Empire of Tzassa

## *Unknown*

The current Empire of Tzassa is a small and fragile nation found on the northernmost part of the Hadar Island Chain, the renowned location where the first stages of the Chrysant War began. Formerly known as Osstissa, Tzassa is currently home to a frail group of Allar and Slizzar who wish to rebuild and restructure their collapsed and desolate homeland into a safe and secure haven. Resenting the Empress who, in their opinion, brought about such destruction to the Essa Empire, those of Tzassa are content with their own lives in seclusion from the other decaying states of Hadar. Now they are steadily settling down in, and trying to build up, the ruins of their crumbling cities.

## History

Tzassa, or Osstissa as it was then known, was uninhabited by the Allar until after 102 AC, when they made their exodus over to Hadar from Sendras in an attempt to escape the Mu-Allar. On the other hand, the Slizzar had occupied Osstissa for roughly sixty years before the Allar migration, in basic tribal communities, living off of the fruit and animals that were found in the jungles. These Slizzar tribes lived simple and substantiate lifestyles that revolved around scavenging and hunting. After the Allar’s flight to Hadar, they became more involved in relations with the new-coming Naylar.

At first, the Slizzar regarded these Allar with curiosity, but over the span of fifty years, they managed to integrate into the Allar kingdom that had been formed on Osstissa’s shores, filling servantile roles to the seemingly superior Allar. Said kingdom was formed under Ta-zass Stzu in 123 AC, a previous Allar-Sul-Rassa leader in Sendras. He intended this kingdom to be bountiful and prosperous, and set out to build grand cities on the island of Osstissa. Ta-zass ruled benevolently and skillfully, managing to turn what used to be an isolated island into a successful nation that thrived off fishing and alchemy.

Ta-zass’s line ruled Osstissa until 276 AC when a Slizzar, Miko Missa, enforced her control as empress over Hadar. Ezzit az Ta-zass, the descendant of Osstissa’s first king, was eager to join her cause and support the effort to gain strength in the forthcoming fight against Sendras. Urged on by his Court of Alchemists, Ezzit was quick to pledge allegiance to the new Empress. Unbeknownst to the Allar and Slizzar, the Regalian Empire was having their doubts about the uprising of a Hadar empire, and Osstissa was invaded by the Regalian Fleet in 286 AC. Being smaller and completely unprepared for such a surprising attack, Osstissa soon fell within weeks as the invading troops razed the cities to rubble and slaughtered many citizens.

Once the Chrysant Wars had ended, Osstissa was in ruins. Thousands of Allar and Slizzar corpses still lay unattended to on the beaches, in the jungles, and amidst the burnt streets of the cities. Only those who managed to escape deep into the jungle were lucky to have survived the mass slaughter. Osstissa remained like this until 296 AC, when the first few survivors of the war began to leave their refuge in the jungles. Interestingly, the survivors didn’t take part in the genocides of the Slizzar race that had occurred in other Hadar nations, and instead laid blame on the former Empress who, in their eyes, had been the sole reason for this war.

Uniting under Ezzit’s heir, Mozassa az Ta-zass, the survivors banded together in the ruins of a large city and decided to reform their empire, thus renaming Osstissa to Tzassa in honor of Mozassa’s ancestor. Over the following few years, the Allar and Slizzar worked together to rebuild what little they had, and managed to make themselves a secluded, yet safe little empire on Tzassa. This stands true today, where the Tzassa Empire stands as a meager home for the Allar and Slizzar who wish nothing more than to live away from the conflict and struggles of the other Hadar states.

### Etymology

Tzassa is named after King Ta-zass, the founder of the original Osstissan kingdom. This came about in 297 AC when one of his descendants decided to title his new empire in honor of his ancestor as a means of recalling the past days when Osstissa was mighty. Osstissa itself was the old name for the nation, though the meaning of the name is long forgotten. The capital city, Zataris-ul-Allar, means ‘Sanctuary of the Allar’ in the Zasta language, referring to the new haven that has been constructed there.

## Geography

Tzassa is a rather flat island found at the northernmost point of Hadar. It has low, sandy beaches and wide, open tropical jungles. The shoreline has a large tributary on the southern coast which allows the river Ona to flow into the ocean. This tributary is where the previous capital city of Tzassa, Araza’ssun, was located, with the ruins still visibly sunken into the waters. Other ruins are visible along the coastlines, deserted and overgrown with plants and vines.

The jungles of Tzassa are known for their many clearings and groves where the Allar and Slizzar have made their new homes in small villages. Said jungles are rife with thick undergrowth, yet famous in Tzassa for the abundance of delicious fruits and berries that grow on the forest floors. All sorts of animals and reptiles roam the jungle floor--mainly carnivorous mammals on the ground, and herbivorous mammals in the treeline. Alongside this, Tzassa has many interesting insects, including a large grub-like worm named the Bugutza. The land is well-watered. The river Ona snakes its way through the island, which means that farming is easy due to the fertile soil. This river is named after a bastardization of the Slizzar word for fish; the river is a veritable treasure trove of fish and crustacean species.

### Climate

The Empire of Tzassa is home to a noticeably milder climate than many of the other Hadar states. While still tropical and humid, temperatures normally range from a respectable 23°C (73°F) to 27°C (80°F), due to the cool winds blown in from the Snake Bend Sea. It’s not uncommon for the island to be faced with seasonal rainstorms that render the ground soggy and damp, but these only occur from January to April.

### Notable Landmarks

* **Zataris-ul-Allar**

The capital of the Tzassan Empire is located in one of the island’s many ruined cities. The current emperor chose this city to be the new capital because of its strategic position inland where the river Ona begins. Although in shambles, the city features a mix of wooden and stone structures where the Allar and Slizzar have tried to repair long-broken buildings. The city itself is U-shaped, bending around each side of the river Ona with a bridge spanning the waters.
* **Ona Zattan**

Ona Zattan, the empire’s largest fishing town, is located on the banks of the river Ona. After Zataris-ul-Allar, it is Tzassa’s second largest settlement, home to many Allar and Slizzar. It is, as a result, also a primary location for trade on the island due to the fish markets and fruit stalls that line the weed-infested streets. With the river as a natural source of transport, resources are easily shipped upriver to the capital city.
* **Mazari**

Mazari is where the Allar of Tzassa once performed wondrous acts of alchemy, when the island was known as the Kingdom of Osstissa. If one were to look at it today, it’d appear all but abandoned, with many trees and bushes springing forth from its crumbling walls. Deep within, however, stocks and supplies lie untouched. It is sadly impossible for the people of Tzassa to ever reach these alchemical mixtures, for the Regalian Empire managed to destroy the foundations of the building in the Chrysant Wars, rendering it to heavy, buried rubble.
## Government

Tzassa is an empire under the current ruler Mozassa al Ta-zass. He has tried to recreate the rule of King Ta-zass by being benevolent and supportive to his people, as he knows that life for the war survivors is difficult. Emperor Mozassa is supported by two of his most important representatives: a Slizzar who is set to oversee the Slizzar population, and an Allar who acts to oversee the Allar population. This form of government works to the extent where Mozassa can deal with the economic and political decisions whilst his two representatives can seek to settle and ease the respective racial communities.

The Empire of Tzassa is comprised of a large-scale lower class with only Mozassal al Ta-zass rising above the poverty and destitution, along with his two main representatives.

### List of Rulers

* 0 - 102 AC - Small Slizzar tribes
* 102 - 123 AC - Slizzar and Allar tribes
* 123 - 151 AC - King Ta-zass Stzu
* 151 - 194 AC - King Na’z az Ta-zass
* 194 - 229 AC - King Shezi-zit az Ta-zass
* 229 - 276 AC - King Ezzit az Ta-zass
* 276 - 291 AC - Overseen by Empress Miko Missa
* 291 - 296 AC - Leaderless
* 296 - Present - Emperor Mozassa az Ta-zass

### Foreign Relations

The Empire of Tzassa is fairly secluded and kept away from the business of the other Hadar states. The empire views these states to be damaging to the safety of Tzassa, especially due to the fact that most are currently fighting amongst one another. With no standing military, Tzassa would rather not be involved with the other Hadar nations that could potentially decimate them once more.

Tzassa is not on good terms with Regalia either, though they cannot do much in the way of gaining revenge. The Tzassan people understand that Regalia’s power holds potential for the future and welfare of Tzassa, so on many occasions, the Allar and Slizzar of the empire have sailed north across the sea to try and find fortune there.

### Military

Due to the weakness of Tzassa, and the lack of suitable fighters, the empire has no standing military or army. The previous Kingdom of Osstissa was crushed during the Chrysant Wars, and the cities that were invaded were all but stripped of any useful military tool by the pillaging Regalian Fleets. As a consequence, weaponry is limited to basic hunting tools and woodcutting axes. If Tzassa were to be attacked once more, it’d be wholly unable to defend itself efficiently.

## Economy and Technology

The Empire is economically poor, but it has seen some improvements under Mozassa az Ta-zass. As of yet, there is no coinage. Instead, citizens are paid with foodstuffs and necessary supplies to survive in return for their work. Mozassa has managed to set up collected markets and a gradually growing market system for bartering and trading amongst the jungle villages of Tzassa and its remaining city. The town of Ona Zattan is Tzassa’s largest trading location.

### Demographics

* 60% Allar
* 40% Slizzar

## Culture

The Slizzar and Allar of Tzassa have a similar lifestyle, and consequentially share similar amounts of wealth. Wealth isn’t based around the idea of money and value, but rather judged upon the work one makes for the empire in the long climb back to prosperity. Since the downfall of Osstissa, the architecture has taken a heavy decline. Tzassa was once home to towering palatial cities and buildings of grandeur, which have all been destroyed since. The current citizens of Tzassan must make due with the resources from the jungles and have resorted to wooden huts. The Emperor himself lives in a glorified hut, though it is located within the walls of the old castle of Zataris-ul-Allar.

The fashion tends to be based around deep hues of blue and grey, but dyes are easy to make as a result of the vibrant flora in the island’s jungles, meaning greens and browns are also common to see. The clothing itself is quite long and flowing, fashioned out of animal pelts and fabrics, and usually accompanied by jewelery carved out of bone and ivory. This type of attire is both affordable, easily accessible, and practical. When it comes to the cuisine of Tzassa, fish and fruits make up the staple diet. Despite the rather simple and plain culinary tastes, the Allar and Slizzar have found a delicacy in the Bugutza grub that is native to the jungles of the island. Fat as a man’s arm and with a meaty flesh, the Naylar of Tzassa find roasting it provides a hearty and delicious meal, and it is therefore revered as one of Tzassa’s finest foods.

### Religion

The people of the Tzassan Empire prefer to be statolatrist and are in the mindset that the most important thing to give praise to is the empire itself, with hope that they can rebuild it quickly and expertly if they put their minds to their daily tasks. Whilst this may be true, some Slizzar still hold their faith in Nessrassian close to heart.

## Symbols

When thinking of symbols, the Empire of Tzassa is most commonly represented by the image of a lizard. This lizard curls upon itself, with the head eating the tail. Supposedly it is said to refer to the cyclical nature of Tzassa where the work made by its people goes into bettering the state of the empire, and as a result Tzassa can devour the old to better the new. Allar and Slizzar alike will often proudly wear this symbol on their persons, most carved into bone pendants.

## Trivia

* Mozassa’s father, the previous King Ezzit, was killed during the invasion of Osstissa in the Chrysant Wars. Some people claim to have seen his ghost wander the collapsed ruins of Araza’ssun at night, which is heavily avoided and surrounded by taboo.
* Allar from Tzassa seem to have a resilience to alcohol. This is partly due to the alcoholic strength of the fruits and berries on the island which, after many years of consumption, have allowed the Naylar to gain a steady resistance to the effects.
* Whilst many coastline settlements were plundered during the Chrysant Wars, raiders and salvagers still visit every now and then to see what they can pick and steal from the desiccated homes.

## Some attributes

### Third

*Unknown*

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