Xuma'an

"'A strange land, Xuma'An is. There is the capability of true civilization and culture, yet so many people find themselves belonging to the various tribes which call it home. Very few have ever been able to colonize the land successfully, and even they are recluses in their own right.'"" -Sarn Haust, Famous Explorer"

Geography/ Environment
Xuma’an can be described as a land of strange tradition and loyalty. The continent houses a couple of different biomes, but it also hosts some of the only deserts which can be found in all of Samirkan. Many people speculate this is because of roaming herdsmen neglecting the land, but others think it may have been a side-effect of the Calamity. No one is for certain, but no one complains either-way. Xuma’an is home to mainly jungle and marsh-like lands, with deserts decorating many of the peninsulas and some taigas decorating the lands of Volun. Some hills are sprinkled throughout the lands, but for the most part this land is jungle and marsh territory with the sands as decorations. These landscapes have caused people to live differently according to the regions which they belong to. Many people belong to tribes in this land, residing over their own ‘lands’ and having their own ‘places’ to call home. Truly though, the lands do not belong to anyone (with exceptions to the Almasi and the Kingdom of Volun, of course.) The people of these lands share the earth, believing it is their right to give and to return what is necessary. This place makes an excellent farming location for the more exotic fruits or plants of the world, such as cocoa and special herbs found only in the thick jungles. Strange and dangerous predators roam the land, having adapted to the dense thickets and learned to become exceptional hunters. It is here that the saying ‘If you are not the hunter, you are the hunted’ truly comes to fruition.

Culture
Some kingdoms and civilizations have tried to rise here, but many have ultimately failed or ceased to bear fruit. Only the kingdom of Volun has managed to achieve such an accomplishment, and their lands and ways are quite strange. The Almasi jungle tribes are also strange in their own, preferring to stick to their own lands and worship their Serpent god. The rest of the land is truly a free for all, as many different clans and groups of people claim it to be home. It is quite common to find small villages, nomadic tribes, and various other types of lifestyles in these lands. With these different lifestyles, of course, breeds the more war-like peoples. Although many clans honor family and tradition, some care only for steel and gold. The deserts are particularly harsh, as many people must do what they can to survive out in the burning sands. Slavery is quite a common practice in this uncillivized land, with the losers of war between clans becoming either trading goods or workers for their conquerers. Although Xuma’An may look pretty on the outside to many travelers, they soon discover the horrors lurking deeper within the jungles themselves. Traveling with trusted friends in these lands is a must, as you may be viewed as a tribe rather than an individual. To these people, many hands are better than two. It could save you from enslavement, or other fates worse than death.

Features
Even with the dangers of the land, and the roaming tribes and general lawlessness, the continent is bountiful. It provides some of the rarest breeds of monster and plant-life in the world. The culture of this land is quite intriguing, for it teaches both how to survive and how to thrive in such dangerous landscapes. It teaches people how to fend for themselves, and these skills have produced some of the finest hunters in the known world. The wood of the jungles have been used to create the finest bows worldwide, as well as the medicinal benefits of the exotic plants. The vast openness of the center of the continent, combined with jungles and deserts, provides the best training grounds for survivalists. Many men from around Samirkan come to these lands to hunt the most majestic of game and creatures. There is much fame to be earned here, if a man can avoid the trouble of war tribes, beasts, and banditry.