Zanean
The forlorn serpents, cursed and hidden
The harsh and unforgiving mountains of the Hathaika Peaks hold more danger than frigid temperatures and rampant avalanches. Every shadowy crag that you pass may be home to a variety of fearsome creatures, but the most feared of all are the cursed peoples of Zan. A loose community of yuan-ti that live deep under the mountains in the vast cave systems below. A long time ago, the peoples of Zan ruled a big empire that covered much of the same territory that the Shelitan Empire controls today, but they were defeated and relegated to hiding in the darkness of caverns. Most Zaneans still dream of returning to the surface and taking their place as rulers once again. In the meantime, they bide their time patiently.
Naming Traditions
Family names
As disconnected as the Zanean people are, family names are not a concept among them. Their society is very individualistic, so the idea of sharing a name among the family seems alien to them.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Zanean is an ancient and storied language with lots of history, but it's now in a strange place. Because of how fragmented the peoples of Zan are, their language has become equally broken. Small and discreet communities of Zaneans all speak the Zanean language, but they're not mutually intelligible because of how long they've been apart. Thus, someone who speaks Zanean will likely only have the knowledge of one of the dozens of dialects spoken in the Stretching Depths.
Shared customary codes and values
All Zaneans share a hatred for those who dwell in the surface without shame. It's a fit of jealousy that comes from their own misfortunes. Long ago, they were the kings of the land above, but circumstances drove them away and forced them underground, only for the Shelitan Empire to seize the land for itself. The circumstances around the fall of the Zanean Empire is shrouded in mystery and has many explanations. One theory is the simplest explanation: they were defeated by the Shelitans and then exiled. Another theory is that they angered their gods and had to retreat to the underdark to hide from the gods' wrath. Another hypothesis is that the animosity between the Shelitans and Zaneans have nothing to do with where they live. Rather, the jealousy of the Zaneans started as myth, but over time it spread to be taught as factual history. Regardless of how the feud started, it has remained a staple of the peoples of Zan to hate the Shelitans.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
There is a very definitive difference between male Zaneans and female Zaneans in the way they treat one another. Males are extremely individualistic and choose to live in isolation, while females will remain in communities together and become very attached to one another. This has led to a set of Zanean settlements that are almost exclusively filled with women. (though many elders and the non-purebloods are also present)
Courtship Ideals
Because of the isolationism inherent in the men of the Zaneans, their mating rituals are as equally unusual: young men ready to mate will gather together and conduct "raids" on the settlements, in which they invade the cities and search for a willing partner, before escaping the city once more and returning to their lonely lives in deep chasms. Then, it's the responsibility of the female to raise the offspring. She will get plenty of help from the other females in the settlement.
Art: Yuan-ti Malison by Daarken (modified)
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments