Aaqa

Greyhawk Realm

Aaqa
General information
Alt. Spelling:	Aqaa
Region:	Unknown
Government
Alignments:	Lawful
Demographics
Races:	Vaati

The Valley of Aaqa is the isolated home of the remaining Vaati, or Wind Dukes. The exact location of this last stronghold on the Prime Material Plane is their well-kept secret. This is a lush, beautiful, and bountiful land, closer to a well-maintained garden than a wild, natural place.

History

After the end of the war between Law and Chaos, the surviving Vaati retreated to this valley. Its' origins are lost in the mists of time.

Geography

Terrain and climate

The Valley of Aaqa is a virtual paradise of extremely fertile manicured fields and gardens. Surrounded by a protective barrier of mountains, the valley is maintained at a constant temperature of 72ºF. The trygrideam manage and guide the weregadeam and are responsible for tending to all flora and fauna found in the Vale. Under their leadership, the biosphere of the Vale is maintained with complete control, so that not even a blade of grass is found out of place.

Borders

Aaqa is bordered the ring of mountains, which are only passable by flight; not even teleportation works across the barrier, or indeed, within the valley itself.

People

Population and demographics

The numbers of Vaati (Wind Dukes) was severely depleted by the end of war between Law and Chaos, so that their remaining population exists mainly in the Valley of Aaqa. Vaati can be considered to be Very Rare. Birth rates for Vaati are extremely low, such that only one to two children will be born each century; there is no information on gestation times, or length of adolescence. Little is known about the genders (if any) of the Vaati. As a testament to the tremendous losses suffered during the wars, most of the residences in the valley stand empty, and which could easily sustain 10 times more the current population.

Religion

Not much is know about the religious beliefs of the Vaati, outside of a complete and total dedication to Law and Order in the Universe. The kheirdeam caste act as the spiritual counselors of the Vaati. They "tend" to the needs of the Vaati much like the trygrideam tend to the needs of the Valley.

Languages

Vaati speak a rhythmic and melodic language containing many whistling sounds, to the effect that in groups, their speech more closely resembles the sound of wind moving through trees, than an actual conversations. Some Vaati also speak Common.

Society and culture

Culture

The society of the Vale is divided into seven castes (weregadeam, houdeam, haikjadeam, trygrideam, kheirdeam, vindeam, and bledrudeam); while all Vaati are born into the worker, or weregadeam caste, when reaching adolescence, they may choose to join another of the castes, or remain as they are. An unofficial caste, the wendeam, are wanderers who remain almost entirely outside the Vale, and are viewed as outcasts. Except for the weregadeam, the other castes can be sent out of the Vale on matters vital to the whole race. There are no badges or other insignia that would identify any of the Vaati as belonging to one caste or the other; to other Vaati, one's caste is clearly obvious.

Law

The Vaati are, to outsiders and visitors, strict observers of formal rules overseeing every aspect of life and personal conduct. Etiquette is extremely important to the Vaati, and lapses are severely criticized.

Government

It is not known what form of government exists in Aaqa, as the caste system supplies the managers, record-keepers, defense, and those who conduct business with other races and planes. There does not seem to be a nobility or other hereditary ruling class. The houdeam perform the duties of defense and guards, while the vindeam and the bledrudeam are called upon to act as ambassadors and troubleshooters in dealing with peoples and issues outside the Vale.

Economy

Resources

The Valley (or Vale) of Aaqa is extremely fertile for all manner of fruits, vegetables, vines, and other crops. While there is no definitive description of mineral resources, as the last known remaining stronghold of the Vaati, it is assumed that the materials needed for tools and weapons of war are abundant.

Trade

There is no known trade carried out between the Vale and any other regions, planes, etc.

Currency

While the Vaati may use the currencies of whatever outside culture they are in, they themselves use no coinage or currency among themselves.

Military

The houdeam form the civil and military. They perform the duties of defense and guards for the Vaati in the Valley of Aaqa, and comprised the Captains of Law during the war against Chaos.

References

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic	Type	Description	Product	Page/Card/Image
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Dungeon Masters Guide 1st Edition	160
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Dungeon Masters Guide (Revised), AD&D 2e (Premium Edition)	126
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Dragon magazine #224	68
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Dragon magazine #299	103
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Dragon magazine #347	29
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Ivid the Undying	86
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		Living Greyhawk Gazetteer	13
Aaqa {Aqaa}	Place		WGR5 Iuz the Evil	60
Aaqa, Valley of	Place		Reference	SEE Valley of Aaqa
Aaqa, Wind Dukes of	People Group		Reference	SEE Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}
Vaati {Wind Dukes of Aaqa}	People Group		Reference	SEE Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}
Valley of Aaqa	Place		Dragon magazine #224	69, 70
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Arms and Equipment Guide, D&D 3.0	154
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Book of Artifacts, AD&D 2e	91
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dungeon Masters Guide 1st Edition	160
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dungeon Masters Guide (Revised), AD&D 2e (Premium Edition)	126
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dragon magazine #224	68-70
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dragon magazine #224	68
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dragon magazine #299	101, 103
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dragon magazine #347	29
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Dragon magazine #347	29, 36
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Ivid the Undying	86, 137
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Living Greyhawk Gazetteer	13
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	Oerth Journal #32	41
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	The Rod of Seven Parts: Initiation to Power	3
Wind Dukes of Aaqa {Vaati}	People Group	Organization,	WGR5 Iuz the Evil	60