Zendizi Isles

The Zendizi Isles are a collection of islands both large and small just off the coast of southeastern Idiri. They lie at the eastern mouth of the treacherous Inkyunayaku Channel, where they spill out into the warm waters of the Sea of Sala'ah. Not so much a cohesive territorial unit as simply a loose collection of people sharing the same space, occupations, and general worldview, Zendizi is viewed by many as a lawless backwater collecting the worst elements of the seafaring world. This is not an entirely fair assessment -- though not entirely unfair either -- for while some Zendizi certainly are freebooters, pirates, and smugglers, many are as honest tradesmen or fisherfolk as any. Nevertheless, the lines dividing licit from illicit activities is rather blurred in the Isles, and it has a deserved reputation as a refuge for people fleeing servitude, authority, and various unpleasant or inconvenient situations.

Geography

The Zendizi Isles boast a fair amount of variety in terrain and vegetation, ranging from tropical savannah to thickly tangled jungle to barren stony reef. The largest island, Zendabar, features steep and densely forested slopes and an abundance of caves and ravines, which have made it a haven for the lawless and desperate for centuries. The Isles are sliced through with narrow bays and half-hidden coves, with Zendabar City benefiting from one of the largest of these. Palm trees cluster around the shores and mangroves tangle their roots in the shallow water, while the higher ground of these islands is draped in a thick blanket of tropical hardwoods such as ebony and mahogany. The Zendizi Isles are also home to a type of wild pig known as an ouweegha for the squealing cries it makes, and roasted ouweegha is the favorite central dish in the Zendizi people's famous firepit feasts.