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# System prepended metadata

title: Sands of Ankhet

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# Sands of Ankhet

I don't have a map lol, please listen to this though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub7XhQXOq_g

![landscape](https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2020/8/22/2428877.jpg)

Ankhet is a vast expanse of desert regions, full of buried unknowns and opportunity. It may be harsh, but it is by no means empty. Civilizations, tribes, dangerous creatures, strange artifacts, massive lost cities, gods, sphinxes, mummies, spooky curses, rituals, and glass worms abound. The sands constantly shift according to the Will of the Sands, revealing new things while burying others, shuffling around what was once known.

The foremost strange things to note about the setting are **Glyphs** and the **Mirage**.

Glyphs are small intangible motes of magical energy that vary in size and complexity much like a snowflake. The larger and more complex, the more powerful. These glyphs can be shaped and infused into objects to grant them special effects, but it requires high quantities to do so. Most of the time, ponies just use them as currency.

Glyphs are typically found in dangerous and unknown locations, which spurs many to adventure out into the sands for riches. But then in addition to the dangerous nature of Ankhet, these adventurers are prone to dealing with the Mirage.

Creatures that go too long without water become 'Miraged', where they see things that aren't there. This includes hallucinatory objects and even creatures. Whats more is that for a Miraged ponies, these hallucinations are shared and actually real to them. Sometimes it can take the form of harmless quirky spirits, but just as often it can be deadly creastures. Being Miraged instantly ends upon hydrating.


## Ponies
Ankhet is foremost a pony world, where most ponies have the capacity for goodness and are generally really cute. But out in the desert there are no rules, and regardless of where you are there are always potential meanies.

All types of ponies can use magic, usually from Glyphs (or divine power/friendship), though not everypony does.

### Sand Ponies
The strong and hardy ponies of Ankhet. They make up a majority of all ponies in the world, good at traversing long distances, cultivating farmlands, and adapting to whatever the sands ask of them.

### Pegasi
Appearing only in recent times, these flying ponies have powerful wings that can conjure and control sandstorms. Most of the time they are employed in defending cities and settlements against sandstorms, but a constant low level feeling of homesickness causes them to move place to place often. Also emphasis on 'appearing', not born, with no known lineages.

### Unicorns
Sometimes also known as Glyph Ponies, these ponies are innately infused with the powers of Glyphs from birth, with strange protrusions of magical rock usually in the form of a horn on their head, and a glyph-like shape in their pupils. This gives them an affinity to magic and some strange ability or quirk, but usually at the cost of something else. Unicorns are generally born from families that have practiced magic or have been in contact with magic for a significant portion of their lives. It can vary from culture to culture whether if this is a curse or blessing.


## Gods
In many creation myths, there used to be a time where the gods walked among ponies and built the world (and arguably were ponies themselves). However, a mysterious moment in history known as the Eclipse destroyed much of the world, prompting them all to bury themselves underground in sprawling Necropoli. Their aspects still remain, worshipped as precursors, and there are many sects and temples dedicated to each one to gain their blessings.

Here are some aspects worshipped to this day:
- The Berserker. Attributed to battle and survival.
- The Craftsmare. Attributed to artistry and ambition.
- The Stargazer. Attributed to night and knowledge.
- The Dancer. Attributed to lust and revelry. <span style="opacity:5%">unf</span>
- The Sun. Attributed to wrath and destruction. <!-- THE UNMATCHED POWER OF THE SUN!! -->
- The Cursed One. Attributed to malice and misfortune.
- The Judge. Attributed to law and reason. All that die have their soul judged by them before entering the underworld.
- The Caretaker. Attributed to death and tranquility. Is said to still preside over the underworld, unbothered by the chaos of the world above.
- The Trickster. Attributed to shadows and duplicity.

The Will of the Sands is generally not given formal worship. One might invoke its name when hoping to be lucky, but it is known to never be in anypony's control nor will it grant favor.

There are also powers outside of the realm of gods that could be worshipped, but they are usually harmful. Such things include dark magic (highly corruptive), and magic from the moon or void of space. If you're wondering "how can moon magic be evil?" you just gotta trust me bro, shit's fucked.


## Locations

### Rural Villages
Across Ankhet, there is a myriad of small villages and even self-sufficient cities that are apart from any major power (though may still be subjected to their influence from time to time). There are too many to name, but whether its mercantile villages, militant fortresses, or humble farmlands, we got it all.

Ankhet is only harsh out in the expansive sands, these villages are very comfy most of the time.


### Kyra

Perhaps the most 'typical' kind of civilization, Kyra is the longest standing and most dominating nation in Ankhet. It is highly traditional and rigid, the streets are (somewhat) safe, but it has somewhat fallen to hedonistic decadence. Kyra has only ever known prosperity, with its capital even being referred to as the Golden City due to the sheer amount of wealth contained within.

Most of the time, Kyra is occupied constructing megaprojects to the whims of its Pharaoh, Penumbra, each one bigger than the last. Penumbra is a strong and well liked ruler, and slavery isn't a thing, but heavily disrespecting or working against the wishes of the Pharaoh is punishable by years of hard labor. The megaproject labor force has to come from somewhere after all.

This place also has every kind of guild you can imagine, so if your character is a part of some organization, the chances are its based in Kyra. This civilization is based inland, but connected by many rivers.

![landscape](https://quote.pony.cx/mspaint_ovvY5nbX9O.png)


### Sitra Empire
The outer imperial empire of Sitra is the foremost threat to the stability of Ankhet. It is a collection of Princes bound together as a single force dedicated to plundering the world and expanding their borders. Nothing is sacred, and they possess some of the most advanced Glyph technology in modern times, drifting across the dunes in sand vehicles and pushing just a *bit* too far from where they belong. Their wealth relies on harassing and absorbing smaller villages into their empire, 

Most curious about the Sitra Empire is that its King has been absent for hundreds of years now, yet it still operates the same following 'his law'. The empire has its own internal struggles and battles, and the rest of the world pays the consequences.

The Empire is largely based around the coastal edge of the known continent, commanding a large navy.


### Tribes of Khamsin
The Tribes are a loose network connected by an annual convening once established by Khamsin the Liberator, a long gone but legendary hero to the tribes. They are spread out away from civilization, and highly value personal freedom, spiritualism, and vibing with the sands, with not many ambitions aside from liberating the oppressed. Most of the time they are Miraged too, believing it to be the true state of seeing the world.


### What about...
You can come up with your own world powers or settlements too, if you like. Ankhet is very flexible even if its thematically centered around ancient egypt, perhaps you'd like to add a cold desert or magical wasteland somewhere.

### Is there anything beyond...
Just a lot of ocean and more desert.


## Factions
A non-exhaustive list of various factions in the world, not bound by any particular region or nation.


### Glyph Sages
The Glyph Sages are some of the most strange and elusive individuals. Scattered across the world and recognizable by their scarlet red cloaks, they are solitary nomads that seek out pieces of history and incorporate them into the tapestries of their scarves. Sages are hard to find deliberately, and do not trust easily.


### Serpents
There are some tribes that did not join the Khamsin network, dubbed as the Serpents of the sands, living in filth and filled with malice.  For most if not all ponies, the idea of "well the most logical thing to do is kill them I guess" does not cross their minds. This is not the case for the Serpents, unless they can enslave instead.


### Scavengers
In a world of opportunity, there are the opportunistic. Scavengers are motivated by wealth and rush to wherever Glyphs might be. They can be as diverse as any other cultures in Ankhet, perhaps hailing from other civilizations or are regular ponies fallen on hard times. They are sometimes bandits, sometimes 'legitimate' enterprises (very corrupt).


### Lunar Beasts
Less so a pony faction, Lunar creatures are a type of 'beast' said fall from the stars above. It's kind of unclear, but regardless these creatures are weird and cause lots of problems, and sometimes they are sentient. Thus are technically a faction.


## Wonders of Ankhet


### Ancient Ruins
Relics of long lost history, buried under the sands are lost civilisations and deep caverns. These places are filled with Glyphs, and are the primary hotspots for activity.

The contents vary wildly, but types of ruins have been categorized based on their architectural styles. Exploring them is difficult, as they are occupied by ruin beasts (beasts empowered by glyphs) and terracotta guardians. The things brought back from them have slowly but surely changed Ankhet; powerful weapons, artistic and experimental magical inventions, forgotten knowledge, philosophical writings that upended societal norms, and the riches of the buried dead.


### Water Mountains
All rivers flow down from the Water Mountains, but what is on top of them is always shrouded in mystery. The mountains are always surrounded by fierce storms, and defended by even stranger guardians.


### The Gate of Ill Omen
An ominous empty gate structure that appears before ponies who become lost in the Sands. But it is not for their benefit, as while it might somehow bring them back to a place they know, they find themselves cursed or losing something. This gate is as famous as it is feared.


## Types of Campaigns

In case you want some ideas as to what you can do in this setting, here are some ideas:
 
- Wandering explorers, just seeing the world and going on an existential journey
- One of you plays as a Sitran Prince, the others as their left and right hooves, and all the conquest/political nonsense that entails
- Taking back a hotly contested holy city (the war is endless in the middle east)
- Journey to a great wonder of the world, or perhaps to a necropolis of a god

In ICON it is generally expected that you are all heroic, and your ambitions should match that (though you do not need to be morally good).