Vozolaz

**Vozolaz** is a country located at the centre-south of the continent of Palkyras.

It is surrounded by Gimbarish and Iral to the deserts of the north; Siangwaan to the northeast; the matriarchal island of Ioratin to the south; the Tornarin Empire to the west; and Porashon, Sevestrana, and Aujarsax to the southeast.

Once the beating heart of the greatest of humanity's empires, it is now a declining shell of its former self.

## Etymology

Its name means "Land of Wosondo", referring to an ancient king who united the ancestral tribes of the Vozonids, its founding people.

Wosondo, or Wozondo in some records, was a cruel monarch who unified the Zonunjas into a single ethnicity, a nation that became the Sarmelonid civilisation and much more. His name meant "the high one", therefore Vozolaz means "land of the high one", "the high land", or "the land of emperors".

\***wanroz ondoroz laghuraz** (high one-lord-land) > **wāso laghuraz** > **Wāsolauraz** > **Wozolaz** > **Vozolaz**.

## Component nations

In present times (2018 AT/2818 ZE), Vozolaz consists of the following countries:

* Azgo (centre)
	+ Azroban (northeast)
	+ Mirukuz (northwest)
	+ New Irajon (southwest)
	+ **Vozolaz Proper** (southeast)
* Arantar (west)
* Mahandaro (west)
* Josol (east)
* Gornystar (northwest)
* New Irajon (southwest)

Other Vozonid nations include:

* East Zaqo (east)
* Ioratin (south)
* Turodaron (south)
* Porashon (south)
* Ajoltar (south)
* Irajon (far west)
* Wannaenid Empire (far west, hated by most other Vozonid nations)

Vozonised nations and former colonies include:

* Porashon (south, ~~Ontemazei~~ Porasonid majority)
* Vovtarla (space, alien)
* Bujan (far west, Slavonian)
* Bivos (northwest, Arosilan)
* Nevkreno (southwest, Slavonian)
* Sevestrana (southwest, Slavonian)
* Narivo (southwest, Slavonian)
* Siangwaan (northeast, Daizhouvian)
* Peren (east, Perenau)
* Vocersia (east, Vocersian)
* Varn Venn (east, Varn Vennian)
* Pevares (southwest, Tuksharan)
* Omayeran (south, Omayeran)
* Vilon (west, Tornarin)
* Shaunetor (south, Kekhaulid)

## Geography

Much of Vozolaz consists of sandy desert, except for the outlying border regions and along the Great River at the eastern side. The western foothills are mostly scrublands, and the east is tropical as its lands were fed by the rivers' water.

## History

### Ancient history

What is now known as the land of Vozolaz was the heartland of the tan-skinned tribes that coalesced into the Kingdom of Assuwas at the end of the First Age, after Zarandim exiles introduced their technologies to one of their kings, who became Assuwas' first emperor.

At the early Second Age, Assuwas prospered as an empire that stretched from the deserts bordering Redjetesh to the jungles of the southerly Paharal. It was assaulted by raids by the Ente-Ruri aliens and a war between the Anevondir extraterrestrials and the Eimares celestials.

### Sixteenth Age

Eventually, the Assuwelli's civilisation evolved into the Gauvajut Empire during the Fifteenth Age. The Gauvajut Empire became notable for its attempts to resist its rival, the Socialist Republic of Ardesch, and the Utopianist terrorists that overran its lands.

At the end of the Sixteenth Age, the Gauvajut Empire was conquered and nearly exterminated by the barbaric Zōnunja tribes from the east under their cruel king Wosondo. After a series of disasters that killed off most of their people, the frightened Zōnunjas adopted the Gauvajuts' culture out of their fear of the Gods' wrath.

### Sarmelonid Era (circa 374,552-370,000 BT)

After a series of declines, a warlord, Aronzo Skarojon Sarmelonizo, established the Fourth Vozonid Empire.

The Sarmelonid Empire was actually a collection of dynasties, excluding the interruption of the Ozoi Republic. After defeating a Konjor invasion of their homeworld, some of those latter dynasties led the Sarmelonids to conquer the Galaxy.

The early Sarmelonid Empire became rich because it offered to be a place for other nations to send their rubbish to processing centres all over the country. There, thousands of eager workers remade the rubbish into new raw materials, which were sold as vehicles and machinery to other lands, making the empire richer.

From the early Sarmelonid Empire onwards, the allies of Vozolaz sent a bizarre tribute every year, made of as many animals from invasive species in their homelands. There, the animals were either killed as food or hunting beasts in killing-parks, or kept as pets. Rabbits and horses were the most popular imports, the former being food that staved off famine, and the latter as a very popular status symbol. Some allies were so pleased by the resulting restoration of their wilder areas that they instead offered animals every month.

Their rulers included the ambitious Emperor Silojennoz, who personally led the Vozonid fleets across the stars to conquer or liberate scores of worlds under the Scarlet Gryphon's Banner.

### Jauparturnid Era (circa up to 10,000 BT)

Thousands of years later, the Jauparturnid dynasty took over Vozolaz after it was conquered by the Vilonian Empire. Their society was characterised by an extreme dedication to perfection, selfishness, and comfort; and it culminated into the brutal reign of Emperor Zemasor and his downfall.

Vozolaz's remnants battled the Ontemazei Empire during the Green Years, when the latter poisoned Jerde's atmosphere with toxins to eliminate its human population.

### Later times (1200 BT, 500 BT, 0 AT, 900 AT, 1412 AT)

Vozolaz continued to exist, albeit in a smaller scale, until its reunification under Emperor Thandizo. After his failed attempt to exterminate Porashon and his death, it split up into five quarreling republics, including Turodaron. Turodaron was founded by refugees from Thandizo's southwards campaign.

During the Arazonid Dynasty, one of its emperors plunged the nation into chaos by ordering people to freely form death squads over offensive comments posted online. This led to the secession of Arantar as a republic.

Vozolaz was heavily devastated by the Tornarin Bombardment, plunged into backwardsness by the Second Kyrvotin Invasion's worldwide EMP Blast, and besieged and had its sacred mountain desecrated by the Thralondian Empire's missile barrage.

### Early modern times (1600 AT - 1914 AT)

After a brief period of independence under the Gauvajut dynasty of Bavoltar and the Later Thokortar Dynasty, Vozolaz was conquered by the Zaqo tribe to the southeast, who ruled it as a tributary of the Thralondian Empire.

It was one of the many nations ruined by the Wraithstorm of 1788, but the Wraithstorm's destruction of most Thralondian forces helped the Zaqovians to expel their former masters before a succession crisis between five ruling families plunged the nation into civil war. But a certain gang leader -- Thanorjoz Vaizarnizo -- seized control of the government to become Prime Minister. He ordered his supporters to purge the criminal groups that took control of the capital city of Dalatar, before establishing a more stable government that revitalised Zaqo's broken economy.

The Zaqovian armed forces marched westward to Mirukuz to aid a rebellion, but returned with news of its failure. When they also reported of the Ontemazei prisoners turning against the abolitionists and eating them, the angered populace gathered their Ontemazei slaves and slaughtered them by the hundreds.

### Modern times (1914 AT - present/2010s AT)

To the northwest, the overthrow of the Mirkuzian slave cartels led to the rise of the Trimalleans, a militant communist faction that sought to unify Vozolaz under its iron fist. After a three-day battle against the Zaqovian forces, the Trimalleans seized control of the capital of Dalatar, and renamed their country as the "Azgovian Union". To purge any suspected threats against their state's stability, the militants sent any remaining Ontemazei and non-humans to death camps. They later waged war against the neighbouring countries to "liberate" them, but it also led to the breakdown of the communist state's economy.

In the 1950's, the Azgovian Union sent its forces to seize control of Honvo, competing against the Tornarin Empire and Arantar for dominance of the broken state. Their war in Honvo became so costly, that it and the government's corruption sparked another civil war that led to the Trimallean Party's downfall and destruction. In its place, the Federal Republic of Azgo was set up, and it thrived until the Second Wraithstorm and the Abductors' War.

### Future (2050 AT - 2220s AT)

In 2050, Azgo's government was overthrown in a coup, supported by a growing wave of nationalism that sought to emulate their Sarmelonid ancestors. The whole nation was reorganised into the Republic of Vozolaz, and the Sarmelonid language was used as the country's third official language, alongside Azgovian and Classical Gauvajut. Josol was later annexed into Vozolaz by the results of a local referendum.

It was later invaded by the Wannaenid Empire, whose rulers were impatient in their desire to make themselves the sole legitimate successors of the ancient Vozonid Empires.

## Culture

See also: Vozonid language, Vozonid symbols

Vozonid culture is heavily influenced by that of the Gauvajuts. Some of the Gauvajuts' Gods are still worshipped by the Vozonids, and the Gauvajut language (and other archaic versions of the Vozonid language, like Sarmelonid) is used as a classical and a religious language for rituals and ceremonies.

Traditional buildings tended to have slanted, colourful roofs with domed edges tipped with golden crests.

Gryphons are a popular animal in Vozonid culture, as they represent power, wisdom, and honour. In fact, it is one of Vozolaz's national symbols, alongside the axe and khopesh, and obsidian-gold-emerald (which symbolise courage, honour, and creativity). On the other hand, the rat is reviled in Vozonid culture as a bringer of disease and death, therefore it is a sacred duty for all Vozonids to exterminate any rat they could find. Other living beings that were banned and exterminated in Vozolaz include cuckoos and cherry trees (until recently).

As Vozolaz has the most spinel deposits in the world, one nickname of the country was "Karkilaz". Its variety of farmable spinel has become so commonplace and cheap there, that this reddish mineral is used to create blaster fire, energy shields, and (especially) dice. In ancient times, spinel was also used to create the *karki* currency.

## Demographics

The Vozonid people are a human race with reddish-brown skin, curly black hair, and wide eyes with dark irises. They were descended from Gauvajut-Zonunja mixed-marriages, allowing them to occasionally develop lighter tan complexions and green eyes.

Another race that lived among them include the Gauvajuts: they are another human race with tan skin, brown-to-black curly or wavy hair, and brown eyes. Some Gauvajuts have green eyes.

There are also various brown and reddish-skinned aboriginal tribes and peoples that mostly live around the land's boundaries. Many of them are related to the Vozonids, while some use completely different languages, some of which were also recorded in ancient times and listed among contemporary classical and historical languages.

## Religion

#### Concepts

The Vozonid national religion (*Vozonthanau*) is a polytheistic belief that uses idols, ceremonies, and prayers to honour its many beings. Such beings are divided into several categories: Gods, celestials, wights, and ancestors.

Gods are very powerful beings that represent the forces of nature; celestials are the lesser spirits of the heavens, the stars, and fire; wights are the spirits of the earth, its locations, and its plants and waters; and ancestors are revered people of ancient times. Supporting those beings are the Sixteen Dancers, goddesses who oversee the year and seasons; the Nine Sages, who have armies of stars to guard the living; and the Guardians of the Four Directions, being the star-horse, sunbird (or sunhorse), raptor, and gryphon. Images of them are usually placed on tables or housed within buildings that function as shrines or temples, and more prominent beings or deities have larger and more elaborate temples built for them.

Many celestials appear in the form of gryphons, who protect the souls of dreamers and the weak from being attacked by demons. Those gryphon-spirits serve the god of dreams, Zomjonōr.

In Vozonid art, Gods are depicted as having haloes around their heads to represent their sanctity and supernatural powers. However, if a particular deity has three streaks across his or her halo, that deity is considered to be an evil deity who must be opposed.

Opposing this variety of good beings are various evil beings -- monsters, demons, evil deities, and beings of Chaos, all of which seek the destruction of everything in existence. Among them was the four-headed dragon Illujankas, the epitome of total ruin and annihilation.

#### Divisions

Most adherents of the Vozonid religion in Vozolaz tend to be worshippers of Zomjonōr, as he and his gryphons became the symbol of their people and civilisation. Portions of Vozonids who work in specialised professions pray primarily to other deities among the pantheon, rather than just in a specific circumstance: farmers usually revere Hannahanna/Laghuraz, boatpeople and pilots worship Aruna/Sammakari, engineers pray to Hasameli/Tandornadoz, and some scholars worship A'as/Thosornon and Kamrusepa/Kaurosipaz.

Most ethnic Gauvajuts worship their own pantheon, whose Gods are also worshipped and syncretised with the Vozonid gods; and most Gauvajuts worship Tarhunz and Hannahanna, the thunder god and the earth goddess. Aboriginal tribes may sometimes include some native gods among the Gauvajut-Vozonid pantheon.

Other Vozonids still worship Pjosaroz as their national deity. While in Vozolaz they were attacked by the Zomjonor-worshipping majority as "heretics" because they believe that Pjosaroz was killed while fighting a demonic invasion, Pjosaroz-worshippers form the majority in Irajon, new Irajon, and among Vozonised aliens such as Vovtarla and Porashon.

### Other beliefs

Aside from the worshippers of the Vozonid and Gauvajut gods, Vozolaz also has populations of Zoroastrian, Atenist, Trismegist, Buddhist, and Sandharmin/Hindu minorities, some of which were converts or descendants of converts.

A sizable portion of Vozolaz's people are also atheists, as they have become more distrustful of the Vozonid pantheon.

## Terminology

### Poetic names

* Hjemmaznar - Thousand Dynasties
* Kravajolaz - Land of the Gods
* Dasaikravjolaz - Land of the Ten Thousand Gods
* Karkilaz - Land of Spinels
* Rūmolaz - The Red Land
* Juldatar - The Eternal Realm
* Nibailjō, Nebasaljō - Beloved by Heaven
* Īzjalaz, Zjèjalaz - The Lush Land
* Khanokhan Saljō - Beloved of Hannahanna, Beloved of the Earth
* Sanuoshajotar, Sonshajotar - Land of the Sixteen Gods

### Negative terms

* The Great Failure
* Drunks
* Land of the Drunks
* Puny Humans
* Mountain Men (Konjor)
* Gryphon-XXXXers
* The Reds
* Little Konjors
* Upstarts
* Unworthy of Tarhunzas
* Otorlaz, Torulaz - Land of Doom, Land of Despair
* Alpatar - The Land of Ash and Dust, the Shameful Realm
* Bawolimbloz - The Great Failure
* Olimbollaz - The Ruined Land
* Glakulprazon - Council of Gamblers
* Sôtt'ôjùs - Land of Everlasting Corruption

### Other

* Jaupôlaz, Jaubolaz, Jaubo(ro)tar - Land of the Gryphons

## Trivia

* Vozolaz's influences include: a certain GIF of a gryphon dancing with children; Hittite, Thai, Slavic, and other Southeast Asian cultures; their mythologies; ancient Chinese dynastic and Ottoman history; classical Chinese influence in Japanese culture; Idiocracy; and the Imperium of Man.
	+ One of Vozolaz's names, "Azgo", was based on a poorly-done anagram of "Azog the Defiler", an Orc warlord from *The Hobbit*.
	+ The Gauvajut people were inspired by the Hittites and pictures and videos of Syrian refugees.
* In Chinese, Vozolaz's name should be "沃蘇拉蘇" or "沃蘇拉" (wò sū lā [sū]), or "沃" (wò) in short form.
* Vozolaz is one of several countries in the world that are partly free from rats, as the people were required to exterminate all rats as "unholy abominations".