Zagesi

The region known as Zagesi is a massive collection of fertile river valleys, plains, basins, lakes and forests, located in the central east of Kashura, centered around The Gilded Sea and The Nezendi River. Surrounded in almost all directions by mountain ranges and blessed with the comparatively tame tides and stable rain patterns of The Gilded Sea, Zagesi has always been a hotbed for great civilizations, though the collapse of The Ashuurian State and the times that followed have made the place a lot less desirable to live in.
When talking about Zagesi, people generally differentiate between the regions of Upper Zagesi and Lower Zagesi. These regions have differences in culture, history and geography, and the people living there generally view themselves as distinct from one another.

Upper Zagesi:

Upper Zagesi encompasses most of The Gilded Sea, together with its many islands, river valleys and forests. It is encircled in the north by The Boreas Highlands and The Blooming Heights, which protect Upper Zagesi’s interior from the ice cold winds of The Shattered Sea. The Blooming Heights also separate it from its northern neighbor, Griselderyn.
To the east, Upper Zagesi is protected by The Worldspine, the largest mountain range in all of Kashura, while it’s southern flank is guarded by The Merkas Highlands and The Kuzarak Mountains, which protect it’s interior from the sweltering heat and drought of The Daga-kurum Desert.
Finally to its west, Upper Zagesi is met with The Forest of Eternal Autumn, a forest that, as the name suggests, is kept in eternal Autumn through so far unknown means.

Climate:

The Climate in Upper Zagesi is generally temperate, with temperatures during the calm seasons varying between 10C (59F) to 30C (86F) with the north tending to colder and south towards hotter temperatures.
During the harsh seasons, the north tends to experience heavy snowfall, temperatures below freezing and snowstorms, while the central regions experience regular storms, floodings and more unpredictable tides and the south experiences regular droughts and heatwaves.

Population:

While recent events have caused the predominantly humanoid population of Upper Zagesi to dwindle substantially, it is still one of the more densely settled regions of Kashura and as of the Year 32SF, home to around 2 million people, many of which have settled in the massive city states which dominate the region.

Polities:

Upper Zagesi was for over a thousand years the heartland of The Ashuurian State, known to be the first Hominid state. The events of the past 50 years have however led to its dissolution, with independent city states now pursuing their own agendas in the region. The lack of a strong unifying force have led to wars over territories and trade disputes, as well as a drastic uptick in banditry and piracy in the region.
The Eight most influential city states in the Region are Ashuur, Bizantahir, Drustanaar, Kalaar, Korsani, Marukan, Nagazaar and Utarak.

Lower Zagesi:

Lower Zagesi encompasses the southernmost parts of The Gilded Sea and almost the entire length of The Nezendi River. It’s encircled in the north by The Worldspine, which also stretches over part of its eastern flank, only breaking for The Wounded Pass, before giving way to The Dividing Highlands, which cover the rest of Lower Zagesi’s east.
To the west, most of Lower Zagesi is protected by The Merkas Highlands, at least until they give way to The Yurtus Hills, where the dry and hot air of The Daga-Kurum Desert finally finds its way into Lower Zagesi’s interior.
Finally to its south, The Tolema Graywoods mark the border at which Lower Zagesi and The Conflux Sea bleed into one another.

Climate:

Lower Zagesi has a generally tropical climate, with high average temperatures usually varying between 20C (68F) and 30C (86F) in the calm seasons, though temperatures can climb over 40C (104F) in the harsh seasons.
The Area is also generally marked by high humidity and heavy rainfall, which only gets worse during the harsh seasons and is one of many causes for the heavy flooding in the area. The one exception to this is the far south of Lower Zagesi, around the area occupied by the city state of Koltai, where there is mostly dry heat all year round.

Population:

Lower Zagesi was historically always less densely populated than its northern counterpart, though it still tended to have a sizable population of its own, which has risen a good bit due to the political instability and migrations from its northern neighbor in recent history. In the Year 32SF, Lower Zagesi is home to around 1 million people, most of which are part of The Hominid Strain, though they also have sizable minorities of other strains.

Polities:

Contrary to its northern counterpart, Lower Zagesi does not look back on a long history of unification, but one of regional powers and rivalries. While there have been attempts in the past to unify the region, both by diplomacy and by the sword, they were short lived at best and ended in disaster for all those involved at worst.
The most influential polity in the region as of 32 SF is The Tatar League, a merchant confederation consisting of the 4 city states of Dagaazi, Efra, Talnaar and Yeresh. It came into being to control the value, production and distribution of Spellsilk with its invention around 80 years ago, and has since made all four member states fabulously rich.
Koltai, an independent city state originally founded by a Yurekai warlord can be found far in the south of the region, where Lower Zagesi bleeds into The Daga-Kurum Desert and The Conflux Sea. Originally founded as just another outpost of a vast trading network, it has recently gained much more influence through the collapse of The Ashuurian State.
Besides these, there are also a few smaller independent cities in the region:
Far in the north of Lower Zagesi lies Sasarak, a city state of roughly 12.000 people perched against The Worldspine with control over vast fertile fields. It is a major producer of grain in the region.
Further south, cradled by The Zandije Wildwoods on an Island in the southernmost parts of The Gilded Sea, lies the city of Karkesh. It is home to around 10.000 people and a major pilgrimage site to Arkas, as it is home to the largest temple of the god in all of Kashura.
Further south again, between Koltai and The Tatar League lies the city of Adalar. The city itself is home to around 15.000 people and lays claim to The Highglade Forest, a woodland known for its abundance of fruit trees. The forest and its abundance of crops are one of the reasons why Adalar is known around the world as a major exporter of fruit wines.

Landmarks:

Mountains & other Geological Features:

The Asker Hillocks

The Bikamer Hills

The Blooming Heights

The Boreas Highlands

The Briarknolls

The Dividing Highlands

The Kuzarak Mountains

The Merkas Highlands

The Neferi

The Spires of Ulmar

The Whailing Wastes

The Worldspine

The Yurtus Hills

Forests, Swamps etc:

The Blooming Marshes

The Boreas Woodlands

The Forest of Eternal Autumn

The Highglade Forest

The Melwar Forest

The Ruhar Forest

The Tatargazi Bayou

The Tolema Graywoods

The Viridian Veil

The Zandije Wildwoods

Bodies of Water:

The Nezendi River

The Gilded Sea

Miscellaneous Landmarks:

The Wounded Pass