The citadel takes the form of a tall tower surrounded by gardens and fenced by a large obsidian wall. The garden is not too dissimilar to the gardens of Babylon and seems to have tapped into a vast underground water source however how big this source is and where it originates from is unknown to man however it came into being when the world was rolled over the fire and the oceans poured out… this was a puddle that escaped and was danced over by the Gods thus covering it with land. It is an immense underground lake that isn't going to run out any time soon. How the water is pumped up and used to water the garden is unknown but is probably mythic and involves using the Powers goodwill.
The tower at the centre of the citadel takes an hour to walk around (about a 9mile circumference) tapers to the top and then bulges out in an eastern point (think Arabian nights style) The gardens are equally impressive and provide food, shelter, refreshment etc… for all who live there. The Obsidian wall prevents attack by any who might wish to and protects from the harsh desert winds although large storms still cause a problem. The tower, wall and gardens were built when men were still docile and under the will of Gods although the God that caused this to be built has long been forgotten. The citadel now acts as a centre of learning and knowledge of arcane secrets. There the art of mathematics is practiced in all its glory and science and engineering have reached a state of enlightenment. Magic and alchemy also have their place. The problem with the citadel is that very few know of its existence. Those who live there were usually born there, grow up there, and die there. Sometime people leave or people arrive but it's very unusual since its so hard to cross the desert. The nomadic tribes often bring news of outside and escort travellers but show no interest in going in (maybe their ancestors tried to storm those walls to no avail) and the citadel doesn't seem to mind them watering their flocks just outside the walls.
The tower contains many many rooms in which people live and work and also in which many and wondrous things are stored; including a library.
The library is vast and thought to contain a record of everything. This may well include a record of the time before written history as recounted by a god, it is equally possible that no human has ever read it. However things are easily lost within the shelves and endless volumes so no one has found it yet. People could spend lifetimes studying these tomes and still have only scratched the surface of what is contained there. The library is not common knowledge beyond the citadel. (unless we want to reveal it…) Those who live there often live unnaturally long lives but this is so commonplace amongst the inhabitants that they rarely notice since they are so isolated. (it might be something to do with the water…)
The librarian: This is an avatar of a God long forgotten. So long ago that even the avatar can't remember who he is. The avatar is custodian of the library but even he doesn't know what is contained within it. The avatar was once a man (whose name is now forgotten even by himself although he currently calls himself Reuben) hungry for knowledge, he travelled far and wide learning everything that could be learnt and searched for deep wisdom that man was never meant to know. He caught the attention of a God who made him into an avatar so that he may ever search for knowledge without the worries of his humanity to hinder him. Now he reads the library, cares for the library and yet in all his long years he still has not read all of it.
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 capitol 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 if you're 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 Abdu Samal and is in his mid 40's. He has done remarkably well for himself by playing off his rivals against each other and not making himself too unpopular. 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 Samad's eldest child. His sisters he put into his own harem for safe keeping.
Charim is also home to the University of Marvel, a centre of learning that is a mere shadow of the citadel but formidable none the less. It was set up by a group who left the citadel many centuries ago – if anyone knows anything firm about the citadel (without living there) then it'll be the chancellors of the 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 international pupils study in the city of Horizon and although the University of Marvel keeps ties with its larger sister it's got one or two surprises up its sleeves.
The city is also host to many traders, mercenaries and travellers as well as farmers who toll the land around the river delta that 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 *huhumm* more exotic spices (yes there is a roaring drugs trade here)
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. (secret police types) 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. This has the potential to allow us to bring goodness knows what into the game from the sea.
The break from the empire:
A change in the winds (some say brought about by the sorcerers of the citadel) caused a shifting in the sands that caused storms to cover 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 (perhaps they were helped by the citadel) for 7 years in which time the storms upon the fertile band did not let up. The empire were 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 Abdu Yallah and was named ruler of the free peoples and was the ancestor of Abdu Samal the current Caliph.