The Al’hazir are the people of the sands, dwelling in the large Khepri Desert that lies between the realms of the humans and the elves. The Kiwa Mountains rim the desert to the northeast, and the Dragontail Mountains to the northwest, serving as borders between the Al’hazir lands and those of the Xheng and Runa, respectively. Most of the Khepri itself is bare, consisting of great windswept dunes, but there are also many substantial trade routes that cross and come together at oases and the cities of Uquair, Farasan, and Zulfi. In climate, the Khepri is dry and very hot, nearly insufferable in the summertime, and only slightly more bearable in the wintertime when the only rain is known to fall. The temperatures fluctuate dangerously when the sun sets, and unprepared travelers have suffered or even died from the effects of the bitter cold desert nights.
Said to be the descendents of the Legati, the Al’hazir have long been a nomadic people whose economy is rooted in trade. Before the founding of the three major cities, most Al’hazir lived in wandering tribes, facilitating trade between the different nations of Terra. It was the need for a commercial center that cities such as Farasan came to be built, and the port city of Zulfi was founded so that Al’hazir merchants could expand their trade network to places accessible only by boat. Each of the three major cities is home to a great and prosperous market, where goods from many countries are bought, traded, or sold: silk, spices, inks, and tea from Xheng; Runa’s finest pottery and wool; whimsical items out of the imp lands; and sweet golden honey and elegant jewelry from the elves of Lisht. Al’hazir exports include thread and finely woven cloth, alchemical components harvested from the flora and fauna of the Khepri, gold, silver, perfumes, and fine ceramics. Many rich merchants and their families have settled in the cities, fostering the foundations of urban culture. The sons of higher-ranking members of society often travel to one of the three major cities in order to receive an education at the academic institutions there.
Because of the isolated nature of Uquair, Farasan, and Zulfi relative to one another, and the still-extant nomadic traditions of certain tribes, Al’hazir government remains largely decentralized, with rulers governing each individual city and portion of land as something of an independent city-state. The city of Uquair is colloquially referred to as the capital, and is headed by clan Habih, regarded as the most powerful merchant-family in all of Al’hazir. Once per year, the rulers of the different cities come together in Uquair to hold court, for the purposes of making decisions for the lands as a whole.
A great festival is typically held in Uquair at this time, a grand celebration of Al’hazir culture. There is much singing and tale-telling—two of the Al’hazir’s most sacred traditions—recounting especially the race’s nomadic beginnings. The festival also includes dancing, demonstrations of magic tricks, richly ornamented costumes of bright colors, and feasting. Along with their vibrant culture, the Al’hazir have contributed to the fields of mathematics, philosophy, and literature, in addition to producing several wizards of considerable power and world renown.
In Al’hazir society, as in many others of Terra, the eldest son of any given family has claim to the inheritance of his father’s fortune and business, while the younger sons help with the business or seek out other occupations, if they can afford the education required of a scholar, or the talents of a mage or a warrior. Families usually marry their daughters off into other clans as a way to form alliances or secure important trade arrangements. Overall, a strong emphasis is placed on family and loyalty to one’s clan and kin. There are, of course, exceptions to these general norms, and many Al’hazir leave the desert to settle or adventure elsewhere.