Marza

Map of Marza

### Cities

Wylatta Castle Town, Mulberry Mountain City, Wynzburg Castle Town, Sindra Garden Town, Marzan Izulu Town

## People, Politics, and Economics

### Exports

Restricted grains, minerals, cultural products

### Allied Countries

Cliffhaven (Former), Jericho (Former), Dourdawn [Zondros], Koda

## Common Knowledge

Marza is one of the Three Kingdoms (Locally referred to as ‘Queendoms’) south of Lesion. Among the Three Kingdoms, it is a country known for it’s laid-back attitudes of its populace and it's beautiful, idyllic countryside. It is a famous country among the Three Kingdoms area for being the oldest, acquiring the most prestige among the three and being the most economically prosperous with enterprising merchants in spite of their harsh geography. The countries of the Three Kingdoms are self-contained but not isolationist and Marza is no different. Having a colorful history with its immediate neighbors, Marza is none the less influenced by their culture and innovations as much as she influences them. The outside world from South-East Orelisle is unknown by most Marzans and the inverse is equally true as hearsay and rumors fill the vocabulary of any conversation relating to the matter. Most foreign merchants would know of the lucrative trade emporias in Marza and it is a place known for its unique goods, eccentric female leaders and unique ecology.

## Topography and Climate

Being situated the most South and Centerwards of its Three Kingdoms area, Marza enjoys a nice cool and temperate climate that is at odds with the more blazing northern desert. The climate is cold and suitable for the alpinelike areas in the southern stretch of the countryside. Beds of flowers and pine, maple and oak trees dot the landscape. There is at least one lake in the country, Lake Porous, named after the small holes at the bottom used by Tulafor’s worms that eat at the debris and dirt to form air pockets in the lake. The water then rushes through the air pockets to kill off aquatic spiders that feast on the worms. The spiders have evolved to create aquatic bubbles with their silk when one such mini-flood occurs and they float to the top to continue their lives hunting the worms, small fish and occasionally small lake birds. The country has plains, badlands, savannahs and the intense part of the Fade Forest in the north, and north-east, alpine areas in the far south, jungles and marshes around in the center and center-south and a small mountain range to the west.

## Population

Anno Binturia 10,019 Census: 6,122,347,

**92% Humans**, the humans of Marza are merchants and resource gatherers, living productive and stable lives. They have a distrust of ‘non-accepted’ races. Accepted Races in Marzan human culture are: Elves, Dwarves, Dark Elves.

**5% Dwarves**, (Probably more Dwarves now that Cliffhaven is dead) They live in trade emporias. A recent influx of dwarves from Cliffhaven are forming slums or their own merchant houses around the cities. Most of the population of dwarves in Marza immigrated generations ago or in the recent influx since the destruction of their country.

**3% Other/Elves**, Most of the population lives in the city-state or farms in the surrounding countryside or in trading cities and towns.

The creatures and hostile tribes to the Marzan government are as follows:

A significant portion of ‘wild’ Lamia-folk also inhabit the area as well as slimes of different species. There are unique monsters that inhabit Marza and are a nuisance to deal with. This includes giant killer bees, (Japanese Hornets), Harpies, Basilisks, Manticores, Cockatrices, the occasional Material Dragon, Minotaurs, Ogres, Joku Demons (Monkey-looking, playful Imp-like creatures with mischievous nature), dangerous slug species, Rat-Hogs, Horrors (Small pink claw adorned sacks of meat created by corrupted Lesion Magic), Fyngs (Big pink sacks of meat that have four legs and just a giant mouth with row upon row of sharp razor teeth), ~~k,~~ all Lesion monstrosities that hunt and eat mortal races), Abominations, Horror-Fyngs (Giant pink claw adorned sacks of muscle created by corrupted Lesion Magic) and much, much more.

## Exports and Trades

Marza is a landlocked country and uses an underground canal system to develop a navy and trading vessels. This system is inefficient, however, due to trading embargos, pirateering, and vulnerable sea routes and contested sea access with not only maritime powers like Zondros, Kha and Daris, but also Sirens and Giant Sea Monsters Of Unknown Origin. Thus, Marza is a significant land trading power with expertise and connections in formations of multiple entrepots and trading emporia connections.

The trading industry is mostly limited in targets to a closed, internal economy during the off and on periods of war, restricting all access of the country’s grains, minerals and cultural products to only be sold within its own borders. During times of peace a post-war economic boom occurs. Any offshore products are usually sent to their Two other rivals, Dourdawn, Dilghao or Cliffhaven via well-guarded merchant boats or long distance camel caravans. Economic progress all around the Three Kingdoms is not particularly dominant and although they still fluctuate with the sluggish and booming economies with the periods of conflict, it experiences the slowest yet consistent growth of economic progress compared with neighboring countries. Although this growth is slow, it has never reversed itself nor fallen to a ‘Great Depression’ level of economic hardships. In rare times of cooperation, Marza will deal with one time or set time contract deals with its neighbors for either political favor, Lend-Lease tactics or bargaining chips for some other extra-political goal.

Marzans use a Gold/Silver standard for their economy that is backed by a National Bank that uses systems of credit for Guilds and Nobles.

Marzans have a minted gold one sided die that’s worth one gold ring and is primarily used in Merchant Guild to Guild or Guild to political entity transactions such as silos of grain worth of trade or equipment runs of an entire army. The Gold Die are hand-crafted and are works of art by themselves. The artistic motifs are usually landscapes, state symbols or the flag of Marza. They also use a silver two sided die that’s worth a single silver ring that’s used for low-scale bulk transactions, valuable objects such as rare swords, carriages and horses and some houses. These silver currencies have the image of important nobility, royalty and distinguished citizens on them. For day to day trades, Marzans use Zinc coins known as Marzan Cash. These coins are blue-ish white and have a hole in the middle of them for ease of transportation as well as the image of popular citizens of the particular era.

## Government

The government of Marza is a classic absolute monarchy with a limited feudal system. It is currently ruled by the Wylatta Royal Family stationed in the capital city, Wylatta Castle Town or otherwise known to the greater populace as Marza City. The Head of State is Queen Bian Wylatta followed by her husband, King Dinh Wylatta. There are current moves to replace the Queen in an orderly and legal fashion to her daughter, Crown Princess Litia Wylatta and her chosen consort, Hero of the People and Crowned Prince Huey. A leading General and Chief of Office is General Rue Ristamina Rushima; She is greatly trusted by the royal family for her unwavering loyalty to the Crown. There is a small radical syndicalist party that runs underground in opposition to the Crown but it is disorganized and officially leaderless. It formed after hearing news of the bloodless revolution of Zondros and encompasses counter-culture elements of the Marzan society.

### Monarchy Structure

Head of State - **Queen Bian Wylatta** - Retiring Queen: Blonde hair, fierce purple eyes, purple royal robes, good with a rapier.

**King Dinh Wylatta** - Holder of a cursed sword and Hero. Brown Hair, Brown Eyes, a warrior’s stature, uses a greatsword and a cursed shorthand sword. The sword does increased damage in return for sucking the life force of the user.

**Crown Princess Litia Wylatta** who is engaged to an uplifted Prince from Commoner status, **Huey Lester**, The Sword Saint and Hero.  Litia has her mother’s fierce purple eyes, wears cyan blue royal robes, is also blonde, and also uses a rapier. Huey Lester has brown hair, brown eyes and wears a half-plate. He stands at 5’1.

**Prince Quannon Wylatta**  - Manipulative and vindictive second in line for the throne heir. He has brown hair and heterochromia with hazel and purple eyes. Not much is known about him and he seems to hold contacts with the ‘Headsmen Absolutionist’ party in Zondros.

The flag of the nation is a red circle with a yellow star inside of it surrounded by the name of the current ruling family. The inside border is colored with orange and has a gold flaming border on the outside. Some particularly nationalistic Marzan people’s also add a Dragon motiff descending with a mouth open in the background.

## Military

Marza's military is complex and varied, and is detailed thoroughly here.

## Social Hierarchy and Culture

Marza is a matriarchy that follows the Religion of the Winged Goddess and holds the Goddess Musette to be the supreme being of the world. Although not as religious as her sister state Kha, the people of this country follow due respects to most of the traditional values emplaced by their Goddess. There is a strong sense of ancestor worship as well as Marzans believe that the skill sets of a bloodline can be passed down through individuals and that ancestors watch their descendants from beyond the grave. An individual who has been raised again as a member of the undead is said to bring the entirety of that bloodline immense bad luck and unless that undead is returned to the other side, damnation and Musette’s wrath awaits.

The Merchant Estates in Marza have a much higher sway in the influence of the nation as their Guilds compete against strong economic competitors. Human trading has become something of an artform for Marzans. Craftspersons in Marza constitute a healthy ‘middle-class’ and although they personally do not have a political voice, they are able to maneuver actions through their work guild. Thus a person’s job constitutes both their economic prosperity and power of their political vote within the government through the combined efforts of the guild.

Marzan Clans are an important part of their culture as multiple families band together to utilize their strengths for their own collective group and to outmaneuver rivals. The ‘nuclear’ family, along with extended relatives and contacts, are considered to be the foundation of culture and of Marzan society. Mothers are both head of the household or merchant breadwinners who decide on the economic decisions of the household and are the Matriarchs of the family. Rearing of children is usually done by the elderly, aunts and uncles or by the community organizations in the case of orphans, busy parents or other circumstances.

Marriages for the poor are usually matters of financial and clanship political goals or to bind two rival families together by state-ordained decree. The merchant rich, elite class can usually settle for love, although they are encouraged to bind their wealth to powerful families or to intermarry nobility. Most Marzans can marry at the age of 17. The Marzan government also plays a strong role in the family life of its citizens. The Crown can set decrees to address threats known as ‘social evils’ such as drug use, unregulated prostitution, percieved culture decline, and decay of the Marzan social contract that promises meaningful and satisfactory lives.

While traditional unemployment is low due to the rush for exploitation of resources, trade running, or army work; there exists a caste in society that are unable to acquire these benefits. These people resort to banditry or the unsteady work of the Adventurer’s Guild. Monsters, mythical creatures and unique foreign threats of Necromancers as well as continental devastating threats that appear on occasion are all up for grabs for the rough and ready adventurers of the Guild. The Adventurer’s Guild is nationalized and under the protection of the Crown. Officially, it’s called the ‘Marzan Exploratory Scouting and Direct Action Mercenary Group’ or M.E.S.D.A.M.G but foreign recruits as well as long-time veterans simply refer to it as the ‘Marzan Adventurer’s guild.’

Silk-painting, and water puppetry shows are common hobbies among the populace and folk as well as court Operas are popular theatre attractions.

For the Marzan urbanite, clothes distinguish your rank with the color of said clothing distinguishing your profession or noble rank where applicable.

### Celebrations and Holidays

On Jestung 1st, it is **New Year's Day.** Imported fireworks are fired off into the night sky and family dances and a week long festival is had to commemorate.

In March, is the **Spring Renewal Festival** that has many different variations and naming conventions within the countryside of Marza. It is usually a week-long festival with games, gambling, festivals, family traditions, and the lighting of candles for ancestors. It begins right on the Spring Equinox.

On Foot March 1st, is **Game of** **Flags Day.** Flag day is when Marzans tune in on the annual nobility sport of ‘Flags’. In a giant nobility reunion across the Three Kingdoms, the Wylatta family competes against other nobility families and each other to plant their own personal flag on the top of an obstacle course such as a mountain. Flags is a \****Serious***\* game and the pride of every contestant is on the line. The objective is very simple, get your flag to the top within the day. Participants are allowed to do anything to achieve that one goal aside from a few rules that constitute ‘cheating’ such as the use of non-violent magic and unsportlike assistance. Players have been routinely ruthless in their play of flags as they use unethical tactics like traps, sabotage, hiring ‘place-in’ adventurers and heroes to compete for them, and complete disregard toward each other’s safety in order to win. The victor gets not only bragging rights, the possible elimination of rivals in the game due to horrendous injury or death but also the Goddess Musette, Herself coming from the heavens above to grant them one wish. Mothers, daughters, fathers and sons have been torn apart by Flag day; but it's too good to see nobles at their throats to be discontinued and the wish Musette grants is usually given as well.

On Mayflower 4th, **Independence from Koda day** is held and national spirit and unity through combined culture and religious devotion to the Goddess are the main components of the holiday.

On Mayflower 27th is Marza’s Merchant Guild’s **Labor Day** that celebrates the workers and their achievements. Today is also the day that increased recruitment drives are had amidst family reunions and networking ‘dates’.

On Khamsin is a government ordained, two week long, encouraged social fast due to famines that might arrive from desert storms blowing into the country from the north and ruining portions of farmland. While not a holiday in its own right, if the sandstorms do not arrive, the Marzans use the food that they were to eat in giant outdoor feasts simply called **‘Feast Day’** by the Monarchy and usually something specific in the outlying towns. They usually name it after a local saint or hero.

In Nosun is the **Winter Conclusion Festival** that has many different variations and naming conventions within the countryside of Marza. It is similar to the Spring Festival. It begins right on the Winter Equinox.

On Dripping Sands 32nd is **Death Day.**

### Myths and Legends

#### Legendary Flight-splitter Axe

This artifact axe used to kill an Angel (Dove-folk) by making it fall to the earth like a comet and then split the back of the Angel in twain from the head down. It is an unholy blade for striking pure blood but also has a legendary holy aura for its sheer destructive and awe-inspiring aura as only the most courageous and heroic can wield it. The artifact is possessed by a the spirit of a Wrath Demon, and thus the well regarded myth of the Flight-splitter increases its durability and effectiveness every time the gilded story is retold to from merchant to adventurer to shop owner to teacher to the parents and then their children. Not much is known of its current location.

All enemies with the winged trait take +1 damage, killing blow on a winged enemy halves their death count: Usable once per session. Requires Willpower 3 to use. Locked: One use of Vertigo. (Prerequisites: Must be a blessed Hero of Musette or an accepted member of the Demon King’s retinue to use.)

#### The Dwelling of the Inscrutable Watcher

It is said by barkeeps and tavern oracles that the Gazer, the Inscrutable Watcher, lies in the Three Queendoms area but the pieces and scraps of information regarding its whereabouts are sparse, unvalidated and expensive to obtain.

It is hazard by the most educated on the subject that it is some dungeon of vast riches and dangers known as ‘Kolkilmen’. It is an infinite dungeon set in the expanse of ~~p~~a Demiplane that dips into the material plane and holds all manners of exotic monsters that make their home there.

## Cities, Towns, and Villages

### Wylatta Castle Town / 'Wylatta Jokamachi' / Marza Capital City

The Capital city for Marza is the Wylatta Castle Town, named after the nobility family that controls and monitors the thriving trading city. While renamed as often as the ruling family that controls her, most citizens only bother to simply use ‘Marza Capital City’ in interactions for foreigners or in business deals to avoid confusion. The city is split between East and West and Inner and Outer. The Eastern and Outer portions are where beginner adventurers and ‘small time’ merchants gather. Their internal economy produces: Cold Iron Swords, Cold Iron Daggers, Hunting Spears, Battleaxes, Halberds, Common Quality Longbows, and Flame Staffs (Staffs are a type of artifact that is imbued with magical power that is magically harnessed from the ambient mana of the world.  These staffs are imbued with the fireball spell which allows a non-caster to cast the spell [Fireball x 25] or allows an experienced caster to cast fireball. [Fireball x 5] or a person who knows how to cast fireball the ability to quickly cast it. They also sell Leather Armors, Gambesons and Healing potions and Draughts as well as potions that enhance agility, strength or mental fortitude.

The Western Inner portion of the city holds Wylatta Castle proper and upper class society. They hold extravagant balls to celebrate their prosperity and high culture and the arts flourish here. They sell: Antique and Ornate Gladius, Tridents,  Ceremonial War Halberds, The Mountain Slicer Class Axes, Cyclone Staffs (2 damage + Stun for a 5 count Point Spell 5ft), The Glaive-bow that has bladed ends to it. They sell Mythril Armor and ceremonial ornate armor. They import all the drugs and fancy items from neighboring countries due to the noble’s affluence and prestige.

For Heroes and officers they sell specialty items that are pre-ordered and usually accounted for by the government.

Platinum/Adamantine Armour (Rare and ore sold from mysterious merchant) or Flame Mail that makes you immune to fire.

### Bethune Mountain Town / Mulberry Mountain City

Bethune was originally a small forester’s mountain town that monks and warriors and nobility alike made their pilgrimage to for the town’s soothing air and to perform their meditations in peace among the natural hot springs that formed around the area. The small town had a pitiful population that did not breach 10,000 and had a closed off dungeon underneath in the sides of a mountain face that was an abandoned Dwarven Mountainhome. It is believed by scholars that this mountainhome was a twin city with the one in the Aegis known as ‘Mulldoom.’ The town was a half-forgotten colony in the mountainous portions of the country and suffered from occasional resurfacing of ‘Orc-Blight’, a contagious, once epidemic, fungal disease that most urbanites and traveling countrymen of Marza had developed a resistance to. After the events of one ‘Mars Mersault’, a Dragon-Slayer by the name of Ragnas, and his Ebony Errant Knights transformed the quiet pastoral village into a wondrous city of pleasure and urban delights that the nobility quickly capitalized on. Ragnas changed the name of the town to ‘Mulberry Mountain City’ after the imported urban Mulberries that are now cultivated among the forgotten forestry trade that once sustained the populace. Foreigners, nobility and the rich  take delight in the casinos, hot springs, brothels, open drug courts, and night life that Mulberry City has to offer. Protected by veteran Ebony Errant which is one of the Adventurer’s guilds premier heroes, the city of Mulberry has a very prosperous future ahead of it as the traditions of the countryside are forgotten for newer and exciting pursuits. For the men of Marza; Mulberry City is a breath of relief and city of opportunity.

The remnants of the old town still holds an abandoned shrine to Liangsha that has been activated by Mars Mersault. Those who fall into the underground ruins below do not return and the local government has banned all from venturing there. (On top of the underground dungeon that they know of. Most assume that both ruins are the same thing.)

### Wynzburg Castle Town / Wynzburg Jokumachi

In Wynzburg Castle Town there is a Savannah that spans the countryside. It is a rare town built without the geographical advantages that the country offers and the land that surrounds it is rife with banditry and wild animals. There are caves that go deep in the earth by this area that act as the openings of certain Dark Elf trading routes or as bandit hideouts. It is mostly used to harvest plentiful farmland and trading emporias for northern neighbors.

### Sindra Garden Town

There is a nearby town of **Sindra** located north towards Daris**.** The town is named after a famous Apothecary that developed a new healing potion technique that allowed to save some materials in the potion-making process but ironically only the urbanites capitalize upon this in their alchemical laboratories. Here the blacksmithing quality is superb as they have first go at minerals from the mining guilds. They make: Housing materials, Large spardas, Brandistock spears, gisarme polearms, war hammers, Lightning Staffs created from the rituals mages use during the thunderstorms that permeate the area, and metal power gloves used by martial artists that increase their attack. They also sell Gilded Bronze/Steel alloy Chest Plates that are quite ornate and offer more defense than gambesons found in the city. They import healing potions made in the alchemical labs of the city of Marza. In addition a famous inn called **The Holy Hospes** makes its residence here, offering cheap and lively entertainment to adventurers who survived their first bout. There is a nearby forest and a small rocky badlands/savannah area with slimes and snake-folk called Lamias and the castle town of Wynzburg. A river that flows down to Izulu starts here from an underground reservoir.

### Marzan Izulu Town

Further towards the border with Kha, there is a town called **Izulu**. Here, the technology and blending of cultures between Marza and Kha are common and often this town gets fought over for in the opening stages of a war. They make: Estocs/Tucks longswords, Ninja throatslitter short swords, The twin-pronged spear, Zanbato Horse Cleavers, Ice Staffs, Morningstar, Mourning Maces and Flails. They sell steel plate armors for the knights who live in the countryside who guard their feudal lands.

The herbalists here manage to rake in good components to make: **Delirium**, (strike +1 damage for a time) a combat drug that increases a person's sword strength and attack via an epinephrine boost for a limited time. **Emollient**, (take -1 damage for next 25 count) a combat and industry use drug that reduces damage taken temporarily by thickening the skin and rushing one’s immune and cardiovascular system. **Sake**, their alcohol has the peculiar effect of increasing one’s stamina at the cost of increased sleep times.

In Izulu, they have a slime problem where they inhabit the local river, making the water sources unreliable, although farmers can make do with the occasional rainfalls that permeate this section of the country. It looks idyllic here and much of the scenery is attributed to the Goddess Musette’s hand in guiding the terraforming of this place.

## Alliances

Marza has on and off military and economic trade pacts with its partners, Daris and Kha. It has limited convoy ships that it uses to trade foodstuffs and finished craftsmanship items to Cliffhaven, Jericho, Dourdawn, and Koda. It assumes a neutral stance on everything else except the Abyss whom it abhors. The Overbright, while never visited, is held with an affinity with the Marzan government.

## Enemy Countries

**Daris:** Multiple wars (30+) over territorial boundaries that are to this day unsettled. Multiple border skirmishes regarding trading convoys and territorial boundaries. No less than three wars fought over economic and foodstuffs sanctions held on Daris by Kha. At least one crusade to conquer Daris in the Goddess’ name. Espionage and sabotage undertaken by Marzan spies on a near constant level. Coordinates with Kha if at war with Daris.

**Kha:** Multiple wars (45+) over territorial boundaries that are to this day unsettled. No less than eight wars fought over economic and foodstuffs sanctions held on Kha. Nearly one crusade is launched upon Marza by Kha to integrate the territory into their empire or vassalize the state and make it more pious.~~s.~~ Marzan Scholars believe it to be Blue and Black while Kha officials dictate it to be White and Gold. Multiple missionaries were sent in recent years on missions to convert the populace of Marza but no less than two were Kha assassins that attempted to take out key military personnel. At least one attempt by Marzan governmental officials to persuade the Lamias and bandits of the countryside to raid en mass on select Kha towns and population centers. Coordinates with Daris if at war with Kha.

## Founding and History

Pre-2000’s Anno Binturia: Pionus Golden Age and then their spectacular fall. Almost no records survive barring self-contained tomes of very specific knowledge in hard to reach abandoned and overrun facilities.

Post-2000’s: The Three Kingdoms area existed as tribal groups that had limited agricultural capabilities that competed and allied with one another against the natural terrors of the world as the landscape was both extremely hostile and rough. This prevented the deviance from the hunter-gatherer system of resource management.

3000-5000: The records of this era have been lost to time.

5001-6,998: The records of this era are currently still undergoing revisions or recovered from archeology sites. Rudimentary towns form and civilization in Marza begins. The time period correlates to a deadlier version of the Dark Middle Ages with anarchy to despotic tribal rulers that inter-warred over one another for scarce resources.

7,012: The Goddess Musette descends from the Overbright and begins civilizing the tribes of the Three Kingdoms to Her image.

7,523: Marza forms as the first Absolute Monarchy within the Three Kingdoms area with a strict and harsh rule over its peasantry. A Feudal system establishes itself from the appointed of the royal family most favored by the Goddess.

7,550: Marza, Kha and Daris are conquered under a combined Kodan Dark Elf, and Dwarven coalition, splitting the three into inter-connected economic zones that pay tribute to their masters.

7,779: Marza fights and wins Her independence after a brutal half-century long conflict.

8,194: First Appearance of a ‘Demon King’ and the resulting battles within Marza against their forces are a disaster. Through grit and determination, outright annihilation is prevented with guerilla tactics. This continues until the 36th Demon Lord (this specific generation of Demon Lord Lieutenants. The Demon Lord Paranon).

9,225: A Heroine emerges and defeats the 36th ‘evil’ plaguing the lands. General discontentment and unrest follows.

9,553: 47th cycle of a Heroine and a Demon Lord.

9,782: https://fireemblem.fandom.com/wiki/Lost\_in\_Thoughts\_All\_Alone A healing song with various effects sung by the Princess of Marza is learned and passed down to her offspring to fight against Marza’s enemies.

9,999: 50th cycle of a Heroine and Demon Lord, notable for having the ‘Heroine’ figure be male instead of female. His name is Lester Bouvan and he is known as the Almighty Martial Man although he uses many different weapons and magical items.

10.000: The remnants of the feudal system fight back against their decaying rule with vicious laws and enactments that institute a limited, and archaic labor system.

10,013: Musette has been sighted back onto the plane and continues to persist in fulfilling Her machinations for the Three Queendoms.

10,019: ~~Current Year.~~

10,020: ‘Currenter’ Year.

## Further Information

* Basilisk
* Daris
* Dragon
* Dwarves
* Elves
* Humans
* Kha
* Koda
* Marza Military
* Ogre