Jahala is in a precarious position. Loyal to the Caliphate of Al-Iziri, and bordering the Caliphate of Ayyat, it is constantly threatened by war.

Jahala is very much a realm driven by commerce. Most of the nobles dabble in trade matters and look to the bottom line. Of course, since there are so many nobles, their individual power is limited. So most band together to form Merchant Houses, each of which usually has one dominant family. Before seceding from Ayyat, the provinces that became Jahala were ruled almost totally by the merchant houses. After Jahala gained independence, the houses still held more power than the Emir until Majidah bint Ayad el-Rasuli took the throne. Since then, the regent has held more power than the guilds, especially the current regent with his sources and his alliance with Al-Iziri.
The realm has taken on a feeling of high tension of late as it is rumored that Al-Iziri and Ayyat may soon go to war. The two temples compete doggedly and the situation is bordering on explosive.

Most of the realm is lush grassland. The weather is quite wet and a fog often rolls in across the landscape on winter mornings.

Dayr is the breadbasket of Jahala and the 'maize barons' are wealthy beyond the dreams of the small holders in the eastern hills of the province. For all its wealth and pretensions to culture, little art of particular note has emerged from Dayr - 'quantity not quality' is often described as the Dayan approach to all things.

Dinabi is a flat land of grasses and farms where cattle is fattened and more sheep dwell then men. The city of Dinabi is fairly substantial and benefits from having been built to the designs of the architect Farid Ibn Rahi. Despite its sweeping streets the city is cruelly nicknamed 'el reekie' for the stench of the tanneries, slaughterhouses, and fish smoking warehouses that oft hangs over the city.

Gizabi still has a reasonable amount of forest cover, although the farms push the forest back annually. The nobles of Gizabi are noted as hunters and a Gizabi steed is valued highly across Djapar for its speed and keen intelligence.

The lush grasslands give way to fields upon fields of maize and other crops until one comes to the mighty city of Jahala where the river Azjed reaches the coast. This city of cool white stone is cooled by many trees planted alongside the roads and in parks. Over the years, the merchant houses have raised vast numbers of statues, friezes, and other artworks as they strive to prove their wealth and success and the city is one of the artistic and architectural wonders of all Aebrynnis.

Called the 'Garden land' for its many orchards, Suhlaqa exports vast quantities of dried and fresh fruits. Less well known away from Jahala are the flowers that are farmed in the province, for the perfumes made are only just beginning to be exported.

Jahala is a relatively young realm, having separated from Ayyat about seventy years ago. Up until that point, the Caliph of Ayyat and the Basarji Temple of Basaia were the dominant force. All that ended when there was a dispute over the throne of Ayyat. When the eldest son of the Caliph died, the two younger brothers began to squabble. One brother was eventually named Caliph when the father died, but youngest of the two was supported by the merchant houses in the eastern portion of the realm. These merchant houses craved control over the Caliphate, one of the most influential realms in Basarji, and a more progressive realm possibly worshiping Avani.
When neither side could take control of the other, the youngest brother, Ayad ibn Alim el-Rasuli separated the three provinces he controlled from the Caliphate. Until Ayad's death, Jahala was a Caliphate, as Ayad saw himself as the rightful heir to the throne of Ayyat.
After his death, the merchant houses arranged for his daughter, Majidah bint Ayad el-Rasuli to ascend to the throne as Emir. It was under her leadership that Jahala seized the provinces of Dayr and Gibazi from Deyyal, strengthening the realm and giving her the power she needed to subdue the merchant houses. With her outstanding leadership and tactical abilities, she took control of the merchant houses and became the one true power in Jahala.
In the fiftieth year of existence Jahala went through some major changes. Majidah died and her daughter took the throne. She also split control of the guilds in the land between her two sons. These two houses did not last long. They competed with each other doggedly and one perished. The other was taken over from within by the House of Yesalil.
Meanwhile, the new Emir, Yiera el-Rasuli was in control of a realm that was rapidly coming apart. With the collapse of the merchant houses, and massive corruption in the government, Jahala was on the verge of being subsumed again into the greater whole of Ayyat.
However, Yiera, ever the diplomat, soon made a deal which guaranteed the realm's future. She married the nephew of the Caliph of Al-Iziri, Ayyat's sworn enemy. With an alliance by marriage, Jahala's future was assured for the time being.
When the Caliph of Al-Iziri died, and there was a plethora of potential heirs, she laid claim to the throne. Using her well known skills at manipulation she was soon in command of the largest realm in Basarji. When her son, Saadiq bin Yiera al-Baayani came of age, she relinquished control of the Caliphate to him. The current Caliph, Azim, is Saadiq's son.
With her death, her daughter, Shahrifa, ascended to the throne of Jahala. Under her rule, things continued much as they had under the rule of Yiera, until she became afflicted with an intense fever and passed away, leaving the young Fajim in control of the realm. He has controlled the realm for nearly fifteen years now, and the realm is entering a new, dangerous phase of tension with Ayyat and Deyyal.

A rapidly growing (in both population and wealth) realm, Jahala long looked purely to trade to gain influence, but is beginning to see military means as a possibility.

Regent: Fajim bin Shahrifa al-Bayaani (MBj, Wiz7, Ba 24, LN) is Emir of Jahala. Trained from birth to be a wizard by the legendary Sirhan the Great, the Wizard of Al-Sabiz, he is a respectable mage in his own right. He is fiercely dedicated to his realm and to the Al-Iziri Caliph, mostly because the Caliph is related to him.
Fajim firmly believes in the rightness of Al-Iziri and would destroy the Basarji Temple in his lands, except that the Caliph of Ayyat made it known that such a move would result in war.
The emir is a tall, wiry man in his mid forties who most often dresses long flowing robes and a bright red shawl. His ring of office, Dragonsinger, has been in his family for centuries and grants him a +3 bonus to all his saving throws and his armor class.
Fajim also has a dark secret which explains his current lack of an heir: he is infertile. Though they do not know of his condition, the two major merchant houses have begun to maneuver for the position of Emir when he dies. While Fajim is currently in good health, the realm could explode into chaos when he dies. The Emir is also concerned about a possible takeover bid my the Caliph of Ayyat, who is distantly related to him.
Lieutenants: Serving the emir are Amal min Dayr (MBj, Thf 4, LN), the regent's chief adviser, and Shakira bint Aysel (FBj], [[Ftr5, An 8, CG) the fiery young woman in charge of the military. It is well known that Shakira and the emir are romantically entangled and the two may marry soon.
Important NPCs: Ahmed el-Yesalil (MBj, Thf 6, Ma 14, LN) leads the Merchant House of Yesalil, heir to one of the old merchant houses of Bayaani. He controls a powerful faction in the court and little happens in the realm that Ahmed does not know about. Despite the many rumors, Ahmed has no interest in the throne of Jahala and serves the Emir faithfully.
When the merchant houses of Bayaani collapsed, one of the powerful merchant houses of Deyyal moved in. Eventually the house came to have more power in Jahala in in their homeland. The powerful Saliq family, at the head of this house, has gained a notable reputation for various underhanded dealings. Leading this group is the mysterious man named Sefu (MBj, ?,?,?) Said to be a powerful sorcerer seeking the throne of Deyyad and Jahala, few dare stand in his way.

Sefu is said to walk the wilds of Dayr and Gizabi seeking the elusive manifestations of the land's Mebhaighl. Whether he is fool enough to challenge the Emir is unknown but those who have met the guilder are often shaken by his unyielding resolve.
A sea-beast is said to lurk of the shores of Dinabi, several of the smaller fishing boats have disappeared recently, as have folk who harvested seaweed or shrimp and crabs along the shore. Sailors aboard the Pride of Carina recently staggered into the harbor at Dinabi gibbering about a hulking green-grey tentacled figure that climbed aboard while they sailed the ocean and demanded tribute in men and gold. The heroic captain Hakim bin Rashid struck the beast a mighty blow with his harpoon and drove it from the ship but not before it snapped the mast in half and slew half the crew. The wise discount the tale and accuse the survivors of murdering their crew mates or drunkenness but the sailors are adamant about what they saw - and unusually consistent in their stories.

• Law: The law of the land is divided between the Emir, Fajim bin Shahrifa al-Bayaani, and the Caliph of Ayyat. The Emir of Deyyal also controls some law in the provinces that used to belong to them.
  

• Temples: Worship is divided between the two great temples to Basaia. The Great Temple based in Al-Iziri and the Basarji Temple based in Ayyat.
  

• Guilds: The nobles of the land are split between two ajazada families who control the trade in Jahala.
  

• Sources: The emir possesses respectable wizard powers. He uses these powers to keep out the armies of Ayyat.
  

Allies: Jahala is technically a part of the Caliphate of Al-Iziri and gives them a generous tribute each season. In return, the Caliph has sent 3 units of light cavalry and 2 units of mameluks to protect the realm. Jahala could probably count on the Caliphate's staunch support in a time of crisis.
Enemies: To the east is the island realm of Deyyal, of which Jahala owns a part. It is no secret that Deyyal would like these provinces back. The Emir also has ambitions for taking over the rest of Deyyal. The only thing stopping him is Deyyal's close ties with Ayyat, the large realm to the west, and Jahala's main enemy.
This article was originally uploaded from Fearless Leader's website.