Nyanzi

Nyanzi

Nyanzi was a foreign nation situated far from Rislandia, distinct from both Rislandia and the Wyranth Empire. Travel between Nyanzi and Rislandia required a sea voyage, as no airship routes connected the two nations. Despite maintaining ambassadors with permanent stations within Rislandia, Nyanzi remained obscure to many Rislandians. James Gentry described it as a whole new country, reflecting how little was commonly known about it among Rislandians at the time.

Overview

Nyanzi was the country of origin of Dr. Metzengerstein, a scientist whose work became relevant to Rislandian affairs. The nation was governed by a Sultan, who held Findlay in high regard because the tap-movers Findlay introduced had transformed daily life in Nyanzi. The nation was described as a land of different peoples, situated far from the conflicts between Rislandia and the Wyranth Empire, though it was considered at risk should the Nightmen overwhelm Rislandia.

Nyanzi's most strategically significant feature, as revealed during the events of The Iron Wedding and The Steam Knight, was the presence of a Wyranth Empire facility engaged in the development of mechanized units. The Wyranth had taken and modified some Nyanzi technology for their own purposes. Nyanzi scientists had independently developed giant mechanical armor suits, and the factory where these were produced was located within the city.

Nyanzi's geographic remoteness and the absence of airship routes connecting it to Rislandia made any mission there a considerable undertaking, requiring travel by sea. Although Nyanzi maintained a formal diplomatic presence in Rislandia through permanently stationed ambassadors — sent there by Queen Reina I via boat — the country itself was little known among the Rislandian populace and military alike.

Geography and Appearance

Nyanzi featured a hot and humid climate. The city of Nyanzi was characterized by bulbous domes painted in bright colors — described as "a city of bulbous domes, painted in bright colors" — and colorful buildings whose appearance was enhanced by sunlight. The city was enclosed by walls equipped with a lightning-like defense system capable of repelling threats such as the Adze. Beyond the city walls lay a savannah landscape bordered by high grasses and lush forests, with a snow-capped mountain visible in the distance. The city also had a port accessible by sea.

The surrounding savannah was the territory where the Adze emerged at a particular time of year. It was also the location where a mech test against the Adze took place, and where James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern stopped after escaping the city.

People and Culture

The local Nyanzi people had darker tan skin and dark eyes, and wore head coverings — specifically white turbans. The currency used in Nyanzi was the gold shekel. Nyanzi possessed a merchant coalition, and local coffee was noted as particularly flavorful. Tap-movers served as a primary mode of transportation within the nation, and their introduction by Findlay was credited with changing Nyanzi life significantly.

Nyanzi soldiers and city guards were equipped with spider contraptions in addition to foot patrols, and the city's defenses included an electro-turret mounted on spider legs positioned outside the city. Local Nyanzi personnel manned this turret: "Local Nyanzi manned it, their white turbans gleaming in the sun."

Perryton soldiers had reported that the Nyanzi had been making strange devices, indicating that Nyanzi's technological development was known — if imperfectly understood — by neighboring nations. Nyanzi shared a border with Perryton, as James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern crossed out of Nyanzi into Perryton during one of their missions.

Role in The Steam Knight

In The Steam Knight, Nyanzi was identified as the destination for a mission to investigate mechanized units. Ethan von Lantern volunteered himself and James Gentry for "a mission to Nyanzi to see what's going on." James described it as a whole new country, underscoring how unfamiliar the nation was to Rislandians at that time. Nyanzi was also established as the country of origin of "a scientist from Nyanzi," identified elsewhere as Dr. Metzengerstein.

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding, Nyanzi was identified as the destination for a mission assigned to Ethan von Lantern and James Gentry. The two were directed to travel there by sea, as airship travel to the country was not available. Their objective was connected to the Wyranth facility on Nyanzi's soil that was developing mechanized units; Ethan and James apparently obtained or seized those units during the course of the mission.

Following the mission, Ethan expressed deep regret over having gone, stating that his anticipation of going to Nyanzi had preceded an experience he later wished he could undo. His remark that he wished he had never gone to Nyanzi suggests the mission carried significant personal cost, though the specific details of what transpired there are not fully elaborated in the text.

Role in The Crystal Conspiracy

Diplomatic Relations

On the world map

On the official world map, Nyanzi is a long red landmass in the south-west of Areth, with a city dot. It runs from the borders of Artrebla and Perryton toward Panderica, with Seamount off its southern tip. The map joins it to the rest of Areth by land. The description above calls it accessible only by sea, which may mean only that it is reached by sea from Rislandia. This is left for the author.

In A History of Rislandia

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi is referred to by the epithet "The Desert Innovators" and is described as occupying the blazing desert regions of the southeastern portion of the former Orethan Dominion, near the location of Solarias. The sourcebook frames Nyanzi as one of the kingdoms claiming descent from the ancient Shattered Empire, having developed along its own technological path after the Great Sundering.

Geography and Terrain

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi is located in eastern Areth, occupying a desert and coastal region. Its terrain encompasses the Artacala Desert inland and a more temperate coastal zone. The sourcebook describes the land as one of deserts, oases, and coastal cities. The climate is characterized as hot and dry in the interior, with milder conditions along the coast.

This presents a partial conflict with the novel-based account on this page, which describes Nyanzi's climate as "hot and humid." The sourcebook specifies hot and dry inland, with only the coastal region being milder.

The sourcebook also places Nyanzi in the southeastern deserts of the former Orethan Dominion and describes it as located in eastern Areth, which sits in tension with the novel-based account on this page's world-map note placing Nyanzi in the south-west of Areth.

Capital and Population

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi's capital is Great Jerohm, with an estimated population of approximately 60,000. The nation's total population is given as approximately 400,000.

Government and Society

The sourcebook confirms Nyanzi is a sultanate, ruled by the Sultan as an absolute monarch advised by viziers and ministers. Below the Sultan, society is structured into viziers, a wealthy and influential merchant class described as the backbone of society, highly respected artisans and engineers, laborers, and slaves — the latter noted as less common than in the past.

The sourcebook describes Nyanzi culture as reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s. Values attributed to the Nyanzi people include innovation, trade, pragmatism, hospitality, and secrecy. Bazaars and markets are described as bustling centers of commerce and social life. Architecture features domed buildings, minarets, and intricate tilework. Fashion includes flowing robes, turbans, veils, and elaborate jewelry. Cuisine consists of spiced meats, rice dishes, flatbreads, and sweet pastries. Music features stringed instruments, drums, and haunting melodies, and storytelling traditions include tales of djinn, heroes, and desert adventures.

Technology and Industry

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi's primary industries are advanced technology, mechanized devices, trade, and mining. The sourcebook lists Nyanzi's technological productions as Spider-Movers (identified as equivalent to Tap-Movers), mechanized cities, mecha suits, giant spider contraptions, and electro-turrets. The sourcebook specifies that steam engines power the Spider-Movers in Nyanzi. Nyanzi guards its technological secrets jealously, and its engineer guilds are described as innovators and keepers of those secrets. Merchant houses control trade and industry alongside these guilds.

Spoiler: The Steam Knight 2Click to reveal

Trade and Diplomacy

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi has maintained a policy of selling to both Rislandia and the Wyranth Empire, preserving neutrality and prioritizing profit over alliances. The sourcebook describes Nyanzi as connected to the Lantern Bay trade routes and to the Wyranth Empire by southern coast trade routes. Goods from Nyanzi are sold at the Grand Bazaar in the Eastern Port. Nyanzi also functions as a trade hub connecting Areth to distant lands, and exotic items from Nyanzi are sold at the Grand Market in Rislandia City.

The sourcebook provides a detailed diplomatic timeline: early contact with Nyanzi was made during the reign of King Malaky III (Years 108–125), trade expanded significantly under King Malaky VI, and a permanent Rislandian embassy in Nyanzi was established in Year 205, also under Malaky VI.

This conflicts with the novel-based account on this page, which states that permanent ambassadors were stationed in Rislandia by Nyanzi, and that Queen Reina I sent ambassadors to Nyanzi. The sourcebook instead frames the permanent embassy as a Rislandian institution established in Year 205 — centuries before Reina I's reign.

Stance on the Nightmen

According to A History of Rislandia, Nyanzi is aware of the Nightmen threat but has not committed to any alliance against them. The sourcebook notes that some Nyanzi scientists are interested in studying Nightmen technology, suggesting a degree of opportunism rather than opposition. Nyanzi continues to sell technology to the highest bidder regardless of the broader conflict.