OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
[*]Canon: No
[*]Links: Original
GENERAL INFORMATION
[*]Major Exports:
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
POPULATION
[*]Canine
[*]Reptiles/Amphibians/Fish
[*]Birds
[*]Felines
[*]Zanji
[*]Sumera
[*]Immigrated Species:
[*]Population: Sparsely Populated
[*]Demographics: 80% Zanji, 15% Numera, 5% Other
[*]Primary Languages: Zengī
[*]Culture: The people of Zanj are a heavily superstitious people who hold many gods in high esteem. A warrior culture influenced by the Witches of Dathomir, children are trained from a young age to handle swords and the lightsabers that are considered a culturally significant weapon. With many of their biggest cities sitting on or near ancient ruins filled with advanced technology, the Zanji of Zanj have taken that technology and made a name for themselves in the Outer Rim for their advanced shield and droid designs. The mostly unexplored Savanna and Jungle of Zanj have also created a culture of exploration. For more information on the gods of the Zanji religion and more in depth cultural insight, see the Zanji submission.
GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY
MILITARY & TECHNOLOGY
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Thousands of years of discovery, exploitation, desertion and rediscovery has left the planet of Zanjiani in an interesting position. Mostly overgrown with scattered ruins of various civilizations, the planet is seen as an archaeological gold mine by scholars all over the galaxy. The most recent civilization to take root on the planet's surface was the Dathomiri witches. Archaeologists pinpoint the time period of the Witches' first arrival to the planet at around 3,000 years ago, leaving arguably the biggest impact on the Zanji and its culture to date. This is not to say the previous cultures' effects are not felt. Because of outside influence, the biodiversity of the planet is incredibly high with species from various planets around the Galaxy.
Despite this, the Zanji religion revolves around a creation myth includes the first documented interaction with the Witches of Dathomir and a mysterious mention of the legendary Giant Cycle Owl, also mentioned in Mandalorian lore. While the Zanji have their own story which some see as allegory and many believe to be literal, archaeologists have discovered that the Witches of Dathomir crash landed on the planet. Stranded, the Witches of Dathomir raided the land with their advanced, albeit stolen, technology and their control over the Force. Along with their rancors and battle mounts they instilled puppet empires throughout the planet, constructing one of the largest Dathomiri structures to date. Believed to be a temple dedicated to the Giant Cycle Owl and other powerful beasts of the planet, the temple was constructed in the ruins of an ancient Zanji city. Ironically the ruins held greater technology than the primitive Zanji or the Dathomiri witches. During this time they bred with the Zanji and taught them their language and their ways which. This would eventually lead to a coup attempt by a sect of the witches who had gone dark and converted a few Zanji to their cause.
The war would drag on for almost a century until a sect of Allyan witches used powerful and ancient shapeshifting magic on powerful force using warriors of the allied Zanji tribes giving them the ability to change at will into an a great beast. Pulling at the genes left over from when the Zanji were a feline species, the witches brought forth their prehistoric form. With this the witches rode the sentient beasts into battle and destroyed the Nightsisters and their Witchdoctors. Over generations the irreversible spell that allowed this transformation would spread throughout the gene pool of the Zanji, making it commonplace and eventually a defining trait of the Zanji. After the war, the witches would use technology found in the ruined city to repair their warships and would leave, fearing further conflict and corruption.
The Zanji since then have used this war as their creation myth. For centuries afterwards tribe after tribe would take the title Warlord and sit upon the throne of the Dathomiri temple. The wars were fought over who had the closest bloodline to the gods who granted them their power. While these struggles continued the Zanji would live on in relatively primitive living conditions.
Modern History:
The Zanji who lived within the temple erected walls to repel invaders and amassed a military force like no other ever assembled on the planet before. The ruler grew too powerful however and began extending her reach throughout Dalakia. Her tyranny would know no bounds. Even sacred spaces were not safe from her greed. Her dynasty ruled for a hundred years and would come crashing down. Her armies destroyed a young man's village. Enraged he vowed revenge. Joining her army by conscription his rage and abilities in the Force would gather him praise and recognition throughout the military and rise up the chain of command. The Empress decided to take the young man as her husband, but he already had a wife who was with child. The Empress did not care for his feelings despite the marriage being sanctioned by her government. Thus he was forced to join her as her personal manservant.
In one of their bouts of pleasure the young man stabbed his Empress with poison from a Kodashi Viper. In a fit of rage she transformed into her Lavi and assaulted the man. It was night under a full moon and so the Empress' pelt was white as snow. Unable to defend against her in his Zanji form he too transformed, cursing himself forever in order to achieve his vengeance. In the end the young man, now forever bound to the body and mind of a beast, slayed the Empress. Word of his victory spread like wildfire. Technically he was now the king, but with him forever trapped as a White Lavi and destined for death a new heir was needed. A woman with child came forward as the wife of the White Lavi who had killed the Tyrant. The nobles searched the records and attempted to assassinate his wife and child, however they were met with resistance and failed the woman and her daughter would become the new ruling tribe and became known as the White Heart Tribe, never reaching further than the city itself. The tribe brought on a Golden Age that would last several hundred years until they made first contact with the Galaxy. Since then the species has seen leaps and bounds in terms of education, culture, military expansion and technology. This boom was so powerful that it reverberated throughout Dalakia. Blasters, while expensive, became a common site in tribal militias, running water and cleaner wells were commonplace among villages and towns, and even speeders and skiffs were beginning to see use just prior to the Gulag Plague.
Because the planet was so remote they saw massive population loss as no humanitarian aid was given or even available. The Zanji nearly saw extinction. The ruling Dynasty was challenged many times but prevailed against every threat. During the period of time known as the Darkness however the tribe fell to another and fell into obscurity. While this tribe was not tyrannical like the Dynasty before the White Heart Dynasty, they were cruel to the Zanji who lived in the city. Disease ran rampant and it seemed like all of the advances they had made in the last few hundred years were going to waste. When the Republic finally came with aid and supplies, Republic sympathizers to the White Heart Dynasty aided the surviving family members to take power once again. Since then the White Hearts have been loved and cherished by the Zanji and they have begun a second period of enlightenment.
- Intent: To re-create a previously subbed world to the new template
- Image Credit:
Both Gifs are from the various Marvel Black Panther promotional material. - "Human Space Port" By nicolas chacin
[*]Canon: No
[*]Links: Original
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Planet Name: Zanj
- Demonym: Zanji
- Region: Outer Rim
- System Name: Dathomir System
- System Features: Canon 10 planet system
- Coordinates: Dathomir System
- Major Imports:
Raw Materials - Exotic Food Stuffs
- Exotic Animals
[*]Major Exports:
- Advanced Shield Tech
- Advanced Sublight Engine Tech
- Droids
- Illegal Poached Animals/Animal Products
- Explorers
- Kyber Crystals
- Artifacts
- Zanji Music Culture and Art
- Red Sand
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
- Gravity: Standard
- Climate: Temperate
- Primary Terrain:
Savanna - Jungle/Rain Forest
- Swamp
- Ancient Ruins
Major Locations:
Jamel: The capital of Zanj and the cultural heartland of the Zanji. The city of skyscrapers surrounds a large temple complex and is split by one of Zanj's major rivers. Protected by a powerful deflector shield and a massive wall, it is here that the elites of Zanj come to learn how to be scholars, warriors and explorers in the various academies, colleges, and archaeological digs that are located in the city. Zanj's largest tech company is located here. With so much going on, its only natural that the city also have an efficient public transport system complete with repulsor trains, buses, and shuttles that go all over the massive city. Unlike in the Savannas, Badlands, and Bayou, droids and other standard galactic comforts are common here and the city boasts a vibrant night life filled with dancing, good food, good music and just the right amount of organized crime. The Royal Family lives here.- The Badlands: Located just outside of Jamel, the Badlands are the ruins of the ancient Zanji capitals and the rubble left behind from the same temple complex that Jamel is built around. With only one road throughout the entire Badlands which leads directly to the front gate of Jamel and plenty of cover, bandits and raider tribes roam these lands, preying on the small towns and camps that sit near the walls of Jamel. While salvage here is still incredibly good, you would be a fool to go without a full war party, unless you were looking for your own death.
- Lentisi Village: One of the largest settlements outside of Jamel. Located in the Savanna and on the same river that Jamel sits on, it is often referred to as Jamel's sister village. While not as advanced as Jamel, the Village-City still boasts a well defended wall, public transport and even its own spaceport. It is one of the main hubs for extra-planetary explorers and thus is about as exposed to the Galaxy if not more than Jamel.
- Jamel Port: Jamel's main starport.
- Lentisi Port: Lentisi's main starport.
- Kenata: A beach city that thrives off of tourism. While it doesn't have its own true starport, it does support local flights to and from Jamel and Lentisi. It prides itself on its amazing seafood, nightlife, and glimpse into the ancient Zanji culture and customs.
POPULATION
- Native Species:
Various Hunted and Pest Animals
Rabits - Wild Boar
- Game Bird
- Rats
- Mice
- Bats {Insect Eating}
- Fleas
- Ant-like insects
- Bears
- Chickens
- Black Star Elephant
[*]Canine
- Domesticated Dogs
- Wolves
[*]Reptiles/Amphibians/Fish
[*]Birds
- Owls
- Ducks
- Votswana
[*]Felines
[*]Zanji
[*]Sumera
[*]Immigrated Species:
- Verne
- Rancor
- Sarlacc
- Kodashi Viper
- Gaping Spider
- Burra Fish
- Horse
- Guntha
- Savanna Bantha (Smaller, short haired variant of Bantha)
[*]Population: Sparsely Populated
[*]Demographics: 80% Zanji, 15% Numera, 5% Other
[*]Primary Languages: Zengī
[*]Culture: The people of Zanj are a heavily superstitious people who hold many gods in high esteem. A warrior culture influenced by the Witches of Dathomir, children are trained from a young age to handle swords and the lightsabers that are considered a culturally significant weapon. With many of their biggest cities sitting on or near ancient ruins filled with advanced technology, the Zanji of Zanj have taken that technology and made a name for themselves in the Outer Rim for their advanced shield and droid designs. The mostly unexplored Savanna and Jungle of Zanj have also created a culture of exploration. For more information on the gods of the Zanji religion and more in depth cultural insight, see the Zanji submission.
GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY
- Government: Monarchy leading a band of Warlords
- Affiliation: King and Queen of Jamel
- Wealth: Medium
- Stability: Medium
- Freedom & Oppression: Generally people are free to do as they will as long as they fall within the rather fair laws. Most personal disputes are still handled in one on one combat, though killing is explicitly illegal. Despite this, bandit groups, cannibals, and savages still roam the mostly unsettled planet.
MILITARY & TECHNOLOGY
- Military: While the planet itself does not have one organized military, powerful nobles and warlords tend to have their own military forces that when combined are a very effective defensive force. That being said, because there is no true one law as the King and Queen tend to let their Warlords do what they want, the public in the small villages dotting the planet often fall prey to bandits. Even in the cities the underworld thrives off of illegal poaching of sacred and dwindling animal species.
- Technology: While most people live below the Galactic average, life in cities held by warlords such as Jamel, Lentisi, and Kanata actually see an above galactic standard in their everyday technology. Droid tech, shield tech, and engine tech are all things that boost these cities' economies and fuel the Kind and Queen's ambitions. Something also very important to the Zanji culture is the art of Artashir which is a lightsaber form developed over centuries. Hidden within the ruins that dot the planet's landscape are these weapons and most noble families, warlords, bandit and bandit chiefs own them.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Thousands of years of discovery, exploitation, desertion and rediscovery has left the planet of Zanjiani in an interesting position. Mostly overgrown with scattered ruins of various civilizations, the planet is seen as an archaeological gold mine by scholars all over the galaxy. The most recent civilization to take root on the planet's surface was the Dathomiri witches. Archaeologists pinpoint the time period of the Witches' first arrival to the planet at around 3,000 years ago, leaving arguably the biggest impact on the Zanji and its culture to date. This is not to say the previous cultures' effects are not felt. Because of outside influence, the biodiversity of the planet is incredibly high with species from various planets around the Galaxy.
Despite this, the Zanji religion revolves around a creation myth includes the first documented interaction with the Witches of Dathomir and a mysterious mention of the legendary Giant Cycle Owl, also mentioned in Mandalorian lore. While the Zanji have their own story which some see as allegory and many believe to be literal, archaeologists have discovered that the Witches of Dathomir crash landed on the planet. Stranded, the Witches of Dathomir raided the land with their advanced, albeit stolen, technology and their control over the Force. Along with their rancors and battle mounts they instilled puppet empires throughout the planet, constructing one of the largest Dathomiri structures to date. Believed to be a temple dedicated to the Giant Cycle Owl and other powerful beasts of the planet, the temple was constructed in the ruins of an ancient Zanji city. Ironically the ruins held greater technology than the primitive Zanji or the Dathomiri witches. During this time they bred with the Zanji and taught them their language and their ways which. This would eventually lead to a coup attempt by a sect of the witches who had gone dark and converted a few Zanji to their cause.
The war would drag on for almost a century until a sect of Allyan witches used powerful and ancient shapeshifting magic on powerful force using warriors of the allied Zanji tribes giving them the ability to change at will into an a great beast. Pulling at the genes left over from when the Zanji were a feline species, the witches brought forth their prehistoric form. With this the witches rode the sentient beasts into battle and destroyed the Nightsisters and their Witchdoctors. Over generations the irreversible spell that allowed this transformation would spread throughout the gene pool of the Zanji, making it commonplace and eventually a defining trait of the Zanji. After the war, the witches would use technology found in the ruined city to repair their warships and would leave, fearing further conflict and corruption.
The Zanji since then have used this war as their creation myth. For centuries afterwards tribe after tribe would take the title Warlord and sit upon the throne of the Dathomiri temple. The wars were fought over who had the closest bloodline to the gods who granted them their power. While these struggles continued the Zanji would live on in relatively primitive living conditions.
Modern History:
The Zanji who lived within the temple erected walls to repel invaders and amassed a military force like no other ever assembled on the planet before. The ruler grew too powerful however and began extending her reach throughout Dalakia. Her tyranny would know no bounds. Even sacred spaces were not safe from her greed. Her dynasty ruled for a hundred years and would come crashing down. Her armies destroyed a young man's village. Enraged he vowed revenge. Joining her army by conscription his rage and abilities in the Force would gather him praise and recognition throughout the military and rise up the chain of command. The Empress decided to take the young man as her husband, but he already had a wife who was with child. The Empress did not care for his feelings despite the marriage being sanctioned by her government. Thus he was forced to join her as her personal manservant.
In one of their bouts of pleasure the young man stabbed his Empress with poison from a Kodashi Viper. In a fit of rage she transformed into her Lavi and assaulted the man. It was night under a full moon and so the Empress' pelt was white as snow. Unable to defend against her in his Zanji form he too transformed, cursing himself forever in order to achieve his vengeance. In the end the young man, now forever bound to the body and mind of a beast, slayed the Empress. Word of his victory spread like wildfire. Technically he was now the king, but with him forever trapped as a White Lavi and destined for death a new heir was needed. A woman with child came forward as the wife of the White Lavi who had killed the Tyrant. The nobles searched the records and attempted to assassinate his wife and child, however they were met with resistance and failed the woman and her daughter would become the new ruling tribe and became known as the White Heart Tribe, never reaching further than the city itself. The tribe brought on a Golden Age that would last several hundred years until they made first contact with the Galaxy. Since then the species has seen leaps and bounds in terms of education, culture, military expansion and technology. This boom was so powerful that it reverberated throughout Dalakia. Blasters, while expensive, became a common site in tribal militias, running water and cleaner wells were commonplace among villages and towns, and even speeders and skiffs were beginning to see use just prior to the Gulag Plague.
Because the planet was so remote they saw massive population loss as no humanitarian aid was given or even available. The Zanji nearly saw extinction. The ruling Dynasty was challenged many times but prevailed against every threat. During the period of time known as the Darkness however the tribe fell to another and fell into obscurity. While this tribe was not tyrannical like the Dynasty before the White Heart Dynasty, they were cruel to the Zanji who lived in the city. Disease ran rampant and it seemed like all of the advances they had made in the last few hundred years were going to waste. When the Republic finally came with aid and supplies, Republic sympathizers to the White Heart Dynasty aided the surviving family members to take power once again. Since then the White Hearts have been loved and cherished by the Zanji and they have begun a second period of enlightenment.
