Capital: Khalifar
Total Population: 210,000 (60% Eloysians, 25% Hakeen, 10% Kratheri, 5% other)
City Population: 158,000 (living within the walls)
Demi-humans: 25,000 (40% elves, 30% dwarves, 30% halflings)
Humanoids: many (mostly orcs, lizard-men, serpent folk)
Government: City-State
Current Leader: Caliph Hasan Derizi
Coat of Arms: A silver three-pointed triskelion upon a royal blue field.
Exports: exotic pelts, spices, furs, crafts
Once the farthest eastern colony of the lost Eloysian Empire, the city of Khalifar is now a prosperous and fully independent city-state. Called by many the "City of Adventure." Khalifar is located along the rocky cliffs of the Isle of Sharavan; located adjacent to the western coast of the continent of Za'har, Khalifar is the gateway to that strange and exotic continent.
The city is also a thriving seaport, for many vessels dock here to load up on exotic metals, goods, and pelts from the continent’s interior, before sailing off west to Corwyn, Azoria, or the islands realms of the Vhan Myr. Past the towering cliffs of the city, is a narrow inlet into a gentle lagoon, where hundreds of ships from all over the known world can be found, docked to one of the dozens stone and timber piers that stretch forth like a spider web from the city's harbor district.
To protect itself, the city-state has a standing army of over 5,000 Knights of the Triskelion, and a powerful navy of 25 vessels. In time of war, as many as 20,000 men can be called up by the Caliphate.
Local History
The history of Khalifar is steeped in blood and tradition. 3,000 years ago, the city and the island where it stands was part of Old Xhola; an ancient Hakeen empire that once dominated much of Za'har. Unfortunately for the Hakeen people, in the year AR -552, Old Xhola was conquered and destroyed by the Deskari; a barbaric demon-worshiping people from Khorovia.
When old Xhola fell, the small Hakeen city of Khalifar became independent. Over the next century, the city resisted several Deskari invasions. Eventually, Khalifar began to wither, due to the curse of the Blight and the subsequent loss of trade with mainland Za'har.
Around this time, the city came to be ruled by a militant order called the Knights of the Triskelion, who fought against the demon-spawn hordes of the Blight. The knights of the Triskelion spent so much of their strength fighting demons that when a large Imperial fleet sent by Emperor Abu-Malik II arrived from Azoria in the year AR 497, they welcomed their aid in their campaign.
For the next thirty years, Khalifar enjoyed prosperous trade with the Eloysians. That all ended with the reign of Emperor Tariq "the Deceiver." Through celver deception, Tariq was able to position the Saffron Legion to overthrow the rulers of Khalifar, and in the year AR 528, he successfully conquered the city-state.
At this point, Khalifar became the farthest eastern Eloysian colony and was ruled by Imperial Hamanids sent from Sanjakar. Once the Empire collapsed in the year AR 2079, Khalifar became independent once again, and has remained so until the present day.
