Samarkand has had a long and storied past, being at the center of the world, and so finds itself a melting pot for those that have come to it, whether in peace or in war.
Humans
Humans make up the majority of the population, both commoner and noble
Korsan
Originating from the primitive inhabitants of the Shield of Strakos, the Korsan were the first human settlers of Samarkand and came during the Found Era. Originally, they came as explorers but settled when they started trading in earnest with the Bodur Nomads (see the Dwarf section).
They built the Common Docks and brought ship building technology with them. The modern Samarkandi navy is built using traditional Korsan diagonal sails to this day.
The Korsan today still maintain their status as traders and merchants. They also devoutly worship the sun god, Savash'kisi.
The Korsan wear colorful clothes, with a traditional "sea veil", a strip of clothe originally used to protect the face from sun and sea on ocean voyages, and a light jacket over a simple tunic. Korsans typically choose color combinations others would describe as garish (yellow and purple, green and red).
The Korsan is dark skinned, with dark eyes but with lighter colored hair, red being the most common.
Naming Convention: Persian. They'll often have patronize using the conjunction Ba (meaning "Son of"), so a common fully name with be Amir Ba Saman.
Al'bahar
These are the second wave of human immigrants to Samarkand and came late in the Found Era as invaders. During their hay-day, they were the ruling class, though they adopted Gnomish cultures, including their clothes and, overtime, the adoption of the Gnomish household gods, which they renamed Djinn.
During their time, the Najam of Samarkand established the Court of Heaven, where the Dead Tongues could pass laws for the city.
They would shortly loose power to the invading Orc Khans
The Al'bahar of today form the bottom caste of freed people in Samarkand, with most being the crafters and tradesmen of the city. The worship the Djinn as a rule and many Al'bahar still hold power in the Court of Heaven.
The Al'bahar are a simple people, often wearing a loose knee-length linen tunic over undergarments of cotton. They often wear a straw hat. Their clothing and hat is usually hemmed with a different color or fringed, the knots and symbols in the clothe prayers to their Djinn.
Al'bahari are light skinned compared to other Samarkandi, like their cousins across the sea, but they often have full, rich tans from working in the sun. They have dark hair and eyes.
Naming Convention: Ottoman. The Al'bahar have no surnames.
Magnesians
The last human comer to Samarkand, the Magnesians (or Magnates) came from the Shield of Strakos after the death of Azadah Breath-of-Fire and capitalized on the growing tensions between the Istanuians (see Dwarf section) and the Si'adi (see Hobgoblin section).
While their reign has been a rough one (being overthrown and reestablished again in the last 50 years), they've managed to put their foot firmly on the throat of the rebels. The peace has allowed them to expanding trade and guild powers within the city.
Currently the Magnesian, Euthydemus, rules as Khan of the city, proclaiming himself to be the son of Okeana and avatar of the sea goddess. Still, after his predecessor, Midylos Khan, was deposed for his religious persecution, he's taken a more laid back stance towards other cults.
The ruling class of Samarkand blends the simple dress of their homeland, robes and shawls, with the rich fabrics and textures native to the Samarkand elite through the ages. As such, their clothing tends to be rich and ornate in execution while simple at its base.
They sport curly beards and grow their hair long, but keep them in tight curls as well. They're tan naturally.
Naming Convention: Byzantine
Gnomes
The Gnomes were the original inhabitants of Samarkand and while they've become a minority in their own city, they still remain a powerful selection of the population
Cinder Cingibi
The origin inhabitants of Samarkand, these were the Gnome Titan Skylords that set up an outpost on the peninsula, though truthfully, they've never identified themselves as Samarkandi or even cared about the city as a whole, seeing it as more of a side project taken on by their less warlike cousins.
The Cinder Cingibi know no nationality or homeland and so those found in the city are only passing through as best.
They're, as a rule, part of the Sky Cult, worshiping the Father of Winds, who first taught them to master the Rocs they fly.
Their dress is loose fitting robes and turbans, sometimes with a shawl over their face to protect from the sun. Often it is bloodstained from their battles, but other than that, unadorned.
Naming Convention: Arabic. While they don't have last names, Cinder Cingibi earn titles and monikers.
Cingibi
The Cingibi are often referred to as "Little Brother", not only by the Cinder Cingibi, but also by other races. During the Founding Era, they helped the Roc Riders, but since the departure of Alsyd Aintisariun (commonly called Lord Victorious), they've hitched their wagons to other powers, including the Khanates (see the Orc section) and the Batiir (see Elf section).
The Cingibi now make their living as craftsman, making up the bulk of that caste, though many have branched into trading, often allying themselves with the Bodur or Si'adi.
Today's Cingibi continue to worship their ancestors as household gods, called the Nakhninery. These Nakhn are binding threads for the Cingibi's family and hold the borrow together. A Cingibi will always help a family member in case they invoke the ire of the Nakhn.
Cingibi dress much like the Korsan do, with bright colors, however they often forego the sea veil in favor of their traditional loose turban.
Naming Convention: Armenian
Jadid
These are a more radical section of Cingibi, following the Sky Cult even after Lord Victorious abandoned Samarkand. They've grown increasingly hostile to the Magnates and the Korsans after successive religious purges and have founded a community outside the walls of the city.
The Jadid was a small cult until the Purge of Altars during the reign of Azadah Breath-of-Fire where gnomes, tired of being second class citizens, began to rally behind the teachings of the cult and its talk of gnomish dominance and the return of the Cinder Cingibi.
Numerous Jadid nationalist riots have taken place, including one that lead to the overthrow of Midylos Khan.
Since then, they've been found to have their hands in almost every revolutionary plot against the Magnates, including the Batiir and the Sons of Fire. Despite the Watchman's Guild formed to specifically root them out, they still continue their underhanded tactics.
Their dress is loose fitting robes and turbans, sometimes with a shawl over their face to protect from the sun. Often it is bloodstained from their battles, but other than that, unadorned.
Naming Convention: Arabic. Cingibi that become Jadid give themselves Arabic names to represent their rebirth.
Elves
Elves are relatively new comers to the city, with most being imported as slaves during the Khanate Era. They still serve as slaves but freed elves can be found in the slums and ghettos
Hadim
The Hadim are the eunuchs that form the administrative caste of Samarkand and are pulled from the slave markets, castrated and then taught the ways of government. Often they're given special roles that they become masters in, such as copying texts, engineering, or warfare.
The Hadim were originally instituted by the Orcish Khans as an extension of their tribal practices of "pruning" royal lines before enslaving them. However, overtime, the Hadim became powerful in its own right, with their power climaxing with Mazyar the Builder, who caused the Khanate Civil War.
The Hadim wear their traditional custom dress, signifying their rank. Without exception, they wear a white cylindrical hat with, banded with gold, and a cox comb of feathers to set them apart as hands of the Khan. A light coat over a knee-length robe, both often made of fine material and rich colors is often worn as well.
Hadim worship the gods of the current ruling class, more out of duty to them than the gods. The current favorite is Okeana, but its rumored that some still worship the dragon god Atesh.
Naming Convention: Hadim are given new names upon their castration so regardless of their origin, often being simply being called after their job, such as Scribe, or All-See (in the case of the military scryers)
Jalpiqul
The Jalpiqul make up the bulk of the elven Samarkand population, being general slaves. Their long lives make them a solid investment, especially for large institutions, such as the cults and the guilds. Most Jalpiqul are even allowed some rights under the government, such as being immune to the draft, but still lack fundamental rights, like the ability to be in a position of leadership or own land.
Still, many have found their homes on the slopes of Mount Zafar, which has become a major elvish slums.
Even free elves will fall under this category, as the only difference in life is that they get paid. Under the law, there's very little distinction between an enslaved elf and a free elf.
The Jalpiqul believe that their gods were killed a long time ago before the Founding Era of Samarkand, their divine essence left to their children, so the Jalpiqul tend to worship other's gods, though worship of the Djinn has become more common.
The Jalpiqul are poor as a rule and so most wear a short course linen cloak or shawl and straw hat to protect against the sun, with linen shorts and sandals. Possible a rope belt around the outside waist to keep the cloak from billowing about.
Naming Convention: Kazakh
Batiir
These are those that have joined the resistance movement to free their elvish brethren. They dream of ages past, when elven kind lived in harmony with the world, and which to return to their homeland, but not before destroying those they brought the demise of their kingdom.
The first recording of the Batiir was during end of the reign of Soheil Khan Ba Faradun, where Cults of Rasul began cropping up in the Zafar District. Racial tensions between the free elves and the Jadid had become to escalate as the elven slums began creeping up Mount Zafar, ground sacred to the Sky Cult and so Rasul, hero of the Battle of the Gate, became a rallying cry for the freed elves.
Free elves began to worship other ancient heroes as well, branded themselves with the mark of their patron, earning them the name Branded Heroes, or Batiir.
Azadah Breath-of-Fire would outlaw the religion and actively hunt it out, however, this was kind of her deal so it's not like this really stands out as just elvish persecution.
Today, the Batiir Cult is underground with the Watchman's Guild and the Court of Heaven still hunting it down.
Besides the brand of their patron, Batiir look no different than other elves.
Naming Convention: Kazakh
Orcs
Besides Humans, Orcs have probably had the biggest impact on Samarkand, both its culture and its government.
Terbishites
The Orcs originally came to Samarkand as conquering warlords from beyond the Salt Sea, under the Uldrek the Undying, who made the city the seat of his capital because of its splendor and richness. However, the richness was corrupting, some warned and so Uldrek returned to the Steppe with his son, and left his daughter Terbish, to rule as Khan in his stead.
The Terbishites proper, however, didn't emerge until the Khanite Civil War, where the grandson of Uldrek, Torgan Khan, returned to take what he thought was his. The Terbishites were those that sided with the current Khan.
The war was brutal, nearly razing Samarkand to the ground, but in the end, both sides lost, with the Terbishites and Khanates pushed together into the Kule District, where they continue their blood struggle to this day.
Today the Terbishites are known mostly as the Keepers of the Sacred Fire in the Temple of Atesh. Despite being the less xenophobic of the orc clans, they still wear their ancient costume, leader and hides, and still speak their own language, though one person in every Zuun being designated as Speaker to converse with the outside world.
The Terbishites, like the Khanates, still worship the Eternal Fire, manifest in the dragon god, Atesh, and even elect their own Khan, who they claim is the rightful heir of Samarkand and the Dragon Horde
Naming Convention: Mongol
Khanates
Pestered by their city dwelling cousins, these invaders first came to Samarkand to put a stop to the aggression, but were dragged into a lengthy war. These were lead by Kuzhuk Khan, grandson of Uldrek. It was told that Kuzhuk didn't care to rule the city and should they win, that his decedents would return to the Steppe, but not before salting the fields and erecting a shrine to Atesh to show that the Horde was unbreakable.
But the war dragged on, and as far as the two sides are concerned, still drags on today.
The Khanates now make their temporary home in the Kule District, though they keep their nomadic lifestyle by moving from house to house, while they try and perform genocide on their cousins. They care little for Samarkand or its problems, being only really increased in total revenge.
They often raid outside the District to collect food and things they need to survive.
Until the Terbishites, the Khanates still retain deep roots to their scavenger past and so don't necessarily go out of their way to wear 'traditional' horde clothing, instead simply wearing whatever they can loot.
Naming Convention: Mongol
Samarkandi Orcs
While the term "Samarkandi" represents every ethnic group that calls the city its home, only one group has adopted it and have gone out of their way to use it, and that's the Orcs that have left the clans and are trying to make a leaving in this new world.
In this, they make grand strides to adopt Korsan and Al'bahar modes of dress, customs, and gods (though worship of the Djinn, being ancestor spirits by nature, it lacking), leaving behind their language to adopt others as their "native" tongue.
The Samarkandi Orcs find jobs where they can, often as general labors, doing work that is too physically taxing for Jalpiqul, or as part of the military and Watchman's Guild.
They're extremely loyal to the city itself and the Khan by extension and the Khan's own bodyguard is made up of a majority of Samarkandi orcs.
Naming Convention: Samarkandi Orcs will most often adopt Korsan or Al'bahar names.
Dwarves
While they have long since been in the area, the Dwarves of Samarkand has always maintained a careful neutrality during the history of the city, but now with Hobgoblin encroachment, they've been pulled closer than arm's length.
Bodur
The Bodur are nomads who've actually been in the area since before the Founding Era because of its rich copper and zinc deposits that were needed to build their effigents. They even built a workshop on the slopes below the Palace Hill that remains in operation today.
Despite the Orcish Khans wresting control of the mines from their hands, the Bodur nomads remained unattached to the city's power struggles, simply picking up their gear and leaving until things had settled down.
That was until the reign of Azadah Breath-of-Fire. Because of their strict honor code and the fact that they traveled all over the known world, the Bodur had become a sort of ad hoc bank, where you could gain a token from any caravan and cash it in at any other caravan. During the expansion of the empire, this outstripped their profits from effigent production.
So, when the Si'adi came rolling into town, the Bodur were not happy about losing their customers.
And so, the Bodur charted the Effigent Guild and the Guild of Silver, to counteract the Si'adi's power in their city.
The Bodur worship the Istanu, who fights with the primordial abyss, Alalus, by ripping off parts of its flesh and crafting that into everything there is. They believe in creation as a form of worship, a way to defeat evil in all its forms.
Bodur wear rugged traveling clothes, stained with concoctions and burnt from their experiments. They can little for show and pomp, only caring about the practical side of things. This makes them off putting to most people who deal with them as they don't subscribe to everyday niceties.
Name Convention: Hittite
Istanuians
During the height of the tension between the Bodur and the Si'adi, there was a tipping point: the Day of Shadow, where the sun was blotted out. Some dwarves, convinced that this was a sign that the sun now thought that it had the power to deny its light to all, swore an oath to put it in its place.
They swore to kill the sun and create a new one. These became the Istanuians, who wear masks of brass and gold to symbolize the new sun that will come.
The Istanuians wage war with the Si'adi, performing terrorist acts by burning down sun temples and targeting Si'adi merchants in the city walls.
They're actively hunted by the military and Watchman's Guild.
Name Convention: Hittite
Hobgoblin
The newest comers on the scene, the Hobgoblins came as traders and bankers, invited specifically to the city and so most live in the lap of luxury, able to enjoy all the delights Samarkand has to offer. Still, their ruthless heritage isn't behind them.
Si'adi
These are the Hobgoblin bankers that form a ruthless coalition which has begun to solidify into a monopoly on minting and exchanging coin.
Coming from a desert to the south, they've made their living first as warriors and then, as trade increased, as a stopping point for ships rounding the Horn of the World.
The Si'adi worship their sun god, Akhenatan, lord of earth and sky. Salvation in the cult is only gained by monetary donation and so the Si'adi are very keen on amass wealth for the new world.
Si'adi have adopted Korsan dress, though they openly parade their weapons and wear gold torcs around their upper arms to remember the debt they have to their creator for making them.
Naming Convention: Ancient Egyptian
