Culture
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Alhambra is a land of desert sand, of beautiful cities, of ancient tombs, and exotic trade. The land is mostly peaceful, ruled in most places by hereditary matriarchy. The primary religion of the land is the worship of Ab and Umm however some of the desert tribes worship the Djinn the children of Ab and Umm.

For the common folk there is farming (near the great river, or small irrigated patches), goat herding, and bee keeping as primary agricultural endeavors. Trading is a major source of income, exotic spices that grow only in Alhambra or the lands beyond the mountains, honey, wool and felt, dates, nuts, rare metals, and even the sands of Alhambra have value in the making of fine glass.

Alhambra is also know for it's fine horses. These horses have a distinct look and are known for their endurance, intelligence, and willingness to work hard for a master they respect. They make for excellent long distance riding horses, as well as for war horses. They are much loved and many fine horses through-out the Golden Circle have at least some Alhambran blood in them.

Disputes that cannot be handled civilly are often handled by dueling. For the rich this is often accomplished by Sword Dancers; trained men and women who battle in formalized duels for the honor and satisfaction of their patron. The poor settle similar disputes with a time honored form of knife dueling that echos the formal duels of Sword Dancers.

There are rumors of a less savory method of dealing with one's rivals. A secretive group of Assassins the Fedayeen.


Festivals

Nowruz


OOCly, while Alhambra draws influence from ancient desert cultures including Arabia and Egypt, there are key differences in culture. Namely, the role of women. It is a Queen that rules the shadow, and the tradition is one that goes back for thousands of years. Women hold positions of power, seen as the bringers of life and magic. This, however, does not mean that men are not without their place. They are the guardians, and they too hold their own power.

Alhambra, for the most part, has been a peaceful nation since as long as anyone can remember. Not that they're without their scuffles, or armies to protect the land. More than one family has found itself exiled from one Shadow, only to have Alhambra open their arms in offering of sanctuary.

The one exception to this rule seems to be Cibola, many Alhambrans holding a quiet hatred for the land and those from it. This stems back to one, singular event— the supposed theft of a godshard from a sacred temple just outside of the Royal City by Cibolans.

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