Zaqo

**Zaqo**, or the **Zaqovian Empire**, was a monarchy that existed during the latter 2nd millennium AT in present day Azgo or Vozolaz.

## History

Zaqo was founded by a warlord who served the Thralondian Empire. For several centuries, his clan and four other clans ruled the land of Vozolaz as a puppet government under the Thralondian governor. The clans were the Mādilōr Clan (Blue), the Dulondarzo Clan (Black), the Dalitharzo Clan (White), the Rūmilōr Clan (Red), and the Īzjanōr Clan (Green). The Mādilōr Clan (or dynasty) was the ruling house over Zaqo, although true power lay in the hands of the Thralondian governor.

The Wraithstorm -- caused by a failed Thralondian expedition into Rabydos -- killed millions of people on the continent of Palkyras, including the Thralondian governor. Seeking to replace the governor of Zaqo, the four other clans of Zaqo waged war against the Mādilōr Clan and each other, sparking the War of the Five Dynasties. Saddened by the ruin of the capital Dalatar, the gang leader Thōjaroz Jaudovin helped the nobleman Makhalakhjol became Emperor of Zaqo, reunifying the country in 1792 AT with the help of the Tornarin mercenary Naramasel, a former member of the Dalitharzo Clan. The Emperor then appointed Thōjaroz as Prime Minister, and he oversaw the reconstruction of the country.

Zaqo faced a rebellion at the northeast, where the governor Tu Songban built an army of Raktesai to overthrow the Prime Minister. He was defeated by one of Thojaroz's generals, Nai Yenglok. Both men grew up as slaves until they escaped their tormentors as they fought each other: Songban discovered a cave where he secretly constructed his robotic army, while Yenglok escaped to Dalatar and worked as an officer. Songban considered himself to be a more capable ruler of Zaqo than the Prime Minister, so he marched with his army southwards to Dalatar. Yenglok tried to convince him to stop, but when his requests were refused, the two former friends fought at the outskirts of the city. Yenglok managed to shut down Songban's robots, and defeated him in a duel.

When news reports about a failed slave rebellion at Mirukuz depicted scenes of the Ontemazei slaves eating people, the whole country was enraged. Hundreds of Ontemazei were brought to the streets to be killed, while scores fled or were hidden from the bloodshed. This led to many people relocating from Zaqo to nearby nations, as they were horrified by the sheer cruelty of the country's people.

In 1914 AT, a militant faction took over the nearby country of Mirukuz and waged war against the Zaqovian Empire. With aid from Tornarin mercenaries, their forces outnumbered the Zaqovian army and took over their territories under a single Trimallean dictatorship, with the former imperial city of Dalatar as its capital and headquarters. The Trimalleans taught that almost *everything*, including citizens and their possessions, should belong to the State, and they cared more about achieving military dominance than improving their own people, although it managed to survive as some officials kept its infrastructure functioning.

## Geography

### Northern/Azroban

* Mitavar (southeast of Gimbarish)
	+ Mitavar City
		- A border town to Gimbarish. The Baval Olhi River flows to the east.
* Kabyran (southwest of Gornystar, east of Mirukuz, south of Gimbarish)
* Ghaunoruro (south of Gornystar)
	+ Kjōdariz City
* Augorydin (east of Gornystar, south of Gimbarish)
* Bavoltar (southeast of Gornystar)
	+ Bavoltar City
	+ Khadusoz ruins
* Mount Jubarit
	+ A tall, snow-capped peak to the north of Bavoltar.
* Rimutādi
* Samolsor
	+ Samolsor
		- A site of Konjor ruins.

### Eastern

* Irzanaro (south of Iral)
	+ Rhytavyn City
* Zrokandyn
* Kalorvin
* Lhorondil
* Dalatar (capital city)
	+ The Blue Palace
		- This was the residence of the Zaqovian emperors.

### Southern

* Lausovyn (west of East Azgo and Josol)
* Tarondir (north of Ioratin)
	+ Milotar Port
* ?
	+ Naljadriz (northwest of Ioratin)
* ?
	+ Rūmpurzaz
	+ Dolzorin Mountains

### Southwest

* Tivognyz
	+ Tivognyz City
	+ Temple of Lyres
* Goravin (east of Arantar)
* ? (east of Makhandron City)
* Vylhandar (northeast of New Irajon)

## Politics

From the end of the War of the Five Dynasties until their defeat by the Trimallean militants, Zaqo was ruled by the Sronghovid Dynasty of monarchs. The Prime Minister wielded more power than the monarchs to govern the whole country.

### Five Clans

The Five Clans were five noble households that ruled over Zaqo or Vozolaz before the War of the Five Dynasties. After that, they remained rich and prominent, but had much of their wealth and authority taken away from them.

* Mādilōr Clan (Blue) - Mādili Onō-lharvol, Mādaljotharzo; Jauporoz Onō-lharvol (Gryphon)
	+ The founding rulers of Zaqo, who conquered Vozolaz from the Thokorthar monarchs. They made their nation a Thralondian vassal, claiming to protect it from further Thralondian actions and a possible extermination.
* Dulondarzo Clan (Black) - Adul Lharvol, Dulondarzo
	+ One of two households for the Madilor emperors' bodyguards.
	+ It was their envy over the Madilor Clan's authority that sparked the War of the Five Dynasties, as they denounced the young crown prince.
* Dalitharzo Clan (White) - Dali Lharvol, Dalidarzo
	+ One of two households for the Madilor emperors' bodyguards.
	+ They also sparked the War of the Five Dynasties out of envy.
* Rūmilōr Clan (Red) - Rūm Lharvol, Rūmotharzo; Sauvoz Lharvol, Sauvatharzo (later, Sunrise)
	+ Denounced as cowards as many of their members served the Bavoltar rebellion or defected to Arantar.
* Īzjanōr Clan (Green) - Īzoi Lharvol, Īzoitharzo

### Lesser imperial clans

* Sīl Lharvol, Sīlatharzo (Gold) - Irnoz Lharvol, Irnovotharzo
	+ Bought so many people to protect them from being enslaved and tortured by the Thralondians.
	+ Secretly an ally with Gornystar, and aided the Lau Lharvol.
* Lau Lharvol, Lauthotharzo (Dusk) - Lāruk Lharvol, Lhōrvotharzo (later name, Purple)
	+ Later became the Sronghovid Dynasty.

## Society

See also: Azgovian calendar, Azgovian mythology

Zomjonor's Birthday was mostly observed as a festival to wear costumes of monsters and evil characters. These were originally done to poke fun of spiritual threats to the Vozonid people, but later ended up being commercialised as a form of entertainment.

In the late 19th century, archaeological discoveries have caused a wave of stage plays and movies about the Ontemazei goddess Mithura. People in Zaqo began wearing costumes of her and her husband on Zomjonor's Birthday when they went on dates, alongside people who wear other costumes of monsters. On the other hand, Ontemazei were rarely allowed to pretend to be Mithura and Goruso, as they tend to end up being targets of violent hooligans.

When Zaqo was founded, slavery was a profitable institution, where anyone -- from colourful foreigners to even fellow Vozonids who were beaten up by gangs -- was made into a slave. Ever since Thōjaroz became Prime Minister, slavery was abolished for humans, but still legal for Ontemazei, Arnadjanai, and non-humans. Ontemazei were especially hated in Zaqo for their extermination of humanity thousands of years ago, and almost every Ontemazei that lived in Zaqo was raised to be a slave: hence the occasional dozens that fled to other countries to earn their freedom and avoid being tortured, such as in Porashon, Turodaron, and Gornystar.

In Zaqo, all Ontemazei were treated like animals. They were only allowed to wear loose clothes, they were forced to wear collars, they were not allowed to leave their masters' homes, and they were given only meat to eat.

## Trivia

* The author thought of Zaqo at around 2017 as a backstory for Azgo.