Mannon (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Geography and Cultures

The Westweald

The Westweald is a mysterious land that has a history almost as old as the Silver Desert. From the ancient Banju Jungle in the East to the fallen realm of Yevonack in the South, the entirety of the Westweald is permeated with a sense of antiquity similar to that of a deep slow moving river.

The Banju
Coming from the East a traveler would first enter the Westweald through a treacherous jungle known as the Banju; Filled to the brim with cannibalistic goblin tribes and the fanatical druids of Skata'Sem, many travelers would rather take their chances on the open sea or simply choose a longer journey around the northern mountains. Despite the dangers however many would be adventurers are drawn to the humid shade of the Banju. Its shadows hide many secrets and bards across the land tell tales of an ancient pagan temple filled to bursting with forgotten treasures.

Banjudar
Continuing West you would find yourself in a evergreen country comprised of misty canyons and wide planes. Home to the proud race of the Genesi, it is little wonder that Banjudar is one of the most peaceful places on Mannon. In sharp contrast to the hellish Banju, the peoples of Banjudar are welcoming of travelers so long as they do not present any danger to the local inhabitants.

Yevonack Peninsula
To the South of Banjudar lies the shattered lands of the Yevonack Peninsula. Once a great human nation, the Peninsula was beset by the infernal minotaur Drazgoth during the first Dark Crusade. Though the humans fought valiantly they were unable to stop Drazgoth until he had ravaged much of Yevonack. The human nation has since split up into several smaller nations that each compete for the past glory of their ruined home.

The Ashlands
To the North are the Ashlands. These lands are perhaps one of the most inhospitable environments in all Mannon. Large volcanic chains belch fire on a continual basis giving the land its namesake. Even the water here has become corrupted, the continual rain of ash chokes the air and has created the infamous Dead Pools, a series of rivers and lakes so infused with fire and charred earth that the very elements rise up in tortured rage. It is here more than any other place that elementals can be found. In spite of these ever present dangers the Ashlands play a critical role in the magical economy of Mannon. For it is here and only here that elemental gems can be found. These gems are infused with such potent magic that their power leaks out and can be channeled to grant abilities to items they are bound to.

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 Etherium 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. Fighting a guerrilla war against both the bandits and the Legion are the Skaunites, a scarred people cursed with horrible skin afflictions for a supposed slight long ago. These factions are eternally at war with one another, constantly driving the area around them into a broken land of industrial destruction. The sludge from the factories flows into the river producing a viscous green ooze. Due to the magical nature of the Etherium sludge strange monstrosities take shape in the rivers and more than one smelting factory has been over run by alchemical horrors.

Deyja
To the west of Phyrexia lies the mysterious lands of the old Korozian Empire. The Loorin 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. The Loorin themselves are something of an enigma in Mannon's society, for though they are heavily interwoven in the politics of the surrounding lands the Loorin as a culture have very little direct impact. Other than their seemingly endless hunger for Etherium the Loorin are completely absent in other desires. When not in search of magical substances or lore they cloister themselves in their floating mystic towers high above the ancient ruins of Deyja and the dangerous creatures that infest them.

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 beating heart of Argonia is not gold however but Etherium, for it is here more than any other place on Mannon that the mystic substance is available for trade. Its prime position on the continent puts Argonia in easy reach of all but the most distant nations and even these places can be accessed through an ancient Nexus Gates that spiderwebs the Old Kingdoms. Due to these vital portals the Arclight Engineers wield tremendous power throughout Mannon, for those that control the portals control the Etherium trade.

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 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 cool summers and bitter winters, forests populate much of its geography along with rough valleys and plateaus.

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.

Ocean of Tears

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.