THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLDS - Being the collated researches of Phineas Epel.

Here are the first couple of entries on Earth Circle Worlds -

THE WORLD OF THE SAND LORDS (also known as the World of the Princes of the Sand). The native name for the world is Quraysh.

This world is comprised of three major continents. It has a central position within the sphere, meaning that the heat that reaches it from the Sphere of Fire is very concentrated and has produced an arid, desert climate across the lands. There is, in fact, only a small temperate band, which runs across all three continents, in which human beings (or their equivalent) can eke out an existence. These humans are generally swarthy, with dark, curly hair and have adopted practices which have allowed them to make the best of the harsh environment in which they have found themselves. Their clothing tends to be lightweight robes and head dresses, often in white to keep the glaring sun off, although they regualarly adopt black robes for travelling purposes. All carry watering bottles, for journeys across the habitable zone to the next centre of civilization are often long and harsh, and many carry staffs, which aid walking over such long distances.

Though the peoples of all the continents are not much differentiated in apperance due to the little variation over the habitable zone, they do come from differing communities. In essence, there are three distinct groups (which may have originated on the separate continents, although by this point in time any such distinction has long since vanished and examples of each are found on each continent). The continents are Buwiya, Hammam and Idrisil. The three races are the Abyid, the Oman and the Khurats. The Aybid, led by the Pasha Al-Mahmud, are a trading people, much concerned with building and commerce.The Oman, who are led by the Grand Vizier Orhan Ismafan, are the primary force in this world, dominating political and religious life, and having the heaviest presence across the continents. The Khurats are a less civilized race, originally hill peoples and, as yet, more tribal than the others, though their ways are gradually eroding particularly in the face of the prevailing Oman ideologies. They retain their inbred fierceness, however, and are still a feared force under their leader Ugril Bog.

More than simply the human races inhabit this world, however. Outside the temperate zones, humans cannot live, but in this world, a strange race has developed adapted to these adverse desert conditions. These are the Lizard People (known in their own tongue as the Ssalik), who are found across each of the three continents in the regions beyond the reach of human townships and trading settlements. They are much feared by the Princes of the Sands who maintain a near constant warfare with them, for the two races cannot live side by side with one another. Most Sand People carry scimitars, because their keener edges threaten tough lizard hide more than do braodswords, and protection is always needed to save 'human' caravans from Lizard attack - perhaps most notably provided for the last hundred years by means of the Oman Vizier's 'Million Swords', who protect the 'human' lands on behalf of all the three races (and provide an important standing army for the Sand People besides). Recently, moves have been afoot to integrate more Khurat troops into the army in order to supplement the numbers and bind the races closer together, but certain forces at the Oman court, most notably led by the Under Vizier Bayezid, have been seen as steadfastly against this.

The Lizard People are not considered an extreme threat as their society is far more tribally sundered than any of the human nations. However, again, in recent time, a leader of some note has risen among them, one Asragh Kha, who may yet have power to increase their menace.

In terms of religion, the Sand People profess faith in one overarching God, whom they term Ullman (perhaps equatable with our own Turumak or with Mithion) and who is responsible for all things. The Oman dominate his worship and it is especially entrenched on Buwiya. Nonethless, the Abyids revere Ullman too (though their society remians far more open to secular and scientific lures than anywhere else does), as do the Khurats, who have been converted to the faith from originally more animistic gods. The Lizard People may well have deities of their own but, if so, I am not certain of them ,and neither are my correspondences (though one interesting rumour suggests that they revere a mongoose like creature partly from awe and partly from fear, as one of their chief gods).

Notable personalities from Quraysh include the Aybid scientist Al-Nastir, who has refined ideas of opticks, chemical usage and herbal medicine to a fine degree, and the travelling philospher Jerebella Hadrisal, an Oman beauty, who removed herself from courtly life to spread the metaphysical and altrusitic word of Ullman to peoples other than her own.

THE WORLD OF THE CONSTANT WARRIORS (also known as the World of the Perpetual Warriors). The native name for the world is Tsukusara.

This world has five major continents, each home to a different race, and each sundered one from the other by considerable intervening sea. However, at a very early stage, the people of this world must have learnt to sail and to travel to the continents of races other than their own, because war amongst them has been a perpetual trait since their earliest recorded history. At sea, on land, the battles are constantly waged between the five and, as a consequence, Tsukusara exports some of the finest fighters known within the Spheres. The oddest thing that we can discern about them, however, is their attitude to war - it is considered a pleasurable activity (not so far removed, one may think, from the feelings of our own Antiochenes or Palatinians), but also an honourable activity, gentlemanly and sportsmanlike (quite unlike the ideas of Zehazelean fighters). This code of honour, known as Haniko, is paramount within the society.

The inhabitants of the world are human, of two distinct types; the inhabitants of the two north continents are taller, lighter skinner. The inhabitants of the three southern continents are shorter and darker. All have long straight usually dark hair, and almond shaped eyes, adapted to the particular glare which reaches them from their world's position in relation to the Sphere of Fire.

The rulers of the continents are as follows: the two north continents are Shinu and Anbuk; Shinu is ruled by the Prince Wang Chon, who is acknowleged by all as a scrupulous and clement man, well versed in Haniko and even prepared to criticise its ways. His court is a noted cultural centre. Anbuk is the domain of Li Chi Wen. His realm has long been under the influence of that of Shinu and, in his father Ho Wei Wen's time, began to adapt towards providing the lands of the Chon Princes with adminstrative services and magical support. This is fully in accord with the principles of Haniko, and has led to the setting up of a great politico - magico Academy in Anbuk.

The Southern continents tend to more warlike activities: Kammu Yagatu is the warlord who rules in Yalu with an iron fist; his reign is a little uncertain, however, as he only recently conquered the lands from the previous holder, Toshi Umemitsi, and holds onto them with brute force. Shotoku Himetsu is ruler of the largest island on this world, Tamaskuri, and is the Southern equivalnet of Prince Chon. His title, of Daigo, stresses his total mastery of Haniko as a form. Nonetheless, his barbaric ancestry puts him at a disadvantage in regard to Chon, for the people of Shinu can claim far lengthier civilization than those of Tamaskuri. Himetsu's court, though splendid, still possesses only barbaric splendour. The competition between the two kingdoms is, therefore, particularly intense. In an effort to cement his power, Himetsu has encouraged dynastic marriages between the southern states - his brother, Gatani (also his chief lieutenant) was married to a sister of the Umemitsi family (though this is obviously now a broken link) and his sister is married to the brother of Sasami Sakura, ruler of Ohito.

Ohito is the last of the five states and ruled by the Lady Sasami Sakura, who has gained rulership (though female) through right of inheritance. Upon the death of her father Wotu, she succeeded to the throne, for although her brother, Kosho, was next in line, he is something of a political imcompetent and the Grand Council (a usual institution in the Constant Warring states, made up of the heads of the noble families of the states, who ,if not allowed to consult the rulers on politics, would invariably wage war against them - the system has decayed totally on Yalu, for example) preferred to promote Sasami. Sasami is a strange individual, beacuse she has always has the idea of 'majesty' accorded to her - omens were alleged surrounding her birth and she possesses unusual characteristics amongst her people, such as red hair. Her brother is married to Murasa Himetsu, sister of Shotuku, and she is another woman of grace and talent, who does not deserve her useless husband. Murasa is Sasami's greatest friend, and together they presnt a formidable political force, although they both still firmly adhere to the proprieties of war as essential for the health of the state.

In religious terms, the Constant Warriors have nearly as many gods as we do, for all kinds of different needs; the most important among them are Ryoki (who is like Mhiriz), the chief god, the god of war. Then there is Kurufotei, a god who represents the essence of abstract hinako (our nearest equavalent would be Justiciar Peliner). Also, there is Bentu, goddess of fertility (for the Warriors are also a faming people - rents from the lands support the soldiers in war); she is like our Felashir, though not a young maiden, but a homely and well-sexed older woman.

The most widely known additional figures from Tsukusara are Lammu Muyo, a poet, sage of hinako and song singer and Umi Takshahsi, a man who from lowly peasant beginnings has risen to become one of the most renowned mercenaries in the sphere.