Daaqii

The High Kingdom of Plenty Dalka Mizaha Waa Badan Iyo `aano La Barwaaqaysan Sidii Biyo Oo Kale
Flag
Capital	Maroodi
Official languages	Daaqi, Gaullican
Ethnic groups	Daaqi, Ra'ay, Habasht, Varimi
Demonym(s)	Daaqi
Government	Enlightened absolute monarchy
• Boqorad	Qasaye Shaqlan
Legislature	Royal cabinet
History
• wip	wip
Area
•	1,084,303 km2 (418,652 sq mi)
Population
• 2016 estimate	152,864,703
• Density	140.98/km2 (365.1/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$1,070,052,900,000
• Per capita	$7000
Currency	?? (?)
Driving side	right

The High Kingdom of Plenty (Daaqi: Dalka Mizaha Waa Badan Iyo `aano La Barwaaqaysan Sidii Biyo Oo Kale meaning "The fruits are abundant and the milk is flowing like water") is a rough interpretation of the indigenous name for the polity known colloquially as Daaqii ("Pastures"). The Daaqii state is a multiethnic, multireligious autocracy on the crossroads between Bahia and the Badawiyan states, with a culture possessing aspects of both. Daaqii has had a history of rivalry with Irfanic powers in the region, often taking the opposing position against them. It holds the highest density of Atudaist followers beyond the borders of Adunis itself, legendarily beginning over two thousand years before present. This community, alongside native polytheistic and animist cults, has resulted in a syncretic state religion over the centuries that has been firmly opposed to Irfan.

The Daaqi people today are a diverse group with a wide range of appearances, typically bearing Badawiyan features accompanied by a Bahian skin tone. This is commonly seen as a reflection of the unique cultural situation apparent among the populace. Being at the crossroads between these two groups, a large degree of interaction with both has occurred over the centuries. The Daaqi people originate as pastoral migrants to the region, closely related to the Kehtic people, and possibly originating in modern Sutanel. Subgroups and affiliated clans would continue to migrate south and reach a diverse border region with indigenous Bahian groups. The northern half was either invaded and settled by new nomadic groups, or were converted. These people are now known as the Ra'ay people, and their ethnic origin is unclear, whether they are Atudaite in origin or were simply Atudaized later in history.

Although the total unity of the region is relatively new, the various groups have long been codependent on one another. The Atudaite nomads have grazed the wide pastures of the north, while the Habasht and Varimi in the south have grown large numbers of crops, and both came to the urban center and coast of the region to do trade with wealthy mercantile states. Well-known for the production and distribution of spices, this crossroads trade brought a fair profit to the Daaqii region and, ultimately, an unofficial agreement and understanding between the various states occupying the area. By the time of the Crusades, the Daaqii region had been unified under a central authority, although contemporary record seems to indicate that this was a loose authority, and possibly symbolic rather than actually holding proper weight.

Ancient history

File:Crooked.jpg

A Daaqi hand print on a cave wall. Extensive analysis has revealed a woman with a crooked finger to be the origin.

It is unknown when the first peoples arrived in the Daaqii region, although they left behind many testaments to their presence. Cave paintings of swimming, hunting, and ritual life can be found across the land, and cairns mark what were once ancient pathways and tombs. These cairns may have once denoted tribal boundaries as well, especially for the use of marking hunting grounds. Hundreds of paintings of hand-prints on walls have been discovered, occasionally including a series of hand-prints potentially representing a full band of population.

Stone age tools and cultural customs seem to indicate a continuity between prehistoric and modern populations. It is likely that the modern Daaqi people originate from these groups, as the Varimi cultures appear to be at their northernmost extent in modern times. Regardless, the cultural impact of the Varimi cultures is widely regarded to have had a strong impact on the culture of the entire region. The understood written history of the region is relatively late, and much of what is known about the bronze age of Daaqii is derived from archaeology and later reports.

Northern Desert Kingdoms

It is unknown what the exact origins of the Ra'ay people are. They claim in their national history and epics to be descended from ancient Atudite settlers, but analysis of their historical languages prove them to be in an entirely different branch than that of the Atudite tongue. The ambiguity of their early religious depictions further muddles the issue, as does the appellation Raxman used consistently throughout their texts. The first signs of proper urban development begin around 1400 BCE, with the development of overland oasis communities to act as waystations and caravansaries for long trade routes running between Bahia and Badawiya. The use of tribesmen as guides through the region is the origin of the name Ra'ay, originally a verb meaning to see. Running trade through modern Daaqii allowed merchants an option to circumnavigate the harsh mountainous terrain between Songguo and Hyndana, as well as a direct path to Badawiya.

The first major kingdoms appear in the area around 800 BCE, particularly around the castle-town of Shana. Nearby rivals included Haza, Qana`, Shaqo, and Hami. A larger metropolis was beginning to form in the city of Maroodi, named for its ivory trade. The full name of Maroodi is Maroodiga Iyo Jeer Halkan `abbi, meaning "The elephant and the hippopotamus drink here", referring to local wildlife prevalent at the site. The name was shortened to "Maroodi" in reference to the strong ivory trade coming from the city. The entire region was frequently in a state of conflict and shifting borders as various entities vied for power and wealth, usually with one major kingdom stepping above all others in highly fragile dominance.

Shana Period

The wealthy kingdoms had rival trade with one another, but the greater trade routes running through the region would tend to stop at each. It was during this era that many early feats of architecture and art were undertaken by the various competing states. Lasting roughly 800 BCE to 300 BCE, the Kingdom of Shana was the dominant power in the modern Daaqii area. Petroglyphs from Shana indicate an ambiguous cult, either representing an early form of the modern god Shams, or demonstrating an Atudaite connection. Writing would be developed in Shana around 500 BCE, although this would fail to resolve the ambiguity as a single cultic figure by the name of Raxman would be associated with the religion of the area. The development of writing would quickly spread, and introduce the modern Daaqi people as emerging from the Kingdom of Maroodi, with the other significant kingdoms being an early predecessor of the otherwise largely nomadic Ra'ay people. Legal documents from this era support the idea of a largely pastoral population, with many contracts dealing with the exchange of goats, sheep, and cattle, with rare surviving tablets detailing the practice of trading slaves, as well as their manumission and under what circumstances such occurs.

In 432 BCE, the Kingdom of Shana declared war on the Kingdom of Shaqo. This led to the rapid development of forts and the large-scale deployment of new warfare styles as the two dueled. After a long and difficult war, in 421 BCE, the Shana captured the city of Shaqo and nearly doubled its territory. A period of dominance overtook the region as Shana became the most powerful state in the area. In 380 BCE, Shana once again declared war to attempt to capture Qanac. This lasted longer than Shana had anticipated, as Qanac had been building up fortifications and expanding its military infrastructure since the capture of Shaqo. In 347 BCE, Qanac claimed an extremely costly victory in the war. The treacherous king of Shana, however, declared war two years later before Qanac could properly recover. The city quickly fell to the superior force, and once again Shana expanded. Hami and Haza both would become tributaries of the Shana Kingdom in 322 BCE, although tensions remained high. in 312 BCE, Hami hired mercenaries from Maroodi and, with the aid of Hazi, rebelled against the rule of Shana. On March 28 of 300 BCE, the city of Shana fell to the enemy force and the reign of Shana over the other kingdoms came to an end. Despite this, the city of Shana would continue to be an important capital for literature, architecture, and the general arts for centuries to come.

Interregnum Period

Lasting 600 years, from 300 BCE to 300 CE, this was a period of relative balance in power among the kingdoms. This was the rise of Maroodi to prominence, as it had previously been seen as a secondary power to the primary five. Some attribute this to skilled slaves captured from Shana, although the historical record indicates that it was more likely the influx of wealth brought on by the looting of the city and the eventual return home. Despite most kingdoms being on equal footing, Shana continued to be the most prominent city among them all. Many ambitious kings aspired to claim it, although none were successful in actually capturing the city. The status of Shana has been compared to that of Solaris in Euclea.

The first clear and undisputed reference to Atudaism appears in Shaqo in 214 BCE. A tablet in the Atudaic language uses the name Raxman, meaning "Merciful" and shared with the previous cultic deity of the region, as an epithet. It makes claim to a long legacy of Atudaism in the region, especially in Hami, potentially revealing the Raxmanism of the past as indicative of an Atudaic presence.

Hami Period

The Kingdom of Hami, in 300 CE, began a similar path of expansion as Shana had done centuries prior. Summoning the very same mercenary band that had aided them in their rebellion against Shana, Hami conquered Qanac in a surprise invasion. In 342 CE, Hami went further and captured Shaqo. Shana and Haza allied one another in a defensive pact against Hami, locking the two blocs in a stalemate until 410 CE when, through the use of clever baiting tactics, Hami was able to capture Shana. The main fortress felled to their forces, King Yanuf Watar III was declared the King of Maxfadan, a title used by the old Kings of Shana meaning "tower" to reference a castle or fortification and referring to the modern territory of the Ra'ay people.

In 350 CE, Atudaism had a very strong and ingrained presence in the Hami Kingdom. An alliance was made with the Maroodi Kingdom, which had been growing rapidly in prosperity due to the relative peace it enjoyed compared to the competing northern kingdoms. They compared the Maroodi prime deity named Waaq to their own Atudaic deity, which they would only call Raxman due to the taboo on uttering anything but en epithet with reference to the deity.

In 693 CE, King Murthid Zarih V ascended to the throne. His reign would begin peaceful, but when Hami was met with Irfanic pressure, a sharp decline would occur. Increased spending on infrastructure to support a strong border guard left many regions underfunded and without suitable garrison. In 738 CE, Hami collapsed after a devastating Irfanic assault on the border. The small kingdoms scrambled, newly independent and unprepared. In an effort to safeguard the region from a common threat, and to expand its own influences, the well-developed Kingdom of Maroodi sent its army into the fold and, one by one, restored order to the cities of the north. Buying out nomadic confederations, Maroodi used guerrilla warfare against the Irfanic forces and expelled them from the region. This was the foundation of the earliest unified Daaqii region, and the influence of the Kingdom of Maroodi would be felt as the region enjoyed prosperity until the days of the crusades. The last Irfanic forces had been expelled from the area in 763 CE by King Warsame of the Abrone dynasty.

Central Savanna

The Kingdom of Maroodi was established much earlier than the Ra'ay states by millennia, but scarce ventured to the arid North. Instead, it focused on spreading its influence and territory throughout the grasslands covering the center of the country. Known for consolidating the local savanna and many Habeshti groups several times in sizable empires, it had become but a shadow of its former self by the dawn of the Ra'ay kingdoms. Maroodi left behind very little comprehensible writing of its own, and so most information about it is understood in an archaeological context alongside histories and records provided by the Ra'ay centuries after the events occurred. While it is often believed that the Maroodi lacked a form of phonetic transcription, some have pointed to series of recurrences and patterns in select tablets, carvings, and murals that, according to computer analysis, are likely an early form of script that is yet undeciphered.

The city of Maroodi, founded during this era, was one of the world's first metropolises, and is still inhabited to this day. The city experienced a slow decline over the last millennium before the common era, becoming significantly reduced by the year 0 for a large variety of reasons. It is often considered to hold a leading position in the longest-lasting cities of relevance and dominance over a continuous period, generally considered for its period to have lasted from 4000 BCE to the year 0, but its slow rise from the ashes of its former self and reclamation of dominance in the 18th century have been cited in attempts to extend this period to the modern day.

Foundations

The vicinity of Maroodi has been known to be inhabited since the Mesolithic, with petroglyphs and stone tools found within a 100 mile radius of the modern city covering thousands of years. However, it is believed that these early inhabitants were migratory hunter-gatherers, and were relatively late to the development of agriculture. The first signs of permanent habitation date to the 6th millennium BCE, with more advanced stone tools and the formation of larger cairns within the vicinity. Artifacts from this period significantly increase in number, but few signs of construction remain. This likely results from the near-exclusive use of organic materials in construction, with any holes left by tent stakes, palisades, or other potential markers covered over millennia ago by shifting dust and dirt. The only known find to indicate housing from this time was found in a cave obscured by rocks and dust, consisting of the rib cage of a hippopotamus with a naturally-mummified leather exterior likely made from the hide of the beast. The structure was tipped over and covered in soil, well-hidden within the cave. Closer to the entrance are fossilized pieces of the ribs buried halfway in the ground, indicating that the rib cage and exterior were used together as a crude hut near the mouth of the cave. This preservation appears to have been achieved due to a landslide preventing it from being exposed to the outside environment. No human remains have been found within the cave, indicating the inhabitant likely escaped the event.

Early Maroodi

The first urban structures of Maroodi still exist today, although in a state of heavy disrepair. Within a depression lying in the midst of the modern city, there are several mudbrick houses, clay domes presumed to have once been ovens or storehouses, and a limestone temple throughout the site. It is believed that the city may have had at least 5000 inhabitants at the time of the first glyphic tablets uncovered in the area. Considering its very tribal surroundings at the time, this put Maroodi at a significant advantage over all others. It is known that this relative prosperity led it to great ambition, as the earliest known tablets from the site depict conquests and warriors. It is believed, in the theory that these tablets contain phonetic representation, that they list out the names of polities conquered by the early Maroodi state.

Old Qoyan

Generally agreed to begin with the first known tablets recording conquests of nearby groups, the Old Qoyan phase lasted for roughly 2000 years. It is during this time that the earliest hints of what we consider modern Daaqi culture through artistic depictions of people and artifacts contemporary to the kingdom. It also sees the birth of larger monumental architecture in area, with many temples, palaces, and forts known from the period. Most notably in the architectural development of Daaqii, the Old Qoyan phase shows a clear and linear progression of form and style, culminating in the more famous structures of ancient Daaqii. The various ruins dotting the landscape from the period provide valuable insight, so that despite the lack of understood written material contemporary to the kingdom, it is an unusually and remarkably well-understood stage in Daaqii history.

According to recently-available translation, the first king of the Old Kingdom was Barkhad, of the house of Abaadir. The founder of the dynasty is said to be "Bahdoon", but this may represent an epithet describing one without a clan. Abaadir, meanwhile, may be an epithet representing that he is the founder, but the structure of the naming implies it is his given name. Despite Bahdoon being the first person to be listed king, it is generally said that Old Qoyan begins with his grandson, Amadayo, who by 3 years in his rule had conquered many nearby kingdoms and integrated them into an early empire. The most popular gods of the time appear to have been Waaq, still worshiped in the modern day, and a solar deity named Rax whose name may represent the native Maroodi variant for the deity that would later be called Shams. Amadayo, in the text, brags about a sun-blessed spear that is implied to have been made of copper. This would indicate that Old Qoyan had entered the copper age by C. 4000 BCE, but that such tools were still not widespread. The discovery of many stone balls with slots in the bottom, believed to be mace heads, corroborates this theory.

Amadayo's dynasty, given as the house of Abaadir, would grow the empire to a size of great significance, far extending beyond the modern borders of Daaqii to include many Bahian tribes, desert nomads, and peoples closely related to the Maroodi nation. Based on architectural similarities between Darshi and Ra'ay cities, it is sometimes supposed to have reached as far as Darshistan, but all translated work from the Old Qoyan era has yet to prove any firm link in this connection. The house of Abaadir would ultimately collapse in 3122 BCE, where the last members after a couple generations of inbreeding had reduced the dynasty to an infertile brother and his more-functional but said to be asexual sister. It is suspected that this was a cover for homosexual leanings by conservative scribes soon after her death, but she was known to have married and produced a child of the succeeding dynasty with the realm's most accomplished general, Aar. The last Abaadirid princess, Zuuxo, was said to have married him quite suddenly despite previously being uncomfortable with human touch and especially around men.

the Aarid dynasty would last from 3122 BCE to 2718 BCE, less successful than the founding Abaadirids. Aar himself would reinvigorate the army of the nation and dedicate a great deal of time to building fortifications, as well as updating the standing army with copper and bronze weaponry. The reign of Aar is generally considered to be the birth of the Daaqi bronze age. The Aarids are famous for bearing the first known queen in Daaqi history, Aamuun, the daughter of Aar and Zuuxo. It is said that Zuuxo and Aar, unable to produce another child no matter how much they tried, had to settle. Furthermore, it was recorded that Zuuxo had a great influence on her daughter's upbringing, and particularly in convincing Aar to raise her as a competent warrior rather than a gentle princess.

Aamuun's reign is remembered as particularly peaceful, albeit not necessarily less militarized than that of her father. The army still played a significant role in society, and border conflicts occurred at regular rates, but there were no full wars, invasions, or conquests during this time. Instead, Aamuun was said to be the bringer of prosperity and benefit, constructing extensive civil infrastructure projects and monumental feats. It is through Aamuun that the first instances of stacked and layered tombs is known, leading to step-pyramid architecture for her and her immediate successors. Depictions of smaller, more common buildings from this period introduces a new "beehive" element to the tops of some, indicating an early dome probably inspired by Aamuun's pyramids.

According to legend, the Aarid dynasty fell due to internal corruption. It was said that the military nature of the clan ran in its blood, and after presenting the army so strongly, a general named Jaama` overtook the throne in a bloody civil war through use of an unknown claim to the blood of the throne. This would found the Jaamaid dynasty, lasting 2718 BCE to 2487 BCE. Jaama` himself was described by contemporaries as an extremely pious man of great honor, explaining the popular support he must have had to win the war for the throne. Under his guise, the names of more gods appear in government buildings, moving away from Waaq and Rax in favor of a great plurality, and Jaama` himself taking a great interest in the hyena god of death, decay, and who guides souls in the afterlife, known as Zurwa and sometimes shortened as Zur. Another favorite of the Jaamaids was Huur, the falcon companion of Zurwa and another deity of death. It is believed that Jaama` popularized the shotel, as well as other sickle-sword designs, in large part due to the so-called cult of the dead, as he referred to his army during his revolution as The Claws of Huur, a name he would later apply to his personal guard.

One theory states that Jaama` founded his cult of the dead due to the destruction wrought in his revolution. He sought to bring relief, glory, and peace to the many people slain during the conflict. This is considered tenuous because of his use of Huur imagery before his victory, but is lent great support by his postwar actions. He founded his dynasty based on ideals of peace and harmony, perhaps afraid that such a bloody conflict might happen again. This legacy would continue for several generations until the end of the dynasty, when they were perceived as idle and decadent by subject peoples, who accused the Jaamaids of heresy and atheism, and even other Qoyani cities would break away to give praise to their patron deities in spite of the strong focus previously afforded the psychopomps. This was but a brief period, however, and is thus not counted as one of the intermediate or interregnum periods of Daaqi history.

The imperial capital would shift away from the city of Maroodi with the rise of the next dynasty, housed at Yaxaasla under the new king Looshan. The Loshanid dynasty would reign from 2487 BCE to 2000 BCE. Looshan's capital of Yaxaasla had previously been known as a major agricultural city, even moreso than Maroodi, and whose name explains its strong connections with large local populations of crocodiles. The crocodile god of agriculture, Uurka, was considered the patron deity of the city, and gained a new prominence in the Qoyani Empire during the Loshanid era.

Looshan was known as a warlord for much of his reign, but only from the rapidity and brutality of his initial conquests. During his actual reign, he reinstated the rule of civil projects and cultural production above that of the army- although, he kept his personal guard quite close. He was said to have sired 67 children in his lifetime over 7 wives, contrary to the monogamous policy of the early Maroodi kings. By the end of the Loshanid era, the severe plurality and diversity of the Qoyani Empire was clear- many cities had patron gods and even triads, many minority groups existed across the empire, and the state was in a constant state of deterioration over these differences.

The ultimate failure of the Loshanid dynasty was their inability to raise an effective and professional fighting force, leading to a lack of centralized authority and a lack of ability to enforce their will across the realm. The last Loshanid, Queen Ku-Zashay-Huur, was said to have been raised a gentle and pious soul who was unable to stand against her aggressive vassals. Her end came at the hands of the lord of Maroodi, who took her as his slave and concubine. She disappears from the historical record at this point, and the empire falls into utter chaos.

First Interregnum

With the final disintegration of the first Qoyan, the region was gripped by a constant state of belligerence and weakness. The two major competing powers were Maroodi and Yaxaasla, but a third city would arise during this period to rival the two traditional capitals. The newcomer, Xero, had its own divine triad headed by the cat goddess Bisad, the lady of protection. The other two gods were Awooda, the lion god of warfare, and Wada, the cheetah god of vigilance and brotherhood. This triad well represents the national character of the city during the interregnum, and explains how it was so able to rise and fight with the stronger two powers.

Maroodi during this era was a place of great prestige- known as the old imperial capital, both Yaxaasla and Xero had set their goal to the capture of it. After the premature death of their ruler in 1999 BCE, Maroodi would be held primarily by a rotating succession of priests in an Ecclesiarchy, with the high priests of Waaq, Rax, and Zur holding equal power with one another. It is recorded that in 1997 BCE, a family of falcons roosted in the temple of Zur, and so the priest, Webiga-Noqo-Nabadda, named the father of the family "Huur", and bred from his group a fine cast of falcons, their claws kept sharp, and the hardiest of which were brought into battle to aid in the fight. Reports indicate that these falcons, given the old name The Claws of Huur, would steal helmets, tear throats, and on one occasion even disarmed an enemy general to save the life of the Maroodi general.

Yaxaasla, under the watch of their lords, was highly unstable. The drought of the land, possibly having contributed to the fall of the empire earlier, took a heavy toll. Kings were to be instruments of Uur, but the continued failure to produce surplus, good harvests, and controlled floods of the river led to them being replaced frequently. In the three centuries of the interregnum, Yaxaasla went through 412 different kings, none of which were related to their predecessors. Once a king was deposed, he was fed to the crocodiles just beyond the city perimeter in an attempt to appease Uur. A crocodile born in 1848 BCE on the outskirts of the city is believed to hold the world record for longest-lived crocodile, and records are well kept. As it was born on the grounds of the temple, it was named by the priests Dabo-Biyo-Jarid, often shortened to "Dabiyo" by some writers, and it is this form that was recorded by Hellese and Solarian writers millennia later as "Dabio". Dabiyo was present at the end of the interregnum, some 127 years later, and at the time of his death was about 6 meters long. The people of the city presumed Dabiyo to be an incarnation of the god, and groomed him carefully in hopes of bringing relief to the drought. His children would continue to be groomed in such a manner at the city for millennia, and there are tentative links to existing crocodiles today.

The newcomer, Xero, was placed near the hunting grounds of wild cats. During the day, cheetahs would roam the savanna. During the night, lions would prowl in the grass. The people of the city developed a unique regional culture surrounding specific times of day to accommodate the cats, when it was safe to hunt or roam, and when it was better to tend the farm. A large mountain in the distance, with an extensive cave network once inhabited by prehistoric tribes and filled with cave art, ultimately housed many of these wildcats. The temple of Bisad, accordingly, was styled after the mountain's silhouette, with one set of rooms themed after Awooda and another after Wada. Xero would experience relative stability for the era, although like every other city it would suffer an abnormal number of power shifts. In a strange mutation, Xero's monarchy took a matriarchal pattern, as the queens would be hosts, representations, or avatars of Bisad.

The interregnum came to an end in 1721 BCE, when the warrior-queen, Qurxoon-Adkeysi, laid siege to the other main competitors for the throne. The first to fall was Yaxaasla, where the siege lasted for three months. According to records from 5 years after the battle occurred, Qurxoon-Adkeysi came into battle riding upon a giraffe so that she would be able to see above everything, and tried to climb the neck to see above the enemy walls. She cut off supplies to the city, and laid an elaborate trap. After seven failures, Dabiyo was finally captured in an incredibly elaborate trap. It is said that at that moment, a torrential rain began to fall on the city, breaking the drought. At this, the peasants of the city began a mass revolt, seeing the rain as an omen in Xero's favor. The soldiers threw down their arms, and the king of the city attempted to flee. He was captured, fed to Dabiyo, and the city joined in Xero's new empire. Dabiyo was released back into the water.

With the combined army, little could stand in Qurxoon-Adkeysi's way. Three days before her arrival at Maroodi, her pet cat disappeared. Panicked, she paused for a full day to search. Frightened of this omen, she made her way toward Maroodi with a heavy heart. At her arrival, she camped outside the city and planned an assault. As she had the gate rammed down the next day, it was recorded that a stray cat was seen in each of the three major temples of the city, climbing on the statues and attacking priests. The reunion of Qurxoon-Adkeysi with her pet was heartwarming to all those involved, and as a show of mercy she allowed the priests to resume their clerical offices while wresting secular power from their hands. Thus ended the interregnum, and began a period defined by a single dynasty repeatedly moving the capital of their empire, starting with Qurxoon-Adkeysi's capital at Xero.

Middle Qoyan

The following year, at the birth of 1720 BCE, Qurxoon-Adkeysi was crowned the queen of the land. At her coronation, she donned a new crown that had been crafted, representative of the three major cities, tiered and layered together. The symbolism of triples would continue throughout her reign, and it is believed that her view of the world in threes originates with the holy triad of Xero. The new queen would be remembered as a benevolent and powerful force who rebuilt the lost empire, and spent her days traveling between the old capitals to see to business at each on their own terms. She would die in 1646 BCE at the age of 94, having lived to see her great great grandchildren.

Her son, fearing himself too old for the throne, passed the inheritance to his own daughter. Ku-Zashay-Bisad, having been raised in joint effort by her father and Qurxoon-Adkeysi, was well aware of the struggle her grandmother had gone through to establish the peace- and accordingly kept it intact. However, having traveled in much of her youth, she was not nearly as attached to Xero as her grandmother was- and, indeed, was more connected to the older imperial history. She proceeded to move the capital to Maroodi, and undertook restorative efforts on the ancient palace there- although, she did likewise for Yaxaasla without giving it official status. The palace as Yaxaasla came to be a residence for her father, uncles, and aunts, while ancient Maroodi was her own residence. Dying without children, the throne passed to her cousin, who would change the capital to her residence of Yaxaasla.

This cycle would continue throughout the dynasty, passing from queen to queen and from capital to capital. The Middle Qoyan period was the pinnacle of civil engineering and monumental architecture for ancient Daaqii, with new massive temples, new pyramids, and in the later period entire tomb complexes in hard-to-reach locations bearing what is thought to be some of the greatest monuments produced by the civilization.

The reign of the Xero dynasty would come to an end in 1540 BCE, faced by warlords from the south and increasing aggression from the north. The reigning queen, Xaraago-Geesinimo, faced a plot from her highest priests. As a child, she was poisoned and fell ill. Using their great influence, strengthened by the illness of the queen, they seized power and declared her unfit to rule. Kept locked away, the public was given only brief reports about her declining health and mental state. Upon turning an adult, they had her crowned in shadow, but used her as a puppet. It would not be until the age of 27 that she would be liberated, her doctor taking control and declaring her fit and well. Returning to public life, she was overwhelmed and mentally unstable. She devoted her time to writing a lengthy text on health, physical fitness, and spiritual wellness. She would die of a heart attack at the age of 32, and leave the realm without a true heir. Thus, pressured from all sides, and without a monarch, local leaders took power once more.

Second Interregnum

With the collapse of the Xero dynasty and the young death of its last queen, the three traditional centers of power rose to prominence individually once more. The treachery of the priests of Maroodi, exposed to the public and blamed for the death of the queen, did not go unpunished. A violent mob laid siege to the temples and slaughtered most of the clergy, and ransacked the goods of the temples. Following this, the peasant mob took up residence in the recently-restored, but vacant, palace in the city. It was there that they established one of the first democratic governments in recorded history, though it was not reminiscent of later democratic and republican governments that form the basis for modern Euclean ideology and government. This, alongside the restorations of the city during the Xero dynasty, allowed Maroodi to play a more prominent role than it had in the previous interregnum.

The governor of Xero, a man named Waranadag, declared independence following the rise of the peasant republic in Maroodi. Declaring that their violations of the sacred temples were crimes against the gods, while the actions and abuses of the priests lost the divine favor of the city, Waranadag proclaimed Xero to be the true successor to the previous dynasty - as it had been their capital for most of their reign. Furthermore, he dictated that peasants had no right to rule, while he had been appointed by the divine will. Currying the favor of the local priesthood, they confirmed his claims from the perspective of the Feline Triad. Waranadag rapidly deployed military garrisons to nearby towns and villages, and messengers to nearby forts, to reestablish order under his personal authority, thus forming one of the more sizable successors and centralized states during the interregnum.

The city of Yaxaasla had been left to its priests for much of the duration of the Xero dynasty. As such, when the imperial authority collapsed, the priests maintained power. Positioned in a strategic location, the clergy took control of the trade going both up and down the river and established the city as a vital location with a dense concentration of wealth and resources through new taxes, tariffs, tolls, and other bureaucratic and regulatory measures. Accordingly, the clergy turned into essential plutocrats, and the city became known for opulent displays of wealth at an otherwise unstable time period.

Medieval history

The Middle Ages in Daaqi history are associated with rapid fluctuations of power. In the earlier days, the entire modern territory of Daaqii had been united. By the end of the Middle Ages, the governance had collapsed and returned to its previous state of kings and nomads. There was both prosperity and devastation that arose in the period, and though it holds a painful collective memory for the people of modern Daaqii, it is seen as an integral part of history for the kingdom. It would lay the seeds for what would become a period of great prosperity and spread of wealth. It is seen today as laying the groundwork for the later explosion of the arts and innovation that led Daaqii throughout the Early Modern era.

Early Middle Ages

The Early Middle Ages are said to have begun in Daaqii in the year 780 CE, when the last Abrone, King Warsame IV, died. Without the Abrone dynasty to lead the nation, the unified region fell apart and into distinct states, with nomadic hosts offering their services to the highest bidder. This was the first time since the Interregnum of Antiquity that the Ra'ay kingdoms were each able to promote their individual cultures above their pan-ethnic identification granted to them by the Maroodi government. Unlike times past, no kingdom was able to ultimately overcome the others, and nomadic hosts were limited primarily to raiding and harassment rather than the previous conquests and lootings they had become famous for. This ironically led to a golden age in the region, as each culture sought to compensate in years lost by producing more art, science, and poetry in their own languages and for the glory of their own states. Nomadic oral poetry was recorded for the first time, from both Daaqi and Ra'ay sources.

During this period was also the first recorded contact with the Varimi peoples, at least on an official government level. Prior to this, only select individuals were known to travel between the two, and very few had the skills to communicate to both Daaqi and Varimi sources. These people were wealthy interpreters for the lucrative trade running from Bahia to the north. The first recorded contact is between a Daaqi nomad named Tufaax of the Duur clan and a tribe of the Varimi proper, at the time a largely agrarian group. They explained the origin of their name as stemming from farming, in contrast with herders to the north and hunters elsewhere.

The birth of a new empire under the Maroodi kingdom. Gathering together a great host of nomads in alliance through marriage to his many sons, King Abdiraxman II took his host from village to village, threatening each to burn in ash unless fealty was sworn to him. One by one, villages individually took the oath and became his loyal vassals. By the time Abdiraxman reached the capitals of each kingdom, they were well aware of the situation. He gave each kingdom autonomy in exchange for tribute of tax and soldiers- independently establishing Feudalism in the region to be seen throughout the rest of the Middle Ages. Full unification of the region, except for the Varimi, was once again attained in the year 869 CE. From this point, subjugating the Varimi agrarians to the south to produce excess for his empire was the next goal. Abdiraxman would die in 875, before achieving this full goal. His son, Absame I, would continue his father's attempts to subjugate the Varimi. They got did not get far before the difficult terrain became too much for effective reach, and the ambitions in the south were canceled. The modern borders of Daaqi were reached in 893 CE.

Early Modern history

Monayyy

Modern history

Can't spell Warsangali without Ali singing about war

Demographics

Ethnicity

The Daaqi government officially recognizes four distinct ethnic groups within the country, but these are functionally umbrellas covering the large internal diversity of the land. The four given groups are Daaqi, Ra'ay, Habesht, and Varimi. The Varimi stand out from others as a group of pure Bahian descent, while the other three groups are distantly related to northerly groups such as the Akalians and the Asafiyahans. The Ra'ay share a clade with both Asafiyahan groups, but whether they are closer to the Atudaites or Badawiyans is a matter of great controversy. Linguistically, four out of five Ra'ay are clearly closer to the Badawiyans, but the matter of their ethnic origin and cultural identity complicates the matter. The Varimi are themselves several groups of Bahian origin, some closer to the natives of Kigomba while others are purely local to Daaqii.

Daaqi

The Daaqi people represent the most unified faction of the four ethnic groups, and are generally considered to represent a single people with strong dialect differences depending on their region of origin. This ethnic group formed the core population of the ancient Qoyani Empire, and the imperial capitals of old dominate dialect differences to this day.

Religion

Atudaism

Ra'ay

Raxmanism

Main Article: Religion in Daaqii

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Conceived in the Middle Ages, most likely unintentionally but perhaps consciously pushed to unite disparate religious groups, Raxmanism is a syncretic religion that blends Varimi and Bahio-Badawiyan folk religions with no small emphasis on common elements between the two. Considered one of the most definitive aspects of Daaqi culture, it is demonstrative of the mutual influences and cultural meshing evident in the Maroodi people to form a coherent creole population. Furthermore, it goes toward the comedic adage that "nobody knows where one begins and the other ends", referring to the inability to find hard lines in cultural and religious practices within Daaqii and, instead, seeing that everything exists on a continuum. The ethnic classification of the religion is made doubly difficult by the long period of time that the Maroodi people have been on the fringe of Bahio-Badawiyan cultures, their long cohabitation alongside Varimi groups, and the muddled historical record on who, exactly, influenced who. The many common denominators seemingly evident in the groups natively might be indicative of an otherwise-untraceable ancestral bond, a tendency of prehistoric regional development similar to culture blocs within native Asterian societies, or simply a growth over time towards one another.

Raxmanism is named after the eponymous Raxman, an epithet derived from Ra'ay languages meaning "The Merciful One," who assumes the role of the king of the universe. Through this, Raxmanism is technically monotheistic; although, the existence of many entities (Often called "Wa(s)") acting as intermediaries between Raxman and humankind would lead many to state otherwise. Raxman is, as his name suggests, believed to be a merciful and benevolent creator god, but simultaneously one too far removed from the world and too far above everyone else for any direct interaction. In colonial times, Raxman was said to be like God, while the Was were associated with saints. Since Raxman is good and merciful, evil and cruelty thus represent the mortal coil for the faithful; rather, it is a byproduct of conflict between humans and Was rather than an active agent. The origin of evil is much debated, with some suggesting that one's evil is another's good.

One of the most revered figures in Raxmanism is a psychopomp known by many names. Often associated with the ancient deity Zuurwa, which is one name he is often given, other names include Zaar(wa), Oday Samedi, and Baron Buda. The name "Zaarwa" is considered the traditional name for the deity, with a -wa suffix added in imitation of Zuurwa. It stems from the word "Zaar", often translated as "Demon" but traditionally acting instead as a spirit closely connected with the mortal world. Such spirits are often said to possess people, which can be done either by the will of the spirit being forced onto the individual, or by calling and temporarily binding the spirit willingly. Zaarwa is peculiar in his ambivalence, straddling the line between good and evil, portrayed as morally dubious without firm allegiance to one side or another; despite this, he is the most revered. This is believed to be related to the Cult of Death established during the Qoyani Empire and its lasting influence on Maroodi culture.

Other names for Zaarwa include Oday Samedi, or "Elder Sabbath" in mixed Maroodi and Gaullican respectively, named after the twilight of the week in mimicry, and perhaps mockery, of the twilight of life itself. "Baron Buda" bears a Gaullican title and a Maroodi name, relating to hyenas and the evil-eye. This name is another possible connection to Zuurwa, the hyena psychopomp of ancient Qoyan. The association to the evil-eye reflects his ambiguous nature and his strong association with mortal practices of magic. It is said that Zaarwa is possibly the most powerful entity in Raxmanism, or at least the one most willing to lend strong power to mortals, despite not being of particularly high rank in the traditional Raxmanist hierarchy. His role as a psychopomp may be related to his more frequent and lasting interactions with mortals as well, whereas other divinities are more distant and require greater effort to contact. This is a double-edged sword, however, as Zaarwa is also said to be more prone to Black Magic, selfish behavior, and excessive vice. Priests of Zaarwa tend to emphasize that this is simply a reflection of mortal behavior, rather than an evil alignment. Magicians patronized by Zaarwa, however, are viewed suspiciously.

Waaqism

Includes deities: Waaq, creator god of heaven; Rax, the lord of the sun; Zurwa, the hyena psychopomp and god of death; Huur, the falcon reaper of souls; Uurka, the crocodile god of farming

Varimi cults

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