Afghuli
)
"Others pressed into the wavering circle of light -- wild, ragged, bearded men, with eyes like wolves, and long blades in their fists. (...) [Yasmina] knew icy fear for the first time that night. These men were more like wolves than human beings." -- Robert E. Howard: "The People of the Black Circle"
Afghulistan lies in the southwestern foothills of the Himelian Mountains, north of Kosala and west of Vendhya. It is inhabited by warlike tribes of mountaineers, who raid the northern reaches of Vendhya for spices and gold. The Vendhyans say only the Ghulistani know all of the twists of the mountains and valleys of Ghulistan, knowledge which is used to lay ambushes with great effect.
The Afghuli tribesmen are tall and powerful, with broad shoulders, brown skin, curly hair and long beards. The harsh mountain winds dry and wrinkle their skins, giving them a wizened appearance. They fight with the tulwar and the yard-long Zhaibar knife.
There are hundreds of tribes scattered through Ghulistan. Those mentioned in the saga include the Afghulis, who rule the southwestern region known as Afghulistan, the Wazulis, who control southern Ghulistan near the Vendhyan border, and the lesser tribes of the Dagozai, the Galzai and the Khurakzai.
Typically, the tribes obey a strong, charismatic warrior-leader, and follow him until he makes a mistake. One failure, and the leader is deposed or even killed.