Fnoi Province
This is the area south-east of Llaza, once known as the Nome of Silence when it was Imperial territory. "Fnoi", in fact, is an old Nekuu word meaning "silence".
Most of Fnoi is a plateau, about 200m above sea level, overlooking the Anhui flood plain to the west. In the middle of the plateau is the Cosanq's Heart, a range of hills rich in iron (the Cosanq is a mythical guardian figure and source of the world's iron). Cosanq's Heart makes Fnoi one of the most iron rich areas in the former Imperial lands, and many Merchant League families vie for control. League Agents are kept busy trying to suppress the frequent internecine squabbles that arise.
The people are skilled metal-workers, and produce some of the best swords around (known as Silent Swords). Old style Fnoi weaponry can still be found - heavy, wide-bladed chopping shortswords called tengbo (like a parang, or a meat cleaver) and a pole-arm variant of this, the dansho.
The people of Fnoi are mainly Nekuuese, of a particularly dark-skinned variety. There are many Anhui settlers too, especially along the western margins. For some reason, Fnoi has a high population of Nai-nek-chai shapeshifters.
The climate is balmy in summer and cool in winter. Around the Cosanq's Heart most of the forests of maritime pine have been cut down. Food is famously hot and spicy. The land is nominally governed by the Llaza Council but in practice is a patchwork of jurisdictions belonging to Merchant Clans.
