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The City-State of DrajBy Gabriel Cormier and Jon Sederqvist

CreditsDesign: Gabriel Cormier, Jon Sederqvist3E Design: Jon SederqvistEditor: Gabriel CormierEditorial Assistance: Austin Butcher, Jon SederqvistArt Directory: Gabriel CormierDS 3 Logo: Robert AdducciLayout: Gabriel Cormier

Interior Art: Bruno Lopez, Neeva, Yoni Banai, Frdric GamacheMaps: Gabriel Cormier, Derek Cabotaje, Austin Butcher

Review: Andrej Damjanovic, Austin Butcher, Mike Ring

Sources: Dragon Crown, Dune Trader, Slave Tribes, Terrors BeyondTyr, The Complete Gladiators Handbook, The WanderersChronicle, The Wanderers Journal, Valley of Dust and Fire,Veiled Alliance

Visit the Dark Sun website at www.athas.orgor

the Wizards of the Coast website at www.wizards.com/dnd

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons(R), Third Edition Core Books, and thePsionics Handbook, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.

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The City-State of DrajLegal Notice:Dungeons and Dragons, D&D, and Dark Sun are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.,a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. The content here in is considered to be derivative work (as it is based on theintellectual property owned by Wizards of the Coast), and the articles within are jointly owned by bothWizards of the Coast and their authors. As such neither can do anything outside the official websitewithout the permission of the other. This project may be reproduced for personal use, but may not be

used to generate revenue. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations,places, or events is purely coincidental.Open Game Content and Dark Sun Copyrights:This edition of City-State of Drajis produced under version 1.0, 1.0a, and/or draft versions of the OpenGame License, the d20 System Trademark Logo Guide, and System Reference Document by permissionof Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent versions of this product will incorporate final versions of the license,guide, and document.

Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity inaccordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all Wizards of the Coast

logos and identifying marks and trade dress, including all Wizards of the Coast product and product linenames including but not limited to Dark Sun, The City-State of Tyr, Dune Trader, Elves of Athas, VeiledAlliance, and any specific characters, monsters, creatures, and places; capitalized names and names ofplaces, magical or psionic items, artifacts, characters, countries, creatures, geographic locations, gods,historic events, magic items, organizations, spells, and powers; and any and all stories, storylines,histories, plots, thematic elements, and dialogue; all spells, monsters in the Monstrous CompendiumAppendix: Terrors Beyond Tyr; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps, andcartography, likenesses, poses, logos, or graphic designs, except such elements that already appear infinal or draft versions of the d20 System Reference Document (e.g. Nystul, Melf, Bigby, Tenser,Mordenkainen, Leomund, Tasha, Evard, Otiluke, Rary, Drawmij, and Otto) and are already Open GameContent by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content.

Designation of Open Game Content: Some portions of this book which are OGC originate from theSystem Reference Document and are 1999, 2000, and 2001 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Open GameContent is designated in this adventure by textappearinginthiscolor. Any other portion of thisadventure, unless already appearing in the System Reference Document or already Wizards' of the Coastintellectual property, is joint property of Wizard of the Coast and the author.

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The City-State of Draj

Table of ContentsThe City-State of Draj...............................................................................................................................................1

Ket.............................................................................................................................................................................2Fort Ral.....................................................................................................................................................................3

Bitter Well ................................................................................................................................................................4Mastyrial Mountains ..............................................................................................................................................4Break Shore..............................................................................................................................................................5

Draji Society ...............................................................................................................................................................6Warrior Culture ......................................................................................................................................................6Appeasing the Supernatural .................................................................................................................................7The God-King..........................................................................................................................................................8The Two Moons ......................................................................................................................................................9The Elemental Cults ...............................................................................................................................................9Dress .......................................................................................................................................................................10Cultural Identity ...................................................................................................................................................10Astronomy.............................................................................................................................................................11

The People of Draj...................................................................................................................................................12Childhood for the Draji........................................................................................................................................12The Free Citizens ..................................................................................................................................................12The Nobility...........................................................................................................................................................14The Slaves ..............................................................................................................................................................16Outcasts and Criminals........................................................................................................................................17

City Life in Draj .......................................................................................................................................................18Two Moon City .....................................................................................................................................................18Commerce and the Marketplace.........................................................................................................................21House Tsalaxa .......................................................................................................................................................23The Templars.........................................................................................................................................................26The Psions..............................................................................................................................................................28Government Structure .........................................................................................................................................28Draj's Army............................................................................................................................................................29The Veiled Alliance ..............................................................................................................................................30

Races and Characters in Draj.................................................................................................................................31Races in Draj ..........................................................................................................................................................31Character Classes in Draj.....................................................................................................................................31

A Travelers Guide to Draj.....................................................................................................................................33DM's Summary for the City-State of Draj ..........................................................................................................36

What Your Father Told You A Draji to his son ...............................................................................................39APPENDIX................................................................................................................................................................43

New magical items ...............................................................................................................................................44New psionic items ................................................................................................................................................44Prestige classes ......................................................................................................................................................44

Regional feats ........................................................................................................................................................49NPC stats................................................................................................................................................................50Monsters.................................................................................................................................................................59Map of Two Moon City........................................................................................................................................61Map of Draj............................................................................................................................................................62

Open Game License ................................................................................................................................................63

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The City-State of DrajWelcome to Draj, where the warriors rule! Draj is

where the warrior will feel at home, where he willflourish under the guidance and tutelage of great Drajicitizens. Draj is the home of the warrior; here a truewarrior will be amongst equals. Come, the FloweryWars await. See the masters of archery, the arrowknights, as they demonstrate their prowess with thebow. The fierce eagle knights will awe any warrior withtheir weapon prowess, while the jaguar knights willmake even the most seasoned veteran cower in fear. Forthose who would try something else, a game of raxocwill soothe the spirit.

Draj is the great city-state of our wonderful God-King, Atzetuk. Here divinity is manifest by the spirit

of our great King, who cares and protects all Draji. It isthe home of great clans, who farm and fight for theGod-King. Come, and witness culture such as you havenever seen before! Come and see the sacrifices to theelementals. Come see thousands of people chanting inunison! Enter the wonderful Two Moon City, the

glorious city of our mighty ruler. Stand in the mightof our obelisks; the great sculptors of Draj will makethe black obsidian come alive by their masterful art. Seethe depictions of warriors, of the great jaguar, and the

jaguar knights crushing the skulls of their opponents.March along Serpent's Way and set foot in JaguarPlaza, basking in the shadow of the Great Pyramid, andsee the Great Skull Rack. Stand in awe at the base ofthe Great Pyramid, as rivers of blood pool at your feet,and watch the great sacrifices of our people. Visit milesupon miles of fertile land, land of such fertility that itdoes not exist anywhere else in the Tablelands.

"Ponder this, eagle and jaguar knights,

Though you are carved in jade, you will break;

Though you are made of gold, you will crack;

Even though you are a quetzal feather, you will

wither.

We are not forever on this earth,Only for a time are we here."

- poet-King Nezahualcoyotl of Texcoco, circa 1450 AD

Draj stands on an island, surrounded by a mudlake. The fertile mud produces grains and high-quality hemp. Within Draj, the fortified "TwoMoon City" compound contains the King's

pyramid and temples. Draji people live in flat

mud or brick structures calledpueblos. Their clansgather to discuss and act on matters beneath theKing's attention.

After ruling for over two thousand years in Draj,Tectuktitlay recently died, slain by the FirstSorcerer, Rajaat. Tectuktitlay's son, Atzetuk, hassmoothly replaced him as the God-King. WhenTectuktitlay died, his templars lost their spells.These templars made a pact with the House of theMind, who chose and brainwashed Atzetuk toserve as their puppet king. The new king honestlybelieves that Tectutitlay fathered him, and theDraji people accept his claim. While Draji citizensloathed Tectuktitlay, obeying him only out of fearof his magic and templars, young Atzetuk haswon the people's sympathies, their admiration,and their worship.

Draji culture and history demands a dominantGod-King. Tectuktitlay had surrounded himselfwith religious trappings, and wove the Drajireligion around his person. Even though theydespised Tectuktitlay, the population participatedwholeheartedly in the basic sacrifice ritual.

Location near the Silt Sea and total lack ofmountain cover leave Draj particularly vulnerableto destructive Tyr-storms. Draji citizens believethey need to appease the elements with humansacrifices. Since the king publicly performs theweekly or sometimes even daily sacrificesbelieved to keep disaster at bay, it comes naturallyfor the people to worship their king. They alsoworship the two moons of Ral and Guthay.Artists carve the two moons into obelisks, statues,and shrines throughout the city.

Draj has long been known for its hempproduction. Its mud flats are very fertile andproduce good quality crops. These products are indemand in the Tablelands, and have helpedHouse Tsalaxa, Draj's main merchant house, togain a hefty profit. This steady income has helpedthe House to venture into more risky operations,such as artwork, ornate weapons and slaves.House Tsalaxa reflects Draj's warrior culture. It is

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ruthless, greedy and dangerous, and will resort toassassination, kidnapping and blackmail to getwhat it wants. They will undercut their prices todrive other merchant houses to ruin.

Tectuktitlay built Draj after he finished

exterminating the wemics during the CleansingWars. He accomplished his task with great glee,and the wemics were quickly annihilated.When Tectuktitlay decided to build hiscity, he discovered ruins of ancientpyramids on a vast mud flat east of Raam.Whether these pyramids were ancienttemples of the wemics or remnants of aneven earlier civilization, no living beingknows. Tectuktitlay built his ownPyramid on top of an old one. Hethen constructed his own small city,

Two Moon City, around hispyramid. The citizens of Draj, whowere the remnants of his Cleansing Army, thenbuilt their homes outside of the inner city. Thisbecame known as Draj.

Warrior culture is prevalent in Draj. The onlyrespected citizens are the warriors and the artistswho glorify violence. Merchants provide anecessary service, but they do not hold the samerespect as Draji warriors. Thieves are the lowestsort of scum to a Draji, viewed even worse thanmages. All around the city, various statues andobelisks can be found that represent violence andwar in all its bloody forms. Warriors even fight inthe Flowery Wars, great games held twice peryear just outside the Golden Moon Gate. Warriorsfight with lethal weapons, and losers risk beingdemoted, exiled or even killed.

The closest city-state is Raam, which lies west ofDraj. Until recently, Raam was Draj's maintrading partner, but since chaos overtook Raam,access to the Tablelands via Raam is dangerousand uncertain. The two city-states of Kurn and

Eldaarich are now Drajs main trading partners.These city-states enjoyed limited trade with Drajuntil a few years ago. But now, with thedifficulties of reaching the markets in theTablelands through Raam, trade with thesenorthern city-states is much more important. Anew route across the silt has also been established,to circumvent Raam, enabling merchants to reach

the markets of Nibenay and the rest of theTablelands.Drajs influence extends beyond its mud flat. Afew villages near the city-state submit to Drajscontrol. The following are points of interest under

Draji domination.KetThe village of Ket is a little over 100miles northeast of Draj. It was longused as a lone border patrol, havingbeen assigned a small garrison, byTectuktitlay, to watch for trouble from

the north. Since the northern city-states kept tothemselves, the assignment was a long, boringone, and with little opportunity for anyone. Ket

stagnated, with little more than 500 residents.House Tsalaxa maintained a small outpost, withonly a few dozen employees, since there was littlein the way of business opportunities. The DedysConsortium maintained a small trading post,hoping to establish a secondary base ofoperations, in case things got too dangerous inDraj.

Ket lies on a small mud flat, completelysurrounded by silt, connected to the roadway byone small causeway. The mile-long causeway isthe only access point to the village and itslucrative grain fields. The excess grain producedin the village is sold for a good profit in theTablelands and in the North, even with the longdistances separating Ket from the major tradecenters. Raiders and giants sometimes attack thevillage, but the village is easily defended againstraiders, since the causeway is a very defensibleposition. Giants have a little more success,sometimes being able to wade through the siltencircling the village, but the slow pace of siltwading gives villagers time to organize a defense.

In the last few years, however, as trade with thenorth has increased, the small village attracts newresidents almost every day. New opportunities fortrade bring those disillusioned from failures inDraj, and the curious as well. Rumors of thenorthern city-states bring adventurers seekingtheir fortune northward, or those who thrive onthe market of slaves and illegal items, alwayseager for new opportunities. Slavers will often

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venture to new frontiers, as it allows them to buyoff those that tried their luck at these newmarkets, but failed. Far from home, with littlepossessions and no money, these people are easytargets for slavers.

With Kets new-found importance, House Tsalaxahas started increasing its presence, adding moreguards, building new warehouses and barracks.The Dedys Consortium, trying to seize themarket, has also invested heavily in Ket. Thevillage is now undergoing a small trade war, asthe two opponents try to seize the market.

Fort RalFort Ral is strategically located on the roadleading north past Ket. Its close proximity to theclient village serves a dual purpose. It allows for aquick supply route, and if faced by anoverwhelming enemy from the North, the fort canbe evacuated and its troops relocated to Ket,which is easily defended - and a long term siegeof the agricultural village of Ket is virtuallyimpossible unless the enemy has very efficientsupply lines. The Draji simply starve theirenemies to death.

Fort Ral is a unique fortress. Built on the ruins ofan ancient pyramid, it has reinforced walls andplateaus that grant cover to archers. The only wayto scale the fortified pyramid efficiently is byascending a huge set of stairs, with walls on eachside forming a trench. The walls of the trench

have murder holes for archers and spearmen.Near the top of the pyramid, caches of bouldersand logs can be rolled down the stairs to crushascending attackers. The fortress usually hosts 200soldiers, of which at least half are archers from theranks of the arrow knights, but the fortress hasaccommodations for twice that number.

Fort Ral was erected seven centuries ago, whencontact with the northern cities of Kurn andEldaarich was forbidden by decree of Tectuktitlay.When Daskinor of Eldaarich first started showing

signs of extreme paranoia, Tectuktitlay decided itwas in Drajs best interests to end its relationswith that city. Tectuktitlay had enough to contendwith a series of skirmishes with the growingmilitant power Urik. If Draj was to becomeDaskinors phantom enemy at this uncertain timeof saber rattling in the Tablelands area, theoutcome could be a catastrophic two-front warwith both Urik and Eldaarich. While on neutralterms with Keltis (Oronis) of Kurn, this relationwould also have to be terminated to avoid addingfuel to Daskinors fire of paranoia and imaginaryconspiracies. Conveniently for Tectuktitlay,

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Daskinor elected to seal his city and break allcontact with the outside world a decade after FortRal was erected to prevent traders and travelersfrom crossing the border territory between Drajand the northern city-states. Initially the fortresshad soldiers patrolling within a 30 miles radius of

the fortress and along the road north. As thesituation with Urik stabilized and Eldaarichremained isolationistic, the decades passed andtravelers stopped coming. The city-states to thenorth were mostly forgotten in the minds of theaverage citizen. The border patrols were relocatedto other areas, and the importance of the fortressdwindled.

Today Fort Ral is once again an importantdefensive installation. As contact with Kurn wasreestablished a few decades ago, traders from the

north reappeared, bringing their wares to Ket andDraj. The fortress has once again become animportant barrier against bandits and raidersfrom the North seeking to prey on the caravansgoing back and forth.

Unknown by many, an elaborate system oftunnels exists beneath Fort Ral. These tunnels arein fact catacombs, sealed off when the fort wasinitially built on the remnants of the pyramid thatwould become the foundation of the fortress. Thecatacombs house the dead of an ancient GreenAge culture, the one that erected the pyramidsDraj itself is built on. Lately, mysterious sightingsand strange voices that speak in an alien tongue tothe soldiers in their dreams have led thesuperstitious Draji to call upon their moon priestsfor assistance. A recent investigation lead to thediscovery of the catacombs beneath the fort, andanother expedition that ventured into the darktunnels never returned. Recently there have beenreports of strange sightings within the fortress of creatures that are unlike any seen in theTablelands today and soldiers have mysteriouslyvanished from their posts at night without a trace.

Bitter WellBitter Well lies approximately 35 miles east-southeast of Draj, on the road that eventuallytakes a turn northward to Ket and Fort Ral. It wasfounded a few centuries ago by a group ofdwarves hoping to create a profitable venture

with the waters in Bitter Well. However, thedwarves found to their dismay that the well wassimply a small stream, and not the lake they hadhoped. The dwarves left the well, disillusioned bytheir failure, but others that came after built asmall community.

The small village of Bitter Well lies on the edge ofthe Silt Sea, providing shelter and opportunity forapproximately 100 people. A huge cloud of siltoften clogs the air, because of the villagesproximity to the edge of the Silt Sea, but thepeople have become used to it.

The buildings in Bitter Well are all made ofsandstone, packed close together to provideshelter. Between the buildings hang canvasdrapes that provide shelter from the harsh

Athasian sun. However, the drapes also create aclosed environment, and the smell of unwashedbodies hangs thickly in the air.

In the center of the village lies the well itself, agrand affair considering the nature of the minorstream that supplies the well. The dwarves thatbuilt the well thought they had found a smalllake, and built a big stone bowl to hold all thewater. Along the inner wall of the 50-foot bowl astone staircase descends, giving access to the well.People can expect a two-hour wait to get water,which is closely guarded to make sure nobodydrains the well dry. A few droughts over the lastKings Age have taught the residents to protecttheir water fiercely.

There are two main establishments in Bitter Well,the Orb and The Dragon. The Orb caters mostly tothe richer crowd, with better food and drink, anda few clean rooms for those seeking shelter for thenight. The Dragon has a more notoriousreputation, being the center of illicit trading in thesmall village. Anyone looking for black marketgoods should head to The Dragon.

Mastyrial MountainsThe solitary mountain range bordering the Silt Seasouth east of Raam and stretching north easttowards Draj is known as the MastyrialMountains. It was given this name because of itsunusually large population of black mastyrials.

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These unpredictable creatures make traveling inthese mountains a deadly game, unless one canfind a means to travel floating above the ground.The topography of the Mastyrial Mountainsranges from windswept plateaus to jaggedmountain spires. On the east side of the mountain

range, facing the Sea of Silt, a layer of dust hasgathered from the silt carried with the wind,ranging from barely noticeable to several inchesthick. A thin haze of dust obscures the air andirritates the eye. On days when the winds arestrong, sight becomes increasingly poor thefurther east one ventures, as the dust layer iswhirled up and mixed with fresh silt carried onthe air from the Silt Sea. No humanoids live inthese mountains, or at least none live on thesurface.

The Forbidden CavernsThose willing to brave the mountains and itsmastyrial masters will find several cave entrancesmarked with small naked stone obelisks,somewhere in the northern foothills of theMastyrial Mountains. These caves lead down to aseries of tunnels and caverns that run deep withinthe limestone below the mountain. The ForbiddenCaverns, as they are called, are said to be thehome of a long-dead culture. Legends speak ofbuildings and great treasure far below in the

caverns. Other legends speak of a large number ofunderground springs and underground lakesbeneath the mountains. Those who actually findthe entrance to the Forbidden Caverns shouldtake heed. A powerful undead raaig guardianattacks anyone who enters the caves withoutwarning. This nameless sentinel is not to bebargained with, but one bards tale would have itthat the guardian serves another entity - one thatspeaks in ancient tongues and commands the verymountain itself.

Break ShoreThe trading village of Break Shore rests along theshores of the Silt Sea, on the south side of theMastyrial Mountains. Break Shore is a dwindlingcommunity with less than 100 inhabitants, most ofthem dwarves, humans and muls.

The village was once a Raamin client village.Several Kings Ages ago, Draji forces conqueredthe small village during a conflict between thetwo city-states over the mining rights to theMastyrial Mountains. It has been one of Drajs

client villages since then. The conflict startedwhen a band of dwarven miners from Raamfound gold in the mountains and founded amining outpost. Tectuktitlay, eager to expand hisempire and strengthen its resources, claimed theMastyrial Mountains and its mines to be Drajiterritory. This led to a brief confrontation andskirmishes with troops from Raam, but Abalach-Re soon surrendered, realizing her army to beinferior to the jaguar legions of her rival. The goldmine and its nearby village flourished, butsubsequent attempts of mining in the Mastyrial

Mountains failed; to this day the only vein ofvaluable minerals to be found in the mountainrange is the one Break Shores gold mine isfounded upon.

Today the gold mine is nearly depleted, andBreak Shores population slowly dwindles.Hocaxolatl (Tem 5/Mpr 3), a human templar,supervises the mining activity and oversees thevillages operation and its enterprises. Two loyalassociates assist him with his duties. His righthand man is the dwarven trader Rygor (Rog 3)who maintains relations with the Nibenesetraders of Cromlin. Silt skimmers transport theweekly shipments of supplies across the siltshoals between the two villages. Hocaxolatls lefthand man is the mul eagle knight Txaloc (Fig5/Eag 1) who commands thirty Draji warriorsresponsible for defending Break Shore and itsmine from harm. Occasionally giants attempt toraid the village, or starving mastyrials attack theminers.

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Draji SocietyThe lives of the Draji revolve around three things:the warrior culture, family, and the God-King.

The warrior culture permeates every aspect of lifein Draj. It is a basic part of their society. Withoutit, the Draji society would most likely disintegrate.At all levels of society the Draji value cruelty,strength and ferocity while they sneer atweakness or respect for the enemy.

The family unit is also important. Families areorganized in clans with long, distinguishedhistories. The elders are revered and haveabsolute authority. Failure to heed anelder's words often leads to exile orsome sort of corporal punishment.Clans live on family compounds withlarge hemp or grain farms.

The population readily worships thenew God-King. The loss ofthe old king, Tectuktitlay, hasrejoiced many in Draj, and thenew God-King is seen as aforce of change and uplift intheir spiritual lives. Thepeople will often say asmall prayer to their God-

King when wishing forluck. Many citizens oftenassemble in front of theKing's pyramid to watchthe sacrifice and hopeto catch a glimpse oftheir ruler.

Warrior CultureCentral to Draji society is the warrior. Theglorification of violence in all its forms can be seeneverywhere in Draj. Obelisks and statues depictthe Draji cultural icons. Ferocious jaguarsrepresent the city's vicious attitudes, as does thefeathered serpent. The smoking mirror, atraditional Draji emblem, indicates a polishedobsidian slab. Superstition says that a cowardwho peers into the smoking mirror will see a dark

reflection that will animate, emerge from themirror, strangle the coward and take his place in

society.

Warriors and artisans who paint or sculpt ofviolence receive the publics respect. Headdressesindicate a persons station within Draji society.

Warriors wear feathers as asymbol of status amongst theirpeers and a demonstration ofexploits. Young warriors wearone feather to indicate their

dedication to becoming a warrior.The other feathers must be earnedin combat, such as the FloweryWars. The Flowery Wars are week-long games of combat held twiceper year.

Warriors have the chance to gainfeathers in the Wars, or worse,a feather could be lost. This isa horrible dishonor to theDraji, for with the loss of afeather comes a loss of status.Combat is real, with realweapons. There are no

simulated fights in the FloweryWars. Losers of major eventsface exile, shamed by their

counterparts.

Stunning lirr tails, worn onthe head, advertise anartists station. Lirrs are

large, warm-blooded reptilesthat live in the Tablelands. Around its neck and atthe end of its tail, the lirr possesses a brightly-colored membrane. This membrane is colored in

bright reds, oranges and yellows, and sometimesblues. Artists receive the distinction of the lirr tailas recognition of their work.

Templars may wear headdresses, though they arenot required to do so, since their robes clearlyidentify their position. Higher-ranking templarsusually wear headdresses; exquisite pieces of silkwith interweaved gold and precious jewels. The

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higher the rank, the more elaborate the setup.Templars will not wear feathers or lirr tails, sincethey do not want to be mistaken for commoncitizens.

Slaves wear the most plain of headdresses, such

as a simple roll of cloth or giant hair braid. Somewill wear simple skullcaps to obtain limitedprotection from the harsh Athasian sun.

Appeasing the SupernaturalThe people worship their King and believe in hisdivine power. However, sacrifices are mandatedby the King to appease the elementals. Sacrificesare big events, where a large portion of the

population gathers in the city square to view andcheer as the victim is sacrificed. This practice is apart of their society and the people often lookforward to a sacrifice, especially after a bad Tyr-storm.

SSaaccrriiffiicceeSacrifices are held on the top of the King'sPyramid. The crowds gather in Jaguar Plaza, thegreat square located in Two Moon City. As manyas ten thousand people can gather to watch the

ceremonies. Sacrifices are usually held duringmid-day, not long after the sun has reached itszenith. People start entering in Two Moon City anhour before the sacrifice to get a good view.

The sacrificial victim is named the uauantin. Thevictim is usually a captured victim of slave raidsor a rare exile from Raam. When no capturedslaves are available, Draji slaves are sacrificed. Onrare occasions, the victims are Draji citizens whobelieve that their sacrifice serves the greater goodof the city. These are usually individuals who

have lost their family in some skirmish or war, orfeel their daily struggle for survival is at an end.

The victim is painted in blue and yellow stripes,the colors of Draji templars. The uauantin's face ispainted white, with large black circles around theeyes and red lips. The victim's hair is neatlytrimmed to just above shoulder length. If thevictim does not have black hair, the hair is dyed

black. If a victim has no hair, such as muls ordwarves, their whole head is painted white. Thevictim is usually unwilling, so they are made todrink a special potion that renders them almostunaware of the world around them. The uauantin,now docile, follows simple commands. The

templars guard the secret of this potion.

Once all the people have gathered in Jaguar Plaza,a long procession begins. A cadre of moon priestsleads the way, walking side by side. Adetachment of guards and soldiers follows thetemplars. The soldiers are usually human or half-giant, dressed in Draji colors. The victim and hisfour special guards, called tecpatlin, walk behindthe guards. The tecpatlin, mindbenders andtemplars, maintain control of the victim should hefail to follow commands. The lead tecpatlin wears

his yellow-and-blue templar outfit and wears amask. The well-made mask represents a featheredserpent. Two tecpatlin walk on each side of theuauantin. The one on his right wears a mask of asnarling jaguar. The tecpatlin on the left wears amask of a smoking mirror. The last tecpatlinwalks behind the uauantin and wears a maskrepresenting the dark sun of Athas.

Following the tecpatlin and the uauantin are thedrummers. The drummers have special human-skin drums that they beat loudly. They wearbright sleeveless shirts, green and red in color,and wear special ceremonial skirts. The skirts aremade of hemp, specially dyed so the color isdifferent depending on where one looks at it. Allshades of color are present, from light green, toblue, to orange, and red. The drummers sing aloud war-chant to honor their king. The crowdalso sings this war-chant.

Once the procession reaches the base of thePyramids, the lead priest walks to the top. Thelead priest wears an elaborate headdress, astunning combination of feathers and pelts that

reflects the sun in many different colors. Risingnearly 2 feet high, his headdress also descends tohis knees. The high priest also has a staff in hishand, a polished agafari staff topped with thesymbol of the two moons. The drummers stoptheir beating at a sign from the head priest. Hethen makes his way to the top of the pyramid insilence, the crowd staying silent. Once the priestreaches the top of the 200-foot high pyramid, he

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stops. He then circles the sacrificial stone, apolished obsidian slab 10 feet high and six feetwide. The slab stands upright, resting against thetop of the pyramid. It reflects the sun and casts aneerie light on the techcatl. At this point, the highpriest asks that Atzetuk appear and perform the

sacrifice for the good of all Draji. The king thenappears, to loud cheers from the crowd.

The drummers then start their beating as thetecpatlin and the uauantin make their way to thetop. The crowd's chant matches the drummersbeat as they beat faster and faster as the uauantinreaches the top. As soon as the uauantin reachesthe summit, the tecpatlin grab him and attach himto the obsidian slab. The uauantins arms and legsare secured with giant hair hardened by the bloodof countless victims. The king then smashes his

fist through the uauantins chest. The king's robeusually turns red with the uauantin's blood. High-pitched primal screams are heard from the top ofthe pyramid. The king then rips out the still-beating heart. This he holds high as an offering tothe sun, the blood from the victim dripping downhis arm.

Atzetuk then inserts the heart of the victim insidea hollow statue built for that purpose. At the baseof the statue is a small opening leading to twosmall gutters that descend on each side of thestairway. When many victims are sacrificed in oneday, the blood from their hearts flows down thesegutters to form a pool of blood at the base of thepyramid. The statue is a simple one, showing akneeling warrior screaming in pain and anger.

The victim's body is then thrown off the pyramid,where the king's slaves collect it and use it tomake drums or other gory trophies, and the skullimpaled upon the Great Skull Rack. The king thengives his usual discourse to his subjects. He tellsthem that the sacrifices have appeased theelementals.

When Tectuktitlay ruled, the ceremonial sacrificeswere fairly simple; although there was muchchanting and ritual, the actual sacrifice was briefand brutal. Tectuktitlay simply used hisChampions strength to punch a hole in thevictims chest and extract the heart.

With Atzetuk now performing the ritual, thepsions needed to improvise, since the new kingwasnt strong enough to do the ceremony as hisfather did. To punch a hole through the chest ofthe sacrificial victim, the psions decided to use thevenom from the raakle bird. The raakles venom

liquefies the organs of its prey, allowing the birdto suck its meal with its tubular beak.

The God-KingThe people believe in their King's power anddivinity. They worship him like they neverworshipped Tectuktitlay. When Tectuktitlay wasking, the sacrifices were attended by the citizens,

but without much fanfare. The daily lives of thecitizens were static, and hadnt changed inhundreds of years. But with the recent turmoilenveloping the Tablelands, with Tyr-stormsdestroying crops and anarchy in Raam, thesacrifices have found new meaning. The sacrificesdemanded by their ruler are deemed necessaryand a part of their culture. Many Draji would

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willingly give their lives if called upon by theirking.

The King is present at important events, muchmore so than Tectuktitlay used to. The psions ofthe House of the Mind are eager to show their

young new king to the population, makingAtzetuk much more visible. This makes him agreater target, but the king is well protected withpsionic items and bodyguards. The psions andtemplars protect their king at all costs, notwanting their secret to become known.

The Two MoonsTectuktitlay built up a culture around the worship

of his divinity and the two moons of Athas, Raland Guthay. Two temples are dedicated to theirworship inside Two Moon City. These temples aredwarfed only by the Pyramid. Templars use thesetemples to train and as administrativecompounds. The people also come to worshiphere in small ceremonies the templar hold mostevery day. The citizens regularly make donationsto the temple.

The Elemental CultsThe elementals are worshipped in Draj, but not asmuch as the two moons or the king. A temple tothe element of fire is located on the outskirts ofthe mud flat. The smoke from the huge fire that iskept burning in the temple was too thick for thetemple to be located close to the city, so thetemple was built on the outskirts. The peoplerespect the offensive nature of fire and willsometimes ask the local fire priest for a blessing ortoken before heading off into battle. High PriestImotec (NE human male, Clr(fire)16) leads a small

group of priests working at the temple. A big andwell-muscled man, Imotec will rarely receivevisitors, and his arrogant and dour nature keepsmost people away. Huge piles of oil and hemp areburned continuously in the Temple of Fire,creating a large cloud of smoke over the westernedge of the Draj mud flat. When winds turneastward, the cloud of smoke can gather over thecity, but it usually dissipates before becoming a

nuisance. Approximately 25 priests can be foundat any given time at the temple.

The Element of Earth has a small temple locatedjust outside Two Moon City. The people recognizethe fertility of their land, and the earth clerics

often help in the agriculture. Donations are madefor favors, and the earth priests readily grant theagricultural demands of the Draji. Still, theelementals take a second place to the two moons.High Priestess Nahualixi (LN dwarf female,Clr(earth) 10) is the highest-ranking priest at thetemple. Well respected, the aged dwarvenpriestess supervises the clan fields and helps thenobility with their crops. She has been tending toDraj for over 100 years. Fifteen other priests studyunder Nahualixi at the temple.

A priest by the name of Tanuixtli (CG half-elfmale, Clr(water) 10) operates the Temple of Waterjust outside the artisan district. The building issmall and unusual, since its round shape does notmatch typical Draji architecture. Tanuixtli usuallyworks alone, helping those in need when he can.He rarely receives any visiting priests, and makesbarely enough money to maintain his smalltemple.

A new worship has developed in Draj, theworship of the forces of the storm. The element ofRain has recently established a small temple inDraj. The recent turbulent events and subsequentTyr-storms have shaken the population, andmany have turned to new forces to find solace ormeaning in their lives. The Temple of the Stormhas only been operating for the last two years,with only one priest and an assistant. However,the population has been increasingly flocking tothe temple, which causes the traditional templesof Draj to become very anxious of this new force.The destructive nature of the Tyr-storms hasawed many Draji, and the new rain priest hasmade sure to use this to his advantage.

Rugar Stormbringer (Clr(rain) 8) has spent mostof his life in solitary worship of Rain in thefoothills of the Ringing Mountains, exiled fromhis halfling tribe because of his worship of thiselemental force. Recent events have made himcurious, and Rugar left his small shrine to explorethe rumors of new, fierce storms pelting theTablelands. He made his way to Draj, often the

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first city to feel the wrath of the storms, andestablished the Temple of the Storm. In Draj, hefound a people willing to listen to his message.

DressThe people of Draj dress in loose, bright-coloredshirts and skirts. Skirts are often made of hemp,which is readily available in Draj. Even noblesdress in this fashion, although they willsometimes wear robes.

The people of Draj wear headdresses on theirheads. These headdresses are made of hemp orgiant hair for most of the population, but greatwarriors, nobles or wealthy artisans wear more

elaborate headdresses. These superb headdressescan be made of silk or even hemp, inlaid withprecious jewels or gold.

Cultural IdentityThe cultural identity of the Draji revolves aroundthe warrior culture. As such, the culture of theDraji reflects this. Everywhere in Draj one can seethe symbols of this warrior culture. They arepresent in the citys architecture, the houses of itscitizens, the statues and obelisks, and in itspeoples expression.

DDaanncceeThe Draji frown on dance, drama, and music asdeviations from the purity of the warrior. Thismeans there is virtually no dancing or musicalheritage in Draj. The only dances are ritualisticdances in the form of battle dances, performedduring the Flowery Wars or before entering battle.

Music in Draj takes the form of ceremonial warchants, with drummers performing on human-skin drums.

AArrcchhiitteeccttuurree

Draji architecture is simple and efficient. Thepeople build low, flat-roofed pueblos with smallsquare windows and open doorways. Buildings

are made of adobe or mud bricks. Dyed mats orfeather mandalas sometimes decorate their walls.Some warriors make murals with the scales orfeathers of beasts they have slain. Very fewbuildings are more than one story tall.

AArrttArt has the same status as sculptures. It is onlyrespected if it depicts war or violence. Murals onhouses can be great works of art where vicious

jaguars are killing Draj enemies, or depictions of

legions of warriors marching into combat.Abstract art has no place in Draji society.

The Draji are excellent weavers. They buildadvanced looms and weave designs of death andviolence in all their tapestries. The feather-workers of Draj are also renowned throughout theTablelands, second only to Gulg.

Draj sculptures glorify war and violence. No othersculptures are tolerated in this war-glorifying city.On every corner, one can usually find a sculpture

or obelisk depicting death or violence. Sculpturesof winged serpents or snarling jaguars arecommon. On obelisks, engravings of warriorsslaying their enemies or eating the hearts of thevanquished are often found.

CCuuiissiinneeDraji cuisine surpasses all expectations, despitewhat one might think of a warrior culture. NativeDraji slaves are fairly well treated, receiving breadand raw vegetables. The commoner dines well,with well-balanced meals. Meals are heavilyspiced dishes of corn, red and green peppers,several kinds of grain, and dried, pemmican-likeerdlu meat. Everyone drinks a fermented cactus

juice called pulque.

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LLiitteerraattuurreeOnly the nobles and templars have the right toread and write in Draj. The rest of the population,

though, has a very good oral history. The Draji arewell known throughout the Tablelands for theirstory telling. Of course, those stories only includetales of combat and conquest. It is common for thepeople of a household to gather at night to listento an elder recount tales of combat.

AstronomyThe Draji are well known for their

accurate calendar. The Draj calendarnumbers the years in groups of 90,which was a sacred number forTectuktitlay. Scholars presume thiscomes from the appearance of theMessenger every 45 years. Theappearance of the Messenger is atime of great celebration in Draj. Itis seen as an omen of good fortune.Therefore, the failure of theMessenger to appear has manyDraji astronomers worried. They areunable to explain this phenomenon.

DDrraajjCCaalleennddaarr

The Draji calendar labels each group of 90 years ina regular cycle of nine symbols drawn from thecity's folklore: White Jaguar, Moon, Prince, Red

Jaguar, Blood, War, Black Jaguar, Serpent andMirror. "Prince" refers to ancient legends aboutTectuktitlay before he founded Draj. Historiansgive each cycle of 810 years an ordinal number,but the general population doesn't require the useof this ordinal. The Messenger failed to appear in

Free Year 6, which was when the calendar wasreset to Moon 1. It is now Moon 7 (Free Year 12).

The Draji name their days according to a 3-cyclecalendar. The first name in the day is a numeralfrom one to twenty-five (the number of weeks inthe standard year). The other two names thatmake up the day are chosen from the followingtwo cycle.

Tellani TonalaBlack Sand

Red BladeYellow BoneFangBlood

The first day of the year is One Black Sand, thesecond day would be One Red Blade, all the wayto Twenty-Five Yellow Blood, the 375th and lastday of the year.

HHoolliiddaayyss

The Flowery Wars are great games of combatheld twice per year. Warriors participate inthese games with real, stone-edged clubs.Each Flowery War is dedicated to one ofthe two moons of Athas. Most of thepeople of Draj attend the weeklongevents. Warriors have the chance toincrease their status at the Wars. Winnersget the chance to add a feather to theirheaddresses, while losers risk beingexiled or demoted, by losing a feather ortwo on their headdress. No warrior wants

to lose a feather; it represents a loss ofstatus in a society that views warriorprowess in such high regard.

The Flowery Wars start on One YellowSand and Twelve Red Blood. The festival lasts aweek each time.

PulquePulque is made by scraping the base of thehuge maguey cactus to stimulate the flow ofthe juice. Three or four quarts can be extracted

from each plant, which then goes through afermentation process. The final product is amilky, slightly sour tasting liquid that takes alittle getting used to. The Draji often laugh atvisitors when their first drink of pulque goesdown a little harder than first thought.

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The People of DrajA day in the life of a Draji is one of fear. Drajireligion is based on fear, and this keeps the ruling

class in charge. The Draji, whether they are nobleor free citizens, are a superstitious people andtheir religion governs their lives. Gender is not anissue in Draj: males and females hold the exactsame positions and are equal in the eyes of thestate. The people of Draj are copper-skinned, withblack hair and black eyes. They have little or nofacial hair. Most Draji have a wide face, thin lipsand a prominent chin. Citizens wear loose, bright-colored skirts and shirts.

Childhood for the DrajiChildhood is virtually the same for all Drajichildren. When they are born, children are namedaccording to the day upon which they were born,be it Seven Black Bone, Third Red Fang, or OneYellow Sand. When they reach the age of 7, theage at which it is believed the child has survivedthe rigors of childhood and will live to be anadult, the child is properly named. It is at thistime that the children of nobles are sent to TwoMoon City to receive their education and training

in the warrior culture.

Children are also taught the warrior culture athome. Their parents are responsible for teachingtheir children the importance of sacrifices,religion, the God-King, warrior culture, etc.Children are not sheltered from the violent ritualsperformed for their religion. They are broughtalong when the parents go to view the sacrifices.The children are taught to respect their elders,and to never lie to anybody. Children caughtlying have their lower lip pierced with a thorn,

and the thorn kept in place for a day. Obviously,the children learn quickly to tell the truth (or getquite adept at lying).

The Free CitizensThe free citizens of Draj are all either warriors orskilled artisans. There are very few unskilledlaborers in Draj. The middle class of Draj is themost powerful in the Tablelands, upwardlymobile, strong, and loyal to the King. They have abroad range of rights, more so than in any othercity-state of the Tablelands, being able to buy landand increase their status almost as easily as lessernobles.

MMaarrrriiaaggee

Marriage ceremonies for the Draji free citizens arerelatively simple. A templar supervises theceremony and records the names of the marriedpeople in a book kept in the Temple of Guthay.The husband and wife exchange vows, and afterthe ceremony the man's mantle is tied in a knotwith his wife's skirt, signifying their attachment toeach other. Draji are monogamous. They arefiercely loyal to their spouse, but will remarry.

Marriage is a protected institution in Draj. Thepenalty for adultery is death, regardless of thesocial stature of either transgressor. Nobles havebeen put to death for sleeping with marriedslaves, templars for imposing themselves uponnobles, etc, though the charges must be provenbefore the sentence is applied.

OOwwnneerrsshhiippooffPPrrooppeerrttyyFew Draji actually own property. Clan

compounds symbolically belong to the elder ofthe family, and are passed down from generationto generation. Anyone living on clan groundsdoes so at the desire of the eldest. Artisans andmerchants own their shops, though, and takegood care of these buildings.

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Clan compounds cannot be sold. The state doesnot allow family land to be sold for any reason.Should a clan be totally exterminated (which hashappened in Draj's long, bloody history), the statereclaims the land. The templars then administerthe land, using slaves to harvest the grain or

hemp being grown.

Technically the king owns everything in Draj. Heleases small plots of land to the artisans and localstorekeepers, for which they pay him yearly taxes.

Trade is basically unrestricted in Draj. Of course,like in any other city-state, the sale of magicalcomponents in illegal.

OOccccuuppaattiioonnssThere are very few unskilled citizens in Draj.Major occupations are warriors and artists.Warriors are trained guards for families ormerchant houses, or soldiers in Atzetuk's army.Artists are either sculptors or painters of deathand violence. Of course, there are the usualoccupations associated with city life, such asbakers, potters, weavers, and weaponsmiths.

Day laborers, as in citizens who work for noblesin exchange for room and board and some pocket

change, are rare in Draj. The only work freecitizens do for nobles is security, as guards orbodyguards. Slaves do virtually all other labor fornobles.

TTyyppiiccaallRReessiiddeenncceeResidences for freemen are virtually all the sameand follow typical Draji style.

Some residents will keep pet lizards or snakes in

their house. Rarely do houses have any garden orcourtyard. The Draji prefer to spend their leisuretime either training or watching the gladiatorialcombat.

RRoouuttiinneeThe daily routine of a Draji is fairly simple andrepetitive. The Draj spend most of their timeworking, either as guards and bodyguards on clancompounds, or artists or merchants in their

workshops. They usually spend at least a half-hour per day practicing combat, so virtually everyDraji is proficient in combat and weapons usage.In game terms, the majority of Draji has a weaponproficiency feat or one level in the Warrior NPCclass detailed in the Dungeon Master Guide.

EEdduuccaattiioonnBecause only templars and nobles can read orwrite, free citizens get their education from elders,through word of mouth. Children learn their

family's history at a young age. They also learnthe significance of the various festivals andceremonies during their childhood. The warriormentality is bred into children before they caneven speak.

The Draji religion is also a part of every citizenseducation. They are taught the importance of thesacrifices, the need to appease the elementals, andthe magnificence of their God-King. Religion is anintegral part of Draji life.

EEnntteerrttaaiinnmmeennttaannddDDiinniinnggAlthough there is a good variety of food to choosefrom, the diet of freemen varies little from day today. Spiced erdlu meat with some vegetables isthe typical meal, of course washed down with aglass of pulque.

Free citizens rarely have time for entertainment.When they do entertain themselves, this usuallytakes the form of watching gladiatorial combat orplaying some games themselves. One populargame is raxoc. Raxoc is played with a solid rubberball about a half-foot in diameter. The ball is linedwith small thorns or spikes. The sunken court,shaped like a capital letter I, is surrounded byspectators who look down on the court. Twostone rings hang down (like earrings) from thewalls at either end of the team's zone. The ringsare 8 feet to 10 feet off the ground, and the hole is

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less than a foot wide. The ball is supposed to passthrough this ring.

The goal of the game is to pass the ball throughone of the stone rings on either end of the court.Two players or teams of opposing sides play the

game. The first team, or first player in a solo bout,to put the ball in the ring three times wins. Theball may only be touched by the hips, knees andelbows. The ball has to be kept in the air at alltimes, though it may be bounced off the walls.Raxoc is as much a game of skill as it is one ofendurance. It is usually played at high sun, whenthe rays beat down hardest upon the competitors.It usually ends when one player passes out fromexhaustion and dehydration, or blood loss fromthe thorns on the ball.

Raxoc is often used to settle disputes betweenfamilies or clans. A champion from each side willplay the game, with the victorious side beingdeclared the winner of the dispute. The losersmay face dire consequences, being rewarded fortheir failure with ridicule, and sometimes evenexile.

FFuunneerraallssFunerals for the Draji are a reflection of how onelived and died. Free citizens who die in combat

will receive a greater funeral than those who dieof old age, but those elders who die of age receivea better funeral than those who die of disease ordie in an accident. The Draj are awed by death,but not frightened by it. To die by sacrifice, inbattle or during childbirth is the 'best' way to go.To simply die of old age is much less dignified.

Corpses are usually cremated, the ashes placed insmall urns the family keeps as an heirloom.Sometimes, when people die of old age or not-so-glorious deaths, they are buried under the floor of

their house. This is done to give the dead spiritanother chance at honor, in the hope that byprotecting their loved ones, they will find peace.

The NobilityNobles in Draj lead a life that is very similar to thelife of the free citizens. The major differences arethat nobles receive a formal education and do not

work. They too lead the lives of warriors.

Nobles live on clan compounds located on theDraji mud flat. They lease great tracts of landfrom the king, for which they pay taxes. Theexpanses are very fertile, and the nobles overseetheir farming as per the instruction given by thetemplars. The templars provide the nobles withslaves, everyday, to be used on the fields. At theend of the day, the slaves return to their pens.These great farms supply most of the food forDraj. The nobles also export this grain, through

House Tsalaxa, to the rest of the Tablelands for ahealthy profit.

The nobles gather in buildings called tecpans todiscuss matters considered unworthy of the kingsattention. The tecpans were built within TwoMoon City, in the shadow of the Great Pyramid,where Tectuktitlay could keep close watch overthe nobles and their schemes. The close proximityof the Great Pyramid would also serve to remindthem of who wielded the true power in Draj.

MMaarrrriiaaggeeNoble marriages are similar to free citizens'marriage, except on a much grander scale. Thetemplar supervising the ceremony will be of ahigher rank, and many people will attend.Attendees bring forth their presents to themarried couple before they exchange their vows.Husband and wife then exchange vows, and theirmantles are tied together in a knot. A greatbanquet is then held, where the married couplehas the chance to talk and mingle with their

guests.

OOwwnneerrsshhiippooffPPrrooppeerrttyyNobles do not "technically" own the land uponwhich they reside. That land is owned by theking, who leases it to the nobles for care takingand the growing of food. Nobles grow food on

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their land for the people of Draj. Anything foundon the land, though, is the noble's property.Things such as furniture, statues, and tapestriesare all owned by the nobles; the templars can nottake these away.

The templars of Draj can only "evict" a noble ifproof of a serious transgression against the state isavailable. Failure to pay taxes is also a validreason, although the unpaid amount must befairly large.

OOccccuuppaattiioonnssNobles are wealthy, and so do not work as muchas the free citizens. They spend their daysadministering the slaves loaned to them by thetemplars. They do practice their religion, like allDraji, and spend time training their warrior skills.

TTyyppiiccaallRReessiiddeenncceeNoble residences are typical of Draj; low, flat-roofed pueblos are the common style of housing.Nobles have bigger estates, though, with beautifultapestries and statues that decorate their homes.Their homes are usually surrounded with low,brick fences. Guards patrol these fences day andnight.

Noble dwellings usually have a large spaciouscourtyard where combat demonstrations areheld (during parties) and where one canfind a statue or fountain.

RRoouuttiinneeNobles spend most of their dayoverseeing the slaves that tend tothe fields. Most nobles alsohave another

activity, likesculpting orweaving. Somehave their ownprivate gardens orsmall farms.

EEdduuccaattiioonnThe children of Draji nobles receive a formaleducation in the school located in Two Moon City,at the age of seven. The young nobles areinstructed in astrology and war history. It is also

at this age that they begin training as warriors.Children gifted with psionic potential are sent tothe House of the Mind for training in the Way.

These noble children are also educated on theirrole in the Draji religion. The importance of thevarious religious ceremonies and sacrifices is alsotaught to the young nobles. This is where theyoung Draji nobles get molded into fiercely loyaland dedicated citizens of the God-King.

EEnntteerrttaaiinnmmeennttaannddDDiinniinnggDining is virtually the same for nobles as for freecitizens. Plates of vegetables, corn, and spicedmeat are the norm, although feasts will usuallyhave exotic foods from far-off city-states.

Nobles often entertain themselves by watchingwarriors do combat, sometimes to the death. Thevictor receives a reward. Although they enjoygoing to the arena to watch the gladiators fight,private fights are often held in the noble'sspacious courtyard. Since the Draji frown on

dance and music, there is very little of this goingon in noble dwellings.

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One special activity the nobles like to do is calleduey. A wild beast is tied to a stake in the ground.Three or four nobles arm themselves withobsidian short swords and will fight the beastuntil it dies. After the beast finally dies, the onewho delivered the killing blow gets first choice of

the beasts remains.

FFuunneerraallssFunerals of nobles, like those of free citizens, aremore a reflection of how someone died than howhe lived. Although nobles can afford moreextravagant ceremonies, nobles who die of oldage or disease receive the basic funeralarrangements and no more. Nobles who die incombat are allowed great ceremonies of warchants, fire, and drummers. Again, bodies arecremated and the ashes kept in urns or vases.

IInnhheerriittaanncceeAlthough the land upon which the nobles resideis leased, clans choose their own leaders. Thetemplars do not involve themselves in matters ofinheritance. The current head of a family chooseshis successor, either male or female, according tothe deeds and exploits of his descendants. Theheir need not necessarily be a son or daughter; it

could be a nephew, or a granddaughter. Malesand females are equally considered, based ontheir wisdom, battle prowess, skill atadministration, or skill at artisanship.

The SlavesThere are two kinds of slaves in Draj: foreign anddomestic. Foreign slaves are slaves used by thetemplars to tend the massive fields outside the

mud flat, while domestic slaves are slaves thenobles and templars use inside the city. Foreignslaves are either foreigners captured inside thecity for various reasons, or slaves brought in fromother city-states. Domestic slaves are usually Drajicitizens down on their luck who have soldthemselves or been sold into slavery. This isusually not a permanent arrangement for the

domestic slaves; they can usually workthemselves out of their predicament.

FFoorreeiiggnnssllaavveess

Foreign slaves live on a specially built mud flat,never entering the actual city. A few Kings Agesago, the templars created a small mud flat,separate from the main Draji mud flat, to houseforeign slaves. A stone bridge spans the gap to theslaves mud flat. No walls border the mud flat,because the slaves cannot escape. Razor sharpobsidian fills the mud surrounding the flat,making escape slow and deadly. The slaves live insqualid conditions, grouped together like herdanimals. They receive their food from theplantations on the main mud flat. This keeps theslaves from revolting: they get food across thecauseway twice a day, and if they revolt, thetemplars can sit pretty while the revolted slavesstarve.

Foreign slaves are not allowed to marry andreceive no education from the templars of Draj.Most of the work they do is on the fields, eitherharvesting, working on irrigation, planting, ortending the land. The foreign slaves are also usedas gladiators to fight in the arena for the Drajipopulation's entertainment. Many of the slavesalso work for Draj's brick building enterprises.

Slaves are sent out into the mud flat to recover themud, mix it with straw, shape it into bricks, andset the bricks out to dry under the harsh sun.These bricks are used to repair existing homes orbuild new ones, and they are also sold to othercities.

Foreign slaves live in fear all their lives. They areused as sacrificial victims should the populationof prisoners ever be insufficient for the day'ssacrifice. These slaves have virtually no rights,and are usually worked to death by the templars.

Dead foreign slaves are usually thrown to thevultures, receiving no burial and their bones leftto dry in the hot Athasian sun.

Foreign slaves arrive to the city either by raidingparties or slave caravans from other city-states.Templars get first choice of foreign slaves, and assuch virtually no foreign slave can be foundinside the city. This helps to keep the Draji

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population from interbreeding and protects themfrom cultural contamination.

DDoommeessttiiccSSllaavveess

Domestic slaves, as stated above, are native Drajiwho sell themselves or were sold by their parentsinto slavery, either to pay a debt or simplybecause they are down on their luck. They workinside the city, usually on the noble's plantationsor in the palace, either tending the King's gardensor palace. They also work in the city's grain mills,helping to maintain Draj's lucrative trade withother city-states. Some domestic slaves will begladiators. Warriors who have lost favor in theeyes of their employer often sell themselves to thearena to recover lost glory.

Domestic slaves can marry, but they remainslaves until they have paid their debt. Marriage,even to a noble clan, will not absolve the slave ofhis debt. The domestic slaves are well treated, andlead relatively good lives. They eat well, eventhough the meals are simple. They live on theirmaster's domain, in a small yet clean living space.These slaves do not own property, since any"income" the slave would receive goes towardspaying off his debt. Warrior slaves are allowed tokeep a favorite weapon though, usually a smallmacahuitl favored by the Draji.

SSllaavveerryyaannddDDeeaatthhAs always, funerals in Draj are a reflection of howone lived. To die as a slave while working, evenas a domestic slave, is to die without recognition.No funerals are held for those who die whileworking as domestic slaves. Sometimes theirbodies are burned in the Temple of Fire, but oftenthe corpse is simply hauled away and dumpedoutside the mud flat. Visitors on their way to Drajcan sometimes see piles of bones lining the road,

half buried under the sand. Draji who sellthemselves into slavery to work as farm help mustbe in a desperate situation, since they will receiveno recognition if they die of over-working. Theymust be sure of being able to repay their debt anddie well.

Slaves who die gloriously in combat or in thearena are shown respect. Their bodies are usuallyburned, and the ashes scattered on the fields uponwhich they worked, in the case of farm hands, orsprinkled upon the sands in the arena floor forthose who die in combat.

Outcasts and CriminalsThe Draji are intolerant of strangers and criminals.Strangers who attend the Draji religiousceremonies and openly display their disgust at thebrutality and severity of the ceremonies shouldbeware. The Draji are not fond of cowards andwill either imprison them or simply escort them tothe Gate.

Warriors of renown from the Tablelands will beshown respect, although Draji arrogance will tendto show that the Draji are superior. They will beasked to demonstrate their skills, and quite oftendie if their skills are not up to the challenge.

Criminals in Draj receive only one sentence:death. The sentence is carried out in one of twoways: execution, or caging, which means a slowdeath unless rescued. Captives sentenced tocaging are brought to prisoner cages that arestrewn all around the city. The cages are guardedby minimal staff, so a rescue is possible. The DrajiVeiled Alliance often orchestrates diversions topermit groups to rescue captives for a fee. Arescue must be organized fairly quickly though,because captives rarely last for more than a weekinside the cage before either starving to death orbeing sacrificed.

The templars enforce the law in Draj, but order israrely a problem. Strangers sometimes sowdiscord within Draj, unaware of the city-statesculture. The Veiled Alliance also stirs up trouble,though this doesnt happen often. Chimali is too

indecisive to risk causing much trouble. The Drajiare so enraptured by their religion that crime is ararity. Thievery is considered the lowest form ofdebauchery to the Draji, so citizens down on theirluck will sell themselves as slaves rather thanstoop so low as to steal.

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City Life in DrajThe only entrance onto the Draji mud flat is byway of the stone bridge that gaps the mud

surrounding the Draj mud flat. Visitors enteringDraj will be overwhelmed by the seeminglyendless fields of grain and hemp they will see asthey cross the bridge. These fields are the bulk ofDraj's export. Templars oversee the distribution ofslaves, the collection of harvests, the processing offiber, and the distribution of grain to thepopulation. The enormous fields are carefullysegregated into plots and farmed by slaves.

At the entrance in Draj, on the mud flat, two smalltowers greet travelers to the Warrior City. Thetwin towers are small square pyramids guardedby moon priests and half-giant guards. No wallborders the vast mud flat, the mud being enoughof a defense to stop anyone attempting to invadethe city. After one has passed the twin towers, theblood-red bricks of the roadway summon thevisitor to the city. Flowery War Field is the firstthing a visitor will see. Beyond Flowery War Fieldlies the Golden Moon Gate, the only entrance intothe city. Golden Moon Gate is a 1-meter thickwooden gate inlaid with obsidian and adecorative tracery of copper. Slaves polish thecopper, keeping it a natural color and preventing

it from oxidizing and turning green. A corps ofguards discourages theft of the copper.

The city is surrounded by a mud moat, and thepenalty for entering this moat is death. Aftergoing through Golden Moon Gate, visitors walkon a blood-red stone paved road that leads to thePalace of Gladiatorial Combat. Along the road toTwo Moon City are the artisan and merchantdistricts as well as numerous wooden pens thatshowcase Drajs gladiators and captives. Thecentral road leads through both districts. The

merchant district borders the central road to theright, while artisans have their shops to the left ofthe main roadway. Along the roadway, just beforeTwo-Moon City, lie hundreds of brightly coloredmerchant tents. The merchants sell all types ofgoods, from clay pots to meats to hemp ropes. Tothe right of the main roadway, behind themerchant district, one can see the top of the Great

Pyramid. The Great Pyramid is located insideTwo Moon City, the inner city of Draj.

Clan compounds are located all across the vastmud flat, where nobles live with their familiesand their slaves. On these compounds the noblesgrow grain to feed the city and to export. Thissupply of grain can also help the city in case ofattack, should an invading army ever lay siege toDraj. The supply of grain on the mud flat isenough to support the population during a timeof siege.

Two Moon CityTwo Moon City is the king's domain, where theimportant buildings of Draj are located. InsideTwo Moon City a visitor can find the Palace ofGladiatorial Combat, the temples to Ral andGuthay, the House of the Mind, the tecpans, grainsilos, the king's jaguar pens, the Great Pyramidand the tlacochcalco, the king's arsenal. The kingsarsenal (located in the Great Pyramid) containsmany weapons and war machines, all used in thenumerous wars Draj has had with in neighbors in

its bloody history. A 9-meter high wall of stonesurrounds the square Two Moon City. No beastsof burden are allowed inside Two Moon City, bydecree of the King. The only exception to this ruleis the wild animals used for gladiatorial combat.Not even the moon priests can bring beasts ofburden inside Two Moon City.

The only entrance to Two Moon City is through astone bridge that passes over the mud moat. Atthe entrance stands the Jaguar Gate. The gatestands 10 meters high and is 3 meters wide. Once

the gate is closed, the gate forms a snarling jaguarface, with teeth and eyes of polished jade. Rumorssay that those who touch the jaguar face at nightwhen the doors are closed invoke its guardianand are devoured by the jaguar. One well-knowntale is the story of one warrior who had said hewas not afraid of the gate and went one night totouch it. He was found dead the next morning, hisarms ripped off and piled on top of his chest. His

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decapitated head, with half the scalp missing, wasresting on his crossed arms. His tongue wassticking out of his mouth and his face was asmiling death grin. An ear of corn was alsosticking out of his mouth. Obviously, the peopleof Draj stay clear of the Gate during the night.

On entering Two Moon City, one stands on theroadway called Serpent's Way. Serpent's Way is awide road of bricks that leads up to the arena. Theroad is lined with numerous obelisks and statuesof warriors and beasts of Athas. One cannot lookin any direction without seeing the glorification ofwar and violence.

At the end of Serpent's Way is Jaguar Plaza.Jaguar Plaza is a large square in front of the GreatPyramid where the people gather to watch the

sacrifices. The plaza is cornered by big obelisks. Inthe center of the plaza is a beautiful marblefountain. The statue on top of the fountain depictsa grotesque dragon breathing fire. The dragon ismade of stone and meticulously sculpted.

BBllaacckkGGuuaarrddssThe Black Guards are three famous residents ofDraj. The people call these guards heroes of thecity. The Black Guards are enormous obsidian

golems created by Tectuktitlay. They resembletheir creator: broad, squat, jowly, thick-lipped,and flat-nosed, with narrow eyes and sharpcheekbones. One Black Guard guards the lowerlevels of the Great Pyramid, while the other twoeach protect the temples to Ral and Guthay.

It is rumored Tectuktitlay originally createdseveral dozen of these golems, but no one knowswhat happened to these golems or if they evenexisted. The Black Guards are now a symbol ofpower among the population of Draj. They wereparaded semi-annually by the king to show off hispower. The parade culminated in a secret riteinside the temple, where only the king and hishigh templars attended.

Now that Tectuktitlay is dead, the golems have

stopped responding to commands and havebecome inanimate. The psions of the House of theMind have been able to keep the populationignorant of this fact. During the parades, severalpsions combine forces and animate the obsidiangiants. The population believes they are stillunder the control of the king, and even though theBlack Guards are less animate, they are stillworshiped as heroes.

JJaagguuaarrGGaatteeSpeculations regarding the nature of the gate's defenses tend to focus on the gate itself. Some believe thegate is a magical item of great power that is activated by touching it at night. Reports of witnesses whoclaim the gate's victims looked terrified and lashed out at the open air around them have lead to rumorsof invisible (and invincible) enemies guarding the gate. Others, psions in particular, would tie the victims'behavior to the manifestation of a powerful harbinger, leading to a theory that the gate is sentient andpossesses powerful psionics. Attempts to contact the gate through psionic means have failed, though,leaving psions baffled and the theory without sufficient evidence. The truth is that the gate is notsentient, nor is it magical or psionic in any way. While wizards and psions both believe the gate to beprotected by some kind of supernatural power that thwarts attempts at divination, they are bothmistaken. The truth is far more sinister.

King's ages ago a powerful defiler in Tectuktitlay's court angered the Sorcerer-King for reasons unknowntoday. The dragon king was so furious that he struck the defiler down with dreadful magic that trappedher soul. He then bound the defiler's spirit to the gate, allowing it to manifest itself only at night. Isolationhas driven the spirit mad after so many years of imprisonment, its existence fueled by its hatred for thefree living. The spirit was once capable of speech and conversation, but today it seeks nothing but todestroy anyone venturing too near at night. The spirit is ethereal and thus invisible, but those wieldingmagic such as seeinvisibilityor trueseeingwill discern it as a tall, faceless hooded being with talonedfingers. See the Appendix for stats for The Guardian.

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TThheeGGrreeaattPPyyrraammiiddInside Two Moon City one can find the mostimpressive building in Draj, the Great Pyramid, orFather and Master Temple as it was called byTectuktitlay. The Great Pyramid is a wonderful

construction of stone and marble. It is the tallestbuilding in Draj and the most stunning. Even thetwo temples dedicated to Ral and Guthay aren't asstriking as the Great Pyramid. The buildingstands 200 feet tall, with 9 different levels and wasbuilt on the remains of an earlier small pyramidthat Tectuktitlay found when he founded Draj.

Statues of various Draji cultural icons decorate thecorners of each level of the pyramid. There arestatues of warriors eating the hearts of fallen foes,statues of winged serpents, statues of jaguars,obelisks with numerous icons, some with skullspainted in death grins, some with dark sunspainted on all sides, some obelisks depicting themoons in various phases in the night sky.

At the base of the Great Pyramid lies the GreatSkull Rack. Impaled upon numerous stakes arethe skulls of sacrificial victims who have died bythe obsidian knife of the king. When a victim issacrificed and the body dumped off the pyramid,slaves cut off the head and impale it on an agafaristake at the base of the pyramid. Some recentskulls will still have pieces of flesh upon them,

filling the air with the stench of decomposition.Skulls that have been there a long time arebleached white by sun's fury.

The Great Pyramid also houses the King's privatechambers and some administrative rooms. Theupper levels contain many administrative cells, alarge holding cell, a kitchen and domestic rooms.One level holds rooms where the king conferswith his templars and generals. The lower levelsof the outer pyramid contain treasure rooms andliving quarters for the king. These levels have no

living guards. Only a Black Guard, aided by lessermagical sentinels, protects them.

The Black Guard does not patrol the lowest level.Only the king enters this level, and it containsonly one room: Tectuktitlay's Crystal Garden.The Crystal Garden contains perfect quartzreplicas of plants that the finest jewelers of theSeven Cities have made for many Kings Ages.

There are ferns, each tiny leaf a faceted stone;spike-leafed maguey cactus, their serrated edgesfracturing the light into rainbows; translucentmarigolds and camellias, and towering palms;even tall corn plants and cotton bushes, everyfrond and twig translated into glass.

The Veiled Alliance speculates as to the purposeof the Crystal Garden, but no one really knowswhat the room is for. The plants were constructedby conventional jewelers and hold no magicexcept curses inflicted on anyone who breaks thefragile leaves.

TThheeTTeemmpplleessooffRRaallaannddGGuutthhaayyThe temples of Ral and Guthay are twin templesdedicated to the two moons of Athas. The templesare run by moon priests. A Black Guard watchesover each temple. The citizens of Draj often cometo the temple to pay tribute to the moons bymaking donations and asking for good luck. Thetemples are located on each side of the GreatPyramid.

TThheePPaallaacceeooffGGllaaddiiaattoorriiaallCCoommbbaattGladiators fight in games in the Palace ofGladiatorial Combat. The arena is an

amphitheater, unlike the arenas in other city-states. The combat level is many feet belowground level, surrounded by rows of seats. Theseats surround about two-thirds of the arena, withthe rest taken up by the palace. On days ofcombat, the gladiatorial slaves are displayedalong the red brick way that leads from theGolden Moon Gate to the arena.

TThheeHHoouusseeoofftthheeMMiinnddThe House of the Mind is the psionic school of

Draj. This is where all aspiring psions come tomaster the Way. Tectuktitlay had a special interestin the House of the Mind, and so the psions thereare well trained. The House of the Mind is run byold Ixtabai the Blind (human male, 12th levelpsion, LN). It is currently in charge of Draj. Eventhough they have allied with the Moon Priests,

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the psions hold the real power. They controlyoung Atzetuk's mind.

The psions of Draj also value its warrior culture.As such, training in the psychokinetic andpsychometabolic arts is second to none in Draj.

Excellent training can be found (for a price) onhow to integrate psionics into combat. Because ofthe warrior culture, Draji psions are sorely lackingin the clairsentient and telepathic domains. Theyview these arts as sneaky and lacking in glory,arts that only cowards would use.

Commerce and the MarketplaceCommerce is not a big part of Draji life, but it isnecessary. Trade has suffered lately though, dueto the crisis in Raam. The fertile lands around Draj

provide the main resources the city-state exports,such as hemp and grain to feed the hungry of theTablelands (for a price, of course). Draj alsoexports rice and is known for farming small game,such as erdlu. Its textiles are also valuedcommodities in the Tablelands, woven mats ableto fetch a high price in other markets. Gold andmarble can be bought in Draj for a relatively low

TTeeccaaxxaarrssTTaattttooooTTeennttIn a much-traveled pueblo in the Merchants District, the one-eyed mul tattooist Tecaxar has set up hisbright red tent. Outside clay bricks depicting various tattoo motives are lined up for passers-by to see. Insidecustomers are greeted by the seated aging mul Tecaxar. Tecaxar wears a skin-colored eyepatch with analmost life-like eye motif. His muscular body is scarred and tattooed from top to toe, depicting mighty beastsof the desert and symbols representing opponents overcome in the gladiatorial arena in Tecaxars youth.Two wooden chairs are placed next to a pit of red-hot coals. The tattooists tools lie on a small clay platter ona stool between the pit and the two chairs.

Tecaxars services include the branding of foreign slaves and crodlu to identify them as the property of theirowners. Most, however, seek out Tecaxar to have him tattoo them. Tattoos in Draj are symbols of strength,and are typically awarded after proving ones worth in battle in the arena, on the battlefield, or in theFlowery Wars. Status is ascribed from tattoos, but this ascription only extends to native Draji (strangers maycarry meaningless tattoos, not related to warrior prowess).

Superstitious Draji believe that the strength of the tattooist is infused in the tattoos he creates. Tecaxar, beinga former gladiator until he lost his eye in battle with a braxat, is thus a popular tattooist. His prices rangefrom 3 bits for the branding of an animal or slave, to 15 ceramics for his most elaborate tattoos.

For those who truly seek Tecaxars strength imbued in their tattoos, he offers a special service psionictattoos with motives depicting the Dragon. However, these do not come cheaply. Tecaxars prowess as apsychic warrior is one he has kept secret, and was one of the reasons he was able to excel in the most brutalgladiatorial arena in the Tyr Region, namely that of Draj. He charges prices as per the market price forpsionic tattoos listed in the Psionics Handbook.

The tattooing process itself is very simple: two sticks, a nail, and a consistent tapping of the nail coated in a

mixture of sugar cane sucked out of the stalk and spit into pot ash. As for most Athasian tattoos, there is nosterilization. Tecaxar simply begins tapping the "ink" into the skin and wipes away the blood with a rag.After the tattoo is complete, a hard rubbing of the fresh tattoo is done with a wet rag. Finally a mixture ofwater and a fern-like plant rubbed together make an ointment that is applied to the skin.

On rare occasions, an aspiring moon priest will request Tecaxars services for the tattoos required for theceremonial rituals to be conducted in jo

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