Free Cities of Lochar

"'A Scarfellan is loyal to his family, a Delenthorian is loyal to his empress, a Locharni is loyal to his purse-strings.' - Delenthorian proverb" The Free Cities of Lochar (fully: The Republic Federation of Independent Mercantile Cities and Provinces of Lochar) is a semi-independent sovereign state on the very frontiers of the Delenthor Empire, having been formed in the aftermath of the recent war and invasion. It is composed of 5 independent city-states and their various overseas colonies and territories, with the major partners being: Am Alaknyr (the capital), Am Lochra (the second city), Kennaste, Rillaun, and Am Tarryr. Although officially owing fealty to Delenthor and using Delenthorian as an official language, the Delenthorian government holds little sway over Lochar, which enjoys relative economic and social freedom beyond the grasp of the Empire.

Geography
The Locharni mainland is situated on the eastern coast of Kyria, the north-western continent of Lumatorin. This mainland is primarily composed of the territories of the five city-states which originally comprised the federation: Am Alaknyr to the north, with territories spanning to the Brisz Durne river and the Vuoreni-ir Pellane mountains; Am Lochra and Am Tarryr in the centre, with domination over the Viermetsaa forest; Kennaste to the south, with territories extending as far south as the Wehlsaar; and Rillaun to the east, which dominates the island of Ridzsaar.

Habitats
Lochar brings together a loose federation of coastal trading ports, both human and drow, leading to a wide variety of habitat variation. For the most part, the human cities (such as Kennaste) are situated above ground in ports and harbours, while the drow cities (such as Am Alaknyr) tend to be built in large underground caverns, typically with underground rivers that lead to the sea.

Overseas Provinces
Beyond these mainland city-states, however, Lochar also enjoys numerous overseas provinces (colonies).

The Kalan Isles
The Kalan Isles are arguably the most important of the Locharni ‘overseas provinces’, located in the Janji Islands. Colonised by Locharni traders in relatively recent years, the Kalan Isles are an important source of sugar cane and exotic fruits for sale in Lochar or export to other nations.

The Kalan Isles are the only overseas province of Lochar which typically appears on their maps, and to this end, Kalan who visit Lochar are much more likely to be treated as ‘properly Locharni’ than those from Siyrtrama or Ithrama.

Siyrtrama
Most Locharni are only vaguely aware of Siyrtrama, and many would be surprised to discover it is officially a colony of the Federation in Eskarell. Located on the edges of the Braken Lands, Siyrtrama was established as a trading foothold in Eskarell to allow goods to travel over land as well as sea, and it remains an important place for Locharni merchant ships to stop and resupply before travelling on to the major port cities of Scarfellan and beyond.

The relationship between Lochar and Siyrtrama is loose at best. Siyrtrama pays taxes to Lochar, and Locharni merchants enjoy free passage in their ports, but otherwise Siyrtrama more or less governs itself.

Ithrama
Found on the continent of D’Orora, Ithrama was established by Locharni merchants as a trading post for interacting with the native dragonborn kingdoms and nations of D’Orora.

The relationship between Ithrama and Lochar is remarkably one-sided: most Ithramites see themselves as proudly Locharni, flying the flag of Lochar from their balconies and speaking in impeccable Locharni. Meanwhile, most Locharni from the mainland do not even known that Ithrama exists, or if they do, they know it only as an exotic holiday location.

Other Provinces and Colonies
The Kalan Isles, Siyrtrama and Ithrama represent the most important colonies of Lochar, but the Free Cities did not gain the economic power they now have by being so choosy, and Locharni outposts, ports, and small colonies can often be found scattered across the far-flung corners of the world, sending their precious resources back to Lochar for the enrichment of the Federation.

History
For full article, see History of Ardulidyl and Lochar.

Lochar is widely seen as the spiritual and political successor to the Ardulidyl Empire of old, with the Kasthyarhi, a goddess intimately associated with that empire, worshipped throughout Lochar. However, the history of Lochar proper starts in 1290 JY (-910 EM), with the death of Argetlám the Great (Arhjhetlyrn Kasthar, in Alaknyri).

The Years of a Thousand Kings
Argetlám dictated that his empire should not be given to any one heir, but should instead be divided evenly amongst his seven sons. This lead to what is known as the ‘Years of a Thousand Kings’ (Juri-ir Sate-Yrhari), a period in which the once great empire of Ardulidyl fractured into dozens of warring kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of Lochar and the Queendom of Alaknyr, as the descendants of the various sons of Argetlám sort to reclaim supremacy.

Aikari-ir len Sate-Nillyrn and the Years of Occupation
During the Years of a Thousand Kings, the growing empire of Delenthor began reclaiming the lands taken by Argetlám and then progressing to take lands held by Ardulidyl for ages past. These advances culimated, on 30th Isila 2010 JY (-200 EM) in Aikari-ir len Sate-Nillyrn, the Day of a Thousand Tears, when the armies of Delenthor marched into the ancient city of Am Tarryr and massacred 15,000 civilians, bringing the immediate surrender of the drow queendoms and, shortly afterwards, the surrender of all the Locharni kingdoms.

Thus began the Years of Occupation, a period from 2010 JY to 2406 JY, when Lochar was under Delenthorian control. The province was always restless, with frequent rebellions throughout this period.

The Treaty of Rillaun and the Establishment of the Republic
The exact circumstances leading to the Treaty of Rillaun are disputed between Lochar and Delenthor. At the minimum, the period of 2401 to 2405 JY saw increasingly heavy taxes laid against the people of Lochar to fund the Delenthorian war effort against the Vesturís to the north and this, combined with a series of pamphlets published in the summer of 2405 JY by leading Locharni academics on the case for independence and democracy, lead to rapidly growing civilian unrest which escalated into a kind of guerrilla warfare. Unwilling to fight a war on two fronts, Delenthor allowed Lochar to secede on the requirement that a Delenthorian representative be recognised in whatever government they should choose to establish.

The period from 2406 JY to 2410 JY saw a series of constitutional conferences in which the principles of the 350 Citizens and the Council of Twelve were laid down. The Free Cities of Lochar became a sovereign and semi-independent republican federation officially on 12th Pheroth, 2410 JY (300 EM).

Viermikra v. Merhaelkel and the Establishment of Locharni Foreign Policy
In the summer of 2515 JY, a growing tension could be felt in the 350 Citizens between two major factions which were increasingly polarised. This came to a head in the famous Viermikra vs. Merhaelkel debate, a debate between two members of the Council of Twelve in a meeting of the Amphitheatre. Jyskorr Viermikra ar’Tekrahel laid out what became the manifesto of the Nimyrhal (‘republican’) faction, which argued for a focus on international trade to foster financial independence from Delenthor. Against her, Rhyllshalim Merhaelkel ar’Cinerni established the Tarhyrhal (‘monarchist’) faction, which argued for closer alliance with Delenthor, even a return to Delenthorian rule. Viermikra won the day, leading to the economic policies which helped Lochar develop its international standing, although the tensions between Nimyrhal and Tarhyrhal continue to brew, and have remained a constant source of intrigue in the 350 Citizens.

The Crown War
When Delenthor sailed across the sea to wage war against Scarfellan, Lochar sent a nominal fighting force to aid the conquest as demanded by Regent, but otherwise remained strictly neutral in the war, trading weapons to both sides.

When it became clear that Lochar had been selling weapons to Scarfellan during the Crown War, the diplomatic relationship between Lochar and Delenthor became somewhat more frigid, with one of the Empress’s senior advisors even calling it treachery and demanding an immediate reinvasion of Lochar. However, after a few military displays on the border from both sides and a secession of minor trade agreements to allow certain Delenthorian families a greater share in major Locharni trades, the tensions were somewhat subdued, although most Delenthorians still hold a grudge against Locharni to this day, declaring they have “more loyalty to their wallet than the crown”.

Political Structure and Influence
The Free Cities are ruled by the Council of Twelve, a semi-elected group of twelve of the wealthiest merchants in the federation. The Council is elected every seven years by the Three-Hundred-and-Fifty Citizens, representatives from the 350 richest merchant families from the five cities. This election is famously riddled with corruption, with the victors typically being those citizens wealthy enough to pay off a solid majority of the Three-Hundred-and-Fifty. Each year, one of the Council is elected by the other members of the council to act as First Councillor, a kind of president of Lochar who takes prime position in the council for a single year.

Since the Delenthor invasion, the Council of Twelve now includes thirteen members, the thirteenth being a representative chosen by the Delenthorian royal family from amongst the Delenthorian settlers in Lochar, intended to act as an advisor to the current First of the Council. In de jure terms, the Delenthorian ‘Regent’ should be the second most powerful man or woman in Lochar, but de facto, they are by far the least noticed member of the Council, and primarily serve as a spy for Delenthor at the very heart of Locharni governance.

Although the Council of Twelve forms the executive branch of Locharni governance, there are a few other powers – both de jure and de facto – which hold influence in Lochar.

Firstly, the Three-Hundred-and-Fifty Citizens (commonly called ‘the Amphitheatre’, after the building in which they traditionally met) not only elects the Council of Twelve, but also acts as a kind of legislative body, able to pass laws on purely civic and mercantile matters (such as trade, taxation, and monetary policy), as well as to veto or amend laws passed by the Council of Twelve. Every 3 years, around 50 of the positions in the Amphitheatre are put up for auction, with the various matriarchs bidding for a place amongst the 350. (The proceeds from this auction forms a major part of the funds for the next legislative term.) Over the course of 21 years, the entirety of the 350 Citizens will have been placed up for ‘election’.

Secondly, Locharni society is divided into clans – large extended families, such as the Kenndarni, to whom Amalfryn belongs – each of which acts as something of a legal body itself, able to pass laws which are binding on members of the clan (although not on those outside the clan). The richest clans have one or more representatives amongst the 350 Citizens, but even clans who lack the wealth to join the Amphitheatre still hold considerable influence in local politics. Each clan is lead by a matriarch, usually the oldest female in the family, who determines the family’s various stances in the complex political intrigue of Locharni life, forging alliances with other families and trying to snatch up lucrative trade deals to increase the family’s wealth, and therefore, political standing.

Thirdly, each city-state has a Prince, typically the head of the wealthiest and most powerful merchant’s guild in that city. Often, these Mayors are elected into the Council of Twelve, but when they are not, they can serve as powerful counterpoints to the Council, wielding the economic and political clout of their city behind them.

Lastly, there are the Mikratyrha (lit. ‘Poisoned dagger’). A bureaucratic civil service established in the old kingdom of Lochar before the Delenthorian invasion to organise the kingdom under the King, the Mikratyrha have evolved and expanded control, developing into a kind of secret police which, while officially acting as agents of the Council of Twelve, also acts somewhat independently of them, presenting a secretive counterbalance to the public power of the Council.

Republicans and Monarchists
The 350 Citizens are roughly divided into two factions, which are increasingly partisan. The Nimyrhal ('Republicans') argue for Locharni independence from Delenthor and for increased focus on international trade and globalisation. The Tarhyrhal ('Monarchists') argue for closer alliance with Delenthor, even a return to Delenthorian rule. The tension between these factions has been a constant source of intrigue and conflict in Locharni governance since its founding.

Class, Status and Inequality
Each of the major clans of Lochar specialises in a certain profession, and these professions have been used to establish a semi-strict class system within Locharni society. A family which acquires wealth is able to move up the class system, but it is difficult to acquire enough wealth to do so without already having the resources, education, and connections that come with the higher classes.

Although no class officially holds de jure power over another, de facto power tends to follow the class system, with higher classes enjoying greater influence in society and a higher chance of winning a place on the 350 Citizens or even the Council of Twelve.

The Classes
There are roughly thirteen classes officially recognised by the Locharni census, although this picture doesn’t quite capture the full complexity of the Locharni class system. In rough order, from most powerful to least powerful, the classes are:


 * Arhatawi (‘princesses’), families which are descended from the old Locharni royalty and have vast inherited wealth and land.
 * Frynani (‘swords, champions’), descendants of an early warrior class of knights which developed into a noble class.
 * Launyrn (‘priests’), the class of families which are leaders and priests of the Church of the Kasthyarhi and act as the spiritual leaders of Lochar.
 * Riskyrn (‘magicians’), the first of the scholarly classes and originally a subpart of the Launyrn, the Riskyrn are the educated scholarly class which focusses on studies of magic and the arcane, with clans from this class running and typically attending the leading universities of Lochar. As with the other scholarly classes, the Riskyrn are often targeted for recruitment by the Mikratyrha.
 * Zesnari (‘scholars, lore-adepts’), the academic and bureaucratic class, originally a part of the Riskyrn and separated off when certain families showed a lack of talent for arcane endeavours. The study of the sciences and law are dominated by Zesnari families.
 * Uhlsyrn (‘golds, bankers’), the third and final scholarly class, separated from the Riskyrn at the same time as the Zesnari. They specialise in the financial side of bureaucracy, with many bureaucratic institutions and the national bank primarily run by Uhlsyrn families.


 * Nedwiiari (‘stewards’), the first of the merchant classes, the Nedwiiari families were originally stewards and advisors to the higher classes, now earning their wealth as stockbrokers and entrepreneurs.
 * Qualnyrn (‘sailors’), the second of the merchant classes. The Qualnyrn were sailor families who took advantage of Lochar’s coastal position to establish trade routes across the seas. While often having little property in Lochar itself, Qualnyrn families run the colonial companies responsible for the various overseas provinces of Lochar, which has proven a very lucrative business in recent years. As such, Qualnyrn families often have wealth beyond their status.
 * Bhinyrn (‘crafters’), the lowest of the merchant classes, the Bhinyrn are families steeped in trades which have become recognised as ‘crafts’. These often include fine woodwork, metallurgy, and jewellery-making. Few Bhinyrn now actually practice their crafts, preferring to oversea companies and factories.
 * Kelbhinyrn (‘Song-crafters, artists’), often known as a ‘class out of classes’, the Kelbhinyrn hold high status in society despite their low wealth. Originally a class of minstrels and bards, the Kelbhinyrn have expanded as a class to include all artists.
 * Rauvzen (‘rock-cutter’), the highest of the worker classes, the Rauvzen were originally mining families. These families expanded to include architecture and building as they helped carve out the underground cities of Lochar, resulting in their establishment as the highest of the labour classes.
 * Taszbhinyrn (‘blue-crafters’), the majority labour class, and the one into which most peasants and working-class people will fall. Composed of everything from farmers to factory workers, the Taszbhinyrn are the largest class in terms of number, but also the second-lowliest, with limited wealth or influence on politics. They are named after the blue sashes that they were required to wear in the old Lochar kingdom.
 * Lirdghaun (lit. ‘slaves’, ‘untouchables’), the lowest of the labouring class. Composed primarily of slaves, freed slaves, servants, and those otherwise deemed ‘deficient’ by society, Lirdghaun families are generally barred from accessing the political life of Lochar, in some cities even being banned from owning property. While the rest of the class system is fluid, it is almost impossible to escape the Lirdghaun, and for this reason the Lirdghaun are sometimes considered more a caste than a class.

Inequality
Lochar is a place of general prosperity but deep, deep inequality. The majority of citizens live with a greater degree of comfort and social support than the average citizen in another country, but the gap in wealth, power, and opportunity between the ‘ruler’ classes at the top (Arhatawi, Frynani, Launyrn) and the ‘labouring’ classes at the bottom (Rauvzen, Taszbhinyrn, Lirdghaun) is extreme, with the higher classes living decadent in gold and silver while the lowest classes live ration to ration in poverty.

Maintaining the System
This highly unequal and deeply unjust system is maintained in numerous ways, but four major forces help to prevent significant changes to the Locharni social order:


 * 1) Belief in the System. Most Locharni, even those of the lowest classes, believe their society to be deeply meritocratic. The logic goes something like this: the wealthiest people deserve to rule, because they are the ones who were intelligent enough, ambitious enough, and hard-working enough to earn their wealth. Given the starting inequality, this is obviously utter nonsense, but most folks believe that all they need is to work hard or get lucky and they can ascend the ladder, and to this end, they preserve the current order, believing it rewards those who deserve reward and will benefit them ‘when they get their break.
 * 2) Apathy of the Merchants and Scholars. Besides belief in the system, the majority of members of the merchant and scholarly classes are overall apathetic towards the social order, being neither hugely penalised by it nor as massively benefited. This apathy makes them willing to stand by the side, confidant (usually falsely) that they themselves are not responsible for the inequality and suffering around them but unwilling to put their necks out to change it.
 * 3) Cultural Barriers. Each class has its own way of speaking, its own fashions and styles, and its own mores of etiquette. Those who fail to meet these social mores are viciously ostracised, making it incredibly difficult for individuals and families to rise up the social ladder or challenge the social order.
 * 4) Internal Conflict of the Lower Classes. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the upper classes foster conflict amongst the lower classes, particularly between the Rauvzen, Taszbhinyrn, and Lirdghaun. The Rauvzen are granted greater prestige to foster separation between they and the other labourer groups, isolating power and money in the lower echelons in a group that aspires towards a merchant-class or scholarly life. Between the Taszbhinyrn and Lirdghaun, the Taszbhinyrn are granted greater social standing and opportunity if they refuse to ‘sully themselves’ with Lirdghaun families.

Wider Political Influence
Lochar enjoys a place of tentative but significant political influence, both on Kyria and beyond. This influence owes primarily to the economic power of Lochar. A market economy with low regulation has resulted in a corrupted but incredibly wealthy economic system, granting Lochar incredible financial power over allies both near and far. It is this financial power that helps Lochar maintain its independence from Delenthor.

Economics and Currency
Lochar runs on a capitalist free market economy, with a strong financial sector focussed on managing both internal and external financial resources, and an economy based around gathering resources from their various overseas provinces and exporting them to other nations, particularly Delenthor and Scarfellan but well beyond as well.

Imports and Exports
The major Locharni imports focus on necessities which are difficult to produce in Lochar - such as potatoes, spices, apples and sugar - and extravagent luxuries such as wine and fine silks.

The three largest exports of Lochar are financial services, rare minerals mined in the underground cities, and vodka. They also export rare metals, such as mithril, and marine resources such as fish, seafood and coral, which the coastal cities have in abundance.

Currency
With respect to currency, Lochar recognises two national systems of currency – the Delenthor system, and a stronger local currency. The Locharni currency consists of ten basic units, detailed in the table overleaf with their design and approximate conversion rates.

Generally, Locharni coins have a hole in the middle for threading on strings (called ‘wallets’) which can be used to pay in bulk. The exceptions to this are the Korr, Arra, and Arraufein, which are decorated with the portraits of heads of state. Putting holes through these coins is considered a sign of disrespect.

Law and Inheritance
Government: Constitutional

Legal System: Civil law

Capital Punishment?: Only for ‘treason’ (loosely defined and used only by the Mikratyrha for geopolitical assassinations).

Slavery?: Legal but term-limited (slaves living in Lochar are granted freedom after 7 years) and socially frowned upon.

Paternalism?: Socially liberal (but see below)

Market Regulations?: Few to none

Lochar is internationally renowned for its incredibly liberal laws, resulting in it being a favoured tax haven for wealthy nobles of other lands and a hub of the global black market.

Social Liberalism
The Free Cities are generally seen as a hub of social liberalism, with serfdom widely abolished and very few paternalistic laws. The one exception to this pattern is with respect with to the Lirdghaun, who are banned from marrying outside of their class.

Family and Inheritance
Lochar is typically matriarchal, with clans run by their various matriarchs, although this is not legally enforced and several notable patriarchs are found in the Amphitheatre or even the Council of Twelve.

Inheritance is typically matrilineal primogeniture with a practice of appanage – the eldest daughter inherits the title, headship of the family, the family estate, with other daughters and sons being given minor titles, lands, or wealth to make up for missing out on the core of the inheritance.

Clan Courts
In addition to the system of civil law instigated by the Council of Twelve and the 350 Citizens, each clan had an internal system of family laws which, under the civic law of Lochar, were legally binding on members of the clan, even though these laws were apart from the general civic law of Lochar.

When infringements of such laws occurred, the clan would hold a clan court, an internal judicial process which varied greatly from clan to clan, but which typically included both legal and ritualistic elements, ending in either banishment or restoration of the offending party.

Religion
The official state religion of Lochar is the Church of the Kasthyarhi, although the religion now practised is very separate from the deity of the Kasthyarhi herself, having long since abandoned the sovereignty and night goddess in favour of idols named after her but worshipped as deities of gold, wealth and fortune.

Worship of the Watcher is also common, especially amongst Delenthorian settlers and the communities around them. No deity is outlawed or banned, although those who refuse to offer money at the shrine of the Kasthyarhi face social ostracization.

Corruption in the Church
As the church became increasingly influenced by the growing monetary culture and abandoned the true honouring of Kasthyarhi, it also became increasingly corrupt. This corruption is evidenced in two particular practices which are now widespread throughout the church of the Kasthyarhi in Lochar: indulgences and mystery tithes.

Indulgences are special abstentions given by the church when a person pays a donation to the church to be ‘forgiven’ for some misdeed. Aside from the spiritual power of this act, an indulgence will also typically grant the bearer leniency in civic and clan courts if the misdeed is illegal in nature, due to the continued influence of the church (which typically has at least one priest on the Council of Twelve and several in the 350 Citizens due to the wealth the church has acquired).

The practice of mystery tithes began as a niche doctrine favoured by followers of a certain Kasthyarhist teacher and mystic, Ronhu-Bharhd, who began a splinter sect from wider Kasthyarhism in Am Lochra during the years of Delenthorian occupation. Initially, his views were rejected as heresy, but they slowly gathered momentum amongst leaders in the church hierarchy, having reached almost universal acceptance at this time. The teachings hold two central truths: (1) that Kasthyarhism is about much more than the Kasthyarhi, but actually points to fundamental truths of all reality, including the path to one’s own ascension to godhood, and (2) that such truths should not be handed out willy-nilly to anyone who would approach the church, but should be guarded and only shared at great cost. Thus began the practice of mystery tithes – in order to rise ranks in the church and learn the ‘deeper mysteries’ of Kasthyarhism, congregants would have to pay a sizeable donation to the church, befitting the value of the mystery being unveiled.

These two practices together helped contributed towards the rapid move away from the true worship of Kasthyarhi to the pantomime religion that modern Locharni Kasthyarhism is, as well as allowing the church to become very, very rich, very quickly, rapidly increasing its power and influence in the new Locharni plutocracy.

Cults of the Watcher in Lochar
Due to its semi-independent standing on the very edge of the Empire, the worship of Irisia in Lochar is less heavily regulated by the central church, resulting in a proliferation of local cults in the various Free Cities. These various cults can be divided into approximately three major strains:

Locharni Orthodox Irisianism. The closest to the worship of the Watcher in other parts of the Delenthor Empire, Locharni Orthodox Irisianism (known locally as simply Orthodox Irisianism and in the Empire as Locharni Irisianism) closely follows the teachings and practices of the central Church, with an Arch-Castellan established to oversee the Lochar diocese. Locharni Irisianism departs from the main church by lessening the focus on justice and valour and focussing more heavily on aspects of the Watcher which emphasise unity, order, and obedience to the Empire, in order to encourage greater concession to imperial influences.

The seat of Locharni Orthodox Irisianism in Lochar is the city of Am Lochra, where the Arch-Castellan of the Lochar Diocese, Sirian Irahel, holds his seat of episcopal authority.

Unitarianism. Known in the Empire as the Tarryr Heresy or Helvimtorianism, Kasthyarhi-Irisia Unitarianism is a breakaway sect from the church of the Warden, initially propounded by the Am Tarryr philosopher and theologian Faerdra Nhiloyss ar’Helvimtor, who argued that the similarities in mythos between the Kasthyarhi and the Watcher suggest that they are in fact one and the same deity. Unitarianism therefore holds that Irisia is but one aspect of the Kasthyarhi, with the Delenthor Empire being a descendent of ancient Ardulidyl just as the kingdom of Lochar was.

Unitarianism poses a particular problem for the Delenthorian forces in Lochar. On one side of the debate, some argue that this particular cult should be encouraged, as it frames the Delenthorian invasion of Lochar as the goddess encouraging the reunification of her fractured domain, giving an imminent divine justification for furthering Delenthor’s control in Lochar. On the other side, the castellans of the church of the Watcher wish to denounce the cult as a heresy which undermines a true understanding of Irisia, making the Watcher but an aspect of another deity.

Unitarianism is most widespread in Am Tarryr where it originated, although unitarian temples can be found in Kennaste and even Am Alaknyr as well.

Iconoclastic Cults. The third category, known as iconoclasts (Jhultaukaghni in Alaknyri), gathers together various cults who in some way, shape, or form deny the divinity of Irisia. This includes cults which claim that the Watcher is a primordial god rather than an ascended deity, rejecting the connection between the Watcher and Irisia Delenthor of old, as well as those which deny the divinity of the Watcher altogether, claiming the Watcher is not so much an entity as a set of ideals or an allegory for the Delenthor Empire itself.

Language
Following the confirmation of the Alaknyri Accords in the Amphitheatre, Lochar now recognises three official languages – Delenthorian, which is used primarily in international relations and trade with Delenthor; and Alaknyri is the drow language native to Am Alaknyr and the other drow cities of Lochar, while Locharni is a creole language developed from the interactions between Alaknyri and the local Lochric language (resulting in a similar sound system to Alaknyri but often different underlying grammar). Locharni tends to be used more in daily life and in trade, while Alaknyri is preferred by the civil service and used widely in governmental documents. Government assemblies and school teaching are given in both Locharni and Alaknyri.

Naming Conventions
Locharni citizens usually take either Locharni or Alaknyri names, dependent on whether their clan is majority Locharni or majority Alaknyri. The major differences between the languages is in the form of particle denoting the clan name (ar’ in Alaknyri, el’ in Locharni) and in the particular personal and given names which are preferred.

Each individual will typically have three names: a personal name, a given name, and a clan name. The personal name is given by the parents at birth, and typically is an old family name. The given name is ascribed by others in virtue of the person’s occupation, heroic deeds, or notable qualities (sometimes sarcastically or insultingly). The clan name comes from the clan.

Minority Languages
In addition to the official languages of Lochar, the following minority languages are fairly widely spoken.


 * High Ardulidylic (Ardulidyel). Liturgical language of the Church of the Kasthyarhi, derived from the language of Ardulidyl (cf. Church Latin irl).
 * Cloichean (Clainnt Cloiche). One of many rock gnomish languages found on the western shores of Delenthor, spoken primarily by the Cloichean clans, who live in the surface caves in Lochar territory and often emigrate to Locharni cities.
 * Lochric (Leugh). A human language, originally the native language of Kennaste and the other human settlements of Lochar and the grammatical base for the Locharni creole. Lochric is still spoken amongst human communities in Lochar, where it is often simply a home language and the language used for telling traditional Leugh legends and stories (Leugh being the term for the local human people group). However, there have been increasing cases of anti-drow hate crimes expressed in Lochric, suggesting the language is being increasingly adopted as a human-nationalist dog whistle in some of the more distasteful parts of Locharni civilisation.
 * Sinnarií (Sinarií). A wild elf language heavily influenced by Alaknyri borrowings but otherwise similar to other wild elf languages in the forests of the area. Sinnarií immigrants are common in the overland cities of Lochar, although they rarely descend to the deep cities of the Locharni drow.
 * T’initawi (T’initawí Nigiri). A merfolk language, spoken by the merfolk who dwell in the shallows off the shore and in the underground sea on the shores of which the drow cities are built. The T’initaw people tend to keep a distance from the Locharni, but they will sometimes trade valuables retrieved from the deep for food or protection where necessary, and most Locharni sailors know at least a few phrases of T’initawi as a result.

Food and Fashion
Cuisine. Locharni cuisine is influenced by its coastal position and by the coming together of both human and drow cultures, as well as by the plethora of other cultures which pass through the cities in virtue of their role as major trading hubs.

The table below gives a summary of some of the key elements of Locharni cuisine, such as the major stables and drinks. Meal Culture. Locarni recognise four meals in the day:


 * Drisliha (‘dawn meat’, breakfast), a small meal typically composed of cold meats, bread, and cheese, taken in the early morning.
 * Chessliha (‘noble meat’, lunch), the main meal of the day, taken around noon or shortly after. Locharni take a two-hour lunch break to properly appreciate their chessliha, which is a large meal, typically the main hot meal of the day, including drinks.
 * Zaknliha (‘dusk meat’, tea), the early evening meal, which is the second larger meal of the day, and also typically hot. Taken with dessert.
 * Taszpurema (‘blue bite’, supper), a small meal taken shortly before bed, typically cold and composed of small, ‘snack’ treats.

Fashion. Each clan, city, and class of Locharni society has its own fashions and trends, but certain tendencies are found throughout Locharni culture:


 * Pretty Boys. Due to the matrilineal and matriarchal inheritance, women tend to hold greater power in Lochar, and for this reason, men are the ones who must prick and preen themselves to earn the attention of a wealthy and powerful partner. As such, male fashion in Lochar tends to be colourful, vibrant, and extravagant, often include many coloured beads in the hair, an abundance of jewellery, and vibrantly colourful clothes, while female fashion tends to be more reserved, in shades of black, purple, red, brown, and grey, intended to ‘befit their station’. It is for this reason that Locharni men are often called ‘peacocks’ by outsiders. The exception to this pattern is male acolytes and adepts of the Kasthyarhi, who typically adopt more ‘feminine’ styles of black or red to recognise that, as devotees of the goddess, they have no need to pursue earthly females (although they will typically still decorate their hair with beads).
 * Parasols and Broad Hats. Locharni fashion has long been somewhat dictated by the needs of its drow inhabitants, with small sun parasols (called felynzakani ‘pale dusks’) and wide-brimmed hats (called iimhuiavi ‘life caps’) often commonplace to protect the drows’ sensitive eyes and skin from direct sunlight. Certain racist human-nationalist elements have taken to refusing to carry a parasol as a sign of anti-drow sentiment.
 * Practical Pants. Barring certain noble families where women adopt foreign dresses, both male and female Locharni are known for their iconic baggy trousers, designed after sailor’s garb but exaggerated for day-to-day use.
 * Weather-Ready. Most Locharni will have a cloak or overcoat of thick leather treated with oil to keep off the freezing sea winds, although these will only be worn in winter or on especially bad weather days.

Festivals
The Locharni calendar year is marked by a plethora of different festivals, some Locharni or Alaknyri in origin, others brought in with Delenthor, and still others picked up by sailors on their various trade exploits and then brought back to Lochar.

Amongst these many festivals, the following five are particularly important in the Locharni year:


 * Aika Iimdris (‘life-dawn day’), the spring festival, 20th Coron. A fertility festival and celebration of new life, Aika Iimdris is a seven-week-long carnival-like celebration, with dancing and meals in the street, with music and song aplenty. It is traditional not to leave one’s house without an elaborate mask for the duration of Aika Iimdris. The last day of Aika Iimdris ends with a ritual purification at dawn, after which the masks are removed and set aside for another year.
 * Dirzaika (‘dream-day’), a mid-summer festival marking the day of the signing of Treaty of Rillaun on 4th Azieron, which granted the five city-states of Lochar the semi-independent status they now enjoy. It is traditionally marked by setting off of fireworks and the eating of a particular sweet cake known as omenleip, made from apples and honey.
 * Aika Chaszyr-ir (‘day of the earth’), the autumn harvest celebration on 1st Pheroth. This celebration also marks the start and end of the Locharni tax year.
 * Julha Lymeynn (‘festival of lights’, also known as Amalaikari, ‘holy days’), a festival marking the middle of winter from 10th to 18th Isila and ending with the holy day of the Kasthyarhi (Amalaika). It is a long celebration, with a month of preparation before, and it is marked by a ritual whereby small candles are placed on little boats which are released onto lakes or the sea.
 * Aika Sate-nillyrn (‘day of a thousand tears’), the last festival of the year on 30th Isila, which commemorates the fall of Lochar to Delenthorian control and the thousands who died in the war. It is a day of mourning, with no ‘patriotic’ element.

In addition, each family has a number of peculiar festivals, such as the namedays of their children. A child will have a nameday when they enter adulthood, which is around 80 for a drow or around 16 for a human Locharni, which marks their joining the adult community and determines which guild they will join for their first occupation.

Stereotypes and Reputation
There are many stereotypes attributed to the Locharni both within and beyond their shores, typically focussing around one of two elements: their vast wealth (often construed as avarice or tight-fistedness) and their liberality (often perceived as lustful extravagance).

For example, a famous Delenthorian proverb goes something like this: “A Scarfellan is loyal to his family, a Delenthorian is loyal to his empress, a Locharni is loyal to his purse-strings.” Locharni immigrants often face opposition and insult in other countries, combining envy of their wealth with racist hatred of the often partially-drow ancestry many Locharni have.

The Locharni cities are widely known household names, renowned for their grandeur, extravagance, and perceived amorality (at least in the eyes of more puritanical nations). They are hotspots of tourism, where many travellers go to drink in the vibrant, often gilded architecture or enjoy time spent in the darker parts of town where casinos and prostitution thrive.