Cyberpunk Oasis: Origins of Kadur

Tharwa the most ruthless descendant of Kadur

Mornings in Kadur can never find their starting point as the robotic patrol convoys pass, masking the first steps of dawn merchants. Helices of flying surveillance bots lay a veil to all the organic sounds. Most birds made their final migration in the winter of 2085. Since then no pigeons, swallows, or any type of flying creature have been seen near the perimeter of Kadur. As a matter of fact, no rodent or other pet animals were seen anymore. Only sometimes on televised propaganda shows, you could see some government officials parading all over with their perfectly groomed exotic animals. All except Tharwa. As cruel as she seemed, the one thing that differentiated her the most from other dictators all around the region is that she did not indulge, did not mingle with entourage, and took no part in affectionate love affairs whatsoever. Some believe she might even be half robot herself, which would make sense given her ruthless behaviour.

To understand Tharwa’s reign, the story of Kadur must be known.

 Hundreds of years ago, the ancient coastal reef point on the North African reefs was once roamed by only a handful of skillful fishermen families. Even with the most modest equipment, they caught the most colossal fish ever seen. Unlike the ordinary fishermen's daily routines, the people from here would go on the hunt at most once a week only, for it was a fierce battle, and often many of them would not make it back. A risky source of food indeed, but the abundance of the immense fishes would make the little handful of fishermen families grow and grow, until what once seemed like a passing by group of nomads stayed to become one of the first fishermen villages on the North African Mediterranean. With more children to feed, constant fishing had to be assured, and just like anything we rely too much on, the weeks of drought came on, they turned into months, devastating more than half of the fishermen families who died of hunger. The fishermen spent entire days and nights out at sea, falling into desperation and madness, sometimes even never finding their way back. And just like that, the last of the fishermen vanished into the far depths of the winter cold Mediterranean Sea. The widow wives had no other choice but to go themselves into the stormy currents in hope of divine intervention. Notably amongst them, one of the youngest, a teenage girl called Kadur went out with the first vessels of these brave women. She did not make it back that evening, and by late afternoon her little raft was washed upon the coral reefs. That sorrowful night was darker than usual as all hope seemed to fade away. Without even supper to gather around, the last survivors were destined to the fate of their husbands and brothers. The next morning, a roaring scream made everyone peak out of their huts. For the first time in months, this scream, this voice had hope in it. The supposed castaway girl was found washed away near the white sand beach, and next to her, the biggest fish any of them had ever seen in their entire lives. They took them both and took care of them respectively. Later on under the flames of torches and dancing feet of the night's feast celebration, Kadur woke up to consciousness. She immediately stood on the tallest rock and pitched a mesmerizing speech. Murmurs all around her, the women and children were perplexed. How did she learn to speak like that? Who was this new Kadur? And just as the fishermen followed the tide, they started to follow her. They followed her early in the morning, in the most dangerous reefs, and into prosperity and abundance. Kadur self-proclaimed new leader, polished new ways of fishing and navigation, and in less than 30 years, a city surged. It was her city, the new city : Kadur.

Age came by in a heartbeat, with it weakness and sickness. She did not live long enough to see her only child grow. A few days after her birth, she passed away, and her body was sent to the northern coast of Africa, where it would navigate alone for eternity. The founding mothers of Kadur took great care of her newborn daughter, Ephedra, who was raised as the kindest of all mothers and sisters of the village. The lineage of these resilient women grew from small village to town and soon became a whole nation. They solemnly continued the tradition of mother leaders, becoming incorruptible, selfless rulers, who were feared by all other nations around them. This made Kadur and her Queens the most powerful of Africa.

Years later, when the European crisis became unbearable, the greatest migration wave of all time took place. Families from almost every corner of Europe searched for asylum in the motherland: Africa. Thawara, the oldest of three sisters, stood up when the moment called for her. Her sick mother was unable to reign, and with time running out, Thawara worked tirelessly to transform a country on the verge of civil war or colonization into a citadel. She knew blood and tears had to be shed to preserve the royal lineage, and like her ancestor Kadur, she endured. Thawara made Kadur the first metropolis Citadel of Africa.

Thawara's finest strength was also her worst weakness. The ever-growing pain and destruction she foresaw made her blind to mercy and pity. This transformed Kadur and her reign into the one with the most blood on its hands since the great famine. Brutality and violence ruled, and there seemed to be no hint of it giving way.

This harsh reality of life in Kadur weighed heavily on its people. Every day, they faced the constant threat of robotic surveillance and patrols, a reminder of the oppressive regime they lived under. The absence of any living creatures, once abundant in the region, added to the feeling of isolation and despair. Despite the bleakness of their situation, some still held on to hope. They remembered the stories of Kadur, the brave woman who had led their ancestors to prosperity and abundance. Her legacy lived on, even as the current ruler's regime grew more brutal with each passing day. For those who dared to dream, Kadur remained a symbol of resistance and resilience, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Some rumours heard in the lost alleys of the Medina say “A new Kadur is getting stronger deep in the underwater tides, and will soon rise with red revolution”