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Desert nation

Caravan-in-the-Desert-010

the Bedullin and the desert Tualaghi.

Geography[]

Arrida consisted of a mainland and a peninsula. The city of Al Shabah was located at the tip of the peninsula. Actually, new info reveals that “Al Shabah is a small town about thirty kilometers along the coast [from the Narrows of Ikbar]. It’s where Erak was taken prisoner by the Arridi.” [1] In the west lay the Endless Ocean, with the Southwest Islands south of the peninsula. Slave markets at Socorro were also south of the peninsula. [2] In the north was the Constant Sea. Arrida was connected to Toscano by a small stroke of land. Update: In latter books, this stroke of land becomes uncertain due to details about Sea of Adrios, the Golden Reach, the East Constant Sea, and the city of Byzantos.[3] In the north-west ws the Sea of Rostov, and in the east Arrida was connected to the Temujai Empire by a stroke of land. Update: But Sea of Rostov is not included in latter books, and later we learn that Arrida borders Baralat to the Far East near the Assaranyan Channel.[4] In the south lies the Impassable Desert.

World Map

Almost all of the country was desert, and was dangerous to enter, partially because there were regions, such as the Red Hills, where the Ranger's Northseekers did not work due to the large iron deposits, as well as a general lack of food and water. There were however, two series of wells in the desert, separated by the Red Hills: the wells of Khor-Abash and the wells of Orr-Sann. The capital, Mararoc, was the home of the Emrikir and the government, and lay at the root of the peninsula. The largest port was Al Shabah, ruled by the Wakir Seley el'then. However, the settlement itself was only a small town. [5]

Updated Map[]

  • An updated map of the Constant Sea area reflects new info on Arrida, from The Brotherband series, describing Heron’s voyages to various locations in and around Arrida (Scorpion Mountain) and Byzantos (The Caldera)
  • Some new map info is revealed in book 10 of the Ranger’s Apprentice series, describing the voyage from Toscana to Nihon-Ja / Japan. The ship sailed across the Constant Sea to the coast of Arrida, then down the Assaranyan channel, then to the Blood Sea, then into Eastern Ocean, and onwards north to Nihon-Ja.
Updated world map based on Ranger’s Apprentice and Brotherband series (2021)


History[]

Not much is known about the history of Arrida, other than the fact that they invented coffee (Kafay) and the low-alcohol drink arariki. In the past, raids by Skandians and Tualaghi occurred frequently. However, after the events of Erak’s Ransom, the Tualaghi had been disbanded and there seemed to be friendly relations with Skandia moving forward. Update: Some years later, the Tualaghi were once again a problem, at least for Araluen and Princess Cassandra. [6]

Arridi greeted others with what was called the traditional desert greeting, wherein one touches their right hand to their lips, then forehead, then lips again. The gesture came from an old tribal saying: “We will eat. We will consider. We will talk.” It was customary to return the gesture.

Tribes[]

Arridi: The majority. They generally lived in the cities, towns and villages at the coast. They were said to be the most efficient fighting force in the world, with the possible exception of the Temujai.

Bedullin: The proud nomadic tribes, led by Aseikh's, which could generally be identified by the yellow and white headscarves they wore.

Tualaghi: Blue-scarved bandits who plundered cities and tortured their captives. Their only allegiance was to money and greed.

Religion[]

In the Ranger’s Apprentice series, the only religion mentioned is that of the Tualaghi. The Tualaghi were called the Forgotten of God, and Yusal admitted that he doesn’t “pretend to know God’s will”. When it comes to the desert, Arridis follow the Word of the Law, which states what one should do in the desert, such as leaving a man with water.

More information is given in the Brotherband series. In Socorro, a city on the north-western coast of Arrida, it was mentioned that the inhabitants worship three main gods: Hahmet (god of war), Jahmet (god of love), and Kaif (god of good harvests, fair weather, business success, and family matters). It was also stated that they had demigods, such as Ikbar. Later in the series, the Herons and Gilan came into contact with the Scorpion cult, who worshiped Imrika, the Scorpion goddess of death and destruction. It was said to have been based on a warped religious system.

The Arrdi religion did not allow consumption of alcohol, with the notable exception of arariki. It was for this reason that the drink is very popular, being drunk even by young Arridis.

Government[]

The Arridi government bore much resemblance to that of the Araluen government. They had a supreme ruler, the emrikir (the equivalent of the king), and multiple smaller, local leaders, known as wakirs (similar to barons). The Emrikir mainly had power over the coastal regions and some cities in the desert. The vast desert was controlled by the Bedullin and the Tualaghi. Arrida was divided into multiple provinces of varying importance and size. This could dictate which wakirs have more power or a senior level.

However, contrary to most customs, the Arridi succession is through the matriarchal, or mother's, line, not the male line. All taxes that are received in a given province are stored in the regional capital's khadif (town center) until they are relocated to Mararoc, the capital of Arrida. Via a secret message, the emrikir will dispatch an armed caravan a few times a year when the coffers at the local khadif become dangerously full.

Politics[]

Little is known of the Arridi before the time of Erak's Ransom, though Araluen had had some dealings with them before, as Halt, when preparing to leave for Arrida, was briefed with information only a year old. Notably, many Wakirs and officials were said to be on a constant lookout for bribes, and thus would be easily influenced by foreign interests and outsiders, which likely means that it traded with multiple other countries.

Foreign Relations[]

It is unknown to what degree Arrida had foreign relations. They were members of the Silisian Council, so they did exchange seals with other nations, including Araluen, and had a substantial amount of trading done in their ports, some of which might or might not be Araluen merchants. They also had a treaty with Araluen, thought it is unknown what this treaty stipulated. Despite a recent raid, they seemed to have normalized relations with Skandia.

Although Arrida was part of the Silisian Council, it has a separate character script to the other countries, meaning that contact and transactions were limited.

Military[]

Arrida was often at war, not with other nations, but with the Tualaghi that also inhabited Arrida. The Tualaghi often raided their towns and then escape out into the desert. The Arridi had in the past had dealing and alliances with the Bedullin, nomadic tribes that also inhabit the deserts Arrida, since they both had a common interest in the defeat of the Tualaghi.

The Arridi military was based mostly on horsemen, as large groups of infantry could not cross the desert which made up most of Arrida. All forces used by the Arridi were lightly armed and armored. They relied on agility and fast cuts and slashes, not brute force or power. The knight was non-existent in the Arridi military as their armor would be impossible to wear in the desert climate. Infantry in the Arridi military wore metal studded leather jerkins, which allowed for protection and flexibility at the same time. A simple acorn shaped helmet was worn and interwoven steel plates hung down to cover the back of the Arridi warrior's neck. Standard weapons used by the infantry were a lightweight saber and a bow. The cavalrymen carried a similar arsenal of weapons with the addition of a slender lance which they could also use when dismounted. According to Halt, the Arridi were the most effective fighting force in the world, rivaled only by the vicious Temujai, and according to Horace they had the Skandians as rivals as well.

Trivia[]

  • The Arridi are based on Eastern cultures such in Northern Africa as well as Arabia.
  • The Bedullin are the equivalent of the modern day Bedouin tribes. The Bedullin's name also resembles the name Bedouin.


References[]

  1. Scorpion Mountain, ch 16
  2. Slaves of Socorro
  3. The Caldera
  4. Scorpion Mountain, ch. 30
  5. Scorpion Mountain, ch. 16
  6. Scorpion Mountain, chapter 5
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