Legacy:Zalmoxis

This page was written for an earlier draft of the setting. It is no longer accurate or canon, but kept around to scavenge for ideas.

Zalmoxis
Capital	Vegavis
Ruler	The Remex
Government	Elder council
Demonym	Zalmoxan
Adjective	Zalmoxan
Languages	Syrinx
Religions	Largely irreligious; Chaskan pantheon, especially Socharin, Aya, and Nisaba

Zalmoxis (pronounced zal-MOX-iss) is a paradise built around a volcanic island, home to the isolationist syrinx. The syrinx largely occupy themselves with lives of learning and contemplation. Though of little concern to the rest of the world, rumors exist that this utopia only exists through sinister means.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Located on the very southwestern edge of the Sea of Khoros, Zalmoxis is a verdant paradise. A high island, the vulcanism that formed Zalmoxis has long since calmed and moved elsewhere, leaving behind the island’s eponymous mountain peak.

Many visitors to Zalmoxis have remarked on how the weather is consistently perfect. Clear blue skies grace the island for 25 days of every 28 day lunar cycle, followed by three days of gentle rain.This predictable weather extends in a circle around the island, ending about four miles from shore at the closest, after which the weather abruptly shifts to that of the rest of the seas. The climate of the island has also been magically shifted, and is quite a bit warmer than other lands at its latitude, with extremely even seasonality. This is well understood by the syrinx to be the doing of extremely powerful ancient casters who sought to control the natural forces around their homeland.

The shallow waters around Zalmoxis abound with animal life, including crabs, fish, sea turtles, rays, and dolphins. No large animals are native to Zalmoxis - instead, chameleons, bats, wallabies, and a variety of tropical birds enjoy life with few predators. There is a noticeable lack of magical creatures on Zalmoxis, at least on land.

Befitting its artificially warmed climate, the plant life of Zalmoxis is adapted to tropical climes and grows well in its volcanic soil. A large number of flowering and fruiting shrubs and bushes grow throughout the island, including pukiawe, ohelo, and akala. Sandalwood and koa trees grow in the lower altitudes, switching to pilo and mamane forests higher up. Ferns thrive below the forest canopies.

For as long as they can remember, the syrinx of Zalmoxis have carefully maintained the landscape of their island. Both through magical and mundane means, animal populations are kept under control, invasive animals removed, and the flora tended almost like a vast garden.

History

The syrinx have lived on Zalmoxis for as long as their stories and archives record. According to syrinx scholars, in the distance past syrinx once lived across a far wider territory including all the islands around the Sea of Khoros, parts of Hellea as far north as modern Ephardia, and south almost down to Hinthial. Explorers and adventurers have encountered ruins of this past scattered about. Most characteristic are the tall marble spires that, when placed on a map, correspond very well to certain constellations. But this past glory is long gone. Today Zalmoxis is the only remaining syrinx nation.

Demographics

The permanent population of Zalmoxis is almost entirely syrinx, or at least so the Remex say. Scholars from elsewhere are drawn to the island’s incredible observatory and collections of tomes, but the syrinx are greatly suspicious of sharing their knowledge. Typically visitors are only tolerated for a short while before the syrinx suggest more and more blatantly they should leave.

The entire population of Zalmoxis is small, perhaps roughly 10,000.

Culture

Religion

The inhabitants of Zalmoxis generally place a low emphasis on religion. This is not to say that they reject the gods, but rather that they view most questions about the world as being answerable through careful observation, applied reasoning, and philosophy. When they do seek divine guidance, the syrinx usually pray to Socharin, Aya, or Nisaba - a heavy emphasis is placed on gods involved with art, knowledge, and the stars. Shrines on Zalmoxis are all quite small and generally in out of the way places, away from major thoroughfares.

Education

Education is of utmost importance in Zalmoxis, and nearly all syrinxes are involved in some type of learning institution for their entire lives. Education is full time when young, then shifts to regular if sometimes infrequent attendance as the individual grows older. Syrinx elders usually devote themselves full time to their studies again, becoming masters of their chosen focus. While philosophy is particularly esteemed, studies in art, astronomy, or magic are all considered honorable and worth pursuing.

Society

Despite their current high achievements in magical arts, the inhabitants of Zalmoxis live among magical forces that are vastly beyond them. Their distant ancestors placed a variety of magical effects over the land, and while the current population is happy to benefit, they by and large are not capable of repeating the feat. Some magical auras have, in the past few centuries, begun to falter. This has, for the first time in millennia, begun to shake up the culture of Zalmoxis, as the realization that their current idyll may not last forever begins to dawn on them.

Traditions

Zalmoxis is viewed by those that live there as more of a garden than a wild landscape, and it is tended as such. Thrice yearly festivities celebrate the artistic and philosophical achievements of the last four months, and conclude with ceremonies to symbolically cultivate and manage the flora and fauna of the island.

The syrinx of Zalmoxis have maintained distinct cultural traditions for many thousands of years. Aided by their relatively remote location and distance from major arteries of trade, they actively reject cultural influences from foreigners.

Languages

All syrinxes of Zalmoxis speak their racial language, referred to by outsiders as Syrinx. In debates and in scholarly circles, Auran, the language of the plane of air, is favored, as it is viewed as particularly enlightened and well suited to high level discussions. While some syrinx learn foreign languages if it is required of them, most are loath to do so, viewing other tongues as primitive and beneath them.

Food and cuisine

The population of Zalmoxis enjoy a rich and varied diet, almost entirely consisting of fresh foods. A massive variety of fish is central to Zalmoxan cuisine, along with a host of native plants, including taro, yams, kava, bananas, breadfruit, and a multitude of different kinds of berries. There is a great excess of food for the syrinx of Zalmoxis, as they are blessed with year round harvests.

Architecture and urbanization

Most buildings in Vegavis, the only major population center of the island, are extremely old though expertly and carefully maintained. Highly distinct, these buildings are made from closely fitted, bright white marble blocks, carved into ornate forms. Some outsiders have described the buildings as having windswept appearances, with almost leaf- or feather-like curves. The source of the marble is unknown; certainly it did not originate on the island, which is volcanic in nature. When structures are damaged and the original material isn’t salvageable, large chunks of black obsidian are carved into replacement pieces and tightly fitted, leading to a strange, clearly damaged yet beautiful appearance.

Immigration and emigration

Syrinx generally do not leave Zalmoxis, as they see little that interests them that they do not already have access to. The few that depart generally do so to travel to universities, academies, or other institutions of art, learning, and magic. While joining as students like anyone else, syrinx abroad usually quickly become teachers themselves, or else simply leave, unable to abide having to follow the instruction of those they consider beneath them (whether or not this is actually accurate). Syrinx that leave the island for other purposes, such as to become adventurers, typically are seen as outcasts for doing so.

Visitors

Outsiders to Zalmoxis are intensely watched by syrinx elders for the duration of their visit, which is always short and tightly controlled. Foreigners must seek and be granted approval to travel just about anywhere on the island, and must stick to strict itineraries.

Government

Zalmoxis is governed by the Remex, a council of syrinx chosen for their wisdom and expertise in both philosophy and practical matters. The Remex meet at High Perch, an amphitheater at the highest point in Vegavis. Here they meet with any who seek their counsel for twenty days out of every lunar cycle, holding discussions and debates about both everyday troubles and the finer points of syrinx philosophical thought.

Visitors to Zalmoxis report that crime is next to non-existent, though the syrinx appear to have no means of law enforcement or punishment. Some have claimed this is due to sinister reasons, but none have been able to conclusively demonstrate any proof.

Economy

The syrinx of Zalmoxis generally do not find much purpose in amassing physical possessions, as long as they have the tools and resources at their disposal to continue examining art, magic, philosophy, and the stars. As such, traders have found they generally receive very little interest upon visiting the port of Zalmoxis. If the syrinx have need of something, they will specifically seek that item out, but are disinterested in acquisition otherwise. When they do trade with outsiders, they never seem to lack in coin; it is unknown where these funds come from.

Relations

Zalmoxis is isolated in both location and by choice. Outsiders are warned away if their approach has not already been approved.