Zlatlan, the "Hidden City," is the greatest Lizardmen temple-city within the Southlands and one of the few that remains intact and inhabited by the Lizardmen on that continent. The Slann mage-priests of Zlatlan are unable to maintain contact with those of Lustria via telepathic links because of the curvature of the earth. The Slann communicate thoughts and magical energy along lines traced out across the jungle from one pyramid to another. The expanse of the World Pond and the curve of the world's surface prevent such a line between Lustria and the Southlands after the Lustrian city of Chupayotl, which served as the only link between the two continents, was destroyed. [1a]
This has led to the Slann mage-priests of Zlatlan having to make their calculations and rituals in isolation from the other Slann. One consequence of this is that, although the Slann of Zlatlan may deduce the time that an event predicted or planned by the Old Ones should occur, they are sometimes out of synchronisation with the Lustrian Slann. This may explain why the great Cathayan armada of Yin-Yin, the Sea Dragon, was struck by two magically conjured typhoons rather than a single summoned storm.[1a][4]
It is difficult to know which school of Slann mage-priests is most accurate. Whereas the Lustrian Slann have suffered the loss of many key sacred plaques bearing the glyph inscriptions of the Old Ones due to raids, the plaque sequence of Zlatlan is probably more intact if not complete due to isolation from raids. The Lustrian Slann are very arrogant in many ways and are loath to admit that the Zlatlan Slann might be more accurate.[1a]
Despite its isolation, Zlatlan was not forgotten by Sotek. The mage-priests of Zlatlan observed the Two-Tailed Comet and perceived that it represented the forked tongue of Sotek. Once again, it was their complete sequence of sacred plaques which meant that they had access to the Prophecy of Sotek and knew exactly what it meant. At this time the population of the Skaven Clan Pestilens had washed up on the shores of the Southlands having abandoned Lustria. The rat spawn were in a vicious and aggressive mood. Plagues penetrated the jungle but fortunately did not reach Zlatlan. It was said that Sotek himself encircled the city to protect it.[1a]
The mage-priests marshalled the Skink cohorts and Saurus legions and prepared for war. Miraculously, the Skaven did not attack. They ignored the city, if they ever knew it was there, and instead set upon the underground strongholds of their own kind. For a long time the Slann of Zlatlan had been concerned about the ratmen strongholds beneath Mounts Lhasa and Bhagrusa, but now the Skaven were despoiling them in some strange frenzied ratmen-strife. All the priests agreed that the rat spawn had been sent mad by the magic of Sotek. Thus the Cult of Sotek arose also in Zlatlan and henceforth any clashes between Lizardmen and those Skaven who yet remain in the Southlands provides Sotek with his rightful tribute of sacrifices.[1a]
History[]
Icon of the Lizardmen army of the temple-city of Zlatlan as depicted in Total War: Warhammer II.[2]
If it were not for Ibn Jellaba and Yin-Tuan no one would know of the existence of the Lizardman city of Zlatlan. This pyramid city has remained secret within the jungles of the Southlands since the separation of the continents in the time of the Old Ones. Maybe the Dwarfs of Karak Zorn encountered the Lizardmen, if so it is not recorded in any known Dwarf sagas. Almost certainly, the Dwarfs would have been interested in the gold and riches of the temple-city, and fascinated by its stone architecture. They may have even made contact as friends.[1a]
The mysterious silence surrounding the fate of Karak Zorn could be due to war with the Lizardmen, but it could just as easily be due to war with the Undead, who sealed off the route to Karak Zorn centuries ago. As for the Undead legions of Settra and Nagash, they have never penetrated into the jungle to attack the Lizardmen, or if they have then they certainly met with defeat. The mummified remains of the oldest Slann would surely be sought out by any power-crazed necromancer, if they knew where it was and could fight their way in and out of the Lizardmen city.[1a]
There may have been a time when there was contact between the Lizardmen of Zlatlan and the ancient Human civilisation of Nehekhara in its formative stages. The people of Nehekhara could have been influenced by the Lizardman temple-cities in the form of their own architecture. From the Lizardmen, the rulers of Nehekhara might have taken the idea of the pyramid and the practice of mummification. The priest-kings themselves could have been set up in imitation of the Slann mage-priests. It is possible that at some early time the Slann of Zlatlan encouraged the Human population of Nehekhara to build a civilisation on the Lizardmen's model. They would have done this in order to further the plans of the Old Ones.[1a]
However, when things turned bad in Nehekhara, or more probably, when the Slann realised that things inevitably would turn bad in Nehekhara, they cut off all contact and hid themselves within their jungles. The Slann would have been extremely anxious to prevent their arcane knowledge getting into the hands of the Great Necromancer Nagash or others of his foul ilk. To this end they were supremely successful. Barely a handful of outsiders have ever encountered the Lizardmen temple-city of Zlatlan; it remains but a fable and a rumour.[1a]
The ruling Slann mage-priest of Zlatlan has recently tasked the mercenary Skink, Tichi-Huichi of the fallen temple-city of Enxilada, to rescue all the golden sacred plaques of the Old Ones, and other such lost artefacts of the Lizardmen.[16a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (5th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 24
- 2: Total War: Warhammer II (PC Game)
- 3: White Dwarf 232
- 3a: pp. 47-48
- 4: Full Interview With Warhammer III's Lead Writer Andy Hall - Total War: Warhammer III - Lorebeards Podcast October 12, 2021