The Jungles of Sethik

Grave of the Yuan Khun Empire

The region of Sethik is a tract of jungle on the western coast of Kharza. In ancient times, this area was a part of a kingdom known by the name Yuan Khun. It was an ancient empire that could rival both Va'Sehir and Qusura. Though this name once encompassed most of the coast and the current day Western Isles, the heirs of this empire live in just one small section of it between Lake Chwinga to the south and the Great Divide canyon to the north. They are the Yuan-te or Yuan-Teruk, the Changed People. These people worship a snake god called Sethik, for which these jungles are now named. They alter their bodies with magic and religious rituals in an attempt to become more and more snake like, as commanded by their deity. Over the centuries, in their pursuit of this, they have themselves become increasingly less human and more beast. They are now hostile and savage towards most outsiders, primed and conditioned after many many years of warfare with the wild elves of the south and the tabaxi to the north. If one is neither of these people, it may give them pause enough not to kill on sight. Maybe.
The yuan-te live in the remains of large cities based around ancient temple complexes built by their ancestors- the human Yuani people. Most of these original cities were made of wood, much of which has eroded leaving only the stone foundations. The Yuan-te have built new dwellings atop these old foundations- significantly less artful and magnificent, most would assume. A great many archeologists would love nothing more than to get into these cities and study these ruins, but it would be a suicide mission. In ancient times, most of the Yuani who refused to join the snake cult called the Sejukhambra were eventually forced to flee this homeland and ended up in scattered settlements along the Senja Coast to the north, certain islands, and east in Va’Sehir and Luxumu. The settlements to the north most likely are the best reflection of what this empire was like. Not much is known about the Yuan-te culture or government- they tend to attack, kill, and sometimes eat most non-Yuani-te who attempt to make contact. It is believed to be theocratic or perhaps led by a family chosen by Sethik (a divine right based monarchy). Their culture appears to be based around the virtues of survival, adaptation and carnal instinct. They do not shy from warfare and have taken great offense to the loss of much of their territory over the years. They are constantly trying to push south back into the Meliferan Wilds that the elves claimed and removed them from. They also often attempt to cross the Great Divide to slaughter Tabaxi, who stole much of the north from them. They also very occasionally hunt and kill local grung populations and they kill any lizardfolk on sight as they are some of their only remaining competitors in this region that they have been left with.

Settlements

Aditusa is a walled fort and seaport belonging to the dragonborn of the Western Isles. It has a colloquial name - Snake Bait. It exists as a landing zone for merchants and travelers heading between Hathas Rhogan or Vaythera and towards Luxumu on the other side of the mountains. There is a well worn trail from here (The Yuan-te call this the Bhōjana or food trail) which cuts straight to the Titan's Table, a mountain pass that leads right to the Luxumian city of Tisenga. It is, of course, a very dangerous trail to take, as the Yuan-te are very aware of it and sometimes wait to ambush people along it. That said, it is, bar none, the fastest path on this coastline to get across the Sunset Mountains and into the east. To the very far south of this territory is a very small fishing village called Bilgerot. It acts as a pit stop for ships heading down the coast along the "Savage River" channel between the mainland and the Western Isles. The dragonborn residents here are extremely capable fighters- they do not even need walls to keep out the Yuan-te. The snake-folk have learned they are not to be trifled with through repeated failed raids. They have simply come to accept them as their dangerous neighbors who keep to themselves anyhow.
Sehnkri is the largest of the Yuan-te cities, built up on the hills known as the Fengsa Hills. It is where the leadership of the Yuan-te live and the location of their largest temple. It is likely the foundations of this city were the location of the royal palace of the Yuan Khun Empire. It is grandiose and sprawling and as much of it was actually built and sculpted from stone quarried from the hills, much more of it still stands compared to the other ruins. Though many of the ancient statues here likely represented old human gods, most of them have been broken and defaced for the glory of the snake God, Sethik. Below the hill that Sehnkri sits on there is another Yuan-te settlement called Hetham. To the north, not far from the Bhōjana Trail, is a settlement called Vapāra. It is largely a hunting camp for the Yuan-te who hunt along the Bhojana. The path near here is the most dangerous. There is a fork in the trail near here that heads north, the main path toward Jacho from here. Many Yuan-te from Vapāra wear pelts that were once Tabaxi travelers attempting to trek from Yolwara to the Titan's Table.

Governments:
Theocratic or Theocratic Monarchy


Largest Populations:
Yuan-te, Lizarfolk, Grung

Major Settlements:
Sehnkri, Aditusa

Common Languages:
Sejukki, Abyssal, Draconic, Grung