Azgo

The **Federal Republic of Azgo** (Ratikkan Ranjo-tarraz Azgo), formerly the **Zaqovian Empire** or simply **Zaqo**, is the current government in what is now **Vozolaz**.

## Flag

The flag of the Federal Republic of Azgo  consists of a white half and a black half, derived from the design of the Zaqovian national flag sans its gryphon. Its historical association with two dominant clans has been changed to refer to righteousness (white) and remembrance of history (black).

Aside from the gryphon's cultural association with order and the continuance of the Vozonid civilisation, the white and black sides of the flag represented the two major clans of the emperors' knights and nobles that helped establish the Zaqovian Empire, the Dulondarzo and the Dalitharzo. They were named respectively, the "Black Clan" and the "White Clan", after the flags that they used as their symbols.

The national anthem of modern Azgo was initially named as "Vozolaz Never Dies", renamed in 2000 as "Hail Vozolaz".

## History

### Zaqovian Empire

Zaqo was founded by a warlord from the east, who made his government a vassal of the Thralondian Empire to avoid being enslaved until its collapse.

There were five other noble clans that formerly ruled Zaqovian society until the War of the Five Dynasties, including the Mādilōr Clan, the ruling clan of the Zaqovian emperors. 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. 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 Zangbo built an army of Raktesai to overthrow the Prime Minister. He was defeated.

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.

### Azgovian Union (Thany-kappozkan Gompaz Azgo)

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 (as in "three hammers": an ideology that stresses that almost *everything*, including citizens and their possessions, should belong to the State) dictatorship, with the former imperial city of Dalatar as its capital and headquarters.

At first, the Trimallean government purged their country of nobility, clergy, and non-humans, putting them into labour camps or killing off any who fail its standards (especially the Ontemazei slaves, who were regarded as "monsters"). Under its second Supreme Leader Tōnzokal Thazoinizo, it spent a few decades building its economy and periodically raiding nearby states (including its enemy Arantar), taking advantage of their instability to gain more land and workers.

Around the '40s-'50s, Azgo competed against Arantar and the Tornarin Empire for control of the unstable Honvo region in the south and its resources. Meanwhile, the country became less authoritarian after Tōnzokal was killed on a stormy day by a collapsing dome in the People's Hall in the capital city of Dalatar. Subsequent Supreme Leaders became less powerful, as higher officials began to dominate its economy to fund the campaign in Honvo or their own pockets.

Amid a campaign to uncover archaeological artifacts at Mirukuz in the northwest, and occasionally interrogating aliens who crashlanded into the country's territory, Azgo's government became more corrupt as the officials' power grew. Eventually, they began fighting for control of the government, and in 1989 AT the country was plunged into civil war between the officials' remaining troops and a growing alliance of anti-Trimallean rebels.

The War in Honvo became more unpopular, leading to rebellions and growing defections to the Republic of Gornystar in the north. This forced the Azgovian army to retreat north to stop the loss of the north, but by the time the Azgovian military attacked Gornystar's new provinces, they suffered a second humiliating defeat. This led to growing discontent as the Trimallean government struggled to keep its economy in order after wasting so much of it on a foreign war, and eventually more rebellions in the 1980s.

### Federal Republic of Azgo/Present day

The Federal Republic of Azgo was formed in 1991 AT after an anti-Trimallean alliance defeated and exiled the last officials who tore the country apart to seize power.

The country was initially impeded by fights between angry nationalists and minorities over received reparations, but it eventually stabilised and its economy became more developed, only to endure various catastrophes later on. It faced the devastating Second Wraithstorm in 2012 AT, but it also recovered. During the Abductors' War, its capital city of Dalatar was attacked and bombed by aliens in 2030 AT.

Twenty years later, a government coup resulted in Azgo having a more centralised government under nationalist presidents, and the country renamed as "Vozolaz". In 2180 AT, Dalatar was attacked again, this time by the Third Kyrvotin Invasion, allowing the Wannaenids to briefly set up their own rule there until they were overthrown in 2208 AT.

## Provinces

It consisted of three component republics and two regions:

* Republic of Azroban in the cool northeast,
* Vozolaz Region in the rainy southeast,
* Southern Vozolaz Republic in the tropical south,
* Southwest Region in the grassy southwest,
* Republic of Mirukuz in the arid northwest.

### Republic of Azroban

Northern Azgo, or the Azroban Region, enjoys a level of autonomy after many of its provinces voted to return to Azgo. This also makes them the only part of Azgo where Ontemazei are allowed to visit and travel.

* 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
		- Jantūro’s Circus, Kanadurjoz Park, 26 Onjortoi Street, Bjazontroi District
* 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/Vozolaz Region

* Irzanaro (south of Iral)
	+ Rhytavyn City
* Zrokandyn
* Kalorvin
* Lhorondil
* Dalatar (capital city)
	+ The Blue Palace
		- This was the former residence of the Zaqovian emperors. During communist rule, its buildings were converted to public gymnasiums. It is now used as a museum and a shopping mall.

### Republic of Southern Vozolaz

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

### Southwest Region

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

### Republic of Mirukuz

* Aghuvan City
* Mirukuz City
* Mount Jamokor
* Arvonnoz
	+ Arvonnoz Hills
		- More Sarmelonid sites.
* Lake Tavoshon - An artificial lake created by the Tornarin rulers of Mirukuz to conduct a ritual. This lake is smaller than the original planned lake, but it is also now a reservoir that irrigated farms and jungles at southern Mirukuz. It still exists today.

## Culture

See also: Azgovian glossary, Azgovian calendar, Azgovian mythology

## Diplomacy

### Josol

Josol is Azgo's brother nation, as it is the closest destination to its holy mountain of Mount Mandil. Nonetheless, the Josolchir sometimes mock the Azgovians as "our drunk, vulgar kin".

### Gimbarish

Gimbarish and Azgo are in friendly terms due to their shared history of support. But the Azgovians are disgusted by the fact that many Ontemazei dwell freely in Gimbarish.

### Gornystar

Although Gornystar opposed the Trimallean regime, Gornystar later supported Azgo by helping it rebuild. The Gornystaris became one of the few Ontemazei permitted within Azgo, alongside their counterparts in Gimbarish, Turodaron, and Porashon.

### Turodaron

The people of Azgo view Turodaron as a weird nation: a nation of decadent Whites who nonetheless practice a culture closer to that of their Sarmelonid ancestors, like Porashon. In turn, the Turodarians look down on the Azgovians as "our vulgar fellow Vozonids".

### Araijon

The people of Azgo respect the Araijonians as "reborn Sarmelonids", people who continue the ancient culture of their ancestors. But they are very displeased with the Araijonians' friendship with the hated Ontemazei of Porashon.

### Arantar

Arantar is like the opposite of Azgo: rich, militarised, scientific, orderly, and disciplined. Both nations have a long-lasting rivalry, in which the Arantarese mock the Azgovians as "dirty and vulgar", and the Azgovians mock the Arantarese as "stuck in their high-tech and science labs".

### Porashon

Although the Azgovians dislike Porashon as a nation of the hated Ontemazei, they reluctantly purchased technology from Porasonid forges. They also have a rivalry with Porashon due to its closeness to Sarmelonid culture. The Porasonids, in turn, fear and dislike the Azgovians for murdering so many of their people, yet they are taught not to attack the Azgovians unless they invade or bomb Porashon.

## Trivia

* One of Vozolaz's names, "Azgo", was based on a poorly-done anagram of "Azog the Defiler", an Orc warlord from *The Hobbit*.
* Azgovian was based on a mixture of Valarin, Sauron's Black Speech, and Orcish, with bits of Arabic and Persian. The author created that language in around 2015.
* 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. After the Ontemazei were exterminated during Trimallean rule, the succeeding republic of Azgo banned Ontemazei from entering the country.
	+ Exceptions were given to citizens of Porashon, Umbirab, and Bujan; and the northern provinces. The former three countries were considered acceptable as their Ontemazei were considered "civilised" enough to be trustworthy, so they were permitted as tourists as long as they wore wristbands and avoided certain areas.
	+ The latter was due to their close relations with Gornystar, so they allowed Ontemazei from anywhere in the world to freely live and work there.