Zhanyi

A continent in Solthris's southern Hemisphere populated by myriad races, much of its land is currently ruled by the Red Emperor, a dragon named Jarin'Sho.

History
Long ago, Zhanyi was home to a large number of dragons, who coexisted peacefully with the regions primal inhabitants, and fae servitors. After the tragedy of the Dragonfall, many dragons returned to the region to rest, and the myriad groups lived in relative peace under the rule of their Golden Emperor, an enormous dragon that lived in the center of the continent, and his family.

In time, a hostile dragon “orochi” attacked the region, nearly killing Genji, a green dragon responsible for the eastern isles and one of the Gold Emperor’s sons. Genji was revived through the efforts of the regions primals in the form of a Quilin, and fought alongside his family to drive back Orochi. Though his father perished, Genji, his sister Otohime and his mother the Silver Empress managed to weaken Orochi enough to be sealed beneath a world-tree formed from two powerful primals. In the aftermath of the battle, the Silver Empress departed to mourn in solitude, while the remaining dragons divided the land between themselves and began living alongside budding mortal societies, counseling their leaders and cultivating monastic societies.

In the years after Orochi’s attack, much of the continent fell under the influence of the Naga Empire extending its reach from Xaxalin, though in time the colonies in Zhanyi broke off from their parent nation and became independent.

In time, aven from Daesalin began to settle the land and came into both political and religious conflict with the naga, which escalated into an all out war, battling for supremacy.

Eventually the continent was divided into many smaller nations, which tragically fell prey to the Red Emperor Jarin’sho, a powerful dragon that gradually dominated much of Zhanyi, though his expansion has been slowed by the remaining nations uniting against him.

Northern Nation “Koseong” (Turtle):
A powerful mercantile nation adept at siege warfare that is entrenched in the northern reaches of the continent. Inhabited by a mix of humans, Crusbach, Kappa, Naga, and Aven. They use a mix of large merchant fleets to trade afar, while enormous Turtle Ships protect the islands, coasts and peninsula that make up their nation.

 

Eastern Nation Islands and Depths (Dragon):
A nation made up of an alliance between the islands on Zhanyi’s eastern coast and the undersea societies ruled by the Dragon Queen Otohime. It maintains a powerful navy to defend its scattered holdings, and runs an expansive network of ninja across the isles and the mainland of Zhanyi.

=== Fox Federation (Defunct/Nomadic Remnants): === Originally a large alliance of countries concentrated in Southern Zhanyi, the high population of shapeshifting Bakemono descended from the continent’s fae servitors, made it a prime target for Jarin’sho’s aggression, which shattered the alliance and drove the Bakemono into hiding.

 

Southern Sky Nation (Phoenix):
Once the home of an Aven nation that stretched across much of the continent and warred with the Naga Empire’s colonies, the aven lost much of their influence over time until they were swallowed by the Fox Federation. Now free in the aftermath of the Federation’s destruction, they have reestablished themselves as their own power once more, but they have also returned to brutal traditions.

Western Guns&Monks (Tiger):
Before Jarin’sho’s assault, this was the largest and most militaristic nation on the continent, now it has been pushed to the western coast, more than half of its territory swallowed by the encroaching forces. Denied easy access to trade partners, the nation has both industrialized, and delved deeply into monastic training, enabling their forces to stave off forces that far outnumber their own.