Echos of Lost Nyumbani

The World Age Gazetteer of Imaro

Version 2.2

Gazetteer compiled by
Dale E. Rippke

Abamba:--a large tribe of many different clans that live in the Abamba Highlands. (The Trail of Bohu)

Abamba Highlands:--a huge region of mountains and forested hills that lies on the southern coast of Nyumbani, north of Naama and south and east of the Maguvurunde. The area is inhabited by the Abamba, a tribe of fierce fighting men. (The Trail of Bohu, Drum Magic)

Abomey:--a kingdom of the West Coast of Nyumbani. It lies on the Gulf of Otongi, to the north of the nation of Ashanti. The capital of Abomey is Alodah. (Agbewe's Sword, Gimmile's Songs, Shimenege's Mask, Marwe's Forest)

Abron:--a southern city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. The city is famed for the business acumen of its citizens. Five v-shaped scars on each cheekbone identify one as a citizen of Abron. (Two Rogues)

Aduwura:--a city of the nation of Akan. The city lies near the Ogopo River. (Ishigbi)

Affar:--a barbaric people who roam the wastelands of Axum. (In Cush)

Agarthi:--a fabled city of the Hsing Nu. Like Cush, Agarthi was an important center of learning. The city's priests have mastered esoteric ways of fighting and thinking which exist nowhere else in the world. (N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda)

Ain Fara:--the capital city of the kingdom of Darfur. (The Pool of the Moon)

Akan:--a forest and sea-girt enclave of the southern Forest Kingdoms. Two centuries prior to the time of Ishigbi, Akan was conquered and has since been dominated by the powerful Ashanti nation that lies to its north. (Ishigbi)

Alodah:--the capital of the kingdom of Abomey. It lies to the north of the port city of Oidah. (Agbewe's Sword)

Alodia:--an independent city-state lying between Cush and Zaghawa to the north. (The Trail of Bohu)

Amgalla River:--a broad, lazy river that flows from the highlands of Axum, northward past the Cushite capital of Napata and empties into the Bahari Mashiriki. (The Curse of Bana-gui)

Ardhi-ya-Nyama:--the "Country of the Beasts". It is a great hidden valley that lies south of the Tamburure and north of Zimbabwe. There are vast herds of animals, the types of which cannot be found elsewhere on Nyumbani. (The Trail of Bohu)

Ashanti:--a bloodthirsty, West Coast nation of the Jungle Kingdoms that over the centuries has come to dominate the entire region. The enigmatic nation lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Otongi, south of the kingdom of Abomey and west of the village of Kulala and the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. Ashanti's capital is the city of Kumasi. Its God-King is called the Asantehene. The Asufos, Ashanti's fanatically ferocious soldiers, wear leopard-spotted scale-mail armor, snarling beast-helmets, and metal shields engraved with frightful demon-faces. Besides its warriors, Ashanti is also noted for its fine, delicate work in wood, iron, and gold. (Mai-Kulala, Agbewe's Sword, Ishigbi, Two Rogues)

Ataissan Mountains:--a rampart of towering peaks lying in north central Nyumbani. East of the mountains lie the vast expanse of the Soudanic grasslands. (The City of Madness, Death in Jukun)

Atlan:--a former island situated in the Bahari Magharibi. The people of Atlan, called Mizungus by the people of Nyumbani, were pale-skinned and worshipped the Mashataan Demon-Gods. They invaded the West Coast of Nyumbani a thousand years before Imaro's Age. The combined forces of Cush and its allies banished the Mashataan and drove the Muzungus off of the continent of Nyumbani. About fifty years after the end of the war, the land of Atlan sank beneath the sea. (The City of Madness)

Axum:-- a mountainous nation lying to the south of Cush. Great stretches of the country are harsh, sparsely inhabited wastelands. The capital of Gondar is located high in the mountain fastness. The king of Axum is called the Negus, and its emblem is a half-moon. The inhabitants are referred to as the "People of Alamak". A seaport must lie on the eastern coast of the country, as it continues to ship trade to Cush during the storm season. (In Cush, The Trail of Bohu)

Azania:-- a mercantile kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It shares borders with Kundwa in the north, Ruanda in the west, and Pemba in the south. The Azanian capital is the port of Malindi. The king is called the Sha'a, and Pomphis was once a jester in his court. Although most of the population lives near the coast, the nation claims a huge area of the interior to the west. The kingdom is known to trade with the nations of Hsing Nu. Azania has placed a bounty on Imaro's head for being a bandit. (The Blacksmith & The Bambuti, Horror in the Black Hills, The City of Madness, In Mwenni, In Bana-Gui, The Trail of Bohu, Mai-Kulala)

Bagara:--an independent town of the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. It lay on a bend of the Zaikumbe River, downriver from the town of Jabali. The town was destroyed and abandoned several hundred years before the birth of Imaro.(The Silent Ghosts)

Bahari Magharibi:--the "Western Sea", a large body of water lying west of the continent of Nyumbani. (The City of Madness, The Skeleton Coast)

Bahari Mashiriki:--also spelled Bahari Mashariki, it is the "Eastern Sea", a large body of water lying east of the continent of Nyumbani. During the storm season, trading on the southern latitudes of the sea comes to a near standstill due to the treacherous nature of the dhorubas. (The Curse of Bana-gui, In Mwenni, On the Bahari Mashiriki, Mai-Kulala)

Bahima:--the root race that the Ilyassai are an offshoot of. (The City of Madness)

Bahindhya:--a land of many nations lying across the Bahari Mashiriki from the continent of Nyumbani. They send formidable trade delegations only to the northern nations of the East Coast, due to a trade agreement with the nations of Hsing Nu. Their primary export is a most excellent wine. Many strange stories are told of Bahindhya: tales of men who worship cows and walk unscathed across beds of flaming coals and of hooded snakes that sway to the music of pipes. The nation is also referred to as Bharandhya. (In Mwenni, N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda))

Bambuti:--an ancient, half-mythical race of well developed pygmies living in the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. (The City of Madness, In Mwenni, Mai-Kulala)

Bana-Gui:--an ancient city lying near the East Coast of Nyumbani, in the modern nation of Zanj. During the Mizungu War, they allied with the Mashataan and Mizungu, and were cursed to live underground after their defeat by the Cushite led forces of the East Coast. (In Bana-Gui)

Benin:--a fabulously wealthy West Coast kingdom that lies on the northern shore of the Gulf of Otongi. The king of Benin is called the Oba. (The Skeleton Coast, Two Rogues, Okosene Alakun and the Magic Guinea-Fowl)

Bornu:--a kingdom lying in north central Nyumbani. Bornu lies to the north of the Ituri Kubwa rainforest and west of Darfur. The northern border is delineated by the rough hills that separates it from the kingdom of Kaneem. Its eastern border consists of the rocky Gwaridi-Milima Mountains in the north and the Khagga swamplands in the south. A regular road runs through a break between the mountains and swamp, leading eastward towards the capital of Darfur. Bornu's capital city is Jebbel Uri. (Mai-Kulala, The Pool of the Moon)

B'twi:--a race of near pygmies that lived in the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. The Giant-Kings of Ruanda forcibly resettled them in the Silent Forest until the fall of Kigesi, at which time they returned to their rainforest homelands. They are short, dun-colored men, whose weapon of choice is a lacquered bamboo blowgun. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings)

Bush of Ghosts:--also called the Country of Ghosts, it is a desolate "afterlife" realm ruled by Death. (Death's Friend, Mbodze)

Bwala li Mwesu:--the "Moon Pool", a chamber created by the Kyaggath race for ritual worship of the moon. (The Pool of the Moon)

Bwarun:--an outer province of the kingdom of Darfur. (The Pool of the Moon)

Cavern of Sundiata:--a shrine dedicated to Sundiata, the "God-who-was-a-man". The cave lies three day's travel from the Soudanic city-state of Kotoko and it can be found on the summit of a harsh, craggy hill amid the western foothills of the Gwaridi Milima Mountains. (Sundiata's Return)

Chezwi:--an ancient race that united the Maguvurunde thousands of years before Imaro's time. They ruled from their capital of Dhlo-Dhlo. (The Trail of Bohu)

Cush:--the most wealthy, powerful nation on Nyumbani, lying to the north of Axum and Punt, east of Darfur and Nuba, and south of Zaghawa. The western borders of Cush are the towering Gwardi-Milima mountains. It is a nation of many marvels, great stone edifices, and domesticated animals (lions and elephants) that are wild in all other parts of Nyumbani. Cush has the highest level of civilization on the continent. It inhabitants are referred to as the "People of Atun". They are ebony-skinned people with strange amber-yellow eyes. The capital of Cush is located at Napata, and its queen is called the Kandiss. The emblem of Cush is a golden sun-disc. (The City of Madness, In Cush, The Trail of Bohu, The Pool of the Moon)

Dagomba:--a kingdom of the Soudan Plains. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Darfur:--also spelled Darfar, it is a large kingdom lying in the northeastern part of central Nyumbani. North and east of the kingdom lies the great northern nation of Cush, while to the west, across the Gwaridi-Milima Mountains lies the warrior nations of Bornu and Kaneem. To the south lie the great swamplands of the Khagga-Sudd. Darfur's capital is the city of Ain Fara. (In Cush, The Pool of the Moon)

Daura:--a northern West Coast city-state. It lies on the shore of the Bahari Magharibi. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Dedougou:--a city-state of the kingdom of Mossi. (Gimmile's Songs)

Dhlo-Dhlo:--a ruined city of granite and ironstone that lies in the heart of Zimbabwe. Known as the place where the lightning bird lives, Dhlo-Dhlo was the capital of Maguvurunde while united under the rule of a people known as the Chezwi, many thousands of years before Imaro's lifetime. Imaro spent time at the ruins seeking a vision. (The Trail of Bohu)

Djenne:--a West Coast city-state of the Forest Kingdoms that lies to the north of the Gulf of Otongi, and to the west of Abomey. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Dogon:--a desert country of northern Nyumbani, whose inhabitants live in cliff-cities. The sculptors of Dogon are famed for their carving of matchless, ebony figurines. (Mai-Kulala, Gimmile's Songs)

Dongola:-- an independent city-state lying between Cush and Zaghawa to the north. (The Trail of Bohu)

East Coast:--an area of eastern Nyumbani lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It extends south from the nation of Kilwa, to the southern land of Kitwara. The mercantile kingdoms and city-states of the East Coast are the site of a great deal of commerce with the nations of northern Nyumbani, as well as the fabled lands of Bahindhya and Hsing Nu. The nations of the interior of Nyumbani refer to the East Coast kingdoms as the Sea Lands. (In Mwenni, In Bana-Gui, The Trail of Bohu)

Elephant Road:--a route running from Kulala, around the eastern edge of the Ituri Kubwa rainforest, ending at Jebbal Uri, capital of the kingdom of Bornu. (Mai-Kulala)

Engaruku:--a kingdom of northeastern Nyumbani, lying to the east of Axum. Engaruku's king is called the Mbuli, and its emblem is two crossed spears. The nation's main seaport at Jukua was used as a staging area for the Cushite led armada against the Naamans. (The Trail of Bohu, N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda))

Fezan:--a city that trades with the slavers of Komeh. It is believed to lie on the northwestern coast of Nyumbani. Fezan is famed for its slave-markets.(The Silent Ghosts)

Forest Kingdoms:--also known as the Jungle Kingdoms, it comprises the area of Nyumbani stretching along the Gulf of Otongi. It is crowded with hundreds of towns and city-states. The warriors of this area ride a horse-sized antelope called an ikenga, and use a pinwheel blade called a shongo. (In Bana-Gui, Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death)

Forest of Yahannis:--a vast flatland forest lying west of the kingdom of Ruanda. The ruined city of Yahannis lies hidden within the woodland. (The City of Madness)

Gadou:--a town of the Shonghai Empire that lies on its northern border. To the west lies the semi-arid wasteland of Tassili. (Amma)

Gao:--the capital city of the Shonghai Empire. (Amma)

Gaungara:--a kingdom of the wide Soudan Plains. Its men are the only ones on the continent of Nyumbani to have learned the secret of domesticating the gigantic beast called the nyakas. (Two Rogues)

Gi-Kuyu:--or Gikuyu, a tribe living on or near the Tamburure. The Ilyassai know them to be "wounders of the earth and slayers of the grass". They worship the god Mungu. (In Bana-Gui, Ishigbi)

Gobir:--a northern city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. The city is the site of a great market. It occasionally fights wars with the neighboring kingdom of Kano. (Two Rogues)

Gondar:--the mountain-girt capital of Axum. The Negus and the "Hakut Ras"--the Council of Nobles--rules Axum from the citadel of Gondar. (The Trail of Bohu)

Gonja:--a West Coast nation of the Forest Kingdoms that lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Otongi, to the east of Kom. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Great Nyanza:--the large, fresh-water inland sea of central Nyumbani. It is as large as the Gulf of Otongi. It lies to the south of the Khagga-Sudd swamplands, and north of the Tamburure. There is an island on the Great Nyanza that remains hidden from view by the magic of the witches that inhabit it. (In Mwenni, Mai-Kulala, Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death, Ishigbi)

Gulf of Otongi:--a stretch of the Bahari Magharibi that runs eastward along the Forest Kingdoms of the West Coast. The kingdoms of Abomey and Ashanti lie on the Gulf. (Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death, Agbewe's Sword, Ishigbi)

Gwaridi-Milima Mountains:--a rocky, barren range of sheer, impassable cliffs. It lies on the border between Bornu, Kaneem, and Nuba to the west, and Cush and Darfur to the east. The mountain range contains an inexhaustible source of ferrous (iron) ore, and the Cushite city of Meroe lies a short distance to the east of it. A secret pass connects the kingdoms of Bornu and Darfur. Raiders live in the northern parts of the range and pillage the towns of the Shonghai Empire. (The Trail of Bohu, The Pool of the Moon, Amma, Sundiata's Return)

High Abambas:--a rugged range of mountains that lies amid the Abamba Highlands on the southern coast of Nyumbani, north of Naama and south and east of the Maguvurunde. The mountains were the abode of a demon-race called the Irimu. (Drum Magic)

Hsing Nu:--a land that lies across the Bahari Mashiriki from the continent of Nyumbani, far beyond the nations of Bahindhya. They send trade delegations only to the southern nations of the East Coast, due to a trade agreement with Bahindhya. Some strange tales speak of masters of the Sha-lin, an order of the Hsing Nu who are artists at fighting the way others are artists at painting or singing. (In Mwenni)

Huanga:--the primary island, and possibly capital of the Kisiwa archepelago. It is from this location that the Obeah Lords control Kisiwa's corsairs from their Loa-towers. (The Skeleton Coast)

Ife:--a southern city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. It is an ancient center of bronze casters and renowned for the skill of its sorcerers. The city-state lies far to the south of Abomey, nearby the kingdom of Yauri. (Death in Jukun, Agbewe's Sword, Two Rogues)

Ilyassai:--a nomadic race of fierce warrior-herdsmen that rule the wide, yellow plains of the Tamburure, using the best grazing land for their cattle. The Ilyassai tribe consists of ten clans, with Warriors being the only social class. They are a people of red-brown hue. They paint their faces and bodies in red ocher, and their hair hangs in thick plaits plastered with orange clay. The Ilyassai worship Ajunge, a Spear-God. They believe the souls of dead Ilyassai occupy the bodies of lions prior to returning to animate a human of a succeeding generation. The tribe raised Imaro as the "Son of No Father". (Mzee, Turkhana Knives, The Place of Stones, Mai-Kulala, The Pool of the Moon)

Ingomba-Ilede:--a city of the Monomatapa Empire. Its location is not given, but it is presumed to be the capital of Inyanga. (The Trail of Bohu)

Inyanga:--a nation of the Maguvurunde, one of the three united kingdoms of the Monomatapa Empire. Its capital is presumed to be the city of Ingomba-Ilede. (The Trail of Bohu)

Ituri Kubwa:--a grim green rampart of rain forest that covers much of the central region of Nyumbani. The easternmost arm of the forest lies north an west of Kulala. The Bambuti pygmies are native to this forest. (The Blacksmith & The Bambuti, The City of Madness, In Mwenni, Mai-Kulala, Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death)

Jabali:--an independent town of the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. It lay on the Zaikumbe River, upriver from the town of Bagara. Jabali is known for its trade in dibatag-hides and woven raffia mats.(The Silent Ghosts)

Jebbel Uri:--the capital city of the kingdom of Bornu. (The Pool of the Moon)

Jukua:--the principle seaport of the nation of Engaruku. It is believed to lie on the north coast of the nation as it is not numbered among the ports of the East Coast. The city's harbor was used as a staging area for the Cushite led armada against the Naamans. (The Trail of Bohu)

Jukun:--a city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. Jukun must lie on the plains far to the north of the Forest Kingdoms, as it has walls made of adobe. Plantations of silk-cotton trees can be found outside of the city. (Death in Jukun)

Jungle Kingdoms:--see entry on Forest Kingdoms.

Kahutu:--a tribe of ebony-hued people living in the north part of Ruanda. Their ancestral lands lay to the east of Kigesi. Tanisha was a Kuhutu. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings, In Mwenni)

Kakassa River:--a watercourse that runs through the hills bordering Ruanda and Azania. (The City of Madness)

Kalambo:--a trading city that lies on the savanna to the west of the nations of Kundwa and Zanj, and south of the Khagga swamps. (The Curse of Bana-gui)

Kambi River:--a mist covered watercourse, crowded with waterbucks, wading birds and trees draped in green moss. The river flows through the nation of Mossi. (Gimmile's Songs)

Kaneem:--a kingdom lying in north central Nyumbani. Its southern border is delineated by the rough hills that separates it from the kingdom of Bornu. At least part of the nation's eastern border is the Gwaridi-Milima Mountains, beyond which lies the kingdom of Darfur. (The Pool of the Moon)

Kano:--a prosperous northern kingdom of the West Coast of Nyumbani. Three vertical scars on each cheekbone identify one as a citizen of Kano. It occasionally fights wars with the neighboring kingdom of Katsina, as well as the city-states of Gobir, Kwahu, and Zazzn. (Two Rogues)

Karamojan:--a warrior tribe of the Tamburure. (In Mwenni)

Katsina:--a northern kingdom of the West Coast of Nyumbani. It occasionally fights wars with the neighboring kingdom of Kano. (Two Rogues)

Kebbi:--a centrally located West Coast kingdom. It lies near the city-state of Zamfara. (Two Rogues, Okosene Alakun and the Magic Guinea-Fowl)

Kerinyagga Mountains:--also spelled Karinyaga, it is a range of mountains lying to the south and west of the Tamburure savanna in south central Nyumbani. (In Mwenni, The Trail of Bohu)

Khagga Swamp:--a humid marshland that lies in the south on the border between Bornu and Darfur. (The Pool of the Moon)

Khagga-Sudd:--a great swampland complex lying in north central Nyumbani. It is located to the south of Darfur and Punt and to the north of Kilwa. Savanna country lies to the south of it. (Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death)

Khoisa:--a race of yellow-brown skin and large oriental eyes living in the area of Naama. (The Skeleton Coast)

Khomba:--the principle seaport of the nation of Cush. It is situated on the eastern coast of the country, and the plains around it are covered by farmland. It lies three day's journey from the capital at Napata. (In Cush, The Trail of Bohu)

Kigesi:--a city of the Mawambututssi that lay on the plains of northern Ruanda. The city was built inside the top of a black, volcanic rampart, the ancient abode of the god Virunga. The city was built in tiers--the top tier housed the Mawambututssi citizens, the middle tier housed the Kahutu servants, and the bottom tier housed the slaves that worked the magnificent gold mine that lay beneath. Kigesi was fabulously wealthy, even its cattle wore gold. The city was destroyed when the volcano it was built inside of erupted. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings)

Kilwa:-- the northernmost kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It shares borders with the nation of Axum to the north, and Zanj to the southwest. The capital, also called Kilwa, is the nation's principle seaport. The interior of the country is swampy, presumably the southern edge of the great Khagga-Sudd swampland. (The Trail of Bohu)

Kisiwa Islands:--an archipelago lying to the west of the Skeleton Coast, renowned for its corsairs. Their warriors wear their hair in matted braids and they smoke an herb called janga for courage. They worship a god called Bajha-kuogopa. (The Pool of the Moon, The Skeleton Coast)

Kitwara:-- the southernmost kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It lies to the south of the small kingdom of Pemba. The capital city of Mongo is Kitwara's principle seaport. The western parts of the country are covered with barren hills. (The Trail of Bohu)

Kom:--a southern West Coast nation. Located on the coast of the Bahari Magharibi, it lies far to the north of the Mahali-ya-Kiu desert. It is famed for its Sacred Gardens. (Two Rogues)

Komeh:--a city of people known for being rapacious slavers. Its location, while unknown, is believed to lie within the Forest Kingdoms. An army led by Imaro broke the Towers of Komeh. The Komeh, who used a sleep-spell on the victims of their slave-raids, were known as the Jini Wangwa--the Silent Ghosts.(The Blacksmith & The Bambuti, The City of Madness, Death's Friend, The Silent Ghosts)

Kongo:--a West Coast nation of the Forest Kingdoms that lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Otongi, to the west of Ashanti. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Konongo:--a city of the nation of Kundwa. (In Mwenni)

Kotoko:--a walled city-state of the Soudanic Plains. It lies three day's travel from the rocky, western foothills of the Gwaridi Milima Mountains. An Amir rules the city. (Sundiata's Return)

Kovango Swamp:--a great marshland that lies between the Mahali-ya-Kiu desert and the Kerinyagga Mountains in south central Nyumbani. (The Trail of Bohu)

Kulala:--a palisaded farm village that lies north of the Great Nyanza, east of the kingdom of Ashanti, and south and east of the Ituri Kubwa rainforest. The kingdom of Bornu lies six days march north of the village. (Mai-Kulala)

Kumasi:--the capital of the kingdom of Ashanti. (Agbewe's Sword)

Kumbi:--a kingdom of the Soudan Plains. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Kumbura:--a town considered to be the easternmost outpost of the kingdom of Mapungubwe. (The Trail of Bohu)

Kundwa:-- a mercantile kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It shares borders with the nation of Zanj to the northeast, and Azania to the south. The Kundwan capital is the port city of Mwenni. The kingdom is known to trade with two of the kingdoms of Bahindhya. The Kundwans are a thin, sienna-colored people. (In Mwenni)

Kwahu:--a northern city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. It occasionally fights wars with the neighboring kingdom of Kano. (Two Rogues)

Kwan Yang:--a land that lies across the Bahari Mashiriki from the nation of Azania, far beyond the nations of Bahindhya. It is ruled by a Thrice-Heavenly Emperor. They send an ambassador to Azania to pursue trading contracts. The ships of Kwan Yang trade silk and spices in exchange for ivory and gold. (The Blacksmith & The Bambuti)

Kyaggath:--an inhuman race, one of several that dominated Nyumbani before the coming of the Sky Walkers. They are described as large, their frog-like faces filled with razor sharp teeth. Instead of limbs they have tentacles which excrete a virulent venom. (The Pool of the Moon)

Land of No One:--a disputed area that lies between the lands of the Ilyassai and the lands of the Turkhana. (Turkhana Knives)

Maguvurunde:--a vast area lying in south central Nyumbani. The region is comprised of the nations of Inyanga, Mapungubwe, and Zimbabwe. It is isolated from the half-mythical Sea Lands of Kitwara and Pemba by a borderland of barren hills, and from the Bahari Mashiriki by a steep slash of a gorge. The southern edge of the Maguvurunde ends at the Zimbazi River and the Abamba Highlands, and to the west lies the Mahali-ya-Kiu Desert. The Maguvurunde is a land of valleys and plateaus interspersed with outcrops of rock and thick forests. (The Trail of Bohu)

Mahali-ya-Kiu:--the "Place of Thirst", a vast, desert wasteland that lies between the western boundary of Zimbabwe and the Skeleton Coast. A tribe of men called the Twa-si inhabits the desert. (The Trail of Bohu, The Skeleton Coast)

Mahiva Forest:--a strange forest lying in Zimbabwe, west of the ruins of Dhlo-Dhlo. The forest was sacred to the Chezwi kings. The trees did not grow naturally, but were carved into enigmatic sculptures. (The Trail of Bohu)

Mahli-ya-Ukoma:--the Place of Lepers. It is located near the Great Nyanza. (Ishigbi)

Makoa:--a kingdom of the island of Tanala, lying on its southern coast. Its capital is presumably the city of Muwanga. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Mali:--a kingdom of the Soudan Plains. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Malindi:-- the jewel-spired capital and chief port city of Azania. It lies on the Bahari Mashiriki, south of the port of Mwenni. (The Blacksmith & The Bambuti, The City of Madness, Horror in the Black Hills, The Trail of Bohu)

Mapungubwe:--a nation of the Maguvurunde, easternmost of the three united kingdoms of the Monomatapa Empire. Its capital is the city of Nalitali. (The Trail of Bohu)

Mashataan:--an ancient race that practiced eldritch, blasphemous rituals and were worshipped as gods by the priests of the island kingdom of Atlan. They dominated western Nyumbani until exiled from the world by the power of the Cloud Striders at the time of the Mizungu War. A millennia later, they are worshiped as powerful demon-gods by the Naamans. (The Pool of the Moon)

Mawambututssi:--also called the "Giant Kings", they are a race of ebony-hued people over seven foot tall. They are thin to the point of emaciation. They wear their hair in twin tufts. The Mawambututssi are the rulers of the kingdom of Ruanda. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings)

Meroe:--also spelled Meroê, an industrial city of iron located in the western reaches of Cush, within sight of the towering Gwaridi-Milima mountains. It lay astride both banks of the Shindi River. Meroe has long been called the true heart of Cush. Having divined the secret of steel, Meroitic weapons and tools are the finest in Nyumbani. The city is laid out in a plan that reduces the effect of the smoke from the forges. Each discipline within the iron-working trade resides in their own section of the city. One text describes the city as a seaport, but this is in error. (The City of Madness, The Trail of Bohu)

Milabar Islands:--an archipelago lying in the Bahari Magharibi, directly to the west of the Gulf of Otongi. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Mizungus:--a race of men with skin the color of dead fish-bellies, the inhabitants of the island nation of Atlan and worshipers of the Demon-Lords of the Mashataan. They invaded the West Coast of Nyumbani a millennia before Imaro's Age, using terrifying war beasts and magical weapons to enslave the native population. The Mizungu laid waste to the West Coast, ravaged the jungle kingdoms south of the Gulf of Otongi, and crossed the Ataissan Mountains to wreck havoc on the kingdoms of the Soudan. Only after the Cushites discovered a way to summon the Cloud Striders and banish the Mashataan from the earth, did the nations of Nyumbani unite to drive the Mizungus off the continent and back to Atlan. Any Mizungu and their allies left behind either went into hiding or were slain without mercy. The Mizungu living deep in the Forest of Yahannis are the descendants of the Mashataan worshipping invaders from Atlan a millennia ago. (The City of Madness)

M'ji ya Wazimu:--the "City of Madness", the last redoubt of the Atlan invaders of Nyumbani. The city lies deep in the forests of western Ruanda. The Mizungus call it "The Lost/Found City of Yahannis. (The City of Madness)

Mji-Zimbabwe:--the capital of the kingdom of Zimbabwe. (The Trail of Bohu)

Mogadishu:--a port city of the nation of Zanj. The city's name was replaced with Moshambi when Charles R. Saunders rewrote the story. (The Curse of Bana-gui)

Mongo:-- the capital and principle seaport of Kitwara. It lies on the Bahari Mashiriki, south of the port of Pemba. West of the city lies wild hill country. (The Trail of Bohu)

Monomatapa Empire:--the three united kingdoms of the Maguvurunde. The king moves his court between the three capitals at various times. The Empire's cavalry rides a type of large zebra and a type of small rhinoceros. (The Trail of Bohu)

Moshambi:--the capital and chief port city of Zanj. It lies on the Bahari Mashiriki, northeast of the port of Mwenni. (In Bana-Gui, The Trail of Bohu)

Mossi:--a sparsely populated kingdom bordering Abomey. There are few inhabited city-states in Mossi. The northern part of the country is bushland, speckled with clumps of low-growing trees, while the southern part is a creeper festooned rainforest. (Gimmile's Songs)

Motoni:--an immense chain of volcanoes at the northern extreme of the continent of Nyumbani. (M'ji ya Wazimi-City of Madness)

Mtatwa:--an insignificant clan living in the eastern Abamba Highlands. (The Trail of Bohu)

Mu:--a mysterious realm that lies far across the Bahari Mashiriki, the Eastern Sea. Tattooed savages inhabit it. (N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda)

Muwanga:--a city of the nation of Makoa, presumably its capital. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Mwenni:--the cosmopolitan capital city of Kundwa, famed for its impressive Gate of the Lion. Mwenni is a port located on the Bahari Mashiriki, and trades with the nations beyond it. The city, with its multi-storied buildings of carved coral, has long been considered the "jewel in the diadem of Kundwa". (In Mwenni, The Trail of Bohu)

Naama:--a demon city-state of Mashataan worshipping sorcerers called the Erriten. Their Serpent Citadel lies at the southern tip of Nyumbani, in the shadow of a flat-topped mountain. The city is sometimes called Naama Harbor. (In Mwenni, The Trail of Bohu, The Skeleton Coast)

Nakwa:--a city of Cush, it lies a far distance from Meroe. (The Trail of Bohu)

Nalitali:--capital of Mapungubwe. It is a city of several large communities surrounded by a wall and guarded by a great fortress. (The Trail of Bohu)

Napata:--the secular and spiritual capital of Cush, lying in the northern high country three day's journey west of Khomba. The city lies on the edge of jewel-like Lake Reyassa, and a rampart of jagged crags partially surrounds it. Napata is a monolithic city of temples and vast pyramidal structures carved from mammoth blocks of stone. The edifices and artworks of the city are rendered on a scale colossal enough to suggest the work of a race of giants. The Kandiss, the ruler of Cush abides in Napata. (The Curse of Bana-gui, In Cush, The Trail of Bohu)

Ndorbo:--a tribe living near the Black Hills (Weusi Milima) between Azania and Ruanda. (Horror in the Black Hills)

Ngwika:-- a warrior clan of the Abamba Highlands. They live in an area due south of Zimbabwe. They are allied to the Monomatapa Empire. Imaro's ancestors were men of the Ngwika. (The Trail of Bohu)

Nkore:--the capital city of Ruanda. It lay to the southeast of Kigesi. The Mwami of Ruanda holds court here. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings)

Nobas:--a country of the Soudan plains of northern Nyumbani. (Amma)

Nuba:--a mountainous land lying west of Cush. Its men were known as athletes, not as warriors. (In Cush)

Nupe:--a centrally located West Coast city-state. It lies to the south of the city-state of Zamfara. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Nuri:-- a small nation of northeastern Nyumbani, presumably lying between Axum and Engaruku. A seaport must lie on the eastern coast of the country, as it continues to ship trade to Cush during the storm season. (In Cush)

Nyamem:--a dusty town situated on the outskirts of the West Coast city of Zamfara. (Okosene Alakun and the Magic Guinea-Fowl)

Nyange:--a village that presumably lies in the western reaches of the nation of Azania. (Mbodze)

Nyumbani:--the continent that Imaro's adventures take place in. Nyumbani is the Africa of a parallel Earth, where the paths of history took different turnings.(Imaro, The Quest for Cush, The Trail of Bohu, et al.)

Ogopo River:--a crocodile infested river that lies in the southern part of the Forest Kingdoms. (Ishigbi)

Oidah:--the only port city of the kingdom of Abomey. It lies on the Gulf of Otongi. (Agbewe's Sword)

Otongi:--a kingdom of the West Coast of Nyumbani, it gave its name to the Gulf of Otongi. (M'ji ya Wazimi-City of Madness)

Oyo:--a centrally located West Coast city-state. It lies to the north of the kingdom of Benin. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Palace of Shihazz:--a ruined stone edifice that lies in the city of Mwenni, along the northern wall in the District of the Dead. An artifact called the Heart of Shihazz was concealed within the palace. (In Mwenni)

Parafa:--a city of the island of Tanala, lying on the northern coast. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Pemba:-- a small, commercial kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It lies between with the nation of Azania to the north, and Kitwara to the south. The capital, also called Pemba, is the nation's principle seaport. The interior of the country surrounding the capital is covered in bush. The inhabitants of Pemba find beauty in scarification. (The Trail of Bohu)

Place of Stones:--an ancient, colossal stone edifice that lies on a small hill beyond the northern edge of the Tamburure. Ilyassai were forbidden to enter it as it was considered taboo. Legends claim the hands that raised it were not human. It is the place the exiled Chitendu made his lair. (The Place of Stones)

Punt:--a northeastern kingdom of Nyumbani. It lies between the nations of Cush to the north, Darfur to the west ,and Axum to the southeast. The southern border of Punt is the huge swampland of the Sudd. Punt's ruler is called the Omel, and its emblem is an elephant tusk. A seaport must lie on the eastern coast of the country, as it continues to ship trade to Cush during the storm season. (In Cush, The Trail of Bohu)

Rendille:--a village that lay in Zanj near its border with Kundwa. Its people were forced to sacrifice women to the dwellers of Bana-Gui. (In Bana-Gui)

Reyassa:--a jewel-like lake, part of the Amgalla River, that lies along the edge of the Cushite capital of Napata. (The Curse of Bana-gui)

Road of Peace:--a stone paved trade corridor that wanders through the multifarious kingdoms and city-states of the West Coast of Nyumbani. The Road Council has proscribed unusually severe penalties for thieves and cutthroats plying their trade on the road. (Two Rogues)

Ruanda:--also spelled Rwanda, it is a kingdom located in central Nyumbani. It lies to the east of the Great Nyanza, and to the west of the kingdom of Azania. The nation is hilly, with many trees and green grass. A race of seven-foot tall people called the Mawambututssi rule Ruanda from its capital at Nkore. Its king is called the Mwami. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings, Horror in the Black Hills, The City of Madness, The Skeleton Coast)

Sao:--one of the premier city-states of the Soudanic Plains. The ancient city shares a border with the neighboring city-state of Kotoko. (Sundiata's Return)

Shindi River:--a watercourse in the country of Cush that flows through the city of Meroe. (The Trail of Bohu)

Shonghai:--an empire of sun-baked plains in the Soudan of northern Nyumbani. Its capital is the city of Gao. Its emperor is called the Keita. (Amma)

Silent Forest:--a woodlands lying south of the city of Kigesi in Ruanda. (Slaves of the Giant-Kings)

Skeleton Coast:--the desolate coastline of the Mahali-ya-Kiu Desert that lies between Naama and the Gulf of Otongi. Hundreds of shipwrecks litter the beaches of the coast. (The Skeleton Coast)

Sogbaki Hills:--lies in the kingdom of Abomey near the port of Oidah. A sword of great power is buried atop one of the hills. (Agbewe's Sword)

Soudan:--a great land of nations and empires that lies in Northern Nyumbani. The area is renowned for their fine warhorses and big men. (The City of Madness, Mai-Kulala, The Pool of the Moon)

Soudanic Plains:--a vast expanse of sparse grasslands lying in northern Nyumbani east of the Ataissan Mountains. The plains are home to the legendary chemosit, a huge, carnivorous hyena-ape. (Death in Jukun)

Sudd:--a humid marshland that lies in north central Nyumbani, on the border between Punt and Kilwa. (Kibanda ya Kufa-The Hut of Death)

Sussu:--a tribe of raiders that live in the Gwaridi-Milima range north of the border-town of Gadou. (Amma)

Tamburure:--a huge, sparsely populated savanna of rank, yellow grass lying south of the Great Nyanza, and north of the Kerinyagga Mountains. The Tamburure is home to a tribe of fierce warrior-herdsmen called the Ilyassai. The plains teem with herds of impala, zebra, kudu, gazelles, and others. It is the home of lions, leopards and hunting hyenas. Flat-topped acacia trees lie scattered across the plain. The northern part of the Tamburure near the Great Nyanza is less open, containing more trees and small lakes. (Mzee, Turkhana Knives, The Place of Stones, In Mwenni, Death in Jukun)

Tanala:--a great island lying in the Bahari Mashiriki to the east of the Abamba Highlands. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Tanga:--an important Azanian border town. Imaro's haramia plundered the town of its ivory, precious metals and captives. (Horror in the Black Hills)

Tassili:--a semi-arid wasteland lying to the west of the border-town of Gadou. Only lizards and gazelles dwell in Tassili. (Amma)

Thule:--a land of barbarians, they were allies of the Atlans during the Mizungu War. Its location is unknown. (M'ji ya Wazimi-City of Madness)

Thutosh:--the dead city of the inhuman Vaksha. The city was later discarded for the "Place of the Stones" when Charles R. Saunders rewrote the story. (N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda)

Tsubi:--a warrior clan of the southern Abamba Highlands. They live in an area to the northeast of Naama. (The Trail of Bohu)

Turkhana:--a warrior tribe of the Tamburure. It is presumed that their lands lie to the west of those claimed by the Ilyassai, who considered them cattle thieves. They are the only tribe on the Tamburure to dispute the dominance of the Ilyassai people and they are age-old enemies. They wear their hair in topknots, and are renown for a type of circular wrist-knife. The people of the Turkhana worship the god, Kupigana. (Turkhana Knives, In Mwenni)

Twa-si:--a diminutive, yellow-skinned tribe of the Mahali-ya-Kiu desert. They are closely related to the men of Naama. They speak a strange, clicking language and worship the god, Mantis. (The Trail of Bohu)

Ukonsi River:--a watercourse of the Maguvurunde that flows near the city of Nalitali. (The Trail of Bohu)

Ulindu:--a kingdom bordering on Ruanda and Azania, in east central Nyumbani. (M'ji ya Wazimi-City of Madness)

Umgale:--a place where priceless rubies are produced. While its location is unknown, it is thought to lie in Kundwa. (N'tu Nusa Ya Chickanda-The Half-Men of Chickanda)

Velanga:--a city on the far south coast of Nyumbani, ruled by the Painlords. The corsairs of Kisiwa have raided it. An army led by Imaro defeated the city. (The Skeleton Coast, Death's Friend)

Wata-wa-Kwanza:--the "First Tribes", the ancient race of men who ruled Nyumbani before the coming of the Mashataan. They are described as tall, powerful men covered with profuse body hair. Five of their chieftains, referred to as the Lost Warriors, were captured by the Mashataan and transformed into mangabaan. (In Mwenni)

Wazimbu:--a kingdom of the island of Tanala, lying on its eastern coast. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

West Coast:--the westernmost area of Nyumbani extending south from the far northwest mountains, eastward around the Gulf of Otongi, to the jungles south of Ashanti. A great deal of variety exists as the West Coast is crowded with hundreds of towns and city-states, customs and taboos, rules and traditions. (Death in Jukun, Two Rogues)

Weusi Milima:--the "Black Hills", a heavily forested region of hills that lies between the borders of Ruanda and Azania. Imaro's haramia would raid both kingdoms from the protection of this trackless land. A creature of the Mashataan called Isikukumadevu made its lair in a pool atop one of the hills until Imaro slew it. (Horror in the Black Hills)

Yahannis:--the "City of Madness". Final redoubt of the Mizungu. It is called M'ji ya Wazimu by the people of Nyumbani. (The City of Madness, In Mwenni)

Yaoule:--a small country lying on the grasslands north of the Ituri Kubwa in central Nyumbani. (Shimenege's Mask)

Yauri:--a southern kingdom of the West Coast lying on the Gulf of Otongi in an area plagued by internecine wars. (Death in Jukun, Two Rogues)

Yayuba:--a centrally located West Coast kingdom. It lies near the city-state of Zamfara. (Okosene Alakun and the Magic Guinea-Fowl)

Zaghawa:--a remote land of Nyumbani that lies to the north of the nation of Cush. It is mostly hills and forests. Its principle cities are surrounded by wilderness. (The Trail of Bohu, Death's Friend)

Zaikumbe River:--a watercourse of the Ituri Kubwa, the rain forest that covers much of the central region of Nyumbani. It flows at last into the Bahari Magharibi. The river is home to the legendary nsanga, a carnivorous iguana-like reptile twice the size of a crocodile. (The Silent Ghosts)

Zamburu:--a warrior tribe of the eastern Tamburure, considered to be cattle thieves by the Ilyassai people. The warriors of the Ilyassai raid the Zamburu people for their cattle, iron, and women. (The Place of Stones, In Mwenni)

Zamfara:--a centrally located city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. Three rows of scars on each cheekbone identify one as a citizen of Zamfara. (Okosene Alakun and the Magic Guinea-Fowl)

Zandomba:--a West Coast nation of the Forest Kingdoms that lie south of the Gulf of Otongi. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Zanj:--a mercantile kingdom of the East Coast, lying on the Bahari Mashiriki. It shares its northern border with the nation of Kilwa, and its southern border with the nation of Kundwa. The Zanjian capital is the port city of Moshambi. The land of Zanj is mostly covered by savanna. The kingdom is known to trade with three of the nations of Bahindhya. (In Mwenni, In Bana-Gui, Mai-Kulala)

Zaria:--a centrally located West Coast city-state. It lies on the shore of the Bahari Magharibi. (Cliff Bird's Nyumbani map)

Zazzn:--a northern city-state of the West Coast of Nyumbani. It occasionally fights wars with the neighboring kingdom of Kano. (Two Rogues)

Zimbabwe:--the largest nation of the Maguvurunde, westernmost of the three united kingdoms of the Monomatapa Empire. Its capital is the city of Mji-Zimbabwe. (The Trail of Bohu)

Zimbazi River:--a watercourse that marks the border between the Maguvurunde and the Abamba Highlands. It flows at last into the Bahari Mashiriki. (The Trail of Bohu)