RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 22

22. Tell us about notable flora and fauna!

"It would be impossible to name all the plantlife and beastlife in Ridia, although there are some holy seers who are attempting it through search and research. I will name just a few examples.

"There are two kinds of vines that can be mistaken for one another by foreigners and those who are not paying attention: ku'udu'uzu and wrestvine. The leaves and vines of the ku'udu'uzu is poisonous to most beastfolk, but the roots are nutritious and are used in numerous medicines. The wrestvine, while not poisonous, has a tendency to constrict and immobilize prey until it suffocates, starves, or is killed by other predators. The bones or chitin are then slowly dissolved and absorbed by the wrestvine.

"The aggregator is a medium-size crocodilian with a broad flat tail and long narrow jaw that builds dams in the rivers and streams. In addition to the sticks and mud that aggregators gather to construct their dams, they also collect odd objects they find in riverbeds, streambeds, and the bottom of ponds. Although they do not seem to communicate in any known language, they are sometimes willing to engage in trade for items of similar size and novelty.

"The aggrogator is a large crocodilian with six legs. A fair number of them have two heads, one at either end. Those that have one head usually have two or even three tails. All aggrogators are extremely aggressive.

"The napalmgator is a small to medium-size crocodilian of neutral temperament that belches liquid fire when it is frightened, angered, or suffering from indigestion.

"The crox is a large, lumbering crocodilian the size of a rhinoceros. Tame croxen are commonly used as beasts of burden on land or water; wild croxen are best avoided."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 21

21. What are the major organizations of the campaign? How do they deal with visitors?

The tribe and the village are the most fundamental components of society in Ridia and probably throughout the world. Tribes periodically form an alliance against common foes.

The Longhouse of Trade is a guild of merchants and traders located in every Zem village.

The League of Messengers is a tribal guild of messengers. There are typically several messengers per Zem village.

The Society of Seers is a tribal network of holy seers (shamans and clerics) throughout Zem territory.

The Undeath Cult (if that is their real name) is the evil cult of the Z'Nee, which is hostile and extremely dangerous to non-Z'Nee.

The Council of Wor is a fraternal/sororal organization of war mages who periodically leave their domains to gather for terrifying competitions and twisted conviviality. They are usually hostile and always dangerous.

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 20

20. Are there any mysteries as yet unsolved?

"Is Jee-Oh flat like a drum, round like an orange, or at the bottom of a celestial well? Is it hollow like a gourd or filled with crystals like a geode?

"Are the sun and moon places or gods (or both)?

"What is older, magi-knowledge or teki-knowledge?

"Who is the real power behind the Undeath Cult of the Smiling Killers?

"Why are the creatures of the Blue Abyss not found anywhere else in Jee-Oh (as far as we know)?

"Where does the leviathan of the war wizard Dreadnauticus go after raids on the coast?

"When will the rules of mob zoccer be revised to clarify the circumstances of offsides?

"Which of the Great Calamities ended the civilizations of the Ancients and which were merely harbingers of their ultimate destruction? (There are more mysteries surrounding lost civilizations—Ancient and otherwise—than can be summarized here. The world is unfathomably, incomprehensibly old.)"

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 19

19. Are there any 'Must See' sites?

The "must see" sites are probably the same as the "Where would we go to find 'adventure'?" sites. They might be better categorized as "Ought Not to See" sites.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 18

18. Forgot to ask: How do we get around?

"Most people travel according to their own natural method of mobility or motility—walking, swimming, climbing, swinging, flying. Croxen, however, can be ridden on land or on water, or used to pull carts or barges. They are slow, but reliable. Canoes are also commonplace. The chiefs and priests of some tribes travel by palanquin on land or ceremonial barge on water.

"According to legend, there are those who ride terrordaks or even firestorks, but I have never seen it."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 17

17. Can you tell us about any famous battles or wars?

"The history of the wars of the Ancients is lost to us except as myth and folklore. There has been nothing as calamitous in living beastmemory. Plantmemory is longer, but it is slower to recall. There have been skirmishes, raids, and uprisings, but tribes rarely walk the path of war. War wizards, however, are an obvious exception."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[Edit: I rewrote this on 17 February 2026.]

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 16

16. Are there any direct threats?

The most direct and obvious threats to the player characters and other members of the Zem tribe are the Z'Nee (mentioned here and here). Other threats may occur or be discovered through gameplay.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 15

15. What are some things in the setting that are best avoided?

"Travellers should not venture to the southwest coast where the Z'Nee hold sway. They live in a huge fortified compound and only leave to plunder villages and take captives. It is said some captives are enslaved and others are used as sacrifices to their Undeath Cult. Periodically, they embark on "Chopping Sprees" that seem to have no purpose other than to kill living things for pleasure. For this reason, we also call them Smiling Killers. To our knowledge, they do not engage in trade with any tribe. Any encounter with the Z'Nee is redalert.

"Be aware of the difference between aggregators, aggrogators, and napalmgators. Beware of all but the first. The first are harmless and beneficial.

"There are two kinds of croxen—domesticated and wild. The former are docile if given food once; the latter are docile only after they have eaten you.

"The southern coast is said to be dominated by vast ruins and giant Mutants. To be within sight or smell of the ruins is yellolert. To be within a league of the ruins is redalert.

"The Haunted Ravine speaks for itself. The less said the safer."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 14

14. What to order to eat like a local.

"The primary crop grown by the Zem is mez, a tall plant that glows in the dark when it is ripe. Mez can be eaten raw, grilled, boiled, fried, or as a tortilla if ground. Mez is the chief of all crops and takes the place of honor during the Harvest Festival. Mez is central to Zem culture.

"The most popular mez dishes include succotash (lymohayo beans and mez), pomezola (potato mez soup), pazzti, (a mezbread pastry of potato, rutabaga, and meat or xik peas), and meztacos (mez tortilla shell tacos).

"Several crops are grown in rotation with mez: xik peas, lymohayo beans, zing beans, viridi peas, viridi beans, soy beans, potatoes, rutabaga, bruzzils, and zeleri.

"Zem also eat much fruit, some of which are grown in orchards, some of which are gathered wild. These include limes, lemons, oranges, reds, melons, bananas, tomats, wrathberries, stareberries, sublime peppers, magenta peppers, and naphtha peppers. Many are eaten raw or used in simple dishes.

"Some popular dishes include maagshu (primarily mez and peppers) and bananahalla (a kind of banana bread).

"Any occasion is an excuse for a barbecue, and the Zem will barbecue nearly anything, especially mez, peppers, and various meats.

"The Zem trade mez, beans, and fruits for foods from other tribes, such as shrimm, fish, coconuts, pynaps, rice, and xocolat.

"Some popular intertribal dishes include zhambalai, gumboha, terrazeen, xozuwi, and xomayin. An intertribal drink known as xocofi is commonly offered on special occasions, particularly at the culmination of festivals and intertribal meetings.

"Spices are used in many dishes and are grown locally or obtained through trade. These are too numerous to name, and some are known only to a few who guard their secret."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 13

13. Where can we get a drink and a bite to eat?

"All Zem villages practice the tradition of hospitality. Anyone who comes in peace seeking food, drink, or temporary shelter will be granted it. No payment is required, but the guest is expected to offer something in return such as labor, a small gift, or a favor. (Refugees are given special status. Their accommodations are granted by the village chief, who will offer them induction into the tribe or assistance in their journey.)

"Apart from the tribal oath of hospitality, travellers and villagers alike can get nutrition and cheer from several shops in Null: the coffee wigwam, the rum lodge, the taco stall, the smokehouse, and the aletreehouse are popular.

"During festivals, of course, there are always village barbecues."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]