The Great Sea Serpent

Ceto now enjoys its role as the leviathan, a breaker of ships and terror of the seas. It trails and attacks those vessels that fail to make the proper superstitious sacrifices. It is careful not to destroy too many craft, doing so near shore, and preferring merchants over fishermen, because survivors who reach shore are more likely to carry its tale far and wide.

When the magi manage to prevent their ship's destruction, or chase off the faerie with the first proverbial "bloody nose" it has suffered in a long time, the dragon takes offense and sees their group as a challenge and worthy rival, contesting their use of the seas whenever possible. It harries their ships, specifically targeting related ships while leaving the covenant's craft alone and thus building the covenant an unlucky reputation among sailors and ports. It conceals its ability to operate in and out of the water until dramatically appropriate, rising out of the water to reveal its greater power when it has the most impact. It is playing the role of the great rival and reoccurring threat, and is delighted to have such foes to play opposite it.

It is entirely possible that Ceto may decide the covenant's territory belongs to it and aid the magi should they face another foe, feeling that no other group or being is permitted to decide when the covenant will be destroyed — that is a privilege which belongs uniquely to the dragon. Ceto is not content to allow the rivalry to linger on for too long; when the story has run its course, and as the magi no longer consider it a threat but rather a hazard to be managed, it forces a battle where it either "dies," or destroys its greatest foes.

The actual division of Ethiopia in the 12th and 13th centuries is a nebulous and uncertain matter. From the early 1100s through the late 1200s, there were few monuments raised, few inscriptions carved, and almost no travelers' accounts. In 1220, Ethiopia is beginning to flourish after emerging from the struggles and tribulations of the rule of Gudit and the relative anarchy which previously dominated the landscape. The destruction left the countryside in smoldering ruins. Some churches or communities survived due to their remote or insignificant nature and many sites were abandoned, never to be rebuilt. Poor historical records mean most of these sacked towns are lost to memory. It has taken almost 100 years and three generations, but Emperor Lalibela's rule represents the transition of the culture from one of isolated fiefdoms to a more unified state. We have only the monolithic churches of the city of Roha (later renamed Lalibela in honor of their creator), some documented land grants by Lalibela, and indirect information provided by a few secondary sources. This leaves borders, rulers, and significant personalities as, except in very few instances, matters of conjecture. Whenever possible, history has been faithfully respected, but this also frees the storyguide to shift borders and to create the nobles, generals, and priests necessary for her stories.

Ethiopian Church until the negus paid a fee for the privilege. The negative shift in regional relations became a crisis when the Axumite governor of Southern Arabia gathered an army in the city of Najran and declared his domain's independence. Emperor Armah sent forces to pacify the traitorous governor, but they were routed shortly after arrival. This loss of the Arabian lands was compounded when the Nubian provinces took advantage of the disruption and broke away from Imperial rule. The scattered and demoralized armies failed to prevent their secession. Encouraged by the separation of the northern lands and fueled by the growing faith of Islam, rebellions flared in Adal, Ifat, and Yemen, leaving Axum reduced and isolated over a period of 250 years. The last minted imperial coins bear the name of Emperor Armah, from the year 614.

The city of Axum managed to remain politically important until the second half of the tenth century. The death knell of the fading empire came in the form of an internal revolt, led by the Jewish queen Gudit in 960. Burning churches and crushing any central authority, she ravaged the countryside and left a patchwork of small, personal hereditary fiefdoms in her wake. Her name in the Amharic language is Isat, or "Fire." A few survivors of the ruling classes escaped into Bet Amhara and Agaw, to the south. For almost 200 years afterward, the once extensive and far-flung imperial trade became nothing more than barter between settlements. The capital of Axum remained inhabited, and its ruler still claimed the title of negus, but the Axumite Empire was truly gone. Similar to the situation after the demise of Rome, the only broad authority belonged to the Ethiopian Church.

In 1137, Takla Heymanot defeated the scions of Gudit and declared his Ethiopian state to be the inheritor of the Axumite Empire. This was the beginning of the Zagwe dynasty, based in the old capital of Axum. Descendants of the former Empire's administrators, the Agwe nobility wanted to reclaimlost Imperial glory. For the next 45 years, a series of five brothers and sons ruled over the land in an orderly succession, with Kedus Harbe, the current emperor's predecessor, ascending to the throne in 1180. They reinstated the ancient Axum custom of imprisoning young heirs at the monastery and treasury of Debra Damo when the boys reached the age of thirteen. Under these rulers, the king of Ethiopia once again became an emperor as neighboring lands were subjugated.

The future Emperor Lalibela was born in the town of Roha, in the kingdom of Bet Amhara. After a swarm of bees surrounded him at his birth, his mother named him "Lalibela,"meaning "Even the bees acknowledge him" in Ge'ez, as she saw it as foreshadowing his future reign. His brother, Kedus Harbe, seemed to hate Lalibela. When Lalibela's half-sister attempted to poison the boy, popular opinion said Kedus

Erected early in the Axumite history, the great stelae (or "hawilti," singular "hawilt") began as a part of their worship of Mahrem and Astar, the Sun god. The afterlife for the faithful meant a realm of comfortable prosperity, residing with the gods. Acting as royal residences in this spirit world, the three enormous stone obelisks were carved complete with doors and windows and raised in the capital of Axum. Beneath their towering heights, the living could enter subterranean vaults to pay their ancestors rightful homage. Additionally, nobles and priest who knew the secret entrances could pass through the false doors and access this hidden afterlife regio, taking counsel from the combined wisdom of past kings. Unfortunately, as Axum's people, commoner and noble alike, embraced Christianity, the spread of the Divine made accessing the regio difficult, even for the fading priesthood. Emperor Ezana completed the last Great Stele just prior to his conversion to Christianity, never entering its mystical halls. When the priesthood disappeared, the secret of the regio was lost to time.

However, the regio did not collapse. It was merely submerged beneath the Divine aura, and on the night of the winter solstice, the Divine recedes just enough for Faerie to emerge for one short window, allowing easier entry to the regio within. Once inside, the regio takes the form of a vast palace scented with myrrh and decorated with gold and ivory. The ghosts of ancient kings of Axum lounge here, watching their legacy outside. These ghosts speak both Ge'ez, the language of ancient Axum, and fluent Latin, and lament the fortunes of their homeland. They might be convinced to expound upon the elements of their trade with Rome, teach the Ge'ez language, or reveal lost sites of pagan worship and magic.

Harbe was behind the plot. Guards killed her in the act and Lalibela took it as a sign from God; he would not go to live in exile at Debra Damo. God wanted Lalibela to visit Jerusalem. As Saladin captured the Holy City in 1187, Lalibela had completed his pilgrimage and was returning through Egypt.

In Alexandria, Lalibela experienced a vision. He saw Saladin's conquest of Jerusalem and received another directive from God. The Lord told Lalibela he must return to Ethiopia, take the mantle of emperor, and build a new Jerusalem as his capital. When he arrived at Roha later that year, his brother abdicated in favor of Lalibela. Kedus Harbe then retired to Debra Damo, claiming angels showed him his younger brother should be emperor. The construction of Roha's magnificent carved churches began the next year, and finished in 1200. These structures have Biblical names, including the town's river, known as the River Jordan. The city remains the capital of Ethiopia in 1220.

Masqal Kibra is the empress and wife of Lalibela. In 1190, she persuaded Abuna Mikael to name her brother, Hirun, the bishop of Axum and Lasta, a position he still holds. Hirun's scheming caused the abuna to leave Ethiopia and return to Egypt, claiming his authority had been undermined and stolen. This controversy forced the patriarch of Alexandria to visit in person in 1210, bringing the current abuna, a pious man named Yeshaq. Lalibela's cousin is the scheming Na'akueto La'ab, king of Gojjam. As a demonstration of mercy, Lalibela released Na'akueto La'ab from imprisonment in Debra Damo. To demonstrate his piety and loyalty to Lalibela, his cousin built two magnificent churches in Lasta. One is called Wagra Sehin, "among celestials," and the other is Ashetan Maryem, "among terrestrials." Many of the nobility suspect Na'akueto La'ab simply waits for the right time to seize the throne, believing Lalibela weak. The emperor's thirteen-year old son, Yetbarak, was also excused from imprisonment in Debra Damo. Should your saga follow history, Emperor Lalibela abdicates to Na'akueto La'ab in 1229 so he may retire as a monk in the churches of Roha. This leads to a war of succession between Na'akueto La'ab and Yetbarak. This conflict causes Lalibela to return and assist with his son's eventual victory. Yetbarak then rules until the Solomonic dynasty overthrows him in 1270.

Commoners and lords live very similar lifestyles in Ethiopia. Everyone survives primarily by agriculture, raising grains and veg-

Ranked as one of the four great empires of antiquity, Axum was at the heart of a vast and far-flung trading network stretching from Axum to Cairo and Jerusalem to Rome in the north and from Axum through Adulis and Zeila to Yemen and beyond. The Periplus of the Erythean Sea speaks of a distant kingdom to the south, Azania, near the Torrid Zone, and another to the distant east. The rulers and people of these places are unknown beyond this text, and it details marvelous products, such as pure, strong iron or lustrous pearls the size of a man's fist, and other goods now lost to obscurity, like lakkos chromatinos or spikenard and bdellium incenses. It discusses the heirs of Alexander and their mighty fortresses and the Pyralaoi of the Torrid Zone, or "Fire-people," served by Arab slave clerks. For magi seeking inhabitants at the edges of the world, the Periplus is an invaluable starting point. Using Axum as a home base and referencing the Periplus,

a traveler could easily consider voyages into realms once considered fantastic myth.

The Periplus of the Erythean Sea (Latin or Classical Greek)

Tractatus Area Lore: Ethiopia (Quality 5), Area Lore: Erythean Sea Coast (Quality 5), Area Lore: Red Sea Coast (Quality 5), Tractatus Magic Lore (Quality 5)

Author: Unknown, a Roman citizen of 2nd century Egypt, Greek translation by Arrian of Nicomedia

Availability: Very difficult to find, usually in private collections in Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem.

Description: Translated from Latin to Classical Greek by Arrian of Nicomedia, this book discusses the ports, kingdoms, and exports of the lands surrounding the Erythean Sea. Older copies are found as a scroll, but later manuscripts are books. It consists of 66 chapters, most of them about the length of a long paragraph and packed with details.

etables, and supplementing their crops with hunting and livestock, such as cattle, donkeys, goats, chickens, and camels. Very few dedicated merchants exist, unless a local lord sponsors one to generate goods for regional tribute or barter. More often than not, communities hold a surplus harvest in reserve, either to protect against famine and drought, or to feed the retinue of the emperor's wandering court.

There are a few ethnic divisions in the country, generally represented by dialects of language (Agaw, Amhara, Tigray, Tigrinya). However, Ethiopians really only consider these differences in situations when no outside threat or enemy is present to unite them. In most cases, Ethiopians consider all Ethiopians equally.

Appearance and Clothing

Ethiopian dress depends on the local climate; what suits the warmth of the lowlands is often impractical in the highlands. People in the lowlands prefer loose fitting cotton, linen, or, in the case of wealthier individuals, silk tunics with long wraps. Lowlanders favor a cloth called shemma, made by weaving long colorful strips with shiny threads into patterns that are then sewn together. Shawls are also very popular. Sandals are the most common footwear, and men prefer round, brimless flat-topped caps. While highlanders like this style of cap, their clothing is more often made from wool, animal skin, and fur, with fewer wraps. The highland terrain demands that boots replace sandals. Cloaks of wool or fur, and heavy vests are common, especially in mountain communities. Men wear trousers beneath their tunics and often carry long, thin sticks. They use these as a canes, walking sticks, or simply hang their arms from them while traveling.

Facial hair is uncommon among Ethiopian men, although one sees an occasional mustache and goatee, or a simple mustache, and almost all keep their hair short. Full beards are extremely rare. Women keep their hair long, either in free locks or small braids. Ethiopian facial features tend to blend aspects of African, Mediterranean, and South Arabian ethnicities, with a range of lighter to dark complexions.

The Ethiopian Calendar and Dates

The calendar has slightly offset dates, with the new year beginning on August 30, rather than in January. This does not impact spells with Year durations, as the duration is based on Solstices, rather than mundane calendars. (Note that 1220 is a leap year.)

Meskerem	August 30
Taqamt	September 29
Hadar	October 29
Tahśaś	November 28
Tarr	December 28
Yekatit	January 27
Megabit	February 26
Miyazya	March 29	March 28
Ganbot	April 28	April 27
Säne	May 28	May 27
Hamle	June 27	June 26
Nehase	July 27	July 26
Pagume	August 26	August 25

Cuisine

Ethiopians abstain from pork and shellfish; both the Christian and Falasha Jewish communities follow dietary restrictions forbidding these foods. Traditional dishes combine various meats and vegetables as a thick

stew called wat. People serve wat on pieces of injera, a sourdough flatbread made from fermented teff flour. Instead of plates, people use slabs of injera to serve food, and only use their right hand when touching food. Clean water can be an issue, and popular beverages include katikala, distilled from millet, tela, a local beer, and tej, a honey wine similar to mead. Although it is known in the highland kingdoms of Agaw and Shewa, coffee is uncommon elsewhere in the empire. A few small Sufi sects near Harar praise the drink for its restorative properties. Warriors in Agaw and Shewa grind raw coffee beans, which they call bunn, into a paste with lard or butter and roll them into balls, which they eat while on the march.

Polygamy

The Coptic Church regularly urges the abuna to preach against polygamy in Ethiopia; it is a frequent topic in the letters sent from the patriarch of Alexandria. A minority of Ethiopians practice a form of polygamy where a man may have many wives. Neither the Christian or Falasha Jewish communities discriminate against this polygamy, and proponents claim their lifestyle is justified by scripture in the Old Testament. Regardless, any polygamist is responsible for the survival and well-being of all the children he fathers. In the Islamic sultanates, polygamy exists by virtue of historical precedent, but it is far less common. For characters who maintain a larger, polygamous family, you might use the Close Family Ties flaw.

Calendar

The calendar used in Ethiopia differs substantially from the Julian calendar used in Mythic Europe. Each month has only 30 days, and there are five or six days considered to be a special sort of thirteenth month, known as epagomenal or intercalary days, which complete the year. The sixth intercalary day occurs every four years. This cycle of years culminating in the extra intercalary day is named after the Evangelists, starting with John. After John, comes Mark, then Matthew, and Luke is associated with the leap year. The months mirror the Coptic calendar, beginning on the same days, but are named in Ge'ez. The Ethiopian Church uses a slightly different date for the birth of

In Ethiopia, many believe some blacksmiths, whose trade is hereditary, are folk witches with the power to change into a hyena, known as bouda. Bouda supposedly rob graves at midnight, unearthing Christian corpses and consuming them. Unlike the bouda of the Maghreb, Ethiopian bouda are hyena-spirits capable of possessing people and driving them to savage acts of lust, murder, or rage. To protect themselves from these spirits, Ethiopians ask debterah to fashion amulets which shield them from the powers of these evil creatures.

Shapeshifting bouda are detailed in Between Sand and Sea . However, Ethiopian bouda might be faeries who inspire such behavior to harvest vitality, or weak tempter demons who seek to corrupt good Christians and spread sin.

Faerie Might: 10 (Me)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +2, Pre –4, Com –1, Str 0, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +2

Size: 0

Confidence Score: 0

Virtues and Flaws: Faerie Beast, Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech, Feast of the Dead, Improved Characteristics, Increased Faerie Might, Lesser Power x2, Personal Power; Monstrous Appearance; Incognizant, Nocturnal, Role Requires Suffering, Negative Reaction (unpleasant odor), Susceptible to Deprivation, Traditional Ward (Folk Charms)

Qualities: Crafty, Crushing Jaws, Keen Eyesight, Large Teeth, Mimicry, Pursuit Predator, Thick Fur.

Personality Traits: Cowardly +3, Sly +2 Reputations: Corpse-eating 3 (regional), Treacherous 2 (local)

Combat:

Bite: Init +2, Attack +9, Defense +7, Damage +6*

Dodge: Init +2, Attack n/a, Defense +5, Damagen/a

Soak: +3 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious **Wound Penalties: –**1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+) Pretenses: Animal Handling 3 (hyenas), Area Lore: Ethiopia 4 (highland grazing pastures), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (food), Brawl 5 (bite), Faerie Speech 5 (lying), Guile 4 (feign dead), Hunt 4 (tracking), Survival 3 (desert). Natural Weapons: The weapon statistics for a hyena's bite are Init 0, Atk +4, Def +1, Dam +3. The damage bonus is increased to +6 as noted due to the Crushing Jaws Quality. Powers:

Enthralling Sound, 2 points, Init –10, Mentem: R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group: The bouda creates emotion within a group of people who hear it. Fear, lust, and wrath are all common options. This power also increases the intensity of an already existing emotion. A stress roll with an appropriate Personality trait against an Ease Factor of 9 allows a victim to overcome this power's effect. CrMe 30 (Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group): Lesser Power x2 (50 levels, –4 Might points)

Skin of Man or Beast, 1 points, Init 0, Animal: R: Pers, D: Sun, T: Individual; The bouda takes on the form of a male or female human appropriate to the area. MuAn 20 (Base 10, +2 Sun): Personal Power (20 levels, –1 Might points)

Encumbrance: 0 (0)

Vis: There are two pawns of Mentem in the bouda's tongue.

Appearance: The common striped hyena has a comparatively massive torso with shortened hind legs, causing its back to slope down. Their short muzzles are borne by a large head and long thick immobile neck. The faerie often has its eyes glow red for intimidating effect.

Design note: To use the Bouda hyenaspirit as a companion, it needs to replace the Incognizant Flaw with either Narrowly Cognizant or Highly Cognizant and replace it with another flaw, like a Personality Flaw. It currently has 9 Virtues and Flaws and a base physical form of a hyena.

Christ, so the number of the Ethiopian year is eight years less than the Julian year number from January 1 until August 30 or 31, and then seven years less for the remainder of the Julian year. January 1st 1220 in Mythic Europe is Tarr 5th 1212 according to the Ethiopian calendar. Major holidays include:

Enkutatash – Ethiopian New Year's day. (1 Meskerem or August 30)

Celebrating the return of the Queen of Sheba following her visit to King Solomon, this holiday usually involves a large festival held at the local church.

Maskal – The festival of St. Helena's recovery of the True Cross. (17 Meskerem or September 15)

Memorializing the discovery of the True Cross by Emperor Constantine's mother, Saint Helena, this event involves a large ceremonial bonfire made with daisydecorated lumber. Afterward, clergy gather the fire's charcoal remains and mark a cross on the foreheads of the faithful. This grants participants a temporary Faith Point, lasting until the soot is washed off or the Faith Point is used. According to tradition, God spoke to Helena in a dream, explaining how the smoke of a fire would lead her to the savior's cross. Saint Helena built a pyre of wood and frankincense, and its smoke climbed high into the sky before falling back to earth, marking the Cross' location.

The Falasha also observe this holiday, claiming it celebrates the pillars of fire which led the Israelites out of the desert.

Gena – Ethiopian Christmas (Tahśaś 28 or December 25)

Timket – Ethiopian Epiphany (Tarr 10 or January 6)

A celebration of Christ's baptism in the River Jordan lasting three days, this holiday includes dramatic processions through nights of fasting. Priests even parade the tsellats, replicas of Moses' tablets, on Ketera, or Timket's Eve, and use them to bless the pool or river where the festival rituals take place on the next day.

Faseka – Ethiopian Easter (This date moves somewhat. In 1220, it will be Miyazya 2 or March 27)

Kulubi Gabriel – Celebration of the Feast of the Angel Gabriel. (Tahśaś 18 or December 16)

The church in Kulubi becomes a pilgrimage destination as people arrive for the sermon and celebration. Clergy baptize any children born through the archangel's intercession, who are often named after the messenger of God's Host.

Axum Tsion – Celebration marking the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia. (Hadar 20 or November 18)

Pilgrims attend mass at Axum's Church of Maryam Tsion. Many of the devout continue to the carved stone churches in Roha, completing a symbolic pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Warriors and the Army

Military units in each kingdom follow the ancient Axum tradition and divide their forces between cavalry and infantry. Typical infantrymen wield swords and spears while using shields. The 8-foot-long spears are balanced for both melee combat and short-range thrown attacks of about twenty-five paces. The spear is so ubiquitous in the Ethiopian military that the Amharic word for 'spear' and 'war' is the same. Cavalry wears heavy chain mail, but most infantry and some lighter cavalry wear the equivalent of quilted armor. Local taxes are used to feed the dedicated soldiers of a local lord, but even some professional soldiers are required to keep farms.

Quickly raised local militias often have nothing more than a protective shield and a dagger or spear.

Lowlands and Highlands

Ethiopian culture is strongly divided between the highlands and the lowlands of the Red Sea coast. The highlands of the Ethiopian plateau enjoy a wide range of temperatures, but also include many dry and alpine regions, where overland travel can be quite challenging and finding fresh water is difficult. Lowlanders, by contrast, maintain a lifestyle dependent on the sea and primarily use the Tigray dialect. The temperatures in the lowlands regularly reach 32 degrees Centigrade throughout the year. Both regions raid one another for livestock, and regular feuds over the use of arable land for farming or grazing create localized tensions and distrust.

Calling themselves Beta Israel, "the children of Israel," the Falasha Jews remain culturally distinct, keeping marriage within their communities and maintaining Jewish practices. Concentrated in the Falasha province in Agaw and Gojjam, as well as in Bet Amhara, they peacefully coexist with the surrounding Christian majority. Gudit once reigned as queen over the region, and these notoriously fierce warriors rampaged through Ethiopia as her army. However, the last 100 years of Zagwe rulership seems to have erased any resentment and many loyally serve the Emperor. Christians live alongside the Falasha in their towns, where they help with burials since the Falasha have taboos regarding the handling of corpses. While unusual, being a Jew in Ethiopia does not qualify the character for the Outsider flaw unless the character is also a blacksmith, due to superstitions associated with blacksmiths and the evil spirits known as bouda.

The Legacy of Sheba

The ancient pedigree of the Ethiopian people is a book known as the Kebra Negast (The Glory of the Kings), written in the scholarly language of Ge'ez. This 117-chapter chronicle details the story of how Solomon seduced an Ethiopian queen of Sheba called Makkeda, who then conceived a son, Menelik, and returned home with Solomon's ring. Later, Solomon's son returned, proving his birthright with the ring, and then enjoyed an extended stay with the king. After insisting he must return to his kingdom, Menelik asked Solomon for a tassel of the tapestry used to cover the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon felt he could not send Menelik back to Ethiopia alone, and asked for the firstborn sons of all the tribes to accompany Menelik, led by the son of the high priest, Azariah. Upset about the perceived exile, the sons stole the Ark of the Covenant, which miraculously spirited Menelik's party home before Solomon could assemble a pursuit. Once back in the Ethiopian highlands, Menelik and these sons established a new Zion, believing the Ark to be a gift from God. Succeeding to the throne, he utilized the great power of the relic, marching on enemies and repel-

ling all attacks, becoming the first negusa negast, or king of kings, in Ethiopia. The first-born sons became the Falasha people who live in the Falasha province of Begember and follow the Jewish ways.

This saga holds a special place in the hearts of the Ethiopian nobility, particularly the lords of Bet Amhara. They sincerely believe in its truth and accuracy, and the story of Makkeda and Menelik likely contributes to the tolerance enjoyed by the Falasha Jews.

Ethiopia is Christian, with an important Jewish community and a few Muslims. Jews live in the Falasha region of Bet Amhara and the Gojjam region of Agaw, and some Muslims live in both Bet Amhara and Medri Bahri. However, large populations of Muslims inhabit the southern tributary states. No accepted pagan populations exist within the country.

Christianity

Three tenets distinguish Ethiopian Christianity. First and foremost, it is a monophysite religion, like that practiced in Nubia and the Coptic Church. Ethiopians believe the divine and human natures of Christ are inextricably intertwined; his human nature was "dissolved like a drop of honey in the sea." Second, an Ethiopian Christian appeals to a hierarchy of angels and saints known as "the Kidusan," as well as to God, when praying. This group conveys the prayers of the faithful to God and carries out the Divine Will. Third, it is the representation of the Ark of the Covenant, the tabot, that is consecrated and holy, not the church structure. Each tabot, dedicated to a particular patron saint, rests in an inner sanctum accessible only to the priests. These priests pray on behalf of the community and carry the tabot through the town on religious holidays. Additionally, the Ethiopian Church uses Ge'ez as its liturgical language, not Latin, but this is more of a cultural than philosophical difference.

Several odd traditions govern Ethiopian church buildings, dictating even the form of the structure. There are cave churches, or hypogeum. There are rectangular, cut-stone churches. Finally, there are round timber churches. Other architectural styles are not permitted. The carved, monolithic churches of Roha are the most glorious example of hypogeum churches, but these also include churches built in caves or from caves. Most cave churches date to the era between the fall of the Axum Empire and the rise of the Zagwe dynasty. This dangerous period required a house of worship to also act as a protective fortress at the center of the community. Popular during the days of the Axum Empire, rectangular churches of cut stone exist throughout Ethiopia, but especially in Medri Bahri. The security of the Zagwe dynasty has led to a new design: the round timber church. These structures are most common in Bet Amhara and Agaw. Most importantly, however, custom demands both the circular and rectangular churches maintain a thick, surrounding forest.

This sacred forest carries the faithfuls' prayers into Heaven. In communities with these forests, the Divine aura is concentrated within the forest area, resulting in an aura one lower in the areas outside the forest, even if the church is in the middle of town. A particularly lush forest means a stronger Divine aura, usually one higher than standard (See Realms of Power: Divine Revised, page 10). Additionally, a church's tabot is consecrated and it almost never contains relics, but rather replicas of the stone tablets carried by Moses. The tabot serves as the focus for the aura and maintains it, even when taken out of the forest, for as long as it was in the aura.

Appointed by the head of the Coptic Church, the patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt, the abuna leads the Ethiopian Church. The abuna serves for life, and an Egyptian has historically fulfilled the office. These priests arrive in Axum, certain they have been exiled, and often unable to speak the local languages of Amharic or Ge'ez. The abuna appoints bishops, who then appoint local priests and some of the debterah (singular: debtera), or lay deacons.

This traditional requirement for the patriarch to appoint the abuna is not without challenges. The emperor must pay a fee to the sultan of Cairo before he allows the patriarch of Alexandria to anoint a new abuna. Currently, however, the patriarchy is vacant. Cyril ibn Laqlaq and his foes in Alexandria remain in a political deadlock, preventing the Coptic Church from electing a new patriarch.

Twice a year, a messenger arrives from the north, bearing letters from the patriarch. This courier and his entourage remain, waiting for the abuna's replies, and then return to Egypt. Certain he is the next patriarch, ibn Laqlaq continues the tradition in order to remain current regarding the situation in Axum.

If your saga follows history, ibn Laqlaq finally overcomes his opposition in 1235 and becomes Cyril III, head of the Coptic Church. Fortunately, Abuna Yeshaq seems in good health after arriving in 1210. However, historically, the abuna dies in 1225, and Giyorgis II replaces him in 1235, serving until 1284, when the future saint, Takle Haymanot, becomes abuna at the age of 69.

Islam

While Christianity remains the dominant religion, Islam has a long and storied past in Ethiopia. In 1220, almost all Muslims in the empire live in the southern sultanates or the Dahlak archipelago. However, two notable exceptions exist. One ancient community thrives in Negash, in Medri Bahr, and another enclave maintains the mosque in the Bet Amhara port of Zeila, just beyond the straits of the Bab-al-Mandab. The Zeila settlement was founded in 613, when the Prophet's daughter Ruqayyah bint Muhammad, her husband Uthman ibn Affan, and thirteen other Muslim travelers fled persecution by the Christian king, Quresh.

Story Seed: The Trees Listen

Can the Divine aura be transplanted with the trees? When magi discover the nature of Divine auras in Ethiopian church forests, they may be tempted to transplant whole stands of trees to other locations, essentially bringing the aura someplace else. What is the nature of items carved from this wood, and what are the consequences of transporting portions of the forest beyond Ethiopia? Could it be used to instantly create a Divine aura someplace else, or craft items for imprisoning demons or stunting another magus' magical ability? If it works with a Divine aura, could a similar effect be created for other Realms, presuming such wondrous trees could be found?

Emperor Armah granted the exiles imperial hospitality until they returned to the Islamic community in Medina in 622. Those who remained in Ethiopia built the mosque in Zeila and then settled in Negash.

Paganism

Before Saint Frumentius, Ethiopians venerated Astar, the sun god, his son Mahrem, and Mahrem's many children. This pantheon was also worshiped in southern Arabia during antiquity. The shrines and temples to these gods in Ethiopia were converted or destroyed during the last half of the Axum Empire, following its conversion to Christianity. Other than slaves captured from beyond its borders, active pagan communities do not exist in Ethiopia. However, aggressive tribes live beyond the Takkaze river, and beyond the Kingdom of Damot, to the south. They raid border towns for captives, goods, and livestock. Enslaved pagans live in squalor, treated like animals and considered enemies of the Church and the empire. Standing decrees in Agaw and Shewa make killing pagans a legal activity, and the Church makes no attempt to convert the tribes.

The Ethiopian economy is still primarily agrarian. While farmers grow crops like carrots, lettuce, and onions, a grain called teff dominates Ethiopian agriculture. Ethiopians use teff, which is similar to wheat, to make sourdough flat breads and other staple foods. Millet and barley are also grown for bread and beer production.

Rich in raw goods, Ethiopians use routes to the north and west to trade with Nubia. Some trade occurs with ports throughout the Red Sea, but the sultanates of Asir and Yemen fail to discourage piracy against Ethiopian merchants, making ventures risky and dangerous. Animal skins, exotic spices, even elephants and ivory, captured from the lowlands or the southern borders, are exported from Ethiopia. A brisk slave trade operates as well, stealing away pagan tribe members and selling them to Nubian merchants and Muslim slave markets in Harar or the Dahlak Archipelago. Some wealthier Ethiopians keep a few slaves, who work mines or fields. Gold is found in the mountainous southwest and west, as well as in a few places along the escarpment dividing the highlands and lowlands. The salt flats of the Great Rift Valley provide a source for the mineral, making caravans out of the Great Desert unnecessary. Salt remains valuable enough that parts of Ethiopia accept it as currency.

Transport

Ethiopia's mountainous highlands, with their steep slopes and sheer cliffs, make overland journeys quite challenging. Crossing rivers often adds leagues of distance and days of travel time due to the lack of easy fords and absence of reliable bridges. River travel also suffers, since good quality landing sites are uncommon. Most people use horses, camels, and donkeys, all of which live in Ethiopia and adequately manage the terrain. Travelers prefer to use the Red Sea whenever appropriate, as travel up and down the coast is faster and less dangerous than traveling cross-country.

Regional Wildlife

Many of Ethiopia's animals are novel sights for European travelers in Africa for the first time. Troupes of five to 250 baboons roam the countryside, and can be quite terrifying when angry. Hyena packs of four to twenty animals are also common. Larger animals, like elephants and elephant-eating serpents, gazelles, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, many varieties of antelope, rhinoceroses and zebras all thrive in the country. In the southern regions, one can find other strange beasts, like the long-necked giraffe, or large bats, such as the flying fox. The painted dogs, noted for their distinctive coloration, and the odd, scaly pangolin live in the northern lands, near the Semien mountains. Traders take both hides and live animals for sale in