- History
- Creation to War
- War to Chaos
- Chaos to Now - Nations
- Irgar
- Jurica
- Lasinia
- Vegdarbarra
HORIZON IS OVER!
The webpage remains up as a permanent archive of game material, mainly for the benefit of nostalgic players - although if you'd like to run a Horizon-inspired game for your friends, that's wonderful too. Horizon will be succeeded by Legacyin Trinity term of 2006.If you like you can look at the (sketchy, incomplete) GM notes as well.
Jurica
Jurica is a large expansive land to the east of Horizon; however, despite its size most of the land is barren desert, infertile and inhospitable. People live in many small towns and a few major cities along the fertile band this land shares with its near neighbours. It is this part of the country that most is known about, since this is the limit of where most dare to travel. There are some nomadic tribes who do venture into the desert but they are reclusive and speak to foreigners little. They have been known to take natives of Jurica into the desert despite not being of their nomadic heritage.The Fertile Band
This is the known part of Jurica where most of the population live. The main city goes by the name of Charim (pronounced Cha-reem) and is the capital of the country. Here dwells the Caliph who rules over the people in a just but occasionally brutal manner. The position is inherited along the eldest line regardless of sex; however, treachery, assassination and betrayal are all part and parcel of being in line for the throne. (There are numerous assassins who will be more than willing to help for the right price.)The current Caliph goes by the name of Abdul Hadi, and is in his late 30's and took the throne after his father died 7 years ago of a heart attack in the arms of his favourite concubine. Like his father (Abdul Samal) he has done remarkably well for himself by playing off his rivals against each other and not making himself too unpopular. Also like his father he hasn't even imprisoned his brother in a tower in case he should be plotting his downfall... He merely had him made into a eunuch before he could father children of his own, so that even if he did gain power when he died the throne would go back to his eldest child (very unusually he doesn't have any children yet) His sisters he put into his own harem for safekeeping.
Over the past 5 years or so the Caliph has become increasingly influenced by his advisors, many of whom are recently appointed. It is unclear as to whether they have his ear or whether they are actually giving him advice that he listens to and judges for himself, however under their advice the country has changed somewhat. The study of steam has all but been abandoned due to the scarcity of water, while clockwork has flourished throughout the echelons of society. The study of mysticism and sorcery has also increased over the past decade within the University of Marvels and in other large towns across the fertile band. Notably some of the advisors are well-respected mystics themselves, driving for an increase in research of this knowledge. These mystics also tend to hail from nomadic tribes deep in the desert.
The Caliph's eldest sister is 38, who stands to inherit the Caliphate if anything happens to her brother.
Charim is also home to the University of Marvels, a centre of learning that is a major rival of Horizon's own Imperial University. The university is famed for its gardens which are kept pristine as a matter of honour. The university’s students are mostly Jurican although there are one or two foreign students; most students who choose to study abroad go to the city of Horizon.
The city is also host to many traders, mercenaries and travellers, as well as farmers who toll the land around the river delta that the sustains the country. Nomads come in and out as they please, occasionally bringing in things that may even come from the other side of the desert.
The main exports of this country are exotic spices and, ahem, more exotic spices. (Yes, there is a roaring drugs trade here, however with the collapse of the Cartel most trading to Horizon is now done through the Dockyard Rats.)
Just as with every city it has its low lives, its crime lords, drug cartels, its beggars and its sinister aspects. It can be very dangerous walking the streets if you don’t know what you’re doing. Even the walls have ears and everything seems to get back to the Caliph eventually and if that happens you might be getting a visit from his personal guard. Of course, for a guarantee of peaceful business the Caliph may just leave you alone.
The Other Side of the Desert
Where the land meets the ocean. Too far for anyone to really travel to. Very little is known about it and probably it knows very little about the rest of the world other than what the few nomads tell them.The Break from the Empire
When the time came for freedom, there was a change in the winds coming out from the desert, a shifting in the sands, and then storms raged over the land, blowing the dry death over the people. Those of the Empire didn’t know what to do but the nomads who had lived in the desert through all the long years of occupation came back and led the true people of Jurica out into the desert. The Empire was forced to leave or die as the desert was no friend of them. The people survived in the desert somehow (rumors of something in the desert persist) for 7 years in which time the storms upon the fertile band did not let up. The Empire was driven completely from the land and after the 7th year the people returned and reclaimed the land for themselves. The nomads who had travelled with them all this time returned to the desert. The Empire made several attempts to retake the land but each time the storms came back and the people were able to drive off the invaders. The storms were never again as bad as in the 7 years. The man who led them in the first defence against the empire trying to retake the lands was called Abdul Razzaq and was named ruler of the free peoples and was the ancestor of Abdul Samal the current Caliph.Rumors
It is believed that there is a great tower in the centre of the desert from the age before time; an island of life in the middle of the sands where strange arts are practiced.The drugs industry in Jurica was actually the power behind the Cartel in Horizon, and has managed to subever the Dockyard Rats. It is even believed that the homeland industry also has influence over the Caliph who is more preoccupied with palace life and the "exotic spices" given to him than keeping control of the country.
The homeland drugs trade is planning to increase its influence across the world and already has significant clout in the other three nations with a view to eventually crippling them and allowing Jurica to take control of Horizon.
The Caliph’s brother has an heir that the Caliph doesn’t know about so there is still an incentive to get rid of his brother and put his son on the throne.