Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)

2026-05-10T12:41:29Z

(via JWB)

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{{Infobox:TwilightAgeGroup
|Type = Zu'aan city
|Name = Undaque City Zu'aan
|Parent Groups = N/A
|Descended Groups = Unknown
|Areas Controlled = [[Zut'yrecza Ashland]]
|Date Founded = 4E 15
|Date Disbanded = N/A
}}

==History==

Undaque City is what is considered a scholarly city in Taerel. It was founded by an explorer by the name of Zaran Al’ter. Before the outbreak, Zaran was exploring desolate places devoid of life. Places in the dark corners of the world that had been torn apart by war and disease, or had been abandoned and forgotten by civilization. He was a scholar who craved knowledge and found like-minded zu’aan to travel with him. When the outbreak happened, Zaran and his colleagues were in the [[Zut'yrecza Ashland]], an abandoned city that was dubbed the City of Ashes. It was called the City of Ashes due to the sporadic rain of ash.

The researchers didn’t know how to stop the ash, so they had to figure out a way to build the city that could keep the ash out. Before the outbreak, they would have simply been able to build a dome surrounding the city. But they didn’t have the luxury to do that with the kin’toni. Instead, they built a giant pole in the center of the city, attached cloth with ropes to it. The cloth is gathered around the edges of the city. They decided that whenever it rained ash, they would simply pull the cloth up and over the city. This would also allow them to collect the ash as it had many benefits. Over the decades, the city has drawn many scholars looking for a place where their knowledge can grow.

Zaran was not the leader type, but the zu’aan refused to follow anyone else. He was the most knowledgeable out of them and he had built up quite the repertoire of accomplishments. It also helped that he came from a long line of top grade scholars. He was someone they idolized and strived to be. He took on the job of being their leader with great reluctance. With his knowledge, he was able to create a thriving city filled with knowledge. He was able to take the desolate land and fill it with life. Homes were quickly built, a working government was created, and food sources were established.

The beginnings of Undaque City are considered humble ones. All the zu’aan took great pleasure in learning, experiencing, and sharing what they knew with others. It wasn’t about who had the most knowledge, it was about how that knowledge could help everyone. Learning was something from their old world that they were able to bring into their new one and draw comfort from. For many, it took their minds off of the horrors they had encountered outside of the city. As time went on and the first inhabitants of the city died, that changed. It was no longer about sharing knowledge for the sake of everyone or about benefiting the city.

It became about showing off how much knowledge one had. Knowledge became about power and prestige over everyone. It was something that would determine your place and your family's place in the city and in life.

==Psychology==

Since its first inhabitants settled here, Undaque City has been a city of a highly devoted academic mentality. They are scholars who crave knowledge and want to know how everything works. In the beginning, it was a good thing. Their desire to learn aided them in surviving the attacks and creating a safe home where they were able to nurture the minds. They were able to use what they knew to get a hold on their lives. They knew what their limits were and used them to their advantage. As time went on, their drive to know and learn made them a bit fanatic and very dismissive of consequences.

They no longer headed their limits and pushed themselves further than they should have. Over the decades, many have lost their lives on their quests for knowledge. They have even been known to stalk ravenous kin’toni, in spite of the obvious dangers, to learn their patterns, how they think, and what makes them so different from the zu’aan. Many have gotten sick and have died from studying poisonous plants or being bitten by venomous animals. They care very little for any of the dangers that may stand in their way. If anything, those very dangers drive them forward even more.

They believe that to get great results, there must be great obstacles to get through. The more danger they face, the more knowledge they will gain. Knowledge is the most important thing in Undaque. Those with little knowledge are considered lesser than and are often looked down upon. While those with the most knowledge are held in the highest regard and hold the highest positions. Many zu’aan crave those positions, which causes them to do whatever is necessary to gain knowledge. There is an almost obsessive drive behind their every move.

There is a heavy pressure and expectation to learn, especially aimed towards graduates. The zu’aan take great pride in their graduates and love showing them off. Succeeding in academics brings great privileges and prestige to graduates which, in turn, extends to their families. Many families have been known to force their children, well beyond their limits, so that they may enjoy these privileges. There have even been families known to disown their children if they fail to graduate. A lot of younger zu’aan entering school do so with a sense of trepidation.

Many of them know that they must succeed no matter what. They work themselves to the bone for hours at a time, miss sleep, and skip meals to make sure they can graduate with the highest marks. This has caused many graduates over the years to have mental breakdowns due to the pressure and expectations. In spite of the pressures, there is also a great sense of pride that comes with being a scholar and a part of Undaque city. Those with a vast amount of knowledge are celebrated, recognized, and some are even idolized. They live great lives, with little worries and are respected by all those around them.

==Culture==

Everything in the culture of Undaque City revolves around gaining knowledge and education. The zu’aan like to have fun and party, but that will always take a back seat to learning. Schooling is an important part, the most important part, of their culture. While all zu’aan learn the same curriculum, they are both encouraged and expected to learn beyond what they are taught. The more that is learned in school and out of school, the higher the marks will be for graduation. When they graduate, especially with high marks, it is considered one of life’s greatest accomplishments.

When a zu’aan becomes a teacher, it is considered one of the highest and most coveted positions a zu’aan can have. Not because they are able to bestow their knowledge on others, but because it shows just how much knowledge they have. Teachers are one of the most respected zu’aan in the city. To gain great amounts of knowledge is something all the zu’aan of Undaque strive for. And to gain knowledge that no one else has is even greater. Oftentimes, fierce competition will break out between zu’aan, especially between graduates. One scholar, many decades ago, discovered an important use of ash.

She discovered that ash could be used as fertilizer. It was a great discovery at the time due to a huge food shortage in the city. In response, another scholar discovered that not only could ash be used as fertilizer, it could also be used to keep pests and insects away from the crops. Now, ash is one of the most important resources in Undaque City. Luckily, they have a surplus supply of it due to the ash rains. The zu’aan love to show off the depths of their knowledge and often hold academic festivals throughout the year to do so. To be included in the festival, they have to have many accomplishments under their belts.

Accomplishments like discovering a new species, a new resource, curing a disease, or discovering something new about the kin’toni for example. The festival is a huge event that draws on the entire city, even those considered to be lesser. Participants of the festival set up booths showcasing the piece of knowledge they are most proud of, some set off several booths. They show samples, written documents, step-by-step processes that they went through to make their discoveries, etc. The festival is a great chance for the zu’aan to not only show off, but it is also a great way to learn more and prepare for the next festival.

Undaque is a very inclusive culture. Age and gender play absolutely no role when it comes to anything in the city. Those on the bottom have oftentimes found themselves on the top. Status and position can easily change with a simple test, as knowledge is the only thing that matters. Due to the inclusivity, both men and women have held high positions and continue to hold them. Since the city’s founding, both genders have been in positions of power.

==Government==

Undaque City is ruled by a single leader, the High One, who is chosen based on the amount of knowledge they have. A new leader is chosen every ten years through a complex and grueling series of tests instead of being chosen through an election. They are tested on things like basic knowledge, strategy for war, how to run the city, the history of the city, the kin’toni, and history of the world. The tests change during each choosing of the new leader, sometimes adding things and sometimes getting rid of things. Whoever passes these tests with the highest marks is chosen as the new High One.

The new High One then chooses a council of five, the High Council, from the same group of test takers. These five are those with the next highest marks. As there is no discrimination when it comes to gender, both men and women have been chosen as the High One and have sat on the High Council. All issues or complaints are brought before the council, while all major issues make their way directly to the High One. While the council can determine the outcome of most of what’s brought before them, the High One makes all of the final decisions in the city.

The council still holds a lot of power though. Small issues can be taken care of by the council. Most of the issues brought to the council are simple disputes, or something not working correctly. It’s very rare that a serious issue will pop up. The zu’aan of Undaque are not known to question or oppose the decisions of the High One or of the High Council, as they are considered the smartest in the city. The few laws of Undaque City aren’t really laws, they are more like rules. With that being said, they are still expected to be followed and obeyed.

No plagiarism is probably the most serious rule. While they welcome and encourage competition between zu’aan, plagiarism is not allowed. Any new knowledge presented must be knowledge obtained truthfully. Those brought before the council as criminals, for whatever crime, are given a fair trial. The zu’aan of Undaque believe that indisputable evidence must be given from both sides to prove either guilt or innocence. False evidence and untrue testimony are not allowed. They believe that as distinguished zu’aan, they should have no reason to lie or fabricate.

They present their cases and those found guilty of a crime are imprisoned and stripped of their status. Time in prison is determined by the severity of the crime. There are rarely zu’aan imprisoned for life as only the most severe crimes, like murder, cause that. Once out of prison, they are barred from attending school, participating in the academic festival, and testing to become the High One. The only thing they are allowed to do is join the Fifth Division of the military as a reserve. This judicial system is considered very fair by the zu’aan of the city.

==Military==

The zu’aan of Undaque City believe that knowledge is all you need to fight. As long as you know your enemy, you can defeat them.They believe that with a good strategy, good placement of forces, and smart soldiers, it is easier to overcome adversity. They pair good strategy with strong and efficient weapons, divide their military into different divisions, and have each division do something different. The First Division, also called High Guards, are in charge of protecting the leader of the city. They are the leader’s personal guards chosen from the best of the best.

There are always at least four High Guards around the leader at all times and at least two trailing them from afar, hiding in the shadows. The rest guard the leader’s house. This division is the smallest, but they are considered the most skilled. They take great pride in protecting what is considered the smartest zu’aan in Undaque City. The Second Division is in charge of protecting the knowledge in the city. If the city is ever overrun, the Second Division must protect all knowledge that the city has collected, written down, and discovered. Any scrolls, books, and designs.

Knowledge must be prioritized and must continue on, no matter what happens. Unsurprisingly, this division is the biggest one as the zu’aan of Undaque put knowledge over their own lives. The Third Division is the first, second, and third line of defense. The first line meets the enemy head on, making first contact. This is the biggest line in the Third Division. The second line sets up the barricade between the city and the enemy, barring their entrance. The third line is within the city, it’s smaller than the first two lines. This division is the second largest. They have the more high powered and ranged weapons.

The Fourth Division and Fifth Division is technically just the Fourth Division that has been split into two. The Fourth Division is in charge of protecting the high profile zu’aan, those with prestige and status. While the Fifth Division is in charge of protecting the rest of the zu’aan in the city. The only reason the division was split like this is because the high profile zu’aan wanted their own division that would focus only on them. They didn’t believe that as a zu'aan of higher status, they should be considered on the same level as the rest of the zu’aan.

Most of the zu’aan in Undaque are in the military. Learning how to fight, how to use weapons, and how to strategize is still considered gaining knowledge. It is considered to be an honorable job. Getting into either the First or the Second Division is the goal for most zu’aan as they are considered the most prestigious and the best way to raise their status. Getting into either division is just as good as graduating with high marks. The zu’aan that don’t do well in school, usually join the military and try to get into those divisions.

==Religion==

Undaque City joins the atheist ranks in Taerel. They do not believe in any gods. The earlier inhabitants worshipped the teachings of Zaran, the first leader. Zaran believed that knowledge would eventually save the world. If the zu’aan would learn all there was to learn, the world would not only go back to the way it was, it would be even better than what it was before. He believed that it was their duty to learn and share their knowledge with others. Zaran developed five teachings that he personally followed and that he believed the zu’aan of Undaque should try to follow, though he did not force them to.

The first teaching was that knowledge should be shared with everyone for the benefit of everyone. No one should hoard what they’ve learned. It’s impossible to learn from the success and failure of the past if no one is willing to share what they’ve learned. The second teaching was that knowledge should never be used to harm, belittle, or denounce others. The third teaching was that while one should crave knowledge, one should limit themselves in their pursuit of it so as to not become consumed. You should want to learn all that you can, but you shouldn’t go overboard and push yourself past your means.

The fourth teaching is to simply be humble. Knowledge is not about status, nor is it about making yourself better than others. It is about gaining perspective and understanding of what is around you. Through it, you can find enlightenment. The last teaching is that knowledge is free and for all. No one should stand in the way of another trying to learn. Over the decades, Zaran’s teachings have been warped, misinterpreted, and even completely erased. In their fanatic search for knowledge, they’ve forgotten what the original purpose of gaining knowledge was.

Zaran’s original teachings have become obsolete in the eyes of the current zu’aan of Undaque. They do not believe that knowledge should be shared just to be shared. They believe that it should be shared to show off their worth and status. Why should one not show off what they know and raise themselves up. They’ve completely disregarded the second and the fourth teaching as they believe that those are the ways of the old. As for the third teaching, knowledge is everything in Undaque. It is something that should be gained no matter what it takes.

Limits do not exist. The last teaching has become something for the more privileged in the city. Those that stand at the top have unlimited access to knowledge. It’s quite hard for those at the bottom to be offered the same access and opportunities. There are a few families, some descendants of the colleagues that arrived with Zaran, that still follow the original teachings of Zaran. Others look down on and even mock them, but they still hold firm. They believe they will gain their enlightenment and that one day, maybe long after they’re gone, the world will be like it once was.

==Miscellany==

{{NearbyGroups
| Centre = {{PAGENAME}}
| North = Unknown
| Northeast = Unknown
| East = Unknown
| Southeast = Unknown
| South = Unknown
| Southwest = Unknown
| West = Unknown
| Northwest = Unknown
}}

{{CrossSiteAttribution
| User = [https://www.fiverr.com/janetrawaters DreamCatchie#3401 (Discord)]
| Holder = Jenetra Waters
}}

[[Category:1st-century Twilight Age zu'aan cities]]
[[Category:Jenetra Waters's contributions]]

Undaque City Zu'aan - Revision history

Stevie Lambert: (via JWB)