by Esper the Bard•
Updated 3 months ago
Jewel of the East
Demonym: Sarzak
Geographical Position: Southeast
Relation to the Bazagonian Empire: Outside
Historical Inspiration: Ancient Persia, Ancient Egypt (in the eastern reaches)
Sarzalom has a variety of environments ranging from deserts and steppes to riverlands and swamps to hills and mountains. The climate is warm to hot, with some regions being arid or semi-arid. The higher elevation mountainous regions are notably cooler.
Human: Common. Sarzak humans are tall and dusky, with sun-bronzed skin and thick, dark hair often worn in curled locks or oiled braids. They favor silks and linens dyed in saffron, lapis, and deep wine, their tunics belted with engraved bronze and their cloaks trimmed with fur. Proud, expressive, and fiercely devoted to custom, they are known for their courtesy toward guests yet their fierceness against any who insult their honor.
Other ancestries are found in certain places in Sarzalom. Typically, these are folk from Zillakar and Gurenzhidi, though bloodlines from Bazagon, Gildas, and Hanura are not unheard of.
Dwarf: Rare. Though not prevalent throughout Sarzalom, there are dwarven communities in a few places, such as the swamp dwarves of the delta portion of the Fertile Splay or the dwarves who dwell in the hills and mountains in the northwest.
Elf: Very Rare. Elves are not native to Sarzalom, and extremely few have migrated here over the centuries.
Halfling: Rare. Some halfling groups dwell in Sarzalom, either as nomads or intermingling with humans or dwarves.
*Not a player-character option
Esper's Emporium of Esotericaᴱᴱᴱ
Monstrous Heroesᴹᴴ
Gauntlet Runnerᴳᴿ
Each GM’s region can have race restrictions.
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Aasimar: Very Rare
ArachnirMH: Rare
ArboreanMH: Very Rare
BlemmyesEEE*: Rare
BrindlecapMH: Very Rare
Bugbear: Very Rare
Cyclops*: Rare
DivEEE*: Rare
Doppelganger/Changeling: Very Rare
DragonMH: Rare
Dragonborn: Very Rare. A small number of dragonborn migrated to Sarzalom from Jaia during the Age of Conquest. They keep to their own self-sufficient communities away from human settlements.
Ettercap*: Rare
Ettin*: Rare
Giant*: Rare
Gnoll*: Uncommon. Gnolls have dwelled in Sarzalom for many centuries, having originally migrated from Zillakar.
Goblin: Rare. Goblinoids do exist in Sarzalom, though they are much less populous than in other realms.
Goliath: Very Rare
HagMH: Rare
Harpy*: Rare
Hobgoblin: Very Rare
IchoriiteEEE: Very Rare
Kobold: Rare
Lizardfolk: Uncommon
LycanthropeMH: Rare
Merfolk*: Very Rare
MinotaurMH: Rare
Naga: Very Rare
NefarixMH: Very Rare
OgreMH: Rare
Oni (Ogre)MH: Very Rare
Orc: Very Rare. Orcs are not native to Sarzalom, and extremely few have managed to reach this part of the world.
OusiaMH: Very Rare
ParacosmaMH: Very Rare
ProteanMH: Very Rare
Sahuagin: Rare
Tiefling: Very Rare. Some tieflings fled to Sarzalom during the Infernal War. They eke out a desperate existence away from human settlements. The sight of a tiefling is shocking for a Sarzak, who typically believes the tiefling to be a full-on devil.
Treefolk*: Very Rare
TrollMH: Very Rare
VampireMH: Very Rare
VivilithMH: Very Rare
YadiraMH: Very Rare
Cults of elder gods and of regional gods can be found throughout Sarzalom. Worship of the Sarzak Pantheon is common. Enosi is also common, with some claiming that its roots are in Sarzalom. Shrenthata is uncommon, though it was more prevalent many centuries ago, having spread from Gurenzhidi from the north. Vera Via is uncommon, generally reserved to small groups, though such groups can be found throughout the realm. Mithralianism has not spread much in Sarzalom yet. The worship of archfiends and titans is taboo within typical settlements.
The Golden Palace is the foremost trade hub in Sarzalom.
[YET TO BE APPROVED!]
Possible in world interaction : Statues made out of “Bad” material won’t be bought, painting using wrong colours to depict gods can be viewed as sacrilege. Players can use this knowledge to gain trust or make arzak npc to feel uneasy.
Possible in world interaction : Sarzaks not lying is a fun way to go around. They might frown upon omitting the truth, but that’s actually the main fun of it. To live in a world where a lie is a crime. On the other hand some Sarzaks might hire others to “Lie for them”.
Possible in world interaction : This one is to enhance the difference between sarzaks and bazagonians. Also it builds up the previous points.
Possible in world interaction : This is fun for interacting with players that would try to get drunk npc to make a fast deal.
Possible in world interaction : This one is building tensions between Sarzaks and Rukanians and also allows Szarzaks to use Rukanians to do their dirty work
Possible in world interaction : It may lead to funny interactions, both with martial and Casting classes.
Possible in world interaction : If some were to actually double check the make-up that they are currently wearing, PC’s can have a head’s up upon what they are getting themselves into just by looking at rukanian npc.
Possible in world interaction : It’s a fun way to interact with the world for Necromancers that want to use their art for good. Of course sarzaks will still shun upon them, yet they might find allies in rukanians.
Satrapy - Region/ Province
Satrap - Governor or a king of Satrapy
Gnawers - Feral gnolls
Chewers - Noble gnolls in appearace being more "anubian". Yet still pretty hostile.
Banoyi Beauty – it a description of a beautiful woman that manipulates men. Banoyi itself is a bewitching spirit.
There are multiple tribal peoples in Sarzalom, who have their own distinct ethnic heritage. They might live off the land, away from civilization, or they might dwell in or near settlements, maintaining their own communities.
Sutar. The members of Tribe Sutar live nomadic lives, though they sometimes permanently settle in an area (be it wild or civilized). They trace their origins back to Rukaniadard, the foreboding, ruined empire to the east. Their people migrated from that land long before its downfall. Sutari have darkly-tanned skin, and they favor intricate accessories and heavy, long-lined eye makeup. They also practice tattooing, symbolizing status or rites of passage, which is a custom that Sarzaks frown upon. Sutari revere cats, believing they bring good luck and that they are sensitive to divine influence. While Sutari do speak the Common Tongue, their accent and dialect can be tricky to understand to someone unaccustomed to it.
Vardu. Tribe Vardu is a scattered confederation of horsefolk and herdsmen who live a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle, trading wool and salt for iron and grain. Physically, the Varduthi are similar to Sarzaks, as they share a great deal of the same blood, though their styles of hair, clothing, and weaponry are distinct, as are their music and religious practices.
Marakhesh. One of the strangest tribes of Sarzalom is the Marakhesh. They are thin, lanky people, who color their skins with chalks and pigments. In addition, they practice ritual tattooing as well as piercing with bone or chitin. Marak warriors use weapons and armor fashioned from the chitin of giant insects or arachnids, and some even split their tongues. The Marakhesh speak their own language, called ǂGaar, which incorporates clicks.
Queen Akket Shalmira. Ruler of the Golden Palace, also known as the Sorceress Queen.
King Nakalani Tarab’ir. Ruler of Tarab’ir Palace, and his wife, Queen Rasika Tarab’ir.
Menkura the Last Crown. Ruler of Oasis Tempe in Misru.
A bloody civil war broke out twenty-seven years ago in the Fertile Splay region. The fighting began at the Golden Palace and spread quickly from there. The opposing sides were the Rebels and the Monarchs, who each had their own strengths. The Rebels’ largest concentrations were in the Golden Palace and the mining town of Manjam, but they had squads and allies in most settlements of the region. The Monarchs were led by the royalty of the Golden Palace and Tarab’ir Palace, as well as their loyal town leaders throughout the Fertile Splay.
The conflict lasted for five years, only ending after many of the leaders on both sides had died in battle or to assassination. The war concluded with the Rebels defeated and a fourteen-year-old Akket Shalmira as the sole surviving heir to the throne of the Golden Palace. She was crowned queen of her palace, and the people of the Fertile Splay soon discovered that not only was she a cunning and persuasive woman, but she possessed an innate talent for magic.
While the Golden Palace is the hub of trade in the region, Tarab’ir Palace is the center of religion and learning. House Tarab’ir, despite its supposed favor with the gods, has suffered one calamity after another—before, during, and after the war. They allied with House Shalmira of the Golden Palace throughout the conflict, and thus technically were victorious, but the losses they suffered were immense. Their ill fortune in the intervening years has included a drought and a deadly plague. To this day, Tarab’ir has still not fully recovered, though they are making steady progress.
Tarab’ir relies on the Golden Palace for grain, salt, textiles, and many essential commodities, for which they exchange gold, gemstones, iron, and sacred incense. Furthermore, they instruct the elites of the Golden Palace in subjects of higher learning and priesthood. In the years after the civil war, the Fertile Splay region slipped economically and culturally due to Tarab’ir’s weakened state, but fortunately the seeming curse upon their noble house did not last, and there is a renewed sense of hope within their palace-city.
Political structure of Sarzalom
Sarzalom is divided into city-states. Some more interconnectedthan others. Although they often argue, in times of need, people will unite to overcome the external threat.
Legendary battle - 178 AoCa - Under the banner of Merzajam Shalmira, Sarzaks repeal the Rukanian invasion
Collapse of the Rukanin Empire – 99 AoC (around 532 years ago) – The final nail in the coffin was a great plague that ravaged the land.
Civil War in Sarzalom – 607–611 AoC – Although the rebels were defeated, King Targon Shalmira died in battle.
Year of the Black Comet – 14 AoR A celestial body flew over Sarzolm from west to east. It sparked widespread religious fervor, as the last time something similar happened, the Rukanian Empire fell.
A Bazagonian fleet sailed to the Belt of Tirva with a single goal: to establish a new colony. Their arrival may have triggered a domino effect that could one day spark a war between Sarzalom and Zillkara.
Meanwhile, in another part of Sarzalom, in Phar'Tuul (or, as the locals call it, the Horn), Ex-Warden Kobalt, with the aid of several kobold tribes, destroyed a nightmare from a bygone age: Nefereti III, the Goddess-Queen of the ancient Rukanidard Empire.
Head vs Belly
Both groups balance each other, in terms of weatlh, relgion importance, minerals and food production which leads to plenty of bickering and good old fashioned power struggle between them.
Is it even still sarzalom?
Recently, a wind of change swept across the lands, heralded by the appearance of a black star with a golden tail. It traveled from west to east over Sarzalom, blazing across the night sky like an omen reborn. The last time such a sign was seen was over a century ago, when the Rukaniadard Empire stood on the brink of collapse. Then, the star had journeyed from east to west, marking the rise of the Sarzaks to power. Now, many whisper that fate has turned once more, and the heavens themselves have begun to rewrite the order of the world. Some call it a blessing, others a curse—but all agree that change is coming.
- When the heavens burn with a black star crowned in gold, the fates of Sarzalom and Rukania shall entwine once more.
- The comet’s tail shall sweep the earth, stirring shadows of the past to walk among the living.
- The queen who fell in silence shall be wept anew, her lament echoing through stone and sand.
- From sorrow shall rise upheaval, and from upheaval, change—the kind that crowns kings or buries them.
- Beware, for the Black Comet does not pass without demanding tribute.
The comet had stirred some trouble. On one hand, shards fell into Sarzalom, and many became Comet or Shard hunters, driving a lot of folk into bloody madness. Monsters became more active, and some ancient creatures reawakened. Sethesian and other titan cults also grew more active. Even Cactonids from Misru started venturing out of their twisted overgrowth into the wider Sarzalom.
Nefereti III, remembered as the Weeping Woman, was the last queen of the Abydos(name still to be confirmed) Dynasty and one of the final rulers of the Rukanidard Empire. Following the empire's destruction, her fate became one of the greatest mysteries of Sarzalom.
The truth remained hidden for centuries. During the age of the Black Comet's return, explorers and adventurers discovered that Nefereti had not died at all. Instead, she had been imprisoned within a hidden pyramid buried beneath the sands of what is now Phar'tuul. As her legend resurfaced, she began reaching out to the living through dreams and through the Shadows, her ancient network of agents who had long since lost much of their humanity.
Her awakening sparked a race across the deserts of Sarzalom. Some sought to free the Queen and restore her to power, while others feared what her return would mean. Among her greatest enemies were the cultists of Azaktef the Chaos Serpent, who worked tirelessly to ensure that Nefereti would never reclaim her place in the world.
The crisis reached its end when Ex-Warden Kobalt united Kobold tribes of Phar'tuul and led the effort that destroyed Nefereti forever. How Kobalt learned the location of her hidden prison remains unknown, and many still speculate about the source of his knowledge. At roughly the same time, a separate faction attempted to create an Ichorite in Nefereti's glorified image, intending for her spirit to possess it and ascend into a new form. This scheme was thwarted by Hogrim and Captain Finka before it could succeed.
Thus ended the tale of Nefereti III.
After ending emmisaries around the Belt, helping out Barons and Lords, the Bazagonian emissaries met with Satrap Yousif Tirva the 5th and have begun a trade agreement which includes Bazagon expanding their colony to new forts/villages. Meanwhile Satrap Yousif is preparing to marry off his son, Yousif Triva the 6th, so Princess Sanya of Ahkrazem to forge an alliance. The deal between the two regions is that Ahkrazem will offer Tirva their army to push Zillikar further back and once the campaign to conquer Zillikar is complete, the Tirva dynasty will support Ahkrazem in rallying the various kingdoms of Sarzalom under their banner, handing down their kingdom to their children, Sanya and Yousif the 6th and their children after that. The job to gather the full support of the Sarzaks to end their peace and go to war is almost complete.
Meanwhile in Zillikar, General Driss Akujhan of the Barcain Empire is preparing to launch his own invasion on Sarzalom but has met much resistance. Since taking over Zillikar 3 years ago, the Barcain empire has been met with much resistance from the Zilleesi who support the old kingdoms and those who remain loyal to the kingdom of Salamar within the Belt, rebel and hinder the general's warplans. Driss can not make a move on Sarzalom until the has either fully swayed the hearts of the people to the gnollish empire's cause or struck fear in them that they have no thoughts of rebellion.
This conflict is being fought in the shadows between the Sarzak pantheon and the followers of the Titans.
On one side stand Poniria, Ātreshan, and Khnemuhap. Most of their agents originate from the Fertile Splay and Mehravash, though supporters can be found throughout Sarzalom.
On the other side are Azaktef the Chaos Serpent, Makraal the Fanged Maw, and Unedrevon. Unedrevon is especially feared by travelers, for he delights in patient killers: vampires, lycanthropes, and any predator willing to wait in the desert for its prey. In general, the followers of the Titans tend to be monsters or monstrous folk. Azaktef is the major exception, as many descendants of old Rukania willingly serve him. These cultists are known as the Sethesians.
Other gods may become involved in this hidden war. Sortisa would likely aid the Sarzak pantheon, while Lia Leng the Witch would pursue her own mysterious goals. Almalika the Broodmother would almost certainly seek to undermine Sarzalom, viewing turmoil and suffering as opportunities for her countless offspring to thrive.
The Serpent’s Song
Beware the Sethesians in ruins they hide,
Whispering to shadows where old kings died.
They serve the Serpent, coiled and deep,
Promising freedom, but stealing your sleep.
Stay from their fires, stay from their calls,
For chaos slithers through broken halls.
The Black Comet shines, their voices grow strong
But follow the Serpent, and you won’t live long.
