Khauran is located in the far east of Koth, and borders Shem to the South, Turan to the east and Zamora to the North. On either side of the city, and beyond it, stretched the fertile meadowlands, with cattle browsing in the distance where fields and vineyards checkered the plain. The western and northern horizons were dotted with villages, miniature in the distance. A lesser distance to the southeast a silvery gleam marked the course of a river, and beyond that river sandy desert began abruptly to stretch away and away beyond the horizon. Shining ziggurats, tall towers within the city, can be seen gleaming in the distance across the desert.
The nobles of Khauran have fair, ivory-colored skin. Farmers working under the sun outside the walls tend to have darker skin, while city dwellers have a more browned tone. It is also possible that, the influx of Stygians, Khotians and Shemites gave the Khauranians a blend with the skin tones of these peoples, especially for those from the lower classes.
Regardless of social class, the hair is predominantly dark, ranging from medium brown to black.
Women often paint their lips red; their attire ranges from low-cut, sleeveless silk tunics, cinched at the waist by a fabric belt, to sheer fabrics. Light sandals, whether dyed or not, adorn their feet. Furthermore, Khauranian women dress themselves with various types of jewelry, including gold anklets, jeweled bracelets weighing down their bare arms, gem-encrusted girdles, necklaces and pendant earrings.
The men wear beards. The soldiers wear plumed helmets, with or without visors, and full armor, ranging from scale corsets or hauberks, chainmails to plates; they are typically equipped with sword and shield, though greatswords are not uncommon, just as in all the Hyborian kingdoms.
Khauran is a kingdom of no great size, one of the many principalities which at one time formed the eastern part of the empire of Koth, and which later regained the independence which was theirs at a still earlier age. Despite being small compared to the great kingdoms of the West or the great sultanates of the Far East, Khauran is important for its control of caravan routes and the wealth concentrated within it.
The city of Khauran stands within sight of the river which separates the grasslands from the sandy desert, like a watch-tower to guard the fertile meadows behind it. The land is so rich that it yields three and four crops a year, and the plains north and west of the city are dotted with villages. To one accustomed to the great plantations and stock-farms of the West, it is strange to see these tiny fields and vineyards; yet wealth in grain and fruit pours from them as from a horn of plenty.
The Khauranian nobility considers itself superior, not merely morally, but in terms of civilization, to more barbaric societies. Indeed, Khauran boasts a tradition of autonomy and imperial heritage, rooted in a noble lineage centered on a matriarchal monarchy. Control over caravan routes grants Khauran wealth and a strategic position; the Queen oversees these routes between the river region and the desert, holding the authority to grant or deny passage across her borders.
Throughout history, many, such as certain nomadic tribes, have attempted to raid Khauran, yet all have failed. The city's military forces are well-trained and loyal to the Queen. As a sovereign nation, the laws are those of the monarchy: borders are clearly defined, and established customs govern negotiation, passage permissions, and the taking of hostages, while the sexual autonomy of both men and women is upheld by the culture's matrilineal structure.
Ishtar is the ivory-bosomed goddess of Koth, Shem, Khauran and the East in general. She is the daughter of Anu, as well as his second consort. She is the Queen of Heaven, a goddess of fertility and war. The sexual fulfilment of women is part of her divine mysteries. Her cult uses languid but orgiastic rites to stimulate the earth into becoming fertile and productive.
The most important myths of Ishtar are the Descent of Ishtar into the Afterworld and the Sacred Marriage of the patron god. Almost all of these myths reveal the mysteries of birth, death and resurrection, paralleling the agricultural cycle.
For a time, Khauran was ruled by a sorceress who abolished the worship of Ishtar and instituted darker, more obscene gods. Although the worship of the patron goddess has been restored, remnants of that nefarious past persist; within Khauranian society, some still worship Derketo.