Manzia
Built within the natural mesa formations of the Kemqh nation, residents of Manzia have adapted to the frequent floods and storms which make the ground nearly uninhabitable. Hurricanes frequently travel through the region. Fortunately, the area is rife with natural earth magic. Mesas, tall flat-topped towers, are formed atop the perfect squares of minerals. As the earth around the mesas are eroded by wind and water, the mesas remain as safe havens for the people of Kemqh.
Manzia is one of the largest clusters of mesas, with nearly a dozen mesas providing shelter for its people. Since the ground is so inhospitable, the people of the region developed air ships to travel between cities and towns.
Hippo dragon thing: mammal that hibernates underwater during Waiting. Don't poke it or it will wake and attack
Lapras turtle thing: reptile that arrives just after the flooding to eat the killed-off plant waste then mates, lays eggs, and fucks off while the eggs incubate. Eggs are laid in silk within the roots of the mangrove trees. When hatched, the babies fuck off back to the ocean before the Hippo dragons wake up to eat them. Gills are in their flanks but they have long necks so they can eat from the mangrove trees.
Locust things: amphibian that lays eggs in the flood waters. Tadpole stage hatches and develops and then lives on ground once flood recedes. Herbivore. Eats the plants at an unsustainable rate until the floods come back and reset everything. Unable to fly and thus cannot reach the tops of trees and don't venture up mesas much.
Willow mangrove: single organism tree that grows "ironbark" and is tall enough to have leaves above the water during floods. They grow limbs and branches in parallel lines to encourage breezes to brush away the ash that collects on them during Becoming. This causes hurricanes and the flooding each year. Produces vestigial fruits.
Silk worms: arboreal insect which lives in the mangrove trees and eats the fruits. Spin silk through the limbs to protect themselves. Lay bioluminescent eggs/chrysalises? which make the trees look like they're on fire so the laprases will avoid eating those tree leaves. Have wings and can fly. Are domesticated by the Kemqh peoples.
Quetzalcoatls: serpents with oily feathers which nest along the cliff-sides of the mesas. They fly above the waters and dive down to feed on the locust eggs. During dry seasons, they will eat locusts and silk worms. Domesticated by the Kemqh peoples.
Bamboo: fast growing thing that can be used to make rope bridges, paper, etc
Demographics
Few people have braved the disastrous Kemq region. The ground is nigh uninhabitable, with only the spread out and elevated mesas available to provide protection. Only in recent centuries have Patlana from Shatah begun to settle the area, using their dirigibles to cross the perilous Aumoana Ocean and access the safety of the mesas.
Defences
Being raised above the earth has its advantages. Few people in the region dare traverse the ground, so to assault Manzia, invaders would need to come by air. Fortunately, the vantages provided by the city give their militia plenty of forewarning to muster.
Industry & Trade
The silk worm is native to Kemq, and the primary source of silk for minting deben for all of Ce.
As much of the population are carnivorous Patlana, the meat and eggs of the quetzalcoatls, which make their nests along the mesa cliffs, are essential farm animals.
The fast growing bamboo is also harvested to make rope, paper, and other furnishings.
Ironbark, harvested from the long-lived mangrove trees, is a rare and valuable resource for crafting armor and weapons.
Infrastructure
Most people have lived their whole lives in the elevated mesas, never to even touch the ground. Manzia was fortunate to have many mesas clustered together, allowing for small rope bridges and strong stone aqueducts to connect them. During harsh storms, the bridges are taken down to limit damage. Little of the city's infrastructure can be seen from outside, as most resides within the broad stone formations.
Geography
Formed of natural earth magic in perfect squares, the stone has withstood the erosion of the area around it, forming many flat topped mesas from dark black stone.
Climate
- Waiting: monsoon floods, lots of disease present from rotting plant matter
- Beginning: locusts and lapras egg hatching season, waters start receding
- Becoming: ash winds brought in by mangrove trees, causes surge of plant growth
- Waning: locusts eat all the plants
Natural Resources
Many quetzalcoatls make their nests along the mesa edges. Their eggs and meat as the primary food source for the Manzians, who will tend the nests and quetzalcoatls.
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