Khoraja

is a country of the Hyborian Age.

Geography
On the southern side the hills fall away sheerly, marking a distinct geographical division between the Kothian uplands and the desert of Shem known as the Kothian Escarpment. Promontories run out into the desert, forming barren valleys; all but one, the Shamlan Pass, are closed on the northern extremity by rugged cliffs. A well is there, and a cluster of stone towers, occupied by the Zaheemi clan, whose duty it is to guard the caravan road.

Cities of Note
 * Khojara - The capital city has a population of 30,000 and hosts temples to Ishtar and the Shemite gods. The streets are wide and well lit, and the palace is surrounded by gardens.
 * Khanyaria - A walled town with a population of 2,000 with narrow, cobbled streets. The buildings are domed, although a yellow tower, plated with gold coins, stands in the north of the city, home of Pelias the Sorcerer.

History and politics
This country has been carved out of Shemite lands by the swords of Kothic adventurers. Khoraspar was the south-eastern principality of Koth. It has since declared independence. Its young ruler, count Khossa, had defied his king and set up a kingdom of his own — Khoraja. While Khossa was a captive in Ophir, his sister, princess Yasmela, ruled the kingdom.

Population and culture
The population is partly Kothian, partly Shemite, ruled over by an aristocratic caste of pure Hyborians. Tall and gaunt, with features leaner and more hawk-like than purer-blooded desert kin. Hook-nosed, fiery-eyed men of the hill tribes.

A typical guardsman wears crested gilt helmet, silvered cuirass and gold-chased greaves, with a long-shafted battle-ax in his hands.

Commander of the armies is clad in the plate-armor, shadowed by the black plumes that nod above the vizored helmet.

There are the knights, gleaming in richly wrought plate-armor, colored plumes waving above their burnished sallets. Their steeds, caparisoned with silk, lacquered leather and gold buckles, caracole and curvet. Lance-points rise like a forest above the array, their pennons flowing in the breeze. Each knight wears a lady's token, a glove, scarf or rose, bound to his helmet or fastened to his sword-belt.

Light cavalry on rangy steeds uses Shemitish bows. Peaked steel caps are on their heads and chain-mail glints under their flowing kaftans.

Stories set in

 * "Black Colossus" [wikisource]
 * "Shadows in the Dark"

Characters from

 * King Khossa
 * Princess Yasmela
 * Agha Shupras — head of 5000 mounted archers
 * Vateesa — daughter of an Ophirean priest
 * Count Thespides
 * Chancellor Taurus