Zanji
Located between the major rivers Kama and Tal, Zanji is the capital of Semudan, Ruby Empire of Redin.
Demographics
- 60% Semud humans
- 30% Other Semudan humans
- 5% non-Semudan humans
- 5% non-human hominds
Infrastructure
The Sun Canal and its many tributaries runs through Zanji, linking the Tal and kama rivers. At more than 50km in length, the canal is connected and protected by a series locks, levees, weirs and overflows to control the annual flooding of the rivers and to mitigate the slight height difference at the points the two rivers are artifically connected. Old & new, sturdy & crumbling, forbidding & secluded, the city of Zinji is covered in defensive walls and fortifications, built from its time of founding to the current day
Districts
Imperial District The Imperial Palace district sits on Amat Isalnd, an artifical island created by the Emperor Amat, 3rd ruler of the Star Empire of Rhondion Semudan. The island itself is surrounded by the Sun Canal on all sides, is almost perfectly spherical and is 2km across. The Imperial District occupies the centre and is 1km across. Protected by walls of stamped clay 50" in height, watch towers every 60" (157 in total), a specialist Imperial Legion, the Ruby Imperials and a battery of protective spells & wards, the 3.14km of walls have one accessible point to non-inhabitants via the Dragon Gate. The remaining three quarters of the island contain the Sovereign Row, the Tombs of Empire, the Zanji residences of the seven Great Houses of Semudan and Zanji residences of 1st tier Ministers and Advisors to Empire.
Courts
While the major houses have their Zanji Courts on Amat Island in the shadow of the Imperial Palace, the lesser noble houses, guild halls and ambassadories have their courts scattered throughout the city of Zanji. Proximity to the Imperial Palace is a status symbol that cannot be replicated by any amount of lavishness, although this does not stop the internecine sniping, feuding and war as all the houses of Semudan jostle for position, influence, power and access to the Imperial Throne.
Suburbs
Spread out over more than 20km at its widest and 8km at its narrowest, Zanji icontains discreet settlements linked by a crisscrossing by canals, aqueducts, viaducts, roads and gardens seperated by the ever encroaching jungle and occasionally artifical objects such as walls, embankments and marshes.
History
Founded by Emperor Chunor, 1st of the Sun Empire of Rhondio Semudan, Zanji has remained the capital of the Semudan Empire since it was established and remains the largest city in all of Semudan. It has never entirely fallen to a foreign or supernatural power, but has been sacked during each time of chaos and three times during one of the Semudan civil wars.
Points of interest
The Great University has multiple campuses discreetly located about the city, including the prestigous Faculty of the Arcana and the sub-faculties of Planar Studies, Elderday Sigil Dynamics, Draconic Symbolism, Major Arcana and Void Studies. Scattered throughout the city are the various Towers and Halls, the major schools & guilds of arcane magic in Semudan. The Ruby Imperials are closely connected to the authorised Halls and Towers and are known to patron promising students by offering a pathway directly into Imperial service. The ongoing high levels of civil discontent since the appearance of the Revelation and accompanied rioting has seen the destruction of smaller outposts of the Towers and the physuical destruction of the main holdings of the Balck Hole Tower and Frozen Star Tower.
Founding Date
444
Type
Capital
Population
1,000,000
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments