Chronicles of Sha'Lazar

The Great Ocean with its varied shades of blues and greens, surrounds the continent, and goes from the land until the horizon touches the sky. Many sear that one sailing that far would fall off the edge and perish, whilst others vow to prove there is life beyond Sha’Lazar’s horizon.

The Acacus, (great golden desert), is located on the western third of the continent. A great desert, with golden sand seas sparse by vegetation, pearly spotted oases like Ghadames and Ghat, mountains, and dry valleys. The Acacus is green only where there is water, otherwise it is yellow, white, beige, caramel, gold, brown, or red. Water sources in the Acacus include several water wells, lakes, underground tables, and rain. Gheltas (water wells) in the Acacus desert are clearly marked on the Amir’s Acacus map, like Aminanegh, Talwawat, Sughd and Abankur.

Average rainfall is between 0 and 25 mm per annum; scarce to most, but brings the valleys back to life to sustain some desert shrubs and bushes, even bringing some ancient creatures from long sleeps. There are several lakes in the desert, mostly in the Kalal Sand Sea. These are part of, or left over from, the ancient giant lake. Regardless, the source of this water is usually considered a gift from the gods… but more scientific reasoning remains yet unsolved.

❖ -- The Tamazgha, not far from the arid mountains surrounding Sammadir on the coast, lies an area of desert that stretches length-wise from the very walls of Arcadia southward to the grand city-state of Utica; and from the west from the Sammadir mountains to the east-central desert mountains of Kyrenaice. The land of the Tamazgha includes the ancient cities of Arcadia, al Manifa, Utica, and Kyrenaice in a circular pattern around the area. Within the circle lies smaller walled cities such as Sammadir in the western mountains and Marin in the southern plains.

❖ -- The Solan is the belt of drier grasslands and acacia thorntree plains, lying to the north, between the Sudvanna and the Acacus. To the south the forest-grassland mosaic is a transition zone between the semi-arid Sudvanna and the Ras'ouda moist forests.

The Canas (green oasis belt) is the central third of the continent.

❖ -- The Fira Jabal are rigid mountains at the most northern tip of the Canas, with huge lone-standing rock formations, stone plateaus, and gravel plains.

❖ -- The Itharit, with its central interior filled with lush green trees and shrubbery, exotic animals, and exciting new possibilities... Unknown and unexplored… Magical and mystical… with dense jungles abounding with gorgeous orchids, thick undergrowth, and twisting animal trails below a majestic canopy…. strange lost civilizations and vegetation covered cities, lost lands filled with prehistoric creatures…. natives who are mostly superstitious and cannibalistic, but occasionally a proud race of noble native warriors could be found within the jungle. The beasts which inhabit the savage, yet poetically-related jungle appear familiar in physical description but are endowed with emotional traits that are more pure and directed than any human.

❖ -- The Sudvanna – a stretch of land between the northern Hanasim and the southern green Canas, is characterized by the coexistence of trees and grasses. Much of the Sudvanna region is a Muwafaq, where useful trees are spared from cutting, while sorghum, maize, millet or other crops are cultivated beneath.

The Hanasim is the southern third of the continent is dominated by a land of harsh beauty characterized by black sand deserts, treacherous mountain ranges, and ancient volcanic landscapes. The Saneebal Jabal mountain range edges the entire southern tip of the continent.

❖ -- The Numareef Volcano is located north-east of the Saneebal Jabal. It rumbles and spits forth black ash, as a reminder of life’s volatility.

❖ -- The Black Suhaidah is situated to the northeast, serves as a volatile reminder of nature’s power with its sporadic eruptions of black ash. Those (black sands) are the black volcanic lava ash field of Numareef that is stretching up to 120 kilometers wide.

❖ -- TheRas'ouda Forests lie to the far southern tip of the continent, and is a vast, dense forest ranges northward, merging into the green Canas jungles of the inner belt .


This rugged terrain shapes both the Kingdom of Valeria, a realm of political intrigue and noble power struggles, and the Dominion of Aramon, a sun-scorched land ruled by a cunning aristocracy driven by ambition and resilience. Together, these regions form a richly complex and perilous world of shifting alliances, ancient traditions, and untamed landscapes.

Not far from the arid mountains surrounding Sammadir on the coast, lies an area of desert called the Tamazgha… an area that stretches length-wise from the very walls of Arcadia southward to the grand city-state of Utica; and from the west from the Sammadir mountains to the east-central desert mountains of Kyrenaice.

Tamazgha had always been an area of contention between the cities because of its vital trade routes and its desert resources; and even moreso when the armed forces of the Malli’ayad Empire in Hanasim in the southeast attempted the acquisition of that vital area. It had been this war that finally united Utica and Arcadia in a Treaty of Mutual Accord with the defeat of the Milli’ayad forces and their retreat back to Hanasim.

The land of the Tamazgha includes the ancient cities of Arcadia, al Manifa, Utica, and Kyrenaice in a circular pattern around the area. Within the circle lies smaller walled cities such as Sammadir in the western mountains and Marin in the southern plains. The Tamazgha is governed by four Vizier from the major cities, and six Governors of lower districts, in Arcadia as the administrative capital. The remaining territory was left in the domain of the lower courts in Utica.



At the time, the Malli’ayad policy in Sha’Lazar was simply to prevent another great power from rising in the Tamazgha, or its influential neighbor, the Sudvanna of Canas. The Malli’ayad prince Jugurin attempted to reunify the smaller cities and villages of the Tamazgha. However, upon his death, much of Jugurin's territory was placed in the control of the Utican Vizier; but, by that time, the Malli’ayad coloniae of Tamazgha was firmly rooted.

Several political and provincial reforms were implemented by Augustus and later by Leonidas, but Claudius finalized the territorial divisions into official Malli’ayad provinces. Al Manifa became a senatorial province.


The Malli’ayad Army landed in a 1000 ships along the coast near al Manifa and once again crossed into the Tamazgha and overran the area, founding their own threshold in the walled city; with hopes of pushing inland from there. The Malli’ayad of the Hanasim controlled the city-state as a warrior-elite, enforcing a policy of strict separation and suppressing the local population for almost 300 years. But when the Malli’ayad Empire was failing from within, al Manifa broke away from the Malli’ayad Kingdom and became a sole, far-away remnant of what was once a great Empire. Instead of reverting back to the Rash’ani culture, al Manifa chose to remain with the Malli’ayadan style of governance and cultural lifestyle; grasping onto what it was most familiar with.

Though the Malli’ayad, controlled the walled city of al Manifa, Arcadia and Utica still controlled the Tamazgha. The restored Malli’ayad administration was successful in fending off the attacks of the Tamazgha desert tribes, and by means of an extensive fortification network managed to extend its rule once again to the interior.


Al Manifa, and the Tamazgha, enjoyed peace and prosperity for the next few years, until the arrival of the great plague, caused by merchants arriving in the port, during which the people of the city suffered greatly. At the same time, the arrogant behavior of some Malli’ayad governors alienated the Rash’ani leaders, and provoked them to rise up and raid Malli’ayad-controlled outer territory. But still Malli’ayad sent reinforcements to the far-flung reaches of Sha'Lazar to support their interests in the Tamazgha, thus supplying a revolt that would last beyond 15 years. But even that was short-lived, as it was that, during a battle with the Rash’ani at Cillium Oasis, the Malli’ayad were finally defeated and its Vizier killed. But in the treaty that would be signed, a Manifa would remain under Malli’ayad control. Not because of a strategic necessity, but primarily the people of the city deemed it their way of life now.


For the next decades, the Tamazgha remained tranquil, allowing it to recover. Peace might not have lasted as long, had not the Rash’ani Amir perceived that the complete eviction of the Malli’ayad from the interior of the area, and the complete restoration of the province to its ancient bounds was not impossible. Instead, he opted to accommodate himself with the people of a Manifa, promising them autonomy in exchange for denying them to become a Malli’ayad Empire federate.

People under treaty expected to provide a contingent of fighting men when trouble arose, thus making them allies. The loyalty of these dependent princes of the various Tamazghan tribes was secured by means of annual pensions and gifts, and the peace was kept by a strong network of fortifications.

The only interruption to the Tamazgha's tranquility was a brief revolt, caused by the unwarranted murder of the aged tribal leader Cutzinas, when he came to Arcadia to receive his annual pension, by the magister militum, Akham Rogath. His sons and dependents rose up, until an expeditionary force under the warlord Hassan el Shairir , succeeded in restoring the peace.