Izonda
by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary DaviesKorotiku - Liberty, wisdom, guile, cleverness, subterfuge, cheating, jokes, fun, clear thinking
Pyro (Ixion) - Sun, fire, war, knowledge, strength, preserve order
Ashanti (Valerias) - Love, passion, desire, beauty, arts, charity, fertility
Father Ocean (Protius) - Oceans and marine creatures, water, capriciousness, travel
Mother Nature (Djaea) - Survival, natural balance, respect of life, druidism
The Dark Lady/Lizard King (Demogorgon) - Reptiles, lizardmen, necromancy, destruction, corruption
Oruguz (Orcus) - Humanoids, violent death, sadism, mass destruction, undead, cannibalism
Ka - Rakasta, protection of life, wisdom, healing, prosperity, knowledge, magic
Ninfangle - Rakasta, travel, adventure, bravery, battle, hunting
Ilsundal - Protection of elves and nature, wisdom, knowledge, magic, tradition, serenity and peace
Thendara (Ordana) - Nature, fertility, protection of forests and sylvan races
Wogar - Goblin, war and military tactics, conquest, ferocity, predators
Notes:
1. The region known as Izonda (literally “our salvation” in ancient Tanagoro) comprising all the north-western part of Davania, and bordered to the north by the Izondian Deep, to the west by the Far End Ocean, to the east by the Addakian Sound and to the south by Pelatan and Brasol. Northern Izonda is a flat and verdant region inhabited by humans, humanoids, elves and rakasta and by some lizardmen seen in the more swampy coastal areas. Close to the Addakian Sound, in the northeastern part, rises an imposing mountain range called Izondian Wall, in which live for the most part humanoids. The central and southern parts of Izonda instead is known as the Izondian Desert, a vast desert area that isolates the community of the north from the rest of the continent and is inhabited both by lizardkin (who are thought to be the real natives of Izonda) and by a particular race of humanoids. The most populous area is naturally is that of the north, in which live the Izondans, descendents of the first Tanagoro colonists who in 2000 BC had settled in the region, after being migrants from the island between the Arm of the Immortals and Davania because of violent natural phenomena that led to a scarceness of resources. Later on they were also joined the other inhabitants of the region: first the humanoids in 1000 BC, and later the Ocelasta rakasta towards the VI century BC, in flight from the Arm of the Immortals in order to escape the persecution of the rakasta followers of Atzanteotl and in search of a cure for their curse. The Izondian Desert is anyhow quite populated despite its vastness, since both the lizardmen (among which are the ill-famed sis’thik), and the humanoids are adapted to the diurnal life in the torrid heat of the surface and in the underground caverns during the cold nights. Humanoids and lizardmen of the desert are in competition for the resources, but both have in common the habit of preying on the human settlements (Izondans and Pelatans) of the adjacent regions.
2. The Izondans worship the ancient Tanagoro pantheon (Korotiku, Pyro, Ashanti and Father Ocean), and numbered druids and priests of a spiritualist faith that saw in Mother Nature (Djaea) the dispenser of life and of balance in the created. The Izondans also comprise many elves (the majority disciples of Ilsundal or Ordana), descendents of a clan remaining on the Davanian coast when Ilsundal sailed to Brun, and groups of orcs that have been integrated in the human community that have preferred isolation in well fortified enclaves. The Izondans are divided into more or less extended tribes, and some of them have formed real nations led by monarchs or spiritual leaders that seek to extend their own hegemony on the neighbours. None of these nations has ever managed to wholly control the hinterlands or the Izondian coast, and many of them have been at war for generations for ancient disputes and for the practice of tribal feuds.
3. All the lizardmen adore Demogorgon, even if those that live in the swamps to the north know her as the Lizard King, while those of the Izondian Desert called her the Black Lady. The lizardkin are probably the descendents of the ancient carnifex or of their servants, who in time immemorial dwelt in this area of Davania, later transformed into desert because of the devastation of the Great Rain of Fire of 3000 BC.
4. Oruguz (Orcus) is the patron of the humanoids of the desert, who belonged to quite a unique race. When these humanoids arrived from the Western Orclands around the year 1000 BC, which were orcs, ogres and bugbears inspired by some priests of Oruguz to complete the dangerous journey from the Arm of the Immortals southwards. In the course of the following century however, because of the work of Orcus these tribes were united in order to create a powerful humanoid kingdom that swept away it rivals, and thanks to the winning of an ancient carnifex artefact jealously guarded by the lizardmen gave the way to a ceremony that would have had to destroy their enemies. The result nevertheless was that the ritual didn’t go as expected, decimated the humanoids and transformed the survivors into a horrible mixed race, which exhibits the traits of orcs, bugbears and ogres (see the caption “Humanoid mixed race BC 900” in the maps of the Hollow World boxed set). Currently the orguzi (this name was chosen arbitrarily) are in a fight with the lizardkin for some sacred caverns under the desert, since the intent of Orcus is that of deposing his eternal rival Demogorgon from the region.
5. All the Ocelasta that live in Izonda are followers of Ninfangle (especially the nomads) and especially of Ka, the father and protector of their race, the one who had saved them from the tyranny of Atzanteotl and who has promised them liberation and redemption.
6. Wogar collected success only among the humanoids (mostly goblin and hobgoblin) that infest the Izondian Wall, the eastern mountain chain.
7. There are also several itinerant clerics of the Shaper in the Izondian region, although none have yet been able to create a church or to recruit a sufficient number of followers to constitute an important presence in the area.