Zundae

Zundae is the largest continent in the material plane. It spans for hundreds of miles however remains unexplored to most of the world. Only one quarter of the entirety of Zundae is known to the wider world. Mortals are theorized to live on the other side of mountain ranges such as The Lands Divide, but no proof of that exists at current time.

## Timeline of Zundae

### Predynasty ??? AS - 2509 AS

The Predynasty refers to the period of time in Zundae before Lord Imosses Worhaza ended the Predynasty area by becoming the first Pharaoh creating the First Dynasty

#### Early History ??? AS - 2205 AS

The early history is simply lost to time. The dragonborn scholars seek to find their lost history however it is very difficult as it is most likely buried beneath the sands. Many temples, catacombs and tombs are lost in the sand and some make a concerted effort such as the Delver's Guild to find archeological evidence and preserve it, while there are grave robbers that have already looted and sold the artifacts for a high price in the black market of Zundae. Other scholars claim that there must be more in the rest of the land however those that have traveled to find such information never return.

The dragonborn know this much of there early life. The Zundaen pantheon came into existence and Worhaza blessed the bloodline of what would be come the Worhaza lineage. From this there has been twelve lords/ladies that have reigned ever since to present day. All of the Lords/Ladies have gone on to be known as part of The Ascended.

The Ascended refers to the Deities that are apart of the Zundaen pantheon that were elevated to Deity status from being a mortal instead of being created as a Deity.

Not all The Ascended are known to the dragonborn people. With there history so lost even names of these important figures are not know and so they are unable to be worshiped and they have presumable been powerless for some time until they are found and worshiped once again.

#### First Contact and The Trade Agreement 2205 AS - 2405 AS

The first contact on record that the dragonborn had with a race from another continent was that of the humans of Ethnos. At the time only the rich could effort to venture out and explore the world. Places such as Altei, Madrigal and Obais had been established and had become functional so the human decided to try there luck in the south east this time round and that is how they found Zundae.

Another thing that prevented Zundae from being found before this time was that the surrounding seas are notorious for a high amount of elemental activity storms that would be dangerous by sailors standards are significantly worse with air and water elementals in the mix. Many a sailor have claimed to have seen ships felled by krakens and other mythical creatures of the sea. There are also pirates that have claim to uncharted islands on important trade routes that will attack unaware ships. Often these ships will bargain with dragon turtles for protection.

This gives way to another myth and legend of the Bronze dragon. Stories of sailors claiming they have bargained with a Bronze dragon in disguise is not uncommon as is the stories of Bronze dragons destroying pirate ships.

When the humans made first contact with the dragonborn there was a standoff of sorts as the human galleon docked and boarded into the dock of Worhaza city. Many of the dragonborn were confused at first having never seen a human before. Luckily for the humans the Wizards of Worhaza knew translation spells and they were able to converse. At first the humans came to trade and make there presence known in the world. The dragonborn were happy with this and welcomed there kind into the city as long as there were respectful of their rules.

This was good for a time but the nobles of Ethnos got the idea in their head that they should rule these dragonborn and there land. This idea didn't go well. The dragonborn people were more than prepared for an attack. The humans had made a major error. Even though they had sent their best men with enough equipment for the job, they didn't take into account losses that would occur before making landfall and that the men they had sent were not trained for fighting in the dry heat of a desert.

The dragonborn held there ground and killed all of the humans that invaded. It would not be for sometime until the Ministry of Merchants came along and negotiated a deal with the dragonborn to integrate them not only into there currency system and trade but also to the wider world. The dragonborn agreed and from that day on the dragonborn have used the standard currency system of copper, silver and gold ever since. Since the first contact common began to be integrated in the languages known by the dragonborn to better handle trades with outsiders.

### First Dynasty 2509 AS - ??? AS

The First Dynasty refers to the period of time after the first Pharaoh was appointed, which is currently all the up to present day.

#### The First Dynasty 2509 AS

During the year 2509 AS Lord Imosses Worhaza as he was known at the time gathered all of the city of Worhaza to make a historic announcement. Everybody knew this was going to be huge as Imosses was rarely seen and never made announcements.

The Dragonborn people gathered in a huge crowd around the Statue of Worhaza. On the cliff that overlooked the city square a grand stage was constructed and Imosses made his announcement.

Imosses stated that something had changed and that it was no mistake. A new star had appeared in the sky and one of the ascended had returned to his seat within the Zundaen Pantheon. The 6th lord of Worhaza, Yorbrahum. He claimed that his bloodline aloud him to commune with his distant relative and that he told him that he had became too lax as a ruler and that things needed to change.

So with this, Imosses ruminated for a while and came to a decision, this was his historic announcement. It was time for the Dragonborn of Zundae to enter a new area. The time period before this would now be known as the Predynastic Period and its rulers Lords and Ladies. That area was over and Imosses decreed that this was the First Dynasty and that he was Pharaoh Imosses Worhaza the 1st Pharaoh and that Drako Worhaza would be his Vizier.

The newly self appointed Pharoh was about to make his first decree as Pharaoh, but before he could the unforeseen happened.

#### The Betrayal of the Drow 2509 AS

For hundreds of years the dragonborn and the drow lived a tenuous coexistence. It was not unusual to see a drow walk the streets of Worhaza and for there to be the lack of stigma against them that the rest of the world shared. That was until 2509 AS.

For reasons that have not yet been shed light on a small contingent of Drow assassins attempt to take the life of Imosses Worhaza. As Pharaoh Imosses Worhaza was about to make his first decree he was assailed by three Drow assassins. These Drow were not prepared for the combined might of Pharaoh Imosses Worhaza and Vizier Drako Worhaza. Drako decapitated the first Drow and sent his head spiraling into the crowd bellow. The second Drow had his flesh melted away by a vicious acid breath weapon attack. The third was reduced to a pile of ash by a Disintegrate spell cast by the Pharaoh.

#### The First Decree - Imprisonment of the Drow 2509 AS

Angered greatly by this the Pharaoh stated that he did not think this would be his first decree as Pharaoh. His first decree was this. All Drow in the city were to be locked away in the dungeon. What followed was a brutal sight. hundreds of potentially innocent Drow were dragged through the streets and taken to the dungeon, beaten if they resisted.

#### The Second Decree - Uniting Zundae 2509 AS

The Pharaoh took but a few seconds to compose himself but his anger fuelled his passion for this next proclamation. Pharaoh Imosses Worhaza vowed that he would unite the settlements of Zundae under one banner and that the Dragonborn would be a mighty force once again.

## Major Cities and Settlements

### Worhaza City

The city of worhaza is the biggest settlement in the continent of Zundae known to the wider world currently. It is settled on an island in which structures of varying sizes exist. Tall spires can be seen from a distance. These spires are part of the magical academy. Most of the structures are constructed out of a combination of sandstone, wood and sometimes metals.

The cities inhabitants are a majority copper dragonborn. There is a small contingent of drow within the city as they have found that a coexistence for now as the dragonborn do not share their opinions with the rest of the world about the drow as they have taken them at face value. However this doesn’t mean that the drow still aren't devious however…

A trade agreement was signed with the Ministry of Merchants one hundred and four years ago, this standardised the currency and started a massive trade boom. Ship routes established folk from all continents have made Zundae there home however only making up a small amount of the population in Worhaza. The dragonborn don’t harass the other races for being different, in fact they are curious of different cultures and customs.

The current ruling of the city of Worhaza is an interesting one. The current bloodline in control of the seat of power is the Worhaza bloodline. This is confusing to outsiders that don’t understand the culture of the dragonborn. When a leader is required the people select their leader based on a strength that they are looking for. This strength for the Worhaza bloodline comes from the god Worhaza himself, hence the clan name was taken in his honour. Each of the rulers of Worhaza are blessed with a great power from the god and go onto become a deity themselves. This is why the bloodline has ruled for so long. The people have no qualms about this as all of the rulers to their current history have been beneficial to their progress as a people.

### Seroze village

Seroze is a simple man's village. It is full of hard workers. The folk here carry out a simple existence doing labour work jobs and seeing life pass them by. The work here is not much but it's honest. This is what attracts people to this village a promise of a complacent life in which you earn your stay and provide to the village. This village is small enough that everybody knows everybody. Word spreads fast and information quickly passes through the village. The villages often share a comradery in certain situations. It is not uncommon for villagers to band together to help each other to take down a beast, or in simpler tasks such as constructing a building. This is why this simple oasis village has survived for so long. It is its people that keep it alive and the Lady Seroze makes sure its stays that way.

In recent events a long standing tale was resolved. A group of adventures from the Adventures Guild braved the fabled Howling Caverns and found within the three remaining minotaur on Zundae. These minotaur were in fact friendly and had only been killing out of self defense. After the situation was resolved the minotaurs agreed to live peacefully within the walls of seroze.

### Sygranax village

The village of Sygranax is a small self contained entity that has shut itself off from the world. These dragonborn live a secretive existence in the oasis with there back to western mountain range, confining themselves to this space with no attempt to connect to outsiders. There is no trade route that goes to Sygranax and only those that are curious or looking to prove something travel there. Often many do not make it as they must pass through Slurhk’s desert and are immediately killed.

The little information the world has on this village is this. It is a small community of barbarian copper dragonborn. They appear to live off the land and live a similar existence to seroze accept but there self severed connection to the world has bread tougher people not relying on others for help. It seems that their culture revolves around proving yourself but to what is unknown.

### Norixius village

The fishing village of Norixius has a humble coastal life with a stable economy around the fishing trade goods they produce. As much as Worhaza city is a coastal city and there are fishermen none can hold a candle to the fisherborn of Norixius. Fisherborn is a colloquialism that was created through the tales of the admirable fishing practices of the dragonborn from Norixius. Generally a fisherborn refers to a dragonborn that was born in Norixius.

### Sotiichia village

The people of Sotiichia live a relatively normal existence apart from their religious practices. These dragonborn although worshipers of the entire Zundaen Pantheon have taken a particularly strange devotion to So-Ken the god of crocodiles and rivers. Living next to the river that runs through the land you can see how this came about. Many of its inhabitants because of this treat crocodilians with extreme reverence and is this town's sacred animal.

This town has an interesting practice in which they will strap the dead of there village to the backs of crocodiles to send them to the afterlife safely just as So-Ken allows the souls of the dead to ride upon his back to the underworld safely.

### Shar Njedim Basin

The shar njedim basin was not always the way it is in the present day. It was once a normal piece of land. For many years it was the halfway point between Sotiichia and Takatchka as its grounds offered many water wells that were only a few inches below the surface.

This allowed for a steady growth of people to accumulate on the land. First it was thirsty travelers and then it became a place for farmers to grow their crops. Over time civilisation grew and it became known as Bermjorn village.

Bermjorn lasted for several hundred years until the watering holes began to dry up. These watering holes had in fact become more sparse and the people needed to dig further down to reach any water. After much debate in the community the lord of Bermjorn was flummoxed as what he should do offering a hefty sum of money to whoever could solve their problem.

One day an arch mage came a long and claimed that he could solve the lords problem with his magic. The lord desperate for a resolution to his problem begged him to help. What followed couldn’t have been foreseen.

The arch mage demanded a large amount of materials which seemed very weird at first but when they realized it was for a very powerful spell the lord couldn’t wait to see what magic would solve his problem. The arch mage prepared for several months also recruiting local wizards to lend there aid to the final casting ritual.

Upon the day of the casting the arch mage gathered everything in preparation and began casting the spell alongside the wizards he had recruited.

A terrible rumble shook the village as the ground began to tear open and collapse beneath them. Before the lord could question what was happening he was consumed by the ground itself as he fell into the dark abyss below. Several hundreds of people died, all wizards that helped had died of exhaustion from casting a spell higher than they could comprehend. The entire city had now dropped several thousand feet into the earth itself.

The once peaceful land had now been transformed into an unnatural basin. The land lay shattered with the space between shards of land filled with an abundance of water. Caves undiscovered now exposed by the light spewed gushing water forming foam at the bottom of the basin.

Those that survived yell at the arch mage to explain why he did what he did. He explained that he solved their problem. Down here the village could now reach the water that they had trouble reaching before, if anything they now hand an almost infinite supply that would last them several hundreds of years. The villages were forced to accept this reality began to gather the remains of their belongings and restarted life.

From that day onwards the basin was known as the Shar Njedim Basin, translating literally to arch mage basin, as that was the truth it was his basin now. The village did elect a new lord however they all knew that the real lord of this village was the arch mage. The arch mage within days constructed a mage tower from nothing and now lives in the center of this basin with the villagers that dare to live here around him.

Years later the arch mage has been proven right. The villagers that live down in the basin have prospered. There crops yield three times as much as before and they never have to leave to drink fresh water. The only downside is they now live secluded from the world with no way of escaping a paradise.

### Wurunsagt village

Wurunsagt village is a strange but eccentric. Those that arrive at Wurunsagt will first believe that they have entered a normal town but the longer they spend there stranger secrets as uncovered. The first is that the lord of this town is a powerful druid of the dream who appears to have shaped the town and its oasis in his ideals.

The second thing someone will notice is that every day spent there the lines between reality and dreams blur what's real and illusion become one for periods of time. People who come to Wurunsagt intending to only stay for but a day often lose weeks at a time to its fey charms and wondrous wiles. The people that suffer from this loss of time also become easily delighted and find life to be at its best. No one in this town hates life and is very content.

This village also has an integrated colony of fey creatures that call the oasis home. These range from the good pixy to the evil satyr. Those that know how to deal with these type can bargain with them however those that are just simple folk can often find themselves at the mercy of these creatures.

### Takachka village

Takachka village is one of the more normal places you will find in Zundae. Known for its central location and being a hub of trade, many of the goods that you wish to find in other places can often be found here in Takachka. Since most villages trade eventually flows through Takachka many people take permanent residence.

The village is founded on a large oasis that is located directly on the long river that spans the length of Zundae, this is how the dragonborn get their trade goods. Merchants either make the journey with their camels and caravans across the desert or the get a boat.

This is not without its own troubles. In recent years the landscape north has changed. A notorious giant scorpion named Slurhk as taken residence in the desert and claimed it his own. As for the river the Shar Njedim Basin risk death as one wrong move can lead to a person falling several thousand feet to their death.

For all its dangers there is still one attraction that often invites tourism to Takachka and that is the view of the famous Red Peak. Takachka offers a splendid view of this impressive mountain and many a travelers claims that the danger is often worth it.

### Monmanahaug village

The Dragonborn of Monmanahaug are hard working folk with a difficult life. Many Dragonborn from Monmanahaug are attacked by the wild life in Zundae. Gnoll warbands and other dangers such as raging elementals. This often happens in the journey from the village to the salt flats nearby. The salt flats are the main source of trade income. Because of this Monmanahaug Dragonborn are excellent miners and merchants.

With there keen business minds the Dragonborn have made use of the local elephant herds and have integrated them into there workforce. Elephants have been adapted to be used for manual labour jobs but also as war machines. This is how the Dragonborn have survived the harsh onslaught of terrors that lurk in Zundae.

However sometimes is bad for the Dragonborn because some don't treat the elephants with respect so ???, God of Desert Storms and Elephants uses his influence of the desert storms and elephants to make sure that there is a reckoning for those that treat his patron animal with disrespect. Sadly even those that are innocent will get swept up in the chaos as ??? is a dangerous and quick to anger deity.

### Melimir village

The monks of Melimir have lived in seclusion for many years. Those that wish to harness the power of the sun make the grueling journey to the southern part of Zundae to find these monks. There is a chance that you may encounter one of these monks elsewhere in the world. They are often found alone training themselves physically and mentally against the harsh climates of these lands.

## Religion in Zundae

### Worhaza, God of Protection

Worhaza is the lawful good copper dragon god of protection in the Zundaen Pantheon. Worhaza is seen as the most powerful within the Zundaen Pantheon.

Worhaza was the god that is said to have blessed the dragonborn bloodline that has hence forth known as Worhaza lineage. They now reign over Worhaza city that is named after them.

Even though Worhaza is seen as the most powerful he isn't the most active in exerting his dominion over his worshipers. Throughout the pantheon their is a tribunal that deems whether a soul is worthy to pass through into the Underworld.

### Workings of the Pantheon

Deities from the Zundaen Pantheon often are attributed to specific aspects of life rather than large broad terms.

When a mortal that dies that worships a god of the Zundaen Pantheon there soul is claimed by the Veknbet to be judged within The Halls of Judgment. This soul will under go a process known as the Judgment of the dead.

The way the soul is judged is the soul is placed upon the divine scales of judgment presented by the god of judgment himself. He is then weighted against the feather of Veknbet. If there is any evil within the soul that had been placed there by actions in life or the true intentions of the soul that lie dormant in its subconscious it will weigh more than the feather and the scales will tip. If this happens the soul will be deemed evil and unworthy of the Underworld and will be fed to Ramun-Ka, Consumer of the Guilty.

Should the soul be deem worthy and good it will be allowed to ride upon So-Ken's back safely to the Underworld. There in the underworld a soul can live out its favourite pleasures in eternal battles and feasts. Revelry is infinite in the Underworld.