removed from power. Will the heroes help this burgeoning rebellion? Roshallan’s legions are breathing down Set’than’s neck, and Ahten needs every fighter it can muster to protect the springs that feed its mighty river. Will the heroes answer the call?