Tolmas
Across the western desert wastes from D’Image lies the country of Tolmas. The hardships of desert travel make commerce and visitation between D’Image and Tolmas almost negligible. Most of the year the desert storms keep caravans out of the wastelands, but occasionally they get through, carrying the much-coveted spices grown only in the moderate coastlands beyond the Marta mountains.
Tolmas is a theocracy, ruled by the Shataan (similar to a monarch) who is both the secular and religious leader, and the citizens’ council of magistrates, called the Hatyia. The capitol city is Martagina, nestled in the mountains next to the river Rhan, which carries merchant ships out to the ocean and a few miles further into the mountains, before becoming innavigable.
Tolmas is a patriarchal society where citizenship and land ownership is a strictly male privilege. Women are viewed as objects of adoration and worship; their only responsibilities are within their households. They have little choice about the course of their lives, as their fathers or husbands make all decisions for them.
Membership in the Hatyia (the council of magistrates) is by appointment or inheritance, it is a somewhat democratic entity, legislating laws and taxation. The magistrates gather 4 times each year at the Shataan’s court to hold council. The rest of the year they are dispersed to govern their respective provinces.
The Tolman military is at the heart of the nations culture and society. Flanked on north and south by hostile neighbors, bordering Martagina. Female slaves most often end up in the harems of military leaders and heroes, rewards for service well done. The unfortunate female slaves end up in brothels, but never at manual labor.
Tolmas is best known around the world for two things: precious spices and fine horses. Fragrant spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper and nutmeg are a large commercial export product. Much of the rich coastal plains are used to grow these spices. Teas and essence oils are also produced from the raw spices as an export product.