Zhao-Tian

**Zhao-Tan** is a continent located far to the east of Dharenall, and is considered the farthest east known continent. Often referred to as the Dragon Empires, Zhao-Tian boasts many sovereign nations, all of which have been experiencing a cultural renaissance.

It is home to the Zhao human ethnicity.

## Geography

The mainland of Zhao-Tian is incredibly large, surpassing the size of almost any other continent on Tyrind. The mountains of the Wall of Heaven run along the western border of the continent's northern half in the north, all the way to the ocean in the south. These mountains are incredibly tall with few dips, forcing all overland east-west trade through a limited number of passes, the greatest of which is near the cosmopolitan city of Goka.

To the east of the Wall of Heaven, the land quickly becomes flat and opens into lands controlled by the the Jade Empire. Further east are the Shadowlands, a region cursed in ancient times and separated from the rest of Zhao-Tian by the massive Great Kaiu Wall. The lands around the wall are dangerous, a never-ending war-zone. To fight and die here is considered a high honor by the Zhao people.

Many of the island of the Zhao-Tian's northeastern coast are a part of Misuko, a land slipping toward civil war thanks to the holding of the emperor by the Higashiyama Clan.

There is a single desert in Zhao-Tian, called the Szaezan Desert, where the monstrous nation of Doza-Xho rests, as does its rival nation of Minkai and its Shark Warriors.

Zhao-Tian's southern reaches are much wilder, and dominated by the massive Tiy'an Jungle, along with two massive, stormy mountain ranges. Here lie the territories of a strange, serpentine people known as the Xa Hoi. It is a wild land where no human empire holds sway.

## Notable Places

### **Chu Ya**

A nation in the far south ruled by malevolent, shapeshifting spirits known as Oni. The nation itself has closed itself off by raising massive walls of crystal from the ground. None are allowed in or out.

### **Doza-Xho**

A dictatorship run according to a strict communist philosophy that opposes private ownership of property, enforces state control of production and distribution of wealth, and forbids religion of any kind. Within Doza-Xho, all citizens are equal, at least in theory. The government is managed by the Sun Chamber, a council of bureaucrats headed by the nation’s dictator, Grandmother Pei. Beneath the Sun Chamber are numerous ministries, most infamously the Ministry of Peace and Harmony. The Sun Chamber runs re-education camps to force its ideology on dissenters, and has in recent years begun ideological purges to root out those who are not sufficiently zealous for Grandmother’s tastes.

Doza-Xho is located in the desert region of Szaezan. Grandmother ordered a wall built long ago, called the Wall of Glorious Shining Sun, that separates it from its immortal enemy of Minkai. The people of Doz-Xho are largely brainwashed farmers. The army, known as Unspeakables, are warrior slaves whose tongues have been removed and mouths sewn shut.

### **Dtang Ma**

A nation ruled by a confederation of powerful sorcerer-monks, the most powerful of whom is known as the Sorcerer Supreme. The royal family are all Spirit Folk. The nation is largely a peaceful one, which focuses on enlightenment, philosophy, and art. No animals are consumed within the borders of this nation, and even harming an animal is considered an offense. Dtang Ma has no standing army, and in times of war the bulk of the army is made up of summoned creatures, constructs and powerful spellcasters. There are no need for conscripts and few humans ever actually see the battlefield. Dtang Ma is a haven for non-human species, especially the Spirit Folk. Knowledge is exchanged freely here, and many come from around the world to study, meditate and pursue magical study and knowledge.

Cities are built up instead of spread out, with many moving stairways and raised walkways connecting the many spires and towers. Magical rickshaws and floating skiffs ferry passengers from place to place, and bound elementals perform a variety of tasks, including climate control, supplying water and providing light to homes. Magic is not feared in Mtang Ma, though it is still advised to practice magic wisely. There is a stigma against those who cannot cast magic. The caste system in Dtang Ma favors sorcerers (those born with the ability to perform magic) with those who teach themselves magic one level below. Those without magic at all comprise the bottom level of society. These people cannot own land and cannot inherit noble titles. Thus, all nobility are capable of at least basic magic.

Dtang Ma is known for its magic tournament, The August Cup, where spellcasters from around Kara-Tur (and some who sneak over from Athas) come to compete, where the prize is "magical wealth". The tournament is held every eight years.

### **The Jade Empire of Shou Long**

This vast empire is undoubtedly one of the most powerful nations on the face of Tyrind. The empire was started by a simple peasant who was supposedly invested with the Emblems of Authority by the mythic Nine Travelers (although it would be his grandson who would become the first emperor). The Jade Empire has one of the longest histories of any nation in the world, much less Zhao-Tian. With an immense population, vast territory and a central government managed by an efficient and generally honest bureaucracy, the Shou could conquer all of Kara-Tur if they desired—some speculate they could potentially come to dominate Athas, as well, should they turn their minds to it. However, while the Shou were expansionists in the past, the current Dynasty has come to find more pleasure in knowledge than military conquest.

The official head of the government is the Celestial Emperor, though in practice everyday affairs are handled by the Chancellor. A major criminal organization is known as the Tsui Tong. The main religion is worship of "The Twelve", which is practiced throughout Zhao-Tian.

### **Minkai**

A rugged mountain kingdom located in the deserts of Szaezen. It and Doza-Xho were once part of the same nation, but Doza-Xho broke away many generations ago, leading to a civil war that led to the region becoming a blasted desert. The people of Minkai are powerful warriors, who are known for wielding armor made of Bullette hide and wielding massive Great Hammers in their never ending war against Doza-Xho.

### **Misuko**

What is now Misuko was once a massive subcontinent that was blasted and shattered by a meteor strike thousands of years ago. Today, it is a few large islands surrounded by many smaller islands and countless tiny islands. Located on a rocky, verdant archipelago, Misuko is a land of rolling hillsides, deep gorges, narrow valleys, ravines and mountains. The impact milennia ago left many rifts to the elemental planes. Misuko has a deep history, and their knights are known as Samurai.

Misuko does not follow any religion, believing gods are mortalkind's way of trying to personify ideals, and divine magic comes from within. They instead practice Elementalism; a philosophy that espouses study of the elements. Several clans have risen up, following the philosophies of varying elements. The "clerics" of Elementalism are warrior-monks with one elemental domain and a domain representing a deeply held personal truth.

### **Hangal**

The northernmost realm on the continent. The barbarians of the Hangal (which means “Plains of Horses” in the local dialect) have been raiding and invading their neighbors for centuries and have even been successful on numerous occasions. The geography is mostly vast, flat, frigid tundra known as the Shaguang. Treeless plains with swamps of snow and ice dominate the landscape, though there are a few regions in the taiga suitable for farming. Further south are steppe grasslands where herders graze cattle annually. Cities are rare in Hangal, but a few walled settlements with buildings made of clay and stone do exist. The largest of these is known as Chegoyui. Several massive statues, mostly of famous Khans or horses, dot the landscape.

### **Hwanggot**

Also known as the “Nation of Many-Blossomed Flowers”, Hwanggot is considered a land of peace, understanding and diplomacy. The nation is ruled by an elected leader known as the Supreme Chancellor, who serve five year terms and can be elected to no more than three terms.

Education and the arts are among the most important things in Hwanggot. Some of the most prestigious universities in the world can be found in Hwanggot, and the people there are among the most liberal-minded in Kara-Tur. They are outspoken critics of Grandmother Pei of Bachuan, enough so that tensions between the two nations have been high.

Music and art from Hwanggot is renowned across Kara-Tur, and their artists are in high demand across the continent. Of particular note are their beautiful sculptures and paintings. The nation is on the cutting edge of music, and musicians from other nations often try to emulate whatever it is the Hwanggotians are doing.

The army of Hwanggot itself uses this creative style even in the way they fight; combat utilizes a lot of movement, like a dance. In fact, the fighting style of the army, when translated into the common tongue, comes out as something close to "the dance of death". War fans, glaives and curved knives are among the most popular weapons utilized by the army.

### **Gaitho**

Located in the Tiy'an Jungle, the Gaitho Kingdom is located in the northern reaches of the jungle. The terrain consists mostly of rolling hills and steep ridges mixed with dense rainforest and wetlands. The population is hospitable and unconditionally obeys their government. The people of Kuong follow the teachings of the Lord of Creation, who is said to be a single god with many faces and aspects, of which the King-Priest is only a small part, serving as the god’s voice and hand on Tyrind.

### **The Shadowlands**

Adjacent to the Jade Empire, the Shadowlands are located in what was once the easternmost reaches of the continent. The corruption and evil of that place has been quarantined, kept behind the Great Kaiu Wall which is manned by a group known as the Shadow Watch or the Men of the Eastern Watch. This organization is technically a Jade Empire organization, but members come from across the continent, and some are even men from other continents. Members hail from all races and backgrounds, as well. Becoming a member of the Watch requires one to renounce all familial ties and holdings, pledging total allegiance and loyalty to the Watch until death.

## Races

Like Dharrenal, Zhao-Tian is home to many sentient races. The most prominent found here are:

* **Humans:** The dominant people in Zhao-Tian. The Zhao people tend to operate in strict societies and rigid caste systems. Honor is often important in many Zhao societies. Note that Zhao is an umbrella term for "anybody who comes from Zhao-Tian", and is not usually how Zhao refer to themselves.
* **Hengeyokai:** Intelligent, shapeshifting animals, able to shift freely between human and animal forms, as well as a bipedal, animalistic form.They tend to be secretive, reclusive and solitary, dwelling alone or in small bands.
* **Korobokuru:** These gruff people are a race of dwarflike humanoids who live in barren wilderness areas where they seldom come into contact with humans. They typically avoid any contact or involvement in the affairs of the outside world. Korobokuru are known to be rude, belligerent, boastful and somewhat comical. That aside, they have simple tastes, enjoying community life in their small villages, telling wildly fanciful stories around a fire, simple arts, fine food and drink and collecting treasure. They consider it in poor taste to display their wealth, and carry only what they need on their person. They resist hierarchy and authority, believing the words of their goddess are the only true laws to which they must abide. They have a kinship with the Pandarens, who they believe worship the same goddess.
* **Nezumi:** Also called “ratlings”, are a race of bipedal, nomadic ratlike people. Their legends tell of grand cities in a forgotten empire. Today, they are a race of hardy and wily scavengers, eking out a meager existence in the midst of the world’s greatest horrors. The Nezumi are fierce, wild and primitive. They are survivalists of the highest order, managing to find a way to thrive in almost any environment.
* **Rock-Kin:** Large, six-and-a-half-foot living constructs built for the purpose of waging never-ending war against the Shadowlands. Each was granted sentience, to better enable them to act and fight in the bleak, horrific landscapes of the Shadowlands. Tired of being considered expendable cannon fodder, they have recently taken control of the Creation Pit and declared themselves independent of the empires who initially spawned them. They are humanoid in shape, hewn of stone, crystal and metal. A magic process animates them, making them truly sentient. They rarely speak, although they are fully capable of doing so. They have a sexless form and considered to be mono-gendered (though some identify one way or the other). As they are living constructs, a Rock-Kin does not have a natural lifespan; with maintenance and repairs, a Rock-Kin can live indefinitely. A newborn Rock-Kin comes fully-formed from the Creation Pit at birth, with rudimentary language and instinctual knowledge of movement. Each is a blank slate at creation, with no knowledge of good or evil; they are completely at the mercy of their tutors to instill such information to them. They have no real culture in any broad sense, but they are defined by the concepts of purpose and duty. Most regard the Rock-Kin with degrees of suspicion and unease, especially considering their recent coup.
* **Spirit Folk:** Known by many names, the spirit folk are the descendants of humans and various spirits of nature. Spirits folk have six distinct ethnicities—bamboo, fire, mountain, river, sear and wind spirit folk. All tie very strongly to the natural world, as well as to the society of humans. They are often serene and calm (with the exception of fire spirit folk) and are attuned to their surroundings, at peace with the natural world. Their spirit ancestry gives them an awareness of the spirit world, and they show little desire to manipulate that world through magic.
* **Tengu:** These black-feathered, crow-like humanoids are known for being mischievous and sneaky, possessing a love of coin, precious metals and fine silk. They are often thought of as greedy (and they are), duplicitous (which is true) and have a keen mind for banking and numbers.
* **Vanara:** A race of curious monkeylike humanoids, possessing brave hearts and inquisitive minds. Vanara are often viewed with amusement or exasperation by members of other races, who find their personalities both childish and irritating.