Calimshan

Calimshan was a nation which covered the southern corner of West Faerûn, including the Calim Desert and the Spider Swamp. Calishite was the name given to an inhabitant of Calimshan. The term "Calimite" was a severe insult. "Calishites" was also used to describe the human ethnicity that appeared as though they came from Calimshan. Successor of Coramshan, Calimshan's capital was the sprawling port-city of Calimport, home to emperor Syl-Pasha Ralan el Pesarkhal and the many powerful wealthy nobles called pashas. Other major cities includes Memnon and the coastal city of Schamedar.

The pervading view of the average Calishite was they were the rightful rulers of all the land south and west of the Sea of Fallen Stars. They had a tendency to look on the northern cultures as being short lived barbarian cultures barely being worthy of notice. This however did not stop them with trading with these nations as they are trading rivals with Waterdeep.

Climate
From the deserts to western shores to the swamps in the east and plains in between, Calimshan provided for a range of environs.

Trade
This like the other nations in the Land of Intrigue, was built heavily on trade and the culture was as dependent on trade as any other nation.

Society
As with the rest of Faerûn, this was a heavily human country. The history of the Calishites led them to have deeply rooted ties to the Genies and Efreet that long since have left the lands. The blood of these beings was said to still be with its peoples lending for exceptional skill in the arcane arts of fire.

Social Status
Status was measured not in wealth in and of itself but in the ability to live comfortably in that wealth. As such they looked down upon those who lived off the charity of others and those that adventure.

In addition to the desire for the status and wealth on the surface, a strong drive for strength in the underworld of trade was also present. A tradition of lying, cheating, backstabbing, blackmail, and respect for the host made the dealings of this underworld a local fair. Women were not seen as equals except in the underworld trade.

Government
The government of Calimshan was composed of a hierarchical government. The largest of these governments was located in Calimport the capital. Each city modeled its system after the imperfect system of the capital city. At the head of each hierarchy was a Pasha. The Syl-Pasha Ralan el Pesarkhal was the supreme ruler who lived in the grand palace in Calimport and he would never receive an audience, not even for a deity. The Grand-Vizier might listen to important matters, but this was one of the greatest flaws of the Calimshan government. Like the Syl-Pasha, the neighboring Pashas divvied up power among their Sultans. The Sultans delegated power to a single Vizier who handles law and order. The Sultan or Prince also gives magistrates the power to handle civil matters such as water, roads, or structures. Inside the cities corruption is rampant and the real power is said to be in the hands of organized crime factions. Outside of the cities are the warlords and bandits who assert dominion over the area hoping to become sultans themselves or are content to rape and pillage what they find in the harsh desert land.

Other Important Factions
Black Raiders

Deadly bandits covered in tattoos which indicate the level of their allegiance. Their clothes are completely black with the purpose to strike fear in the caravans traveling between Calimport and Memnon. They leave no one alive in their attacks which lead many to suspect they are a used as a political tool for the Sultans to keep the wealthy merchant class from gaining too much power.

Major Geographical Features
The Marching Mountains

This landmark had three major Calimshan rivers that ran through it. Somewhere in the mountains there was once a dwarven kingdom called High Shalantar. Like many of the Shield dwarf kingdoms this was also abandoned thousands of years ago and is forever lost. There were monasteries scattered in the mountains and some of which acted as caretakers of special prisons for the worst dregs of the surrounding cities.

The Calim Desert

Calimshan was famous for this desert which reflected a definitive Arabian ambiance. A single major highway ran through it from Calimport to Memnon where caravans dodged bandits from various raider factions. The most impressive and feared faction of the desert were the Dark Raiders who leave no survivors.

The Shining Sea

Some of the bluest crystal clear water maked up the Shining Sea. The Sea rested south of Calimshan and linked lucrative trade to Chult, the Shaar, Tharsult and countless other places. The Shining Sea was famous for many good reasons, because not only was it a hub of trade for wealthy sea captains, but it was also a wellspring of history and adventure for any swashbuckler or corsair.

Ancient
During the oldest known history of the area, the forest of Keltormir covered the land and elves and giant-kin battled amidst its depths. Primitive humans migrated to different points around the area while ancient dwarves founded Deep Shanatar.

In -7800 DR, the djinn arrived (along with their human and halfling slaves) in the area around where Calimport would later stand and founded the Calim Empire; clearing much of the forest that previously stood as well as driving out the dragons that ruled the area. By -7690 DR, led by their djinn noble namesake, the Calim Empire had expanded north to the southern banks of the River Agis. In -6800 DR the efreeti Memnon arrived north of the Agis and began constructing the country of Memnonnar. After three centuries, the two civilizations became hostile and the situation came to a head in -6500 DR during the time known as the Era of Skyfire. That battle lasted four hundred years and so scorched the land that the warring factions inadvertently created the Calim Desert. It only ended with the intervention of elves in -6100 DR who bound the two into a gem known as the Calimemnon Crystal.

Coramshan
By -6060 DR the last of the genies were driven out by humans and dwarves and the human nation of Coramshan was founded by Coram the Warrior, combining the remains of the two fallen empires. Calimport was also built around this time. Coramnshan underwent many expansions and contractions over the next four-thousand years. At its height, it extended from present-day Amn all the way south to the Chultan Peninsula. Dynastic strife and various other ills ultimately cost Coramnshan much of the territory, but it consistently maintained its power by trading goods between predominant powers to the north and south.

After the rise of Jhaamdath around -5800 DR, Coramshan began a struggle with the burgeoning psionic empire over the Lake of Steam. This was settled in -5005 DR when they signed a truce limiting Coramshan's expansion in that area. Coramshan was also renamed Calimshan around this time.

Post-Spellplague
As of 1479 DR, the land of Calimshan had been ripped asunder by the events known as the Second Era of Skyfire. After the Spellplague, the Calimemnon Crystal, prison of the efreet Memnon and the djinn Calim, shattered. The released creatures resumed their hostilities that dated back to the First Era of Skyfire (c. -6500 DR).

In the wake of the return of Calim and Memnon, many of the residents of Calimshan, presumed to be human, cast off their long held disguises and revealed themselves to be genasi. These descendants of the elemental powers pledged themselves to either fire or air, took over the cities of Memnon and Calimport respectively, and joined the war between the efreets and djinns.

The Second Era of Skyfire lasted until 1450 DR (the Year of Holy Thunder) when both Memnon and Calim were banished back to Elemental Chaos by an unknown event. They left in their wake a devastated Calimshan, torn by the remaining genasi warlords. The genasi of Calimshan are notorious for their treatment of humans as slaves and their constant fighting across the Calim Desert.

The events of the Second Era of Skyfire left the metropolis of Suldolphor a blasted ruin where rogue djinn and efreets still clash. The last bastion of order in the region lies in the last human controlled city, the fortress of Almraiven. Once an intellectual mecca and center of magical research, Almraiven weathered the Spellplague and resisted its own genasi uprising. Currently, the WeavePasha protects the city from the ravages of the war that rages across the rest of the land, but his powers are waning.

Major Cities

 * Almraiven : (pop. 43,652)
 * Calimport : (pop. 192,795)
 * Memnon : (pop. 29,101)
 * Suldolphor : (pop. 143,687 in 1374 DR, pop. 0 (annihilated) in 1479 DR)
 * Manshaka : (pop. 100,495) (Was the capital city for a short time.)

Personalities
Calimshan was home of the assassin Artemis Entreri, who is renowned for his longstanding feud with Drizzt Do'Urden.

Behind the scenes
Calimshan is modeled after the Ottoman Empire, as well as Arab culture.