Qalyut

The Qalyut have walled themselves off from the world as much as a tributary to the Ashar empire could.They are the only major Ashar nation to not be fully integrated into the Empire. Not only distant politically, they are seperated by the massive salt pan Qalyahbahr from the heart land and sea of their brethren. Qalyut society was built on the cold, dry, rocky mountains of the rim around it. Extended families, often very large, are what society is organized around, with the patriarchs of the family given the peak of a very fine, delineated hierarchy. They often live in familial compounds, with big cities split into walled compounds where one family lives. Public markets are the only public place, and only certain males in a family can go. Most of the others one sees on the streets are slaves. The state runs on voluntary contributions of money and manpower, although recently controversies have risen over the consolidation of power within it.