Post-Convergence Zhakar (Za-kar)

The Nation of Zhakar has seen political divisions come and go, but has largely been one unified people since the end of The War of Scales (104 AoM). During The Convergence, High King Egnid The Bright disappeared, and is presumed dead. To help the people in the post-convergence chaos, the three remaining ancient dragons met together in the first meeting of the Dragon Counsel, along with the noble houses of Zhakar. During that meeting, the three dragons each laid claim to a territory, swearing to protect and oversee it. Additionally, a new High King was chosen, who in turn chose two leaders to oversee the Eastern and Western regions.

Title	Holder	Race	Territory	Seat	Dragon
High King	Tamtoth Belciar	Dragonborn (m)	Zhakar / Buvogia	Aurem	Turaceothim
Duchess of Arcaniss	Nalle Fuseglow	Human (f)	Arcaniss	Myth Adofaer	Zitadvandrodroth
Duke of Everae	Sylren Mistshine	Elf (m)	Everae	Aicekicat	Ramohdra

• The High King/Queen has final say on matters concerning the nation. They have the ability to choose the duke or duchess of the territories, and reserve the right to remove any leader from a dukedom, earldom, or barony.
• The Dragon Counsel advises the high king and duke/duchess, and has the power to remove the high king if needed.
• Dukes/Duchesses oversee their lands, and handle the day-to-day ruling of the territory. They answer directly to the high king, and work closely with the Dragon Counsel. They can also remove an earl or baron if need be.
• Earls/Countesses are chosen by the dukes/duchesses, and serve as their advisors, helpers, and enforcers. They are granted land that usually encompass several settlements. They enforce the laws, lead the military, and preside over disputes between settlements. Their primary focus is on keeping the peace and training the military. They can also remove a baron if necessary.
• Barons/Baronesses are chosen by the earls, and preside over individual towns and the surrounding villages. They are responsible for civil disputes, tax collection, and land management. They handle most of the day-to-day running of their settlements. They report to, and work hand in hand with, the earls (who can bring any disputes to the duke/duchess if an agreement cannot be reached among themselves).

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Each year, after the Festival of Merit, the champion has an opportunity to challenge the high king. If a challenge is issued, another series of contests is held to see who is victorious. If the high king loses, they are replaced by the champion. This helps keep the balance, and makes sure the people have a chance to be rid of a high king they do not like.

Throughout Zhakar, magic is considered more commonplace than some of the other nations of Brisesia, and the pursuit of knowledge and furthering one's studies is highly valued. The land is infused with enchantment magic, making the ability to charm and beguile much more powerful. Because of this, a very reserved and polite culture has emerged. Value is placed on charisma and decorum, with intense emotions and feelings being reserved for those closest to someone. It is considered an extension of trust to deal with someone openly, without any sort of enchanting effects in play.

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The traditional Dragonborn ideals of individual merit that contributes to the whole, and a priority on wisdom and strength, run through the very bones of the culture. It is considered good form to know your own strengths and weaknesses, and asking for help is expected if someone else's skills will lead to a better overall outcome. Strength is valued because someone with the discipline to hone their body understands the value of labor, and wisdom keeps one from making foolish mistakes that can bring harm or dishonor. Education is available to everyone, but is generally handled by the same-sex parent until adulthood. Because of this, it is very common to stay within the family trade unless a particular lack of talent or extra talent in another area is shown.

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The day has a loosely defined layout, with specific times being less important than the general time of day. 

• The Morning is a personal time and breakfast is often simple and eaten while reading or enjoying the quiet of the early day. It is seen as incredibly rude to call on someone in the early morning, and even family members often take breakfast separate or quietly around the family table. Following the morning meal, the dealings of the day can begin. This is the time for shopping, trading and conducting business. 
• Lunch consists of communal meals that are reserved for business dealing, and any important business is completed during this time. After lunch, it is common for everyone to return home for a few hours and rest or complete quiet activities. 
• The Evening takes a more lively turn as business is concluded. People begin gathering for social outings, and dinner with friends or family. To be invited to dinner is a sign of friendship, whereas a lunch invitation has a more formal connotation.

 

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The architecture of Zhakar varies between towns and cities, but shares some defining features. Clay tile roofs are very popular, as is brick construction. Those who cannot afford brick use wood instead, sometimes decorating it with a faux brick exterior made of stucco and carved to look like brick. Tiles and mosaics are common forms of decoration, and motifs tend to involve circles or stars, with those few who can afford it even building rooms or their entire houses in these shapes. Books, scrolls and complicated magical diagrams are also popular in the cities. Doors tend to be wide, and most buildings feature a large central common room that is used for the social activities of the house, such as eating. Large open windows are also common with wooden shutters that can be pulled closed.

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Religion does not play a huge cultural role in Zhakar, largely being a personal thing. However, the deities of knowledge, writing, and magic are generally respected, if not outright worshiped. Iconography of these three can be seen in most buildings, and are featured on jewelry or trinkets.

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Though the people still view themselves as one nation, the divide in ideology has led to some cultural differences developing.   The presence of the magic academy in the western region has served to introduce outside cultural influences, leading to a more diverse populace and presentation. Its presence has also led to an increase in how common minor magics are in day-to-day life. Familiars, small golems, and other magical servants move about the city performing mundane errands for their masters. Flashy bits of prestidigitation are used to attract business and keep things clean.   Draconic is the official spoken and written language used with all official, important correspondence, and most contracts have a small bit binding magic woven into them. Most citizens learn Common as well, and in more populated areas it is spoken almost as much as Draconic, with language in the big cities evolving into a mix of Draconic, Elven and Common that can sound rather strange to outsiders.   Within the capital, blocks of apartments are grouped around small market areas featuring cafés, and are often populated by students studying in small groups. Due to a large portion of the land being dominated by a swamp, many of the people have moved to larger towns, and small villages are less common than in most places.   Because the people have become more congregated, the traditional tavern/inn structure is starting to be replaced by separate buildings: restaurants, inns, and taverns. Most of the restaurants are small café-type establishments, usually patroned by students or the elite. The taverns still serve both food and alcohol, and tend to be more where the common people eat at the end of their day.

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The climate in Western Zhakar is wet, rainy, and often cool. This doesn't bother its native inhabitants as they tend to have warmer body temperatures than many human counterparts. As such, the fashion has developed in a way where it can be layered and adjusted as needed. Shoes are often optional, but when worn tend to be flat simple sandals that can be easily removed. In the winter months, sturdy waterproof boots are customary. When cold, it is common to layer a long robe over standard outfits, usually something with flared sleeves, and bright colors.

• For men: long, loose shirts and roomy linen pants have become popular. The shirts range from about groin length to knee length, and this is associated with status. The longer the shirt, the higher the status as it's implied that the wearer doesn't have to do hard labor. The baggy pants often have straps on the inside of the leg that can be used to roll/hold the pants when it's particularly warm out, or if there are heavy rains or high waters.
• For Women: the sari (a length of fabric worn arranged over the body as a robe) has risen in popularity, and is worn with a choli (a cropped blouse that shows off the midriff area) and a lehenga (an ankle-length skirt). Depending on what the person needs to do that day, roomy pants can be worn in place of the skirt.  The sari is wrapped to the individuals preference. Status also plays a role here as the higher the station, the more intricate the designs and colors of the outfit.

Both men and women's clothes are elaborately embroidered or decorated often featuring variable designs or colors, and can also be used to judge status. An entire form of communication has evolved around the clothing, color, and designs one wears to social events, and subtle shifts in ones clothing can be used to express emotion or acknowledgment (this would work like Victorian Floriography in which hidden messages were sent via certain flowers and/or floral arrangement). This second layer of communication helps convey one's feelings or thoughts in the very polite and formal social dealings common in the area. Jewelry is popular for both men and women, with dragons or magical symbol motifs being frequently used.

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  In Eastern Zhakar, magic is still a common aspect of the culture, but not quite to the extent of Western Zhakar. Here, the focus is more on practical, every day magics that make lives easier. Their borders are very close to the Chan Trading Company, and there is a Chan Offshore Branch to the north of the continent. This has led to a mixing of cultures between the two regions, though the Zhakarans remain much more reserved and polite than their very expressive Channite neighbors.   Common and Gnomish are the most prevalent languages, with some Draconic mixing in certain places. It is not uncommon for people to at least read, if not speak Elven, but it is not spoken nearly as often as it is in the west.   The land is generally more arable on this side of the continent so villages and towns tend to be more agricultural and smaller in size than their western counterparts.   Exotic creatures are very popular in Eastern Zhakar, and ranches specializing in the capture and taming of larger beasts have started to pop up in places. Rangers and Druids are as valued as Wizards and Sorcerers, if not more so.   Here, religion is a little more popular with worship of deities related to agriculture, luck, and nature being worshiped alongside a worship of the Dragon protectors.

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The fashions here have some of the same features as Western Zhakar, though the clothes have a tendency to be less elaborately decorated. Both men and women will go topless while working in the warmer climate, and it is not uncommon to see them working in the fields wearing loose shorts, broad rim hats, and nothing else. The long flowing robes popular in the west are not very practical for doing day-to-day work. Instead, they have started wearing long coats that can protect from the elements or provide some padding when sitting.

Zhakar aims to stay impartial in political circles, and often serves as a meeting place for the world leaders, giving them a neutral territory to speak in. The blending of cultures within the magic academy, and the fact that people from every part of the world had to come together to help build it, lend credence to their claim of neutrality.

To get an in-depth look at the events that shaped Zhakar and its people, please click here.

The population of Zhakar is roughly 2.7 million. Dragonborn are still one of the most populous people on the continent but humanoids of all types can be found, with Humans and Elves being the next most common. Lizard-folk and Yuan-ti are also common, though less so in the highly populated areas.

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• The duchy of Arcanis has approx. 880,000 people. 
• There are 3 major cities and 23 sizable towns.
• The rest of the population is scattered about in small villages or isolated dwellings.

• The duchy of Buvogia has approx. 540,000 people. 
• There are 2 major cities and 5 sizable towns.
• The rest of the population is scattered about in small villages or isolated dwellings.

• The duchy of Everae has approx. 1,350,000 people. 
• There are 3 major cities and 23 sizable towns.
• The rest of the population is scattered about in small villages or isolated dwellings.
  
  

Zhakar's military is highly trained in defensive arts, such as shields and protection magic, though this does not mean that they have no offense. Military Training Instructors (or MTIs) are selected by the duke or duchess and sent out to every earldom. It is their job to teach those serving, and to assign them to protect individual baronies/towns. This means that in the event that the force is needed to protect their borders and/or people, the soldiers all have the same training and can respond accordingly.   The people of Zhakar are given the option to serve in the military in exchange for being allowed into the magic academy. Soldiers who take this option pledge to join the military for a number of years equivalent to those of study. In this way, the forces are bolstered by the addition of wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane users.

Ranches and farms dedicated to the raising and taming of magical creatures have led to a booming economy. Exotic creatures need exotic gear, and special food and shelters. People need to be trained in how to care for their creatures, and specialized healers provide treatment to these beasts when they fall sick or are injured.   Additionally, the magic academy produces a number of magical items, leading to a more saturated market than other places in the world. The high cost of these luxury items has led to much prosperity.

The crowning jewel of the Zhakaran education system is the Magical Academy Supri Arcanik  located in Myth Adofaer, the capital of Arcaniss (Western Zhakar). Basic education is provided to teach the people basic reading, writing, arithmetic, and proper use of any inherent magical abilities. Promising students, or those with a strong inclination to magic, are educated in smaller, local schools, before attempting to join the renowned Magical Academy. However, attendance is expensive, so for less fortunate, aspiring, young wizards apprenticeship with a local wizard is a less costly option.