Anubian

The Anubians are a race of jackal headed humanoids. They live in the eastern deserts of Gyhan. Anubians are usually of a lawful allignment, but there have been exceptions.

Origin
Not much is known about the Anubian's true origins as a race. What is known is that they can be traced back to the continent of Arkadia.

On Arkadia the progenitor jackal race flourished. They were scholars and adept magic users. A group of humans encountered the progenitors when they landed on the northeastern shore of Arkadia. Due to their superior knowledge, the Humans looked at the progenitors as gods. Over the years the jackal race passively enslaved many of these humans as they had done previously with their neighbors the Gnolls, a neighboring race of hyena like humanoids. Over the course of many years, breeding between the humans and the progenitors led to the creation of a hybrid race. Able to change between human and jackal form, these hybrids were treated with contempt by most of the human population while being held to a higher esteem by the progenitors. The humans who once revered the jackal race were now filled with loathsome disregard and outright hatred for the hybrids they created. This eventually broke the bond between the humans and the progenitors. The Jackal race, who rarely ever actively sought conflict, and did not want to take sides in this one, decided to withdraw from the entire ordeal. They gathered their ships into a massive city fleet and sailed away from Arkadia, taking only their technology and their Gnoll pets with them.

They traveled for centuries across the oceans of Londorwin with no clear goal in mind. This left them with a lot of time to reflect on their actions on Arkadia and their decision to leave the humans to their fate. This decision split the Jackal race between those who believed they were right to leave and those who found themselves feeling guilty for what they've done. It didn't take long before the city fleet broke apart and went separate ways. The fleet believing they were right to leave were never heard from again.

Arriving in Gyhan
The fleet of Jackal-folk that believed they were wrong to leave their children to fight for themselves eventually landed in eastern Gyhan. When the Anubians, as they now called themselves, arrived in Gyhan the land was in turmoil. It was the dawn of the Nyxes-ra dynasty and the Adjessi Snake-men had turned to dark magic in worship of their serpent goddess Ophissra. In need of sacrifices for their dark rituals the Adjessi launched countless attacks against their ancient enemies the Herukoa who had settled in the east during the Adjessi's third dynasty. When the Anubians witnessed the chaos they were horrified. They began defending the Herukoa and with their superior technology, they were able to push the Adjessi out of the east.

After settling in eastern Gyhan the Anubians began to establish cities and Adjai Monasteries throughout their territories. They built a massive paradise of a city called Oasis that became their nation's capital. Many of the Gnolls who were now being treated like citizens after centuries of servitude, decided to leave the Anubians to find their own way in this new land, while the Herukoa chose to live in Anebi with their new allies and protectors.

Adjai Monks
In an effort to maintain peace throughout Anebi, the Anubians established an order of law-keeper monks called Adjai. Trained in an ancient Anubian martial art and taught to hone their natural skills, these monks would often serve as city guards or investigator while others chose to wander Elrinia and would uphold the law of the land based on where they were at the time. After a time the Anubians allowed any race to train to be Adjai monks even allowing the occasional Adjessi to join the ranks.

Open Land
Besides the Elves, the Anubians looked at the races of Elrinia as young and in need of guidance. They did not look down on them however. Instead they allowed all races to freely join their society, where the Anubians could teach and protect them. Many left their homelands for Anebi, hoping to learn from this ancient advanced race, or simply wishing for an escape. Very soon Anubians only made up about one third of Anebi's population.

Nubisath
During the end of the Adjessi fourth dynasty many of the Adjessi who were unwilling to accept the new leadership and changes fled into Anebi in an attempt to escape persecution. The Anubians of course offered them asylum as long as they followed the laws of Anebi. Many agreed choosing to continue worship of their dark goddess but in less extreme ways. Any who refused to give up dark practices were given passage away from Gyhan.

Gyhan Accords
Some 200 years after the events of Nubisath, the Adjessi of the Adjessi of the Asir-ra dynasty, under the rule of Kid Pharaoh Ssoliss, reached out to the Anubians in hopes to establish a peace throughout all of Gyhan. The other races invited to discuss the accords were the Sand Elves, the Herukoa, and the Gnolls. The Gnolls however chose not to attend. The purpose of these Accords were to establish regulations that would prevent further conflict in Gyhan. Some of the more major regulations were;
 * All races of Gyhan could live and operate within the territories of each other provided they respect the laws of the lands they are in.
 * Slavery within Adjessi-Ra was tolerated by the other races of Gyhan as long as it kept to a series of regulations. If a slave left Adjessi-Ra either by being brought out or by leaving on their own, then they would be subject to the rights within those territories. For example a slave that enters Anubian lands would become free. The Adjessi were also restricted from enslaving anyone protected by the Anubians or Sand Elves.


 * No race was allowed to have a standing military presence within the other.

Present Day
It is now present day. Anubians now make up only one fourth of Anebi's total population, Adjai Monks are scarce, and piracy has greatly increased in the waters surrounding Gyhan.

The Immortal Queen
For as long as any Anubian can remember, they have always been led by Queen Anumet. Popularly believed to be immortal, some skeptics believe she has been secretly "kept alive" by different Anubians throughout their history taking on the persona.

Children of Anumet
Over the centuries of Anumet's rule she has adopted many orphans she finds interesting. It is believed that she does this due to an inability to bear children of her own, presumably a side effect of her immortality. She would often choose children with unique talents. She would have them sent to Adjai Monasteries where they would be trained to hone these talents further.

While she herself is immortal her children have never shared this boon. When they die she moves on, adopting more to fill the void left by those that have passed. Today she is known to have two daughters and two sons. The oldest of them being and Anubian woman by the name of Bastet. She is often seen around Oasis and never without her three large Caracals; Unasi, Du-at, and Tribis. The next oldest is a Human woman by the name of Vel'Nira. She is often used to deliver messages for the queen. Vel Nira always seems cold and distant. The youngest of Anumet's children are the Anubian twins Antep and Khevi. Unable to speak these Anubians seem to still communicate with each other better than most.

Strong Navy
Due to their knowledge and many years at sea, Anubians have one of the strongest navies in the known world.

Religion
While there has been exceptions most Anubians chose not to partake in any religion. They accept that Londorwin and the stars were created by gods, but do not believe they need to revolve their lives around this. The Anubians allow others to worship their gods, even allowing temples to be built in Oasis itself. The only regulation they place is that the laws of Anebi are to be followed above any tenant of a religion that would say otherwise. An example of this is seen in the Adjessi being allowed to worship Ophissra, but without the ability to commit ritual sacrifices on people. To work around this the Adjessi turned to sacrificing animals.

Tense Arrival
When Anubians arrived in Gyhan during the fourth Adjessi dynasty initial relations were tenuous at best. When the Anubians landed the Adjessi were slaughtering the Herukoa. The Anubians were not willing to stand by and allow the Adjessi to drive the Herukoa to extinction, so they stepped in and offered them protection. At the time the Anubians were far more advanced then the Adjessi which left the Snakemen no choice but to abandon their hunt for the Herukoa.

The Adjessi believe the Anubians think themselves smarter then the Adjessi which causes many of the Adjessi to hold a little distaste for them. Anubians on the other hand tolerate Adjessi, believing they like any other require guidance. This often leads to the Adjessi being underestimated.

Protection
After witnessing the slaughter upon their arrival, the Anubians have placed the Herukoa under their protection. Most Herukoa now live in nomadic settlements throughout Anebi. The Herukoa while grateful, prefer to be left to themselves. The Anubians honor this wish as long as the Herukoa adhere to the laws of Anebi.

Citizenship
Gnolls had been allies of the Anubians before the progenitors ever left Arkadia. Believed to have once been a savage people of no intelligence whatsoever, it is said that the progenitors took in the Gnolls and taught them how to read, write, and function in a society. While this was true, the Gnolls were often treated as pets or servants. After the split of the city fleet Gnolls were given almost as many rights as any of the Jackal-folk. When settling in Gyhan most of the Gnoll population took advantage of this freedom and set out to carve their own path in this new land.

Almost 800 years later Gnolls have spread throughout Elrinia. Most established tribes and settlements while some chose to assimilate to the culture of other societies. While Gnolls in Anubian cities were still commonplace, Gnolls out in the desert took to banditry.

Sand Elves
Holding the Line

As part of the Gyhan Accords the Anubians with their superior navy were tasked with assisting the Sand Elves in keeping the Orcs of Junta-Pehrune out of Gyhan. The Sand Elves continued their efforts keeping them from crossing the Al'akhir Sea while the Anubians kept them from coming around from the ocean to the south,