Location from The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
A theocratic empire ruled by the Prophet Khalul — the Union's southern rival, powered by religious authority and an army of flesh-eating sorcerers called Eaters.
The Gurkish Empire is Khalul's instrument — a theocracy where religious authority and military power are inseparable. The Hundred Words (Khalul's Eaters) are its most terrifying soldiers: sorcerers who gain power by consuming human flesh, backed by conventional armies of enormous size. The Empire besieged Adua in the first trilogy and was defeated by the Seed's detonation — a defeat that was really a battle between Bayaz and Khalul using entire civilizations as weapons. The Gurkish people, like the Union's people, are pawns in a game between immortals who consider them expendable.
A vast southern empire of desert, fertile river valleys, and grand cities. The architecture is ornate and imposing — palaces, temples, and military fortifications reflecting centuries of accumulated wealth and religious authority.
Also known as: The Gurkish Empire, Gurkhal, The Empire