Zenwey

Zenwey

Zenwey is the vast continent across the Golgmarsh Ocean from Rislandia and the Iberanth Peninsula. Known as Zenwey in the ancient Giant tongue — rendered in translation as "First Home" — it was the birthplace of Giant civilization. According to Ivan, the Iron Emperor's research, giants were once very real, nearly human but larger, and they originated on the Zenwey continent; this Giant bloodline is also the origin of Zaira von Monocle's ability to interact with crystals, as Ivan explained to her. The continent is described in-world as strange and dangerous, its peoples considered far less developed than Rislandia by Rislandian observers. Harkerpal described it plainly as a dangerous place. Juiyan referenced primitive areas of Zenwey whose inhabitants would call survival technology magic. It was warmer there than in Rislandia during the events of The Fight for Rislandia.

Rislandia had not sent an expedition to the Zenwey continent since Baron Theodore von Monocle's younger days prior to the events of The Blood of Giants.

Geography

Zenwey is a continent of geographic extremes. Its southern tip is covered by dense jungle and forest, with coastal sands of black coloration derived from eroded igneous rock produced by lava flows. Obsidian-colored rocks and palms line portions of the coast. Volcanoes are present on the continent; one is visible from the coastline and sits above the jungle region. Inland from the jungle lies the Artacala Desert, a vast arid expanse where the air is cool and dry compared to the jungle — though the desert of Zenwey is described as far hotter and more inhospitable than the desert near the Wyranth capital. At the southern end of the desert lie southern cities, including Great Jerohm. Dangerous man-beasts inhabit the regions north of the desert, and the far north is home to peoples described as very dangerous. Cappa came from the opposite side of the continent.

Key Locations

• Great Jerohm: A major city located at the southern end of the Artacala Desert.
• Nightmen City: Underground cavern cities of the Nightmen, located beneath the desert of Zenwey. The continent is said to have as many Nightmen cities as Rislandia, or perhaps more.
• Nightmen Arena: An arena within Nightmen territory where captives were forced to fight for survival. James Gentry was enslaved and compelled to fight in arena matches there during his time on the continent.
• Juiyan's Castle: Juiyan's mechanized fortress, also referred to as the Sinking Castle.
• Jungle Villages: Coastal tribal settlements in the southern jungle region.
• Mitis Mountain Range: Possibly the Giants' origin point.
• The Volcano: An active volcano situated above the jungle near the coast; it erupted during events described in The Blood of Giants, sending lava and thick black smoke into the sky.

Inhabitants

• Tribes of Zenwey: Loosely allied peoples led by chiefs, with shamans attached to their chiefs. They are described as pleasant people but having little to offer in trade. They are also referred to collectively as the Zenwey Tribes or simply the Zenwey.

• Man-Beasts of Zenwey: Dangerous beast-men inhabiting the regions north of the desert, described as plaguing the southern cities. On a previous visit, man-beasts seized The Liliana for a time. In The Fight for Rislandia, the crew fought off an entire force of strange bestial warriors on the continent.
• Rhys: A scientist described as "a strange scientist from the Zenwey continent." Zaira von Monocle returned from her mission to Zenwey with Mr. Rhys.
• Various creatures: Giant Bats, were-creatures, and others. Zenwey has been identified as a possible source of creatures that have appeared in Rislandia and at Portsgate.

History

The Tribes of Zenwey possess knowledge of pre-settler history. A shaman of the Zenwey allowed Baron Theodore von Monocle to read a book claimed to be the true history of the world — a book about giants that made it sound as if giants were real. This volume is one of the known in-world documents connected to Zenwey; see In-World Books & Documents for further detail.

King Malaky XVI originally sent the crew of The Liliana to explore trade with foreign nations. Baron Theodore von Monocle and Harkerpal undertook a first expedition to Zenwey together. On early missions, the Baron saved tribes from disease and volcanic eruption, returning to the jungle region with herbal medicines. The Baron's log recorded that the people of Zenwey were dying by the dozens during one such visit, and that they were ambushed by enemies of those in Great Jerohm. Little opportunity for trade was found on previous visits, and the tribes were described as pleasant but having little to offer commercially.

Role in For Steam and Country

In For Steam and Country, Zaira von Monocle's father is established to have made three journeys across the ocean to open trade negotiations with the Tribes of Zenwey. During these visits, a shaman attached to one of the chiefs presented him with a book concerning pre-settler history — described elsewhere as a book about giants. The Liliana also crossed the Golgmarsh Ocean to Zenwey on a diplomatic mission under Baron Theodore von Monocle.

Role in The Blood of Giants

In The Blood of Giants, Zaira von Monocle took The Liliana to the Zenwey continent in hopes of finding more giant's blood to cure Wyranth soldiers of their addictions. It was noted that Rislandia had not sent an expedition there since her father's younger days.

Upon arrival, the crew observed the black coastal sands and the smoking volcano above the jungle. The shaman of the Zenwey welcomed the crew into her hut to drink kava. During the mission, the Nightmen attacked the Zenwey village with bat gliders. The volcano subsequently erupted, sending lava and thick black smoke into the sky; lava destroyed the Nightmen's transport and splattered onto The Liliana's deck, causing fire. Chapter epigraphs quoting Baron von Monocle's Log (Month of Dukes, 5th Year of King Malaky XVI's Reign, from the Baron's earlier expedition) describe an earlier eruption and the evacuation of the Zenwey to the lower jungle and to the coast. The Liliana could not return toward the volcano after the eruption.

Following the eruption, The Liliana came from the jungle before crash-landing in the desert after a giant bat attack. The desert air was described as cool and dry compared to the jungle. The ship slid through sand and came to rest against a sand dune. Harkerpal's log noted that lumber from the Zenwey jungle could be used for hull repairs. Lieutenant Colwell later referenced findings from the Zenwey continent. The continent was described as a place that may offer friendship and allies.

Zaira returned from this expedition with Rhys, a scientist from the Zenwey continent. This return with Mr. Rhys was later credited as key to the anti-serum effort. During this expedition, Zaira was enslaved at some point, and her party blew up the entrance to the Nightmen caves.

Role in The Fight for Rislandia

In The Fight for Rislandia, Zenwey was referenced as a continent Zaira von Monocle had previously visited on expedition. Ivan, the Iron Emperor had convinced Zaira to undertake the mission there, and he acknowledged that her trip to Zenwey had been mutually beneficial for both parties at the time. Zaira had not fully accounted for the events of the expedition to her father until events described in this volume.

The commandos were lost on a mission to Zenwey. James Gentry uncovered a spy within the Knights of the Crystal Spire before the crew departed for Zenwey. During the expedition, the crew fought off an entire force of strange bestial warriors on the continent. Ivan noted that Zaira's exploits there were remarkable, and that she had had less time to focus on people since the expedition. The expedition to Zenwey and the return with Rhys were credited as key to the anti-serum effort.

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding (novel), Zenwey was referenced in discussions between Zaira von Monocle and Ivan, the Iron Emperor. Ivan cited his research into giant origins, stating that giants were once very real — nearly human but larger — and that they originated on the Zenwey continent. He also referenced the Nightmen as "the giant-blooded people" Zaira had told him about from the Zenwey continent. Harkerpal was noted as having observed bat gliders used by the Nightmen during the earlier Zenwey expedition. The continent was referred to as "the strange continent" in this context.

Role in The Steam Knight

In The Steam Knight, Zenwey was referenced as a continent James Gentry had previously traveled to and been stranded on for months, described in his own words as "my traveling to the Zenwey continent and getting stuck there for months." The continent was referred to as "the strange Zenwey continent" and noted as lying far across the ocean from Rislandia.

James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern traveled to Zenwey aboard The Liliana, as did Major Edwin Ral. During Rislandian operations on the continent, forces encountered explosive bags used by inhabitants of Zenwey; these devices were subsequently reverse-engineered, contributing to the development of grenades, as referenced in the text: "reverse engineered the exploding bags we encountered on the Zenwey continent."

In-World Documents

A book about giants — claimed by the shaman to be the true history of the world — was shown to Baron Theodore von Monocle by a Zenwey shaman. See In-World Books & Documents for further detail.

On the world map

On the official world map, Zenwey is a large red-tinted continent in the north-west. The Siren Sea lies to its north, Dragonmist to its east, the Crosswinds Sea to its south-east, and the Golgmarsh Ocean to its south-west. A lake with an island sits in its north. The label Zenwey Desert runs across its centre. Five sites are marked: Klektiklub (Klektiklab) in the north-west, Nightman Cavern (Nightmen City), Sinking Castle (Juiyan's Castle), Great Jehrom (Great Jerohm), and Jungle Village on the south-east coast. The map does not mark the volcano or the Mitis Mountains. It places the Ebony Sands off Zarma in Areth, not on Zenwey (see Ebony Sands Coast).

In A History of Rislandia

According to A History of Rislandia, Zenwey is described as "the vast landmass that would later be known by many names, but which the Giants themselves called Zenwey (meaning 'First Home' in their ancient tongue)." The bible identifies it explicitly as the northern continent, a detail not specified on this page, which describes Zenwey's position only in relation to Rislandia across the Golgmarsh Ocean.

Geography and Resources

The sourcebook characterises Zenwey as a land of extremes: dense jungles in coastal regions, vast deserts in the interior, and volcanic mountains that touched the sky. Crucially, it adds that the continent contained rich deposits of crystals in the deep places, and that these crystal deposits were far richer than those of the western peninsula. This detail — that Zenwey is a major source of crystals — does not appear elsewhere on this page.

The Giants' Homeland

The bible is unambiguous that Zenwey was the heart of Giant civilization: "The Giants built their greatest wonders in Zenwey, their homeland." It elaborates on the wonders described in the novels, confirming floating cities above the jungles, great towers rising from the desert sands, dragon-riders patrolling from volcanic peaks, automatons serving in every capacity, and libraries accumulating the sum of all knowledge, with art and culture flourishing. The sourcebook also states that the Giants controlled Zenwey and scattered colonies amounting to perhaps fifteen percent of the world's landmass.

Humans in Zenwey

According to A History of Rislandia, humans also emerged in Zenwey, though in smaller numbers than the Giants. Their relationship with Giant society was varied: some humans were enslaved, others were ignored, and a few traded with the Giants. This pre-history of human presence on the continent — and of human enslavement there under the Giants — is not addressed elsewhere on this page.

Spelling Note

The sourcebook records the spelling Zenwey as the Giants' own name for the continent, consistent with what the novel-based account on this page states.