Sasiru Kian is spread over an extensive continent, with terrain running from semitropical forests on the equator to chill ice-covered mountains in the north and cold marshes and barren salt wastes in the south. Its varied terrain contains a wide variety of plants, minerals and wildlife.
Sasiru Kian holds a wide variety of plants, minerals and wildlife spread over its varied terrain. The dominant race is the yuanu-ti, which consists of three species that are collectively refered by the term: the venefaxae, which are large armed serpents; the ophidae, which are smaller serpents with arms; and the toxicae, which look like sexless humans with scales, slit eyes and forked tongues. These species appear to be related; toxicae can be magically transformed and brought into the ranks of either ophidae or venefaxae if they gain enough status and power. In addition, the species are affected by the genetic mutations that have affected the rest of the world, resulting in 'abominations.' Abominations are killed upon detection. The other most common people in Sasiru Kian are the Kinai, oriental humans with black hair and amber or yellow eyes.
Toxicae, by far the most numerous, may be found riding dragon horses, kiita or wandega. They use vor to pull carriages for the venefaxae and ophidae when they leave their palaces. Kiani often become dragonhunters or beastmasters, windlords who captain huge trireme ships across air and sea, astromancers who navigate these triremes, or they may work directly for the yuanu-ti as fealts or devotionals.
Sasiru Kian means Binding Chain, and the people are bound by rigid castes, customs and traditions, only a few of which are described here.
Yuanu-ti have no familial bonds and are more or less self-sufficient from birth. They are laid and born in caste-segregated Nests, and raised by Nestwardens (Vulgate caste) who teach them the basic social skills they need before they are taken for more advanced instruction as apprentices. Few yuanu-ti ever learn their parents' identities. Yuanu-ti mate during regular fertility rituals, and the eggs are laid two months later. There is no social or emotional bonding between mates.
However, yuanu-ti are not emotionless. Friendships are powerful bonds for yuanu-ti, although few develop between members of different castes. Some yuanu-ti may "adopt" a other yuanu-ti, or non yuanu-ti, in a bond called rinyir. A rinyire family serves and is served by the yuan-ti; such associations assure loyal allies and can bring political and social power. However, the bond of rinyire is not easily broken; death is the usual method. Rinyir may be taken by other races, as well, such as by a yuan-ti bloodmage to a powerful mendicant.
Yuanu-ti also have an emotion called sherar. To feel sherar is to feel profound respect, loyalty and honor for another, but not necessarily friendship. One who feels sherar for another will be honest and fair while dealing with that person. Many classic tales of chuhyre [blood vengeance] have concerned feelings of sherar.
Violence, betrayal and death are common in Sasiru, where personal advancement is gained over another's corpse. As a result, matters of phenthe [honor] are extremely important; one must trust another's word of honor in many matters. Most yuanu-ti live in extreme paranoia unless their safety has been assured - formally or implicitly - by the codes of honor of the people around them.
Since fear of death is omnipresent, it is quite common for yuanu-ti to travel armed and with a company of trusted allies. Refusing food or drink, bearing arms in public and private places, refusing to meet with someone alone, and other cautious actions are considered normal and within the bounds of politeness in Sasiru. Casting spells of protection or detection is also acceptable, although spellcasting in somebody else's presence may lead them to assume they're under attack.
The only "sin" recognized among the yuanu-ti is phenthar [breaking honor]; by going back on a word of honor, mistrusting another's word of honor [palphenth], or causing somebody to break a word of honor [ephenthar]. Crimes among the yuanu-ti are crimes of honor [phenthar] or caste [jirir], and only when honor or caste have been defied are cases of murder, theft, burglary, etc. considered crimes. Crimes are generally punished by death, and there is no formal justice system.
Yuanu-ti civilization is an old one. An empire, the word and appearance of the yuan-ti imperate is sacred and all-powerful. However, the immense respect this personage receives doesn't keep yuanu-ti from making periodic assassination attempts, as it is well known among them that whomsoever kills a deity shall become one in its place. This method of personal advancement is found at all levels of yuanu-ti society, with predictable results with regard to social behavior. Most individuals in Sasiru Kian bear weapons, except the bound.
Sasiru's culture is one based on escer [rank], which is a combination of jirir [caste] and power. The castes are highbred (noble), breedfealt (courtier), blade-consecrate (knight/paladin), esthete (artist), artisan (crafter), mercate (trader) and vulgate (commoner). An eighth and ninth caste, that of bloodcaller (cruentor) and shadowbinder (spy/assassin), may be doubled with any of the first seven castes. Being a bloodcaller or shadowbinder grants one more power within one's caste, and is an extra consideration when matters of rank are being considered. Besides the nine castes, one could be bound and/or outcaste. A bound, or slave, may have come from any caste initially, but is powerless. An outcaste may have power, but is considered casteless due to being foreign, unwilling to admit to possessing a caste, or insane.
| Caste | Type | Usual Race |
| Highbred | Noble | Venefaxae |
| Breedfealt | Courtier | Ophidae, Toxicae |
| Blade-Consecrate | (Anti-) Paladin, Cavalier, Fighter, Scout, Bounty Hunter | Ophidae, Toxicae, human |
| Esthete | Artist, Bard, Poisoner (alchemist), Ascetic (monk), Mage | Toxicae, human |
| Artisan | Craftsman | Toxicae, human |
| Mercate | Merchant | Toxicae, human |
| Vulgate | Commoner | Toxicae, human |
| Bound | Slave (any) | human |
| Outcaste | Any | Foreign race, any |
| Bloodcaller | Cruentor | Venefaxae, Ophidae, Toxicae, human |
| Shadowbinder | Assassin, Thief | Venefaxae, Ophidae, Toxicae, human |
Each caste has the ability to command any caste below within Sasiru law. Thus, a mercate could blamelessly kill a slave, and be in turn blamelessly slain by a poet. A breedfealt could acceptably kill a bloodcaller commoner. However, each person has the right to self-defense, and successful defense of one's self (defined by causing the death or incapacitation of one's attacker) is also protected by Sasiru convention.
Power is a very loose consideration that takes into account physical and mental prowess, personal skills, wealth (money and possessions), influence over others (benign or malevolant), family history, personal history, etc. While power does not carry with it conventional rights such as caste does, it carried unwritten weight, especially given the right of anybody to self-defense. The mercate may be very wary of commanding the death of a strong, intelligent and popular slave.
There are two forbidden professions in Sasiru Kian: defiler (who uses the Emporer's lands without permission) and hound (who challenges caste privileges without being recognizable). Moreover, the yuanu-ti have little patience with templars, whom worship other deities-on-earth and are spies from the Iron Autocracy. They have considerably more appreciation for carnifexes, whom they class as esthete-shadowbinders and whom often consult with yuanu-ti poisoners. Naturally, there are no healers, druids, hedge wizards, clerics or rangers in Sasiru Kian, as in the rest of the Shadowed Lands.
| Boundland | Urname | Bloodfealt | Hellbinder | Patron |
| Execrati | si'Vantsil | Valaciah | Grindsinner, Who Copulates with the Dead | Malison (curses) |
| Ajyre | si'Morvi | Aine | Mouldclaw, Who Rules the Worms of Flesh | Mock (disease) |
| Helluo | si'Revile | Ischyros | Fatspasm, Who Eats His Spawn | Raptor (eating) |
| Cruciat | si'Shapale | Ose | Maimgrin*, The Flayed | Twist (torture) |
| Crimas | si'Ulhale | Teneha | Smutblighter, Who Comes Without Being Summoned | Inculptor (accusations) |
| Avaritsia | si'Nesras | Shan | Satefiddle, Consumer of the Shattered Crystals | Vorace (greed) |
| Inficer | si'Lhadji | Balay | Grossbile, Beast of Burning Stone | Bane (poison) |
| Othiusus | si'Scavatsa | Lahash | Gibberfume, Guardian of the Astral Gates | Mazed (insanity) |
| Ulsor | si'Evail | Helel | Pilebiter, The Relentless Pursuer | Scourge (punishment) |
| Occasu | si'Uray | Abathur | Spikelust, Who Whispers Unspeakable Vices | Decad (decadence) |
The Seat Imperial is Execrati si'Vantsil, where the imperate dwells in a bloodstone, quartz and obsidian palace and is served by highbreds, breedfealts, blades-consecrate and esthetes. The imperate has a trusted cabal of blades-consecrate called the White Slayers who guard the imperate at all times with their lives. In addition, the imperate is aided by a sorceror-champion, a cruentor who provides the imperate with magical support, and the huntsmen, bloodcallers specifically hired to root out traitors and plots against the Imperium. All bloodfealts owe the imperate allegiance, undergoing a ritual called the Acquiescence Brand upon rising to office. The Acquiescence Brand is a magical oath of loyalty, witnessed by the Imperate's hellbinder, Grindsinner, immediately alerts the mendicant should it be broken.
Each other boundland and capital city is led by a highbred, who in turn has his or her share of breedfealts and blades-consecrate to protect the land. Cities in Sasiru Kian tend to be large, sprawling affairs. There are few settlements in the wilderness - just the occasional farmhouse or ascetic's monastery. The wilderness is considered quite dangerous, and large cobbled roads criss-cross it, protected by imperial blades-consecrate called Guardians of the Way who keep monsters and bandits from raiding travellers, but also ensure that nobody uses the Imperial Ways without proper reasons for going abroad. They keep garrisons every few days on the road which travellers may use for a small fee or donation of food or other produce and which house the Guardians' mounts and the occasional airship for running speedy messages to the capitals.
Besides the Imperial Ways, travellers through Sasiru Kian may use the rivers or coasts. Water travel is quite common in Sasiru Kian, with the boats and ships being square-sailed and shallow-bottomed. For ocean travel, the yuanu-ti use lorcas, war junks and trading junks. For river travel, they use river junks or crooked stern junks (for rapids), or the small fishing junks and flower junks. For speedy river travel, they may use sampans or racing dragon boats.
The Kiani specialize in creating, captaining and navigating windships, great triremes that may sail air or water. These ships are used by both Kiani and the yuanu-ti.
Finally, travellers in the mountains may choose to use dragonwings, or gliders, to move from mountain to mountain. This requires some training, but is an efficient means of manuevering over the rough landscape, especially during the winter or flood seasons.
Sasiru Kian culture is formal, aesthetic and stylized. Beauty and ornament are found in even the meanest peasant huts, and great value is placed on style and grace. The arts are highly regarded, and even those who are not esthetes or artisans often practice some sort of artistic talent such as music, singing, dance, calligraphy or the like. Such talents are part of considerations of power.
The armor and weaponry of Sasiru Kian varies widely, influenced by the satamharanthu and the young races. However, traditional armor and weapons are more often made of bamboo, hide or chain than of plate metal1, and are often highly ornamented with filigree, enameling and engraving. Curves, spikes and wavy edges are common decorative motifs in Sasiru Kian work. Body shields are usually made of bamboo and hide, while the small round medium shields are made of bossed and chased metal. All sorts of swords, daggers, maces and so on are used in Sasiru Kian, usually coated with some sort of organic poison.
Clothing tends to be loose but covering, with robes and turbans common to all climates. Felt and fur are mostly found in colder climes, silk, cotton and linen in warmer areas. Embroidery and dying are common decorations, and jewelry is worn by both men and women, noble and peasant. In warmer areas the people may go barefoot or in simple sandals, while in colder areas or on the road the natives of Sasiru Kian wear felt or leather boots with distinctive upturned toes.
1. See Oriental Adventures or Dragon, January 1993, "Rhino's armor, tiger's claws" for examples.
Helluo si'Revile
Capital: Ischyros
Terrain: The Funereal Mountains
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Other Races: Kenku (The Funereal Mts.)
The Gate of the Night Eye
[Map: I.C.E.'s Fortresses of Middle-Earth - Teeth of Mordor]
This great gate is built into the Funereal Mountains, an otherwise virtually impassable range of steep, jagged rock. The gate is always manned and guarded, and regulates entrance into and out of Helluo si'Revile.
Cruciat si'Shapale
Capital: Ose
Terrain: The Funereal Mountains, The Cobweb Forest
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Crimas si'Ulhale
Capital: Teneha
Terrain: The Bleeding Lands, The Funereal Mountains
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Avaritsia si'Nesras
Capital: Shan
Terrain: The Bleeding Lands, The Funereal Mountains
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Execrati si'Vantsil
Capital: Valaciah
Terrain: Labyrinth Mountains, Poisoned Forest
Dominate: Valaciah
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Valaciah
[Map: Palace, TSR's Ochimo The Spirit Warrior, Opawangchicheng]
Valaciah is the capital of Sasiru Kian, a huge city carved of marble and other high-quality stone and embedded with precious stones and jewels. The city is nestled at the base of the Labyrinth Mountains
Inficer si'Lhadji
Capital: Balay
Terrain: Labyrinth Mountains, Poisoned Forest
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Othiusus si'Scavatsa
Capital: Lahash
Terrain: Labyrinth Mountains, Poisoned Forest
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Other Races: Phanaton (The Poisoned Forest)
The City of Lost Demons
[Map: I.C.E. ShadowWorld - Demons of the Burning Night - Tarek Nev]
This ancient, abandoned city lies deep within the Poisoned Forest, where the Phanaton avoid it. This is, in fact, the city that is said to have given the forest its name, for the demonic evil that once held sway here infected the forest with its dark powers.
Ulsor si'Evail
Capital: Helel
Terrain: Crumbling Desert
Special Classes:
Redfuries (Tari beserkers)
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Other Races: Tari (The Crumbling Desert) - stone & bronze-age weapons
Occasu si'Uray
Capital: Abathur
Terrain: Blackfens, Salt Wastes
Majority Race: Yuanu-Ti, Human - Kiani
Other Races: Tari (Blackfens, Salt Wastes)
