Zilika Hills

Place

Place Name:

Zilika Hills

Biome:

Hills

Size:

Unknown

Continent:

Unknown

Subcontinent

Unknown

Geography

The Zilika Hills were a series of slow rolling hills and valleys that snaked their way across the entire region. These picturesque hills were known for the abundance of healthy vegetation as well as the wildlife and clans that occupied it. It was a perfect mix of both pleasant weather and fertile soil that allowed the region to support large scale cultivation, thus attracting many zu'aan tribes to settle here. The region was drained by many streams and small rivers that passed along the depressions between many hills, providing the region with enough water to sustain life.

Apart from its grassy hills and wooded forests, the region also had an abundance of rock in the form of naturally occurring rock formations and large stones that were set into the hills. The settlers of the region exploited its abundance by using it to craft and build many objects from basic tools to their habitats and grand structures and monuments. It was not a surprise that the first kin'toni clan to master stone craft- the Aw'drai, hailed from this region. The Zilika supported a large zu'aan population before the kin'toni outbreak.

These settlers had many centuries to leave their mark on the region, building many large cities and settlements using their years of accumulated experience. Many of these structures would not survive the rampage of the kin'toni during the kin'toni outbreak, but the few that did- showcased the advanced knowledge of the natives here as well as their knowledge of metallurgy, construction methods and accurate mathematical formulas. With most of these zu'aan forced into hiding and into enclaves the region would be reclaimed by nature.

With trees and dense shrubs growing all over their previous settlements and buildings until they were unrecognizable and wiped from recent memory. The region reverted back into the dark ages and it would be a long time before any particular group rediscovered all the technologies that had been purged from the land. The Zilika hills enjoyed a temperate climate that was described as being pleasant and enjoyable. There was not much variation in the temperatures throughout the year allowing most of the vegetation to retain their leaves and color all year long.

However, there was still enough differences to distinguish the seasons into three, spring, summer and winter. Spring was the season when the region would come to life after the winters. The hills would be filled with color as many new flowers bloomed across the hills. The temperatures would remain quite cool and precipitation remained very minimal. In summer, the temperatures would become slightly warmer and farmers would begin their sowing of the fields. The region received plenty of sunlight as well as rain.

The small rivers and streams would be filled and have a stronger flow during this season. By winter the temperature would be quite chilly with constant winds blowing along the hills. The region would continue to receive light amounts of rainfall and the most of the vegetation in the region would take on a darker and dull color.

Plants

The Zilika was a heavily vegetated region that was covered with many varieties of plants and trees. The vegetation was mostly adapted for the temperate conditions of the region. They were a mixture of alpine and deciduous trees that covered the slope of the hills, coming in all colors in terms of leaves and sizes. These trees alternated between evergreen and leaf shedding varieties. The Zilika also had an abundance of rivers and streams that supplied the region with water, along with fertile soil that allowed the mass cultivation of the regions around zu'aan habitats for many years.

However, these croplands soon disappeared after the arrival of the kin'toni, as the zu'aan retreated into their enclaves and shelters. The old zu'aan cities and settlements have since been covered with overgrown vegetation comprising of thick vines and wild shrubs that block out any view and access to their former glory. Some of the most common vegetation associated with the region include the slooy and emtia trees, the yeremack crops that was a staple food source for old zu'aan civilizations, the isough and athar plants that grow over most of the abandoned zu'aan habitats now.

The slooy and the emtia were both coniferous trees that grew on the upper slopes of the Zilika hills. They thrived in temperate to colder regions and were particularly well suited to the chilly Zilika winters. In terms of appearance their trunks had a similar reddish tint to their black color and their leaves were colored bright green and a yellowish-red, respectively. Both these trees could grow to over twenty meters and were the tallest vegetation in the region. The tree was useful to both the zu'aan and the kin'toni- later on, for many different reasons.

Their leaves were unlike the needly coniferous leaves of the usual pines and had a soft and fluffy texture and were resistant to fire. These were most commonly used as padding for armor, or beds and saddles or clothes. The giant amount of wood that could be harvested from a singular felled slooy or emtia made them a very viable source of wood for the zu'aan construction activities which depended on the availability of a large amount of both stone and wood.

The yeremack was a common crop of the Zilika hills before the kin'toni outbreak. These plants produced a distinctive red crop that were known for their very light and filling qualities and were one of the main reasons why the zu'aan of the regan could maintain their svelte and trimmed appearance despite seeming to eat a ton of food. The stalk of the yeremack plant could grow to a height of over six feet and was covered in dark red leaves that were disproportionately large and drooped down towards the ground.

These leaves doubled as fodder and feed for the various cattle and livestock that the zu'aan and kin'toni regularly bred. The isough and athar were rugh and thorn filled shrubs that grew as vines along the deserted rocky remains of the zu'aan habitats. They could cover entire regions and were very hard to get rid of, even by fire.

Animals

The Zilika hills were occupied by a range of wildlife that could handle the chilly winters and the temperate climatic conditions. Exotic species with more extreme temperature requirements were very rare here. A common characteristic appearance of animals in the region were woolly or thick coating of fur that could protect the animal against the rain and the chilly winds that could quickly induce hypothermia in living organisms. Due to the historically large presence of zu'aan in the past, most animals had learned to steer clear of the built-up areas.

The exception were the domesticated cattle that the zu'aan and later the kin'toni bred for milk,meat and blood, respectively. The wildlife grew increasingly widespread and began to occupy many of the abandoned zu'aan habitats that were now occupied by isough and athar plants after the kin'toni outbreaks. The most famous wildlife of the region included the predatory koropy and qua'lor that constantly battled for supremacy over the heart of the Zilika forests, the os'del and cherodwar that were domesticated livestock that produced both milk, meat and fur.

The koropy and the qua'lor were two very different varieties of predators that each dominated the days and nights in the region. The koropy was a flying daylight hunter that relied on its sharp eyesight to spot its prey which it would then carry away its hilltop nests. It had a massive wingspan of over twenty feet that could generate enough power to carry off many kinds of prey. This ability was also helped by its gigantic talons that could grasp an os'del all the way round.

The talons ended in long pointed tips that could penetrate deep into the hardened leather skin and bone of any animal in the Zilika hills. THe qua'lor was a nocturnal hunter that relied on camouflage and stealth to sneak into cattle pens within zu'aan settlements or pounce on unsuspecting foes in the wild. Its furry coat was a mix of thick and short hairs with colorful streaks running across it. This dark coat could easily blend into low-light environments, allowing it to easily blend into the night environment when it did most of its hunting.

The predator was almost seven feet in length and stood at over six feet above the ground on muscular and agile limbs that could contract to soften its landings. The os'del and cherodwar were two varieties of cattle that were most commonly used as livestock by both the zu'aan and kin'toni in the region. They varied in size each measuring four feet and six feet in length. Their coats came in a variety of colors starting from a golden brown to white and black and even folded.

This outer layer of fur and skin was also a regular part of leather creation and was used to create many armor and other hardy tools in the native inventory. They were both indispensable in the amount of utility and uses they had, and were thus used as a common unit of barter and exchange along with fines and tax.

Historical Timeline of Ages

Age Name	Dates	Controller
Stone Age	Before 1E 0	Unknown
Copper Age	1E 1–1E 2200	Unknown
Bronze Age	1E 2200–1E 4400	Unknown
Iron Age	2E 0–2E 700	Unknown
Ancient Age	2E 700–2E 2200	Unknown
Middle Age	3E 0–3E 2050	Unknown
Early Modern Age	3E 2050–3E 2600	Unknown
Industrial Age	3E 2600–3E 2700	Unknown
Machine Age	3E 2700–3E 2800	Unknown
Atomic Age	3E 2800–3E 2850	Unknown
Space Age	3E 2850–3E 2875	Unknown
Information Age	3E 2875–3E 2900	Unknown
Genetic Age	3E 2950–3E 3000	Unknown
Awakening Age	3E 3000–3E 3415	Unknown
Twilight Age	4E 0–4E 500	Aw'drai Kin'toni Clan

Place

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Zilika Hills

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This article is written by Jangou. Copyright 2026 Jangou S. All rights reserved.