Etzavaz

Etzavaz

Area	7,679,975 km2 (2,965,255 sq mi)
Population	X
Demonym	Etzavazi
Countries	8 countries Agisia Central Etzavazi Republic Gharzere Hashdezi Empire North Sydosha Oldirian Union South Sydosha Vezdalen
Languages	Various

Etzavaz (Dirhassian: ejábaz, tr. Etźávaz [ˈed͡ʑa:vɑs̻]) is one of the 7 continents of Jotunnheim. It is the Xth largest by surface area, behind TBA and TBA, and Xth most populous, behind TBA. It is surrounded on all sides by sea: the Bhayuruka Sea to the west, Verethian Strait to the north, Triangle Sea to the east and Pariunic Ocean to the south.

Etymology

The name *Edʒahwahʃ first appeared in the Ghashesihun as early as the 28th century CY. Because texts in the Ghashesihun were originally oral compositions, it is possible that the name is much older. In the text, *Edʒahwahʃ refers to the homeland of the followers of Tohadal. It derives from Kholic *edʒah, meaning "river, way, path" and *wahʃ, meaning "god"; the name therefore translates to either "river[s] of the god[s]" or "way of the god[s]". The word was then borrowed by Dhimze sources of the late Classical Period as Ejāuāç[a], which evolved into modern Dhimze ejhávázi Ejavazi, which was then reborrowed into Middle Dirhassian as ejáoaẓ Edźávaẓ. This reborrowed term is first attested in a 4052 CY map by Oldirian cartographer Tzál Daś.

History

Main article: History of Etzavaz

Geography

Main article: Geography of Etzavaz

Climate zones of Etzavaz in the Köppen climate classification system

Extent

Etzavaz, as a whole being part of the Etzavazi plate, which also includes the Dhimze West Islands, is the second-smallest continent on Jotunnheim, after Nkungu. TBD

Topography

The geography of northern Etzavaz is dominated by mountain ranges, with the high plateaus of the X Mountains occupying much of the Oldirian Union while the Y Mountains separate the eastern and western parts of the region. The Z Mountains also run through the middle of the continent, separating the mountainous north from the relatively flatter south. The highest peaks in each mountain range are TBA.

Climate

The climate of Etzavaz is generally tropical, varying from hot deserts to humid rainforests. Its western coast is primarily desert, or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and dense jungle regions. In the north, the climate is much milder, with more or less dry summers and temperate subtropical areas. Elevated areas in the northern mountain ranges frequently experience hot summers and snowfall in winter.

Ecology

Etzavaz shares many populations of flora and fauna with neighboring regions of Nkungu, Ashnan and Yazland due to their close proximity and fairly recent land bridges. For example, cows, jackals and caracals are found across both Etzavaz and Ashnan, while lions and other feline species are shared with Nkungu and Yazland. While some fauna are common across the whole continent, the difference in climate between north and south has led to unique ecosystems: for example the south of the continent is home to many more species of reptiles such as freshwater crocodiles, monitors, cobras and vipers.

List of countries and territories

There are 8 sovereign states in Etzavaz, as well as an autonomous country of Dhimrai.

Country or territory	Total area (km²)	Population (4627 CY)	Pop. density (per km²)	Common languages (official in bold)	Capital
Agisia	165,537	14,491,000	87.54	Agisian	Hosjutz
Askeliema				Dhimze, X
Central Etzavazi Republic				X, Y, Z, West Cernian
Gharzere	197,877			Gharzi, Dhimze, Dirhassian
Hashdezi Empire	364,852	48,295,000	132.37	Hashdezi, Saterove Agisian, Vezdali	Svakjaddr
North Sydosha				Sydian
Oldirian Union	1,368,947	117,195,000	85.61	Dirhassian, East Cernian, Vezdali	Oszújú
South Sydosha				Sydian
Vezdalen				Vezdali	Hivfeta-on-Esza

Demographics

Population

In 4627 CY the total population of Etzavaz was about 200+ million people. The most populous countries on Etzavaz are the Oldirian Union and Central Etzavazi Republic.

Largest urban centers

Country	City	City population	Metro area population
Oldirian Union	Oszújú	2,161,000

Ethnology

The population of Etzavaz is made up of the descendants of three large ethnic groups and their combinations.

• Verethians, making up much of the northern half of the continent. Migrated around 2,000 years ago from Ashnan.
• South Etzavazis, located primarily in the south. They are thought to have migrated from Yazland around the same time as the Verethians, coinciding with the Yasgan migrations.
• X people, scattered around the Z Mountains in the Central Etzavazi Republic. Widely believed to be paleo-Etzavazi in origin, having inhabited the continent for thousands of years.
• Mixed-race peoples, primarily living in the Central Etzavazi Republic.

Religion

The dominant religion across most of Etzavaz is Tohadal practiced by X% of the population. There are also significant populations of Misraist followers, primarily in the southeast and the Central Etzavazi Republic. (TBD south)

Languages

Main article: Languages of Etzavaz

Various languages are spoken in Etzavaz, most of them belonging to two main native language families.

• Verethian languages, a branch of the Ashno-Verethian language family.
• South Etzavazi languages.

The most widely spoken first language in Etzavaz is Dirhassian, followed by X and Hashdezi. These languages are part of three different branches of the Verethian language family, being Kholic, Southern and Western. There is also the Cernic branch of languages, which is considered a dialect continuum of the Cernian language spoken in the Oldirian Union and Central Etzavazi Republic. There is also a pocket of Yasgan languages in the form of Gharzi and Dhimze being spoken in Gharzere. The X people, an ethnic minority in the Central Etzavazi Republic, also speak X, which is considered a language isolate.