Patera Project: Rajahstan
by Andrew TheisenRAJAHSTAN
Location: Patera, Far Side.
Area: Approximately 535,000 sq. mi.
Population: Approximately 2,000,000 Rakasta (various breeds).
Language: Various.
Coinage: Guru (25 gp), rupee (5 gp), bhani (2 ep), khundar (sp),
piaster (cp).
Technology Level: Iron Age, steel forged.
Government Type: Twelve allied realms, united under the Spiritual
Council. Each realm is ruled by a mixture of theocracy and
monarchy.
Industries: ?
Description: The nation of Rajahstan is made up of twelve
autonomous city-states, that are loosely allied as a nation. The
realm has strong Sindhi influence, as well as Komporan influence
(from their nearby neighbours). Many of the rulers are Rakshasa
(see notes below). The southern portion of Rajahstan is populated
by a few thousand pygmy Rakasta, who are tribal and outside of the
influence of the government.
Notable Sites: ?
History: The nation of Rajahstan has strong ties to the nation of
Kompor-Thap. The Pachydermions taught the Rakasta of Rajahstan the
technology of crop domestication and tool usage many centuries ago.
The two nations have had sporadic conflicts over the years. Over
the centuries, various city-states have arisen in Rajahstan, with
varying areas of influence.
A major turning point in the history of the realm occurred c. 250
AC (Mystaran calendar), when a stray warband of Pyrithians landed
in the area of Rajahstan. They attempted to enslave the savage
Rakasta living there, but were repulsed. They fled the moon, taking
with them hundreds of Rakasta of various breeds as slaves. They
then landed on Mystara, where they established the Kingdom of
Emerond.
C. 300 AC, massive numbers of Rakasta slaves fled Emerond. Some
went east, along the Davanian coast and settled; of those, some
eventually ended up in the Thanegioth Archipelago. A vast majority
went west, and migrated upwards along the Serpent Peninsula, where
they eventually ended up in Sind, and became assimilated into the
Sindhi culture.
In 425 AC, Minrothad traders brought lycanthropy with them to
Sind. Most forms of lycanthropy killed the Rakasta outright, but
those inflicted with weretiger lycanthropy became strangely
altered. They were transformed into powerful members of their
species, and gradually began to influence the Rakasta populations
in Sind. The first 'Rakshasa' were created.
During the purge of lycanthropes in 450 AC, all Rakasta (inflicted
or not) were driven out of Sind. Most Rakasta fled westward
(pursued by lycanthrope hating Lupins, no less) and ended up in the
Savage Coastal region, where they eventually founded the nation of
Bellayne.
The powerful Rakshasa, however, fled back to their home of Patera,
and settled once more into the nation of Rajahstan, bringing Sindhi
ways and cultures with them- at least those aspects of Sindhi
culture they liked. These Sindhi ways meshed with cultural aspects
brought over from Kompor-Thap and gave the nation its unique
culture.
More recently, responding to increasing dangers from Myoshima and
Selimpore, the various city-states of Rajahstan agreed to form an
alliance against outside aggressors. The Spiritual Council, the
overall ruling body of Rajahstan, was founded in 925 AC.
Important Figures:
Flora and Fauna:
OTHER NOTES:
1) Rakshasa: There are mentions of Rakshasa (probably editorial errors) in the entry on Shahjapur in the PWAs. My take on the Mystaran Rakshasa is basically that they are just Rakasta inflicted with were-tiger lycanthropy; they are bigger, stronger, invulnerable to non-magical or non-silvered weapons in both Rakasta and Tiger form (which are their only two forms), and tend to be powerful Shamans and Wokani (or Clerics and Magic-Users). They also tend to be the leaders of Rajahstan, though not necessarily evil. Also, a White Tiger sort of thing (similar to Kompor-Thap) may or may not be in effect.
2) Culture: Rajahstan as I have it
is less like India (we already have Sind), and more like the
city-state nations of "Hinduised" SE Asia. There is a strong
"Buddhist" (Kompor-Thap) and "Hindu" (Sind) influence, though the
area lacks certain aspects of both- notably, there is no caste
system like in Sindhi society.