Nog

Nog was a fallen kingdom and empire of a race of giants in the land of Zakhara. It was considered to be one of the two first great civilizations in that land.

Geography
This empire was situated in the jungles around the Nogaro River and adjacent river valleys, southeast of the Haunted Lands and South of the World Pillar Mountains and Jungle of Monsters.

Beneath some of the ruins of this civilization were a deep and vast network of underground tunnels, stretching into Zakhara's Underdark.

History
Nog was believed to be younger than the other known lost empire in the region, Kadar. Much like Kadar, historians in Zakhara considered the history of Nog to be convoluted and confusing. This was because it seemed to have gone through several different dynasties, which may or may not have simultaneously ruled different regions along the Nogaro. Whether or not Nog and Kadar were considered enemies was one of many aspects of their history that historians in Zakhara were uncertain of.

Unlike some regions, both Nog and Kadar resisted the Zakharan faith of Enlightenment. Some tried to claim that genies were created to punish them both for being sacrilege, or that they were initially unleashed upon the Prime Material plane for this reason. Some believed that they tampered with forbidden gods deep beneath the earth and were subsequently destroyed by black clouds of vengeance. Or that their mystics had turned against them. Still others proposed it was most likely that their empires eventually fell due to a combination of corruption, greed, and exclusion from the West.

Those who believed that genie were responsible told that a minor power among the Zakharan pantheon traveled throughout the cities of both empires in a mortal disguise and warned them that the Great Gods were angry with them. After being met with ridicule and thrown stones, the wisest among the pantheon suggested that they appoint the genies to be their generals and carry out their will. But another minor power among the pantheon traveled to the empires once more and warned them of the cleansing to come. Managing to convince some, he took those few away on ships with their great treasures to what would be known as the Steaming Isles. Some believed that inhabitants of both empires also fled to the island of Jazirat al-Gawwar.

By the 14 century DR, the inhabitants of Nog had degenerated into what were known as jungle giants.

Around 1367 DR, the Society of Shifting Sands began actively searching the ruins of this empire for magical artifacts.

Notable Locations

 * Rog'osto, a city that was believed to have once been the capital of Nog.
 * Ysawis, a city in the far southeast of Nog.

Religion
The people of Nog both feared and revered nature, including the Nogaro River itself. Living idols were considered to be remnants of their civilization's faith. In addition to Ragarra, they were known to worship a variety of savage gods, though only Kiga and Shajar would survive into the 14 century DR.