Haladar

Haladar is the capital of Amsu located on the north west coast of Chakosa and is the major trade port between all the nations on Chakosa and Eminlore.

Haladars docks are heavily fortified and protected by natural cliffs creating a bottle neck into the port, while large towers erupt from the sea every 200-ft patrolled by Haladars finest. These fortifications combined with the impressive fleet maintained by Amsu ensure that Chakosa remains a major navel power and allows the nation of Amsu to protect their shipping lines from pirates and monsters which plague the coast and most of fastest routes to Eminlore.

For the last 2,000 years Amsu has been ruled by the family of Nuru advised by a council of advisors known as the cloaks of Nuru, the council is made up of 20 hidden lords and two representatives from the neighbouring nation of New Ioria. While the rulers are refered a belonging to the Nuru family one does not become the next ruler by blood.

The Nuru family
While the ruling family are known as the Nuru family, they are not a family by blood instead they are a family chosen at birth and raised to rule the city under the divine guidance of Sentos, the primal god of air. All babies who are born in the 1st of Marzel each year within the Amsu empire are tested for the sign of Nuru, any who are found to bear the royal mark are separated from their parents and raised with the temple of Sentos within Haladar until such time as a new ruler is required. It is believed that spirits of former rulers are born back into the world on the 1st of Marzel as Djantas comet passes over Chakosa.

Upon the current rulers death one of the children from the temple of Sentos is chosen to become the new ruler via a trial by combat, wits and strength. The last one standing becomes the new ruler and chosen of Sentos. As of 1278 DR the current ruler is Ra-mei-pasht of house Nuru and chosen of Sentos. Ra-mei-pasht became the new ruler in 1177 DR after defeating 20 other potentials within the arena of Sentos, a large floating platform located almost 2 miles above the city.

Population
The empire of Amsu was originally founded by lacertian, a group of lizard people who had been persecuted for thousands of years, most of the Lacertian live underground with around 5% of Haladars population being Lacertian.
 * Human 20%
 * Elf 30%
 * Lacertian 5%
 * Dragonborn 15%
 * Halfling 4%
 * Gnome   6%
 * Tiefling < 5%
 * Assimar < 5%
 * Other 10%

Culture
Haladar is a vast metropolis and more cosmopolitan than most of Amsu being a major trade hub for destinations on neighbouring continents such as Emonlora. The original culture of the Lacertain, along with tribal customs from the forest tribes which originally formed Amsu are still very present within Haladar.

Many superstitions, traditions and legends about elementals, dark spirits and undead in the jungle are still prevalent within Haladar. One such tradition is to hang a small hand carved bone totem over every entrance into a house, these totems are carved with intricate runes designed to ward off evil spirits and the undead.

While many of the Gadriel/planar gods are worshipped in Amsu you will find many more temples dedicated to the elemental/primal lords.