Shorticus — Roleplayer Guild

Zaqir

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Name of Species: Saurians
Genetic Compatibility: There are incredibly rare records of Saurians interbreeding with other reptilian humanoids. The children that hatch from such unions, however, are not as fertile as either of their parents.
Physical Characteristics of Females: Saurians (also known as lizardfolk) are a race of amphibious, bipedal reptilian humanoids. They resemble monitor lizards and have some obvious sexual dimorphism, but not in the mammalian way: their females are the stronger gender, tall and sinewy, and the males are smaller and seen as more delicate and gentle. Some saurians, both male and female, have scales that blend in with their surroundings. They are believed to have a destiny as warriors.

Female saurians are the more powerfully built and more dominant of the two genders. They typically stand between seven and eight feet in height, though there are outliers who are much shorter or somewhat taller. Their scales tend are typically brown, red, or sandy, and their bodies are muscular.

Some humans expect female saurians to have some characteristics belonging to human females, most notably some sort of breasts. Saurians, of course, laugh at this idea. They are reptilian. They do not have mammary glands. 

Physical Characteristics of Males: Male saurians are much smaller than their female counterparts, typically standing between five and six feet tall. They have a much wider array of scale colors - blues and greens and purples and blacks, for instance - and some even have a prismatic look to them, their scales shifting in coloration depending on the light. They often have spotted fins that display an array of shapes, and they take great care of their appearance so they may win the attention of female saurians with their beauty.

Life-Span: Saurians reach adulthood very quickly (around 8 years) and if they are not killed in battle may live between 80-120 years of age.
Diet: Omnivore - Saurians favor meat, but also eat fruit, certain greens, and insects (especially the giant variety of insect).
Racial Attributes:
Comfortable in desert and tropical climates
Incredibly uncomfortable in cold climates - extreme cold can kill them easily
Moderate regenerative capabilities (slow regeneration, but can regrow limbs over the course of several (5-8) weeks)
Amphibious
Tough hide

Age: Saurians of today have existed for roughly one hundred thousand years. There are proto-saurians that existed before them.

Replace "Zapotep" with "Zaqir."

Name of City: Zaqir
Population:
200,000 Saurians (roughly even numbers in favor of men)
50,000 Humans freefolk (roughly even gender numbers in favor of women)
50,000 Human slaves (roughly even gender numbers in favor of women)
Negligible number of half-breeds

Known For: Nest of raiders, large fleet, sugarcane, exotic wood, fish, fine falcatas
Culture: The female-dominated society of Zaqir is not unlike the male-dominated societies of other realms. This reflects the nature of the saurians: their women are strong and warrior-like whereas their men are naturally smaller and slighter of build.

Fighting is a central component of Zaqiri culture, but that does not make them conquerors. Rather, the people of Zaqir are raiders and plunderers, attacking shoreline provinces for the sake of taking valuables and slaves to fuel their economy at home. This is not to say that expansionism is something Zaqir does not entertain. Far from it. However, Zaqir's tribes know better than to waste resources on holding onto distant foreign lands, and at the moment are far more concerned with going on maritime adventures for gold and glory.

Interestingly, Zaqir's people do not have any great hatred for foreigners, and indeed are also known to sail great distances to trade with others... including the Prometheans. They know when they have met someone they cannot bully, and those people they treat as equals.

Zaqiri clothing is airy and easy to breathe in as befits the sort of clothing one might wear in the desert. They favor long tunics that reach down to just above their knees, loose knee-length pants, and intricately patterned, colorful sashes. Their armor is likewise breathable: simple chainmail with cloth woven into it is favored when affordable, and otherwise simple clothing is seen as sufficient protection. Turbans are commonly worn by saurians and humans alike in Zaqir.

There is a great respect among the saurians for heroic exploits, especially those of battle, and a great many songs and stories are told of those brave few who fought against impossible odds. Whether or not such legends are true, they are the heart of Zaqir's culture. Zaqiri youths look forward to the day they can take to their ships, don their bronze mail, and bring their falcatas into battle against their enemies.

When captives are taken as slaves by Zaqir, they are expected to live for a certain number of years as slaves. After a certain amount of time - usually ten to fifteen years - they are released to live as freefolk in Zaqir.

Religion Overview: Zaqir's tribes still worship a pantheon of spirits that are clearly their own, but at the head of these gods is an overdeity that bears some resemblance to the the Great Ape of the Prometheans and the Grand Divine of the Regulii. Their name for this deity is simply the Divine, and their traditional patron spirits are seen as subservient to the Divine, or at times as its enemies. They worship the Divine with animal sacrifice... and human sacrifice on special occasions.

Government Type: Stratocratic-Republican Dictatorship - Only Saurian women may participate in the government, and even then only those who have fought in a war or in a series of raids. They elect tribal leaders who in turn elect a single woman to rule the city. This saurian rules over Zaqir with undisputed control, and the only check against her power is the possibility of a coup.
Calendar: Promethean

Late Ancient Era Nation Summary

The Dominion of Zaqir

Overview: Famous first and foremost for the warlike nature of its inhabitants, the Dominion of Zaqir is also known for its thriving markets, its bloody gladiatorial contests, and its eclectic collection of cultures and races. The capital, Zaqir itself, is the wealthiest city in the known world. The impressive Conqueror's Canal runs through the Zaqiri peninsula, connecting the northern and southern parts of the world more easily and allowing Zaqiri raiders to influence ever-more distant realms. Still, the raiding culture is in its death throes, and it's very possible that the glory days of Zaqir will fade with it.

Government: Zaqir is ruled by its Potentate, an undisputed dictator who earns her position by being elected to the position by the Circle, killing her predecessor, or just muscling the Circle into submitting to her rule. Most times, killing one's predecessor is enough to earn the Circle's vote, but dissatisfied members of the Circle (or other members of society) may hire assassins to get rid of the usurper. This means that the political process often involves long periods of infighting among Zaqir's leaders as they vie to become the ruler of the Dominion.

The Circle is elected by the people of Zaqir, though if the Potentate disagrees with the people's choices she may very well execute the elected official, often in single combat. Only Zaqiri women who have experience as mercenaries or raiders may vote in Zaqiri society. Men are barred from voting at all with the notable exception of Jandoo men: in Jandoo culture, men are the equals of women, and Zaqir has allowed Jandoo men to elect officials and to be elected as them so long as they fight for the Dominion.

What Your Nation Can Offer: Zaqir is a wealthy nation that needs ever-increasing stocks of iron and steel. It definitely has the money to buy the necessary metals. There's good luxuries to be had from Zaqir, too: exotic woods, sugarcane, dyes, fish, and spices all make for a rather enticing array of products. Zaqir also makes a better ally than enemy: though it hasn't won every war it's fought, its enemies have universally suffered greatly from fighting Zaqir. Its military might is definitely a real threat in the world, and its mercenaries have proven themselves to be useful additions to any army.

Military Strengths and Weaknesses: Zaqir has the world's largest, strongest fleet, and its armies boast some of the world's best infantry. However, the saurian military completely lacks cavalry, using wild boars and serpent flies as surrogates for that combat role, and doesn't field organized lines of spears or pikes. While they are skilled at mass charges and the shield wall formation, Zaqir would do well to discipline its warriors and turn them into soldiers. Still, they're terrific fighters if they can turn a battle into a mass melee.

Thanks to the Signal Corps, Zaqiri warriors can field more complex tactics on the battlefield. Once they've clashed with the enemy, however, it's nigh impossible to get Zaqir's women to pull back from the fight. Once they're locked in melee, they stay in the melee unless an all-out retreat begins.

Zaqir's arsenal of troops is rather unorthodox in comparison to other nations. For one, saurian and soun'yei raiders are more than capable of amphibious assaults (though the soun'yei are unable to walk on land themselves). Zaqir has beasts of war - boars and serpent flies - to field instead of cavalry, and the Jandoo tribespeople use hardened balls of acid launched from sling staves rather than conventional ranged weapons. Also, the very nature of saurians, both the normal sort and the Jandoo subrace, allow them to literally fight tooth and claw. Their wailing missiles, the beating of their shields, their warcries: all of these are meant to intimidate the enemy and frighten them into losing the battle. When combined, this variety of strange tactics and soldiers can overwhelm an enemy who has not studied their opponent well enough.

It's worth noting that Zaqir is a difficult place to invade. Sweltering hot jungles flanked by the very seas the saurians have mastered makes their land perilous to attack. Their cities are well defended, too, and seasonal raiders are good at spotting assaults before they arrive.

Population and Races: 8,000,000 total estimate

Saurians - 5,200,000
Humans - 1,300,000
Asqari - 900,000
Regulii - 300,000
Jandoo (Saurian subrace) - 200,000
Soun'yei - 50,000
Half-breeds - 30,000
Other - 20,000

Religions:

Religion Name: Cult of the Divine

Type: Monotheism with Shamanistic and Hero-Worship elements

Name of Believers: Diviners

Overview of Beliefs: A mixture of the original tribal beliefs of the ancient saurians and the beliefs of the neighboring Regulii of Ilitscium, the Cult of the Divine expresses worship of a single, true God known as the Divine. However, there are many lesser spirits in the world besides this God, each of whom have some power and influence. Some are the Divine's servants; some are the Divine's enemies. Others still are the souls of the ancestors and great heroes who help and answer the worthy.

The Cult of the Divine believes that God has several different aspects, each of which represents a different ideal or element. The Divine has an aspect of storms, of war, of mercy, and more. All of these faces, however, are merely faces of the one true God who is supreme.

Religion Name: Temple of Ila

Type: Strict Monotheism

Name of Believers: Ilaists

Overview of Beliefs: The faith of the Temple of Ila is that of a single omnipotent and omniscient entity, one of such great power that it is beyond the complete understanding of any mortal. Ilaism holds to the belief that the Sun and Moons are both glimpses at other worlds, other worlds which make up the afterlife of Ilaism. They believe that in the beginning Ila (simply the Yossodite word for 'God') created the world, the sun, and the twin moons, as well as the mortals which would come to inhabit them. The ayels had always been the favoured children of Ila, and they loved their great God in return. But legend holds that the nameless race grew jealous of the ayels, and in an act of betrayal butchered them and drove them from their homes on the twin moons. As retribution for this horrendous act, Ila would strip the race of its name, drive them from the twin moons, and set the Sun alight so they would burn eternally for their treachery. And such is was that Ila made the twin moons a paradise, for now he decreed it would be that the souls of the virtuous would come there to live for eternity, whilst the souls of the wicked would burn in the sun.

Ilaism puts a massive emphasis on living a life of virtue, and the greatest virtue is to submit oneself to God and do his will. However, the Temple of Ila has no single holy figure or prophet around which the faith revolves. The Temple's "Prophet" is simply the mouthpiece for and one of the few humans who communicate with the Ayels, who are the Chosen Children of Ila and above all other mortal races. It is they who, through the Prophet, communicate the Word of God to the masses and it is the series of Ayelic Edicts that set down the religious laws and codified beliefs for the Temple of Ila.

Religion Name: Shamanism

Type: Shamanism

Name of Believers: Shamanists

Overview of Beliefs: A minority in the Dominion, Shamanists are practitioners of ancient, tribal saurian and human beliefs that originate from the jungle. Most of the practitioners either live deep within the jungle or live on the Jandoo Isles. They worship a plethora of spirits and gods, and their beliefs vary widely from tribe to tribe.

Philosophies

Philosophy Name: Samaksism

Type: Martial Philosophy

Name of Believers: Samaksists

Overview of Beliefs: Also known as the School of Martial Excellence, Samaksism emphasizes personal skill and strength. The greatest virtue to ardent Samaksists is to become a better fighter. They approach all their problems head-on, and while they are much more than brute warriors, Samaksists nevertheless do not care for the study of tactics or deception. This makes Samaksists especially skilled at single combat but lacking in other areas.

Philosophy Name: Mazarism

Type: Martial Philosophy

Name of Believers: Mazari

Overview of Beliefs: A rather practical school of thought, Mazarism is a martial philosophy which encourages the growth of skill and strength but puts greater emphasis on tactics, deception, and knowledge applicable to the battlefield. The acquisition and defense of knowledge is highly important in Mazarism: hiding information from your enemy while gathering enough to act wisely is key to victory. "All great victories are founded on one side knowing everything and the other knowing nothing," claimed its founder, and Mazarists still heed those words to this day. Personal glory is as much a pursuit for Mazarists as it is for any other saurian, but Mazarists earn that glory through cunning rather than overwhelming strength.

Philosophy Name: Ilism

Type: Martial/Religious Philosophy

Name of Believers: Ilists

Overview of Beliefs: Where Mazarism and Samaksism emphasize the betterment of the self, Ilism emphasizes the betterment of the group. A highly religious philosophy, Ilism encourages its practitioners to fight together, not as individuals, and to fight for the Divine - or God - rather than themselves. Ilists tend to have good battlefield discipline and devote their lives to their craft, perhaps even more zealously than other saurians do.

Capital City: Zaqir

Secondary Cities:

Asqar - Chief population is Asqari. Produces silk, spices, fish, and wood. Home of some master smiths, but has to important their iron.
Caraq - Produces bronze, copper, tin, and fish. Serves as the northernmost port for raiders.
Jandoo Isles - Also known as the Burning Isles. Home of the Jandoo people. Very hot. Jungle. Rich deposits of gold, iron, and silver.
New Ilitscium - Built from the ruins of Ilitscium. Important center of land trade. Good farmland. Ship building site. Tourist hub.
Or'Rouz Isles - Home of the Or'Rouz people. Naval base for Zaqir. Serves as the southernmost port for raiders. Produces sea-related goods.
Sasham - City by the lakes. Chief population is human. Fertile farmland. Supplies fresh food, wood, and copper to Zaqir.
Shaqir - One of two major industrial centers. Produces lots of stone, bronze, copper, and tin.
Tiraqir - Second biggest Zaqiri city. One of two major industrial centers. Produces lots of fish and pearls.

Through Their Eyes...

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Leaders: Monarchs, Emperors, Prime Ministers etc

Government Officials: Prominent members of government who do not necessarily dictate the direction of a nation, but may have a hand in influencing it.

Generals: Leaders of armies who are not necessarily linked to the running of state, but rather, the leading of armies. Commanders, Lords, Princes, Admirals, Captains - that kind of role.

Scientists/Inventors: Individuals whose research and experiments are likely to procure ground breaking results in the very near future. Could for example, be someone on the verge of figuring out how to harness gun powder in an effective form.

Explorers: Individuals who have accumulated enough wealth, or who have been sponsored by rich benefactors, to set sail beyond the great seas to lands yet unknown. Think Christopher Columbus.

Soldiers: Individuals of great skill and renown (or not?), who have made their living in the trenches or on the sands of some Gods forsaken arena, but whose story might bring grit to the tale of an entire Empire.

Common Folk: Every day citizens and subjects, or slaves, who may yet one day be of some significance to the history of your nation.

Leaders

Character Name: Tereza the Stonecleaver, Potentate of the Zaqiri Dominion

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Saurian

Character Age: 40 (adult)

Character Appearance: Though she's a bit small for a saurian woman, standing at a mere seven feet and two inches, Tereza wears all the scars that belong to a veteran of many battles. They indicate that she might have lost one or both of her arms in the past, but like all saurians she was able to regrow her missing limbs. She has sandy yellow scales and a rather typical build for a saurian warrior: lean and muscular. She has long, sharp fins running down the back of her head to her tail, a rare trait among saurians, and has some webbing between her claws.

When not in her armor, Tereza has what other races might call a "kingly" appearance. She wears a white turban which is adorned with golden chains in a lattice pattern, and resting about her turban is a golden crown jeweled with beautiful amethysts. She wears a light robe, also white, embroidered with golden thread and decorated with black and purple beads of quartz. A series of thin steel discs woven on the outside serve as armor in the event of an assassination attempt. She wears golden bracers and anklets with this outfit.

For battle, Tereza dresses in impressive armor. Her turban is replaced with an Asqari Warhelm, a design based off of Ashkari helmets but with a piece of metal placed over the eyes. It is, of course, specially designed for her as she is saurian, not Asqari. She wears a thick steel breastplate, and under that a long-sleeved chainmail shirt which reaches down to her knees, and underneath that carefully-woven silk cloth that can be used for bandaging in an emergency. Her armor is all highly decorative without sacrificing function. The most bold image is carved into her breastplate: the symbol of Zaqir's bloody sword pointing downward, the bloody blade's outline painted red.

Tereza's wields two weapons. The first is a one-handed sword which looks like the bloody blade and has the same straight edge - a good weapon for thrusting, parrying, and slashing. Her second weapon is a handaxe made completely from steel. It is deceptively small, but it is this very axe with which Tereza earned the name "Stonecleaver," cutting through statues and pinning her enemies to walls. She carries several light axes for throwing at her enemies.

Character's Role Within Nation: Something that other races never understand about saurians concerns the roles of government and war in their culture. For most nations war is an extension of politics. The opposite is true in Zaqir: politics is an extension of war.

Potentate Tereza represents this truth. As leader of her people, she is expected to find good battles for them to fight, and if she fails to do so then she will be replaced by the political process of revolt and assassination so that the common people can have the war they so desperately need. A Potentate must be strong, bold, and cunning. Tereza possesses these qualities, or else she would not have managed to maintain her position. She needs that strength to stay alive, her boldness to have the willingness to attack, and her cunning to know who to attack.

The Potentate is the undisputed dictator of Zaqir. Tereza's word is law, and anyone who attempts to usurp her rule may answer to her directly.

But there are those who would yet wish to take Tereza's life. Several factions within Zaqir as well as foreign powers would find it beneficial to throw Zaqir into a state of civil war and unrest once again. Perhaps this time someone will be successful...

Character Background Info: Not much is known about Tereza's history. She is known to have fought in the Conquest of the Burning Isles, and she's fought in the Almurzani once before. However, there are large gaps in her history, and if she has relatives she hasn't made them known to the world. She simply made a bid to become Potentate one day during all the period between 480-489 A.E. She was formally accepted by the Circle in 489, and the Stonecleaver has been a strong Potentate since then.

Other: Rumor has it that Tereza wants to start an invasion very, very soon. The question is... who will she invade?

Government Officials

Character Name: Warleader Ambul the Spitter

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Saurian (Jandoo)

Character Age: 109 (elderly)

Character Appearance: Standing five feet and ten inches tall, Ambul is not what one would expect of a saurian warleader. Firstly, he is male. Secondly, he is small, as saurian males all are. Finally, he doesn't have the build of a titan or of a strong, lean duelist, but rather has a pot belly like a toad's and is a hunchback. Yet this same decrepit figure almost led Jandoo guerrillas to victory against the vastly superior armies of Zaqir. He may not look like much, but looks can be deceiving.

Character's Role Within Nation: Leader of the Mazari. Ambul is a strategist who employs tactics mainstream Zaqiri minds would find dishonorable. He also fought hard against the Conquest of Jandoo. Nevertheless, this saurian of the Burning Isles has become a loyal member of the Zaqiri Circle and has aspirations to one day be Potentate.

Ambul understands the Zaqiri need for war and would not discourage it. However, he would have Zaqir align itself with another nation first. He feels Ashkar makes for a natural ally.

Character Background Info: Once the leader of the Jandoo resistance, Ambul is now a loyal subject of Zaqir. He managed to become a member of the Circle as he was chosen by his people to represent them.

Other: Like all Jandoo, Ambul can create balls of acidic spit. Unlike most Jandoo, he can also spit streams of acid quite accurately thanks to a gap in his teeth. This makes him much more dangerous than he would seem.

Character Name: Warleader Cizana the Sharkblooded

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Saurian

Character Age: 85 (elderly)

Character Appearance: An albino saurian, Cizana has white scales and bright red eyes that always seem hungry for more blood. She is tall, lean, and wields a massive trident which is deadly in her hands. She wears no armor and indeed leaves her chest bare, letting all the world see her battle scars and the places where even the best-aimed arrows have failed to slay her. Those who meet her are surprised to learn just how old she actually is, for she has the vitality of someone far younger than herself.

Character's Role Within Nation: Leader of the Samaksists. Cizana was one of the warriors who fought to be Potentate in the interim period preceding Tereza's ascension to the Zaqiri throne. She is still bitter over her loss, but as she has been spared by the Potentate after losing a duel, she has begrudgingly accepted the Potentate as her ruler. She is a magnificent warrior and deeply believes that the throne belongs to the best fighter. Should Tereza die, that would be Cizana.

Cizana deeply respects Bloodaxe for his physical power and brutality. She believes Zaqir has a natural ally among the dwarves, though she laments that the dwarves still remain aligned with the weak kobolds...

Character Background Info: Although an accomplished Captain, Cizana was relatively unknown to the public eye until she won second place as a Single Combat fighter in the Almurzani in 490 A.E, losing only to a highly talented soldier from Ashkar. The Samaksists quickly chose to make her their leader. Though she is old, white-scaled Cizana has since turned out to be a determined politician with strong traditionalist values.

Other:

Character Name: Warleader Naula the Stout

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Asqari

Character Age: 50 (middle age)

Character Appearance: Dressed in brilliant blue silks and silvery steel chainmail, Naula makes for a proud looking woman indeed. She has the dark skin associated with Ashkar's people, a long nose, expressive eyebrows, and short-cut brown hair. Her favored weapon is a stout Asqari spear, and her shield is oval-shaped rather than circular. She smiles warmly and is very diplomatic.

Character's Role Within Nation: Leader of the secret Asqari independence faction. While not all Asqari wish to be independent of Zaqir, many do believe that the time has come for them to be independent. They see Zaqiri culture as a kindred one, but still one that is different, and so they would like to claim independence while remaining allies of the Dominion. Naula is the leader of this faction, and she realizes that Zaqir will never let Asqar leave the Dominion without a fight. She plans to give it to them.

Character Background Info: There is little to be said of Naula. She was raised in the Asqari warrior culture, and she grew up feeling fiercely proud of her heritage. She saw the failed attempts on Asqar's part to break free of the Dominion, and while she did not take part in this war, she definitely felt the same wish for freedom many of her people do. She is now in a position to perhaps bring her people that chance to be free once: she is a member of the Circle.

Other:

Character Name: Warleader Rafiqa the Godsworn

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Saurian

Character Age: 20 (young adult)

Character Appearance: Rafiqa herself is not very distinct. She is of average height for a saurian woman (six and a half feet). She does have the rare chameleon-like scales some Zaqiri folk are blessed with, but otherwise there is very little about her that stands out. What she does have, however, is a look of pride and self-confidence that nobody can truly shake.

Rafiqa's weapon is a beautiful double-headed battleaxe made in Yossod. Its blades are shaped like crescent moons, and its shaft has pearls embedded in it. The wood itself is black, and the weapon has incredible balance. The Ilist's shield depicts a white full moon laid against a field of black. Her armor is a coat of chainmail painted oiled until likewise stained to be ebony with a sheen. When she wears this armor, she can appear like a shadow because her scales turn as dark as her armor, and her yellow eyes stand out when this happens.

Character's Role Within Nation: Leader of the Ilists. Rafiqa is a passionate speaker with a calm tone, and she has increasingly large crowds who listen to her preach and speak of the state of the nation. She does not speak out against Tereza, but she has been building her power base slowly. The Ilists may be the most powerful faction in Zaqir now. Rafiqa may be young, but she is influential nevertheless.

If someone wanted to find a Zaqiri warrior more zealous in their devotion to Ila, they'd be hard pressed indeed. Rafiqa is devoted to Ila, the one true God, and would make a martyr of herself to spread Ila's word. She has a healthy communication with the Brotherhood of the Covenant.

Character Background Info: The details of Rafiqa's history are brief. She reached the age of six, began doing mercenary work early, and when she was dying was saved by a Brother of the Covenant while she was serving in Yossod. She has since devoted her life to serving Ila, and would do anything for her God.

Other: Rafiqa has devoted herself so thoroughly to Ila that she has never had a lover and does not seem inclined to take one any time soon.

Generals

Character Name: Commander Tana the Noseless

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Human

Character Age: 31 (adult)

Character Appearance: Tana is not a pretty sight to look at. Her nose has been cut off (as her name suggests) and has dark brown skin scarred heavily by the trials of war. She carries a variety of weapons and prefers to wear light, padded armor to the chainmail favored by other Zaqiri leaders. The only indicator of her high station is the winged helmet she wears on her head.

Character's Role Within Nation: Tana is one of Zaqir's fleet commanders and is experienced in the art of war. She is ruthless in her tactics and executes her plans swiftly, but she's actually quite amiable once the fighting is over. To her, a battle should be finished as quickly as possible to minimize death, glorious though battle may be, and prisoners should be treated with the utmost respect... unless they are cowards who refused to fight.

Character Background Info: An Or'Rouzi native, Tana became a raider at the ripe age of 15 and lost her nose in her first battle. She was mocked back then, but she has since proven herself to be an able leader. 

Other: Tana's helmet was looted from the corpse of a would-be adventurer that got tangled in a fight with Tana's crew. She liked the design so much that she made a new figurehead of her ship depicting a sword with wings spreading out from the hilt. It's incredibly apt given that her vessel is a modern Swordfish design.

Scientists/Inventors

Character Name: Yzzy

Character Gender: Male

Character Race: Saurian

Character Age: 50 (middle age)

Character Appearance: Yzzy is a smaller saurian, standing at five feet and three inches tall. He has brilliant blue scales and a rather thin build as is typical for his sex. He wears thick sand-colored robes most of the time and wears simple jewelry adorned with green gemstones. His eyes are a predatory yellow.

Character's Role Within Nation: Yzzy is an alchemist who has been tinkering with various chemicals for a long time. He has already discovered some of the... err, unique properties that can be found when combining sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter. All that remains is to find a way to make it useful... And Yzzy has a few ideas.

Character Background Info: Yzzy was a miner long before he became an alchemist, and he used the money he earned in his former profession to purchase an education for himself. He then married a saurian raider and has happily raised their children since. Only within the last five years has he begun to realize the potential that sulfur could have...

Other: Yzzy is considered to be a very attractive man by saurian standards. Other races would beg to differ. He is a married man and happily stays at home taking care of the hatchlings... while, of course, experimenting with his explosives.

Explorers

Character Name: Zorai the Massive

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Saurian

Character Age: 63 (middle age)

Character Appearance: Put bluntly, Zorai is huge. She towers over everyone around her, reaching a whopping nine feet and seven inches in height - almost half the size of some stone trolls. She also has a series of spiky protrusions rising from the back of her neck and more along her jawline, and with her bright red scales she stands out in a crowd. She's not sinewy like most saurians but rather broad of shoulder and build, making her seem even more like a giant.

Many remember Zorai for her characteristic shield: a huge thing, a round shield in Zaqiri fashion but larger and made entirely of steel. She depends on this more than her chainmail to protect her, and carries alongside it a large, straight sword which most would require two hands to wield - but not Zorai. Its silver hilt has a pommel shaped and carved like an oyster, the lines of which have an inlay made of aquamarine.

Zorai's clothing is of a simple make, and her armor is unadorned although it is very effective. She wears a padded mail cap on her head (coifs do not function so well due to her spikes) and has a belt with a silver buckle.

Character's Role Within Nation: Zorai is a famous figure and a past winner of the Almurzani, one of a pair of fighters. However, she has evaded any attempts to give her command of her own raiding crew, and has retreated into social obscurity. Even still, her words and actions have considerable weight in Zaqiri politics. She is loved by the common people (who do not know how greatly her beliefs differ from theirs) and has sailed about much of the known world.

Zorai unwittingly serves as a contrast to the greater blood-crazed mindset of her people, having grown disillusioned with some particulars of their lifestyle, especially in the wake of Bloodaxe's actions and the lessons he took from fighting alongside Zaqiri warriors. She is no pacifist, but she no longer accepts combat for combat's sake. She searches for a higher meaning to it all, and has thus far been dissatisfied with the martial philosophies of her people. Yet she remains the epitome of what it means to be a saurian warrior: powerful, dangerous, and defined by a lifetime of bloodshed.

Character Background Info: Zorai was too young - three years old - to join the battle against the Scalethein Empire when war broke out. Her mother died in that war, and her father died at home of illness. But her aunt who had fought in the war took her in as her own child and told her of the glory that could be found on the battlefield. She learned from a young age that the greatest glory was to fight impossible odds and win. Zorai swore she would make her brave mother proud.

Zorai's size and strength became obvious at an early age. She had a powerful, heavyset build the likes of which was the admiration of saurians everywhere (and was extremely attractive to the males). She only grew bigger as she grew older, and by the time she was twelve years old she reached her full height, towering over all her kin. The impressive strength that came with her size made her a fearsome raider. She had, too, a keen mind, and practiced all three schools of martial thought. She finally came to favor Ilist and Mazari philosophy (though not the Ila religion), both of which prepared her for well for the Almurzani of 460 A.E.

Zorai was paired with a veteran warrior, the dwarf named Bloodaxe, and the two of them proved to be an incredibly capable team. She was the defensive element on the team, using her long reach and her huge shield to keep their opponents at bay and off-balance until Bloodaxe could finish them off, and she was no slouch when it came to the attack, either. Bloodaxe offered a terrible, animal-like ferocity, eagerly going at their enemies with his two-handed axe. In the end, though, the popular duo lost to a pair of experienced kobold ring fighters. They left the arena in shame, but also became good friends. Though their paths would take them to different battlegrounds, Zorai and Bloodaxe kept in contact with one another.

Zorai spent several years afterwards raiding under the tutelage of her aunt who wished her niece to replace her as captain of her raiding vessel. Yet as she joined her aunt on her adventures, she came to realize that she found no joy in pillaging and plundering. Her enemies were not warriors: they were peasants, farmers, fishers, and occasionally sailors who felt forced to fight. Oftentimes their enemies surrendered rather than risk death, and Zorai came to understand that the fear and hatred in their eyes was not the same as the respect between warriors. All of this confused her greatly: was not the warrior profession that which should be admired? Was battle not intended to better both the victor and the loser? Why, then, did these people hate the deed so?

Zorai decided to cease raiding and told her aunt she would go on adventures of her own. And she did: for five years she traveled across the land, delving into the jungles, fighting monsters in the lands east of Asqar, and even traveling to Yossod and serving there as a mercenary for some time. These experiences were much better for her. Working as a caravan guard in Yossod, fighting off wild beasts and barbarian raiders, exploring places long forgotten - all of these things seemed much more rewarding, at least on a spiritual level, to Zorai. She finally returned home in the early part of 479 A.E. and was quickly contacted by her old friend, Bloodaxe.

Together, Zorai and Bloodaxe perfected their martial arts. They trained with different weapons, practiced fighting in different ways, critiqued one another and overall became better warriors. Each developed their own new style of fighting. Zorai's took advantage of her huge size, and she came to time her swings and movements better than ever before.

When the Almurzani of 470 began, the pair performed exceptionally well, even better than before. The final round was between them and the very same two kobolds they'd fought before. Bloodaxe quickly dispatched of his own enemy, but just as Zorai was accepting the surrender of her opponent, he came in and chopped off the kobold's head. Zorai watched him trick his way out of being executed for his actions, convincing the crowd and the referees of his innocence. His head, he claimed, was still ringing from a blow to the head, and he had been deafened. But Zorai knew better. She knew he'd entered the round intending to make sure neither of their opponents ever breathed again. Bloodaxe wanted revenge as much as he wanted victory.

The saurian accepted her reward and the prestige that came with their victory in the Almurzani. She gave Bloodaxe the impression that the two of them were still on good terms, but silently she wished nothing more than to part with him, and indeed with Zaqir, for a very long time. She was disillusioned and felt her victory in the arena was undeserved. She was undeserving of any honors for her part in the murder of a brave fighter.

Zorai has wandered the world since then, exploring the farthest parts of the known world and even beyond. The legendary warrior returns to Zaqir on rare occasions, but she cannot bring herself to stay. She feels a terrible shame and a need to redeem herself. She's merely trying to answer the question of how.

Other: Like her former friend, Bloodaxe, Zorai has come to speak several languages. She's a wanderer, taking passage on ships and with caravans whenever possible, and constantly moves from place to place, searching for something worth fighting for.

Over the course of her travels, Zorai has found herself seeking emotional rather than physical connection when seeking would-be lovers. The only two people she's ever been sexually involved with have, oddly, been human women. Zorai does not speak of this, nor of her rather non-physical desires, to anyone except those she trusts very dearly. She has wondered in the past if these behaviors of hers are shameful as well. They are certainly not the norm in any society she knows of.

Soldiers

< E M P T Y >

Common Folk

Character Name: Melina Metaxas

Character Gender: Female

Character Race: Regulii

Character Age: 27 (young adult)

Character Appearance: A stunning beauty, Melina has the pointed ears of her people, olive skin, and incredibly long, curly black hair. Her eyelashes are long and dark, her body slender, and her eyes a brilliant purple. She wears... very revealing clothes.

Character's Role Within Nation: Melina is a merchant who travels across the Red Shores and the Pearly Sea, bringing news from abroad to every nation she stops by in and helping foster the trade between nations in this era.

Character Background Info: Born in New Ilitscium, Melina's father was a merchant and her mother was a lady of the night. Melina is a little of both, a far-ranging trader who is willing to use her beauty to get better prices on whatever goods she needs. She has her own vessel, a flag and accompanying papers which state she is under the protection of Zaqir (and thus is not to have her ship plundered by Zaqiri raiders), and has managed to make a small mercantile empire for herself.

Other: Melina actually has several children already. None of them are old enough to travel with her, and she can't remember exactly who their fathers are. Two of her children are half-Soun'yei twins, one is purebred Regulii, and the fourth has distinctly human traits.

Players may have as many characters as they wish.
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