ZALL 88: A Xaphan space station orbiting the planet Gothan constructed by the House of Clovis in 000001ax. Gothan required several decades worth of terraforming  before it could be safely settled, and the Clovis took up in a large space station orbiting the planet.  After Gothan was made habitable in 000312ax, a fragment of House Clovis remained aboard and Zall 88 became a place of great learning and enlightenment, which was unusual for a Xaphan outfit. It was called the Green Star of Gothan as it rose and shone brightly in the northern sky every night.  It was said in Xaphan Society that they had unlocked many secrets on Zall 88, and had created vast technologies while worshipping a wise feline goddess.  The art of Xaphan Cabalism had its roots on Zall 88.  In 01545ax, the House of Xandarr, eager to steal and exploit these wondrous secrets, attacked and killed all life aboard the station. Unable to understand the spoils of their attack, and having left none alive to help them decipher it, they destroyed the station and all of its secrets were lost.

ZAMA, GARDEN OF: Vast “Floating Garden” located on the Xaphan world of Trimble. The garden is an oblong rock about twenty-two square miles in size composed of magnatite repelling the magnetic field of Trimble. It floats about a mile above the surface following a predictable orbit. It is also inverted, as the flat, landscaped surface of the Garden faces Trimble while the rocky strata looks skyward. The Pool of Salonmae is located on the garden. The pool has a small outlet that continuously “rains” down on Trimble below as it passes over. The water from the pool is renowned for its mystical powers.

When Trimble, a habitable world of Vega, was first colonized by the Croatoans of Hoban, they marveled at the spit of floating land as a “paradise waiting for people to appreciate it”. When the splinter House of Sevarr came to power on Trimble, they built Centinos Castle on the Garden on the windward edge, making it their bastion for centuries. The Sevarrs eventually planted a number of apple and lemon orchards near the Pool of Salonmae, and the place became known as Ceres Rotha Rothingar, or “The Island of Red Dots”.

 

The garden became infamous under the rule of Queen Ghome I. After the death of Queen Xo, the last of the ruling Sevarrs,  she removed the old orchards and added the Garden of Zama, a landscaped paradise seeded with a variety of dangerous and poisonous plants, many of which were carnivorous and would kill unwary passersby. Ghome spent much of her time sitting in the garden devising new and more deadly plants. She used the garden to test potential lovers, many of whom fell victim to the dangerous plants.

The tomb of Queen Xo is located in the center of the garden near the Pool of Salonmae. Her tomb was said to glow, even in the darkest of nights, and her ghost often wandered the garden, weeping, saying: “What have I done to my people?” referring to the tyrannical Queen Ghome whom she married into power. During Ghome’s rule, any number of rebellious factions would often attack the Garden with gun and rocket fire as it passed overhead.

Centuries later, the House of Sorrander, led by Prince Vai, attacked Trimble in 001204AX and forced Queen Ghome III to retreat to the Garden with the remainder of her loyal forces. She was ousted from power and believed to have been killed during the Battle of the Tomb, though her body was never recovered. The Garden was destroyed and the original orchards were re-planted.

ZARY, HOUSE OF: Xaphan (Hala): Xaphan House of Hala ancestry, the Zary’s were one of the louder Houses clamoring to vacate the League in 0001ex. They eventually settled on Zoran 2 and are a constant enemy of House Charn.

ZEB, COURT OF: Offshoot of the House of Burgos, the Zebs were a study in villainy and malcontentedness  for years until they left the League and became Xaphans in 000000AX. The Vith Outpost of Zeb  sprang up in Vithland near Shirster Point in the early days on the settlement of Kana. The Zebs were said to have genetically engineered themselves into a third gender using cross–breedings with the alien Haitathe, essentially a man/woman hybrid. The Sisters were outraged by the Zeb engineering and managed to breed the enhancements into remission. The Zebs, ever after, became rebellious and spiteful, a constant thorn in the Sisters’ side. The Zebs allied themselves with the Haitathe and went on several campaigns against Vith households. They were among the first houses to flee the League in 000000AX. An early patriarch of the outpost was Tyler Zeb

ZEMUDA: A distilled spirit made from the narpal weed on the planet Bazz. Zemuda is an easily produced, highly intoxicating spirit known for creating brain-drying hangovers and severe bouts of constipation in those who over-indulge. Zemuda is clear, tasteless and odorless, and this trait often lends it to be used as a counterfeit for much more expensive grain spirits from Kana and Hoban—the success of the counterfeiting depending on the skill of the counterfeiter and the ingredients used to scent and flavor it. Zemuda, passed off as Kana grain spirits in Xaphan space is a killing offense. Zemuda is also used as the main ingredient in cochina—a harmless, flavorful drink wildly popular amongst younger drinkers in both League and Xaphan space. The unpleasant side-effects of Zemuda are mostly removed in cochina due to use of various mixers, salts and fruit additives.

ZEN-LA: Based on an old Vith word meaning “The Joining”, the Zen-La is the merging of the minds of a mated pair. A true Zen-La allows the couple to remain in contact with each other, to draw power from one other and to know what is happening to each other even when separated by vast distances. In the days of the Old Vith, true Zen-Las were common, but, as the Vith mated with the other Kanan Tribes, a true Zen-La became less and less frequent. Currently, a partial Zen-La consists mostly of telepathic dreams shared between the two. A Zen-La, even a partial one was considered to be unbreakable, however, through certain techniques, a Zen-La can be broken.

ZENON: 1)—One of the seven tribes of man symbolized by the Crown, the Zenons, along with the Vith and the Remnath fared the stars for the Elders. It is said the Zenons were the first to receive the Gifts of the Body—youth and health, that eventually all Elder-Kind were given. The premier Zenon House is House Zenon.  A haughty tribe, well-favored of the Sisters.

Most Zenon households mint their own currency called sesterces.

2)—Region in the central area of the southern continent centered on the Great Blue Pierce River. The largest city in the Zenon region is Lyra and Fallz.

ZENON GIRL: Appellation given to young ladies of Zenon tribe roots. In the popular culture, the term “Zenon Girl” conjures up an image of a petite, sandy-haired girl hailing from a favored Great House who is generally quite wealthy. Zenon Girls are considered very desirable to court.

ZERO WEAPON: A large prototype weapon developed on Castus 4, the Zero Weapon could create a Wide field of high energy waves initially intended to cause starship engines to explode. It was discovered, quite by accident, that this field, with a minor modification, would cause the failsafe on the League canister missiles to detonate. The massive weapon and all materials regarding its construction were seized by Princess Marilith of Xandarr. Convincing the Xaphans that she possesses the “secret weapon” that could defeat the hated League once and for all, they marshaled their remaining forces at a lonely, out of the way place called Mirendra. As the Xaphans prepared their forces, a lone League ship strayed into the area and discovered their activities. Racing away, Marilith used the Zero Weapon on the ship, the DART, and its canisters exploded, mortally wounding it. Rousting the League’s attention, Marilith used the Zero Weapon against them in the First Battle of Mirendra, applying the worst deafest on the League Fleet in recent memory. Flush with their success, the Xaphans felt confident that the end of the League was at hand. To their surprise, the League Fleet again massed for another assault, this time, single ships, mounting a strange weapon of their own and mounting no canisters, attacked the Zero Weapon and “dematerialized” it with a proto-type matter/energy device, destroying it and all those who created it in one stroke.

copyright 2015, Ren Garcia