History.
How Akkadians came to be as they are is shrouded in mystery. What is known that about 5000 years ago the Akkadians were still a nomadic tribe among others. Even at those times the Akkadians already had strong grasp of magic, the power that so much rules their lives today.
Most of the nomadic history was spent in unnotable skirmishes and minor wars between the numerous tribes, until the unification wars.
The unification wars begun about 3600 years ago when 4 mages rose from a particular tribe, quickly subjugating their own tribe and soon moving on to those nearest. It didnt take many years for all the petty chiefs and sultans to be assimilated, their heads lying in a rotting pile in front of the newly built palace of Akkad. The citystate of Akkad had born.
The four mages ruled on, for about a hundred years. What happened next, is shrouded in mystery, but all that is known that when the wizards were getting old, they set off to a trip they returned from much later, deeply changed.
The former city of Akkad was ordered to be abandoned, and the new city of Akkad was to be built onto a fork of two rivers. In the middle of the fork, a tower, apparently of deep importance to the four mages. This tower was to become the new palace of Akkad, it becoming the seat of power and goverment, where the magistrates held power.
Culture
The Akkadians are very much what one might think as middleagish arabic culture. They still retain their desert culture from the nomadic times, although it has changed much to adapt to the fact that they nowadays reside mostly in cities, particularly in the city of Akkad, ofcourse. The devotion to Sem'seddin has and does leave it mark on any land the Akkadians inhabit. It gives the land unnaturally long nights, almost twice as long as normally, all manners of monstrous creatures see a population boom, and nature itself becomes warped in a manner that resembles Mirkwood from Lotr.
The length of nights has had its effect on the day to day affairs on Akkadians, and they are unpredictable at best, sleeping whenever they feel like it, and practically doing everything on the same manner. It also has its impact on architechture. Since the nights tend to be cloudless, buildings and streets are very wide and open, to let moonlight everywhere possible. On the counter, daytime is scorchingly hot, and wandering out into the desert that often surrounds their cities is deemed a suicide.
Akkadians are well into all forms of arts, but are particularly fond of music, augmenting it with magic. Akkadian music can be strange to hear for a foreigner, and often has certain side effects to those unfamiliar with it. (Note, Akkadian music is like that music often associated with otherworldly beings in lovecraft novels)
Magic is very integrated into the society, the best magicians often being claimed by the magistrates as battlemages or goverment officials.
Magic is to be seen everywhere usually. From unusual lights to flying carpets. An armoured skeleton as a homeguard is nothing unusual and gargoyles are often used as messengers. This is explainable also due to the pact with Sem'seddin, which grants Akkadians particular affinity over allsorts of creatures, making it easier for them to control and create them.
Religion is very dominant in their everyday lives, with temples to Sem'seddin dominating the city. The time for praying is once a day, in the middle of the night.
Interrupting the prayer is considered a highest sort of a treason, and the one who interrupted can consider himself dead already.
Trade is something the Akkadians engage often with glee and greed, as their greed drives them to do trade even in the most inhospitable and unwelcoming lands. They generally transport their goods in large, often miles long caravans of camels, wagons and traders. Their goods are usually of highest possible quality, to net the highest possible profit from trade. Cheating in trade is not considered bad though, those who are stupid enough to not notice cheating deserve to be cheated.
Mostly they trade on Spices, exotic foods, valuable metals and gems, exotic animals, magical trinkets, weapons and armor and sometimes Akkadian rugs, which are noted for their beatiful work. Sometimes on more special occasions they might trade more powerful magical items such as magic lamps and magic carpets.
All the traditional middle eastern magics and stuff of legends are used by Akkadians, namely Magic carpets.
The magistrates are the most powerful of Akkadian magic users, governing over the sultanate. Curiously, Akkad doesnt have a sultan, since the leader of the magistrates is the grand vizier, who is effectively in charge of the more worldly affairs of the empire. Ofcourse, they all answer to the four liches, who keep the ultimate power. They take residence in the upper parts of the palace tower in Akkad, living in decadence and luxury there.
A peek on the city of Akkad
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