Zamorian

# **Zamora**

## Zamora

"The City of Arenjun."

**Minor Groups:**

* Corinthian
* Turanian
* Brythunian
* Koth

Ore:

* Tin
* Copper
* Iron

Zamora is a mysterious nation of thieves, kidnappers, extortionists, prostitute and sorcerers. With small villages hosting white hedge witches and the larger cities holding powerful priests that work with such potent magic that even the King fears them.

Zamorians, often appear with tanned complexions with dark eyes and black hair. Pale skin is considered beautiful and healthy and is seen as a symbol of wealth and good breeding. Although Zamorians are dark to tanned skinned by nature, it is the working class who have the darkest skin, due to spending the most time outdoors.Those whose skin tones approach alabaster are admired by all for their grace and beauty.

Many trade routes pass through Zamora, particularly through Shadizar creating a melting-pot of humanity. Shemites, [[Corinthians]], Turanians, Hyrkanians and others have found homes in Zamora.

Priests and wizards seem to be ever in abundance in Zamore, although their presence is nowhere near as visible as in shadow-haunted Stygia. Zamora is an ancient Kingdom, descended from a race known as the Zhemri, and elder and evil race from pre-Cataclysmic times. The 3’oo year old civilization has fallen into decadence and its people are viewed as a wicked race of thieves, cutthroat and sorcerers.

## **Clothing**

All social classes wear cloaks or blankets when the weather is cold or wet. Likely the first sign or status in Shadizar, clothing and appearance styles among the economic classes often reveal more than is intended. Women dress provocatively, is at all and ornamentation tends to be somewhat Erotic.

Among the poor, clothing is a personal issue and is usually considered and expression or individuality. Clothing is normally stolen, handed down from others or bought used. Scars, tattoos and body piercing are common in the lower economic classes, as these enhance individuality and otherwise mark people who feel they are lost in the masses.

Those in the servant or craftsmen classes tend to wear cloths appropriate to their professions, although many add personalized touches as a nod toward individualism. Harlot and dancers wear little but jingling girdles or coins, sometimes with two strips of silk, sometimes not.

Peoples in the merchant class tend to wear velvet, fine linens and some silks. Clothing is chosen for quality and ease of use and wear. Clothing must be well-crafted yet still be functional. Versatility is more important than artistic or aesthetic merits. Many who claim to this rank from he lower economies wear gloves to hide the scars and roughness or their hands, which might betray their lowly origins.

When a persons wealth increases, jewelry replaces body piercings and tattooing as marks of individualism. When members move up to stand among the wealthy, pains are often taken to hide marks that are now considered boorish or counter-cultural. Nobles wear silk and other high quality materials. Fit, aesthetic merit, craftsmanship and quality are more important than functionality or individual expression. Surprisingly, jewelry is worn sparingly but what little is worn is always of the highest quality and beauty. Colors muted.

## **Common Behavior**

* **Self-Interest:** Zamorians do not acknowledged the rights of others. They do what is best for them. Trading in vices is treated by the Zamorians as a freedom and not a crime. The liberty of the private contract is more important than subjective idea of sin.
* **Bribery:** A way of life in Zamora and is expected and encouraged. Few Zamorians will even consider making a business transaction unless some sort of bribery is involved with the expectation that bribery will be part of the income. Zamorians, on the whole, do not trust the integrity of professional services, government and the courts, law enforcement, religion and anything touched with bribery.
* **Dependable Thieves:** Zamorians do make the best thieves and are well-regarded for not betraying their employers if hired for thievery. This has nothing to do with honor but is entirely an instance of the Zamorians realizing that a certain degree of loyalty is simply good for business.
* **Hedonism**: Zamorians have a tendency toward egoist hedonism. Every pleasure is good and natural. Pleasure is preferable to pain, which is bad and to be avoided. For many in Zamora, pleasure has become the measure of right and wrong. The Zamorians feel their anything goes approach to sexuality is completely natural. So long as sex is possible with a natural creature, be it man, woman or animal, then it is being done according to nature.
* **Connections:** Among the Zamorian noble class knowing people and who they know, is far more important than what they know, or what they can do as an individual. Everyone known is considered to be one or more of the above types of connections; otherwise the person is not worth knowing or even noticing. In the class, people do not introduce themselves. People are introduced by others in this fashion: ‘This is -name- of -family name- family.’ this serves the purpose of not only identifying the noble, it also illustrates his connection at the same time. If an introduction is merely, ‘This is -name-, a very dear and close personal friend’ or something of the sort, then the unspoken understanding is that the person has no connections of worth. Being skilled is less respected than knowing skilled people.

## **Religion**

Gods of Zamora

The Zamorians worship many divinities and have no issue with importing and accepting foreign gods. Most Zamorian cities have local patron gods that embody the cities in some manner. The spider-god of Yezud is such a patron deity. Other gods represent natural forces or concepts, such as the Shemite God Bel, worshiped in Zamora as the god of thieves and patron of the city Arenjun. Foreigners to Zamora find Zamorian pantheon extremely complex and difficult to understand. All Zamorian priests enforce absolute obedience among their congregations and are quite skilled in mesmerism to ensure unwavering loyalty.

## **Government**

Zamora is a dictatorship, run by a King who does not tolerate alternative political opinions. King Hadranor is a drunken tyrant but he understands the essence of Zamora. Zamora understands the fearful predicament the king leaves them in. However, they cannot allow the king to fail, for there is no organized opposition which can take over power should he fall. Everything is staked on the king; this system permits lightning efficiency when things are good but nothing to fall back on when times are bad.

## **Government**

There are five economic classes within Zamora, each with its own unspoken rules and habits. These classes are based around peoples opportunist to develop resources.

At the top of the social hierarchy in Zamora are the nobles and the leaders of the crafting guilds. The nobility of Zamora live precarious lives; should their estates, reputation or popularity ever be perceived to exceed King Hadranor, their lives are forfeit. Should they show even the slightest sign of discontent in their lord, their lives are forfeit. The king has spies in every household as well ass assassins. The nobles do know this.

The nobles of Zamora organize themselves by Houses. These noble Houses strive to rise in the king’s favor without rising the king’s paranoia. The Houses engage actively in the vice and trade of Zamora, employing complex networks of intermediaries to control the wealth of the city.

Some of these houses are little more then organized crime families and others are descended from ancient Zhemri nobility, inheriting their wealth and status generation after generation. The nobles control so much of the wealth in Zamora the king must play a careful game. Even though he is a tyrant, he knows he needs some level of fear and support in the noble classes to remain in power.

## **Economy**

Trade is the life-blood of Zamoras economy. Especially the Cities of Shadizar and Arenjun is a marketplace for Turanian slave caravans. Even though Zamora is a bit concerned about the Turanians nipping at their mountainous borders, Zamora is pleased to accept Turanian caravan trains. Slavery is quite accepted in Zamora. Many of the common people outside of the big cities live by herding sheep or cattle. Zamora also mines Tin, Copper and Iron from the mountains that cover two thirds of Zamoras borders.

## **Common Professions**

* Assassin
* Entertainer
* Merchant
* Priest
* Slaver
* Prostitute
* Sorcerer
* Spy
* Thief

## **Gender Roles and Marriage**

Humans, especially women and children are, for the most part, property or potential property to the Zamorians. Women are valued either for their domestic abilities or their entertainment abilities. In the minds of Zamorians, women fall into two categorizes. An unmarried woman remains in the custody of her father during his life or under another fraternal relative if the father is dead. Fathers have the complete right to dispose of their children as they see fit, eventually selling the girls to prospective husbands as purchased property. Women in Zamora cannot hold a civil office.

The idea of chivalry, courtly or romantic love really has not his the Zamorians. Lust is readily acknowledged but marriages are largely either arranged or made for economic or social reasons. Marriages tend to be handled much as and business contract, complete with terms and payments. Courtship is considered to be a career move, not a romantic interlude. A woman’s property is transferred to the men upon marriage, so courting is taken with deadly earnest by both men and women.

## **Slavery**

Slavery developed into an important part of the culture and became a significant part of trade early on it Zamora, dating back to Zhemri times. Slavery in Zamora is an institution, advocated and encouraged, with deep roots in the society. Modeled in the domestication of animals, Zamorian law recognizes slavery and has done this as far back as ancient historians can find.

In Zamoras past, male war captives were slain and the women enslaved. Zamoras modern economy is based on trade, not war, however. Shadizar and other major Zamorian cities are marketplaces for Turanian slave caravans, bringing in trade and income. Main slave markets are within the city of Shadizer and Arenjun.

The slave market is a favorite haunt for many Zamorians, who love to watch the slaves exposed for sale. The demand for slaves is met around the public auction blocks. Zamorians tend to delight in the humiliation and degradation of others, so slave girls are stripped naked on the block as madams and wealthy patrons laugh and make sport of the embarrassed girls. Although the slave is stripped naked and the potential buyer is permitted to examine her, all access to her is controlled by her current owner.

For Zamorians, if a person is in the position to be enslaved, then that person is enslaved. Youth and beauty are the prime requisites for enslavement. A man in Zamora may even find himself enslaved because of something his father or uncle has done.

## **Population and Culture**

Zamorians are normally dark or tanned skinned, being from a race far more ancient then the Hyborian Kingdoms. Zamorian women have been captured by Hyperborea as slaves, contributing to their mixed blood of the Hyperboreans. Zamorians have also intermarried with eastern Bryhunians.

The Zamorians are a strange and mysterious race with a reputation for deviousness and thievery. Although Zamora has a rich culture and centuries of higher learning, it is the dark alleys and seedy taverns that give it its reputation.

It’s culture is highly based off Indian and Moors. Seeming more like darker south Asians rather then Africans and clearly have a Hindu culture. What is known is that they are strangely out of place in the West and possible a migrant of Eastern ultimate organs. They may also be an older people that simply predates the emergence of Hyborian and other migrations into the high West. Zamorans might be the last of a truly ancient race or an early offshoot of Stygian-like peoples.

## **History and Politics**

The history of Zamora traces its beginnings in the Thurian Age. After the devastation of the Cataclysm, non-[[Valusian]] remnants of the Seven Empires were known as the Zhemri in the Southeast of Thuria.

Around 2000 years after the Cataclysms, their descendants had been mixed with some unknown tribes. This new blood gave them impetus and begun to revive some faint shadow of their ancient culture. They formed the kingdom of Zamora southeast of the ancient Hyborian Kingdomsof Hyperborea.

It seems that for a couple of centuries much of the fate of Zamora was dominated by the evil sorcerer Yara. Even the King of Zamora reportedly kept himself drunk all the time because of his fear of him.

During the rise of Aquilonia, Zamora entered an alliance (along with Brythunia and Koth led by Nemedia, aiming to crush the greedy Aquilonia. However this alliance coincided with a Hyrkanian invasion: riders from Turan swept over Zamora. Aquilonia reconquered Zamora and put soldiers to anticipate more invasions, and also keep the Zamorians subjected. This made no difference to the Zamorians, as Aquilonian or Hyrkanian master was the same for them. The borders of Zamora saw 3 more invasion attempts.

When the Picts invaded Aquilonia, legions stationed in Zamora were recalled to fight the invaders. This was what the Hyrkanians waited for. After a few thrusts, Zamora fell easy prey and its largest city became the capital of the Hyrkanian king. Fleeing Zingarans were settled in Zamora as subjects.

When the Hyrkanian empire was crashed by the Nordic drift, they took along Zingarans and Zamorians to the east with them and they were settled together forming a mixed race. Millennial later they would become the gypsies.

## Geography

Zamora lies to the border of the western Hyborian world, with Corinthia on its western borders and alien Turan in the east. It also shared borders with Brythunia to the north and Koth to the south.

### Cities

Howard named three cities of Zamora in his Conan stories: Shadizar, Arenjun, and Yezud.

Arenjun is the capital city of Zamora. Conan first arrives here in his quest to find the most vile cesspit of cities, in order to study the ways of civilization. The Zamorans he encounters here are mostly from the Maul, a section of the city where thieves and rogues gather.