NAPHAS

The Naphas are a legendary race native to the marshlands in the south and southeast of Lyboria. The rest of Lyboria's residents know little about this sovereign race and their unique, yet dangerous, homeland.

Their deity and creator is the water snake Naphas. According to tradition, the "Five First" were the initial members of their kind, all considered children of the water snake Naphas. Despite their shared origin, the different genera within the race are distinguished by unique features.

These genera differ not only in their physical appearance but also in their characteristics, making the Naphas one of the most biodiverse races in Lyboria.

Sizahlas

If you walk further west, you will notice another drastic climate change relatively quickly. That's where the big fungal savannah is located. Dried-out giant mushrooms, also called dry mushtrees, adorn this bare area. In the south, however, healthy and lively mushtrees form the well-known fungal wood. Together they form the fungal region.

South of it is only the saza reef. The water there has numerous crystal-clear shades of blue and on the endless rocks that protrude from the water there is an astonishing variety of plants.

Outside the fungal region and below the Myrwal Bay is the drowned land. It consists of saw grass marshes and mangrove forests dominated by wetlands. It is home to endangered, rare, and exotic wildlife.

Sizahlas, the land of diversity. Its located in the south-east of Lyboria and has the easternmost and southernmost point of this wonderful world. It is the largest part of Lyboria and the home of the Naphas.

Sizahlas has such a variety of habitats, plants and animals like no other land. It stretches from the south coast along the east coast up to the realm of the arachnids. Inland it borders on the realm of the Tagari.

The northern or northeastern part of the country has a rather temperate climate with a lot of rainy days and dense fog.

If you roam the country southwards, you will quickly find a tropical climate in the interior of the country. A dense jungle with gigantic trees known as Bazo Jungle separates the southern and northern parts of Sizahlas from each other.

The capital city of Crogall

was built south of the Drakir Mountains. The Mazan River flows directly through the city, leaving behind many other small streams and swamps that provide the Naphas with an optimal place to live.

Construction of Crogall began at the end of the I era. It started in this particular location, as it lies behind a cloudy and shallow blanket of fog, which offers ideal protection from foreigners. Crogall is divided into three large areas, the suburb, the districts and the sacred city center.

The suburb mainly consists of the Naphas entire living area. There the majority of Crogall's residents live in dwellings in which the environment is strongly integrated. The dwellings are very different from human houses and therefore do not have the typical four walls and a roof. In Crogall they are mostly open and plants, mud and water usually form part of it. The four districts and the sacred city center are surrounded by a large sandstone wall and thus separate the suburb from the actual city. This is because you want to keep the city clean and tidy so that the pompous buildings and statues live up to their reputation.

Although the stories of the rest of Lyboria's residents resemble a utopia, Crogall is still a very impressive city. The four districts are divided into the genera of the Naphas, except for Drakirs, they live outside of Crogall in the Drakir Mountains.

The first district is led by the Jazi, the second by the Shelx, the third by the Krogar and the fourth by the Nish. Although the genera can live peacefully with one another, it has nevertheless proven its worth over the cycles that a separate district has been dedicated to each kind. There they can adapt the living conditions to their respective needs, since these are often very different. While the districts are more about the needs and well-being of the Naphas, the sacred inner city is more about business.

Crogalls city center

is also divided into 5 areas. The government area is located in the center of the city center. There you can find all Naphas with rank and name. This area is characterized by the truly huge buildings, some with flat and some with pointed roofs, and the many monuments that recall legends of the past. The whole treasure is also guarded and kept in this part of the city.

he other 4 areas are each bordered by the districts. When doing this, care was taken to ensure that the various topics, such as education, trade and the military, were divided into the areas bordering on the district of the respective genre, which could have the most representatives for it. This resulted in the following breakdown in the city center:

1st district, Jazi: trade, diplomacy, mercenary orders in relation to obtaining information

2nd district, Shelx: education, archives, libraries

3rd district, Krogar: military, combat training, mercenaries in relation to combative issues

4th district, Nish: military hospital, alchemy, trade, recreation area

Some Naphas live and reside in the city center, but only the most privileged are allowed to do so. These are high-ranking citizens, whose consciousness is somewhat higher than the consciousness of the majority of the citizens who live outside in the suburbs.

The Crogalls sewage system

One of the impressive things about the city of Crogall is its sewage system. Starting in the suburb, many canals run through all parts of the city and finally flow into the sea, in the so-called Likz Bay. The bay is named after the useful creatures that live there.

When the city of Crogall was built, it was observed how the likz gathered in large numbers around the wastewater. They are an important part of the Sizahlaz ecosystem. They are another product from Mother Nature that has developed over time and is now playing an important role. They feed on all the substances in the wastewater, which in turn is filtered and therefore leaves no harmful germs or bacteria.

Jambazo - The city of the Jazi

Jambazo is located to the southeast of Lake Ismoor, next to the East Sawan River in the midst of the Baso Jungle.

The city itself is very unique, since it has not been built on the ground. Instead it consists of a network of treehouses. The houses were built around giant trees which rise up to 100 meters into the sky and have massive roots that are thought to be buildings on the ground. The city itself stretches for several kilometers. You will rarely see a lot of daylight in Jambazo. This is lost due to the voluminous tree tops.

The majority of the Jazi use the early morning hours to soak up the sun on the numerous plateaus of the tree tops and thus replenish their own energy storage. In Jambazo, the higher you live in the trees, the higher your reputation and rank in their community. While a large part of the city's happening takes place in the low-lying part of Jambazo, it is somewhat quieter in the higher areas.

In the bottom part there is the large market and a number of taverns, in which there is often a lot of celebration and no leaves are left untouched.

At the market stands you will be offered a unique cuisine. From tons of shrok meat to one of the country's rarest delicacies, karluk meat. If you want to try the taste of a Karluk, you have to dig deep into your pocket. It is a rather rare sight that can only be purchased for a corresponding fee. The Karluk is a very rare bird of prey that can mainly be found and hunted in the Drowned Land on the edge of Sizahlas.

What secretly distinguishes the city of Jambazo is the local guild "Double Play", which is responsible for both the training of the best spies and the best diplomats of the Jazi. It has existed for eons and has always evolved. In particular, the events in Lyboria always provided learning material parallel to the own development, about which one could think and reflect.

Aazrin – the power of herbs

In the center of the Fungal Wood is the stronghold of alchemists and herbalists. It is rather a smaller town, which was built in the middle of the vegetation.

It is called Aazrin, which means “the power of herbs”, and consists mainly of multi-storey stone houses, whose large cellars offer an optimal storage space for many herbs and plants. Most of Aazrin's residents are representatives of the fourth-born, the Nish.

However, it is not uncommon to run into some representatives of other species. Often sick beings are brought here, where one has already given up any hope of healing.

In Aazrin there are many puzzling stone tablets that are said to hide a deeper message. So-called magic squares are found on some of them. With these it is up to your own interpretation what you should think about it. If you translate the glyphs of the Naphas correctly, it would look like this, for example:

table

Past events have shown that a Naphas should not be suppressed, as this has always led to worse consequences. That is why Shavgrad is controlled by various groups that have secured positions of power in recent cycles. Still, it would be foolish to think that the government does not have an eye on everything. They have their fingers in every pie.

Shavgrad – the desert city

To the west of Aazrin, right at the beginning of the desert, lies the city of Shavgrad. The construction of this city reaches far back into the I age. While a government was slowly forming in Crogall at the time, others started building Shavgrad. Just like in Crogall, many houses and walls are made of sandstone.

In the city near the desert there is no separation of the genera. As it is right on the border, it is also the most cosmopolitan city in Sizahlaz. A long-ago war has had a major impact on the city, which is why some parts of the city are only ruins. Nevertheless, many Naphas feel very comfortable there.

As for the government, Shavgrad represents the state that prevails in large parts of Sizahlas. With the exception of the capital Crogall, this means a so-called philosophical anarchy. The government only intervenes here when it is really necessary. Over the cycles, the government has learned to understand its own people.

The Rift is the largest known black market and is located in the Myrwal Bay. There you get everything your heart desires. But be careful, you can also come across goods that are either stolen or banned by the government of Sizahlas.

Incidentally, the many black-market dealers don't care whether you get caught or not. The only thing that counts for them is payment. What happens afterwards they do not give a flying rat’s fart about. The Rift is mainly led by the representatives of the Nebulous Covenant. An association of the best black-market traders that has existed for a very long time. It is better not to fool some members of this covenant. Among them are serious criminals, whose past deeds were anything but peaceful.

The Rift

If you still don't have enough of the markets in Sizahlas, you can travel south-west from Jambazo. There you will come across the legendary Rift.

Mythology

The northern or northeastern part of the country has a rather temperate climate with a lot of rainy days and dense fog. If you roam the country southwards, you will quickly find a tropical climate in the interior of the country. A dense jungle with gigantic trees known as Bazo Jungle separates the southern and northern parts of Sizahlas from each other.

South of it is only the saza reef. The water there has numerous crystal-clear shades of blue and on the endless rocks that protrude from the water there is an astonishing variety of plants.

Genera

Jazi
The Firstborn

The firstborn, known as Jazi, emerged from the first egg. Jazi possess a remarkable ability to visually adapt to any environment, making them formidable assassins and spies in Lyboria.

Their exceptional adaptability extends beyond mere visual camouflage, demanding caution. Equipped with protruding eyes capable of zooming, Jazi can see up to a miles away. These eyes provide them with a panoramic view, and they can move independently of each other.

Moreover, Jazi boast a curled and sturdy tail, serving as a loyal aid in maintaining balance. Renowned for their eloquence, Jazi enjoy prestige and respect throughout Lyboria. Their rhetorical prowess, coupled with keen observational skills, positions them as masters of persuasion, often holding diplomatic roles.

In terms of reproduction, akin to other genera, mating is confined within their own kind. Jazi enter the mating phase from the 7th life cycle. Due to the diversity within the genus, the number of possible offspring varies by species, with an average of 4 to 40 eggs per Jazi. The life expectancy of the firstborn mirrors that of the human race, ranging between 80 and 100 cycles.

Shelx
The Secondborn

The Shelx boast an impressive lifespan, stretching from 600 to 800 cycles, likely attributed to their energy-efficient lifestyle and predominantly calm temperament.

Far from impulsive, the Shelx exhibit traits of calmness, serenity, and remarkable patience. When confronted with challenging decisions, Shelx may take not just days but entire cycles to reach conclusions. Considering their extended lifespan, this timeframe remains relatively modest for pivotal judgments. Their extensive life experience undoubtedly imparts unique wisdom, leading Shelx to often find roles in libraries and archives. They serve as custodians of history and guardians of the profound knowledge of the Naphas.

Yet, exceptional individuals occasionally emerge, diverging from the path of written knowledge. Endowed with a substantial shell on their back, these Shelx become formidable in combat, functioning as mobile defense systems that are not easily bypassed.

Concerning reproduction, Shelx reach sexual maturity around the 30th life cycle, concluding approximately by the 60th. Within a half cycle, the mother lays between 5 and 20 eggs in the hatchery. Notably, the sexual drive of this genus wanes at a young age, marking the onset of a philosophical and spiritual phase that persists until the end of their days.

Krogar
The Thirdborn

While the Shelx exhibit calmness and patience, the descendants of the third-born, known as Krogar, possess an irrepressible will and an indomitable pride. Especially in the early stages of their lives, they struggle to control their emotions, often resulting in trouble.

However, they adeptly channel this anger into their combat skills, making a duel with a young Krogar a consistently perilous undertaking. Krogars embody a warrior archetype crafted for a singular purpose – to fight and lead.

Endowed with supersensitive reflexes and bodies brimming with strength, they epitomize the natural-born fighter. Even unarmed, they pose a serious threat to most of Lyboria's inhabitants, wielding their monstrous tail and pointed teeth as formidable weapons. Their unwavering loyalty to the Lord and the government makes the Naphas Code their top priority.

The life expectancy of Krogars is approximately half an eon, translating to 500 cycles. They reach sexual maturity from the 25th cycle, continuing until the 50th cycle. Particularly during this time, male Krogars are driven by instincts with minimal control. The gestation period aligns with that of the Shelx, lasting a half cycle. They lay between 40 and 80 eggs per pregnancy, with a note that a significant portion may not survive the initial days due to the large number of offspring and resource constraints.

"Ryn’s Legacy” – The Exile of the Krogar

Krogar face exile starting from the 25th life cycle, a tradition honoring the first Lord, Ryn. This practice aims to help young Krogars not only gain control over their emotions and instincts but also learn effective group dynamics. Sent in groups to the wilderness to complete various quests, many of which are perilous and demand strong teamwork, participants quickly reveal their distinct character traits. By the end of the exile, group roles become clear, guiding individual Krogar toward recommended professions and positions.

Nish
The Forthborn

In contrast to the Krogar, the fourth-born, also known as Nish, engage in various sectors, showcasing the most diverse talents among all descendants, making them versatile assets. In combat, they employ their fangs not only to numb or paralyze but also to inflict lethal harm. While not all Nish need to transmit poison through a bite, some can spit it several feet.

Anesthesia, paralysis, and, in extreme cases, even death can result from skin contact. Unlike other genera, they lack legs. Instead, they balance their torso on a long tail, allowing remarkably swift movement.

Nish excel in conflict resolution through peaceful means, utilizing their eloquence akin to the Jazi. The distinction lies in pronunciation, as Nish speak with a split tongue, producing words with hissing and whistling sounds.

What sets the fourth-born apart is their talent for comprehending and applying hermetics. They possess an exceptional perception of their environment and grasp the fundamental principles of nature. Libraries in Lyboria house a book titled “The Doctrine and Principles of Hermetics,” summarizing this knowledge. The authors, believed to be members of a secret covenant dating back 1,000 cycles, remain unknown. Ophiash, perhaps the most renowned Nish in history according to Naphas chronicles, is rumored to have been part of this mysterious covenant.

The average life expectancy of a Nish ranges between 250 and 300 cycles. They reach sexual maturity from the 15th to the 30th cycle, and their gestation period spans an entire cycle, attributed to the considerable number of eggs. A pregnant female carries up to 100 eggs, with a significant portion not surviving the initial days.

Drakir
The Fifthborn

The fifth-born, also known as Drakir, surpass all other genera in terms of life expectancy, typically exceeding 1000 cycles

However, their reproductive capacity is severely limited. Mating is only possible once, starting from the 200th cycle. A female Drakir can lay a maximum of 5 eggs, and it's relatively rare for healthy offspring to hatch from all of them. Observing the hatching of a Drakir egg requires significant patience, taking about 50 cycles. While they are the longest-living Naphas, they constitute a minority.

What truly distinguishes them from other genera is their unique ability to fly and spit fire. From the perspective of other inhabitants of Lyboria, they are either feared creatures or merely considered a whimsical myth used in scary stories for children.

Shelx

Krogar

Nish

Drakir

Religion

The belief of the Naphas is very much shaped by their mythology.

The water snake Naphas is the creator of its kind and its mother figure.

They see their mother's direct representative in their lord. This belief was reinforced when Naphas spoke to Ryn himself and told him of an impending threat. Ryn was later chosen as the first lord of Sizahlas. That is why it is believed that the lord is an envoy to Mother Naphas.

Economy and Trade

Sizahlas economy is flourishing more than ever. This is largely thanks to the foundation of Unionia. Since then, the peoples have become even more open and trade among themselves has increased significantly.

All import and export are regulated in Sizahlas via three outposts. A trip through the swamps would be hell for most traders and would make the whole process extremely difficult.

Everything is traded with which one can earn money, gold or silver. All kinds of medicines, herbs and toxic plants are consumed in large quantities by the other races of Lyboria.

Library,
Knowledge
and Writing

The large library is the center of knowledge in Sizahlas. It was built in the 2nd district of Crogall and has served as an archive ever since.

The Naphas have different types of documentation. While the general knowledge is engraved in stone with symbols, the history and secret knowledge is written down in a special way.

Solid gold plates are used, in which various large notches are made depending on the topic. If you let a special liquid flow through the notches, the knowledge is revealed to the adept. The gold plates are said to tell a story. This art of writing and reading has been revealed to very few Naphas.

Governance

The Naphas Empire is headquartered in Crogall. The Naphas are led by their lord, who is put into office directly by the Council of the First. The council consists of one representative of each genre and must be filled immediately as soon as one of the representatives is chosen as the lord. This form of government was introduced in the 17.305th cycle of the I era by Ryn.

Ryn was the first lord of the Naphas and thus the one who united all 5 children as one race. Since then, many other lords have expanded the government structure to guarantee constant development.

The current ruler, Drarnok, is already the 52nd ruler of Sizahlas. In addition to the lord and the council of the first, further groups were created that are responsible for the individual sectors such as trade, law, research, the military and some more. They report directly to the council.

Language And Communication

The Naphas communicate on several levels. They use a very subtle form of communication to leave information, namely one using pheromones. They give off their scents to send a message to others. As a result, many warning signals were sent, especially in war.

The verbal exchange works in their own language. Other races describe their language as very harsh and dominant. This is explained by the fact that it is a tonal language, which means that the pitch of the stressed syllable and the pitch progression play a role and also contribute to the meaning of a word.

The script used in Sizahlas is a glyph script. It has existed for thousands of cycles. The glyphs are usually carved in stone and tell a story in the form of pictures.

Since Unionia was founded, the Naphas have also started to learn the languages of other races. Some traders now use other languages especially for documentation. This is due to the increasing trade with other races.

Death
And Burial

Death is not considered as fearful among the Naphas as, for example, among other races of Lyboria. It is unclear whether this is due to the long lifespan or the general philosophy of life.

While the skeleton is preserved when a Drakir dies due to its hermetic strength, the corpses of the other four genera are usually burned in a crematorium. The ashes of the dead are then kept in one of the huge pools, where the living bathe once in a cycle to cleanse the body of past mistakes and absorb the wisdom of the deceased. This act is considered the highest spiritual ritual in Sizahlas.

When a reigning lord dies, his corpse is burned on the Drakir Mountains by a Drakir. His ashes are then scattered over the city of Crogall, heralding a new and exciting time.

Usually, a huge festival follows, in which one pays tribute to the deceased lord. Especially the Naphas, who were born in his era and therefore partly bear his name, pay even more tribute to the master.

Naming

The naming of the Naphas is somewhat impersonal compared to other races. A Naphas forename is assigned to him by a person in charge of the hatchery. However, there are rules for almost every genus that must be observed:

The name of a Jazi must always start with the letter J.
The name of a Shelx must always end with the letter X.
The name of a Nish must always contain a “sh”.
The name of a Drakir must consist of at least 8 letters.

The surname of a Naphas depends on who is the current lord at the time of birth. The first three letters of the name of the reigning lord are used as the surname. With the current lord Drarnok, that would mean that all newborns get the surname “Dra.”. This handling is very closely related to the strong bond with the lord.

Mating

Mating time is a special event in Sizahlas. With the exception of the fifth-born, all other genera mate on the night of the green star. This night is savored to the maximum.

Other taboos are not taken into account here and people celebrate until dawn. All drugs and hallucinogens are used that night. If the night also takes place under pouring rain, the sexually mature participants can hardly be tamed. Rain is said to be an aphrodisiac especially for the female participants.

Traditional games

The tail blow tournament is a traditional Krogar tournament. It always takes place before the night of the green star and therefore also before the mating season, in order to impress the opposite sex. Tail blows are distributed alternately. If you push the other one further back, you win the game and advance to the next round.

The swamp beetle game is a skill game that provides amusement especially in taverns. You have to flick a swamp beetle high up into the air and catch it again. If you catch it, you have to drink a mug of an alcoholic drink. If you don't catch it, the stinking beetle has to be eaten and you have lost the game.

The Tree Crown King is a game especially for the Jazi and takes place regularly in Jambazo. First you have to smoke a special kind of tobacco that has been mixed with hallucinogens. Afterwards, all participants have to climb the tallest tree on command while they are still dazed. It is allowed to prevent each other from doing so. The first person to reach the plateau on the tree top is chosen as the reigning tree top king. One can imagine that this game causes a lot of laughter among the audience.

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