Zha-nehzmish
At a Glance
The city seems to be a huge summer playground for the wealthiest people on Tellene. That perception is not far off the truth. Large stone palaces house the members of Parliament. These whitewashed homes have tall stone ivy-covered fences, although the low hills allow glimpses into many of their gardens.Temples
The Home Foundation is the largest temple in the city. The Grandfather, Razhan, has adopted over 100 children personally, and he spends most of his time taking care of them. An even dozen of his older children are clerics within the temple and seem to take after him. The titular Grandfather is an actual grandfather of over 40! The daily services are performed by Hamalca, a tall, stately half-elven woman with a dozen children of her own, and another on the way. The Temple of the Stars vies for the title of largest temple, although its followers consistently number less. High Worlder Mushan Ohmdalz has visited over a thousand cities and towns across Tellene. The last time he stayed in the temple for more than two weeks was to enchant a pair of magical boots that never wore out. That was six years ago. Worlder Emeni Zalden, the senior Cleric, leads most services; she also makes it a point to personally greet all ships docking at the busy port, regardless of the time of day or the weather. She reminds them of the thanks they owe Amehz (the Svimohzish name for the Traveler) for the safe journey and appeals to them to visit the temple at least once before they depart again. Temples to the Parish of the Prolific Coin deserve special mention. Instead of congregating in a single massive temple, the faith is fragmented in Zha-nehzmish. At least a dozen temples serve the dock area alone, and another four surround the main city gate to the northeast. Administrator Avenshi Sotar takes care of the busiest temple, a thick square building that closely resembles a bank vault. The temple maintains about 300,000 gold pieces in loans at any given time, but if the rumors are True its assets are stored somewhere on the Ethereal plane and guarded by dao and earth elementals.Mages & Sages
Zha-nehzmish boasts dozens of sages, thanks to the famous University. Scholars knowledgeable in history, astronomy, literature, visual arts, militaria, demihuman culture, and languages work there. Characters hungry for knowledge should have no trouble finding plenty of information (although accuracy is not guaranteed!). Famous diviners are rare, but one of the university's former professors, Umhul Mezahn, claims to have created several powerful spells. Few wizards are able to cast these spells, but those who can claim that they are effective indeed. Of course, they then point out that the number of spells he claims to have created is too vast for one Human lifetime. They are wrong. Mezahn is good, his work is accurate and he researches quickly.Underworld
Zha-nehzmish sees every crime imaginable. A huge black market allows sellers and buyers of smuggled and therefore untaxed rare and exotic items to meet and trade goods. Curiously, because of the Risk of carrying the amount of cash required for many of these items, the exchanges are often made without coins trading hands — goods and services are the order of the day. Three competing bands of rogues in Zha-nehzmish has threatened to tear the city's stability into pieces. Recent murders of the leaders in the gang wars, brutally effective law enforcement crackdowns, and the natural tendency of guilds to be more specialized in one particular type of crime has lessened the friction between these guilds and the city is safer than it was just five years ago. Helshan Zide is the leading survivor of the dynamic guild known as the Gray Cloaks. The Cloaks are primarily spies and assassins for hire or conduct their own burglaries. Since Zide freely sells information to Kalamaran spies, Brolenese slavers, or Draskan emigrees, the zurenas are very interested in capturing him. So far, he has escaped their grasp three times.Demographics
Humans (native Svimohz), plus several thousand transients from across Tellene reside near the port.
Government
Government
The wealthy members of Parliament who make up the confederation of Ahznomahn own property on the island around Zha-nehzmish. Called zurenas in Svimohzish, most of them claim noble heritage from before the creation of the Confederacy. The capital itself falls under the control of Izenmas, the single most powerful among equals. Izenmas effectively owns several poorer zurenas through economic strangleholds and defends the borders of a handful more.with his expert navy and veteran marines.Defences
The biggest obstacles the Ahznomahn military faces are the size of the nation and the multiple threats with which they have to deal simultaneously. In the southwest, shaman-led savages and bloodthirsty jungle trolls constantly harass the farms and homes that border the Vohven Jungle. Strange reptilian or fish-like creatures in the southern reaches of the Awhom Forest (possibly lizard-Folk or kua-toa) practice evil rites and their foul magic threatens to harm the very land.
The city houses 700 soldiers, all of them mounted on light highland dancers. The barracks are four narrow buildings on the southeastern side of the city that stand next to their stables. The army claims four horses for each man, enabling the soldiers to always stay on fresh mounts. Their commander is Aleshdin, a dashing, acrobatic hero and potential zurena. Aleshdin's father, himself lame from a "riding accident" ten years ago (he rode his horse off a cliff to escape pirates), is an old fixture of the parliament, and their family crest is recognized throughout the nation.
Industry & Trade
Economy
The city prospers as long as plentiful trade passes through the port. The stormy season slows the port and accidents might mire a dock or two, but nothing less than divine intervention could stop its bustling activity. Virtually any product or good imaginable passes through the city. Superior and masterwork tools and weapons fill the markets, and exotic foods, foreign fabrics, and excellent crafts are the norm. Fully six different markets thrive within the city's wall. Each charges merchants a different fee, except for the Poor Market, which charges nothing. The Poor Market might actually be the most exciting. Although the wares are shoddy, used, or broken, the place teems with thieves, mercenaries and other shady characters.Points of interest
The University of Zha, named before the massive city encompassed the less vibrant Nehzmish, gathers the greatest teachers from around the world. The most senior professors enjoy salaries that grant them gold, if not the status, equal to lesser nobility. This salary comes from the steep tuition demanded of the students and from the administrative genius of Shinier Wol, the Headmaster. Wol skims thousands from the university's earnings, but since he publicly spends so much of his own personal money on the university, no one suspects him of embezzlement. Students are the sons and daughters of wealthy merchants who might benefit from the knowledge when they eventually run their family business. They might also be the children of common folk, indentured to a merchant house that sponsors them in return for years of service (typically four to eight years). Certainly a merchant who knows several languages and cultures is worth far more than a monolingual man who gawks like a farm boy when he visits another city. Few nobles attend the college; private tutors provide their education. Still, the nobility send their adult children or attend themselves occasionally for the prestige. The college rarely ejects students for academic reasons, and the prestige is social; true academics know that the level of education the University imparts varies from student to student.
Alternative Name(s)
Capital of Ahznomahn, Garden of Svimohzia
Type
Large city
Population
126,200 humans (native Svimohz), plus several thousand transients from across Tellene reside near the port.