Pelishtia - the Sons of Shem

Pelishtia

“Soon the character of the coastline changed. No longer they sailed past steep cliffs with blue hills marching behind them. Now the shore was the edge of broad meadowlands which barely rose above the water's edge and swept away and away into the hazy distance. Here were few harbors and fewer ports, but the green plain was dotted with the cities of the Shemites; green sea, lapping the rim of the green plains, and the ziggurats of the cities gleaming whitely in the sun, some small in the distance.
Through the grazing-lands moved the herds of cattle, and squat, broad riders with cylindrical helmets and curled blue-black beards, with bows in their hands. This was the shore of the lands of Shem, where there was no law save as each city-state could enforce its own. Far to the eastward, Conan knew, the meadowlands gave way to desert, where there were no cities and the nomadic tribes roamed unhindered…” – The Hour of the Dragon
Capital: Asgalun (Pelishtia)
Other Settlements: Anakia, Akkharia
Current Ruler: No ruler for Pelishtia is ever mentioned, so I’m going to invent one. I’m thinking of paying homage to a Semite/Mesopotamian king like Assurbanipal, Tiglath-Pileser or Nebuchadrezzar, or maybe nabbing a mythological figure like Gilgamesh.

The Shemites are an important race in the Hyborian Age. They dominate the trade between the Hyborian Lands and the east and south, their merchants are found in all the major cities and trade outposts, and their asshuri warriors can be found complementing armies across the globe. Indeed, the influence of the Shemites reaches into modern times, where the grandsons of Shem gave rise to the Mesopotamian civilizations, Phoenicia, Carthage, Judaism, the Muslim Empires and ultimately, Christianity.

A Brief History of the Shemites

In the beginning, the lands which would become known by the Hyborians as “Shem” were the northernmost reaches of the old Stygian empire, the eastern lands populated by nomads known as the Sons of Shem. It is unknown who Shem was: whether he was a deity, a deified chieftain or even a person at all is up to speculation, though the later biblical references to Shem (a son of Noah, who escaped the flood) may point to some intriguing parallels between the Deluge and the Cataclysm. The Sons of Shem were initially barbarians, but contact with both the Stygians and Hyborians affected their development into a strong civilized culture. Eventually, the barbaric forerunners of Koth would assault the Stygian Empire, rampaging across their lands as far south as Kuthchemes: the resulting vacuum was soon filled by the first Shemite city-states.

The lands of the Shemites were roughly divided into two parts; the western cities, and the eastern desert tribes. Western Shem was full of fertile meadows, punctuated by magnificent cities and ziggurats. The land’s fertility recedes the further east one travels, though even the deserts are crisscrossed by caravan routes and trade centres. The two Shemite lands are constantly at war, the eastern nomads pillaging their eastern city neighbours.

Religion of the Shemites

The religion of the Shemites would prove almost as influential as their military and trade, their gods and traditions being adopted by Koth and nearby Hyborian nations, even as far as Keshan and Zamora. The principle deity of the Shemite pantheon was Ishtar, though Bel is also widely praised among thieves and Zamorians. The patron of the Pelishtim is the obscene Pteor, whose exaggerated and monstrous proportions cause many a conservative Mitran to stifle a scandalized exclamation on viewing a brass idol of the god. Other Shemitish gods include Ashtoreth, Derketo, and Adonis, though only their names are known to the Nemedian Chronicles.

Trade among the Shemites

The Shemites are among the most astute, ruthless and successful traders in the Hyborian Age. The meadowlands offer plenty of room for the growing of grapes, olives, oranges and other fruits for trade or the manufacture of beverages, as well as ample space for foodstuffs like grain and pulses, and resources like cotton, flax and wool for textiles.

While the Pelishtim had access to the coast, they seemed to be primarily overland traders: considering most Hyborian nations were landlocked this lead to a near monopoly of the overland trade routes from the Hyborian lands to the south and east. Indeed, the biggest trading competitor the Shemites have is the predations of other Shemites: the eastern trade routes are heavily garrisoned and patrolled to defend the lucrative caravans from desert bandits or a rival trader’s thugs.

On the campaign map, Pelishtia has two of the best agents in the game in their merchants and princesses. Few traders come out of a confrontation with a Shemite with their profits and business intact, so shrewd and merciless are the sons of Shem. Indeed, it would not be unusual for many nations to have a Shemite monopolizing on one of their resources: it would probably be best to not even try, unless you have an exceedingly good merchant or a real grudge against the Shemites.

The princesses of Shem are renowned the world over for their beauty, obedience and enthusiasm to please. Indeed, part of their success may be in their business-like attitude to marriage proposals, as well as their intelligent and insightful assistance to their spouse in economic matters.

The Military of the Shemites
The three westernmost city-states of Shem are allied to each other at the game’s start, a result of skepticism towards their Kothic and Argossean allies as well as threats of Stygian overtures. The Shemites are famed throughout the world as mercenaries, and many of their warriors can be found bolstering the ranks of the southern Hyborian Kingdoms. The most famous of these are the Asshuri: merciless, uncompromising killers with a fatalistic worldview that adds to their cold reputation. The cities each have great pride in their Asshuri, who are specialized according to the needs and history of their city: the Asshuri of Asgalun have great morale, Shumir Asshuri have great defense, Anakian Asshuri are ferocious in battle, and so on. The Meadow Shemites and the Shemites of the eastern deserts, or Desert Shemites, distrust and despise each other, although mercenaries of both camps in a foreign army display admirable professionalism.

Shem is a rich and fertile land, and although they have good relations with Koth and Argos at the moment, imperialist Koth is hardly a nation worthy of trust. Stygia makes frequent slave raids, although they will raid one of the easterly cities unallied with the rest. Shem could attempt to annex the eastern cities relatively early in the game to prevent being surrounded on the eastern borders by mighty Turan. Although only Pelishtia and the nearby Toragis has access to the sea, it still offers a possible avenue of expansion for adventurous players, perhaps north to the Pictish Wilderness, or south to the Black Kingdoms.

The Shemites are the Hyborian progenitors of the early Semite and Mesopotamian cultures, such as Sumeria, Assyria and Babylon. As such they will have curly blue-black beards and hair and dressed in scale armour, with the more powerful warriors decked out in gold, ivory and gems. Most units will be reskins with the plate/chain replaced with lamellar/scale, and hopefully at least one unit in the original game will have a big bushy beard for use.

Units

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Pelishti Archers
”These men are utterly without mercy or compassion, possessed of all the characteristics our armies learned to abhor in our wars against the Shemitish allies of Argos - inhuman cruelty, lust, and wild-beast ferocity.” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The archers of Pelishtia are a force on the battlefield, sought after for mercenary and state armies alike. A lifetime of practice with the mighty Shemitish bow has made them powerful warriors, and their muscular arms can draw a bow and swing a sword with equal might and ferocity. In addition to their bow, Pelishti archers also wield cruelly sharp scimitars when caught in a melee. When not using their great brass shields with their swords, they sling them over their backs when using their bows for maximum dexterity and to protect from arrow fire during a tactical retreat.
After Conan’s time, tensions between Koth and the Shemites came to a head. The Pelishtim eventually threw of the yoke of Koth with their allies, but the attrition of the war left them vulnerable to Aquilonia’s lightning expansion, and they were annexed into Aquilonia’s empire. When the Picts finally overran Aquilonia, Pelishtia took this chance to free themselves again, and allied themselves with their western neighbours once again. They finally conquered their old nemesis Koth, but rashly then attempted and failed to conquer Stygia, history repeating itself as the attrition left them vulnerable, this time to the Hyrkanians. Eventually Pelishtia would be conquered by the Picts, until the final end of the Hyborian Age. The remnants of Pelishtia would survive the ice age, and the people would found five new cities, the name of the people an echo of their former glory – the Philistines.

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Pelishti Lancers
” The watchmen did not accost him but swung on down the street, while the crowd opened a lane for them. They were Pelishtim, squat, hook-nosed, with blue-black beards sweeping their mailed breasts - mercenaries hired for work the ruling Turanians considered beneath themselves, and no less hated by the mongrel population for that reason.” – The Man-eaters of Zamboula
The Pelishtim lancers are the heaviest cavalry available to the Shemites, their horses clad in heavy scale armour. Initially the riders choose only to wear tough leather clothing to lighten their horses’ load, but eventually they can also be equipped with mail and eventually heavy scale armour. Wielding a spear and brass shield as well as a mace, these soldiers are the closest equivalent to Hyborian Knights the Shemites can boast, though their dedication and cohesion is greater, but armour and morale lower than their northern counterparts.

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Pelishti Guard Pikemen
“ Once they heard the clank of brass-shod feet, and drew into the shadows of a gloomy arch while a squad of Pelishti watchmen swung past. There were fifteen of them; they marched in close formation, pikes at the ready, and the rearmost men had their broad, brass shields slung on their backs, to protect them from a knife stroke from behind.” – The Man-eaters of Zamboula
The Pelishtim are among the more progressive Shemites, adopting many Hyborian traditions in their warfare. One of these is the pike, a powerful anti-cavalry weapon whose success has not gone unnoticed by the Pelishtim. Utilizing a pike-and-shield combination similar to the Corinthians, the Guard Pikemen of Pelishtia offer a powerful defence against cavalry charges by their headstrong neighbours. Their large brass shields offer good protection from even Shemite arrows, their heavy mail offering added protection. Some soldiers even wear elaborate gilded faceguards shaped with a coldly impassive mask, showing an intimidating lack of emotion.

All Shemite cities have a strong and virile military, and although each city has it's own tradition there are some units which are constants in all of the cities, following the ancient Shemite model:

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Shemitish Archers
“Strabonus' Shemitish bowmen had wrought havoc among his knights, feathering them with shafts that found every crevice in their armor, shooting down the horses…” – The Scarlet Citadel
The average Shemite is usually a simple farmer, working the fields and vineyards around the cities. Unlike Hyborian peasants, they do not look to farm implements or spears for defense, but the legendary Shemitish bow. From childhood, every Shemite bow practices archery in his free time, developing the skill and strength needed to wield the bow effectively in conflict: by the time they are adults, a Shemite can routinely loose an arrow 500 yards with uncanny accuracy and lethality. This skill in archery means that every Shemite peasant is a lethal warrior in ranged combat, being a threat to even a fully armored Hyborian knight in sufficient numbers. Unfortunately, this does not translate to hand-to-hand combat; though they are strong fighters, they rely on their archery so much that their skill in melee is limited, meaning they cannot offer much of a fight when engaged with even low-quality infantry.

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Asshuri Archers
“These were Shemites, born with bows in their hands, not to be matched by Aquilonian archers… The Shemites opened fire at five hundred yards, and arrows flew like hail between the hosts, darkening the sun.” – The Scarlet Citadel
The Asshuri are famed warriors throughout the world. Armed with the terrible Shemitish bow that can hurl an arrow 1,500 feet and good quality steel scimitars, they are versatile and deadly warriors. They are armoured in light mail corselets and silvered helmets, and although this armour is little use against sustained missile attack most Shemites can outshoot their competitors before they close to killing range. Even so, they are no slouches in melee, being trained in all the arts of war.

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Asshuri Spearmen
“The Shemites rode toward the temple steps, beating a way through the crowd with their spears.” – A Witch Shall Be Born
While they are most renowned as archers, the pragmatic Asshuri are trained in many arts of warfare and battle. Being former equestrian nomads, they know the effectiveness of spearmen against cavalry, and so a sizeable number of Asshuri are trained in the use of spears, mostly in field battles or settlement defense. Composed as they are with the fatalistic worldview of the Shemites, Asshuri Spearmen are not likely to be intimidated by even the most impressive cavalry, providing a dependable infantry line.

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Asshuri Swordsmen
“And what then?" cried Olgerd with an oath. "In the arrowplay our horsemen would have the worst of it, for the armor of the asshuri is the better, and when it came to sword-strokes their close-marshaled ranks of trained swordsmen would cleave through our loose lines and scatter our men like chaff before the wind.” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The professionalism of the Asshuri has seen them adopt many roles on the battlefield apart from their most common role as archers. The need for good swordsmen to support pikemen and spearmen has led to dedicated Asshuri swordsmen, who are highly trained to hack through lesser infantry as well as protect their spearmen fellows from flanking maneuvers. The leaf-shaped Shemite sword is deadly and practical, most commonly used as a stabbing weapon, though the fine edge allows them to be used in many elaborate techniques.

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Asshuri Horsemen
“They sighted the coast of Shem - long rolling meadowlands with the white crowns of the towers of cities in the distance, and horsemen with blue-black beards and hooked noses, who sat their steeds along the shore and eyed the galley with suspicion. She did not put in; there was scant profit in trade with the sons of Shem.” – Queen of the Black Coast
In addition to army duties and settlement defense, the Shemites look to the Asshuri in the defense of their lucrative and vital caravan routes. The long roads and plains of Shem mean that cavalry are the most practical method of patrolling the important caravans loaded with trade and lunas. Lightly armed and equipped, these Asshuri are ferocious and taciturn warriors, and away from their patrol duties are valuable and effective light cavalry, showing no mercy in running down routers.

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Asshuri Horse Archers
“He sat his horse among a cluster of his men – thick-bodied Shemites with curled blue-black beards and hooked noses; the low-swinging sun struck glints from their peaked helmets and the silvered scales of their corselets” – A Witch Shall Be Born
If the foot archers of the Asshuri are feared, then mounted Asshuri archers are the stuff of nightmares. Gaining the mobility of cavalry, Asshuri horse archers are the bane of many a battlefield, felling the most mightily armoured Hyborian knights even as they impotently chase their attackers in a futile pursuit.

The other cities of Shem have their own unique military units, which can be utilized when Pelishtia allies with or conquers that city. The following units are from cities allied with Pelishtia at the start of the campaign:

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Akkharian Archers
“The mercenaries of Constantius are men from the Shemitish cities of the west, Pelishtim, Anakim, Akkharim, and are ardently hated by the Zuagirs and other wandering tribes.” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The Shemites of Akkharia differ from the Pelishtim in a number of ways, most notably in their preference for unarmoured warriors. Preferring mobility and maneuverability over protection, the Akkharim are effective ambushers in the hills and low mountains around their city. They do not have the same quality of weaponry as other cities due to their poor metal reserves, but their locally-produced silk garments provide impressive protection from arrows.
After the Hyborian Age, the Akkharim’s final destiny would be unclear. One theory is that they were absorbed into other Semite tribes, another that they became the progenitors of the mighty Akkadian empire. Whatever happened to the Akkharim, their descendents are ultimately among us, as are the other lost peoples of the Hyborians.

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Anakian Giants
“A man standing there turned toward her – a giant Shemite, with sombre eyes and shoulders like a bull, his great black beard falling over his mighty, silver-mailed breast... His rumble was like that of a bull, deep, low-pitched and stormy” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The Shemites of Anakia have a strong link to the old Stygian empire, with a great deal of admixture among the peoples. This heritage has led to a significant minority of Shemite “giants”, men who have grown uncommonly tall and gigantically built through the mingling of Stygian genetics. The very tallest of the Anakim are highly prized warriors, whose mere presence on the battlefield can be intimidating to the staunchest of soldiers. Anakian Giants are trained in the specialized art of siege warfare, particularly in the storming of fortresses. Armoured in heavy scale armour and equipped with huge axes, these gigantic men are the first up the ladders or tower and over the wall, dealing red whirlwinds of death on the unlucky defenders. Although they are formidable warriors, their larger size makes them more vulnerable to missile attack, as evidenced by a certain famous descendent of the Anakim described in the Hebrew bible.
Many of the Shemite cities and tribes would ultimately survive the end of the Hyborian Age with some of their history intact: the Anakim would not be so lucky. Though the giants would be immortalized in the Torah among the Nephilim, most of the Anakim would be either absorbed into other Semitic cultures, or lost to the mists of prehistory.

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Anakian Swordsmen
”Swift footsteps in the corridor outside, and Gebal burst into the chamber - a Shemite, of medium height and mightily muscled build, his curled blue-black beard bristling, and a short leaf-shaped sword in his hand… the Shemite drove like a bull at the strangers, his thickly muscled arm drawing back for the disemboweling thrust.” – The Hour of the Dragon
The Anakim are infamous among the Shemites for their ferocity in battle, lacking the professionalism of the Pelishtim or the restraint of the Shushanim, but any deficiencies in finesse and cohesion are more than made up for in the damage they deal to their foes. Although the famous Giants are the most feared export of Anakia, the strong Stygian strain in their genetics means even the average Anakim is far more muscular and resilient than most Shemites, making them particularly suited for melee combat. The swordsmen of Anakia use the leaf-shaped Shemitish sword, and also carry a small shield: the scale armour they wear is slightly different from other Shemitish armours, and bears a few similarities to Stygian armour.

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Anakian Lancers
“The dawnlight glinted on peaked helmets pouring in a steady stream through the broad arch, on the bright housings of the chargers. This would be a battle of horsemen, such as is possible only in the lands of the East. The riders flowed through the gates like a river of steel – sombre figures in black and silver mail, with their curled beards and hooked noses, and their inexorable eyes in which glimmered the fatality of their race – the utter lack of doubt or of mercy.” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The Anakim’s Stygian origins can be seen in the armour of their Asshuri: although still “Shemitish”, the colours and designs have an uncannily Stygian bent. Armed with a long spear and small shield, Anakian lancers are somewhat more restrained than their infantry brethren, though that does not dull their ferociousness when they close to melee.
Mercenary Anakian lancers exchange the gaudy silk and brass scales for a more neutral and imposing black and silver to reflect their mercenary status, a practice followed by most mercenaries in the Hyborian Age.

The following are the unique units of independent Shemite cities:

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Shumirian Lancers
"Bel, too, is Shemitish, for he was born in ancient Shumir, long, long ago and went forth laughing, with curled beard and impish wise eyes, to steal the gems of the kings of old times." - Queen of the Black Coast
Shumir is the easternmost of the major Shemite cities, one of a cluster near the small kingdom of Khauran, and which allied with Natohk during the events of Black Colossus. The constant wars with her city-state neighbours, nomad hordes, Koth and Stygia has contributed to Shumir’s high level of military technology and experience of warfare. These lancers utilize the usual Shemite light mail, but adopt a Hyborian-style lance for their cavalry charges before switching to the Shemitish leaf sword, making them a powerful medium cavalry force that can partially fulfill both heavy and light cavalry roles.
After Conan’s reign, Shumir would be conquered by the Turanians and later Hyrkanians, before the Ice Age and Nordic Drift destroy the world. After the Hyborian Age, the remnants of Shumir’s Hyrkanian/Shemite population would battle with their fellow Shemites, eventually triumphing and forming the new earth’s first true civilization – Sumer.

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Akbitanan Swordsmen
“It can not be anything more than a raid… It has been proven repeatedly in the past that the nomads in their loose formation, or rather lack of formation, are no match in hand-to-hand fighting for the well-disciplined, fully-armed warriors of the Shemitish cities. “ – A Witch Shall Be Born
Akbitana is a Shemite city located in the north-centre of the Shemite lands. Its proximity to Koth on the natural fortifications of the Kothian Escarpment makes it easily defended, and the position on the major trade route from Koth to Stygia makes it a major trading hub. This fortuitous location has contributed to Akbitana’s political and economic weight, making it one of the most formidable of the Shemite states. The Asshuri of this mighty city are among the finest Shem has to offer, but the city’s unsurpassed metalworking has made their swordsmen particularly famous. Indeed, Akbitanan steel is often considered unbreakable: the mere idea of warriors armed with unbreakable swords can affect a soldier’s perception, combined with the Akbitanan Asshuri’s disciplined and highly trained combat expertise. Armed with beautifully balanced and fashioned scimitars, a brass buckler and leather armour, these swordsmen are strong and dependable infantry.
Akbitana may have been one of the few Shemite cities not to fall to the Picts or the Hyrkanians due to it’s position on the battle lines, but the final strike of the Ice Age sent it into the depths of prehistory, though a tiny population yet survived. Over the millennia these descendents would forget the arts of their glorious city, although the name would live on through the city of Ekbatana, whose ruler recreated the glorious Spectrum Walls around his palace.

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Nippr Horsemen
“After these rolled a horde that seemed to encompass all the desert. Thousands on thousands of the war-like Sons of Shem: ranks of horsemen in scale-mail corselets and cylindrical helmets – the asshuri of Nippr, Shumir and Eruk and their sister cities; wild white-robed hordes – the nomad clans…” – Black Colossus
Nippr is one of the most ancient and mysterious cities of Shem. Its origins are shrouded in the mists of time, and many scholars suspect it has a pre-Stygian foundation, though some indications of pre-human origins are disturbingly difficult to refute. Regardless of its past, Nippr’s present is as militaristic and economically driven as any other city of Shem, with an added reputation for culture and education. The Asshuri of Nippr are polymaths, being well-versed and educated in the arts, sciences, humanities and of course warfare. Their status and value outside of war means that while they are extremely intelligent and effective soldiers, they are also very expensive compared to other Asshuri. Still, their utter dedication and skill in battle may make the expense of pulling them from the universities, temples and brothels is worth every luna.
Nippr was probably one of the cities conquered by Turan and the Hyrkanians after Conan’s time. After the ice age, the people of Nippr risked being lost to history, but the intelligence and inventiveness of the Asshuri allowed the tiny population to survive as a little reed village on the banks of the newly-formed Euphrates river, and within time, Nippr would be resurrected as Nippur, one of the first cities of the modern age.

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Shushan Horsemen
"Belit's eyes were like a woman's in a trance. The Shemite soul finds a bright drunkenness in riches and material splendor, and the sight of this treasure might have shaken the soul of a sated emperor of Shushan." - Queen of the Black Coast
Shushan is the largest city of the Shemites, which may have been a major city of Stygia in its past. The fact that it is nominally ruled by an Emperor indicates that it has subjugated a number of nearby cities, making it the only true Shemite empire. As such, the Asshuri of Shushan are well-equipped and trained, approaching a professional standard of military the envy of lesser cities. Armed with good spears, leaf swords and a broad brass shield, these light horsemen are employed to garrison and patrol the trade routes from the city, a role they take very seriously.
Conquered by Turan before Conan’s kingship, the Hyrkanian influence on the Shushan natives was considerable even before later Hyrkanians arrived, as well as the considerable Kushite population settled there late in the age. After the calamities that ended the Hyborian Age, the Shushan-Hyrkanian-Kushites struggled to survive, the populations eventually mixing and merging into a new people: the Elamites. The new people would not remember their former glory, although the name of their city would survive in their new capital, Susa.

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Shushan Spearmen
“The Shemites fell on the guardsmen, and their spears and arrows struck down many soldiers who had already disbanded” – A Witch Shall Be Born
The Asshuri of Shushan fought valiantly against the incursions of Turan, whose rapid and powerful expansion put Shushan directly in the line of fire. One of the tactics adopted by the Emperor was a new form of heavy spearmen, heavily armed and armoured to defend against the charges of the awesome Turanian cavalry. The Shushan Spearmen are new and have little history or experience, but training from imported Hyborian veterans and mercenaries has ensured that they are competent and formidable anti-cavalry troops that would prove a potent defense against a frontal assault.

Coming Soon:

Akkharian Horsemen
Akkharian Hillmen
Eruk Swordsmen
Shumir Axemen
Shumir Chariots (fingers crossed)
Nippr Grenadiers
Nippr Incendiary Archers
Toragis Pirates