Zilaidat

Zilaidat is a large city-island located in the northwest area of Ihphy's Archipelago. In A Death at Dawn, Gloriana Wayward notes that the island is named after Zilaidat, the Deity of Ihphy, who was banished from the Clouds and turned into the island.

Districts
There are sixteen districts: four central districts and three sub-districts in each main. Vermillion Valley is where most of the material goods are sold. Malachite Creek is an agricultural district. Platinum Quarters is the wealthiest district in Zilaidat, where the High Mistresses live. The Rogue District is the most populous and polluted district in Zilaidat.

Vermillion Valley
Vermillion Valley is also known as the Red District. Carmine Cascades, Amaranth Alley, and Mahogany Crafts are the districts inside Vermillion Valley. Carmine Cascades is the bazaar district for artisans. Tailors, rugmakers, jewelers, and merchants live in Carmine Cascades. There are also several hotels in Carmine Cascades. Blacksmiths have shops and live in Amaranth Valley. Mahogany Crafts is a district for woodcrafters.

Alizarin Port is the entrance to Zilaidat. The port is located in the Carmine Cascades, so visitors can start shopping as they exit the ship.

Malachite Creek
Malachite Creek is also known as the Green District. Vividian Park, Sage Row, and Sanuva Drylands are the districts inside Malachite Creek. Vividian Park is a public park commissioned by the High Mistresses. The park is known for its many massive fountains. Sage Row is the bazaar district where agriculture grown on the island is sold. Sanuva Drylands is the largest district in Malachite Creek. This district is owned by the Sanuvian people, who were the original people of the island. Sanuva Drylands used to be a barren wasteland during the Pollution Years, but it is now filled with farmland with a small fishing village. Sanuvian’s allow anyone to live and work on the land.

Platinum Quarters
Platinum Quarters is also known as the White District. Porcelain Hills, Shoppes at the Silk, and Silver Grounds are the districts inside Platinum Quarters. Porcelain Hills is where the High Mistresses live. The High Mistresses govern Zilaidat. Seven High Mistresses represent each district. Shoppes at the Silk is where the high-end hotels, restaurants, jewelers, and tailors are located. The Citadel of the Amazon, Gullion Temple, High Chapel of the Clouds, and Court of the High Mistresses are situated in the Silver Grounds.

Rouge Area
The Rogue Area is also known as the Black District. Stygian Way, Smoke Stacks, and the Guilds are the districts inside Rogue Area. Stygian Way is where the low-end inns, taverns, and brothels are located. Stygian Way is known for having high crime rates. Smoke Stacks are known for the numerous smokestacks that pollute the area. These smokestacks power the entire city’s power. Zilaidat is the only area in Ihphy’s Archipelago that uses gases to make electricity. Since the smokestacks are in the Rogue Area, this district is the darkest area in the city. Platinum Quarters is the brightest area in the city. At the end of the Pollution Years, the High Mistresses voted on creating a barrier that stops the smoke from affecting the rest of the city. This has created a high death rate for the citizens who live in the Smoke Stacks. The Guilds is where numerous guilds are located. The Rogue Company is the largest guild in Zilaidat.

Climate
Zilaidat’s climate is commonly dry. The last four moons of the year are the rain moons that usually bring a lush harvest for the Platinum Quarters and Malachite Creek.

Acid rain falls weekly in the Rogue Area, but it does not affect the rest of the city.

People
The people of Zilaidat are a mix of natural-born Zilaidatians, the Sanuva, and immigrants from all over the world. The Sanuva are the only distinct ethnic group in Zilaidat.

Sanuva
The Sanuva people were the first people to inhabit the island, but they were originally from the Redgrass Region in Nempur. The Sanuva singularly worshipped Axone, bringing them discrimination amongst the other ethnic groups that lived in the Redgrass Region who adored Citia.

In 80 BI, the Asthenia disease spread across the Redgrass Region affecting the different ethnic groups that inhabited the area. The Sanuva were hit the hardest from the disease, and in 82 BI, the Sunsu people began to forcefully take Sanuvian land while killing all Sanuva inhabitants. In 83 BI, Queen Ashae Sanu led her people to Zilaidat, escaping persecution from the Sunsu.

From the highly praised text, The Queen’s Diaries, Ashae wrote that when she arrived on the island, Axone greeted her and her people. Axone explained that the island was inhabitable because it was a banished deity named Zilaidat. Ashae begged Axone to let her people live here because they were being persecuted in Nempur. Axone agreed to it and told Ashae that her people have to protect the island for all eternity, to which Ashae agreed.

Although the Sanuva now own the Sanuva Drylands, the small population still lives throughout the island.

History
Queen Ashae Sanu led her people to the deserted island of Zilaidat in 83 BI. The Sanuva people occupied the island for many centuries.

In 329 EAE, an Arcan ship crashed in the Amethyst Sea. The survivors swam to Zilaidat, and the Sanuva helped them build a new boat to go back to Mystos.

The Arcs returned in 331 EAE with human slaves and forced the Sanuva to sign the Friendship of the Isle, an agreement that took half of the island from the Sanuva. The Arcs named their half of the island Ormnaes, although the Sanuva people warned them that changing the name would anger Axone.

In 340 EAE, the Arcs built the Wall of Separation, which is still up today, although crumbling.

In 348 EAE, a disease spread through the island, wiping out the Arcan and non-Sanuvian human population. The disease was known as the Sanuvian disease because the Sanuva people were not affected.

The Arcs returned to Zilaidat in 700 EAE and decided to share the island with the Sanuva. The Sanuva agreed to be co-inhabitants in return for the Arcs to teach them the Arts. The Arcs taught the Sanuva people allure weaponsmith techniques instead.

In 705 EAE, the Arcs created the High Mistresses, a group of Valkyries, to rule Zilaidat for all. The High Mistress title was passed down to each elder High Mistress daughter once the girl reached eighteen. If a High Mistress didn’t have a daughter, then she can adopt one as a protege. There are seven High Mistresses: Maroon, Ochre, Saffron, Olive, Lapis, Cobalt, and Tyrian.

In 1000 EAE, Mistress Meira Olive adopted the first human as protege to become a High Mistress. In 1020 EAE, Gwenerva Olive cemented her status as High Mistress, becoming the first human. Mistress Gwenerva was murdered by Arcs in 1037 EAE, causing humans to riot. With Ex-Mistress Meira’s help, the humans created the Fair Agreement stating that humans have just as much of a right as Arcs to become High Mistresses. Susriel Olive became the second human High Mistress. House Olive is now known as the House of Humans.

While the Secession of Man was happening, the High Mistresses signed an updated Fair Agreement stating that Arcan ancestors could continue holding titles and that no one can dispose the High Mistresses. House Saffron is the last of the Mistresses to have Arcan ancestry.

In 398 SM, Savant Heilo created dim electricity. Being the first nation in the world to have electricity, they held the invention in secrecy. Dim electricity was fueled by coal. By 403 SM, Zilaidat found itself in its Pollution Years. The Pollution Years lasted until 479 SM when the High Mistresses voted on creating a barrier that stops the smoke from affecting the rest of the city. By 505 SM, the Platinum District is the only illuminated area.

A Death at Dawn
Gloriana Wayward mentions Zilaidat when she is drinking tea with Ser Bradberry.