Mannon (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Geography and Cultures

Zengroda

Not Finished

Zengronda is the northern brother of Endufo. Zengronda's geography is dominated primarily by arid badlands and vast tundra and is (very) roughly separated into six distinct regions.

The Westweald

The Westweald is a mysterious land comprised of rocky mountains and dense jungles. Home to the spirit Witches of Dromar, many mysterious things are said to take place in its misty canyons. The Westweald is roughly split into two regions. The northern, more "civilized" region is known as the Banju. South of there lies the thick jungle of Banjudar.

This section of the world is generally secluded from the rest of Zengroda due to the natural borders that surround it. Protected from the armies of the Ebon Legion by the aptly named mountain range, the Shield Wall, and far removed from any other continental conflicts by virtue of its location, the Westweald is a place of cultural isolation and its few pockets of civilization have little to do with the outside world. There is one group of people that stand in sharp contrast to the other civilizations of the Westweald, and these are the Skata'sem. A group of deeply traditional warrior priests, these men and women fight a bloody war against the slowly encroaching hoards of the Legion on a narrow strip of beach.

The Burning Lands

The Burning Lands are a vast expanse of arid scrub-land that houses some of the most ancient kingdoms on Mannon. The land is split into three major geographic regions and each land has its own host kingdoms and city states.

Phyrexia
The largest of these regions is Phyrexia. Phyrexia is perhaps the darkest realm in Zengroda in both figurative and literal terms. It is separated down the middle by a mountain range know as the Iron Ridge. The Iron Ridge forms the boundary between East Phyrixea and West Phyrexia, though a clear political boundary is nonexistent. East Phyrexia is a land dominated by gangs and petty warlords all vying for control of the underground rail carts and the rich deposits of high quality ores found there. West Phyrexia on the other hand is a land ruled by a military government that brooks no form of rivalry or notions of political ideology. These two factions are eternally at war with one another, constantly driving the area around them into a broken land of industrial destruction. Fighting a guerrilla war against them both are the Skaunites, a scarred people cursed with horrible skin afflictions for a supposed slight long ago.

Deyja
To the west of Phyrexia lies the mysterious lands of the old Korozian Empire. The Korozians are magic users in the extreme and devote their lives to personal perfection through any means possible. They maintain an uneasy alliance with Argonia should Phyrixia try to invade, though they are allies in the most dire circumstances only. Both lands lay claim to the ancient heritage of the desert kingdoms, and are fiercely competitive over the reclamation of artifacts found in the Silver Desert

Argonia If Deyja retains the arcane heritage of their desert forefathers, then the Argonains surely lay claim through their mastery of empire building. Argonia is the peak of modern civilization (or so they would claim), whether it is through the latest innovations or cutting edge business tactics the Argnonians demand constant improvement. A demand that has cost more than one dull businessman more than simply gold. Brutal cutthroat politics fill the courthouses and back ally deals fill the dusty desert streets; indeed if there was ever a haven for the crooked, desperate, and cunning it would be Argonia.

The Mechian Peninsula

The Mechian Peninsula is a land torn apart by civil war. The two large nations of Brellach and Conrath constantly clash at their borders over the politics of the Holy City of Numecca. The Peninsula is an area of warm summers and mild winters, forests populate much of its geography along with rough valleys and plateaus.

The Grazelands

The Grazelands are exactly that, areas of wide flat terrain with nothing but rustling grass as far as the eye can see. As such it is an ideal location for farming, and many small city-states exist within its boarders.

The Silver Desert

The Silver Desert received its name from the Silver Emperor, a man of such arcane might he could turn whatever he gazed upon into silver. Vast and treacherous, the desert hides the remains of a mighty civilization. It is not uninhabited however, for many would-be practitioners of the dark arts flock to its ruins hoping to chance upon some undiscovered treasure, and the fanatical worshipers of Trindrava, the great desert beast, are always scouring the sands for more supplies in the form of merchant caravans. Despite these dangers many treasure hunters venture into the sands hoping to bring back something that will change their fortune. Mysteries abound regarding tales of an ancient city made out of pure Etherium that only appears during the full moon and vanishes with the sunlight.

The Guild States

The Guild States are large tracks of land that are being continuously disputed by a number of powerful guilds who control entire city-states. There are five primary guilds that dominate the political and economic stages in the Guild States and they continuously war with one another over the lucrative gate portals that are scattered across the Barrens

The Heathen North

The Heathen North is named so due to its geographical isolation from the rest of Zengroda. This in turn created cultural intolerance and thus the southern realms consider their northern brothers to be dimwitted and brutish. Dominated by tundra and isolated snowy mountains, it is a harsh land to survive in and many of its people live in small tribes and villages. The primary deity worshiped here is Dromar, the goddess of fire and wisdom.

Endufo

Ocean of Tears

The Ocean of Tears is a large stretch of water that separates the continents of Zengroda and Endofu. Many brutal nations make their claim in the Ocean, and through the endless wars over its great natural resources has the water gained its name.