Lands of the Nile Chapter Eight: Ethiopia

See Also

• The Ars Magica Reference Document
• The Lands of the Nile Open Content page
• The Lands of the Nile product page on this wiki

Chapter Eight: Ethiopia

Ethiopia boasts a rich legacy. Once called the Kingdom of Punt, then the Empire of Axum, by the thirteenth century the Ethiopian Empire is an amalgamation of many smaller kingdoms, each ruled by a "negus." Agaw, Bet Amhara, Medri Bahri, and Shewa compose the core of a Christian culture isolated from Europe by hostile tribes and tributary Muslim territories. The Dahlak Sultanate controls the islands off Ethiopia's central coast, and Muslim merchants and corsairs rule the Red Sea. Tribes of pagans and Blemmyae occupy the lands to the north and west. The southern border is commanded by the sultans of Adal, Hadiya, and Ifat. The Torrid Zone, that region of scorching heat discussed in Art & Academe (page 27) and Between Sand & Sea (pages 13–14), lies even further to the south, through sultry, impenetrable jungles.

The territory of Ethiopia extends from the Semien Mountains and Takkaze River in the west, to the Blemmyae occupied hills to the north, to the Ganale and Wabe Shebele rivers to the south, and the inhospitable Danakil desert and the Bab-al-Mandab strait in the east. The tall escarpments and rich salt flats of the Great Rift Valley very clearly mark the division between highland and lowland. Treasured above all, however, the Blue Nile spills out of Lake Tana and carves through rock and earth as it flows through Nubian valleys on its long pilgrimage to Egypt. While they may have been the same realm in antiquity, this is not the land of the Mythic Aithiopes (see Chapter 9).

History

The ancient Egyptians believed Ethiopia was the home of the gods and the resting place of the Sun, a kingdom known as Punt. They sent trade expeditions there for ebony and ivory, frankincense and myrrh, gold, slaves, skins, and live animals. Herodotus' writings place Ethiopia in the mountains beyond Nubia, south and east of the Nile. Ptolemy's works say it was once ruled by King Cepheus and his wife, Cassiopeia, monarchs who came into conflict with the Greek gods in the stories of Perseus.

Despite this heritage in classic mythology, Ethiopia's remote location and its isolation from the rest of the Mediterranean made it a culture that shared its roots with Mythic Europe, but survived and evolved apart from it, creating distinct but subtle differences. The collapse of the Roman empire combined with the rise of Islam and the overambitious mistakes of the Axumite Emperor in the seventh century resulted in a long period of turmoil and decline. Axum lost its formerly close ties with Constantinople and Egypt, and saw trade around the Red Sea greatly suffer. Only in the last eighty years has the Zagwe dynasty managed to establish its rule and bring order to the wider region.

The Axumite Empire

Emerging from antiquity, the kingdom of Axum flourished and expanded as Rome declined. The difficult terrain of the Egyptian deserts and mountains of Kush separated the nations, and Axum blossomed throughout the Horn of Africa and Yemen. While geography deterred warfare, it wasn't enough to prevent trade, and merchants brought goods to and from the Roman empire, the Persian empire of Ctesiphon, the lands of southern Arabia, and beyond. When the kingdom of Kush collapsed, the negus of Axum sent armies north, crushing the Blemmyae in Meroë. Hungry for more, Axumite forces crossed the Red Sea and in 525 AD Emperor Kaleb's generals conquered the Jewish city-states of South Arabia. Axum expanded to include 21st-century Ethiopia and Eritrea, portions of Sudan's southeastern mountains, and southern Arabia from Najran to the southeast Yemeni coast. The emperor's influence dominated most of the Red Sea's southern shores, from Adulis to Zeila and through the Bab-al-Mandab strait to the Erythean Sea. For 250 years, the Axumite Emperors minted gold, silver, and even copper coins. The emperor in Constantinople traded correspondence with them, and the priests of their church attended synods in Greece and the Levant. As barbarians rampaged across what remained of the western Roman empire, Axum stood shining in the south.

The Conversion of Axum

Some claim a eunuch of Queen Candace or the Apostle Matthew first brought Christianity to Ethiopia, but no local stories exist about these figures and regional tradition credits two brothers from Tyre for Axum's conversion in the 4th century. Traveling through the Red Sea with their uncle, Meropius, only Edesius and Frumentius survived when a violent mob massacred the crew after the ship put to shore for supplies. The pagan raiders sold them as slaves to the Axumite court, where they tutored the young Prince Ezana in Latin and Greek. As Emperor Elle Amida lay on his deathbed, he emancipated them, permitting the brothers to return to Tyre. However, the widowed empress asked them to remain and complete the prince's education. Realizing the value of their proximity to the future emperor, they stayed and encouraged Christian merchants to openly worship. Edesius and Frumentius found their position very useful for promoting the spread of Christianity among the native Ethiopians.

Once Ezana took his rightful place as emperor, the brothers finally decided to return to their homeland. Edesius completed the journey, and told his tale to the bishop of Tyre, who had him ordained as a priest. Frumentius only traveled as far as Alexandria, in Egypt. There, he explained to the Patriarch Athanasius his belief that the whole empire of Axum would convert to Christianity, if only the Church would send a missionary entourage of priests, led by a bishop. Athanasius believed no one alive would have a better chance of success than Frumentius. He consecrated the man on the spot, made him a bishop, and directed him to spread the Word of God in Axum. Frumentius obeyed, returning to baptize Ezana, his former student and friend. Utilizing the emperor's support, Frumentius supervised the construction of churches and the spread of Christianity throughout Axum, even traveling into Nubia and Yemen. The people called him "Abba Salama (Father of Peace)," and "Kesate Birhan (Revealer of Light)," while Ezana declared him to be the first abuna, the equivalent of a pope or patriarch. He led the Church in Axum until his death in 386 AD. In 1220, the Ethiopian Church considers him a saint and his feast day is August 1, or Nehase 7 in the Ethiopian calendar detailed later in this section.

Years later, a group of nine saints arrived in Axum, following the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. Known as Abba Aftse, Abba Alef, Abba Aragawi, Abba Garima, Abba Guba, Abba Liqanos, Abba Pantelewon, Abba Sehma, and Abba Yem'ata, they preached a form of Christianity known as Monophysitism. This philosophy denied any difference between the human and the divine aspects of Christ, and while Christians in Nubia and Egypt followed it, the Council of Chalcedon declared it heretical. Following the Rule of Saint Pachomius, these saints established monasteries throughout Axum, which both became the foundation for a strong monastic lifestyle and served to further spread Christianity into the heart of Axum. Abba Aftse created a monastery at Yeha, which ultimately failed. Abba Aragawi created the important monastery of Debre Damo and Abbas Liqanos and Pantelewon established Pantelewon Monastery in Axum, both in Bet Amhara. Abba Garima built the Abba Garima Monastery north of Adwa, and Abba Alef built the northernmost monastery at Bi'isa on the south bank of the Mareb River, both in Medri Bahri. Legend tells that the spring near Abba Garima Monastery began flowing when the Abba spat upon the stones, and its waters supposedly grant long life.

The Dragon Ceto, The Leviathan

When Queen Cassiopeia claimed she and her daughter were more beautiful than all of Poseidon's nereids, the god responded by unleashing the dragon Ceto, and directing it to devastate the country's coasts and ports. Even after Perseus defeated it, Jewish tales of the Leviathan kept it vital and active, harassing local traffic to gather the benefits of sailors' fear and superstition. It still hunts the waters of the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, flying between the two as whimsy strikes it.

The Dragon Ceto

Faerie Might: 45 (Aq)

Characteristics: Int 0, Per –2, Pre –6, Com –6, Str +21, Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik –10

Size: +10

Virtues and Flaws: Huge x5, Increased Might x3; Faerie Beast, Fae Sight, Faerie Speech, Feast of the Fae, Highly Cognizant, Improved Characteristics, Lesser Faerie Power x4, Personal Faerie Power x2; Monstrous Appearance, Recovery Requires Vitality; Role Requires Suffering, Susceptible to Deprivation, Traditional Ward (Payment: those who pay the sacrifice)

Personality Traits: Destructive +3, Inquisitive +3, Dragon +3

Reputations: Ravenous destroyer of the coasts 3 (Greece), Massive Sea Serpent 2 (local)

Combat:

Claws: Init –1, Attack +11, Defense +10, Damage +24

Fangs: Init –10, Attack +14, Defense –5 Damage +22

Soak: +16

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–15), –3 (16–30), –5 (31–45), Incapacitated (46–60), Dead (61+)

Pretenses: Area Lore: Red Sea Coasts 3 (Ports), Awareness 3 (prey), Brawl 7 (crushing), Faerie Speech 5 (sounding intimidating), Folk Ken 1 (human prey), Hunt 4 (people), Stealth 3 (stalking prey)

Powers:

Corrosive Odor, 5 points, constant, Auram: Ceto constantly emits a corrosive, terrible odor, doing +5 Damage to anyone within one pace of it. MuAu 25 (Base 5, +1 Part, +2 Sun, +1 Constant): Lesser Power (25 levels)

Venomous Bite (non-magical): When Ceto attacks, check its attack advantage to the armor protection of the target, not the Soak. If it exceeds this number, add the effects of adder venom to the attack (ArM5, page 180) regardless of whether it causes a wound.

Flight, 2 points, Init –14, Animal: R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Individual; Ceto is capable of flight. It may use the Athletics skill to perform difficult maneuvers, but may not engage in combat while flying incredibly swiftly. Ceto may not fly when heavily encumbered or with a passenger of its Size or more, unless assisted by another faerie that shares the load. ReAn 40 (Base 15, +2 Sun, +3 Size): Personal Power x2 (40 levels, –2 Might Cost)

Fiery Breath, 6 points, Init –26, Ignem: R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Group; Ceto breathes an enormous gout of flame. All those caught within a 60-degree arc 50 paces long suffer +20 damage. CrIg 40 (Base 15, +2 Voice, +2 Size, +1 Unnatural Shape): Lesser Power x2 (40 levels, –2 Might Points)

Lantern Gaze, 5 points, Init –20, Ignem: R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Individual; Immensely bright light shines from Ceto's eyes, illuminating its way. CrIg 25 (Base 5, +2 Sun, +2 Size): Lesser Power (25 levels)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: There are 9 pawns of Aquam in the scales over its eyes.

Appearance: A massive serpent with fin-like wings and glowing yellow eyes. Its dark green-black scales are like shields and it emits a terrible, corrosive odor. Its breath boils oceans and it causes waves in its wake. It is as large as a cog or trireme.

Design Note: Ceto is not appropriate as a player character.

Story Seed: The Great Sea Serpent

Ceto now enjoys its role as the leviathan, a breaker of ships and terror of the seas. It trails and attacks those vessels that fail to make the proper superstitious sacrifices. It is careful not to destroy too many craft, doing so near shore, and preferring merchants over fishermen, because survivors who reach shore are more likely to carry its tale far and wide.

When the magi manage to prevent their ship's destruction, or chase off the faerie with the first proverbial "bloody nose" it has suffered in a long time, the dragon takes offense and sees their group as a challenge and worthy rival, contesting their use of the seas whenever possible. It harries their ships, specifically targeting related ships while leaving the covenant's craft alone and thus building the covenant an unlucky reputation among sailors and ports. It conceals its ability to operate in and out of the water until dramatically appropriate, rising out of the water to reveal its greater power when it has the most impact. It is playing the role of the great rival and reoccurring threat, and is delighted to have such foes to play opposite it.

It is entirely possible that Ceto may decide the covenant's territory belongs to it and aid the magi should they face another foe, feeling that no other group or being is permitted to decide when the covenant will be destroyed — that is a privilege which belongs uniquely to the dragon. Ceto is not content to allow the rivalry to linger on for too long; when the story has run its course, and as the magi no longer consider it a threat but rather a hazard to be managed, it forces a battle where it either "dies," or destroys its greatest foes.

The Fall of Axum

A pair of events greatly contributed to the fall of the Axum Empire. The rise of Islam created a difficult situation along the Red Sea coast as the converted population became more hostile to anyone who was not Muslim. Axum lost contact with Constantinople after Egypt was conquered and the sultan of Cairo imposed many restrictions. The sultan forbade the Patriarch of Alexandria to appoint a new abuna to the Ethiopian Church until the negus paid a fee for the privilege. The negative shift in regional relations became a crisis when the Axumite governor of Southern Arabia gathered an army in the city of Najran and declared his domain's independence. Emperor Armah sent forces to pacify the traitorous governor, but they were routed shortly after arrival. This loss of the Arabian lands was compounded when the Nubian provinces took advantage of the disruption and broke away from Imperial rule. The scattered and demoralized armies failed to prevent their secession. Encouraged by the separation of the northern lands and fueled by the growing faith of Islam, rebellions flared in Adal, Ifat, and Yemen, leaving Axum reduced and isolated over a period of 250 years. The last minted imperial coins bear the name of Emperor Armah, from the year 614.

The city of Axum managed to remain politically important until the second half of the tenth century. The death knell of the fading empire came in the form of an internal revolt, led by the Jewish queen Gudit in 960. Burning churches and crushing any central authority, she ravaged the countryside and left a patchwork of small, personal hereditary fiefdoms in her wake. Her name in the Amharic language is Isat, or "Fire." A few survivors of the ruling classes escaped into Bet Amhara and Agaw, to the south. For almost 200 years afterward, the once extensive and far-flung imperial trade became nothing more than barter between settlements. The capital of Axum remained inhabited, and its ruler still claimed the title of negus, but the Axumite Empire was truly gone. Similar to the situation after the demise of Rome, the only broad authority belonged to the Ethiopian Church.

The Lay of the Land

The actual division of Ethiopia in the 12th and 13th centuries is a nebulous and uncertain matter. From the early 1100s through the late 1200s, there were few monuments raised, few inscriptions carved, and almost no travelers' accounts. In 1220, Ethiopia is beginning to flourish after emerging from the struggles and tribulations of the rule of Gudit and the relative anarchy which previously dominated the landscape. The destruction left the countryside in smoldering ruins. Some churches or communities survived due to their remote or insignificant nature and many sites were abandoned, never to be rebuilt. Poor historical records mean most of these sacked towns are lost to memory. It has taken almost 100 years and three generations, but Emperor Lalibela's rule represents the transition of the culture from one of isolated fiefdoms to a more unified state. We have only the monolithic churches of the city of Roha (later renamed Lalibela in honor of their creator), some documented land grants by Lalibela, and indirect information provided by a few secondary sources. This leaves borders, rulers, and significant personalities as, except in very few instances, matters of conjecture. Whenever possible, history has been faithfully respected, but this also frees the storyguide to shift borders and to create the nobles, generals, and priests necessary for her stories.

The Zagwe Dynasty and the Current State

In 1137, Takla Heymanot defeated the scions of Gudit and declared his Ethiopian state to be the inheritor of the Axumite Empire. This was the beginning of the Zagwe dynasty, based in the old capital of Axum. Descendants of the former Empire's administrators, the Agwe nobility wanted to reclaim lost Imperial glory. For the next 45 years, a series of five brothers and sons ruled over the land in an orderly succession, with Kedus Harbe, the current emperor's predecessor, ascending to the throne in 1180. They reinstated the ancient Axum custom of imprisoning young heirs at the monastery and treasury of Debra Damo when the boys reached the age of thirteen. Under these rulers, the king of Ethiopia once again became an emperor as neighboring lands were subjugated.

The future Emperor Lalibela was born in the town of Roha, in the kingdom of Bet Amhara. After a swarm of bees surrounded him at his birth, his mother named him "Lalibela," meaning "Even the bees acknowledge him" in Ge'ez, as she saw it as foreshadowing his future reign. His brother, Kedus Harbe, seemed to hate Lalibela. When Lalibela's half-sister attempted to poison the boy, popular opinion said Kedus Harbe was behind the plot. Guards killed her in the act and Lalibela took it as a sign from God; he would not go to live in exile at Debra Damo. God wanted Lalibela to visit Jerusalem. As Saladin captured the Holy City in 1187, Lalibela had completed his pilgrimage and was returning through Egypt.

The Lost Regio of the Great Stelae

Erected early in the Axumite history, the great stelae (or "hawilti," singular "hawilt") began as a part of their worship of Mahrem and Astar, the Sun god. The afterlife for the faithful meant a realm of comfortable prosperity, residing with the gods. Acting as royal residences in this spirit world, the three enormous stone obelisks were carved complete with doors and windows and raised in the capital of Axum. Beneath their towering heights, the living could enter subterranean vaults to pay their ancestors rightful homage. Additionally, nobles and priests who knew the secret entrances could pass through the false doors and access this hidden afterlife regio, taking counsel from the combined wisdom of past kings. Unfortunately, as Axum's people, commoner and noble alike, embraced Christianity, the spread of the Divine made accessing the regio difficult, even for the fading priesthood. Emperor Ezana completed the last Great Stele just prior to his conversion to Christianity, never entering its mystical halls. When the priesthood disappeared, the secret of the regio was lost to time.

However, the regio did not collapse. It was merely submerged beneath the Divine aura, and on the night of the winter solstice, the Divine recedes just enough for Faerie to emerge for one short window, allowing easier entry to the regio within. Once inside, the regio takes the form of a vast palace scented with myrrh and decorated with gold and ivory. The ghosts of ancient kings of Axum lounge here, watching their legacy outside. These ghosts speak both Ge'ez, the language of ancient Axum, and fluent Latin, and lament the fortunes of their homeland. They might be convinced to expound upon the elements of their trade with Rome, teach the Ge'ez language, or reveal lost sites of pagan worship and magic.

In Alexandria, Lalibela experienced a vision. He saw Saladin's conquest of Jerusalem and received another directive from God. The Lord told Lalibela he must return to Ethiopia, take the mantle of emperor, and build a new Jerusalem as his capital. When he arrived at Roha later that year, his brother abdicated in favor of Lalibela. Kedus Harbe then retired to Debra Damo, claiming angels showed him his younger brother should be emperor. The construction of Roha's magnificent carved churches began the next year, and finished in 1200. These structures have Biblical names, including the town's river, known as the River Jordan. The city remains the capital of Ethiopia in 1220.

Masqal Kibra is the empress and wife of Lalibela. In 1190, she persuaded Abuna Mikael to name her brother, Hirun, the bishop of Axum and Lasta, a position he still holds. Hirun's scheming caused the abuna to leave Ethiopia and return to Egypt, claiming his authority had been undermined and stolen. This controversy forced the patriarch of Alexandria to visit in person in 1210, bringing the current abuna, a pious man named Yeshaq. Lalibela's cousin is the scheming Na'akueto La'ab, king of Gojjam. As a demonstration of mercy, Lalibela released Na'akueto La'ab from imprisonment in Debra Damo. To demonstrate his piety and loyalty to Lalibela, his cousin built two magnificent churches in Lasta. One is called Wagra Sehin, "among celestials," and the other is Ashetan Maryem, "among terrestrials." Many of the nobility suspect Na'akueto La'ab simply waits for the right time to seize the throne, believing Lalibela weak. The emperor's thirteen-year-old son, Yetbarak, was also excused from imprisonment in Debra Damo. Should your saga follow history, Emperor Lalibela abdicates to Na'akueto La'ab in 1229 so he may retire as a monk in the churches of Roha. This leads to a war of succession between Na'akueto La'ab and Yetbarak. This conflict causes Lalibela to return and assist with his son's eventual victory. Yetbarak then rules until the Solomonic dynasty overthrows him in 1270.

Of Alexander and Pyralaoi

Ranked as one of the four great empires of antiquity, Axum was at the heart of a vast and far-flung trading network stretching from Axum to Cairo and Jerusalem to Rome in the north and from Axum through Adulis and Zeila to Yemen and beyond. The Periplus of the Erythean Sea speaks of a distant kingdom to the south, Azania, near the Torrid Zone, and another to the distant east. The rulers and people of these places are unknown beyond this text, and it details marvelous products, such as pure, strong iron or lustrous pearls the size of a man's fist, and other goods now lost to obscurity, like lakkos chromatinos or spikenard and bdellium incenses. It discusses the heirs of Alexander and their mighty fortresses and the Pyralaoi of the Torrid Zone, or "Fire-people," served by Arab slave clerks. For magi seeking inhabitants at the edges of the world, the Periplus is an invaluable starting point. Using Axum as a home base and referencing the Periplus, a traveler could easily consider voyages into realms once considered fantastic myth.

The Periplus of the Erythean Sea (Latin or Classical Greek)

Tractatus Area Lore: Ethiopia (Quality 5), Area Lore: Erythean Sea Coast (Quality 5), Area Lore: Red Sea Coast (Quality 5), Tractatus Magic Lore (Quality 5)

Author: Unknown, a Roman citizen of 2nd century Egypt, Greek translation by Arrian of Nicomedia

Availability: Very difficult to find, usually in private collections in Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem.

Description: Translated from Latin to Classical Greek by Arrian of Nicomedia, this book discusses the ports, kingdoms, and exports of the lands surrounding the Erythean Sea. Older copies are found as a scroll, but later manuscripts are books. It consists of 66 chapters, most of them about the length of a long paragraph and packed with details.

Ethiopian Culture

Commoners and lords live very similar lifestyles in Ethiopia. Everyone survives primarily by agriculture, raising grains and vegetables, and supplementing their crops with hunting and livestock, such as cattle, donkeys, goats, chickens, and camels. Very few dedicated merchants exist, unless a local lord sponsors one to generate goods for regional tribute or barter. More often than not, communities hold a surplus harvest in reserve, either to protect against famine and drought, or to feed the retinue of the emperor's wandering court.

There are a few ethnic divisions in the country, generally represented by dialects of language (Agaw, Amhara, Tigray, Tigrinya). However, Ethiopians really only consider these differences in situations when no outside threat or enemy is present to unite them. In most cases, Ethiopians consider all Ethiopians equally.

Appearance and Clothing

Ethiopian dress depends on the local climate; what suits the warmth of the lowlands is often impractical in the highlands. People in the lowlands prefer loose fitting cotton, linen, or, in the case of wealthier individuals, silk tunics with long wraps. Lowlanders favor a cloth called shemma, made by weaving long colorful strips with shiny threads into patterns that are then sewn together. Shawls are also very popular. Sandals are the most common footwear, and men prefer round, brimless flat-topped caps. While highlanders like this style of cap, their clothing is more often made from wool, animal skin, and fur, with fewer wraps. The highland terrain demands that boots replace sandals. Cloaks of wool or fur, and heavy vests are common, especially in mountain communities. Men wear trousers beneath their tunics and often carry long, thin sticks. They use these as a canes, walking sticks, or simply hang their arms from them while traveling.

Facial hair is uncommon among Ethiopian men, although one sees an occasional mustache and goatee, or a simple mustache, and almost all keep their hair short. Full beards are extremely rare. Women keep their hair long, either in free locks or small braids. Ethiopian facial features tend to blend aspects of African, Mediterranean, and South Arabian ethnicities, with a range of lighter to dark complexions.

The Ethiopian Calendar and Dates

The calendar has slightly offset dates, with the new year beginning on August 30, rather than in January. This does not impact spells with Year durations, as the duration is based on Solstices, rather than mundane calendars. (Note that 1220 is a leap year.)

Month	Julian Start	Leap Year Start
Meskerem	August 30
Taqamt	September 29
Hadar	October 29
Tahśaś	November 28
Tarr	December 28
Yekatit	January 27
Megabit	February 26
Miyazya	March 29	March 28
Ganbot	April 28	April 27
Säne	May 28	May 27
Hamle	June 27	June 26
Nehase	July 27	July 26
Pagume	August 26	August 25

Cuisine

Ethiopians abstain from pork and shellfish; both the Christian and Falasha Jewish communities follow dietary restrictions forbidding these foods. Traditional dishes combine various meats and vegetables as a thick stew called wat. People serve wat on pieces of injera, a sourdough flatbread made from fermented teff flour. Instead of plates, people use slabs of injera to serve food, and only use their right hand when touching food. Clean water can be an issue, and popular beverages include katikala, distilled from millet, tela, a local beer, and tej, a honey wine similar to mead. Although it is known in the highland kingdoms of Agaw and Shewa, coffee is uncommon elsewhere in the empire. A few small Sufi sects near Harar praise the drink for its restorative properties. Warriors in Agaw and Shewa grind raw coffee beans, which they call bunn, into a paste with lard or butter and roll them into balls, which they eat while on the march.

Polygamy

The Coptic Church regularly urges the abuna to preach against polygamy in Ethiopia; it is a frequent topic in the letters sent from the patriarch of Alexandria. A minority of Ethiopians practice a form of polygamy where a man may have many wives. Neither the Christian nor Falasha Jewish communities discriminate against this polygamy, and proponents claim their lifestyle is justified by scripture in the Old Testament. Regardless, any polygamist is responsible for the survival and well-being of all the children he fathers. In the Islamic sultanates, polygamy exists by virtue of historical precedent, but it is far less common. For characters who maintain a larger, polygamous family, you might use the Close Family Ties flaw.

Calendar

The calendar used in Ethiopia differs substantially from the Julian calendar used in Mythic Europe. Each month has only 30 days, and there are five or six days considered to be a special sort of thirteenth month, known as epagomenal or intercalary days, which complete the year. The sixth intercalary day occurs every four years. This cycle of years culminating in the extra intercalary day is named after the Evangelists, starting with John. After John, comes Mark, then Matthew, and Luke is associated with the leap year. The months mirror the Coptic calendar, beginning on the same days, but are named in Ge'ez. The Ethiopian Church uses a slightly different date for the birth of Christ, so the number of the Ethiopian year is eight years less than the Julian year number from January 1 until August 30 or 31, and then seven years less for the remainder of the Julian year. January 1st 1220 in Mythic Europe is Tarr 5th 1212 according to the Ethiopian calendar. Major holidays include:

The Bouda Menace

In Ethiopia, many believe some blacksmiths, whose trade is hereditary, are folk witches with the power to change into a hyena, known as bouda. Bouda supposedly rob graves at midnight, unearthing Christian corpses and consuming them. Unlike the bouda of the Maghreb, Ethiopian bouda are hyena-spirits capable of possessing people and driving them to savage acts of lust, murder, or rage. To protect themselves from these spirits, Ethiopians ask debterah to fashion amulets which shield them from the powers of these evil creatures.

Shapeshifting bouda are detailed in Between Sand and Sea. However, Ethiopian bouda might be faeries who inspire such behavior to harvest vitality, or weak tempter demons who seek to corrupt good Christians and spread sin.

Bouda Hyena-spirit

Faerie Might: 10 (Me)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +2, Pre –4, Com –1, Str 0, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: 0

Confidence Score: 0

Virtues and Flaws: Faerie Beast, Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech, Feast of the Dead, Improved Characteristics, Increased Faerie Might, Lesser Power x2, Personal Power; Monstrous Appearance; Incognizant, Nocturnal, Role Requires Suffering, Negative Reaction (unpleasant odor), Susceptible to Deprivation, Traditional Ward (Folk Charms)

Qualities: Crafty, Crushing Jaws, Keen Eyesight, Large Teeth, Mimicry, Pursuit Predator, Thick Fur.

Personality Traits: Cowardly +3, Sly +2

Reputations: Corpse-eating 3 (regional), Treacherous 2 (local)

Combat:

Bite: Init +2, Attack +9, Defense +7, Damage +6*

Dodge: Init +2, Attack n/a, Defense +5, Damage n/a

Soak: +3

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)

Pretenses: Animal Handling 3 (hyenas), Area Lore: Ethiopia 4 (highland grazing pastures), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (food), Brawl 5 (bite), Faerie Speech 5 (lying), Guile 4 (feign dead), Hunt 4 (tracking), Survival 3 (desert).

Natural Weapons: The weapon statistics for a hyena's bite are Init 0, Atk +4, Def +1, Dam +3. The damage bonus is increased to +6 as noted due to the Crushing Jaws Quality.

Powers:

Enthralling Sound, 2 points, Init –10, Mentem: R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group: The bouda creates emotion within a group of people who hear it. Fear, lust, and wrath are all common options. This power also increases the intensity of an already existing emotion. A stress roll with an appropriate Personality trait against an Ease Factor of 9 allows a victim to overcome this power's effect. CrMe 30 (Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group): Lesser Power x2 (50 levels, –4 Might points)

Skin of Man or Beast, 1 point, Init 0, Animal: R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Individual; The bouda takes on the form of a male or female human appropriate to the area. MuAn 20 (Base 10, +2 Sun): Personal Power (20 levels, –1 Might points)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: There are two pawns of Mentem in the bouda's tongue.

Appearance: The common striped hyena has a comparatively massive torso with shortened hind legs, causing its back to slope down. Their short muzzles are borne by a large head and long thick immobile neck. The faerie often has its eyes glow red for intimidating effect.

Design note: To use the Bouda hyena-spirit as a companion, it needs to replace the Incognizant Flaw with either Narrowly Cognizant or Highly Cognizant and replace it with another flaw, like a Personality Flaw. It currently has 9 Virtues and Flaws and a base physical form of a hyena.

Enkutatash – Ethiopian New Year's day. (1 Meskerem or August 30)

Celebrating the return of the Queen of Sheba following her visit to King Solomon, this holiday usually involves a large festival held at the local church.

Maskal – The festival of St. Helena's recovery of the True Cross. (17 Meskerem or September 15)

Memorializing the discovery of the True Cross by Emperor Constantine's mother, Saint Helena, this event involves a large ceremonial bonfire made with daisy-decorated lumber. Afterward, clergy gather the fire's charcoal remains and mark a cross on the foreheads of the faithful. This grants participants a temporary Faith Point, lasting until the soot is washed off or the Faith Point is used. According to tradition, God spoke to Helena in a dream, explaining how the smoke of a fire would lead her to the savior's cross. Saint Helena built a pyre of wood and frankincense, and its smoke climbed high into the sky before falling back to earth, marking the Cross' location.

The Falasha also observe this holiday, claiming it celebrates the pillars of fire which led the Israelites out of the desert.

Gena – Ethiopian Christmas (Tahśaś 28 or December 25)

Timket – Ethiopian Epiphany (Tarr 10 or January 6)

A celebration of Christ's baptism in the River Jordan lasting three days, this holiday includes dramatic processions through nights of fasting. Priests even parade the tsellats, replicas of Moses' tablets, on Ketera, or Timket's Eve, and use them to bless the pool or river where the festival rituals take place on the next day.

Faseka – Ethiopian Easter (This date moves somewhat. In 1220, it will be Miyazya 2 or March 27)

Kulubi Gabriel – Celebration of the Feast of the Angel Gabriel. (Tahśaś 18 or December 16)

The church in Kulubi becomes a pilgrimage destination as people arrive for the sermon and celebration. Clergy baptize any children born through the archangel's intercession, who are often named after the messenger of God's Host.

Axum Tsion – Celebration marking the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia. (Hadar 20 or November 18)

Pilgrims attend mass at Axum's Church of Maryam Tsion. Many of the devout continue to the carved stone churches in Roha, completing a symbolic pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Warriors and the Army

Military units in each kingdom follow the ancient Axum tradition and divide their forces between cavalry and infantry. Typical infantrymen wield swords and spears while using shields. The 8-foot-long spears are balanced for both melee combat and short-range thrown attacks of about twenty-five paces. The spear is so ubiquitous in the Ethiopian military that the Amharic word for 'spear' and 'war' is the same. Cavalry wears heavy chain mail, but most infantry and some lighter cavalry wear the equivalent of quilted armor. Local taxes are used to feed the dedicated soldiers of a local lord, but even some professional soldiers are required to keep farms.

Quickly raised local militias often have nothing more than a protective shield and a dagger or spear.

Lowlands and Highlands

Ethiopian culture is strongly divided between the highlands and the lowlands of the Red Sea coast. The highlands of the Ethiopian plateau enjoy a wide range of temperatures, but also include many dry and alpine regions, where overland travel can be quite challenging and finding fresh water is difficult. Lowlanders, by contrast, maintain a lifestyle dependent on the sea and primarily use the Tigray dialect. The temperatures in the lowlands regularly reach 32 degrees Centigrade throughout the year. Both regions raid one another for livestock, and regular feuds over the use of arable land for farming or grazing create localized tensions and distrust.

Christianity and Judaism

Calling themselves Beta Israel, "the children of Israel," the Falasha Jews remain culturally distinct, keeping marriage within their communities and maintaining Jewish practices. Concentrated in the Falasha province in Agaw and Gojjam, as well as in Bet Amhara, they peacefully coexist with the surrounding Christian majority. Gudit once reigned as queen over the region, and these notoriously fierce warriors rampaged through Ethiopia as her army. However, the last 100 years of Zagwe rulership seems to have erased any resentment and many loyally serve the Emperor. Christians live alongside the Falasha in their towns, where they help with burials since the Falasha have taboos regarding the handling of corpses. While unusual, being a Jew in Ethiopia does not qualify the character for the Outsider flaw unless the character is also a blacksmith, due to superstitions associated with blacksmiths and the evil spirits known as bouda.

The Legacy of Sheba

The ancient pedigree of the Ethiopian people is a book known as the Kebra Negast (The Glory of the Kings), written in the scholarly language of Ge'ez. This 117-chapter chronicle details the story of how Solomon seduced an Ethiopian queen of Sheba called Makkeda, who then conceived a son, Menelik, and returned home with Solomon's ring. Later, Solomon's son returned, proving his birthright with the ring, and then enjoyed an extended stay with the king. After insisting he must return to his kingdom, Menelik asked Solomon for a tassel of the tapestry used to cover the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon felt he could not send Menelik back to Ethiopia alone, and asked for the firstborn sons of all the tribes to accompany Menelik, led by the son of the high priest, Azariah. Upset about the perceived exile, the sons stole the Ark of the Covenant, which miraculously spirited Menelik's party home before Solomon could assemble a pursuit. Once back in the Ethiopian highlands, Menelik and these sons established a new Zion, believing the Ark to be a gift from God. Succeeding to the throne, he utilized the great power of the relic, marching on enemies and repelling all attacks, becoming the first negusa negast, or king of kings, in Ethiopia. The first-born sons became the Falasha people who live in the Falasha province of Begemder and follow the Jewish ways.

This saga holds a special place in the hearts of the Ethiopian nobility, particularly the lords of Bet Amhara. They sincerely believe in its truth and accuracy, and the story of Makkeda and Menelik likely contributes to the tolerance enjoyed by the Falasha Jews.

Religion

Ethiopia is Christian, with an important Jewish community and a few Muslims. Jews live in the Falasha region of Bet Amhara and the Gojjam region of Agaw, and some Muslims live in both Bet Amhara and Medri Bahri. However, large populations of Muslims inhabit the southern tributary states. No accepted pagan populations exist within the country.

Christianity

Three tenets distinguish Ethiopian Christianity. First and foremost, it is a monophysite religion, like that practiced in Nubia and the Coptic Church. Ethiopians believe the divine and human natures of Christ are inextricably intertwined; his human nature was "dissolved like a drop of honey in the sea." Second, an Ethiopian Christian appeals to a hierarchy of angels and saints known as "the Kidusan," as well as to God, when praying. This group conveys the prayers of the faithful to God and carries out the Divine Will. Third, it is the representation of the Ark of the Covenant, the tabot, that is consecrated and holy, not the church structure. Each tabot, dedicated to a particular patron saint, rests in an inner sanctum accessible only to the priests. These priests pray on behalf of the community and carry the tabot through the town on religious holidays. Additionally, the Ethiopian Church uses Ge'ez as its liturgical language, not Latin, but this is more of a cultural than philosophical difference.

Several odd traditions govern Ethiopian church buildings, dictating even the form of the structure. There are cave churches, or hypogeum. There are rectangular, cut-stone churches. Finally, there are round timber churches. Other architectural styles are not permitted. The carved, monolithic churches of Roha are the most glorious example of hypogeum churches, but these also include churches built in caves or from caves. Most cave churches date to the era between the fall of the Axum Empire and the rise of the Zagwe dynasty. This dangerous period required a house of worship to also act as a protective fortress at the center of the community. Popular during the days of the Axum Empire, rectangular churches of cut stone exist throughout Ethiopia, but especially in Medri Bahri. The security of the Zagwe dynasty has led to a new design: the round timber church. These structures are most common in Bet Amhara and Agaw. Most importantly, however, custom demands both the circular and rectangular churches maintain a thick, surrounding forest.

This sacred forest carries the faithful's prayers into Heaven. In communities with these forests, the Divine aura is concentrated within the forest area, resulting in an aura one lower in the areas outside the forest, even if the church is in the middle of town. A particularly lush forest means a stronger Divine aura, usually one higher than standard (See Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 10). Additionally, a church's tabot is consecrated and it almost never contains relics, but rather replicas of the stone tablets carried by Moses. The tabot serves as the focus for the aura and maintains it, even when taken out of the forest, for as long as it was in the aura.

Church Structure

Appointed by the head of the Coptic Church, the patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt, the abuna leads the Ethiopian Church. The abuna serves for life, and an Egyptian has historically fulfilled the office. These priests arrive in Axum, certain they have been exiled, and often unable to speak the local languages of Amharic or Ge'ez. The abuna appoints bishops, who then appoint local priests and some of the debterah (singular: debtera), or lay deacons.

This traditional requirement for the patriarch to appoint the abuna is not without challenges. The emperor must pay a fee to the sultan of Cairo before he allows the patriarch of Alexandria to anoint a new abuna. Currently, however, the patriarchy is vacant. Cyril ibn Laqlaq and his foes in Alexandria remain in a political deadlock, preventing the Coptic Church from electing a new patriarch.

Twice a year, a messenger arrives from the north, bearing letters from the patriarch. This courier and his entourage remain, waiting for the abuna's replies, and then return to Egypt. Certain he is the next patriarch, ibn Laqlaq continues the tradition in order to remain current regarding the situation in Axum.

If your saga follows history, ibn Laqlaq finally overcomes his opposition in 1235 and becomes Cyril III, head of the Coptic Church. Fortunately, Abuna Yeshaq seems in good health after arriving in 1210. However, historically, the abuna dies in 1225, and Giyorgis II replaces him in 1235, serving until 1284, when the future saint, Takle Haymanot, becomes abuna at the age of 69.

Islam

While Christianity remains the dominant religion, Islam has a long and storied past in Ethiopia. In 1220, almost all Muslims in the empire live in the southern sultanates or the Dahlak archipelago. However, two notable exceptions exist. One ancient community thrives in Negash, in Medri Bahri, and another enclave maintains the mosque in the Bet Amhara port of Zeila, just beyond the straits of the Bab-al-Mandab. The Zeila settlement was founded in 613, when the Prophet's daughter Ruqayyah bint Muhammad, her husband Uthman ibn Affan, and thirteen other Muslim travelers fled persecution by the Christian king, Quresh.

Emperor Armah granted the exiles imperial hospitality until they returned to the Islamic community in Medina in 622. Those who remained in Ethiopia built the mosque in Zeila and then settled in Negash.

Story Seed: The Trees Listen

Can the Divine aura be transplanted with the trees? When magi discover the nature of Divine auras in Ethiopian church forests, they may be tempted to transplant whole stands of trees to other locations, essentially bringing the aura someplace else. What is the nature of items carved from this wood, and what are the consequences of transporting portions of the forest beyond Ethiopia? Could it be used to instantly create a Divine aura someplace else, or craft items for imprisoning demons or stunting another magus' magical ability? If it works with a Divine aura, could a similar effect be created for other Realms, presuming such wondrous trees could be found?

Paganism

Before Saint Frumentius, Ethiopians venerated Astar, the sun god, his son Mahrem, and Mahrem's many children. This pantheon was also worshiped in southern Arabia during antiquity. The shrines and temples to these gods in Ethiopia were converted or destroyed during the last half of the Axum Empire, following its conversion to Christianity. Other than slaves captured from beyond its borders, active pagan communities do not exist in Ethiopia. However, aggressive tribes live beyond the Takkaze river, and beyond the Kingdom of Damot, to the south. They raid border towns for captives, goods, and livestock. Enslaved pagans live in squalor, treated like animals and considered enemies of the Church and the empire. Standing decrees in Agaw and Shewa make killing pagans a legal activity, and the Church makes no attempt to convert the tribes.

Economy and Trade

The Ethiopian economy is still primarily agrarian. While farmers grow crops like carrots, lettuce, and onions, a grain called teff dominates Ethiopian agriculture. Ethiopians use teff, which is similar to wheat, to make sourdough flat breads and other staple foods. Millet and barley are also grown for bread and beer production.

Rich in raw goods, Ethiopians use routes to the north and west to trade with Nubia. Some trade occurs with ports throughout the Red Sea, but the sultanates of Asir and Yemen fail to discourage piracy against Ethiopian merchants, making ventures risky and dangerous. Animal skins, exotic spices, even elephants and ivory, captured from the lowlands or the southern borders, are exported from Ethiopia. A brisk slave trade operates as well, stealing away pagan tribe members and selling them to Nubian merchants and Muslim slave markets in Harar or the Dahlak Archipelago. Some wealthier Ethiopians keep a few slaves, who work mines or fields. Gold is found in the mountainous southwest and west, as well as in a few places along the escarpment dividing the highlands and lowlands. The salt flats of the Great Rift Valley provide a source for the mineral, making caravans out of the Great Desert unnecessary. Salt remains valuable enough that parts of Ethiopia accept it as currency.

Transport

Ethiopia's mountainous highlands, with their steep slopes and sheer cliffs, make overland journeys quite challenging. Crossing rivers often adds leagues of distance and days of travel time due to the lack of easy fords and absence of reliable bridges. River travel also suffers, since good quality landing sites are uncommon. Most people use horses, camels, and donkeys, all of which live in Ethiopia and adequately manage the terrain. Travelers prefer to use the Red Sea whenever appropriate, as travel up and down the coast is faster and less dangerous than traveling cross-country.

Regional Wildlife

Many of Ethiopia's animals are novel sights for European travelers in Africa for the first time. Troupes of five to 250 baboons roam the countryside, and can be quite terrifying when angry. Hyena packs of four to twenty animals are also common. Larger animals, like elephants and elephant-eating serpents, gazelles, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, many varieties of antelope, rhinoceroses and zebras all thrive in the country. In the southern regions, one can find other strange beasts, like the long-necked giraffe, or large bats, such as the flying fox. The painted dogs, noted for their distinctive coloration, and the odd, scaly pangolin live in the northern lands, near the Semien mountains. Traders take both hides and live animals for sale in towns and markets.

Story Seeds: The Birthright of Solomon

Menelik hid the Ark after his rule, entrusting it to the care of the Kahens, the priests among the firstborn sons who accompanied him. The Ark was later moved to the Church of Maryam Tsion in Axum. Menelik's ring, once a ring of Solomon and bearing one of his seals, is said to be in their care. Unfortunately, its hiding place was lost among the many islands and monasteries of Lake Tana in the centuries following Menelik's reign. Exploring the many sites and locating such a potent item might easily occupy any magus with an interest in Theurgy or Ars Notoria. If the ring is discovered with the remains of a Kahen not offered a proper burial, the resulting ghost could provide insights regarding the powers of the Ark when used against the nonbeliever, as well as ancient sites throughout Ethiopia. Any magus hoping to interrogate a ghost of one of these long dead priests must speak Ge'ez or Hebrew with an Ability of 4.

The Ark of the Covenant has a Faith Score of 10, giving it 10 Faith points and a Divine Might of 100 for any Ethiopian, Falasha or Christian, while for non-Ethiopian Christians and all Muslims it has a Faith Score of 7, as described in Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 44. The Ring of Solomon is a relic with a Faith Score of 7 for Jews, Falasha, and Ethiopian Christians, but non-Ethiopian Christians treat it as having a Faith Score of 5. It adds its Faith Score to any casting total of a Solomonic art practitioner (see The Cradle & The Crescent, pages 33–37), or any recitation made by a practitioner of Ars Notoria (see Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 98) and it may be studied by a Gifted individual as a tractatus in Ars Notoria with a Quality of 5. The current location of the ring is unknown.

Kingdoms of Ethiopia

At its core, Ethiopia is a feudal state, one held together by the personality and might of its emperor, Gabril Mesqa Lalibela, the negusa negast, the negus of Bet Amhara, the ras of Lasta, and bitwoded of Axum. He rules over the kingdoms of Agaw, Medri Bahri, Bet Amhara, and Shewa. He claims suzerainty over and tribute from the Muslim sultanate of Dahlak in the Red Sea, and the sultanates of Adal, Ifat, Dewaro, and Hadiya along the southern border. The vassal kingdoms possess borders following geographic boundaries. Along the northern shore, Medri Bahri encompasses the lowlands of the Red Sea coast to the Danakil desert and includes part of the highland plateau to the Takkaze River. In the northwest, Bet Amhara includes the Semien mountains, through the highland plateau, and into the Great Rift valley. Agaw claims the southern foothills of the Semiens, all of Lake Tana, and the portion of the highland plateau bounded by the Blue Nile. Finally, the kingdom of Shewa commands the southern highlands, with the Wabe Shebile River demarcating the border with the autonomous, but tribute-paying, Muslim sultanates.

Few large, permanent settlements exist in Ethiopia in the thirteenth century. The average community consists of a local church and a couple of dozen families occupying a fortified hilltop or surrounded by a protective wall. Almost all settlements of significant size are a noble's seat of power. Notable sites are discussed below. In each, the church is the core of the community, be it a carved stone hypogeum, a standing cut-stone construction, or a round timber building. The homes of the populace surround the church. When raiders breach a town's defenses, the citizens take shelter inside.

Story Seed: Discarded Directive

Ruqayyah took refuge in the court of Emperor Armah, and the agents of Quresh, led by 'Amr ibn al'As, pursued her. He brought rich gifts for the negus and the courtiers, seeking to convince the Axumite lord to turn over the refugees. The negus called the leader of the Muslims, Jafar, to his presence, and demanded an explanation of the situation. Jafar explained the virtue and peace the Prophet brought to his people, and read a series of verses from the Qur'an. His reading moved the negus to tears, and Armah declared not only his belief in the Islamic truth, but declared that Jafar and the members of his group could live in Axum as long as they wished.

The next day, 'Amr ibn al'As attempted to show that the Muslims denied the divinity of Christ. When the negus asked Jafar for a response, he said, "Our judgment of Jesus is the same as that of Allah and His Messenger. Jesus is God's servant, His Prophet, His Spirit, and His command given unto Mary, the innocent virgin." The negus replied, "Jesus is just what you have stated him to be, and is nothing more than that." To Jafar, he said, "Go to your homes and live in peace. I shall never give you up to your enemies." He returned the gifts to 'Amr ibn al'As and sent the embassy of Quresh from Axum.

When the negus died, the Prophet uttered a prayer for him, and said to his people, "Leave the Abyssinians in peace, as long as they do not take the offensive." Based on this, the sultanates of the southern border have maintained their tributary relationship. A cabal of demons could work to erode the sultans' respect for the Prophet's request while inciting aggression among the Ethiopian lords.

Ranks and Titles

The titles of Ethiopia are slightly different than those of Europe, but with a few exceptions, they follow similar rules. In decreasing importance, these are:

A negus is a high king, like the bahri negus, or the negus of Shewa. Several ras swear fealty to a negus. No one but the emperor may bestow the rank of negus.

The highest noble rank is a ras. Minor princes occasionally use this title, and the rulers of lesser kingdoms use it. One example is the emperor's cousin Na'akueto La'ab, the ras of Gojjam.

Bitwoded is similar to a duke.

Dejazmach is analogous to "count," but the literal translation means "gatekeeper." This honorific can also be granted as a military title.

Fitawrari is equivalent to "baron." This is also occasionally given as a military rank, and has a literal translation of "leader of the vanguard."

Bleeding Trees

The rare spices of both frankincense and myrrh are collected in small quantities along the Red Sea coast of Ethiopia. Much as in Yemen and Asir, people harvest these substances by carving long, deep wounds in the trunks of special, thorny trees, and then gathering the bits of dried resin that the trees extrude. Stands of these trees are rare and jealously guarded by those who know the secrets of bleeding the plants, in order to keep the sources safe.

The flying serpents, or jaculi, that live in these trees in Mythic Arabia (See The Cradle and the Crescent, pages 116–118) are not found in Ethiopia, leading some to believe the trees there might be the result of direct cultivation. However, if someone brought the trees from Yemen or even the isle of Soqotra (See Rival Magic, page 110) to Ethiopia, why don't they or their descendants tend them now? Is there a difference in the potency, and is it possible that Yemeni merchants might sabotage Ethiopian sources to secure their own?

Story Seed: The Devil's in the Trees

A lesser false god demon has managed to either cultivate several stands of myrrh trees or transplant them near the covenant. It then proceeds to reveal the stands to multiple groups of villagers, merchants, local nobles, and covenfolk, hoping to incite not only greed, but possibly murder. If the magi become involved, the demon is sure to attempt to infiltrate the covenant's grogs or covenfolk, so that it can work itself closer to corrupting the more powerful magi.

If the matter does result in bloodshed, then mundane investigation might bring the covenant more attention than they're looking for, possibly drawing them into some very entangled relationships with local rulers. While a covenant in Ethiopia is quite distant from the more populated regions of the Order, isolation doesn't absolve them of the Oath. A visiting Quaesitor or neighboring covenant might still bring charges of interference, especially if the myrrh trade involves a covenant in the Levant.

Gerazmach is an older, lower aristocratic title, but is given to favored military commanders.

Kenyazmach is equivalent in rank to gerazmach. A powerful ras often appoints both a gerazmach and a kenyazmach to show equal favor to two of his powerful warriors.

Balambaras is equivalent to a local governor.

Ato means 'Sir' in the context of a knight or minor vassal. When granted to a woman, the title is woizero.

Noble children all use the title lij. A noble's wife is called emebet hoy.

Collectively, the nobility are called the mesafint.

In Ethiopia, noble titles are inherited first by any surviving brothers, then pass on to the sons of the previous ruler. For example, if the ras of Damot dies, his two brothers will both serve as the ras, and when they die, then the first-born son of the eldest previous ras takes the mantle. Some nobles dislike the tradition, and seek to subvert it by putting their children on the throne before their siblings.

Medri Bahri

Four provinces comprise the kingdom of Medri Bahri. Upper and Lower Bur stretch along the coast, Eritrea lies to the north, and Tigre occupies the central region. The population lives primarily as farmers and fishermen in a land covered in mangrove forests. Medri Bahri has a hot, humid climate, and occupies the majority of Ethiopia's lowlands. However, it also stretches up, into the highlands; the Takkaze River serves as its southern border. The bahri negus rules from Debarwa, on the highlands, and is considered the second most powerful man in Ethiopia, after the emperor.

Adulis

The Yemen sultanate sacked this port in the eighth century, when it occupied the Dahlak archipelago in response to pirate attacks. The once-rich trading center never really recovered. It is still the home of the bishop and the governor, who maintains a standing military force there.

Bab-al-Mandab

This strait separates Medri Bahri and the rest of Ethiopia from Yemen. It is controlled by the Muslim navies of Yemen, who are friendly with the sultanate of Adal. Passing beyond it requires a story, the same as passing through the straits of Gibraltar.

Danakil Desert

Dividing Medri Bahri from Bet Amhara, this broken landscape of heat-scorched salt flats occupying the southern side of the Bab-al-Mandab strait marks the southeastern boundary of the kingdom. Similar to salt mines in the Great Desert, far to the west, small communities subsist by hacking large slabs of salt from the ground. Long camel caravans carry this "white gold" to markets in Adulis, Debarwa, and Zeila. A fiery and capricious ifrit jinn occupies an active volcano in a depression within the desert. This cone of black basalt is known as Erta Ale, or "Smoking Mountain." A lake of molten rock bubbles within its deep, pit-like caldera, periodically spitting a clump of burning debris or overflowing the volcano's rim. The mountain sports a bare, shallow slope, and almost nothing grows nearby. However, for magi considering a location to pursue the volcano magic suggested in Hermetic Projects, this is an ideal site.

The Voice of Saint Yared

The story of Saint Yared comes from the zenith of the Axum Empire. Born in the capital and raised by his uncle Gidewon, he invented the sacred music still practiced within the Ethiopian church. Yared learned to link the spiritual with the musical through the blending of zema chant music after being instructed by three divine birds and studying with Abuna Aragawi of Debre Damo. Using this divinely inspired knowledge, he composed and arranged hymns connected to religious celebrations and holidays. Debterah consider this music to be the basis of their expressions of faith.

Five volumes of chants are attributed to Yared. The Books of Digua and Tsome Digua details chants for church holidays and Sunday services. Chants for major holidays, daily prayers, and the month of fasting are recorded in The Book of Meraf. The Book of Mewasit provides chants to the dead. And finally, chants reserved for after Mass are discussed in The Book of Zimare. These books collectively act as a summa of Organization Lore: Ethiopian Church, Level 5, Quality 8.

The Axumite emperor was very fond of Yared. According to legend, on one occasion, Yared's singing mesmerized the emperor, and he dropped his spear on Yared's foot. The song completely engrossed them both, neither man noticed until the music ended and the emperor pulled his spear free. Mortified by his actions, the emperor offered to grant Yared any request within his power. The debtera asked to live the remainder of his life in solitude, so he could focus on meditation, musical composition, and prayer. Yared spent his final years in the Semien mountains, and the cave which served as his imperial hermitage remains undiscovered. His feast day is 11 Ganbot (May 8 or 9).

Yared cemented the role of debterah within the Ethiopian church. While they serve alongside mundane lay deacons and cantors, debterah also act as community educators and defenders who instruct the children of the nobility, craft protective amulets, calculate astrological horoscopes, and exorcise evil spirits from individuals using a text passed from teacher to student called The Magic Star Book. They formed a holy societas with members in the Christian and Jewish Falasha communities. Even Falasha priests, or kahens, become a debtera before being confirmed as a rabbi, although not all fulfill this requirement. Those who fully embrace this role become something more, learning the secrets of a full-fledged debtera.

Holy Societas: Debterah (singular: Debtera)

Favored Abilities: Adjuration, Blessing, Craft Amulets, Invocation.

See Realms of Power: the Divine Revised, page 137 for details on Craft Amulets. Adjuration, Blessing, and Invocation are described in Realms of Power: the Divine Revised, pages 34, 37, and 48–50. For those who wish to use debterah without this text, they should have the following Virtues: Clerk or Educated, Enchanting Music, and either Sense Holiness/Unholiness or Wise One. Suggested abilities include Artes Liberales (astronomy), Chirurgy, Organization Lore: Ethiopian Church, Medicine, Music, Teaching, and Theology. If they have taken Wise One, they should have some skill in Divine and Infernal Lore. In this case, the character does not have any immediate means to perform exorcisms, other than through leading ceremonies and utilizing the Divine auras generated by an Ethiopian church's tabot and forest.

Depending on their other capabilities, a debtera may make an interesting grog or companion character.

Debarwa

Home of the bahri negus, Debarwa lies about twenty miles from the edge of the plateau dividing the highlands and lowlands, nestled along the banks of the Mereb river. As the capital of both Tigre and all of the Medri Bahri, it controls rich mines of copper, gold, and iron all along the escarpment. Boasting a population of 6,000, many of the trade routes from the coast to the highlands pass through Debarwa and it holds a large market every Saturday. All of this combines to make the bahri negus very rich, and able to maintain a strong army of very well-equipped soldiers. Bouda faeries prowl its roads and wild forests, urging anyone they find to lustful or murderous excess. This activity makes hyenas particularly feared and hated. The bahri negus places a bounty on live hyenas, trying to capture the faeries, but he fails to realize this will likely be ineffective.

Story Seed: On a Wing

Covenants which become more involved in mundane elements of Ethiopia might find great profits to be made either by building bridges or providing magical ways to circumvent the natural obstacles of travel, such as items which allow short periods of flight. However, both have the potential to draw in jealous rivals either attempting to take over a bridge and charge a toll, or ambush a covenant's agent to steal an enchanted device. In both cases, the magi must decide what sort of response and involvement is best not only to resolve the situation, but to maintain the status of the covenant in the local area as word of their expeditious construction or travel methods becomes better known.

Massawa

After an expedition from Yemen sacked Adulis in the eighth century, Massawa grew important as a trade port. Fifteen leagues northwest of Adulis, Massawa is built across two islands and along the shore. The Muslim Sheikh Hanafi rules here, swearing allegiance to the bahri negus. The influx of merchants makes the sheikh rich, wealth he has used to build a mosque on the larger island out of carved white coral blocks, and to sponsor Muslim missionaries to travel into the heart of Ethiopia. Sheikh Hanafi invited numerous shipbuilders from Yemen and Hijaz, who now help expand his merchant fleet. All of the sheikh's captains have instructions to carry any pilgrims bound for Mecca for free.

Negash

This modest hamlet of Christians and Muslims lies on the trade road from Axum to Zeila. About thirty leagues east southeast of the former imperial capital, the village hosts a small stone mosque and the tomb of the ancient Axumite Emperor Armah, known for sheltering the Prophet Mohammed's daughter. Locally, the emperor is called by his Arabic name, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar al-Najashi. Many devout Muslims make a pilgrimage to this place, wanting to see the grave of the emperor who saved a companion and helped preserve an early part of Islam. The Islamic community is an accepted part of the countryside, as residents now consider the emperor's directive to be tradition and leave the Muslims to live in peace. A Divine aura of 4 exists around the tomb.

Story Seed: Serpents of Unknown Provenance

The symbol of the Order of Hermes includes snakes, and an ambitious magus might seek out an elephant-eating serpent to bind as a familiar, believing it the embodiment of magic. These great creatures may possess a more ancient legacy, as the degenerate sacred snakes of the pharaohs, corrupted since their escape from the Muslim purge of the old faith of Egypt. More fantastic sagas might make the elephant-eating serpents the spawn of Jormungandr, spreading its influence to distant shores as prelude to something terrible. Or are the enormous beasts descendants of the serpent of the Bible, revealing the potential proximity of the Garden of Eden?

These animals are found nowhere else in the Mythic World, and their depredations are not limited to elephants. What began as an investigation into the disappearance of vital livestock or even patrolling grogs might reveal an unsuspected resource or potential story lying in wait for the characters.

Bet Amhara

Rich and fertile, the highlands of the kingdom of Bet Amhara serve as the breadbasket of the empire. Several smaller kingdoms compose it, with the kingdom of Wag guarding the frontier to the north against Blemmyae incursions, stretching down into Begemder and Falasha and reaching into the very heart of Ethiopia and the lands of Amhara. The Jamma river serves as its boundary with Shewa, while the Abbay River separates it from Agaw. To the northeast, the Takkaze river marks the border with Medri Bahri.

This region is the very heartland of Ethiopia, the core of the lost Axum Empire, a bastion of the Christian faith beyond the Mediterranean.

Amba Geshen

Difficult access, wild cedars, and a natural spring pool make this roughly cross-shaped hilltop an obvious choice for fortifications. Amba Geshen served as fortress and treasury during the Axumite Empire, and as the prison-in-exile for imperial heirs after the third Zagwe emperor. However, Emperor Lalibela has abolished this practice and consecrated a church with the promise that no more sons of Zagwe would be sent to wait for the emperor's death. Named Egzyabeher Ab, or "God the Father," the church stands on the southern edge of the summit. Once again made into a fortified treasury, Amba Geshen's numerous long, narrow halls act as housing for the guards and storage.

A precarious foot trail, called "Macaraquer," allows for only single-file entry to the gatehouse at the top. This solitary route means the residents must pull anything oversized, such as cattle or large building supplies, to the gate platform using ropes. However, this doesn't prevent the community from keeping animals; escaped populations of monkeys and rabbits interfere with the gardens until captured for the stew pot, and a small herd of goats and several oxen provide some nourishment.

Axum

A religious center and the traditional imperial coronation site, Axum serves as a monument to the former glory and heritage of Ethiopia. The three massive stelae of its ancient graveyard are taller than any Egyptian obelisk and the Ark of the Covenant purportedly lies within the sanctuary of the Church of Maryam Tsion. Built in the fifth century, the church has a thick, lush forest; the Divine aura here depends on whether or not Axum is the true resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. Nearby, a short wall separates the necropolis' thirteen monoliths from the town and includes "Ezana's Stone," a pillar with the same message engraved in Ge'ez, Classical Greek, and Ancient Sabaean languages. (Ancient Sabaean is found on ruins in Petra, Yeha, or locations in Yemen and 'Asir.) Knowing one of these languages allows the engraving to be studied for a season as a tractatus on one of the other languages or for Area Lore: Ethiopia, with a Quality of 5. The stone tells the accomplishments of King Ezana's reign and his conversion to Christianity by Saint Frumentius.

Axum stands as one of the larger Ethiopian cities, boasting a population of almost 4,000 people. Its legacy and relics remain a great source of pride for the citizens. When he visits, the emperor and his retinue stay in two stone Axumite-era palaces, rather than their usual tent encampment. The larger of the two is 120 meters by 80 meters; known as Ta'akha Maryam, it has 50 rooms. The smaller palace is called Dungur, and said to be the former residence of Queen Makkeda. A pasture, north of town, holds many ancient tombs and a cluster of stelae, none much taller than a man, called "Gudit's Field." A large reservoir carved out of the rock lies a short distance away, which the locals call "Sheba's Bath." Nearly 750 years old, an ancient pagan temple converted into a monastery by Abba Pantelewon and Abba Liqanos continues to operate atop a small hill.

The Negusa Negast

In order to ensure the loyalty of his nobility, the emperor's court constantly travels throughout the kingdoms, engaging in political maneuvering, and using the military force of his retinue to deter invasion or rebellion. The mobile tent compound of the negus and his courtiers is the true center of his power, able to respond quickly when the situation demands. The town of Roha, in the kingdom of Lasta, remains the official capital, as both the emperor's birthplace and spiritual center.

The complete, official title of the current emperor, Lalibela, is:

Moa Anbessa Ze Imnegede Yehuda, Atse Lalibela, Negusa Negast, Seyoume Igziabeher

The first phrase, Moa Anbessa Ze Imnegede Yehuda, means "conquering lion of the tribe of Judah," and always precedes the emperor's titles at events or in correspondence. This is not a personal title, but refers to Christ and demonstrates the emperor's submission to the will of God. Atse means "emperor," and Negusa Negast means "king of kings." This is the common short form of his title, signifying his position as king over all the other kings within Ethiopia. Finally, Seyoume Igziabeher means "elect of God" and represents the Divine selection the emperor claims as part of his office. When dealing with the southern sultanates, the emperor also uses the title Negus Tsion, or "king of Zion."

Honorifics used to address the emperor include Girmawi, which means "His (or Your) Imperial Majesty," and Janhoy which is equivalent to "Sire." The imperial household and family is called Getochu, which is the plural for "our master." The empress uses the title Nigeste Negast, and while they have little true power, consorts are respectfully given the title of Itege.

The Imperial court is called the makwanet. It includes:

Afe Negus — "Mouth of the King." Because the emperor himself never speaks in public, the two heralds granted this position speak as if they are the Emperor.

Blattengeta — "Lord of the Pages." Equivalent to a major domo or castellan, this individual administrates the daily operation of the imperial retinue.

Blatta — "Page." Similar to personal valets or ladies-in-waiting, these officials ensure proper protocol is observed, and the personal needs of the imperial family are met.

Enderase — "Regent of the Empire." The emperor's representatives also use this title when visiting fiefs and vassals.

Lique Mekwas — This position belongs to two extremely loyal and well-trusted individuals who follow the emperor at all times, wearing the same clothes. They even go into battle with him, and serve as decoys, meant to distract assassins.

Tsehafi Tezaz — "Minister of the Pen." This official guards the emperor's great seal, records the details of all important appointments, and publishes all laws and treaties.

Debre Damo

Founded by Abuna Aragawi, one of the legendary Nine Saints, the monastery of Debre Damo stands atop a mountain plateau once claimed by a serpent cult. Its cut-stone church holds a large collection of illuminated manuscripts, and intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling tell the story of the abuna's miraculous ascent to the site. Tradition holds that the Archangel Gabriel watched over Aragawi, fiery sword at the ready, as a giant serpent looped its coils around the abuna and carried him up the sheer cliff. Paintings in the church record how it deposited the Saint upon a large stone and departed, never seen again. Its cult converted to Christianity under the abuna's tutelage. Anyone entering the monastery now kisses the stone in gratitude for a safe arrival.

Visitors must climb a thick rope of braided leather nearly 80 feet long to reach the complex, occasionally combined with a basket for older or infirm pilgrims. This method of entry has kept the monastery and its approximately 100 monks safe from attackers for over 700 years. The broad, flat summit contains an Axumite style church that curiously lacks a forest, nearly two dozen shared homes and their gardens, a pen for several cattle and rabbits, and a half-dozen carved stone cisterns. The whole community enjoys a Dominion aura of 3.

Istifanos Monastery

Built along the western shore of Lake Hayq in southeastern Amhara, generations of Emperors used this monastery as an archive of their correspondence, documents, and land grants. Tradition states that the large, deep body of water is the result of an encounter between a haughty young princess and a pregnant woman she wronged. This terrible insult so angered God that his wrath caused the lake to rise up from nothing, drowning the princess and her retinue. Where the pregnant woman was sitting and the village behind her became an island, now marked with a small shrine and a Divine aura of 4. The lake itself hosts large, bony catfish and hippopotamuses. The surrounding shoreline supports citrus fruits, like lemons and oranges. A large, empty stone palace overlooks the lake on the shore opposite the monastery. Built by a forgotten Axumite Emperor, the structure remains unoccupied and its stones unscavenged. It has a Magic aura of 3 and the ghost of a melancholy Axumite princess haunts it. Nearby, a small Muslim village lives off the bounty of the lake.

Roha

At first glance, only a modest village occupies this rocky, dry area; nothing seems to distinguish it as the birthplace of the current emperor, Lalibela. However, sunken beneath the surface lies the spiritual jewel of the Ethiopian empire and the legacy of its ruler, the eleven hypogeum churches of Roha. Small clusters of mud-brick and red stone homes, belonging to the town's residents, surround the tunnels leading down to these absolutely gorgeous houses of worship. Each building is carved from a single piece of stone, and this religious complex represents a symbolic pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the River Jordan.

The churches occupy three sites. To the north of the channel named the river Jordan stand Bet Denagel (House of Virgins), Bet Golgotha Mikael (House of Golgotha Mikael), Bet Maryam (House of Mary), Bet Maskal (House of the Cross), and Bet Medhani Alem (House of the Savior of the World). South of the river lie Bet Abba Libanos (House of Abbot Libanos), Bet Amanuel (House of Emmanuel), Bet Gabriel Raphael (House of Gabriel Raphael), Bet Lehem (House of Holy Bread), and Bet Qeddus Mercoreus (House of St. Mercoreos). The eleventh church, Bet Giorgys (House of St. George), is isolated from the others, but connected by a system of trenches. The whole complex has a Dominion aura of 7.

Yeha

Considered a sacred site even before the arrival of the Nine Saints, Yeha occupies the fertile and lush plain of an easily defended mountain vale. The only remaining testament to its former glory is a crumbling temple on a high outcropping. Fading graffiti indicate that the structure may have been used as a church or monastery before the roof collapsed, and a few of the internal walls as well as several large, square pillars bear Sabaean engravings. A ruined shrine sits at the base of a natural stone staircase and three rock-cut tombs sink into a bare slope south of the main structure. This temple is a third of a mile from any other structure, at the heart of a Magic aura of 3.

About two hundred people live in the nearby village, including a Falasha blacksmith, a potter, and a weaver.

Vis Site: The Mists of the Nile

When the waters of the Blue Nile first begin their flood, their magic is evident at the falls of Tis Abbay. The misting water can be captured at sunrise, yielding 3 pawns each of Aquam, Creo, Imaginem, and Perdo vis. This is the point of greatest potential, the origin of a journey which will feed a nation, carve away at the very bones of the mountains, and yet reveal the absolute beauty of a rainbow hidden with the first beams of light. Unharvested, this vis feeds the rich flora growing around the falls. Plants and Beasts of Virtue are common here.

Zeila

Built from carved blocks of polished, white coral, the walled port of Zeila serves as a rich and bustling hub of trade between Ethiopia, Yemen, and the world beyond the Red Sea. The governor maintains a strong and well-equipped army, while entertaining shifting alliances with the sultan of Adal to the south and the ras of Amhara to the east. A growing Muslim population calls Zeila home, and its mosque was built by companions of the Prophet, and has a Divine aura of 5. Wealthy merchants urge the governor to favor the sultan over the emperor, in order to ease travel through the Bab-al-Mandab strait and increase their own power.

Vis Site: The Quarry and the Stone Lion

About a league west of Axum, in the dry scrub near the quarries where masons cut the Great Stelae from the earth, a large rock outcropping bears the life-sized etching of a lioness with jaws open, frozen in mid-stride. According to legend, the Archangel Gabriel fought the lion here, and threw her with such force against the rock that only the etching remained. If an animal corpse is laid at its feet on the night before the first day of spring, and the corpse is protected from scavengers throughout the night, some part of the corpse will contain 5 pawns of Animal vis.

At the nearby quarry, long and wide trenches lay in the raw rock face, as if someone simply cut the stelae from the earth like butchers at work on a carcass. However, three partial stelae lie half in the earth - long, partially worked bones of ragged stone. If chips from these stones are gathered at noon on Ethiopian Epiphany, they contain 5 pawns of Rego and 5 pawns of Vim vis. The local inhabitants carefully monitor these sites, responding aggressively if they see someone defacing the stones.

Story Seeds for Roha

The heart of the empire is a good place to set stories.

Saga Seed: A Temple in Africa

When Lalibela returned from Jerusalem in 1187, he brought with him a small group of Knights Templar who were in Cairo at the time. The knights sought to establish a second region from which to organize attacks on their enemies in the Levant and retake the recently conquered Holy City of Jerusalem. As part of their plans, they fought for Lalibela against his brother, Kedus Harbe, winning the emperor's trust.

These knights are a secret ally of the Emperor, attempting to build a cadre of like-minded knights in his cavalry, learning the extent of Lalibela's temporal powers and now maneuvering to gain as much influence as possible. Their discovery of a Hermetic covenant in Ethiopia may lead them to press for some form of alliance with the magi, to attempt to destroy the potential rival, or to subtly manipulate the covenant's activities toward the Templars' goals, but the direction of such a saga all depends on the sort of Templar Order the storyguide wishes to portray, be it Divine, Infernal, or mundane.

Saga Seed: The Angel's Share

If the Templars are in Ethiopia, then one very strong reason for their continued presence is a desire to claim the Ark of the Covenant in exchange for their actions and services. With the Ark of the Covenant in their possession, they would easily be able to return to France and provide their Order with the spiritual authority to establish themselves not only as an organization independent of the pope, but perhaps even justify the establishment of a nation governed by the Templars. By sending and receiving correspondence through the twice-annual letters sent by the patriarch of Alexandria, before his death in 1216, they have some idea of the events which have been transpiring in Provence. A single missive sent in 1219 alerted them to the presence of the Fifth Crusade in Damietta, and underlined the possibility of success in their endeavor.

However, the Templars who arrived in 1187 are approaching their late fifties and early sixties. Their pages, squires, and sergeants, young when they arrived, are in their late forties. If they want any chance of seizing the Ark of the Covenant from the Church of Maryam Tsion in Axum and making the journey back to Europe alive, the time to act is now.

Depending on their relationship with the covenant, the Templars may attempt to trick the magi into stealing the Ark for them, enlist their support in forcibly acquiring it, or engineer a double-cross where the magi create a situation enabling the knights to steal the Ark. In these cases, the Templars and magi might engage in a long, overland chase toward the Crusaders in Damietta. Should the Ark reach the army, it is possible their attempt to take Cairo in July of 1221 will not fail. Or, if the magi wish to foil the Templars without resorting to bloodshed, they may replace the Ark with a replica in an elaborate heist of their own.

Story Seed: How Many Angels Dance

It is said that angels helped Lalibela to build the churches at Roha, and they may still reside in the niches and at the gateways, watching over the faithful who come to pray at this holy complex. An angel might potentially appear to someone praying for guidance at an altar. Additionally, one can never be certain about the nature of a person approaching one within the church complex of Roha. These angels watch for those with great Faith or potential, and sometimes take human form to ask them for favors, to direct the completion of tasks. These endeavors might be as simple as ensuring a pious but occasionally senile anchorite is brought enough food to survive an illness, or be as involved as the recovery of people and items captured by a pagan raid. While angels may not know the greater scope of the activities they request, due to their lack of access to the secret knowledge of God, one can be certain there is a greater purpose at work.

If you are considering the Templar theft of the Ark of the Covenant, then the angels might help guide the magi to either support or thwart the knights. God tacitly approved the first theft of the Ark, when it left Jerusalem, and might do the same in this situation, feeling the Ark better suits His plans if it is elsewhere. Alternatively, the Ark might be needed in Ethiopia, and the characters might be the ones God needs to ensure it remains. The angels of Roha's churches are perfectly suited and thematically appropriate to deliver this message.

Story Seed: For the Love of...

One of the angels of Roha has fallen in love with one of the mortals who attends the churches, despite the impossibility of such an event. The other angels fear the mistake of the nephilim will be committed again. However, the angels won't act directly against either the errant angel or the object of its affections. Instead, they try to influence the characters to escort the individual far away, perhaps even on a dangerous mission into Egypt or across the Great Desert. If they become desperate, perhaps one of the angels may attempt to convince one of the grogs to kill the mortal. Is it possible that the whole situation is a test for the characters, and not the angel?

A Framework for Pilgrimage Stories: Roha as Jerusalem

Designed to represent the spiritual journey to Jerusalem now denied to Ethiopians following the capture of the Holy City by Saladin, Roha encompasses the major sites one might visit when traveling to the navel of the world. By spending a season navigating the tunnels and paths, praying at each church, fasting, evading and defeating the challenges set by demons clothed in possessed locals (and thus protected from the Divine auras) or Bouda faeries calling down temptation from the rims of the hypogeums, an individual can complete a pilgrimage story as described in The Church, pages 16–19.

Lalibela built a symbol of the Holy Land when the caliphate rendered pilgrimages impossible. In the Church of Bet Golgotha stand replicas of the tomb of Christ, the tomb of Adam, and the crib of the nativity. The channeled stream representing the River Jordan marks the site of Christ's baptism with a small stone cross. The hill overlooking the site is called the Mount of Olives.

Agaw

The negus of Agaw rules over the lesser kingdoms of Agaw, Damot, and Gojjam. Bet Amhara shares Agaw's northern border, defined by the Semiens mountains. Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile and a major tributary of the Nile, lies in Agaw. The kingdom of Gojjam lies south of the lake, while Agaw proper extends along the western shore, up to the Semiens. Finally, the kingdom of Damot serves as the southernmost border of Agaw, with a tributary of the Blue Nile, the Jamma river, separating it from the pagan tribes on the other shore.

The population of Agaw greatly benefits from the fairly reliable rainfall and the clear waters of the Blue Nile. This combination of rich soil and ample water ensures the highland kingdom is fertile and prosperous. Agaw usually suffers the least when drought or famine strikes Ethiopia's many provinces.

The warriors of Agaw are notoriously fierce and capable, and the kingdom traces its heritage to the heady days of the Axum Empire. The emperor even raised a monument detailing the difficult challenge required to bring Agaw into the empire. While the current negusa negast was born in the Lasta kingdom's town of Roha, the hills and rich valleys of Agaw forged the Zagwe dynasty. Emperor Lalibela's cousin, Na'akueto La'ab, is the ras of Gojjam, and while he is not yet the negus of Agaw, he is next in line to become the negusa negast. This alone makes him the true power in Agaw.

Story Seed: The Lost Temple

After investigating the ruins on Tana Qirqos, it might become apparent that the structure was a copy of the temple of Solomon that once housed the Ark. Using it as a model, they might be able to ascertain the appropriate location of the ancient Holy of Holies. Armed with this information, the magi could make for Jerusalem, hoping to access a Divine regio created by Solomon and populated by nephilim. Alternatively, this duplicate temple may serve as another entry point to the same regio, allowing characters to travel between Ethiopia and the Levant. The nephilim residing there would know the Ark of the Covenant firsthand, and may have studied Ars Notaria or Kabbalah with Solomon himself. The nephilim might be convinced to act as allies in an endeavor to recover the Ark, or to battle demons loose in the countryside.

Additionally, students of Hermetic Architecture may wish to study the ruins when investigating potential breakthroughs or simply trying to improve their skills.

Lake Tana

At fifty-two miles long and forty miles wide, Lake Tana is larger than any lake in Mythic Europe. Three rivers feed into it: the Gumara, the Lesser Abbay, and the Reb. It is more than 40 feet deep in most places, and settlements occupy sixteen of its islands. Seven islands host small fishing villages, and nine islands support monasteries built in either the round timber or rectangular Axumite style of cut stone. The largest island, Dek, is ten miles across, with three villages and two churches. The holy island of Daga lies just to the southeast of Dek; its monks forbid women and livestock from visiting. Tradition states that the island of Tana Qirqos, near the mouth of the Gumara river, once housed the Ark of the Covenant, before it was moved to the Church of Maryam Tsion in Axum. Ruins on Tana Qirqos reveal that a large temple once existed there. Those with Judaic Lore who study the site for a season find it corresponds to the proportions of Solomon's temple as described in the Torah. The whole island has a Divine aura of 4.

The Blue Nile

Carving a sharp channel through the Semiens Mountains, the Blue Nile peels away the rich sediments and brings fertile prosperity to the Egyptian plains. Called the River Abbay by the locals, the waters of Lake Tana spill down the waterfall known as Tis Abbay ("Smoking Waters") and begin the long journey to the land of the pharaohs. Few places exist to easily cross from the eastern to the western side. If your saga follows history, no stone bridges connect the opposing shores for centuries. The rainy winter season effectively isolates the lands of Agaw and Gojjam until the flooding river waters subside.

Shewa

Three lesser domains comprise the larger kingdom of Shewa. Shewa proper lies in the north, while Bale is in the southeast, and Fetegar is in the southwest. Bale and Fetegar both enjoy wetter, more forested landscapes than Shewa, largely due to the Wabe Shebile river which marks the southern-most boundary. All three kingdoms regularly clash with pagan tribes to the southwest and the sultanates to the south.

A cluster of very old communities serves as the core of the negus' power in Shewa. These towns are perched atop a set of north-to-south mountain ridges measuring roughly five leagues long. This series of plateaus and rocky hilltops rises 3500 to 4000 feet above the Rift valley and drops into the Awash river.

Where is Prester John?

Unfortunately for the crusaders of Europe, Ethiopia is not the home of the fabled kingdom. However, exiting the Maryam Tsion Church in Axum on Easter morning at sunrise, it is possible to enter a Faerie regio, which seems to mirror tales of the lost kingdom of Prester John. This mysterious land is pleasant and vibrant, inhabited by people who resemble the ethnicity of the person who has entered. When asked, they do claim to be governed by a wise Christian king, but law forbids them from saying his name. Anyone who falls asleep in this realm either awakens in the church where they were baptized as a child, or within the Maryam Tsion church, making exploration of the kingdom difficult.

Asbari

Built on a wide, rocky spur on the eastern edge of a high plateau cliff, Asbari often suffers from pagan raids. Homes and workshops surround the large walled church that overlooks the town from a small hill and also acts as a defensive redoubt in times of need. The eastern and northern church walls serve as part of the town's boundary walls, and the cemetery's field of hundreds of rock-cut tombs covers the northern slope. At the western edge of the community, a straight wall two paces high and two paces thick blocks access from the rest of the plateau. A winding, half-mile route leads from this wall to the town gate. The hillsides along this path, both above and below it, have been made into productive terrace farms, three terraces deep. These terraces exist in a Magic aura of 2, and grow various Plants of Virtue.

Masal

Known for their quality pottery and razor-sharp obsidian tools and arrowheads, the people of Masal occupy three very close hilltops. Their community lies between their neighbors, with Asbari to the north, and Nora to the south. Each settlement maintains a central church and a population of about five hundred people, nestled behind a protective wall. Near each town is a vast, ancient, rock-cut cemetery with countless tombs. Many sport Axumite decorations but, strangely, nothing indicates the name or heritage of the occupants. A single, massive obelisk covered with carved medallions containing stars of Solomon bears vague Ge'ez inscriptions suggesting a royal tomb. The monolith actually indicates an entrance into a set of caverns leading deep into the earth. These caves have a Magic aura of 3 and some of them show signs of former habitation.

Nora

Nora is a city of walls, densely populated and situated on a rocky outcrop. About 3,500 people live here, including the negus of Shewa. However, the negus spends much of his time abroad, hunting pagans and raiders. The town elders and church priests cooperated to create the ascending patchwork of living areas, small gardens and walled courtyards. Built from large stone blocks, the city wall follows the contour of the mountain, especially where the slope is nearly vertical. The streets follow the walls from the main gates back to the city center, climbing the outcropping in stages. Some streets even have walls running along both sides. Several 30-foot tall circular towers stand along the inner perimeter of the city, allowing defenders to easily guard the whole route. Inside, ornamental tiles line the causeways and most of the structures are closely packed rectangular buildings. The primary church has a small forest, only about 10 feet deep, and 20 feet tall, but very lush and verdant. Surrounded by 15-foot tall walls which protect a rectangular, Axumite-era building, it has a Dominion aura of 3. Nearby, but outside the city, a burial mound of raw stone contains hundreds of carved tombs.

Story Seed: Beyond the Sultanates

The jungles of the sultanates become hotter and thicker as one travels south, filled with dangerous animals, poisonous plants and terrible hazards. This jungle must be traversed in order to find the vast and towering Mountains of the Moon, which Herodotus indicated as the border of the Torrid Zone. Anyone seeking the edge of the world, as described by Diogenes, has a difficult trek ahead of them, opposed by the pagan tribes, hyenas, lions, and elephant-eating serpents, as well as the ever increasing temperatures. Once there, will they find the rim of Creation? Perhaps it is the Garden of Eden, or a way to walk into Arcadia or even Paradise? For the Hermetic explorer, no matter what is found, the journey itself might be the reward.

The Sultanate of Dahlak

The sultanate of Dahlak occupies the four larger islands and 200 smaller islands which compose a dense archipelago situated just off the coast of Adulis. Nominally independent, the sultan, who lives in the cut-stone and carved-coral village on the largest island of Dahlak Kebir, grows rich through his business of refreshing the water stores of vessels traveling north and south. A network of elaborate channels keeps his many cisterns full, and attracts merchants from Egypt, the Levant, the coasts of the Red Sea, and beyond.

Dahlak's population of roughly 2000 people live in a very pastoral manner, either as fishermen, like those on the island of Nahaleg, or by harvesting pearls and tortoise shell for trade, like those on the island of Nakura. The wealthier residents create beaded glass jewelry and act as merchants, trading animal hides, spices, and slaves throughout the Red Sea. An active slave trade flourishes, annually selling 3,000 to 4,000 slaves brought from abroad. While some gazelles thrive on the acacia and scrub, birds are far more numerous. However, the sultan and his family love the elephants which roam the nearby mainland coast. They aspire to create a small herd on Dahlak Kebir.

The Periplus of the Erythean Sea calls the Dahlak islands, "Alalaois," and claims its people are capable seafarers and pirates. This reputation is not undeserved; in the early eighth century, pirate activity forced the sultan of Yemen to occupy the islands in retaliation. He used them as a political prison, and one gained the name "The Isle of Thorns." This occupation led to the conversion of the population to Islam. Dahlak has a reputation as the beachhead for missionaries seeking to bring the word of the Prophet to Africa. The primary mosque occupies a converted Axumite church, creating an island-wide Divine aura of 3.

Vis Sites: Stones and Stele

Two vis sites exist near the remote townships of Masal. The first is the stele gravemarker, which marks the tomb of an Axumite Falasha wizard who helped create these original communities. Every year, on the first day of Passover, the frost found on the shaded side of the stone contains 4 pawns of Rego vis.

The second site is near the obsidian mines used by the locals. In an abandoned seam of the volcanic glass, chips of the black, vitreous rock can be collected from old sampling pits once a year, yielding 3 pawns of Terram vis and 3 pawns of Ignem vis. The obsidian isn't mined because this vein of the glass fractures and cracks easily, making it poor material for any tools or jewelry.

The Sultanates of Adal, Dewaro, Hadiya, and Ifat

A disorganized and contentious collection of Muslim states make up the Ethiopian empire's southern border. They bitterly pay a grudging tribute to the negus in Roha, nursing a smoldering grudge against their situation. The sultanate of Hadiya lies to the west of Shewa, the River Abbay forming its northern boundary. To the east is Dewaro, which borders the Ethiopian kingdom of Bale to the north, then the sultanate of Ifat, bounded by the Awash river to the east and south, and finally the sprawling Adal sultanate occupies the east, stretching across the Great Rift escarpment into the Danakil desert.

Hadiya boasts small, fertile hills, rich with fruit and grains, and thick with good pastures for horses and elephants. Thick jungle forests cloak its southernmost regions. It is about eight days journey from north-to-south, and nine days journey from east-to-west. The people here use pieces of iron as money, and pay their tribute in ivory and exotic animal skins.

Dewaro sits between Hadiya and Ifat, hemmed in by the strong Christian kingdom of Bale on its northern border. With these neighbors, it is unsurprising that the men of Dewaro often forgo clearing the jungle covered hills to raid the region to the south, capturing elephants and taking slaves for trade. The sultan prefers infantry over cavalry, and most of his troops are seasoned veterans.

Similar in size to Hadiya, Ifat is ten days journey north-to-south by six days journey east-to-west. A man from Zeila named Dunya-huz rules Ifat. He maintains strong cavalry forces and grooms his son, Umar Walashma, with dreams of a greater, consolidated Ifat, uniting Dewaro, Ifat, and Adal. Ifat grows more forested and hot as one travels south.

Finally, the people of Adal are the most devout of the sultanates, likely due to a recent influx of Muslim clerics from Yemen. Adal has ambitions of expansion, as it has been cultivating an alliance with the city of Zeila, and an imam from the capital of Harar recently converted the governor of Zeila to Islam. The priests of Adal preach against the tribute to the negus, encouraging defiance, rebellion, and a war of conquest against Ethiopia. The sultanate stretches from the Awash river to the shores of the Red Sea. The climate of Adal better matches the dry and desert-like feel of its northern Ethiopian neighbors, becoming even drier as one travels east, toward the Erythean Sea. Along its southern borders, the devout and peaceful imam, "Sheikh Hussein" travels among the pagan tribes. He brings the wisdom of the Prophet to the unenlightened while slowly developing a following.

Story Seeds: The Nascent Saint

Born in 1215, the boy who will become one of Ethiopia's greatest saints now lives in Shewa. Takle Haymanot is a young boy, living with his father, the priest Sagaz Ab ("Gift of Faith") and his mother Egzi'e Haraya ("Choice of God"). Takle Haymanot was born after his parents, who had failed to have children, pledged their firstborn to God. He is studying scripture and theology from his father. Later, he will be reputed to be watched over by Archangel Michael, a rumor which seems likely to be true when the sleeping boy is seen attended by a young man who calls magi by their birth names, calmly ignores any Aegis or magical effect, and disappears effortlessly. (See Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 30 for his statistics.)

Pagans who live beyond the Jamma River to the south of the Kingdom of Damot sometimes send long-range raids to Shewa for goods and slaves. Takle's own mother is captured sometime in his youth, desired as the wife of a pagan lord. Her rescue and return was considered proof of the archangel's protection. Perhaps her recovery is suggested by the boy's young attendant with a knowing, serene smile? For a devout magus, or one assisted by a Divine Ghostly Warder or Guardian Angel, this rescue offers the opportunity for the character to operate as an active extension of the will of God and agent of an archangel, providing a great inspiration to the child who, if your saga follows history, will be responsible for the resurgence of Christian faith and devotion in the northern part of Ethiopia at the end of the 13th century.

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