Major Cities: Ugarit, Ashkelon
Pantheon: El, Baal, Anat, Dagon, Yam, Mot, local spirits of the sea and desert
Perils: Sea Peoples raids, desert tribes, rival city-states, hidden monsters of the coasts and hills
Culture: A crossroads of Canaanite, Anatolian, and Sea Peoples influences; mercantile, martial, and mythic
Nature: Northern city-state, famed for its libraries, cuneiform scribes, and temples to the Canaanite pantheon.
Culture: Intellectual and mercantile, Ugarit trades grain, timber, and metals. Its scribes preserve myths, treaties, and prophecies of gods and heroes.
Military: Defensive city walls with archers and light infantry; mercenaries supplement the standing guard.
Religion:
El: Father of gods, patron of kings and law.
Baal: Storm and fertility god, called upon to protect crops and bring rain.
Anat: Goddess of war and protection, invoked before battles.
Nature: Southern port, home to the Half-Anakim — giant-born warriors descended from a mythical line of the Anakim.
Culture:
Warrior Tradition: The Anakim-descended Philistines prize strength, height, and martial skill. Bronze swords, wide shields, and javelins are standard.
Maritime Prowess: Ashkelon’s harbors are strongholds, and its fleets rival the Sea Peoples.
Social Structure: Warlords lead clans of Anakim-descendants, with elders advising and queens serving as ceremonial heads.
Military:
Half-Anakim Champions: Towering warriors with devastating melee attacks and heavy bronze shields.
Javelin Squads: Skirmishers who throw with deadly precision.
Naval Raids: Coastal ships raid rivals and protect trade lanes.
Religion:
Dagon: Sea and fertility god of Ashkelon’s fisherfolk.
Baal of Storms: Invoked for safe passage and victory in battle.
Local Ancestors: Spirits of giant-heroes are honored in rites before combat.
Trading Crossroads: Both cities trade with Egypt, Anatolia, Crete, and the Sea Peoples.
Heroic Lineages: Tales of Half-Anakim warriors are sung as inspiration, blending myth and history.
Divine Favor: Victory and harvest alike are thought to come from appeasing local and imported gods.
Sea and Desert: The people respect both the harsh deserts inland and the treacherous Mediterranean waters.
Ashkelon vs. Ugarit: Coastal raiders clash with intellectual merchants; rivalry is often economic, occasionally martial.
Sea Peoples Influence: Peleset raiders intermingle with Ashkelon’s Half-Anakim; some mercenaries serve Ugarit in distant campaigns.
Local Strife: Desert clans and coastal tribes occasionally unite or fracture depending on omens and raids.
Godly Allegiances: El, Baal, and Anat favor order and fertility; Dagon and the storm aspects of Baal favor Ashkelon’s warriors.