Encyclopaedia Elyden Updates Vol 11 (Saua)

Here's the 11th Encyclopaedia update for your perusal, based on my most recent map

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 :)
____________________________________________________________

 

ACHI: major r. dominating the W and N - W of Saua, flowing for 1,277-miles from sources in the Hadashin, Kokoro, Mera, and the Blue Mtns. before meeting its distributary, the r. Takre.

ADAIA: 1. capital city of Saua. The city is situated on the W foothills of the Shiori Mtns. and is divided into three general districts, each walled and situated higher along the Mtn. than the last. The lowest district, known as Aria, is home to most lower-class dwellings, industries, and businesses. One gate - one in the S and another in the W - lead into the city from outside. The mid-district is its main mercantile centre, and is home to a large open-air market. Known locally as the Raoka, this district is divided into dozens of smaller areas, each controlled by one or more noble families. The highest district, also known as Adaia, is home to its largest temples, administrative buildings and the ancient citadel around which the city was built. It is home to the most prestigious noble families in all of Saua and is home to the Diadon. All of the Five-and-Sixty states of Saua have a presence in the city (pop. c. 1,695,000). 

2. Before the unification of Saua in 3108 RM, Adaia was the name of one of the Five Thrones of Sa’weh.  

3. Noble district in the eponymous city in Saua.

4. palace of the Daiadon in the Shiori Mtn. in Saua.

ADSAL: settlement in N - W Saua in the region of Hadashin. Its main industry is quarrying of limestone from the karst formations in the region (Pop. c. 5,800).

AGASAKI: 1. Mtn. pass in the far N of the Kokoro Mtns. linking N - W Saua with S - E Virahan. The pass leads to the wetland f. Tairoko in Saua and is rarely travelled today, favoured by the more stable Orcammor Pass 67-miles to the N - E.

2. Fortress in the N - W of Saua, guarding the eponymous pass. It has diminished since its height, hundreds of years ago and is now crewed by a handful of guards. 

AHORI TARRO: major city in the N of Saua, along the course of the r. Tarroko (pop. c. 120,000).

AKENARA: region in the Forest of Reveries, known for the many soul-counters who live there. Many visit the region to wander in the idyllic landscape, paying their respects to the shrines of the yamabushi (soul-counters), living and dead.

AMORO: 1. one of the Five-and-Sixty States in Saua.

2. Small city in the far N - W of Saua, N of the Kokoro Mtns. Its main industry is textiles (Pop. c. 20,000).

ANNURO: fortified settlement in the far N - W of Saua, close to the Oreamor Pass that links the region with Virahan (Pop. c. 10,000). 

ARA KHIN: ancient martial tradition, dating back to the early days of the Fifth Age, and thought to be a remnant from an older Fourth Age culture practiced in what is now Saua, and inherited from earlier Sa’wehi and Saedishi traditions. 

Commonly referred to as sword dancers, the ara khin study these ancient traditions as a form of meditation and were once a common sight in Sauan warfare, dominating the period of civil strife that saw Saedish fragment into Sa’weh.

ARATOMA: sulfur mining settlement in the E of Saua. It is also a major producer of food, much of which is consumed by Daikoro (Pop. c. 8,000)

ARIA: lower district of the city of Adaia in Saua. The district is noted for its many residential areas, scattered markets and many small temples, as well as hundreds of small industries and businesses.

ASHOKA: 1. city and one of the five-and-sixty states in the c W of Saua. It was largest of the five city-states in Saua, before they were united in 3108 RM.

2. city in the above region in the c W of Saua. It was the largest city in Sa’weh before its Five Thrones were united in 3108 RM, though has since been superseded by the capital in Adaia (Pop. c. 980,000).

ATUNÉ: small city in S Saua known for its game. It is a common hunting retreat for nobility, who vacation there in autumn to hunt chiter and deer (pop. c. 10,000).

BLACK WALL, the: coastal cliffs in the S of Saua, around 100-miles long, overlooking the sea of Uran and the Bay of Githka.

BLUE MOUNTAINS, the: Mtn. in S–E Saua, named after their dark rocks and the fog that covers their N - E face. The Mtn. is seen as a spiritual haven and is a place of withdrawal for those on the Path of Thought. The Blue Mountains are held to be the birthplace of many Otherworlders, and their plentiful meres are considered places of enlightenment.

BRAHAIN: barren, largely uninhabited rocky highlands in the N of Saua, bordering Temuja and the Schism that divides the two lands. Many smooth boulders dot the region, remnant of an ancient glacier that once covered this part of the land, as recorded in Thebaer’s ‘Retreat of the Ice’. Aurochs pass across here moving S into Saua for winter.

BUSEN: fort in N Saua.

CHA HO: fortress in the c S of Saua overlooking the mouth of the r. Takre and the border with Lonar, Malan.

DAIKORO: major sulfur quarries in the E of Saua. (Pop. c. 48,000)

DAKATA: 1. waterfall in central Saua, known locally as the five-fingers, after the shape the water takes along the cataract. A citadel dominates the earthen knolls between the fingers of the falls, looking over the entire area beneath. 

2. Citadel atop the eponymous waterfall in the c W of Saua.

DANIKO: city in the S of Saua, in the region of Melaia. It is a centre of the farming settlements in the region and is one of the more metropolitan cities in Melaia (Pop. c. 50,000).

DARASSIN, DIADON OF SAUA: (B. 3891 – D. 4 RMe) ruler of Saua, during the time of the Great War. He died of natural causes in 4 RMe, a man of 121 years.

DARORRO: large fortified caravanserai in the c of Saua, guarding the pass bewteen the Shiori and Mera Mtns. (Pop. c. 12,000).

DARTSU: major harbour in S–W Saua, overlooking the Sea of Nesher peninsula. Dartsu is Saua’s only major coastal city and its harbours are home to the Sauan mil. Fleet, as well as its largest fishing vessels. It is known for the ruined ancient lighthouse on a rocky promontory to the far N - W of the city (pop. c. 245,000).

DASASHI: small fortified city in the N -W of Saua, between the Forest of Reveries and the wetlands of Tairoko (Pop. c. 17,200).

DATASU: settlement in the N - W of Saua, along the shores of l. Pavo. Its main industry is crab fishing (Pop. c. 5,000). 

DEII, SANCTUARY OF: Monastic order of Shapers who follow the philosophy known as the Path of Thought in W Saua, close to the border with the Haréshk in the foothills of the W Kokoro Mtns.

DERIKO: 1. Before the unification of Saua in 3108 RM, Deriko was the name of one of the Five Thrones 

of Sa’weh.

2. small fortified city in the S - W of Saua along the shores of r. Shimachi in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 15,400).

DHAB: 1. grasslands in W Saua. 

2. one of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua, close to the contested border with Ahrishen. It was originally a major agricultural region, though uncertainties from a long-standing border conflict between Saua, Ahrishen and the Haréshk, has led to its settlements slowly dwindling in size over the past decades.

DHAGH: ruin in  the far W of Saua, in the contested region of Karroq.

DIADON: title granted to the ruler of Saua, synonymous with emperor.

DIASPORA: caste of nomadic Haréshki exiles who were cast out of their homes in political uprisings c. 3325 RM. The diaspora live nomadic lives, moving from place to place in large communal caravans. Though unwelcome in the Haréshk, they occasionally move into its territories, though are more commonly found in Ahrishen, Lyridia and the W and S of Saua, subsisting off the land and offering their skills as leadbeaters, tinkerers to those willing to employ them.

DORESAI: old, crumbling mtn. some 150-miles long, forming the centre of Saua’s N border with Temuja.

EBEJIN: small city in N - W Saua in the region of Hadashin. Alongside its limestone quarries, it is known for its fine statues that are famed across Saua (Pop. c. 12,400).

EMURRASA: city in the S of Saua, to the far W of the Mossan (Pop. c. 42,000).

ENASSO: fortified caravanserai in the c of Saua, 40-miles S - E of Adaia (Pop. c. 3,000). 

ETORRO: settlement in the S - W of Saua in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 6,000).

FANHAN: settlement in N Saua (Pop. c. 6,000).

FARVARI, THE SPIRIT-HOME: sparse F. in c Saua, believed to be home to many spirits. Many Yazata dwell here and their temples are relatively common.

FIVE-AND-SIXTY LANDLORDS, the: the state lords in Saua, answerable only to the Daiadon Prime Darassin. Each has his own army, drawn from conscripted katars (ashakatars) and professional forces (katars and narars) and independant wuhia drawn from local nobility. The institution of the Five-and-Sixty emerged in c. 3108 RM following the founding of Saua as an independent kingdom.

FIVE-AND-SIXTY, the: sixty-five states into which the ntn. of Saua is divided. This delineation of territories in the ntn. Has stood since the unification of the Five Thrones of Sa’weh in one ntn. In 3108 RM and remains to this day.

FIVE THRONES, the: the 5 regions of Sa’weh, following the fracturing of Saedish in c. 1320 RM. The 5 Thrones were: Adaia, Deriko, Ioma, Okasi, and Yamorra and were united by emperor Hu in 3108 RM, becoming the nation of Saua. 

FORBIDDEN BASTION: the winter palace of the Daiadon in E Saua, in the lush valley that exists between the Mtns. of Isinu and Karparos.

FOREST OF REVERIES: a beautiful ancient spiritually-important f. in c W Saua, cosetted by the Kokoro mtn. in the W and the Blue Mtns S. The Fir. is known to be close to it, and as a result, it is home to many Fir. including yazatai and yamabushi (soul-counters).

FORTRESS OF THE GODS: citadel in the far W of Saua, situated along the W-facing foothills of the Kokoro Mtns. overlooking the plains of Dhab and the region of Karroq, and the only link between Saua and Ahrishen along the Great Road.

GANKATEN, THE GOD’S EYE: classical Sauan tower guarding the Mtn pass between the Mera and Karparos Mtns. It is home to many interior troops, that guard the passages across all of Saua.

GANKATEN, PASS OF: relatively well-travelled  pass between the Mera and Karparos Mtns. in c Saua. It is guarded by Gankaten, the God’s Eye. 

GATEKEEPERS, the: monastic order based in the Isinu Mtns. of E Saua, who worship the Four Wives, a practice brought to them by the herald Sarmaul of Ahrishen in c. 2000 RM and spread to the rest of Saua over the intervening centuries. Their main temple is N of the Isinu Mtns. and the travel through Saua as missionaries, spreading the word of the Four Wives as they do so. 

GRUAIMIN: Fau. Also, colloquially ‘Goblin’ or ‘Gremlin’. Diminutive biped living in the many hollows found in the Salkhan massif in Ahrishen and similar isolated areas in temperate Llachatul. They live in lose tribal structures and have a primitive language comprised of clicks, whistles and hand gestures. Shy and tentative creatures, they crave shelter and the cover of darkness.

Some periods of Ahrisheni history were characterised by the capture and enslavement of the creatures, mostly as objects of entertainment, though some rare recorded instances of domestication are known. This practice is no longer common in, though gruaimin are oft-times smuggled out of the country on the black-market for the delight of nobility across Elyden. See Vol II: Asicthai.

HADASHIN: gypsum Mtns. in the c N of Saua, stretching for some 115-miles. The range is well-known for its beauty and the cavens that pepper its S-face, due to water permeation from the wetlands of Tairoko

HALL OF ANCESTORS, the: Tower in the capital city of Adaia, in Saua. It is known for its large mausoleum, where past Diadons are laid to rest, and the elaborate festival and rituals that take place here at the death of the current Diadon.

HALLS OF HEARING, the: great chamber in the Sauan capital Adaia, where the five-and-sixty landlords and their representatives can meet under the guidance of the Daiadon Prime.

HANAPOUR: small city in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Rangpour (Pop. c. 12,800).

HEROSIN: settlement in the c of Saua, 73-miles S - E of Adaia (Pop. c. 6,000). 

HORSE GATE, the: also Okaida. One of seven major gates in the Red Wall in W Saua. The Horse Gate controls access along the Great Road between the Haréshk and Saua. This is arguably the most busy of the Walls’ Gates, given its location along the Great Road.

The Horse Gate was destroyed during the Great War, leaving it open to a Korachani advance into Saua.

HU, FIRST DIADON OF SAUA: (B. 3079 – D. 3147 RM)1st emperor of a Saua following his conquest of Sa’weh and unification of its 5 Thrones. His death nullified the relative peace brought by his rule and Saua was left in a decade-long civil conflict as the Five-and-Sixty squabbled amongst themselves for power. This stat lasted until his son Huata restored peace in 3156 RM.

HUATA, DIADON OF SAUA: (B. 3121 - D. 3172 RM) son of the Sauan emperor Hu, and the 2nd emperor of Saua, following his death in 3147 RM. He rose to power following a 9-years of civil conflict that erupted in the wake of his father’s demise.

IABAKA: settlement in the N of Saua (Pop. c. 20,000).

IBELIN RIDGE, the: ridge forming the N-most part of the Kokoro Mtns. in S–E Ahrishen and S–W Virahan. In antiquity the ridge formed the border between Ahrishen and Saua, and the crumbling remnants of N-most reaches of the Red Wall can still be found there.

INDORI: settlement in the S - W of Saua along the shores of r. Shimachi in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 15,400).

INIPOUR: fortified settlement in the N - E of Saua (Pop. c. 8,000).

IOMA: classical name for the city Yoma. Before the unification of Saua in 3108 RM, Ioma was the name of one of the Five Thrones of Sa’weh.

IPHIGENA: fortified small city in S Virahan, in the E-most reaches of the Ibelin Ridge. The city was built with bricks pillaged from the N-reaches of the Red Wall that once crowned the ridge (Pop. c. 19,500).

ISHARA: l. in the c S of Saua, along the course of the r. Shimach. 

ISHIAKI: settlement in the c N - W of Saua, 24-miles from the capital of Adaia (Pop. c. 10,000). 

ISINU: low mountain in c E Saua, N of the Karparos Mtns.

ISSAN: Korachani hulk washed up on the plains of Melais in S Saua, 57-miles from the coast. The ship dates back to c. 2920 RM, and had sunk off the coast of the Sea of Uran, becoming revealed centuries later  as the sea level declined.

KAGA: city in S Saua, along the banks of the r. Achi (pop. c. 34,750).

KAGAPOUR: small city in the E of Saua, along the r. Rangpour (Pop. c. 12,000).

KARAKA: 1. One of the Five-and-Sixty states in the E of Saua 

2. city in the above region of E Saua, situated along the banks of the N reaches of the r. Takre (Pop. c. 47,000).

KARPAROS: Mtn.-chain in the E of Saua, serving as a border with Malan. The Mtn. is known for its steep fertile valleys and the few secluded passes offering points of traversal across it, most used of which is Phanu pass.

KARROQ: area of garigue, situated in the E of the Ahrisheni Basin, covering some 5,000 square-miles along the border between Ahrishen, the Haréshk and Saua. Though it is considered to lie within the Ahrisheni border, for decades it has been contested by the three nations, who each hold claim to parts of it. Though armed conflicts there are few, the political uncertainty has led to a decline in population over the past decades. 

KHING: fishing settlement in the S of Saua, along the coast of the Bay of Githka (Pop. c. 4,800).

KIRIN: settlement in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Rangpour (Pop. c. 5,000). 

KISUKA: small city in the E of Saua, to the N - W of the Menol Mtns. It is a manufacturer of shale and has large quarries to its S - E (Pop. c. 14,800).

KITARA: 1. One of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua, in the region of Melaia. It is home to the Kitara family, the head of which is the Iron King, Isarnon.

2. l. in the c S of Saua, along the course of the r. Shimach.

3. city in the S of Saua in the above region, along the banks of the r. Shimachi . It is known for its gun production and standing army of arbalesters (Pop. c. 68,000).

KITOBO: small city in the s of Saua, in the region of Melaia, along the course of the r. Kitochi

KITOCHI: r. in the S of Saua, flowing W for 180-miles from sources in the Neriko Mtns. before meeting its distributary, the r. Shimachi.

KOKORO: Mtn. in the E of Saua, part of the Red Mtn. chain. Its S - W -face is home to many mystics and ascetics.

KOKU: E-most settlement in Saua, to the N - E of the Karparos Mtns. 12-miles from the border with Malan (Pop. c. 8,400). 

KOLKANING: city in the c W of Saua, along the shores of r. Komaka . It is a temple-city and its population is made up of priests, devout worshippers and others whose jobs revolve around the rel. industries. It is noted for its steep steps that lead into the sacred r. Komaka.

KOMAKA: 1. r. in the c of Saua, flowing S - W for 776-miles from sources in the Shiori and Mera Mtns. before meeting with its distributary, the r. Achi. The r. is considered sacred to the people of Saua, and the city of Kolkaning on its S banks is a rel. city devoted to the upkeep and maintenance of the r.  

2. Small city in the N of the eponymous r. in c Saua (Pop. c. 11,000).

KOMASA: once harbour in the S of Saua. Following the withdrawal of the Sea of Uran, the harbour found itself over 50-miles fro the coast. It was abandoned in c. 3300 RM and was allowed to fall into ruin. 

KORONA: settlement in the c S of Saua, in the Neriko Mtns. (Pop. c. 6,000).

KULUUN: small city in the N - W of Saua, in the wetlands of Tairoko. Like many settlements in Ahrishen, it is largely constructed on stilts, overlooking the waterlogged c of the Tairoko (Pop. c. 12,700). 

MACHI: ancient Saedishi amphitheatre in the c N - W of Saua, in the N highlands of the isinu Mtns. The amphitheatre is large though has been allowed to fall into ruin and is largely ignored. Some shapers claim that the region  surrounding the ruin is a Fir. leyline.

MADUHAN: small city along the course of the r. Achi in the c of Saua, in the region of Rachi. Its main industry is the production of hazelnuts and hazelnut liqueur (Pop. c. 18,000).

MAGARO: settlement in N - W Saua in the region of Hadashin. Its main industry is quarrying of limestone from the karst formations in the region (Pop. c. 4,000).

MELAIA: S–W-arm of Sauan territories, dividing the Haréshk from Malan. It is known for its fertile mesa formations and lush grasslands as well as a tradition of competent arbalesters dating back centuries.

MERA: Mtn. in c Saua. In distant times the ancestors of the extant Sauan people saw the Mtn. as the centre of the universe and the ruin of many late Fourth and early Fifth Age temples dot its E-face.

MIYONA: l. in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Takre.

NATASU: farming settlement in the W of Saua, in the region of Dhab. It has seen a decline in population over the previous years, though continnues to cultivate cotton used in the production of clothes in the region (Pop. c. 4,000).

MENOL: rocky Mtn. range in the E of Saua. Its foothills are treacherous and covered in shale deposits.

MENOL TATOSSO: cuboid pillars in the c S - E of Saua. There are 3 pillars in total, each 40-ft. to a side and hundreds of ft. tall. The pillars have a polished finish, though parts of each are damaged, with large sections missing, showing a grotesque interior that, though mineral in composition, appear like sinew and muscle. One in particular, has a large part missing at its base, though the pillar itself remains erect, as though in defiance of gravity. Little is known of the pillars origins, though they are thought to date back to the early works of the Demiurges, before the Mortal Ages began.

MIFUNE, THE LONE: (B. c. 3150 RM) Sauan his. champion. A mystic wanderer, he was once a naval captain, though following a court-martial for disobeying orders (an act which ultimately won a battle), he was exiled in c. 3210 RM, never to return..

MITSUNA: small city in the S of Saua, in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 18,000).

MONASTERY OF THE SKY: Kashaph monastery in the c of Saua, to the W of the city of Darorro. The monastery is situated atop a steep cliff, overlooking a wide valley to the N. 

MOSSAN, the: region in the far S–E of Saua. It’s noted for its picturesque lichen-covered boulders, and is largely uninhabited by humans.

MURATANA: 1. Mtn. pass  across the Kokoro Mtns. in N Saua.

2. Settlement guarding the eponymous pass in the N of Saua (Pop. c. 8,000). 

NABORRO: small city in the c W of Saua, W of the Shiori Mtns. (Pop. c. 18,500).

NAGU: settlement in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Tarroko (Pop. c. 10,000). 

NAIA: 1. l. in the c W of Saua, along the course of the r. Achi.

2. city in the c W of Saua (pop. c. 62,000).

NARAN: rel. sun-cult prevalent in Ahrishen, the Haréshk, Vârr and Lyridia and, with less popularity, Nárthel, Sarastro, and Saua. The cult originated in Ahrishen in c. 2500 RM, where it grew in response to the darkening of the world and the diminishing of Elyden and the world’s corruption.

NATANI: major city in the S - E of Saua, close to the border with Malan.  

NERIKO: Mtn. range in the S - E of Saua.

NOON: 1. one of the five-and-sixty states of Saua.

2. City in the c of Saua and centre of the eponymous state (pop. c. 46,400). 

OGAINA: farming settlement in the far N - W of Saua, in the contested region of Karroq. Despite the uncertain political climate in the region, it continues its production of cotton for regional clothing production (Pop. c. 5,000). 

OKAIDA: city in the c of Saua. It is home to prestigious colleges where many of the noble familier send their sons to study (Pop. c. 50,000). 

OKASI: 1. Before the unification of Saua in 3108 RM, Okasi was the name of one of the Five Thrones of Sa’weh.

2. major trade city in Saua, forming part of the trade route E into the Haréshk (pop. c. 231,000).

ORCAMMOR: also ‘the Red Mountains’. Mtn. chain in N Saua, forming a border with Virahan and Baatan, in the W. The Kokoro and Blue Mtns. are extensions of this chain.

ORESTO: settlement in N - W Saua in the region of Hadashin. Its main industry is quarrying of limestone from the karst formations in the region (Pop. c. 5,000). 

ORRERAL, the: ancient stone observatory in the Zahat Ya Hza region in N - E Saua.

OYASAIA: settlement in the far N Saua, known for its cattle-farming (Pop. c. 8,500).

PATH OF THOUGHT, the: also ‘the Cult of the Sleeping Queen’. new rel. in Saua that has come to venerate the body of the Sleeping Queen as a deity. The current Daiadon, Darassin personally shuns her teachings and attempted to outlaw the new rel. in 3762 RM, though he was unsuccessful, only managed to solidify the cult. 

The worshippers of the Sleeping Queen are known as Deii and, though the cult is growing in size and power, it remains a minority in most regions, with worshippers persecuted in the more traditional regions of Saua.

PHAALL OROSH: ancient Rethan pyramid in c Saua, dating back to the Fourth Age. The mud-baked bricks of the original pyramid are mostly fragmented, leading to half the pyramid looking like an overgrown mound. The rest of the structure is overgrown and half-crumbled away - indeed, many who come across it fail to recognise its heritage. There have been few attempts to penetrate the ruin, and some scholars speculate that there may yet be treasures buried within.  

PHANU: 1. Dense f. in the E of Saua, said to be home to many nature spirits. It is known for its boar

2. l. in E Saua, to the E of the Karparos Mtns.

3. Mtn. pass cutting across the Karparos Mtns. linking E Saua with the far W of Malan.

4. Small city in the E of Saua, in the above f. Its main industry is logging (Pop. c. 16,000).

POMMER: flo. Tree endemic to W Saua, known for its resin that is used as a varnish on wooden items and is fed to the soul-counter mystics of the Akenara region of the Forest of Reveries that helps to mummify their bodies. See Vol II: Classification and Taxonomy of Life: Reghon Applosae.

QINCHI: r. in the N - E of Saua, flowing N for 406-miles from sources in the Karaparos Mtns. before metting its distributary, the r. Tarroko.  

QISOUKI: small city in the E of Saua, close to the border with Malan (Pop. c. 14,000). 

RAACH: karst formation in the c W of Saua.

RABANE: l. in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Rangpour.

RACHI: shrublands and sparse woodlands and grasslands on rolling hills in the c of Saua, fed by the r. Achi and its many tributaries.

RAMEKI: major shrine in the Forest of Reveries in the N - W of Saua. It is home to many yamabushi, and has the highest concentration of mummified individuals in all of Saua. Many who follow the ancient animistic rel. Of Saua travel here in pilgrimage to seek enlightenment. 

RANGPOUR: 1. One of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua. 

2. Valley and plains in the above region of c N - E Saua. The region is home to much of its nobility’s estates.  

3. r. in the above region of E Saua, flowing S for 515-miles from sources in the Mera and Karparos Mtns. before meeting its distributary, the r. Takre.

4. city in the above region, in Saua (Pop. c. 20,000).

RED MOUNTAINS, the: see Orcammor. 

RED WALL, the: defensive wall constructed between 1852 and 3007 RM along the Red Mountain chain in Saua. Originally intended as a symbolic gesture to the Haréshk, the Red Wall grew into a symbol of Sauas xenophobia, covering most of the Ahrisheni border and regulating access to much of the Haréshk and Malan.

The ancient wall once reached as far as N-most reaches of the Ibelin Ridge, and was said to be 1,000-miles long, though is now only 580-miles long. It was once famed for its seven large brick towers, which are now ruined.

RETHAN: ancient Fourth Age civilisation on whose ruins the ntns. of Ahrishen, the Haréshk and Saua are partially built. Little is known of Rethan, but for the majestic towers, pyramids and monuments they built, the ruins of which remain to this day, either in ruin, half-buried, abandoned or used as foundation for extant cities and structures. The towers of Aberash Hatham are attributed to the Rethan people.

RUKIO: major city in the c W of Saua, in the S–W of the Forest of Reveries along foothills of the Kokoro Mtns. (pop. c. 54,200).

SA’WEH: region in extant Saua and far E Ahrishen, that emerged from the early Fifth Age ntn. Of Saedish in c. 1320 RM, characterised by its five distinct regions, known as Thrones, which were: Adaia, Deriko, Ioma, Okasi, and Yamorra. They were warlike regions, as prone to squabbling amongst themselves as they were to attacking neighbouring ntns.  

Starting in 3022 RM the states entered a period of strife dominated by internal unrest culminating in full-in war between themselves that lasted over a decade, ending only in 3108 RM through the exploits of Lord Hu of Adaia. He became the first emperor (or Diadon) of Saua, uniting the 5 Thrones as one ntn. that became known as Saua. He split the remaining territories (some had been lost to Ahrishen and the Haréshk) into 65 states, now known as the Five-and-Sixty, which were divided between the noble families and loyal warlords from all 5 Throne. See Vol III: Extinct Nations and Realms.

SABOCHI: r. in the S of Saua, flowing W for 330-miles from sources in the Neriko Mtns. before meeting its distributary, the r. Danilli. Its banks are rocky and steep for much of its course.

SABOTTO: small city in the c S of Saua, in the region of Melaia. The city is noted for its strange construction - much of which is situated atop a natural stone bridge that spans the course of the r. Sabochi (Pop. c. 20,000).

SABUKKI: small city in the N of Saua, in the plains of Yosso (Pop. c. 14,800). 

SAEDISH: ancient Fifth Age nation, active in what are today E Ahrishen, S Virahan and W Saua. It was built atop the ruins of the ancient Fourth Age ntn. of Rethan. In c. 1320 RM Saedish fractured into 5 regions, known as Thrones, which were collectively known as Sa’weh. See Vol III: Extinct Nations and Realms.

SAI: 1. one of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua.

2. city in the above state in E Saua, bordering Malan (Pop. c. 45,000).

SAIAKA: small city in the N - W of Saua, along the E-shores of l. Masti (Pop. c. 20,000). 

SANCTUARY OF ZADZHEN, the: rel. Sanctuary in the S - W of Saua, situated atop a treacherous mushroom-like mesa overlooking the surrounding region of Melaia. A small town known to trade W with the Haréshk has appeared at its base over the past decades (Pop. c. 1,000).

SAR: 1. r. flowing W from the Kokoro Mtns. and passing across W Saua and the N of the Haréshki City-kingdom of Alamut, and tributary of the larger r. Sara.

SARA: large r. flowing S - W for over 1,500-miles from sources in the Duiáhri and Orcammor Mtns and the Salkhan Massif in Baatan, Virahan, E Ahrishen, W Saua, and c Haréshk, before emptying into the sea of Deraea. The r. flows through many major l., including l. Masti  and Galenda.

SARMAUL: (B. c. 1860 RM) Ahrisheni prophet who spread word of the Four Wives to Saua, where the rel. continues to be revered by the Gatekeepers.

SASHHOU: settlement along the course of the r. Achi in the c of Saua, in the region of Rachi. Its main industry is the production of hazelnuts (Pop. c. 6,000).

SATORO: settlement in the far N Saua, known for its cattle-farming (Pop. c. 6,500).

SCOURGE OF WITCHES: also ‘the Witch War’. period between 3784 – 3811 RM where the Korachani empire persecuted and hunted Fir. shapers in heathen lands to the E, largely Ahrishen, the Haréshk, Temuja. and Saua. Thousands of shapers and many more innocents were killed in the war, which was little more than a massacre in most cases. Korachan eventually wound down its attacks after 2-decades. Hunts, led by the Fraternal Orders of the Inquisition; were conducted largely in secret, with many captured and executed under the cover of darkness, their skulls taken back to Korachan, where they were piled high in a great pyramid outside Khadon and set on fire as a symbol to witches.

SENG: fort in N Saua.

SHA HO: 1. Isl. off the S - W coast of Saua, S of the Black Wall

2. fort on the eponymous isl. It guards the entrance into the Bay of Githka.

SHIEASAZHIM: badlands in N Saua forming the N-border with Temuja.

SHIEJAN: small settlement in N Saua, known for its hazelnut groves (Pop. c. 8,400)

SHIORI: rocky Mtns. in the c of Saua. known for their beautiful scenery and wooded foothills.

SHIOSA: settlement in the N of Saua, along the course of the r. Tarroko (Pop. c. 8,000). 

SHIUKI: cave-temple in the c S of Saua, in the basin W of the Neriko Mtns. The temple dates back to the Fourth Age though was rediscovered in c 1,200 RM where it was restored and converted to a spirit temple, remaining in constant use, through the civil wars of Sa’weh and well into the founding of Saua in 318 RM. The temple is characterised by hewn colossi and vast chambers, each of which is dedicated to a different spirit.

SHOARA: farming settlement in the S of Saua in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 4,000).

SHULUUN: small city in the N of Saua, along the course of the r. Tarroko (Pop. c. 20,000).

SLEEPING QUEEN, the: (B. 3846 RM) ancestral ruler of Saua, and a distant descendant of an unknown otherworlder. She has been in a catatonic state since 3893 RM, her body undying. Dressed in rigid black funerary robes, she is kept clean in a great temple in the Mtns. E of Adaia, where she has become the centre of a new rel/ cult, that is rapidly superseding the traditional ancestral worship and spiritualism prevalent in Saua for generations. 

SLEEPING QUEEN, CULT OF THE: see Path of Thought. 

SOUL-COUNTERS: see Yamabushi

SPIRITHOME: common term within Saua and other ntns. (including Korachan) used instead of Saua.

SPIRITS’ DAY: Rel. celebration observed in Temur and, to a lesser extent, in Saua. Spirits’ Day is the day on which an individual celebrates the day of his patron spirit - a Tutelary Spirit in Temuja, or an ancestral spirit in Saua. This is the closest thing to a birthday celebrated in Temur and Saua.

SUDDUKA: major fortress in the c S - W of Saua, in the S-most expanse of the Blue Mtns. along the course of the r. Danilli, guarding the region from the W.

TAIROKO: wetland f. in the c N - W of Saua. The region is very humid and in the wet season floods, leading to  

TAKANA: l. in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Rangpour.

TAKRE: major r. in the E Saua forming a border with Malan. It flows for 1,220–miles from sources in the Memnids, Mera and Karparos Mtns. before emptying into the Bay of Githka. It is the main drainage basin in Saua.  

TANHAN: settlement along the course of the r. Achi in c Saua, in the region of Rachi. It is one of many producers of hazelnuts in the region (Pop. c. 4,800).

TARIYO: l. in the E of Saua, along the course of the r. Qinchi, to the N of Karparos.

TARROKO: major r. in the N of Saua,, flowing for N - E for 1,600-miles from sources in the Hadashin, Shiori, Mera, and Isinu Mtns. *

TEMPLE OF THE PATH OF THOUGHT: main temple and retreat of those studying the Path of Thought, in the E-face of the Mera Mtn. in c Saua. 

TEKORO: city in the E of Saua, in the region of Rangpour. It is home to an ancient school of Fir. whose members have studied the effects of Prismerism for centuries (Pop. c. 33,000).

TOMISHI: major fortress in the S - E of Saua, overlooking the r. Takre into E Malan. 

TOSSU: settlement in the N - W of Saua, along the shores of l. Pavo. Its main industry is crab fishing (Pop. c. 6,000). 

TURAN: the people of Temuja and Saua, descended from Goethan and Nahorian people from the Fourth Age of Mortal Life.

UAMEKI: 1. region and one of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua that has slowly, since c. 3200 RM, become corrupted by the Atr. - the only known region of Atr. corruption in Saua. Its ruler, the patriarch Lin-Lii Cyric, bears the scars of that corruption proudly.

2. city in the above state in Saua. The city and the surrounding region are kept free of Atr. taint by a cadre of licenced shapers - the only shapers permitted in Saua. Being so close to the Nullambit means that shaping is difficult and Iron Mantles are commonly used to aid in the process (Pop. c. 93,000).

UTO: 1. one of the Five-and-Sixty States of Saua, to the N of the Isinu Mtns. 

2. city in the above state in Saua (Pop. c. 50,000).

VASA: 1. in the Myt. of the Haréshk and Saua, demons bound to the mortal plane by an ancient curse.

2. city in the N - E of Saua (Pop. c. 35,200).

VORAN: 1. sinkhole in N–E Saua.

2. city built around the sinkhole of the same name, in N–E Saua. It is a major trade-centre, linking Saua to Temuja (Pop. c. 31,000).

WUHIA: Knightly caste and mil. order in Saua. The caste is considered noble, and has roots in the Five Thrones of Sa’weh era of Sauan his. and members are often granted titles and ranks in the Sauan mil. 

The wuhia are the only people with a charter to breed and train fire lizards in Saua, which were traditionally used as mounts in battle. Though the practice is dying-out as mil. tactics change, the wuhia still view their right to train the creatures with great honour and a handful of fire lizards are raised and trained each generation.

YADONO: fortified settlement in the E of Saua, close to the trade-route E into Malan (Pop. c. 18,000). 

YAHSHEN: small fortified city in N Saua (Pop. c. 13,200).

YAMABUSHI: also ‘Soul-counter’. loose order of Fir. in Saua, mostly concentrated in the Forest of Reveries, though can be found in any region where the Fir. holds sway. They spend their days attuned, looking at the otherworld and cataloguing the souls they find, spending time amongst their ancestors, rarely returning to their mortal bodies. 

As a result the oldest soul-counters are well-respected by their peers and they are interred in shrines, where neophytes tend to their bodily needs, feeding them pommer resin. Upon death their bodies mummify as result of the pommer resin and they remain on display in their shrines. Many visit the region of Akenara in pilgrimage to pay their respects to soul-counters, living and dead. 

YAMORRA: 1. Before the unification of Saua in 3108 RM, Yamorra was the name of one of the Five Thrones of Sa’weh.

2. city in the N of Saua, along the course of the r. Tarroko (Pop. c. 38,000).

YAO, the: old colossi in N - W Saua, built in 3158 RM by emperor Huata to commemorate the death of emperor Hu, the 1st emperor of Saua, in 3147 RM. It is located on a rocky promontory between the Forest of Reveries and the Tairoko f.

YAZATA: so-called spirit-seekers common primarily in Saua, but also E Ahrishen, Virahan, Baatan, and Temuja. The yazata are priests and erudites, many of whom are meditative shapers who seek communion with the spirits of the dead through the Materia Omna in regions where the Fir. is strong.

YOMA: 1. also Ioma. One of the Five-and-Sixty States in the E of Saua and one of the original five city-states before Saua was united in 3108 RM 

2. city in the above state; (Pop. c. 54,000).

YOSAKI: coastal settlement in the S of Saua, overlooking the S of the Sea of Nesher (Pop. c. 2,800) 

YOSAMA: settlement in the S of Saua in the region of Melaia (Pop. c. 5,000).  

YOSSO: plains in the N of Saua. 

ZAHAT YA HZA: Lit ‘Plain of the Gods.’ Highland flat-topped steppes in N Saua, bordering S–E Temuja. The region is high-altitude and very rough.