Zarijana

**Zarijana** is a large country located at the southern part of the continent of Randros.

It is located to the mountains east of Ardesch, Kalambour, and Hothro, stretching from the northwestern steppes to the tropical southeastern shores of the continent of Randros. Thralond is located to the east of Zarijana; and across the Velmorian Ocean further east at Darros is the agricultural kingdom of Rukania, and the boreal land of Sevraeja and its domed seaports.

## Flag

The Zarijanian Empire's flag is a dark blue banner with a golden *Faravahar* at its midst. The blue background symbolises devotion to the teachings of the Holy Avesta, the sacred scriptures of Zarijana's monotheistic Mazdajasna (or "Zoroastrian") religion. The *Faravahar* (or *Fravarti*) represents good conscience and righteousness, as it also depicts an angel sent to every sentient soul to guide them to virtue.

## Geography

Much of Zarijana is desert, with steppes in the north and tropical forests and savanna in the southern shores. The southeast is mostly tropical.

Zarijana is divided by a volcanic mountain range along the south and southeast.

The southwestern shores of Zarijana were known in history for their gold deposits.

## History

It was one of the cultures influenced by the Zarandim civilisation, and another being the Gauvajut Empire to the west and its predecessors. For its trade with its Darroskei and Elloneo neighbours at the east, it has become the source of several trade routes between and across the continents of Randros and Darros.

One of its earliest kings was Djamshid, who founded the nation of Madaena as an offshoot from Zarandu.

The Kingdom of Madaena, ancestors of the Zarijanians who lived north of Zarandu, encountered the Otjaezva and taught them many forms of technology, from architecture to mathematics. In fact, one of the three writing scripts used in Sevraeja was originally from Madaenan cuneiform. The Otjaezvans and their Sevraejan descendants in the western cities built blue domes in their palaces to emulate the Madaenan kings of old.

In the Seventh Age, Zarijana learned to use gunpowder from their Sevraejan Slav allies in the east. They, in turn, taught the Slavs to use a gun platform shield utilised by both nations' militaries. Zarijanian gunpowder also helped the peoples of eastern Rifandi defeat the vampires plaging their lands.

Zarijana was also notable for two famous battles: a victory against an army of Greyfolk from the north (called "the dark armies of Ahriman" for their hideous armour), and a failed attempt to stop the advances of the warlord Alexandros III and his looting. When they prevailed against the Hordes of Ahriman, they learned from runaway slaves about the physiology of their near-human foe. The first-ever studies of the Greyfolk were from Zarijana when all other nations saw them as demonic monsters: the Zarijanians learned that the Greyfolk were another kind of human, and they also had different cultures like all humans do.

Hundreds of Greyfolk who turned against the Horde were allowed to live in Zarijana as freedmen, as a reward for avenging their former masters' victims; and henceforth they also served alongside their human compatriots in defending their new home against various invaders and tyrants across history to this day.

Zarijana competed against the growing might of Ardesch during the Sixteenth Age, while both civilisations were spared from the Tuksharan flying cities' onslaught by the Darroskei realms' defence. After the influence of the fanatical priest Kartir, Zarijana became more devoted to the teachings of the Holy Avesta: among its policies included spreading the Mazdajasni religion via missionary campaigns or attacking suspected non-believers to force them to convert. Another notorious policy of the Zarijanian Empire was its execution of suspected "deviants" by stoning (as based on the Vendidad's sections) or firing squads, which triggered the Red Tide-ruled government of Ardesch to wage war against this ancient civilisation. Spurred by repeated attacks by the Ardeschi armies, such as one incident in which an Ardeschi detonated explosives to burn Kartir with him during one *jasna*, the Zarijanian Empire formed an agreement with the newly-forged Slavonian Brotherhood to fight their westerly foe.

Angered by corruption and frequent repressive measures by the government, the southwestern provinces revolted under the Utopianist movement. The esoteric Utopianist heretics were joined by the malcontents and the traditionalist rejects of Ardeschi society: though they turned their attention westward to wage war on Red Ardesch's empire and exterminate its cybernetics, some Utopianist leaders continued their war against the Zarijanian government for several decades.

Zarijana was then plunged into civil war between the defeated fanatics of the Daena and their war-weary opponents. The latter won out as they denounced Kartir's cult as a heresy.

It later tried to defend itself against the Minastanians, descendants of outlaws and exiles who followed a disgraced prince. The Minastanians sought to destroy Zarijana to punish its people for refusing to incorporate their ancestors, and due to the Minastanians' militaristic and supremacist attitude, the horrified Zarijanians refused any proposed agreements with the fascistic empire.

Eventually, the Minastanians were destroyed by the global bombardment of World War III, allowing the surviving Zarijanians to drive any remaining foes back to the western jungles. Zarijana managed to survive World War III and the various invasions unleashed by warlords, including one summoned by an outlawed Zarijanian military regiment.

For helping the Denlotia's members and allies survive, Zarijana became one of the few monotheist nations that were tolerated within the Denlotia, rather than hated as usual. Many Zarijanian scientists also contributed to Denlotian hyper-technology, but also tried to warn the Denlotians not to be too engrossed with their technology and violence. It ended up as one of the few nations to survive the Plague of 3900, and all the way to the Reorganisation Wars, where it was a member of the Free Peoples.

### Modern history

Zarijana lost much of its territory to the Thralondian Empire, but it was not fully conquered, nor were its people exterminated or enslaved to the last man. Many Zarijanians hid in Burrow-cities across the kingdom while hundreds fought to the death, delaying the warmongers to allow their kin to evacuate by portal. By the time the defenders were slain, the Thralondians wrongly thought that the natives had disappeared, only to occasionally die by "mysterious" means. The colonials avoided some parts, hidden by force fields, because so many of their warriors seemed to drop dead for stepping into those dreaded zones.

Several enclaves held out, and revealed massive fortifications behind golden domes of pure, fiery light. The "disappeared" revealed and challenged the Thralondian invaders. Some of the strongest regiments, who were able to overwhelm and exterminate unaware residents and guards across the border decades ago, were later found dead. Dozens of horrified remnants returned to their lords, claiming that the Zarijanians launched beams of pure sunlight that reduced mecha and man alike to shreds and ash, while many more legionnaires and fanatics fell to plasma volleys. They met their doom when their officers either sacrificed them at the Minotaur's altars, or used them as target practice.

Due to an intervention by a combined Rukanian-Sevraejan force, the Zarijanian remnants were finally able to take back half of their homeland, pushing thw war criminals and enslavers westward. It gathered and trained many anti-Thralondian resistance groups, marching alongside them when the Thralondian Empire collapsed after the Wraithstorm. The various groups led by peasants, nobles, and royalty elected a new king to replace a slain monarch. The family of Zarijana's former king was murdered by the Thralondian army in a quick attack, driving the grieving to a furious, tragic demise in battle.

In spite of calls by its allies to exterminate every remaining Thralondian as a collective punishment, the Zarijanian government refused to do so. They supported the resistance fronts in Thralond as they created their own republic and paid reparations to all the victim nations of Thralond's former empire.

Zarijana is a member of the Zvestarid Coalition.

It enjoys close relations with Sevraeja.

Modern Zarijana is a monarchy again.

## Military

Zarijana was known for its elite heavy infantry, known as Anaushijas, or High Companions. During the modern Sixteenth Age, the Anaushija Guard was made of ten thousand soldiers, mostly clad in colourful robes and shields, later armour differentiated in cloaks representing their respective regiments.

The earliest and initial unit of the Anaushija Guard, the Amartakas (Apple Bearers), were replaced by other regiments, but later became the namesake of a specialised artillery unit known as Marandankes. They were named for the grenades and pulse bombs they detonated to impede advancing lines or to sabotage enemy machinery.

During the Minastanian Crisis and the Reorganisation Wars, Anaushija and regular troopers used a sort of shield as a gun platform and an anti-tank barricade. This reflected a traditional Zarijanian doctrine that focuses on defense and attrition, especially with the usage of firearms and laser weaponry. All soldiers who used gun-shields were named after the Astibaras, the Shieldbearers, the vanguard of the archaic Anaunshija.

The veterans of the Anaushija were a thousand men, the Djavidanas, or "Undying", perhaps named for their luck and survival which allowed them to raise another generation of guardians.

The commander of the Anaushija Guard was known as the Hazrabat or Hazarapati, the Commander of the Thousand. He was also a high-ranking officer of the Land Forces.

Modern Zarijana also has its own Anaushija Guard, but this regiment is no longer an infantry-only army, nor it is considered as the highest portion of the Zarijanian Armed Forces. The modern Anaushija Division is usually equivalent to the special forces of other nations, being elite soldiers specialised into different tasks. The 9th Anaushija Regiment, "Simargal", is tasked in dealing with aliens and monsters, while the 2nd Anaushija Regiment, "Rukh", is a plasma artillery division.

This Anaushija Guard formerly consisted of foreign volunteers who fought against Thralondian rule, following their allies. They swept away any traces of their oppressors as the Thralondian Empire collapsed.

The Zarijanians of the modern era used plasma weaponry. They managed to safely refine their own plasma, that their artillery seemed to fire "beams of pure, golden sunlight" that disintegrated enemies or cut them into charred halves.

## Culture

See also: Zarijanian glossary

Greyfolk and Terran minorities live in the north.

Northern Zarijana was where the earliest attested records in any Greyfolk language were recorded, down to an almost-exact description of their phonologies and grammar. Those records mentioned three languages: "Kuōmir", "Maänarir", and "Gilwaoshir". Kuomiri and Gilvaosi are their modern descendants, while the Maänari were divided and assimilated to the other two Greyfolk peoples.

### Ancient social classes

Traditionally, there were four social classes in Zarijanian society, as described by the ancient king Djamkhshaedah or Djamshīd: kātuzi (priests), naisāri (warriors), nāsudi (farmers), and hotokhoshi (artisans). Although these distinctions were honoured in classical art, in later times they were simplified to just priests and citizens before the emperor.

### Women in ancient Zarijana

Women in ancient Zarijanian society were allowed to work as officials and governors, and have a high degree of rights similar those in Roriz in the east and the Gauvajut Empire in the west. They were allowed to own their own estates or travel anywhere without needing a guardian. However, like both civilisations, men usually had the final authority in most matters, seen as better in physical strength while women were better at intellect.

### Entertainment

A variant of hnefatafl is a popular traditional game in the nation.

## Religion

It is the home of the monotheistic religion, Mazdajasna ("worship of God"), founded by the prophet Zarathushtra from the neighbouring land of Bakhtari.

Mazdajasna worships a single God, Ahura Mazda ("God, the Wise", or Ohrmazd), as the creator and ruler of all good things, opposed by the powerful demon Ahriman. Its believers, known as Mazdajasnis, use several sacred books to worship God, such as the Holy Avestas and the Gatha hymns. Its adherents worship at halls known as "darb-e-mehrs" (chapels) or the larger "atashkads" (cathedrals). Its priests are known as "mobeds": bishops and archbishops are known as "dasturs" and lower priests and chaplains are known as "herbads". The high priest of all Zarijana is known as a "vada dastur".

### Kartir the Heretic

Under the influence of several emperors and the fanatical priest Kartir, Zarijana became more fanatical and extremist, seeking to spread its religion by force. This went against its basic teachings, which taught its believers to use their free will to follow God instead of using threats and violence. After the end of Kartir and the Utopianists, Zarijana renounced its militaristic state church, and became one of the few monotheists tolerated during the Denlotian era for helping the surviving Jerdiskar defeat the Terran invaders. Many Zarijanians looked upon Kartir's extremist cult as a distortion of Ahura Mazda's teachings, sometimes with horror over the corrupt leaders who encouraged their warmongering.

### Fire

As the volcanoes along the south and southeastern coast are associated with fire, these mountains are venerated as holy sites in Zarijana.

### Liberty

Slavery is forbidden in Zarijanian law, seen as blasphemy against God. Taking concubines from conquered peoples is seen as slavery and a disgusting form of defilement. This made the empire an attractive refuge for various refugees and outlaws, even Greyfolk, who were integrated into Zarijanian society and neighbouring allies.

Although Zarijanian society is somewhat patriarchal, degrading people on the basis of gender is seen as a disgusting sin in Mazdajasna.

The Greyfolk and Terrans are allowed, since their integration into Zarijanian society, to venerate their own gods. In fact, this led to Christianity existing in a few parts of northern Zarijana near the border to Derru and Thralond, from the Terrans who defected to the local resistance.

## Trivia

* Zarijana's name was from Persian "zar" (زر), meaning "gold". Fittingly, the Avestan word for "gold" was a bit similar, "zaraniia" (𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬦𐬌𐬌𐬀).
	+ Its Old Persian counterpart, "daraniya" (**𐎭𐎼𐎴𐎹**), resembles the name of the country of Darania by coincidence. Darania may had been influenced by Zarijanian culture.
* Zarijana was based on Persia during Achaemenid and Sassanid rule. For its empire during the Sixteenth Age, it was based on Sassanid Persia.
	+ The author also compared Zarijana's religion to Christianity and Islam, as he believed that if these religions did not exist, Zoroastrianism would have taken their place due to Sassanid influence.
	+ The "dark armies of Ahriman" were inspired by the Persians from the movie *300*, and the author's guess on what would have happened if the actual Achaemenid Persians met their *300* counterparts.
* Cloning is prohibited in Zarijana during the Sixteenth Age, as it was viewed as blasphemous and abusive. In spite of this, the Zarijanian authorities protected clone refugees and gave them citizenship, to the extent that some of those clones became generals in its armed forces.
	+ One example was an Ardeschi male clone, Valchurnesch, who was adopted by a mobed priest as his son and renamed Rashman.
	+ As Ardesch tried to clone the dead back to life, the Zarijanians refused to do the same to the victims among their own people. However, they still treated revived clones with respect, the same as they would with any person with a medical condition.
* The Zarijanian cultural aversion to practicing slavery was based on a translation of the Cyrus Cylinder, written by Xerxes, one of the kings of Achaemenid Persia regarding prisoners of war in Babylon. It was also derived from Iranian criticism of the movie 300, which also suggested that the Achaemenids also rejected slavery.
* Another idea inspired by this was the belief in mercy to the innocent, even to enemies who surrendered to Zarijana. In Achaemenid Persia, the non-Persian subjects enjoyed a high amount of autonomy and freedom - examples included the fair treatment of Babylonians, Jews (in the Old Testament), and Anatolian Greeks. Hence, Greyfolk and Terrans who became Zarijanian subjects and minorities, all the way to the existence of Christianity in northern Zarijana.
* The Anaushijas were based on the Immortals of Achaemenid Persia, but later adapted into a futuristic setting and then modernised, so their modern counterparts were also based on Navy Seals and Astra Militarum regiments.
	+ Anaushija and regular infantry used shields as platforms to fire long-ranged weaponry and light artillery. This was inspired by the Crane Gunners of Cathay and observing that the historical Immortals used shields with two curves.
	+ "Amrtaka" (apple bearer) was a possible reconstruction of the Immortals' native name, but it is uncertain.
	+ Some cultures influenced by Zarijanian culture also learned the same technique, such as Sevraejan streltsy using long shields as gun or plasma cannon platforms.