Necrotic Zone

The Necrotic Zone is a region of Half-Haul Canal which is home to many communities of necromancers founded during the Long Night.

History

During the Long Night, Samuel Fate had the city of Cannath razed and sought to exterminate anyone living on the island chain of Half-Haul Canal. Exactly how effective this pogrom was is unknown, but it is generally recognized that by the early True Night the region was entirely uninhabited save possibly for a few isolated groups who had regressed to the status of hunter-gatherer tribes.

In about A.D. 2000, Necromancers fleeing the worst of Samuel Fate's aggression began to re-settle the region. They mostly settled on the previously uninhabited souther-western-most shore. Because necromancers naturally prefer to live underground, they found it easy to adapt to living in secret, and eventually built a vast network of caves and tunnels, all hidden from the surface where they grew food and fished for sustenance. It is known from records of the time that Fate was aware "something" was happening on Half-Haul Canal, but as expedition after expedition failed to locate anyone to be killed, it was eventually ignored.

By the end of the Long Night, dozens of distinct temples existed in the area and had been around for over 1,000 years.

When the Age of the New Day began, nearby Sun's Beacon quickly rose to prominence. Despite Fate's many efforts, Sun's Beacon was never really abandoned, and rapidly became the dominant power in the region. One of the first projects once a functional government was re-asserted was to gain control of the valuable anchorage at Half-Haul Canal. The grievances went back as far as the Mage Wars, where Sun's Beacon and Cannath fought bitterly. During the Alliance era, Cannath took valuable shipping from Sun's Beacon, as it provided a more useful stop-over for long-distance trade. The Beacon, eager to avoid a repeat of this, effectively claimed the uninhabited islands of Half-Haul for themselves.

This then led to some concern when the thriving Necromancer communities were discovered in the souther-western regions. They occupied an area of the island with then little economic or military value, and provided a valuable supply of food to the workers looking to rebuild Cannath as a vassal state of Sun's Beacon. Fortunately, the matter was easily resolved by the establishment of the New Day Allaince under Conri Jusenkyou. Effectively, the necromancers were granted eternal rights to their land, citizenship under Sun's Beacon's charter, and everyone was quite happy with the arrangement. Some further negotiations were made a few decades later that granted the temples stewardship over most of the southern island's landmass in order to prevent resource exploitation and preserve the pristine jungles.

By about the end of the first century N.D., Cannath was a thriving port city, while the necromancers maintained watch over a vibrant jungle. Locals from Cannath often traveled out to the temples as guests to explore the jungles and avail themselves of the lush black sand beaches.

The Necrotic Zone

During the early negotiations over the land, the area was called simply "The Necromancer Temple Zone" because it was shared by 13 distinct temples each either various offshoots. This was colloquially shortened to "The Necrotic Zone". The locals in Cannath, many of whom vacationed there or visited on weekends, coined the term and it stuck. The title was not meant to be derissive, indeed residents of Cannath always spoke very highly of the necromancers who lived there. "Going to the Necrotic Zone" even became local slang for taking a much-needed vacation. Quite a lot of jokes abounded in Cannath about being "dead(tired) from work and going to the Necrotic Zone to get raised up".

In the first decades of the second century N.D., the first formal resorts opened up. These were simple affairs, businesses started up by the temples in order to bring in revenue. By then the populations of necromancers had outgrown what they could feed through primitive farming methods, and they were eager to get modern medicine and education for their children. Most of the early resorts were very rustic, little beach cottages with no amenities, and communal meals. As more money came in, the temples invested in continually improving accommodations, and by the mid second-century controlled a thriving network of popular resorts. Half-Hall Canal was a vacation destination for tourists from all over Aren, though is not well-known to off-worlders.

In the year N.D. 300, High Mountain Bank and Trust opened a branch of their popular Dragonland Amusement Parks near the port city of Cannath but on the necrotic side of the canal. The park did use some land belonging to the necromancers but an arrangement was made, as the park was very good business for everyone involved. Despite it's proximity to the city, about 70% of the park employees are necromancers(though a sizeable population do live in the city or on the outskirts.

Amenities

The Necrotic Zone is most famous for the singing black sand beach and the Laguna Crescent, which is said to have the most beautiful sunset in the known worlds. Because the land is owned wholly necromancers living a traditional temple lifestyle, there are no private houses, and extensive pains have been taken to preserve the natural beauty of the area. All buildings near the shore are built low or set into hillsides, with tree cover to preserve the jungle canopy and create ample shade.

The resorts themselves offer a blend of activities, with a lot of simple resort life like resturaunts and bars(though excessive alcohol consumption is discouraged), as well as swiming, boating, and scuba diving. Off shore there are several coral reefs, ship wrecks, and submerged ruins for the adventurous travelers to explore. Other recreation such as games and sports are available, as well as exibitions of foot kort matches.

Further inland, the jungles hold beautiful waterfalls and a plethora of wildlife. Deeper underground, there are miles of explorable natural caves connected by artificial tunnels, all shaped and mapped by the necromancers. Many great underground structures show the rich history of the area.

The primary attraction, aside from the natural beauty, is the great amount of safety the region offers. There are very few poisonous or venomous local fauna, and crime is virtually non-existent. Resort employees are temple necromancers who's basic needs are well met. Most of the very few crimes are perpetrated on tourists by other tourists. The necromancers are also impose extremely strict bans on then importation of elicit substances. Alcohol is permitted but discouraged. To that end the resorts attract a lot of families, who enjoy being able to take their kids somewhere they can be safe.

Customers

The Necrotic Zone does cater heavily to the necromancer population of Aren, however many non-necromancers visit as well, and no one is ever made to feel unwelcome. Necromancers in general, and specifically those living in the Necrotic Zone, practice sacred hospitality. Welcoming guests is not merely their business, it is part of their religion.

Origin Story

The following tail is widely considered apocryphal, and has over time evolved into the status of myth. Many historians believe it to be a patchwork narrative, and that several similar events probably happened. The story is as follows:

One day, a man from Cannath was out fishing. Searching for the elusive schools, he sailed further and further from the city