Guide to Calishite Terminology

City Terms

Amlakkhan

An Amlakkhan is a garrison and resupply point for the city watch of Calimport, the amlakkar. The defenders quartered here number 13 to 25 persons, depending on the size of the drudach; all are 2nd-level fighters with standard equipment of a scimitar, small shield, and two throwing daggers. Where the minaret attached to it has four or more stories, the amlakkhan average two or three floors for garrisons, armories, and immediate access to the byways from the second floor exits.

On average, Amlakkhans stand two levels tall with entrances at street, byway, and rooftop levels (with parapets atop the building). Externally, the second level has balconies from which archers can fire down upon troublemakers or leap to a lower rooftop nearby to take up the chase. In general, there are at least five rooms per level, two of which are never accessible from outside (for dangerous prisoners or weapon storage). The lowest floor contains cells for prisoners and a barracks for 12-16 amlakkar; the second floor provides the offices and living quarters for the amlak commander (often a yuzas or captain), three other officers and senior amlakkar, and the armories. One armory contains non-magical weapons, and the other has the magical weapons. When fully equipped, an amlakkhan armory contains 20 scimitars, 24 spears, 12 long bows and 180 arrows, 40 daggers, and 16 nets for capturing animals or miscreants of all sorts. The magical armories tend to have six to eight magical weapons such as scimitars +1, longbows +1, or wands of some type wands of paralyzation or wands of lightning are the most common for the amlakkar. There are remote possibilities of having greater magic on hand, but only if the commander is a wizard himself.

Bazaar

A bazaar is a rambling, raucous, and often highly temporary open air marketplace. Calimshan birthed the market form of the bazaar, where particular streets (even the impromptu streets of tent markets and the like) formed exclusive markets where goods of a type were sold in proximity to each other (thus, leather bazaars, metalwork bazaars, sages bazaars, etc.).The open-air tent and cart markets collect at the fringes of the professional and permanent khanduqs. Bazaars always splay out into webworks of streets that grew in set patterns around former temporary tent-and-cart markets. Set in patterns millennia old, there are proper patterns to bazaars, whether temporary or permanent. Closest to the permanent khanduq markets, bazaars spread out concentrically around the khanduq or laterally along street and block patterns. Grouped by types of goods are carts and shops for foods, spices, wines and ales; next are hardier items like clothes, leather-goods, wooden goods; the outermost bazaars are the heavy items like metal goods and weapons (which are always farthest from the gates of the khanduqs). Surrounding the bazaars (either above them in secondstory shop fronts or among the other services and goods) are supplementary services, businesses, and people seeking work, from mercenaries and sages seeking employment to scribes looking for books to copy for fees.

Drudach

A drudach is a subdivision of the sabban, an even smaller, walled and enclosed neighborhood. There is no standard size to a drudach and only a minimum of services and sites that each must contain. In general terms, though, most drudachs have from 10 to 30 buildings, many of which only remain standing as they are tightly clustered against one another and are all supported by the byways/walls of the sabban/drudach. A drudach is commanded by a druzir.

Often, individual drudachs having competing businesses within one sabban often leads to strife and street wars among those working to embrace the Calishite dream of opulence. Thus, many sabbalads have stratified their drudachs toward providing particular services for the greater sabban. In other words, like bazaars which only sell food or weapons or sage advice, some drudachs are limited to being a trade drudach, entertainment drudach, residential drudach, or government drudach. While more efficient and organized for the sabbalad, only those drudachs destroyed by fire or other disasters and rebuilt (and reorganized into this scheme) have been able to stratify their people and sites in this manner. Thus, many more of the city's eastern sabbans are structured this way, as that area of the city seems more prone to fires and destruction and to newer ways of life.

Khamarkha

A khamarkha is a grand mausoleum constructed by the wealthy and noble Calishite families. They are often opulently decorated and protected with magic or traps or both.

Khanduq

A khanduq is a fortified private marketplace or warehouse. These permanent market and warehouse areas are the points around which the city grew. While markets surround the khanduq from outside its walls, the rarest goods or items of greater value are bought and sold within the khanduqs (despite a tradition of selling all foods in proximity with one another). Common clothes and textiles are found in all bazaars, but furs and rare silks and precious fabrics would be sold within the safer (and more expensive and exclusive) khanduqs' courtyard markets. For moderate fees, these places also provide the secure storage of precious items and sums of money for those who have expensive assets but no safeholds in which to put them.

Markhout

A markhout is a common tomb for those wealthy enough to afford individual and family burial chambers rather than being interred in mass graves or public crypts. They are usually constructed of wood reinforced mud-brick works decorated with tiled mosaics.

Minaret

A minaret is a tall, slender tower usually topped with an open, arched balcony and a tear-drop shaped dome. Each sabban has a defensive minaret rising from one of its outer walls, and the minaret exits both onto the byways and the ground. The minarets average 20 feet wide and 40 feet tall, and contain at least a score of defenders. Often the only way to tell which sabban is under its protection is by noting the location of the minaret's ground-level exit. If the sabban is wealthy, the minaret may be glazed (at least on the minarets dome) a color corresponding to the sabban mark. These minarets are often connected to other buildings resting on the wall - the amlakkhan or the sadidah (garrison) most commonly, but sometimes to the walls and garrisons of the sabbalad's villa - so the sabban's defenders can instantly gain higher ground for missile fire and other advantages.

Sabban

A sabban is an enclosed neighborhood within the city of Calimport. The 53 sabbans of Calimport each act as a miniature city of their own, with their own peacekeepers, water supply, businesses, and more. They do not, however, have autonomous powers and must answer to the syl-pasha who rules both the capital and the nation of Calimshan. The sabbans are commanded by their own sabbalad.

Sadidah

The sadidah is a barracks that holds sadimmin, Nallojal or Farisan. These troops are all sworn to watch over and defend their garrison and sabban when commanded by their sultan commanders (who oftimes also command the sabbalad of the sabban). Where the minaret is attached to it, the sadidah has four or more stories, and the amlakkhan average two or three floors for garrisons, armories, and immediate access to the byways from the second-floor exits.

These buildings are among the most spartan in any sector of Calimport. Long, broad buildings of some strength three levels high, the sadidah garrisons 40 troops (though they can hold up to 60), and most of them are sadimmin troops (though the ones scattered about the Port Wards are Nallojal not currently at sea or Farisan). The ground floor contains the barracks for 36 soldiers in one pillared common room with one separate room for meals. The second and successive floors have five to eight rooms each, serving as offices and living quarters for the four officers and armories of weapons both mundane and magical. The main differences between the sadidah and amlakkhan are to whom the troops answer and the number of weapons available. Sadidah should have roughly double the weapons in an amlakkhan including the magical weaponry.

Ward

A ward is a recent greater subdivision of the city of Calimport, encompassing two, three, four, or five sabbans. They are commanded by a vizar or sultan.

Culture and Customs

The Annuv

One facet of the proper observation of Calishite titling that is barely recognized by foreigners is the annuv, a hand gesture which is far more important among the upper classes than has been previously noted. Upper-class Calishites have attached to them all the titles of those beneath them as part of their own title, but to refer to all of those titles in conversation or in less-than-official court documents would be wasteful of paper and time. When a Calishite of the same class refers to a nobleman of lengthy titles, she or he can dispense with them by using the annuv to show the proper respect. Verbally, the speaker most often uses the first title, but can show equal respect through the use of the highest title. Then, using his or her left hand, all fingertips touching together, the speaker rotates that hand toward his or her heart as many times as the referred person has titles in addition to the one named. In other words, a vizar speaking of the caleph's first son could call him "sultan," but then would have to quickly perform four annuvs because the sultan has influence and title over the qayadin, the balak, the sabbalad, and the druzir titles. To perform fewer annuvs than is proper is a mark of disrespect that can have grave consequences for the speaker.

When shortening titles in print, the calligrapher or scribe has two options. The modern scribe places a "syl-" before the title and adds lines beneath the prefix to denote the annuvs. However, this method is considered by old-school traditionalists to be lazy and too informal. A more practiced, elegant, and antiquated method used by Shoon Imperium scribes and those courting a more formal tone places small tildes before the title, stacking them from the baseline on up along the left of the title. This creates a fringe effect for the title, as if tiny flags waved to celebrate the exalted nature of the person noted.

National Terms

Shanate

A shanate is a noble plantation or estate.

People

Alimarif

The term alimarif is a respectful form of address for an unknown spellcaster or sage, and translates to "learned stranger".

Amlakkar

The Amlakkar are the city watch of the cities of Calimshan. These indentured servants and slaves all answer to a sultan in each city, like the other arms of the military, but their branch of the armed forces has the lowest status. The amlakkar serve as the police within each of the drudachs. Each drudach is assigned at least a dozen amlakkar under a captain and his lieutenant. The captain is usually the only amlak that reports directly to superiors. Most often, he reports to the sultan or the sultan's vizars. He also, by nature of the governmental structure, reports to the local druzir, who reports to one of the city's vizars. Since their first loyalty is to their sultans, amlak captains are often instructed as to how to alter their reports to the druzirs in order to keep the druzirs and their vizar masters out of the sultan's way. While an amlak's primary duty is to keep the peace and enforce the pasha's laws within each drudich, el amlakkar are often pulled out of their drudachs when the sultans need an army to deal with more pressing internal problems. During such times, only hefty bribes by the druzirs will allow a token force to be left behind to defend the drudach.

Dahyarif

The term dahyarif is a somewhat respectful form of address for an foreign stranger who appears out of place and pitiable, and translates to "misplaced stranger".

Farisan

The Farisan are the elite troops of the nation of Calimshan. The defenders of the caleph's peace take their name from Faris, the most loyal soldier ever to serve a pasha. These members of the elite special forces are the couriers, scouts, spies, and military intelligence operatives within both the Nallojal and the Sadimmin.

As a subgroup within two other branches of the military, the Farisans are commanded by a sultan who in turn is subordinate to the two senior sultans who command the Sadimmin and the Nallojal. While some see this position as lesser command, those who hold the post would disagree: Those who possess information possess the root of all power. The Farisan sultans of each city conspire together to acquire and control knowledge and increase their power without drawing the attention of the syl-pasha.

The Farisans have risen in social standing during el Pesarkhal's reign. Often mere threats from a Farisan scout to expose one's secrets to one's enemies allow such Farisans greater respect and freedom to act within the military (whether such a scout actually knows any secrets or not). It has not gone unnoticed that when Syl-Pasha Ralan el Pesarkhal needs the military's aid in a task, he goes first to the sultans who control the Farisans.

Gharab

The term gharab is a barely respectful form of address for those obviously not of Calishite descent and perhaps not worthy of respect at all, and translates to "foreigner".

Jhasin(Male)/Jhasina(Female)

Jhasin (pl. jhasinnar) and jhasina (pl. jhassinni) are the words in Alzhedo for what are often merely called harem slaves. The words loosely translate to "handsome" and "beauty", and a striking personal appearance is the most obvious characteristic that separates them from other slaves. In fact, the jhasinnar and jhassinni have a higher station than other slaves and arguably sit higher socially than many among the labor class. The education of a harem slave makes the best of them equal in social value to those the skilled labor class, for they are versed in song, music, dance, art, the recitation of great literature, the art of massage, and other duties. If an owner has two harems, the jhasinni and jhassinar are kept communally by gender in quarters on opposite sides of the owner's house or estate

Musadhyar

The term musadhyar is a disrespectful form of address for an hapless stranger begging to be the target of thievery and mischief, and translates to "hapless stranger".

Muza-dahyarif

The term muza-dahyarif is a disrespectful form of address for suspected thief or miscreant, and translates to "shady person who does not belong".

Nallojal

The Nallojal is the navy of the nation of Calimshan. It is also used for referring to the marines and sailors of that navy. Rebuilt only a little over a decade ago, el Nallojal, the Calishite navy, was the former pasha's (Pasha Djenispool's) pride and joy. Syl-Pasha Pesarkhal sees it as simply a tool to be used to consolidate Calimshan's power throughout the Shining Sea and the Sword Coast regions. The cities with large naval forces are Almraiven and Teshburl, but all of the port cities have specially designated naval piers and wharves. There are always at least 12 ships in any Calishite or nearby allied port and

no fewer than 30 moored in Almraiven, Calimport, Memnon, and Teshburl.

Qysaghanni

The Qysaghanni are the personal guard of the syl-pasha of Calimshan. Pasha Pesarkhal's fascination with the era of the Shoon Imperium has been noted by many, as has his inclination to revive the customs and organizations of that period. Thus, his resurrection of the imperial guard, the Qysaghanni, took few by surprise. For the past nine centuries, the syl-pashas had been guarded by elite amlakkar or Farisans. Now, the syl-pasha's personal guards are once again comprised of a force of defenders with no other commanders beyond himself and his one designated officer among them, whose title is hydar (lion).

Unlike the Shoon Qysaghanni, half of the 50 members of the modern imperial guard are wizards (of various levels), while the others are burly warriors. All the Qysaghanni wield magical weapons and wear magical armor or protective items of some sort. The hydar of el Qysaghanni usually wields more powerful magical armor and weapons than the others.

Rafayam(Male)/Rafayar(Female)

The terms rafayam if male, and rafayar if female, are forms of address for someone unknown to the speaker, but who is obviously of greater status and wealth, which translate as "exalted sir/madam".

Sadidrif

The term sadidrif is a respectful form of address for an unknown warrior or soldier, and translates to "powerful/strong stranger".

Sadimmin

The sadimmin are the professional soldiers of the nation of Calimshan. The rank and file army's name, el Sadimmin, translates literally as "the powerful swords". El Sadimmin is beginning to live up to its name for the first time in a century. Syl-Pasha Pesarkhal increased military pay slightly and has made it a priority to improve military barracks across the country in all the cities. This has generated increased interest in a career in el Sadimmin for people who are interested in becoming soldiers to escape poverty.

While life is hardly easy in the army, one does not starve or live without a roof over one's head. The increased pay, training, and slightly higher social status el Pesarkhal has arranged for el Sadimmin have raised the average soldier's morale above that of his recent predecessors. Thus, the army is once again a military force rather than a collected band of bullies and thugs.

Sharakh

The term sharakh is a supremely disrespectful form of address for an criminal, and translates to "lowly thief".

Tabarif(Male)/Tabarifa(Female)

The terms tabarif if male, and tabarifa if female, are forms of address for someone unknown to the speaker, which translate as "honorable stranger".

Tamramujah

The term tamramujah is a disrespectful form of address for an obvious thief or competitor, and translates to "greedy intruder".

Titles

Titles are organized from the lowest to highest, with separate designations as to whether they are military, noble, bureaucratic, or naval in origin.

Askar

Military: Obsolete An askar was the term for any common soldier in the sadimmin during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Musar

Military: A musar is a sergeant in the sadimmin of Calimshan.

Djawal

Military/Noble: A djawal is a knight or noble officer in service to the nation of Calimshan.

Chawal

Military: A chawal is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the sadimmin of Calimshan.

Saref

Military: Obsolete A saref was a centurion in the sadimmin of Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Amhir

Naval: An amhir is equivalent to the rank of commander in the Nallojal of Calimshan.

Yuzas

Military: An yuzas is equivalent to the rank of captain in the sadimmin of Calimshan.

Shyk

Military: A shyk is equivalent to a major in the sadimmin of Calimshan.

Vizar

Bureaucratic: A vizar is a civilian chancellor and adviser to a sultan or one of many such that serve the syl-pasha or caleph. A vizar is often given command authority, meaning that they speak with the voice of their master in all things. They often do the day-to-day work of overseeing their master's business and receiving reports from their master's underlings. The vizars are the most active agents at all levels of government. They hold together the government for the syl-pasha and their own interests, serving as intermediaries between the caleph, the sultans, the sabbalads, and the druzirs, who hold political and military power, and the pashas and the merchants, who wield economic clout. While socially the most prominent vizars are considered to be barely a step above the druzirs, and therefore located near the bottom of the upper class, their pervasive reach and easy access to people of power at all levels make them invaluable and irreplaceable advisors. As sultans are seen as military princes under the syl-pasha, vizars are often viewed as classic merchant princes, since all their influence is tied to money and knowledge. Their political power is tied to their jobs as overseers of the sabbalads and their local militias and to their loose function as trade negotiators between the pashas (guildmasters) and the sultans and caleph. Secondarily, most vizars must also act as proxies and messengers for their social superiors or as go-betweens for the syl-pasha when he wishes to visit the lower classes.

Pasha

Bureaucratic: A pasha, in the modern sense, is a noble guildmaster, the head of a recognized order of merchants, craftsmen, or service-folk in Calimshan. It is also used to refer to the head of particularly powerful criminal gangs or racketeers. It derives from the old Alzhedo term for "chieftain".

Rysal

Naval: A rysal is a ship's captain in the Nallojal of Calimshan.

Syl

Noble: Obsolete A syl was the term for a chief or leader figure in Calimshan during the reign of Coramshan. The term has since become more common as a prefix before a title, denoting that one is the overlord of that title.

Druzir

Noble: A druzir is the precinct official of a drudach. They report to the sabbalad of the sabban in which their drudach resides.

Enhir

Military: Obsolete An enhir was the equivalent to a tribune in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Mumijn

Military: Obsolete A mumijn was the equivalent to a lieutenant colonel in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Sabbalad

Bureaucratic: A sabbalad is the "mayor" of a sabban. They report to the vizar or sultan of their ward.

Balak

Military: A balak is equivalent to the rank of colonel in the sadimmin of Calimshan.

Ralbahr

Naval: A ralbahr is equivalent to the rank of admiral in the Nallojal of Calimshan.

Hydar

Military: The hydar is the commander of the Qysaghanni, who reports directly to the caleph. Though nominally only equivalent to a colonel in terms of troops under his command, the hydar wields exponentially more political power in his position as the commander of the caleph's bodyguard. In matters of protecting the caleph, the word of the hydar overrules even that of the syl-sultan. In the time of the Shoon Imperium, the position of hydar was even more vast as the commander of the bodyguard of the qysar, and the post saw massive overturn as the qysar's favor rose and fell and the famed assassins of Shoon culled the cruel, weak, or gullible. The term translates to "lion" from the Alzhedo.

Qayadin

Military: A qayadin is equivalent to the rank of general in the armed forces of Calimshan.

Nazir

Bureaucratic: Obsolete A nazir was equivalent to the rank of prefect in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Satrap

Bureaucratic: Obsolete A satrap was equivalent to the rank of provincial governor in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Hakkam

Bureaucratic: Obsolete A hakkam was equivalent to the rank of governor in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Massatyr

Noble: Obsolete A massatyr was equivalent to the rank of baron in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Ruais

Noble: Obsolete A ruais was equivalent to the rank of count in Calimshan during the reign of the Shoon Imperium.

Yshah

Noble: An yshah is a civilian high-advisor, often a commoner, who has risen to the height of a western duke, controlling vast plantation estates and tracts of grazing land.

Ynamalik

Noble: An ynamalik (pl. ynamalikkar) are the less prestigious relations of the caleph, including his younger children, nephews, cousins, and friends. They are the equivalent of the landed gentry and are often absentee rulers over large, thinly populated rural areas. The ynamalikkar are the social equals of the sultans and the wealthy landed nobility (lesser princes) of realms outside of Calimshan. Even though they are social equals of the urban sultans, they lose a certain amount of political influence since they operate outside the cities and are thus removed from the major arenas of political influence. An ynamalik often only carries two titles: syl-yshah of two or more shanates (land divisions ruled by yshahs) and ynamalik of whatever broader region is his home. While the territories they oversee are often more than 10 times the size of cities watched over by the sultans, they rarely have half the population under their influence that a city does. The rural areas they rule are sparsely populated by any save slaves. The ynamalikkar's responsibilities include the protection of the rural plantations along the rivers, where much of Calimshan's produce is grown. They also must maintain patrols of armed warriors to police and protect the trade roads, When the ynamalikkar must leave their villas and venture into the cities, they either do business directly with the pashas or report to their only superiors: a syl-sultan in charge over a city region or the syl-pasha of Calimport himself. In all, there are no fewer than 30 ynamalikkar ruling over approximately two or three yshahs each in Calimshan.

Syl-Pasha

Noble: A syl-pasha is the supreme ruler of a major metropolitan region within the borders of Calimshan. In common practice, the term "syl-pasha" most often refers to the ruler of the city of Calimport, but technically each city within the realm of Calimshan has a syl-pasha. In recent years, the power of the title of syl-pasha of Calimport has increased exponentially as it has usually been embodied by the ruling caleph, so much so that the terms have become nearly synonymous with each other, especially to outsiders.

Syl-Vizar

Bureaucratic: The syl-vizar is the grand vizar of Calimshan, the direct servant of the caleph. He is presumed to speak with the voice of the caleph in all matters, and in certain instances, his authority can overrule even that of the sultans.

Sultan

Noble: A sultan is a hereditary prince, often a child of the ruling caleph, but possibly of one of the other ancient quasi-noble or royal clans. The sultans of the realm are usually tasked with overseeing the military of the cities and the nation and are often nearly as revered as the caleph of Calimshan himself. As they are presented to foreigners, sultans are princes of the realm. Whether they are blood kin of the syl-pasha or merely good friends and allies, they hold the first social rank below the caleph/syl-pasha. They often vie for the greatest authority in the caleph's court with his syl-vizar, though they each have their personal areas of influence and control. Most sultans also hold other lesser titles, though they are most often military ranks of far less social or political weight as the sultan's title-until they need the support of the military in a coup. The sultans of Calimshan are all city dwellers, all the better to be close to their leader. Their primary role is to direct the military forces of their cities and the army and navy of Calimshan in general. They also oversee, though to a much lesser degree, the sabbalads of their cities. While the syl-pasha keeps direct command of some personal troops and his palace guard in Calimport, all other military personnel answer to the sultans.

Syl-Sultan

Noble: The syl-sultan is the heir designate of the caleph, the crown-prince of the realm. His authority extends over his brothers the sultans and over the bureaucratic complex. In theory he is his father's right hand, but in practice, he only has as much authority as the caleph allows him.

Caleph

Noble: The caleph is the ancient title for the ruler of the lands now encompassing Calimshan, as handed down by the djen rulers from the First Age. The caleph of Calimshan is the ultimate ruler of Calimshan, his vizars and sultans, and all they survey. There is nothing or no one beyond the reach of the caleph within Calimshan's borders, and his word is the ultimate law. However, this authority rests at the top of a conniving and shifting pyramid of power, and everyone below the caleph is vying with everyone against everyone to move up closer to the top. Thus, the caleph must by necessity be the craftiest of souls among the greedy-or at least be advised by those who fit such a bill. The caleph is also called most commonly the "pasha", which confuses many outsiders, given the title's lower rank and status. This usage is explained by the idiosyncrasies of Calishite titling.

Qysar

Noble: Obsolete The qysar was the term for the supreme emperor of Shoon Imperium.