By Tooth And Claw Dragons
YOSA KYAKIH, Land of the Gods

Yosa Kyakih is a land of great beauty accompanied by a deep appreciation for spirituality. Touched and seemingly particularly blessed by the gods, its people worship dragons and hold them in the highest regard. Even the areas away from the cities have a wide range of striking sights that bring out the natural beauty that Lizzarkyth is known for.


Country/Area Name(s): Yosa Kyakih

Ruling Species: lyzards

Native Language: Lizzarkythian

Capital(s): N/A

Monarch(s): N/A


Cities:

These are the cities found within this area; each one is marked on the map, and divided by tiers. The larger the tier, the larger the city - tier one may be a small village or town, while tier four may be sprawling cities of grand proportions.

BAZ:
RACE: saurians. LEADER: none. TIER: one.
LANGUAGE(S): Lizzarkythian. ALLEGIANCE: free.

APPEARANCE: Hidden away in a mountainous caldera, Baz is more a ceremonial site than a true city. Numerous pavilions, cloistered walkways, aqueducts, spires, and arches have been carved from solid stone. A massive open arena big enough to hold many saurians stands at the center of the city.

CULTURE: Baz was founded as a place where saurians of any size and kind could go to settle disputes, or socialize in peace. Shedding blood within the city is taboo, although drawing blood from somebody who breaks the taboo is acceptable. Therefore, carnivores and herbivores holding civil discussions are a common sight. Within the city, atop a tall spire, an ancient bronze horn, untarnished by time, stands, and numerous heavy bells hang in various places, each with a specific meaning.

ISLE OF MIST:
RACE: lyzards, others. LEADER: Sorcerer Alpine (NPC). TIER: four.
LANGUAGE(S): Common and Lizzarkythian. ALLEGIANCE: free.

APPEARANCE: Forgotten by many, the Isle of Mist is an island-city constantly surrounded by a fog that conceals it form outsiders. Formerly a great city wreathed in magic, it has since fallen into dilapidated ruins and crumbling stone walls. A few of its towers still remain intact, displaying spiraling white stone similar to the construction of Balinost or Alciniron in Erurost, and the ones that are still standing can be used by mages wishing to study the mystic arts. They are imbued with countless spells of various uses, present in arcane runes that shimmer and glow on the solstices and equinoxes of the year.

CULTURE: While the Isle has long been considered a 'dead' city, all but abandoned by the Order which it once served, it has always had its share of magic users who take refuge within the forgotten walls, very few live here permanently - save for a lone sorcerer who protects the city and its magical treasures from all who might do it harm. While the Order is welcome here, it does not rule, and those who have not joined the Order's ranks are just as welcome.

SAMARLAK:
RACE: lyzards, saurian. LEADER: Botolf (NPC). TIER: two.
LANGUAGE(S): Lizzarkythian. ALLEGIANCE: free.

APPEARANCE: Samarlak is a mobile settlement made from various rivercraft lashed together with ropes and connected with wooden gangplanks whenever the flotilla decides to stop for a while. The boats in question are typically hallow drafted and wide, providing significant areas to walk around on. The overall layout often seems rather haphazard, but the inhabitants of Samarlak manage just fine nonetheless.

CULTURE: The people of Samarlak are a vibrant, hardy folk who depend on the rivers for their survival. A small population of saurians, little bigger than lyzards if that, have taken up residence in Samarlak, and add their diverse colors to the spectacle that is the moving city of the rivers. They are viewed as somewhat whimsical due to their tendency to abruptly up and relocate, often without forewarning.

YZARL:
RACE: lyzards, saurian. LEADER: Kidinga (NPC). TIER: two.
LANGUAGE(S): Lizzarkythian. ALLEGIANCE: free.

APPEARANCE: Yzarl is a city nestled in the branches of an enormous, miles-high tree that resembles a dragon. At its base, the tree's trunk is reminiscent of a dragon's hindquarters with its tail wrapped around its feet, while its branching limbs resemble wings. Nestled between the spreading wing-branches is what appears to be a head. The tops of the branches rise so high the tops are covered in frost year-round. Dwellings are hollowed out of the mighty tree's bark, and small bodies of water collect in parts of the various branches.

CULTURE: Names after the long-faded goddess Yzarl, this city is a major center of dragon worship on Lizzarkyth. Many of its inhabitants have never set foot on the surface, and the city is largely dependent on outsiders who manage to reach it for information. The highest branches are reserved for lyzard priests.

Landmarks:

These are the landmarks and important places scattered through this area. They can be anything from forests and rivers to special caverns, monuments, ruins, and more.

Aelia's Stone
A great, long stone shaped like a snake that coils around a small mound. Upon the sides of the stone snake, bas-reliefs of various animals have been carved and painted. It is said that sleeping near the stone will bring dreams of Lizzarkyth's past to the sleeper, and shelter from any predators in the area.

Blueflame Swamp
A vast swamp made treacherous by the spontaneous jets of blue flame that periodically erupt from the fetid mire. There is no pattern to these eruptions, and little to no forewarning that a jet is going to burst forth. The water is unusually warm compared to the rest of the Realm.

Brightglow Lake
A vast lake that is a popular place for nighttime celebrations. The lake is filled with plankton that shine with brilliant bio-luminescence every night, turning the waters a brilliant blue shade that illuminates the surrounding shore.

Glimmering River
A large number of bright, reflective stones lie within this river, giving its glimmering appearance, and name. While these stones are of no mineral value, they nonetheless make the river a popular place for the lyzards and saurians who live nearby.

Halkion's Grove
A great, vine-covered landmark that takes the form of a massive eagle. Within the eagle's wings grows a beautiful grove of trees surrounding a pool of the purest water. It is said that drinking if the water will cure any ill, and cleanse any poison.

Lightfoot Bog
A vast bog overgrown with dense mats of vegetation that cover deep bodies of water. So named because any heavy step can cause the unwary wanderer to plunge through the mats and into the waters below. Even light steps cause the mats to undulate, but its denizens are, by and large, too light to have much fear of falling through the mats.

Moss-Stone Mounds

The moss-covered ruins of the first attempt by lyzards to build a city made of stone. While the city was once a grand place, full of splendor, it began to sink under its own weight, and over time it was abandoned as it began to submerge into the surrounding swamp. Now, all that remains of the city are a scattering of mossy mounds, the last traces of the once-proud city.

Pillar of History
A towering stone monolith as large around as many of Lizzarkyth's enormous trees. Engraved on its surface in a downward spiral of glyphs and runes is a complete history of the entire Realm since its creation. There are many legends concerning the pillar, but nothing about it is known for certain. However, what is known is the pillar constantly grows so there is room for more of the Realm's history.

The Strid
A narrow, deceptively calm-looking section of the Glimmering River. While it is quite narrow, it is much deeper than it looks, and hides a viciously strong, fast current capable of dragging even the strongest swimmers beneath the surface.

The Tangle
A dense growth of vines has overgrown a large swath of jungle, leaving a massive web of tangles vines that make it nearly impossible to navigate, particularly for larger creatures. Because of this, the Tangle is a place of refuge for smaller creatures.

Windbone Wood
A large expanse of forest that draws its name from the large collection of bones of various shapes and sizes that have been hung from the branches of the trees as a macabre way to honor the dead. The bones are hung in such a way that they act like wind chimes of sorts, and a good number have been carved in such a way that the wind produces a haunting tune when it passes through them.



About Lizzarkyth

Also known as the Undying Realm, Lizzarkyth boasts the greatest forests of any in the known Realms, some trees as ancient as the world itself. The vegetation here does not die naturally and all creatures hold nature in the greatest respect, taking only what is needful for them to survive. While lyzards dominate the skies with their levitating leaves, many fey animals lurk within the forests, some never seen by any eyes but their own. It is said that the lyzards welcome outsiders with a cool respect, for they are a peaceful species and not enamored of those who frequently bring trouble to their Realm. Dragons, however, are a fundamental aspect of their faith and greatly revered.


Realm Contributors: Verridith, Fyfergrund, JPG, Elffri3nd