Zail

The seal of Zail, featuring Velkas' bident, one of his holy weapons.

Zail, the city-state where every individual is born with a debt to the city, and if they cannot pay it off in life, they are raised from the dead to continue paying it off.

## Government

Zail is ruled by a council of nobles, their identities are a secret from the public, and they are never seen in person wihout their elaborate outfits and masks. There are rumors the council is made up of undead nobles who chose to become liches.

## Defenses

Zail maintains two separate armed forces, Zail's Chosen, and The Hollow Legion. Zail's Chosen are the elite guards of the city, given the best training and equipment the city has to offer. The Hollow Legion is an army consisting of mostly undead, commanded by a few special members of Zail's Chosen, it is used as the main fighting force of the city.

## History

Zail was founded by Prince Zail of ???, who fled to the frigid north with his loyal followers after discovering the secret of necromancy. After finding a place to build a town to call home, Prince Zail raised the dead of the local populace to help build it. At it's completion, he named the town Thrallhallow, and crowned himself king.

In the years following the completion of Thrallhallow, people started to move, hearing wonderful stories about how your every need was catered to by untiring servants. After drawing attention to his growing town, King Zail was assassinated by mercenaries sent from ???. In memorial of his assassination, the now city of Thrallhallow was renamed Zail, and after a council was formed of Zail's most trusted, the city continued to prosper and grow, becoming an independant city-state.

## Notable Locations

**The Catacombs of Zail**

Due to the large amount of raised dead in Zail, the catacombs are quite sparse. Any raised dead which manage to pay of their debts, or a commoner lucky enough to get theirs paid off would be buried here.

**Council Tower**

At the centre of Zail lies Council Tower, it looms over every other structure in the city. The building is constantly under heavy guard by Zail's Chosen, even when the council themselves are not present. It is very uncommon for anyone to be given access to the interior of Council Tower, though when it does happen, it is typically notable merchants and nobles, or the occasional adventurer.

**Deadport**

While Deadport is smaller than the Silver Bluff Docks, it is arguably more important to the city. The only thing shipped in and out of deadport are hired undead, sent across the oceans to fight, or used for manual labor.

**Silver Bluff Docks**

The Silver Bluff Docks are the main trade and transport docks for Zail, all manner of livestock and materials are brought in, while the refined products from the city are shipped out across Benuha.

**Velkas Necropolis**

When the rich and nobility of Zail die, they are usually buried in Velkas Necropolis, named after Velkas, the god of undeath.

## Inhabitants

### Nobility

The nobility of zail are the ruling class, rich enough to pay off their "life debts" when they are born.

### Undead

Most commoners in Zail end up as part of the working undead force, as it is almost impossible for them to pay off their "life debts" before they die.

### Adventurers

It is not uncommon for adventurers to be seen in Zail, typically hired by nobility to carry out their whims, or occasionally by the city themselves, particularly when senesce make themselves known in the region.

## Culture

### Religion

The majority of Zail worship Velkas, the god of undeath.

### Festivals and holidays

In addition to the typical calendar celebrations in Benuha, there are several festivals held exclusively in Zail.

**Zail's Day**

On the anniversary of King Zail's assassination, a city-wide celebration is held in honour of his strength and power. People sometimes dress as King Zail and the assassins who killed him, and dramatically reenact his last stand.