When a group of Ravenwood students go missing on a class field trip, Wizards are summoned to Zafaria! Wizards discover that high tensions run throughout Zafaria, as ancient tribes clash over territory and resources, while Morganthe’s agents sow the seeds of chaos. As war threatens to sweep over the grasslands and penetrate deep into the jungles, Morganthe plots to recover the heart of her lost power, and fulfill the words of prophecy.
Long ago Zafaria was the home of Morganthe, but a Council of Wizards broke her power and buried her wand. They thought her dead until her recent reappearance. The world of ZAFARIA is old, but until recently has been cut off from the Spiral. It is a world of endless grasslands; dense, colorful jungles; and spectacular vistas. Baobab is the spiritual and cultural center of the world – a city built in and around the eponymous Tree of Life.
Zafaria was added to the game November 11, 2011
We’ve found 17 references as of 9/2/25
Belloq – René Emile Belloq
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Belloq
https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Emile_Belloq
Buster Crab – Buster Crabbe
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Buster_Crab
https://www.pirate101central.com/wiki/Creature:Buster_Crab_(Black_Rock_Cave)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_Crabbe
Captain Hannibal Onetusk – Han Solo / Charlie Allnut & The African Queen
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Hannibal_Onetusk
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Han_Solo
https://societyofexplorersandadventurers.fandom.com/wiki/Charlie_Allnut
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_African_Queen_(film)
Esop Thornpaw – Aesop’s Fables (Specifically The Lion with a Thorn In Its Paw)
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Esop_Thornpaw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop%27s_Fables
https://read.gov/aesop/001.html
Jorton Whoghard – Horton the Elephant
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Jorton_Whoghard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_the_Elephant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!
Koko Smokesign – Koko the signing gorilla / Witchdoctor by David Seville
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Koko_Smokesign
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_(gorilla)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_Doctor_(song)
https://youtu.be/cmjrTcYMqBM
King Mansa, Nemean Rock, Tsavo Door, and the ancestral prayer – King Mufasa, Mansa Musa, the Nemean Lion, Tsavo Man-Eaters, and The Lion Sleeps Tonight
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:King_Mansa
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Location:Nemean_Rock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mufasa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansa_(title)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansa_Musa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemean_lion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsavo_Man-Eaters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlByoPdG6c
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_Sleeps_Tonight
King Tusk – King Tutankhamun
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:King_Tusk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun
Lyla Thornpaw – Androcles and the Lion, attributed to Aesop
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Lyla_Thornpaw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop%27s_Fables
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androcles
Nergal the Burned Lion – Scar and Nergal the Mesopotamian god of war, death, and disease
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Nergal_the_Burned_Lion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scar_(The_Lion_King)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nergal
Old Duvai Silvermane – The Olduvai Gorge
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Old_Duvai_Silvermane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olduvai_Gorge
Queen Elissa – Dido, founder and first queen of the Phoenician city-state of Carthage
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Queen_Elissa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dido
Rakstede Steelhorn – Rocksteady
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Rakstede_Steelhorn
https://turtlepedia.fandom.com/wiki/Rocksteady
Shaka Zebu – Shaka Zulu
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Shaka_Zebu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka
Sobaka – Chewbacca
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Sobaka
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chewbacca
Vassanji Lore Singer – M. G. Vassanji
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/Creature:Vassanji_Lore_Singer
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/Quest:The_Magic_of_Vassanji
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._G._Vassanji
Zantar of the Gorillas – Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
https://www.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Zantar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzan
Cool Puns and Trivia
Tse-Tse Snaketail – The Tse-Tse fly are annoying large, biting flies that inhabit much of tropical Africa. It is known for spreading disease.
“The Souk” in Zafaria refers to “The Souk” which is the marketplace in an North African or Middle Eastern city. It’s taken from the Arabian word suq
“Zamunda” is Eddie Murphy’s fictional homeland from the film “Coming to America”.
The password “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba” to enter the secire fortress on the Waterfront is the first line of “The Circle of Life” from The Lion King. Translated into English it states, “Here comes a lion, Father.”
Belloq has the Hovitos fertility idol from Raiders of the Lost Ark in his tent.
Pop Culture References of Wizard101 by Spiral world:
Wizard City
Krokotopia
Marleybone
Mooshu
Dragonspyre
Grizzleheim / Wintertusk
Aquila
Wysteria
Celestia
Avalon
Azteca
Khrysalis
Polaris
Mirage
Empyrea
Karamelle
Lemuria
Novus
Wallaru
Zeke Quests and Eloise Quests
Vulcan Stev's Database 