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THE
ZHUNITE
MEN
("PEOPLE
OF THE WET
SAND") |
The Cities of Zhun are a loose
confederation of city-states located on the Zhunite Plains of southwest
Nybelmar. They were initially founded
by the Krean people of the Twin Kingdom but in time
they have received a large amount of Anpagan
population as well. The Zhunite men are now the result of this confluence
between the two Nybelmarian nations.
Although they have declared their independence from the Twin Kingdom and the
Grand Empire of Krath in the second millenium b.S. and have claimed to be
autonomous ever since, they are largely under the influence of
Anis-Anpagan Dominion. The Zhunite states are a very
important commercial node in the trade between the western regions of
Nybelmar and the eastern ones. Their
cities are the last stop for the caravans taking the road to
Tyr Faerath but also for the ships
heading to the Anpagan ports. Also, in the same
Cities of Zhun, the goods coming from the east (be that via
Anpagan or via Anpagan
sea routes) gather to be traded further into the west.
Appearance.
The Zhunites are usually of medium height, with a slender constitution. Their
skin is fair yet tending towards brownish nuances; their hair is generally dark
and they usually have brown eyes. They have a cheerful and loquacious nature,
and always present a very good vitality.
Coat of Arms/Sign.
A full golden coin with rays like those of the
sun on an azure background seems to
be the most commonly used.
Territory.
The now independent city-states of Zhun are located in southwestern
Nybelmar, concentrated around the
coastal areas of the Zhunite Plains (“Moredein Palantith Zhunith” in the
Santerran Tongue). To the south, west and north
they border the frontier of the Grand Empire of Krath (which they were once
part of). A very disturbed ballance exists between the Imperial mining
facilities (to the north) in the Mountains of Rhmáktár (“First Fingers of the
Earth” or simply known as the “Forefinger”) and the citystates to the south.
The Last Grove, the great patch of forest north of Marmarra, as the name
implies, is the last plot of woodland left on the deforested Zhunite plain
after the Year of Darkness (or "the Breaking" - as the Year of Darkness is
known in Krath).
The river bisecting the Zhunite plains into two halves on a vertical axis is
the Great River of Kimb. The famous city of Kimbar takes its name from this
gargantuan river, that the locals named after the most venomous snake of the
once forested plains: “Kimb” (or “Cobra” in the Lillivear High Speech).
People.
The Zhunites are a people born at the confluence of two great
Nybelmarian nations:
Anis-Anpagan and the Earth Empire of Krath. The
Cities of Zhun were first founded by Krean colonists
around 3.500 b.S., but as farming communities rather than cities. The nature
venerating culture of the Krean also acted as a
catalyst for settling various nomadic tribes inhabiting these vast plains. The
name "Zhun" comes from the Krant words “Zéh” (to grate) and “hún” (a
descriptive word for a soil covered rock). These roots, when combined as
“Zéhné-hún” form the Imperial Common Speech word for “sand”. Thus, “Zhun”
(accurately spelled as Z’hún) stands for “the people of the wet sands”,
probably describing their beautiful beaches.
Later on, when the first contact between the Twin Kingdom and the Kingdom of
Anis-Anpagan was established (after an Imperial
Salutation Ceremony which the Krean, up to this day,
prefer not to speak about), small Anpagan trading
posts were set up in all Zhunite coastal settlements. In time, the connection
between these two nations was strengthened. Hence, the
Anpagans started to build their ships in the new Zhunite harbours due to
the high quality and relatively low price of wood available in the area. The
deforestations caused indirectly by the overzealous
Anpagan traders led to unprecedented tensions in the relations between
these two nations (especially with the Lillivear of the
Krean people, who regarded themselves as the Wardens of the Land and saw
Anis-Anpagan as a dangerous presence). Yet after a
long time of turmoil (a period known as “the Zhunite Uprisings”), the Cities of
Zhun gained their independence from the Grand Empire of Krath. This, along with
the fact that the Kingdom of Anis-Anpagan itself was
passing through very troubled times, has led to a massive migration of
Anpagan refugees to the Zhunite Plains. Therefore
today, the Zhunites are as Krean as they are
Anpagan, retaining characteristics from both
cultures.
Strange enough for a nation of farmers and traders, one might think, the
Zhunite are regarded as a very sophisticated people. They seek beauty in
everything they do; a beauty not as much of content but as of forms. The purity
of forms is always all that matters for every Zhunite. They have very rigorous
and complicated daily rituals (from the common act of washing to the elaborated
habitudes of eating and drinking) and no few scholars have suspected that
Zhunites actually practice their religion not because it presumes a certain
system of beliefs to which they adhere but because of the rituals involved. One
can also easily observe at Zhunites a deeply rooted cult of the
human body. Every respectable Zhunite
seeks to keep his body in shape not for any other particular reason than for
the beauty of it in itself. They have a real obsession with cleanliness and
they shun all those that do not present a well kept statuary body.
Generally the Zhunites are very friendly with the foreign travelers and they
always enjoy parading with their supposed wealth trying to offer lavish gifts
to their guests anytime is possible. Their loquacity and cheerful manner has
always made them a very pleasant company and perhaps their unique trading
talents stem from these features.
Housing.
The Zhunites have adopted the Anpagan urban way of
life, with several families sharing the same building. The usual Zhunite
residential is a large square villa, with two or three stores, parted in
apartments. Inside, the villa opens into a courtyard with a swimming pool in
the center. Various plantlife are cultivated around the swimming pool (and
generally everywhere, but that depends on each of the inhabitants' financial
status). The apartments of these villas are offered for rent as only the
wealthiest Zhunites can afford to pay the exorbitant price of a residential
building and live on their own property.
Clothing.
Given the hot climate and their cult for the
human body, the Zhunite clothing is always as comfortable and as summary as
possible. Generally, nakedness is not regarded as a shamefull state, but they
never practice it on public spaces. The elderly usually wear large sheets
covering their entire bodies. They are never regarded as "ugly" or
"out-of-norms", but their beauty is recognized in the formal perfection of
their past lives. White, gold and azure, seem to be their favourite colours.
Diet.
The Zhunites have "borrowed" the special gourmandic nature of their
Anpagan ancestors. Just like the
Anpagans, the Zhunites cherish the times of day when
they have to eat. Nonetheless their Krean roots are
sensible as well. As opposed to Anpagans, the
Zhunite have ritualized their dining habits to the extreme. Every type of meal
has its own rigorous set of gestures and actions. Eating is an art par
excellence for any respectable Zhunite. Yet there is no sacred symbolism in any
of their eating rituals (and perhaps this comes as an
Anpagan heritage too) just the "pure pleasure of an art that too few can
understand in this world" - as they proudly state on each occasion.
Weapons.
The Zhunites rely mainly on heavy infantry, using long spears, square shields
and various leather or bronze breastplates. Metal leggings and arm protections
also make up for the rest of their armour. Recently, they have also started to
import and then to breed the locust wyverns
of Orcal, using them as a quick-strike
force or cavalry. On the sea they build some quite sturdy galleys (but only up
to three rows of oars) but they have never been a match to the
Anpagan mastery in this field (as the Zyloth Sea
remains the uncontested dominion of the giant sea serpents and the
Anpagan Pacifiers).
Occupations.
Although the main bulk of the population is concentrated in the Zhunite cities,
there are many small hamlets on the countryside: communities of farmers (mainly
wheat growers, orange tenders, and olive cultivators) and sheperds (goats and
sheep). With the ever busy Zhunite ports a class of workers specialized in
carrying goods was also formed. Trading and everything related is regarded as a
very respectable occupation. Clerics and various magicians make up for an
important part of the population as well (though this happened only in the more
recent history). Also each of the cities has a permanent militia in training,
used as a regular army or for policing the streets.
Government.
Each Zhunite City-State has its own autonomous government. Yet every town
shares the same general structure. A council has the ultimate decision on the
city's affairs. This council is formed by representatives of each of the noble
as well as the wealthy families of the city. In other words, the cities, being
important trading centers, might have wealthy familities that are not of noble
origins in their councils. Their presence in the City Council allows for a
periodic "refreshment" of the Zhunite nobility. At the beginning of their term,
the Councils elect several executives, though they must always be of noble
origins.
Only in times of great peril for the Zhunite area, the City-States form a
common Council and act as a whole and coherent political body.
Production/Trade.
Imports. The cities of Zhun acquire most of their
raw material supplies (including blocks of marble, iron and various types of
precious metals) from the Imperial Minining Facilities of Krath. Some cities
(e.g. Cusca) also import several kinds of precious stones and glass from the
Krean Twin Kingdom. An array of delicacies, perfumes
and tobacco is also imported from Anis-Anpagan to
fulfill the wealthy Zhunite merchants' luxury needs. Exotic Lillivear
vegetables, fruits and flora are also in high demand. Although the cities try
to restrain from buying finished goods whenever possible, many still import
glass sculptures and a gamut of deadly poisons from the
Krean as well as curious machineries from the
Anpagan.
A detailed list of imports is given below:
Raw
Materials
Marble and iron, gold, silver ores (from the Krath imperial mining facilities
to the north); green and black Krath gold (from the imperial mining facilities
located on the peninsula’s mountains), various types of precious stones and
glass (from the Krean Twin Kingdom)
Luxuries
Vegetables, fruits, herbs (from the Krean people),
various types of delicacies (from Anis-Anpagan),
tobacco (from the far east Nybelmar,
via Anis-Anpagan), perfumes (actually the Zhunite
Cities are the place where the Anpagan perfumes are
fiercely competing with Krean ones).
Finished
Goods
Glass sculptures and poisons (Krean),
golems and other various machineries (Anis-Anpagan)
Exports.
Zhun was first founded by
Krean
colonists to serve as the Empire's backdoor farm. For centuries the cities of
Zhun have remained as the main supplier of wheat, olives and grapes in south
western Nybelmar. However, the chief
source of income for many cities remain their treasured amphorae of olive oil
and barrrels of exquisite wines. Clay and ceramic pottery as well as bronze
sculptures are also frequently traded items.
Before the deforestation of the Zhunite plains and the Fall of the Temple,
wood, armour and weaponry were the
three goods that made Zhunite merchants the richest traders of the West.
A detailed list of exported goods includes the following: Wheat (and other
grains and fruits), olives, olive oil, grapes, wine, armuor and
weapons, wood, sculptures (bronze),
pottery (clay and ceramics).
Natural Resources.
Before the deforestation of the plains wood and various orchards (including
citrus fruits and vine) were common place in Zhun. After the unfortunate event,
however, the natural resources of the cities were limited to metal ores, olives
and quarry stones. A list of natural resources includes the following: Wood,
olives, grapes, citrus fruits, grains, gold, iron, marble and bronze.
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Information provided by
Smith in Exile
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