33% human, 29% alkeesha/pana’ti, 20% jambayana, 9% rasz’ii, 5% tiefling, 4% other
Standing here at the gates to the Throne of the God-King I cannot help but feel small. These stones have stood since before the time of the Nameless Dark. These gates were old when Ancient Antravarcia was new. The men and women who live here trace their lineage beyond the annals of recorded history. There is a feeling of power here, of secrets that are the duty of the God-King alone. As I travel and see more of Zenith I have become less sure of many things I thought I once knew. But I do know this: The world began here in Arna. And her in Arna, I believe it will end.
-Errol Warner, Schattenburgian Scholar
Steeped in ancient traditions, the word Arna refers not only to the political boundaries of the Jambayana kingdom, but also to the land itself. It is a land where ancient divinities once walked, and supposedly still do. A land often seen by the outside world as held back by its steadfast adherence to tradition. Yet none can deny the primal beauty of Arna’s pristine savannas, lush jungles, and crystal clear waters.
Government: By divine right the blood of Ranazahk Sah-Arna, an ancient god-king of the Jambayana people, rules over the lands that bear his name. In theory this extends from the fertile plains in the north into the depths of the jungles far to the south though in practice the Jambayana have no inclination to send their armies across the massive land mass to police the various tribal societies that still dwell upon the plains and deep in the jungles. Several modern cities rest in the fertile savannas in the north of the country, administered by benevolent princes and existing largely as co-dependent feudal city-states all sworn in allegiance to the Throne of the God-King.
Various tribes of native humans and alkeeshan (and their fiend-tainted counterparts the pana’ti) dot the savannah south of these cities. Many of them are ruled by a council of their tribal elders, often designating a single young powerful and/or charismatic warrior or hunter amongst them to speak in the court of the God-King when it comes to matters that require the attention of the Throne. These tribes are small, rarely more than a few hundred individuals, each one highly varied in their traditions.
Economy: Arna is a land rich in natural resources from the rare woods and plants that grow in the jungles to the rich veins of adamantine that litter the hills. For generations outside influences have tried and failed to negotiate with the God-King of Arna for rights to extract some of these resources but the Jambayana have little need for material wealth and consider the resources of their land to be a divine right. If anything is in demand in Arna, it is skilled crafters capable of working with their natural resources. The Throne of the God-King issues a certain number of dispensations every year for foreign tradesfolk to have the honor of working in their land. These crafters universally become highly regarded in their field and are often able to retire as princes themselves.
Conventional arcane magic is relatively rare in the heavily spiritually inclined Arna, and in recent decades the country has relented to the requests of the Rasz’ii Merchant Consortium to allow for magical marketplaces to be established in several of their northern cities, trading basic spellcasting services and crafts for a variety of unique Arnan goods. These markets are highly regulated however and always under the watchful eye of the God-King’s servants.
Religion/Spirituality: Unique to these ancient lands, the native Arnans worship a pantheon of powerful spirit-gods, powerful outsiders said to walk the land amongst them and embody the culture and life cycle of the people and the land. Arnan history is littered with anecdotes of these spirits making appearances and teaching a variety of lessons to an even wider variety of people. No anecdote is more famous than the Death and Usurpation of Raksenkhar, the Shifter and patron of many alkeeshan tribes. The story tells of how Sarak, Demon Prince of Blood, slew the noble spirit and used his mantle to corrupt numerous tribes into the pana’ti of today. Yet despite his apparent death, his lingering legacy still grants power to his worshippers.
Heresy is a crime, punishable by death anywhere in Arna and is defined as worship of any of the lords of the Nether Realms, the Nameless Dark, or defamation of the sitting God-King.
A full list of Arnan spirit-gods can be found at the end of this document.
Lifestyle: Even in the cities, to outsiders the way of life of most Arnans can seem quaint and simplistic. The typical Arnan prides themselves in their work and their piety and remains vigilant for fiendish influences that may infiltrate their lives. That is not to say they do not enjoy themselves, particularly once the sun sets the feasting halls in their cities are often filled with folk from all walks of life partaking together. In tribes and in the cities, a sense of community is highly valued. Individuals who are more reclusive or naturally introverted may find themselves ostracized over time and forced to strike out into the wilds to continue their lifestyle undisturbed.
Crime and punishment is taken very seriously in Arna. Thieves especially are not tolerated and punished by severing their hands, branding, or sometimes both. Branding is a common punishment for severe crimes in urban Arna. A branded person cannot legally purchase goods and services and is forced to rely on the compassion of others and beg for their survival. A branded individual caught stealing is often banished from society altogether.
Diplomacy: The God-Kings of Arna have been historically aloof and reclusive with the rest of the world at large, particularly after the Battle of the Fall. Being a largely independent nation with no need for external resources allows the Arnans to continue in their way of life without much interference from the outside world. Recent generations have seen an increase in diplomatic overtures with their neighbors: Kentaku and Al-Hasier in an effort to further integrate with the world. Tensions have been on the rise with Avalon particularly after a decades long increase in slaver activity along the coast of Arna, preying largely on tribal humans and alkeeshans. Though the Avalonians insist they have no connection with the slavers who ply their waters, the sharp uptake in demand for Arnan slaves in Avalon and Mortannia cannot be denied. It is largely believed that the Throne of the God-King must take some sort of action, but the Arnans are not a sea-faring people by any means so currently they rely on hefty bounties placed on any and all slaver activity found in their waters.
Military/Defense: The Land of Divinity is defended by the legendary Crusaders of the God-King, a troop of highly trained Jambayana holy warriors known for both their chivalry and ferocity. No other standing army has been necessary since the time of the War Against the Dark. Certainly at the God-King’s command he could easily conscript thousands of able-bodied warriors from the cities in the north, and thousands more from the tribes in the south. It is said that if Arna was ever roused to war, their people would easily crush any opposing force. Mobility is an issue in a country as large as Arna, and the Jambayana never had the need to develop seafaring ships. Some tribal societies along the coast, however, have longships suitable for short-range warfare or defense.
Geography/Borders: Mountains give way to rolling plains and savannahs in the north. The further south one goes the thicker and more dangerous the jungles become. Even the farthest southern depths past Mbengo Kaza remain unexplored to this day.
- Arna, Throne of the God-King (LG Autocratic Large City) – The capital city of Arna and seat of power for Sah-Arna’s bloodline. This city is one of the oldest surviving urban centers on Zenith and is home to ancient repositories of knowledge, great temples to the Arnan god-spirits, and much more. The city is built on a set of intersecting ziggurats atop a mesa and sprawls for miles, ensuring that all who live there are guaranteed to get ample exercise.
- Mbengo Kaza (Lit. The Great One that Stands at the Heart of the World) – Thought to be the oldest living organism on Zenith, predating even Ranazahk’s founding of the empire, this massive tree juts out of the Arnan jungle and pierces the heavens with impunity. Dwarfing even the tallest mountains, it is said that if this tree were ever to fall, then Zenith itself would start to wither and die. Numerous alkeeshan tribes revere this place and have semi-permanent settlements at the base of the tree and in its lower branches.
- Fire Speaker – A volcano sitting on the southernmost portion of the Arnan jungle and home to Sarak, Prince of Blood during his time masquerading as the slain god-spirit Raksankhar. Very little sane life lives this far south in the jungles, and though his lair was purged centuries ago the ruins remain a gathering point for all manner of fell beasts and dangerous creatures.
Variants: A human variant exists for native Arnans. The pana’ti are a racial variant to the alkeesha (themselves a slight variation of the core catfolk). The jambayana are a custom race.
Prominent Figures:
- Anankh Sah-Arna, God-King of Arna (male jambayana cleric of Ranasahk) – The current God-King of Arna is young and most notably, single. While he tries to justly administer the laws of the kingdom, many of his advisors seem more concerned about having him perpetuate his heavenly bloodline. This persistent frustration has started to bleed into matters of state and some fear that the business of Arna may grind to a halt until matters of succession are settled.
- Semkhiera Ket-Afari (female jambayana paladin): The Scion of the Virtue of Honor and leader of the Crusaders of the God-King. A beloved celebrity in her own right, many see her as the logical choice to be King Anankh’s mate. For whatever reason, however, the God-King remains uninterested in his champion as a romantic companion despite their long history.
- Ko’Halana, the Liberator (female alkeeshan hunter) – Ko’Halana’s tribe was almost taken by slavers four years ago and it was only through luck, cunning, and sheer ferocity that she managed to free them and slay or drive off the slavers. Ever since then she has personally launched her own crusade against foreign pirates plaguing the coast of Arna. She commands a ship of her own now, and has seeded several freedom-fighting enclaves throughout the jungle. The Avalonian Navy has put out a bounty for her capture after she sank one of their ships two years ago. What an Avalonian ship was doing off the coast of Arna not flying her colors is another matter…
Arnan God-Spirits:
| Name | Role/Moniker | Alignment | Domains | Portfolio | Favored Weapon |
| Ahmak | The Guide | LG | Glory, Good, Knowledge, Law, Repose, Sun | Afterlife, honor, ancestors | Sickle |
| Ahn | The Thief | CE | Air, Chaos, Evil, Luck, Trickery | Greed, decadence, selfishness | Scimitar |
| Arkey | The Architect | LN | Artifice, Community, Law, Rune | Progress, structure, toil | Light Hammer |
| Deshol | The Schemer | LE | Death, Evil, Law, Magic, Trickery | Afterlife, trickery, power | Blowgun |
| Irsai | The Lover | CG | Chaos, Charm, Good, Luck, War | Love, passion, serendipity | Light Pick |
| Isseus | The Firebird | CN | Death, Fire, Healing, Liberation, Chaos | Death & rebirth, fire, freedom | Longsword |
| Mahek | The Predator | CE | Animal, Chaos, Evil, Madness, Strength | Violence, slaughter, murder | Scythe |
| Otho | The Vortex | N | Darkness, Destruction, Travel, Weather | Nothingness, wandering, entropy | Morningstar |
| Raksankhar | The Destroyer | NE | Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Plant, War | Bloodshed, the jungle, knowledge, the Pana’ti | Battleaxe |
| Raksankhar | The Shifter | CN | Chaos, Plant, Protection, War | The jungle, protection, Alkeeshans | Spear |
| Ranazahk | The King | LN | Animal, Law, Nobility, Strength | Arnan geography, pride, power | Kukri |
| Rasis | The Mother | NG | Community, Good, Protection, Weather | Family, Hearth, Safety | Short Sword |
| Sosel | The Lifestream | LG | Good, Law, Healing, Magic, Water | Life, mysticism, benevolence | Quarterstaff |
| Tarakhim | The Maker | N | Artifice, Charm, Magic, Travel | Commerce, arts, crafts, the Rasz’ii | Dagger |
| Tohpep | The Hunter | NG | Earth, Good, Plant, Travel | Nature, subsistence, balance | Longbow |
| Vasathep | The Rebel | CN | Chaos, Knowledge, Liberation, Trickery | Free thinking, anarchy, philosophy | Khopesh |