Encyclopaedia Elyden Updates #17 - Saragos, Naareth & Khitai (Patreon)

Here's the 17th Encyclopaedia update for your perusal, based on today's map of Saragos, Naareth and Khitai. Please let me know what you think and let me  know if there's any mistakes or typos as these entries are heading  straight to the Encyclopaedia at the end of the month :)

You can keep up with these by looking for the  'Encyclopaedia Entries' tag.

If you have any queries about any of the following entries, please don't hesitate to ask :)

This is another pretty big infodump so I've added the entries as a PDF (no hyperlinks, though ctrl+F should do the job if you're looking for something.
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SARAGOS
 

ADAMA: 1. small isl. off the N–E coast of the Technocratic Republic of Saragos and a contested region for many centuries between the small ntn. and Venthir. The isl. is the central peak of a half-sunken meteor-crater known as the Rima and is a natural source of adamantine and meteoric iron.

2. (450-ft.) the highest point of the above isl. and c peak of the Rima crater.

3. mining settlement on the eponymous isl. Venthir first began mining the region in c. 300 RM, though excavation and true exploitation of its mineral resources only began in 402 RM following the arrival of the Korachani empire to the region, which remained stable for many centuries, save for amateurish banditry that was easily quelled, though the abolition of the technarcane arts in 1921 RM caused much disruption in the region.

The technarcanists exiled following Queen Hetepheres’ paranoid edicts settled the Kautuld plains, a region directly to the W of Adama. Venthiri culture and power steadily declined following its controversial abolition of technarcana, allowing Saragos to grow into a potent republic.

Its technocracy knew very well the wealth of ore that lay in the mines and as Venthir wallowed in the negligence of its tyrant, Saragos attacked the mines of Adama in 2408 RM, resulting  in its taking control of the mines in 2413 RM. The next centuries were dominated by warfare, with Venthiri armies repeatedly attacking Adama, which had been well-fortified by the Saragosi occupiers.

That changed as Venthir clawed its way back to power. The so-called Egret Crusades of Venthir had brought renewed wealth to the ntns. and its slave-armies had grown powerful. Hungry to reclaim its lost territories, Venthir attacked Saragos in 3405 RM. Three years of brutal warfare followed, but Saragos had prepared for the conflict well, and fended-off the attacks.

Though the war ended in 3408 RM with the defeat of Venthiri forces, their ships blockaded Adama for a year. This status quo ended in a large naval battle, in which both fleets were near-obliterated, though Saragos maintained control of Adama.

Most of its mines were exhausted by c. 3700 RM, and Adama survived by concentrating on the working of raw materials that continued to be mined in the region, and it became a healthy trade-city, its amazing natural harbours serving the N contingents of the Saragosi navy. Despite the apparently depleted reserves, the area was continuously guarded by Saragosi troops, though daring prospectors still managed to penetrate the largely-abandoned shafts in the hope of finding new veins. Though mostly empty, small amounts of impure adamantine have been found, but at great cost to miners (Pop. c. 9,000).

AGGOSHETH: rugged rock area that dominates around 40,000-square-miles of the N–W of Saragos, forming the S-most part of the Worknah Mtns. S of the Arut Daz.

ALCAMENA: coastal city in the N - E of Saragos known for its processing of raw meteoric iron mined on the isl. of Adama. It’s harbours are busy with merchant vessels ready to purchase processed iron (Pop. c.50,000). 

ARUT DAZ: Mtn. in the S of Venthir, forming the S-part of the Worknah Mtns. and the border with N Saragos.

ASTAFRIN: settlement in the W of Saragos, in the E-face of the Leonta Mtns. It is known for its aluminum and sulfur mines (Pop. c. 6,000).

BAHRAK: dam in the c of Saragos, constructed in 3623 RM, the dam was never truly completed and collapsed during construction, slaying hundreds and devastating settlements downstream til the coast at the Bay of Nada. Construction was later abandoned, and the remnants of the building effort remain there, reclaimed by the wild.

BARRAT: isl. fortress in the Iapetan Sea, off the E-coast of Saragos.

BESTIA: major trade city in the S of Saragos, along the course of the East Road. It is close to the border S with Naareth (Pop. c. 45,000).

BRAKASH: settlement in the W of Saragos, in the E-face of the Leonta Mtns. It is known for its aluminum mines (Pop. c. 6,000).

CANTILLA: manufactory-city in the E of Saragos, along the course of the r. Taarfa. It is known for its caste of chanting technologists (Pop. c. 38,000).

CHURCH OF THE MACHINE (SARAGOSI): Not to be confused with the Church of Undying Machine: the main rel. in the High-empire of Korachan, or the Reformed Church of the Machine: the main rel. of the Reformed Empire of Sarastro.

The main rel. of the Technocratic Republic of Saragos, first recognised in c. 2400 RM as a corrupted form of the Korachani faith that it was rooted in. The founders of Saragos, though of Venthiri blood, were heavily influenced by the Church of the Sphinx that had dominated the area since the first appearance of the sphinx Hetepheres there in -3 RM. Her handing over of Venthir to the Korachani empire in 361 RM opened the floodgates to immigration from the greater empire, and the Church of the Machine was amongst the first institutions to be introduced there.

Hetepheres’ later paranoia and persecution of technologists and their ilk from Venthir, starting in 1921 RM, caused their descendants, who would later become the founders of Saragos, to look upon both religions of Venthir with disdain, though in Falia, the Church of the Machine remained a mystery cult of sorts. As the Technocracy of Saragos admonished rel., advocating a secular life similar to that taught by the extinct philosophy of Midism, Falia continued to worship the Undying Machine, though its dogma became corrupted by the centuries of isolation and cultural tendencies. By c. 2400 it had become something wholly apart from its imperial ancestor; serving as a symbolic mask to its people, the tenets of the machine serving as a metaphor for what can be achieved by the moral use of technarcana.

The church spread throughout Saragos over the next decades, its temples becoming a common-enough sight in its cities, though as in institution it never became the overbearing monolith that its imperial counterpart had become. During this time Korachan had failed to let the memory of Saragos fade and the perhaps foolish actions of Queen Hetepheres in executing and exiling the bulk of Venthiri technarcanists, many of whom were conducting revolutionary research. Saragos had become a difficult country to infiltrate, and many attempts at subterfuge had been unsuccessful, leading to the assembling of a great diplomatic delegation that arrived in Saragos in 3213 RM.

The Korachani diplomats showered the capital with gifts and remained there for close to a decade, though the Technocracy could not be bargained with, and the delegation left in 3211 RM, empty-handed. Another delegation was sent to Saragos in 3301 RM, this time with members of the Church which, when offered a tour of the ntns.’ main cities found the ear of the Falian government, which established a small Korachani consulate there in 3303 RM.

Links were forged with the Church of the Undying Machine, which would become an influential entity in the region (purchasing properties and businesses and using its power to sway the Church of the Machine in Falia. By c. 3350 RM the imperial consulate was secretly manipulating the city’s government, sending technarcane secrets to Korachan. In 3392 RM it had grown so confident in its local power that it opposed the rule of Saragos and attempted to wrest Falia from the ntn. The coup was however negated and the imperial offices destroyed, the Church of the Machine eradicated, after which it became a secular ntn. though individuals were allowed to practice their faiths in private, so long as it was not of detriment to society as a whole. The church’s structures were kept, and became secular buildings: places of contemplation and introspection that are valued to this day. See Vol IV: Religions and Cults. 

DACATECH: (Plr. Dacatechs) War. Engineers and troops of the Saragosi army, descended from the collegiate-technologists that were exiled from Venthir in 1921 RM and who later settled the city of Saragos. Founded in the city of Ipheius, the Dacatechs are a highly-disciplined force. Though relatively few in number they are an elite army, specially-trained and well-equipped with the best Saragosi technarcana can offer. Though supported by various auxiliaries (including a disciplined citizen levy), they remain the mainstay of the Saragosi armies.

Notable battles in which the Dacatechs include their defence of the siege of Saragos between 3405 and 3409 RM and their aiding of Tzallrach during the War for the Shadow and the Helix, in 4008 RM.

DEFEDATIA: major region of Atr. taint in the N of Saragos, crossing the border into the S of Venthir in parts. It occupies some 6,000-square-miles of dry rocky terrain in the region of Aggosheth, and is shunned by most. Those travelling close to it claim that the ground there is covered in thick black tar that grows thicker the farther into the taint one goes. An unnatural stench pervades the area, and the bodies of dead birds and other vermin that were drawn to their deaths pepper the region.

EAST ROAD, the: major trade route that encompasses the ntns. of  Saragos, Sour, Naarteth, and Khitai. 

It stretches for around 4,280-miles, beginning in the city of Ipheius in Saragos, crossing the border into Naareth, where it crosses the cities of Maarch, and Alma, before entering Sour and crossing back into Naareth through Kaurnakar, and Sumaar. It then crosse the Gulf of Vegateth into Khitai via the city of Grath, ending finally in Kouria.

ELIGIA: 2. Bay in the S of Venthir, forming a border with the ntn. of Saragos.

FALIA: city in the c N of Saragos. It appeared in c. 2700 RM following the discovery of gold in the region and rapidly grew from there. The city was home of the corrupted form of the Church of the Machine that appeared there in c. 2400 RM.

The city grew in power following the arrival of Korachani diplomats there in 3301 RM and their establishing of a consulate in the capital city of Saragos in 3303 RM, which had links with the imperial church. By c. 3350 RM the imperial consulate was covertly manipulating the city’s government, sending technarcane secrets back to Korachan. Imperial attempts to sunder the city from Saragos ended in a civil conflict in 3392 RM, which caused the abolishment of the Saragosi Church of the Machine, though its edifices remained active and are a place for contemplation amongst the people of Falia (Pop. c. 150,000).

GARUS: major fortress in the S of Saragos. It is guarded by various troop,s included cavalry mounted on monitors.

HIULCITA: coastal settlement in the E of Saragos, overlooking the Bay of Nada. It is built around a deep cleft leading down to the bay (Pop. c. 10,000).

INAATH: dry prairies dominating the S–E of Saragos. The waning of the Iapetan Sea has seen the plains increasing in size and becoming dryer, leading to the waning of some settlements in the area. It is thought that this desertification will continue for some time.

IPHEIUS: Fortified city in the N of Saragos and home to its Dacatech armies. In 3406 RM it withstood a particularly brutal siege against the forces of Hetepheres the Strangler. Venthir, rich from the slave-trade, turned its eyes to Saragos, whose technological advances were envied. It attacked in 3405 RM, with Ipheius one of the major targets. The siege lasted 7-months, though the city was prepared for such a conflict and its elite troops, the Dacatechs, were experts in siege defence. The city has stood since that time as the N–most fortress of the Technocratic Republic of Saragos (pop. c. 75,000).

ISRAFA: r in the c of Saragos, flowing seasonally for c. 200-miles from sources in the Aggosheth massif.

KAUTULD: dry plains in the N–E of Saragos covering some 70,000-miles. Originally forming the S-most part of Venthir, the region was settled by technarcanist exiles in 1939 RM, and became the birthplace of the Technocratic Republic of Saragos, which would expand S over the next centuries. The plains are known for their monitors, which are the largest carnivores in the region.

LEAS: fortified coastal settlement in the E of Saragos (Pop. c. 8,000).

LEONTA: Mtn. in the W of Saragos, known for their rich ore reserves.

MONASTERIUM OF SCOURGING SOULS: monastery in Saragos, for those who went on the pilgrimage of mortification (named for what the pilgrimage tries to nullify) whose attempts to free their bodies/minds of corruption failed.

NADA: 1.bay off the E-coast of Saragos, in the Iapetan Sea. It is an estuary of the r. Israfa and Taarfa and is surrounded by dense mangrove f.

2. isl. in the above bay, just 3-miles off the coast of Saragos.

NARTH: city in the c S of Saragos along the course of the r. Israfa. It has a long and storied history, where it was once the N-most extent of Naarethi (then known as Naarth) territories, with large armies patrolling its borders with what was then the S of Venath, before Naarth became a vassal of Venath.

It was Narth, alongside Taar Al (known today as Taarom), that was responsible for Naarth gaining independence from Venath in 162 RM. Following the founding of Saragos in 1939 RM, Narth became home to a large Saragosi embassy and would eventually adopt its rel. and various customs, including patriarchal dominance, which made it lose favour farther S. It had grown into a major industrial presence by 2343 RM and its burgeoning economy made it powerful-enough to abandon its Naarethi roots. Within a century it had become a  political ally of Saragos, becoming assimilated by the ntn. Completely 2472 RM. It remains a major industrial city to this day, and is well-known for its metallurgy (Pop. c. 192,000). 

NIN: fortified settlement in the far S of Venthir, around 12-miles from the border with Saragos (Pop. c. 10,000).

OANT: ancient sprawling stone city, possibly dating back to the Fourth Age or earlier, in the badlands region of Shog Harrab in the S of Saragos.

ODUBDA: coastal settlement in the E of Saragos (Pop. c. 6,000).

OMNADJURA: 1. Badlands region in the c of Saragos, notable for the many spherical concretions that can be found there, some of them supported by sandstone pillars.

2. ancient ruin in the above region, thought to date back to the Fourth Age and possibly earlier. It was once a necropolis, and the mummified remains of mortals as varied as karkadanni, eelyouhns, aiklahs, and vapulim, making scholars believe that this was once a stronghold of the Demiurge Arimaspi.

PERANTIA: settlement in the N of Saragos, along the course of the East Road. It is built over a Fourth Age ruin, and its vaulted cisterns are still in use to this day (Pop. c. 6,000). 

PESSUNDATA: blighted region in the far W of Saragos, in the E-most reaches of the desert of Slaan. The Mythologia  Elyden claims it is the place where the Scion Tallas was cast down by the champion Ahefak in the Third Age.

PROPRIA: settlement in the c N - E of Saragos. It is known for its iron and phosphorus mines (Pop. c. 18,000).

RITE OF MORTIFICATION: ritual within the Saragosi sect of the Church of the Machine. The rel. sees carnal temptations as amongst the greatest of sins, and requires its followers to meditate as a means of combating such temptations. The analogy of the strength and stoic resilience of the machine is often used in describing this. In effect the rite is little more than a daily time of meditation, set by the individual, that must be adhered to as much as possible. In it the individual reflects on their actions, chastising themselves for moments of weakness and offering thanks for their vigilance against temptation.

So great does the need of mortification become that some worshippers form into illegal groups that worship together in secret

In some cases the Rite of Mortification can become taken to extremes, with individuals flagellating themselves. This is discouraged and those proven to be mutilating themselves in this way are incarcerated in state-controlled asylums.

SALTIA: settlement in the W of Saragos, in the E-face of the Leonta Mtns. It is known for its sulfur mines (Pop. c. 6,000).

SARAGOS: 1. Capital city of the Technocratic Republic of Saragos. The city was first recognised in 1939 RM, after technologists exiled from Venthir had settled the settlement and the surrounding region, just S of Venthir, decades earlier. It is considered one of the most advanced cities in Elyden, with the highest literacy rate and the greatest proportion of vocationally-qualified individuals amongst cities in the greater Inner Sea region. It is famed for its expansive subterranean vaulted water reservoirs that are used in some parts as a means of public transport. 

The city was besieged in 3405 RM by Venthir, though its defences and expert Dacatech army repelled the attacks.

Like many coastal cities in Elyden, the retreating coastlines recorded during the Fifth Age have left the city stranded from the coast, though it maintains a complex system of levees and canals that maintain its link to the sea. These canals cover no less than 7-miles (Pop. c. 650,500).

2. Ntn. in the N - E of Sammaea, to the S of Venthir. See Saragos, Technocratic Republic of. 

SARAGOS, TECHNOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF: Ntn. in E Sammaea, to the S–E of Venthir. It originated in 1939 RM after the ruling technocracy of Venthir was abolished by Queen Hetepheres and its remnants banished S. For the ntn. see Technocratic Republic of Saragos. *See Vol III: Extant Nations and Realms.

SARAGOSI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNARCANA: major university dominating the settlement of Ventia in the N - E of Saragos.  

SHOG HARRAB: badlands in the S of Saragos. They are known for the remnants of an ancient sprawling stone city, known today as Oant.

SORUS: major city in the N–E of Saragos. The city was besieged by Venthir in 3406 RM, though like other cities at the time, it survived relatively unscathed. Following the siege it and other coastal cities had their defences upgraded, which has deterred other assaults. The city was once coastal, though the slow retreat of the waters of the Iapetan Seas have left it around half-a-mile from the coast, with an intricate system of canals and levees linking it to the sea. It is one of the major smelters of meteoric iron in Elyden, which is a major export. The city has an expansive under-city water reservoir known as the Lake of Arches. So expansive is it that it is patrolled against illicit activities (Pop. c. 60,000).

STADTIA: fortified settlement in the S - W of Saragos. It is famed for its monitor trainers (Pop. c. 10,000). 

TAARFA: r. in the S of Saragos, flowing N for 290-miles before reaching its estuary, the Bay of Nada. The flow of the r. is dictated by the rainfall throughout the year, and it is not uncommon for its flow to diminish.

TAAROM: city founded in c. 1000 RM in what is now the S of Saraagos. It is built over the ruins of the far older city of Taar Al; an ancient Naarthi city, whose demise is shrouded in mystery. The city remained an independent state, controlling surrounding settlements for some miles around, and remained close with Venthir, its neighbour to the N. The appearance of the ntn. of Saragos to the N saw it distanced from Venthir, and by c. 2400 RM the two had become close allies. This partnership culminated in 2702 RM, where Taarom became a part of Saragos, and grew to become its largest S city at the time.

Today it is the main Saragosi manufacturer of airships, and is a major link between Saragos and Porphyr, operating shy-routes to Betyl and beyond (Pop. c. 47,500).

TATAROS: manufactory-city in the W of Saragos, along the banks of the r. Israfa between the Mtns of Aggosheth and the Irot (Pop. c. 38,000). 

VAURTU: ancient fortress carved into the cliff-like face of the S–most reaches of the Aggosheth, in extant N - W Saragos. The fortress dates back to the Fourth Age, and is thought to have safeguarded passage through the pass between the S of Aggosheth and the N-reaches of the Leonta Mtn. Little is known of the regions’ history, though Nathi records pertaining to the region do hint at a metropolis to the W of Vaurtu populated by one of the Two-and-Twenty mortal tribes. Any such ruins are now buried beneath the sands of the Malichari Desert, deep in Anubia.

VENTIA: settlement in the N - W of Saragos. It is home to the renowned Saragosi University of Technarcana. The university dominates life in the town (Pop. c.8,000)

ZADDOCK: (B. 1902 – 2383 RM) renowned technologist and pioneer of artificial life-forms and constructs. Born in Venthir, Zaddock was a master technologist who innovated many methods of cheapening and spreading the availability of creants and constructs (technachi), such as steel oghurs. He was exiled from Venthir in 1939 RM by an increasingly paranoid sovereign, Queen Hetepheres, and alongside many technologists who accompanied with him fled S to the city of Saragos, from where the ntn. of Saragos would eventually evolve. 

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NAARETH

ABALON: also, ‘the Iridescent City’. City in the far N - W of Naareth, at the tip of a S-facing peninsula along the border with Sour. It is renowned for its mother-of-pearl, which is sold in its raw form and as processed object d’art around Elyden, bringing much wealth to the city. Its harbour is deep and its mariners are experts at navigating the treacherous waters of the Orrma and the Roiling Sea beyond (pop. c. 41,500).

ABASHERA: 1. Major r. in Naareth, flowing S - E for 500-miles from sources in the Irotha, Dylphira and Cyban Mtns. before emptying in the Gulf of Vegateth.

2. flatlands in the S - E of Naareth, known to flood in seasonal tides. The region is known for its bald cypress f. And the salt-flats that dominate the periphery of the region.

ALMA: major city in the far W of Naareth, along the course of the r. Kyntha. It is a major centre of the Temple of then Volute (Pop. c. 180,000).

AMMEL: settlement in the E of Naareth. Like most settlements in the region of Jarra, it is known for its apiarists and honey (Pop. c. 4,800).

ANNASACH: fortress in the far N - W of Naareth, close to the border Sour and Anubia. It is built atop a Fourth Age ruin, which in turn is situated atop a strange basaltic rock-formation. 

ASIKKA: contested region in the E of Naareth, covering some 8,00-square miles. The region is all that remains of ancestral tikbala lands, that were far larger in the Fourth Age, though whose numbers were whittled down by the Shadow War and other conflicts leading up the the fading of the Fourth Age. They continued to dwindle in the Fifth age, as the people of Naarth (now Nareth) encroached on their lands, driving them to the E-coast, overlooking the Iapetan Sea. 

It is unknown how many tikbala remain in the region, though it is thought to be as little as a few thousand. Though they once ventured beyond the region, the Naarethi mil. would persecute them back to Asikka, killing those they caught.

This persecution of tikbala is largely unwarranted as they are shy and skittish creatures, and it is possibly this disposition that makes them easy targets. They are insular and unwilling to allow outsiders into their lands and are not known to trade with the outside world, though it is thought that some contraband does make its way into their lands.   

ASSAM: 1. isl. Off the E-coast of Naareth.

2. coastal fortress on the above isl. guarding the sea-route into the city of Tomor.   

AYALA: Mtn in the W of Naareth, forming a border with the ntn. of Sour. 

BAGATIA: caravanserai in the N - W of Naareth, forming part of the East Road (Pop. c. 3,000).

BAGHKUK: city and surrounding mining-settlements in the c of Naareth. Its main industry is the mining of gold, which is done by male slaves (Pop. c. 10,000).

BAT YAAD: Major valley in the c S of Naareth with a tropical savannah climate. It is noted for its wildlife, with large herds of herbivores and the apex predators of the regions - tarragons.

BAURDA: waterfall in the c S - E of Naaret, at the confluence of the r. Tular and r. Abashera.

BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS, the: one of many holy books within the rel. of the Temple of the Volute in Naareth. It was written by St. Amalinda in 1134 RM scant days before her death from Aepathy. 

BRATOD: monastery of the Temple of the Volute in the S of Naareth. It is one of few producers of banana wine that is consumed by Matridules across the ntn. 

CEPHAS: Mtn.-chain in the E of Naareth, forming an extension of the Irotha Mtns.

CROCITA: settlement in the S - E of Naareth, along the course of the r. Elgisar (Pop. c. 6,800). 

DALLIAT: coastal settlement in the S of Naareth overlooking the Gulf of Vegateth. Like many Naarethi coastal settlements, it is constructed on stilts to deal with the region’s tides  (Pop. c. 8,000).

DODRANTA: r. in the far N of Naareth flowing for 415-miles E from sources in the Irot and Irotha Mtns. before meeting the coast at the Iapetan Sea. The r. is used to ferry raw stone E to the city of Maarch. 

DEVORA: settlement in the E of Naareth. Like most settlements in the region of Jarra, it is known for its apiarists and honey (Pop. c. 6,800).

DIGNORA: settlement in the c S of Naareth, along the course of the r. Sullar. It has a history of animal husbandry (Pop. c. 7,350).

DYLPHIRA: Mtn. in  the W of Naareth, forming an extension of the Irotha Mtns. It is known for its many dark volcanic plugs, which stand out against the pale rocks of the region.

EDRAN: tikbala settlement in the contested region of Asikka in the E of Naareth (Pop. unknown).

EISHETH: 1. (B. 969 RM) Princess exiled from her home in Aethios for adultery in 993 RM. She wandered around the N–E of Sammaea until she discovered a ruined colossus in 999 RM, dedicated to an unidentified power with her followers. She began worshipping it as a dei. and eventually founded the Temple of the Volute in Naareth in 1002 RM.

2. following the founding of the Temple of the Volute and her becoming the first Matriarch of the temple, Eisheth slowly began to change. Perhaps it was the discovery of the Volute or some other malignant power at work, but her body began to mutate  and, over the years, she became a corpulent creature barely recognisable as human; the grotesque embodiment of the Naarethi matriarchal tradition. To remain alive, her body was fed with Atm. forces and enhanced with technarcane orthoses, her distended body constantly giving birth to Naarethi drones. She became the centre of the rel. of the Volute, becoming known as the Heart of the Volute; the name of her temple in the Lathmm highlands, where she is interred.

None outside the ranks of the Hierodules and Matriarchs are allowed to see her body, though it is believed that she is still alive.

ELGISAR: r. in the S - E of Naareth, flowing S for 134-miles from sources in the Cephas Mtns. before emptying into the Gulf of Vegateth.

ELTANAIA: city and surrounding mining-settlements in the c of Naareth. Its main industry is the mining of gold, which is done by male slaves (Pop. c. 8,000).

ERRAT: coastal settlement in the W of Naareth. Like many coastal settlements in the region, most of its buildings are constructed on stilts to weather the high tides of the region (Pop. c. 6,200).

FARKAID: city in the S - W of Naareth, in the tidal zone N of the mouth of the r. Abashera. It is built atop an ancient Aberani ruin and is known for its catacombs and its harbour that operates in a cycle dictated by the tides of the Gulf of Vegateth. At the time of low tide it is as much as 24-miles from the coast. Its main industry is logging (Pop. c. 9,000).  

FUDANA: fortified settlement in the S of Naareth, along the course of the r. Abashera. It is a major logging centre (Pop. c. 12,800).

GAIAT: basin in the c N - W of Naareth, between the W of the Irotha and the N of the Dylphira Mtns. It is home to tarragons and other wild creatures, and is largely uninhabited.

GIRRON: major coastal city in the S - E of Naareth, in the Gulf of Vegateth. Like many coastal cities in Naareth most of its buildings are constructed on stilts to weather the high tides of the region (Pop. c. 32,000).

GRAMARYE: a form of occult teaching that is common in tropical regions in the N - E of Sammaea, including Elekhid, Gibeah, Khitai, Nareth, Soleyn, Sour, and Waelmigh. It is believed to be a relic of ancient mysticism that was prevalent in the Third Age, possibly established by deruweids and vapulim in response to the increased prevalence of the Fir. and Atr. arts. Like Ley magic, it taps into the lambent energies stored in elyden, possibly from the First Age of creation when the Demiurges, working at their peak, shaped the world and crafted their true-born children.

It is a subtle form of mysticism that seeks to empower the individual, granting insight into the world unseen (Materia Omna), and is a dying art. Its practitioners were hunted to near extinction during the Egret Crusades, and few survived who could pass on its secrets to younger generations. It remains now most prevalent in the jungles of Waelmigh and Gibeah, and has largely died into obscurity in other lands, remembered as an extinct form of mysticism rather than as a thriving art. See Vol IV: Other Forms of Mysticism.

HARRUS: dry sparse f. Forming a border between N - E Sour and the W of Naareth.

HEART OF THE VOLUTE: the headquarters and c of the state faith of Naareth: the Temple of the Volute. It is built in the side of a sheer Lathmm plateau in the N - E of Naareth, and is topped by a gilded dome. It is home to the interred body of the founder of the Temple, Eisheth, and is where she is spawning new drones for the church. See Vol IV: Gods and Religions of Elyden.

HIERODULE: male leaders of the Temple of the Volute in Naareth, who are responsible for choosing new Matridules through the Rite of the Volute.

HOLY GYNOCRACY OF NAARETH: most commonly-recognised name for the ntn. of Naareth, in the N of Sammaea. 

HOUSEHOLD: in Naareth, the term used for the classical eusocial kindreds and family groups. Today the term is largely synonymous with settlement of city, though it has cultural connotations that the former terms do not have. Each Household is led by a Matriarch, from whom most members are descended, or at least related to, in the case of larger households. 

IROT: S–W arm of the Irotha Mtns. along the border between Saragos and Naareth. Unlike the Irotha, the Irot’s bounty lies mostly beneath the surface and many small mines pepper its S face. The ores are transported to the r. Dodronta, where they are then moved downstream to the city of Maarch, where they are smelted and worked.

IROTHA: main Mtn.-chain in Naareth, around 600-miles long, running form the N–W of the ntn. to the far E. Its S–E  face is rich in ores, many of which are at the surface, oxidised and corroded beyond use.

It is named after the children of the Demiurge Nyarloth, the Irothani, and is thought to feature in their ancient history in  some form, though there are few if any ruins from this period of mythohistory, though there are some ancient ruins to its S, possibly dating back to the Third Age.  

ISFET: ruins in the S of Naareth, incredibly ancient, thought to date back to the dawn of the mortal races on Elyden. The place has been explored over the centuries, many artefacts and relics stolen from their resting places and, in many cases, exported. The ruins are weathered beyond recognition today and only a few pillars and tell-tale fragments of ancient colossi remain today.

JADE OBELISK, the: monolithic jade obelisk in then S - E of Naareth, in the region of Abashera, just outside a small cave. The obelisk is some 40-ft. and is of a narrow cuboid design, though its edges have been won smooth by the elements and it is otherwise dented and damaged in many parts. Two large holes intersect about 6-ft. From its apex, inside which is a suspended soulstone. 

The obelisk is in the tidal floodplains of Naareth, and is fully revealed once- daily, and is near totally submerged a few times each year. It was the object of tribal worship some years ago, though this was quelled following the rise of the Temple of the Volute in the region in the 2nd millennium RM, though it is believe that secret cults still worship the idol, whose origins are unknown.

JARRA: 1. Rocky verdant region in the E of Naareth, known for its apiarists and honey-production.

2. settlement in the above region in the E of Naareth. It is known for its apiarists and honey (Pop. c. 8,200).

KALOS: monastery of the Temple of the Volute in the S - W of Naareth. It is one of few producers of banana wine that is consumed by Matridules across the ntn. 

KAURNAKAR: capital city of Naareth. One of the major cities along the East Road trade route, it is one of only a few truly metropolitan Naarethi cities that hosts foreigners (mostly merchants and travellers) in any significant numbers. Due to this it is most outsiders’ source of Naarethi culture.

The city is divided into large walled districts, each ruled by a Matriarch who forms part of the city’s and ntns. ruling council. Like in most Naarethi settlements, its males form a lower-caste of workers, labourers and soldiers (Pop. c. 1,800,000).

KHELAH: rugged fields of oxidised metal in the S–E of Naareth. They are pitted and rusted into a landscape that is peppered with distorted flaked knolls and buttes. The waters of the Vejateth off the coast of Khelah are brown from the runoff barren. The r. Abashera flows just S of this hellish landscape, which is inimical to most life, though rust slugs are common here, and are a pest to surrounding settlements. 

KNAVE: 1. Female holy-warriors, akin to a knight, who are native to Naareth. Knaves have passed the Rite of the Volute and are agents of the Temple of the Volute, and the ruling body of the ntn. Alike. When a Matriarch dies, her body is protected by household knaves until a new Matriarch is appointed. They are forbidden from bearing children and are chemically castrated, which would otherwise be considered a shame on their household.

KULLAETH: also the Sand Gardens. Sandstone rock formations in the c of Naareth, along the course of the r. Tular, S of the Irotha Mtns. 

KYBAN: Mtn. in the S - W of Naareth

KYNTHA: r. In the W of Naareth, flowing S for 245-miles from sources in the highlands of Sirdaira and the Dylphira and Ayala Mtns. before meeting the Bay of Kyun.

KYTALI: extraordinary cave system of immense size, on the E-face of the Kyban Mtns in the c S Naareth. The caves are characterised by the artificial form that the rock-formations above the caverns take – as though thousands of cubes of varying sizes were just dropped from a great height and allowed to rest there, with the negative space between them becoming the geometric caverns. The caverns feature flowing water, as well as vertical waterfalls, and some of the cavern walls are inscribed with weathered and unrecognizable text. 

Many believe Kytali to be the work of a Demiurge, possibly Synchthonith, though there is little proof supporting this.

KYUN: 1. bay in the W of Naareth, forming the N-most part of the Sea of Orma.

2. Coastal fortress guarding the entrance into the above bay from the Sea of Orma.  

LATHMM: plateau-like highland region in Naareth, up to 200-feet higher than surrounding area.

MAARCH: city in the N of Naareth. Originating in c. 2540 RM as a port where raw materials gathered in Naareth could be shipped N to Korachan by the imperial occupancy in Naareth, it remained a large city following its abandonment of the region in 2993 RM, though has dwindled slightly in size. At the height of imperial power in Naareth, it boasted a population of over 100,000 bodies (Pop. c. 72,000).

MAMLUK: Mil. Professional soldier caste in Naareth and Khitai that is drafted from male electives converted to the worship of the Volute. Following seven years service, mamluks retire and become citizens; the most widespread method through which a man can attain certain rights in Naareth. Despite this reputation, very few live long-enough to be granted this luxury due to the rigours of the position.

MAATHLAT: rocky, dry region in the N - W of Naareth, S of the Sirdaira highlands.

MANGATA: settlement and major monastery in the c N of Naarth. The monastery is devoted to a cult, known as the Order of Mangata, that worships the Ivory Moon (Pop. c. 2,000).

MANGATA, ORDER OF: worshippers of the Ivory Moon in Naareth.

MATAR: settlement in the c S of Naareth (Pop. c. 6,800).

MATRIARCH: ruling and breeding caste in Naarethi households. They are the eldest able-bodied and fertile woman in the household and hold absolute power within their community. When the existing Matriarch dies or becomes infertile, her successor is elected by the household’s Matridules from within their own ranks. Once elected a new Matriarch will seeka male breeder and consummate her new position and is expected to bear children as quickly as physically possible after giving birth, with as many sexual partners as she desires (though hierodules encourage that offspring are sired by different fathers to maintain a healthy bloodline). 

Births of as many as half-a-dozen children are made possible through technarcane orthoses and use of Atr. drugs that also accelerate the gestation period to a mere 5-months. Male offspring are groomed to either become Mamluks or overseers of the male slave corps of Naareth. Female offspring become citizens and are educated to the best abilities of the household and are eligible to take part in the Rite of the Volute, as are their female offspring for two further generations.

Matriarchs holds council over the Matridules, who govern the household and individual families in their name. In turn, the Matriarchs assemble seasonally in Kaurnakar to discuss more important matters of state with the Arch Matriarch and the Hierodules. 

MATRIARCHY: 1. A social system where females wield the primary position of power in political leadership

2. Specifically, the political and rel. leadership of Naareth, where a Matriarch rules each household (settlement). The Matriarchs elect a ntn. ruler, known as an Arch Matriarch and convene seasonally in the household of Kaurnakar (the capital of Naareth), to rule on matters of import.

MATRIDULE: the ruling upper-caste in Naareth, and individuals closest to the household Matriarchs. They are chosen from the offspring of the household Matriarchs and are the only true citizens of Naareth, with most of its upper- and merchant-classes made up of Matridules. Household Matriarchs are chosen by its Matridules, and the Arch Matriarch is in turn chosen by the Matriarchs. 

MESHULL: small city in the c S - E of Naareth, along the course of the r. Sullar. It is home to a large university, where Matridules study (Pop. c. 16,200). 

MORSICANT: lead and limestone quarries in the N of Naareth, in the S-face of the Sirdaira Mtns. (Pop. c. 7,200). 

MT. TZURIA: (7,250-ft.) major volcanic plug and highest point of the Dylphira Mtns. in the W of Naareth.

NAARTH: ancient name for Naareth.

NAARETH: 1. Large peninsula in the N - E of the continent of Sammaea, jutting to the S - E of the continent, S of the Iapetan Sea and N of the Roiling Sea. It is home to the ntns. of Naareth and Khita, as well as parts of Saragos and sour. Khitai (a dependency of Naareth) forms the E-most part of Sammaea.

2. Ntn. occupying the above peninsula, noted for its matriarchal society. Extant Naareth owes a lot to its Korachani subjugators, though perhaps the largest contributing factor was the exiled Aethiosi princess Eisheth, who founded the Temple of the Volute in 1002 RM.

Before this time, Naareth was little more than a series of city-states with little ties to each-other, other than the Fourth Age ruins on which their settlements were built. This was the Aberanni empire, which fell in the Fourth Age, leaving behind a legacy of interconnected stone cities and expert mariners, for which Naareth remains known today. 

The vacuum left by the collapse of the Aberanni empire allowed different people, many of them descended from the empire’s now-freed slave caste, to resettle the Naarethi headland. Most were already skilled at farming and fishing and they were able to subsist to the crumbs left by the fallen empire, and lives in this way for many years, occasionally having to fend off attacks from chorsairs raiding coastal settlements. These people continued worshipping the different regional elemental dei. that were left by the fallen empire. 

One city, Naarth, became powerful during this time, exerting its influence on many cities around it, particularly to the S. The name of the city would soon became synonymous with the surrounding land, though a growing power to the N - the Venathi empire - kept it from growing too much. 

The growth of Venath brought a new rel. to the region - a cult of personality surrounding its Queen, Hetepheres the sphinx. The rel. soon spread to Naarth and surrounding lands, becoming popular by c. 60 - 70 RM, replacing the antiquated elemental beliefs of the long-dead Aberanni empire.

With its rel. gaining strength in Naarth, the Venathi empire would soon slowly expand its borders S. The city of Naarth was annexed by Venath in 121 RM. and surrounding lands soon followed. The Death of Labaisingh the Strong in 151 RM saw a decline of the Venathi empire and it would eventually collapse in 162 RM following years of uncertainty. Naarth became an independent state once more, using what remained of its armies to secure the surrounding lands, as far S as the N-face of the Irothan Mtn.

It was into this land that Eisheth founded her rel. A princess exiled from Aethios in 993 RM following a coup in which her family was deposed, she spent years wandering Sammaea before coming to Naarth from Anubia. With much of her entourage dead, where she discovered a ruined angelic colossus when she was close to starvation, in 999 RM. Soon after she was blessed by finding food and water and she survived. With her remaining followers, she began worshipping the colossus as a deity for saving her and eventually erected the temple that would become known as the Heart of the Volute in 1002 RM, founding the Temple of the Volute there. The religion of the Volute spread across the Naarethi headland, steadily supplanting the Cult of the Sphinx, which had remained a major rel. 

The years following her founding of the church prompted a major physical change in Eisheth: her body began to mutate and, over many years, far beyond the span of normal mortals, she became a corpulent creature barely recognisable as human - the grotesque embodiment of the church she had founded. She became the centre of the rel. and came to be known simply as the Volute.

This change, coupled with the rapid spread of the church eliminated all other rel. in Naarth, and a large temple was constructed in Naarth. This served to further unify the region, allowing Naarth to expand as far S as the Sea of Orma. 

However, the growth of the church, coupled with the physical change of Eisheth, saw the tenets of the church become corrupted. Distinction between the founder of the church and the church itself waned, and by c. 1280 RM, the object of veneration became Eisheth, or the Volute, as she had by then become universally known. Worship of the angelic idol of the Volute had all but died out, replaced by a veneration of Eisheth as an avatar of the statue.

Rel. movements saw the Volute become the leader of Naarth, unifying state and church in 1340 RM, though by this point the Volute had become so corpulent and distanced from the material plane, that she was incapable of making decisions alone. The rel. caste of Hierodules and Matriarchs came to rule in her name, and in 1341 RM the first Arch Matriarch was elected as head of the church, and the name Volute became forevermore synonymous with the ascended form of Eishath. 

Naareth grew under the unification of the church and the Arch Matriarch’s leadership, and the appearance of the Matriarch caste saw a change to its social hierarchy, with women attaining a more prominent role, becoming household leaders and breeders from which the matriarchal noble bloodlines would evolve.

The region was invaded by the Korachani empire in c. 2490 RM, following its conquering of Khitai in c. 2430 RM, eventually falling in 2532 RM following years of naval and land battles, though in the Archpotentate Malichar’s absence its rule there was tenuous at best. Hundreds of temples were toppled and their Matriarchs slain. Matridules were married into Patrician houses as was customary following imperial subjugation, but the Matridules were unruly, educated to be leaders and generals and they did not take to imperial life. Many killed their husbands in frustration or themselves in protest, further vilifying the Temple of the Volute in the eyes of the imperial occupiers. Fights between policing forces and rioting locals were common and they would often end in blood. 

Within a few years, the worst of the civil unrest was quelled and industrial operations - including deforestation, mining and fishing - were begun in earnest. The consequent decades were relatively productive, with the city of Marachan (now Maarch) being a major port, where produce was shipped to the heart of the empire. This continued for some centuries, though the empire’s grip on Naareth would slowly loosen over time. 

With the aid of Saragos, Naarethi nationalists were slowly able to hinder Korachani rule, disrupting its industries and doing everything in their power to increase operating and shipping costs. This was during a tumultuous  time in Korachani history, where the Archpotentate Malichar had been missing for centuries. Ruled by Desposyni regents who often squabbled amongst themselves, and undoing the work of their predecessors, many foreign territories were allowed to falter. Following years of increased civil unrest in areas of Korachani influence, and a slow exodus of imperial citizens and patrician houses, the imperial governors finally abandoned Naarthel to self-rule in 2995 RM. It took years for the ntn. To re-stabilise, though through the aid of its Saragosi allies, it was able to re-establish itself as a power in Sammaea. Industries that were started by the Korachani occupiers were continued, albeit at a reduced scale. By this time, Korachan had been absent from Khitai for 2-centuries, and its abandonment of Naareth brought the two ntns. together. Naareth would exert a great deal of influence on Khitai, in 3132 RM it would absorb the latter as a vassal, which it remains to this day.

Those who had remained faithful to the Volute were able to keep the location of the Heart of the Volute hidden from the Korachani occpiers, at great personal cost. With Korachan departed, temples were rebuilt and worship of the Volute was re-established, despite the Church of the Machine becoming popular amongst those who’d become indoctrinated to the Korachani way of life. The Church of the Machine made little effort to maintain its roots in Naareth, and it slowly waned in power and influence, though it does remain in a corrupted form worshipped by a few (notably those of Korachani blood descendants from imperial settlers).  

Beginning in c. 3250 RM, the empire launched a series of crusades against the N - E of Sammaea. This included Naareth, which was one of the regions hardest hit by this so-called Egret Crusade, which targeted lands outside of Korachan. Funded by patricians and the Church of the Machine in a bid to expand private lands, plunder and take slaves, these crusades lasted until c. 3500 RM and were a constant menace to the people of Naareth, whose N-coast was left devastated, resulting in its population migrating inland and farther S, which remains true to this day. See Vol III: Extant Nations and Realms.

NACHAA: settlement in the c S of Naareth (Pop. c. 10,000).

NIMRAH: settlement in the c of Naareth, 70-miles N of the capital in Kaurnakar. It is known for its rangers who patrol areas of the Bat Yaad that are close to settlements, protecting them from wild animals, particularly tarragons (Pop. c. 32,000).  

NIRVAM: settlement in the c N - W of Naareth, in the region of Gaiat. It is a major producer of amethyst (Pop. c. 8,000). 

NISSARI: agricultural settlement in the c S - W of Naareth (Pop. c. 7,000). 

OPIA: lead mines in the N of Naareth, in the S-face of the Sirdaira Mtns. (Pop. c. 8,000).

ORMA: small sea off the W-coast of Naareth, forming a part of the Roiling Sea. Its waters are deep and very rough, particularly in the monsoon season.

PALEG: coastal stilt-settlement in the S-W of Naareth, overlooking the Roiling Sea (Pop. c. 8,000).

PELVIC CROWN, the: crown worn by the ruling Matriarch of Naareth. The crown is ancient, dating back to the 2nd millennium RM, after the appearance of the Temple of the Volute there. The original crown was destroyed following the appearance of the Korachani empire there in 2532 RM, though a new one was made from the exhumed body of the last Arch Matriarch, who was slain during the Korachani conquest, and remains in use to this day.

PHLOTEGNA: buttress tree f. in the N–E Naareth, N of the Cephas Mtns..

PHRENIA: settlement in the c S of Naareth, known for its hilly landscape (Pop. c. 7,500).

RABBIRA: coastal stilt-settlement in the S-W of Naareth, overlooking the Roiling Sea (Pop. c. 20,000).

REATH: city in the c of Naareth, along the course of the r. Abashera. It is known for its rangers who patrol areas of the Bat Yaad that are close to settlements, protecting them from wild animals, particularly tarragons. It’s main industry is reed and grain farming (Pop. c. 40,000).  

REND, the: slot canyon in N–E Gullaetha, Naareth; carved by seasonal rains and snow melt that flows down the mtn., emptying into a treacherous morass that forms in late spring – early summer.

RITE OF THE VOLUTE: coming-of-age ritual undertaken by the descendants of Matriarchs in Naareth once yearly. Overseen by the household Matriarch, willing virgins that have come of age (16-years) are assembled before the Matriarch and impregnated by the household temple’s hierodule (usually the life-mate of the Matriarch). 

Those deemed weak become slaves to the Volute, their children sacrificed to it. Those who show their strength and pass the test become knaves, serving Naareth as holy warriors. In turn their children become eligible to undertake the Rite of the Volute. See Vol IV: the Gods and Religions of Elyden. 

ROSAT: tikbala settlement in the contested region of Asikka in the E of Naareth (Pop. unknown).  

RUMAIA: agricultural settlement in the c of Naareth, in the region of Bat Yaan (Pop. c. 8,000).

SABAIR: settlement in the S - W of Naareth. It is known for its production of the exotic banana fruit (Pop. c. 5,500).

SARCANTA: f. dominating the entire N - E of Naareth.

SHAHAT: settlement in the E of Naareth. Like most settlements in the region of Jarra, it is known for its apiarists and honey (Pop. c. 7,500).

SARRIT: coastal stilt-settlement in the S-W of Naareth, overlooking the Roiling Sea (Pop. c. 6,000).

SHIUAN: tikbala settlement in the contested region of Asikka in the E of Naareth (Pop. unknown).

SIRDAIRA: dry highlands in the far N - W of Naareth, acting as a border with the far more arid region of Anubia to the W and Saragos to the E. Sirdaira is known for its picturesque rock-formations and horizontal rainbow-like strata, though its dry climate makes it sparsely populated.

ST. AMALINDA: (B. 1091 - D. 1134 RM) Naarethis preacher, canonised in 1973 RM by the Temple of the Volute. She wrote the Book of Lamentations, describing her visions, which have become important parts of the Temple of the Volute.

SULLAR: r. In the c S of Naareth, flowing S for 400-miles from sources in the Irotha and Cephas Mtns. It is one of two major tributaries of the r. Abashera, the other being the Tular.

SUMAAR: coastal city in the S - E of Naareth, overlooking the Gulf of Vegateth (Pop. c. 50,000). 

TEMPLE OF THE VOLUTE: main rel. in Naareth. It was founded in 1002 RM by an Aethiosi exile, Princess Eisheth, who found a statue, which later became known as the Volute, in the c S of Naareth, just S of the Kullaeth. It was quelled following the region’s subjugation by the Korachani empire in 2532 RM, but was slowly reintroduced, first as a mystery cult, then openly, following the empire’s retreat in 2995 RM. After this it became entwined in the ruling body of Naareth and the head of the church, the Arch Matriarch, is also the head of state.

Its main ritual is the Rite of the Volute, which is a coming-of-age ceremony undertaken by young female aspirants. See Vol IV: the Gods and Religions of Elyden. 

TOMOR: large coastal city close to the E-coast of Naareth, where the bulk of its imported iron ore is smelted and processed. The city, a hub of industry, is noted as one of the few regions where men are allowed to prosper. Though most serve as little more than slaves in the many foundries and manufactories that dominate the S banks of the city, some are able to become overseers and magnates of industry. The city has is considered one of the most metropolitan in Naareth  (Pop. c. 200,000).

VEGATI: coastal settlement in the S Naareth, overlooking the Sea of Orma, in S–E Naareth, renowned for its fishing fleets and fish meal production (Pop. c. 13,400).

VEGATETH: Lit. the Windy Waters. Gulf of water between Naareth and Khitai in the N–E of Sammaea. Once a strait between headland of Naareth and the isl. of Khitai, the dwindling waters of Elyden’s seas saw the isl. become part of the mainland once more, closing off the strait. Deep, with steep shores, its waters are stagnant and partially poisoned by the rust runoff of the plains of Khelah in Naareth as well as the Hothaghol in Khitai.

VOLUTE, the: 1. statue in the c of Naareth, located in the S of Kullaeth, not 20-miles N - W of the capital of Kaurnakar. The statue takes the form of an angel, that is worshiped by the Naarethi as an idol of their faith. Is a relic of the Second Age of Life; making it over 30,000 years old. The Volute glows white from within and is said to heal the wounds of those who touch it. A wayfaring Princess (Eisheth) and her entourage found the ruined statue in c. 1000 RM and, recognising its power, founded the first household in Naarth (today Narth) in 1002 RM, becoming its first Matriarch. 

Today, worship of the statue has been largely supplanted by worship of Eisheth who has become synonymous with the statue, which is largely forgotten, its significance unknown to all but the most learned scholars and theologists. A major church now exists in Naareth surrounding the Volute, and it is the main unifying presence in Naareth - indeed it was responsible for the creation of the ntn. as we know it today. Once a place of pilgrimage to those faithful to the Temple of the Volute, it has been supplanted by the Heart of the Volute - the first church of the rel. in the N of Naareth. See Vol IV: the Gods and Religions of Elyden.

2. Title of the head of the church of the Temple of the Volute in Naareth. The title supposes that the bearer is a mortal manifestation of the idol of the same name.  

WINDY COAST, the: see Vejateth.

YASHALPA: prostitute demigod in Naareth and nearby lands, especially in Khitai. Priests collect homeless boys/girls for prostitution. They are well-cared for and retire young, wealthy, though at times broken. See Vol IV: the Gods and Religions of Elyden. 

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KHITAI

AGEA: settlement in the N - E of Khitai. It’s main industry is the quarrying of shale (Pop. c. 6,000).

ARASHAN: coastal settlement in the S - W of Khitai. Originally founded in c. 2430 RM by Korachanicolonists,it was later abandoned in 2793RM, when the empire was driven out of Khitai. Following that the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 2882 RM, and was later rebuilt closer to the coast due its iron reserves. Though the iron has since been exhausted, it remains a major harbour where most of the salt cultivated in the ntn. is exported (Pop. c. 32,000).  

BROCHITTA: also, ‘the Shale Mountains’. Jagged Mtn. chain dominating the c and N - W of Khitai. It is ancient and grey, known for its perilous scree slopes, rendering them difficult to traverse.

BRUS: coastal settlement in the S - W of Khitai. It is known for its stilt-architecture, designed to protect its people from the extreme tides in the area. It’s main industry is salt,which is collected in gigantic pans outside the settlement (Pop. c. 4,000).  

CASHAN: coastal settlement in the S - W of Khitai. It is known for its stilt-architecture, designed to protect its people from the extreme tides in the area. It’s main industry is salt,which is collected in gigantic pans outside the settlement (Pop. c. 6,000).  

CAMEHAN: 1. l. In the S - E of Khitai. It was once a large bay, used by Korachani invaders as a harbour. The lowering of Elyden’s sea levels saw the bay changed into a lake in c. 3100 RM, leaving many coastal settlements in the region cut-off from the sea. 

2. city in the E of Khitai. Originally founded as a Korachani colony in c. 2430 RM to mine iron, it was once known as Camechan. The Korachani rulers were forced out of the city in 2789 RM, becoming the first region of Khitai to govern itself, as the rest of the ntn. was fighting its korachani oppressors.

Korachani architects designed the city to be coastal, but it was left landlocked by c, 3100 RM, and the surrounding bay became a l. that is today linked to the sea with a series of canals. Its main industry is logging (Pop. c. 45,000). 

CASTAAL: series of prisons in the S–E of Khitai constructed within lodelith, most of which are large-enough for one or two cells and no more than a few people on them at any time (more than this and they will descend to ground level due to the weight). The lodeliths – perhaps numbering a hundred, scattered over several dozen square-miles – are chained to the Hothaghol region and are protected by male guards stationed on the ground. The prisons are home to shapers who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the judges of Khitai.

ENALAS: chorsair stronghold in the E-coast of Khitai, in dangerous waters along in the Smoking Coast (Pop. unknown).

GALETIA: coastal city in the N - W of Khitai, overlooking the Gulf of Vegateth (Pop. c. 40,000). 

GRATH: Coastal city along the N–W coast of Khitai, made up of cliffside- and pillar-dwellings connected by dozens of bridges. Khitai is well-known for such settlements and Grath is the largest and has become a major link between Naareth, and is known for its many embassies and consulates and is the base of Naarethi governance in the region. As a result it is one of the least insular of Khitai’s cities (pop. c. 220,000).

HOTHAGHOL: region in the S of the headland of Khitai in Naareth, the N – E of Sammaea. The region is known for its twisted inhospitable terrain that is composed primarily of oxidised metal. These metal fields make up around 1,000 square-miles to the E of the Bay of Khit, the tidal waters of which are responsible for the oxidisation of the area.

The place is a lifeless wasteland, pitted and worn by the elements, its shores dominated by stained scabrous flakes and tainted orange-brown waters. Very little life is known to exist here.

IROTHA: main Mtn.-chain in Naareth, around 600-miles long, running form the N–W of the ntn. to the far E. Its S–E  face is rich in ores, many of which are at the surface, oxidised and corroded beyond use.

It is named after the children of the Demiurge Nyarloth, the Irothani, and is thought to feature in their ancient history in  some form, though there are few if any ruins from this period of mythohistory, though there are some ancient ruins to its S, possibly dating back to the Third Age.  

KADA SHAN: the dominant rel. and dei. of the ntn. of Khitai, characterised by the worship of a large idol signifying material strength and sanctity. The idol takes the form of a great metal pillar – its surface dull, tarnished neither by time nor rust – located in the holy settlement of Nalshen just 7-miles S–W of the capital of Grath. Scenes and legends from myth and unremembered history, are acid-etched in the pillar, claiming the entity known as Kada Shan to be one of many creator dei. Though referenced as such, many claim that Kada Shan is thought to be one of the Two-and-Twenty Demiurges. 

KHIT: bay in the S of the headland of Khitai in Naareth. The bay grows in size periodically due to the high tides in the region, engulfing much of the region of Hothagol, and is responsible for the rusted appearance of the area. Few settlements are able to survive in the region around the bay and most of those that do are either constructed on stilts or built on floating platforms that rise and lower with the sea level. 

KHITAI: 1. Headland off the S - E-coast of Naareth. In antiquity it was known as an isl. though the slow lowering of Elyden’s seas and the growth of the surrounding Mtns. left it landlocked sometime in the Fourth Age. Today it is connected to the Naarethi peninsula by a narrow isthmus, no more than 7-miles wide, and is guarded by the so-called Shale Fortress.

2. Small ntn. off the E coast of Naareth, noted for the large deposits of oxidised ores that cover much of its S - lands, which are a pitted place, worn by the elements into a harsh landscape of rusted knife-edges and twisted shapes. Tropical f. Cover the rest of the S of Khitai, where the landscape is not so harsh, and the N is rocky, dominated by the Brochitta Mtns. N of which is dry coastal region overlooking the Iaptean Sea. The land is also noted for its high tides that move as far inland as 60-miles in places. Coastal settlements have adapted to these tides by using stilts that support communities of 20 - 40 families, though following the establishment of Naarethi rule there in 3336 RM, more cosmopolitan stone cities have become the norm farther inland. In the N rocky coastal settlements were traditionally connected by seaweed rope bridges, and individuals would travel from community to community with the use of large poles that were used to vault from creek to creek over the harsh cliffy rocks. Today, its main industry is salt, which is produced in great quantities in the S, where sea-water is allowed to dry in expansive pans seasonal low tides. 

It became a Korachani colony in c. 2430 RM as imperial prospectors searched for new resources to exploit. Its large areas of oxidised fields were thought to have potential for new mines and quarries, and 3 colonies were established there - Arashan in the S - W, Camechan in the E and Kibe in the S - E. The native populace was very resistant to this, and skirmishes were common, often resulting in outright battles, which left the native populace decimated, forcing the imperial colonisers to repopulate major settled areas with immigrants from the Korachani heartland. Korachan eventually abandoned the region to self-rule in 2793 RM, following 43-years of strife and the ruination of its ruling patrician houses. Its efforts in using Khitai for its natural resources was never as successful as hoped, due to the rusted nature of its ore reserves and the difficulty in keeping water out of its mines. After Korachan left Naarthel in 2995 RM the two regions would become close allies, with Naarthel exerting a great degree of influence on Khitai, which would, in 3132 RM, become a vassal to Narthel.

Its people were traditionally very xenophobic, a trait that was exacerbated by their subjugation by korachan, though it has lessened since becoming a vassal to Naareth and some of its customs spread. The people have however retained some of their ancient customs that place great value on material wealth – bodies are taken extreme care of, medicine is highly-esteemed, wealth and objects are valued. The main rel. practiced here, known as Kada Shan, takes the form of willing ritual bodily sacrifice - in a land where the physical body is prized, those willing to scar it and lie with the consequences are seen as holy. Murder and the physical mutilationof others is seen as particularly horrific here.

Traditional warfare is ritualised and of a low attrition: prisoners are taken, weapons are  designed to subdue rather than kill, and ritual duels would often determine the outcome of battles. With the introduction of modern technology with imperial rule, these antiquated forms of warfare would be almost forgotten, remaining today as cultural relics. See Vol III: Extant Nations and Realms.

KIBE: 1. Bay in the  - E of Khitai.  

2. coastal city in the S - E of Khitai. It is a harbour and the only known major shipyard in Khitai. It was founded as a Korachani colony in c. 2430 RM though was abandoned when the empire was driven out of Khitai in 2793 RM (Pop. c. 18,500).

KOURIA: major coastal settlement in the N of Khitai. The city is famed for its bustling vaulted harbours, which are tailored for the high tides in the region, which can fluctuate by as much as 10-ft. at times. It is one of the major mercantile ports in Khitai and is particularly metropolitan. It is a major producer of medicines and anti-ageing products that are eagerly consumed by those with the means.  (Pop. c. 125,000).

LAMBITIA: coastal settlement in the S - W of Khitai. It is known for its stilt-architecture, designed to protect its people from the extreme tides in the area. It’s main industry is salt,which is collected in gigantic pans outside the settlement (Pop. c. 8,000).  

NALSHEN: holy settlement in Khitai, 7-miles S - W of the city of Grath. The holy pillar of Kada Shan forms the centre of the settlement.  The settlement is dedicated to the rel. and dei. of Kada Shan (Pop. c. 7,200). 

OANT HAZA: also ‘the Smoking Coast’. Volcanic region dominating the N - E of Khitai, to the E of the Brochitta Mtns. known for its near constantly smoking fumaroles and cones. The region is uninhabited  

ODYNIA: city in the c N - W of Khitai. It is the only remaining source of iron in the ntn. And still bears the signs of Korachani occupancy - much of its machinery and structures are of imperial descent. The city is located close to  a minor Atr. sinkhole, whose depths have never been fully-explored due the debilitating pain that wracks those trying to descend it (Pop. c. 34,000). 

ONA: small coastal city in the N - E of Khitai, just S of the Rothob Mtns. (Pop. c. 16,000).

PELLUCIDEA: coastal settlement in the S - W of Khitai. It is known for its stilt-architecture, designed to protect its people from the extreme tides in the area. It’s main industry is salt,which is collected in gigantic pans outside the settlement (Pop. c. 6,000).  

RIBSHAN: tropical f. region in the S of Khitai, known for its bald cypresses and other flo. and fau. that are adapted to the salty aquatic nature of the region. Nagas are known to dwell in this region, making it dangerous to mortals. 

ROTHOB: mtn. In the far N - W of Khitai. Like the larger Brochitta to the S, it is ancient, its rocks rounded and crumbling. Its S-face is quarried for shale.

SAHITTA: rocky Mtn. region dominating the interior of Khitai, stretching from the W-most headland,  to the Bay of Kibe. 

SATOAZ: settlement in the N - E of Khitai. It’s main industry is the quarrying of shale (Pop. c. 4,000).

SHALE FORTRESS, the: fortress in the far N - W of Khitai, at the narrow isthmus between the Naarethi peninsula and the headland of Khitai. It is well-guarded and has links to both the Iapetan Sea and the Gulf of Vegateth.

SHALE MOUNTAIN, the: see Brochitta.

SMOKING COAST, the: see Oant Haza.

TRUS: small coastal city in the far E of Khitai (Pop. c. 20,000).   

VEGATETH: Lit. the Windy Waters. Gulf of water between Naareth and Khitai in the N–E of Sammaea. Once a strait between headland of Naareth and the isl. of Khitai, the dwindling waters of Elyden’s seas saw the isl. become part of the mainland once more, closing off the strait. Deep, with steep shores, its waters are stagnant and partially poisoned by the rust runoff of the plains of Khelah in Naareth as well as the Hothaghol in Khitai.