The Zaureez inhabit the south-eastern Mernic isle of Zauri, a vast and sun-scorched land where daylight seems almost eternal. Beneath relentless heat and blazing skies, the Zaureez have forged a civilisation defined by rigid tradition, sacred lineage, and unwavering devotion to both crown and faith.

They are ruled by a patriarchal monarch known in their tongue as the Ohbahkurn, whose authority is inseparable from the influence of the powerful religious order called the Nazeeric. Much like the relationship between the Paolemern Empire and the Ardulai, the governance of Zauri depends upon a careful symbiosis between throne and temple, with political and spiritual power intertwined at every level of society.

Among Zauri’s greatest exports is gold, mined in extraordinary abundance from the southern mountains and canyonlands. Yet despite its wealth, the metal is not viewed merely as currency by the Zaureez. In their language, gold is called Uolbahn, meaning sun metal, and is regarded as sacred—a physical manifestation of the sun’s strength, purity, and divine brilliance. Those who wear gold are believed to draw closer to these qualities, adorning themselves in its radiance as both symbol and blessing.

Unlike most kingdoms, however, Zauri is defined as much by what it forbids as by what it possesses. Strict sacred boundaries divide the realm, and foreigners are permitted only within its northern territories. The deeper south one travels, the more guarded and hostile the land becomes. The Zaureez believe the heart of Zauri to be holy ground, reserved solely for those of shared blood and heritage.

Beyond even these forbidden regions lies the most feared territory of all: the desolate Lands of No Man. A place of white sands, barren canyons, and unbearable silence, it is untouched by outsider and Zaureez alike. No settlement stands there, no roads endure, and no traveller who ventures too far south is ever known to return unchanged—if they return at all.