Faction- The Meshket Clans

The Meshket Clans
Languages: Meshketi, Nomadic, Common

The Meshket are characterized by their optical technology and their toughness. Many of them eke out a a life in the desert, scavenging whatever they need to get by. However, a few cities have been built near ports, oasis and major trade routes. These serve as centers of military, economic and cultural power where scholars and nobles reside.

First among these cities is The City of Glass, the technological capital of all the world. Here, Meshketi scholars have mastered the art of prism technology. A giant crystal dome covers the city, protecting it from physical and magical attacks. In addition, this dome is focused to funnel the heat of the sun into the heart of the city allowing it to store heat from the desert sun. This heat is used to regulate the temperature of the city as well as provide power for magical devices and fearsome weapons.
The City of Glass is ruled by the Sultan Jahri of the Almit dynasty, a long line of rulers from the founding of the city. He commands the city and the surrounding areas with an iron fist, subjugating the local tribes and farmers with his legions of feared Janissaries. His administration relies on the law of Sharia, with religious scholars enforcing the law. Other matters are handled by a corps of Viziers, wielders of magic and sun. The Guild of Glass is his steadfast ally, whose artificiers repair fhe Dome of Glass and continue to create new devices that harness the power of prism and sun. The Guild of Glass is controlled by the Almit family, who have a long history in the glass-making industry.

Sharia
The Meshketi value community above all. All Meshket are part of the Shar'ia, or community which is also the name for common law. Top scholars of Sharia serve as judges and lawyers for the community. Each tribe selects their leaders differently. In the City of Glass, the Sultan is a hereditary ruler and has an executory role, and is technically subserviant to the Sharia. This is often not the case.
Sharia has two subsets. Halal: things that are approved, Haram: things that are banned. Anything not covered by these subsets is Habib, inconsequential.

Major tenets of Sharia
Halal
-Sacrificing yourself for the protection of innocents and allies, or the cause of Shar'ia
-Accepting and returning the aid of allies
-Giving charity to the poor
-Showing mercy to the weak or helpless

Haram
-Taking the law into your own hands. The guilty must be judged by a scholar of legal respect.
-Apostasy (Impersonating a deity, worshipping idols and false gods)
-Eating tainted food, consuming intoxicating substances (Alchohol)
-Adultery and premarital sex
-Fornication and prostitution
-Murder, and Theft
-Welching on debts
-Usuary
-Wielding necromancy or black magic
-Suicide and self-inflicted torture

Habib
-The practice of allowed magic
-Accepting enchantments of allowed magic
-Indulging in sanctioned concubines before and after marriage
-Reforming a law under Sharia
-Indulging in mercenary practice
-Self defense
-A marriage outside of the Sharia
In the case of marriage, the outside party must be inducted into Sharia. Otherwise, the marriage will be Haram

Other Clauses
Since the war with the Stellar Remnant, Sharia has had to change because of the Neogi's ability to control minds and wield perverse magics.
-An undead member of the Sharia is no longer considered a person, and exempt from the protections of Sharia
-Undead and aberrations are not considered persons, and the laws of Sharia are inapplicable to them