Tribe: Tovoltec
Race: Skink
Druid of some accomplishment; best known for talking to animals to learn more about them.
Tribe: Tovoltec
Race: Fiore
Powerful sorcerer(ess?). Leads the Tovoltec tribeSpells demonstrated: Magic Missile, Lightning Bolt, Stinking Cloud, Wall of Fire, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Loira
Witch, wife of Acatzitoc. Known for crafting (magic) weapons.Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Saurian
Chieftain of the Tonatiuh; leads his people in war and inspires them with war-songs, but is also quite capable in hand-to-hand combat. His fighting style is supernatural: his claws glow blue and the spirits of defeated foes circle around him, attacking his enemies. At home he's actually more of a moderate, brokering compromises between Saurian and Loira fanatics.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Human
Weaponcrafter, has innovated some of Tonatiuh's weaponry based on ancient pictures he found in a cave. Granted respect by the Saurians not just because he crafts weapons (they don't care all that much, they've got claws), but also because he can consistently armwrestle Ghosttaker.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Saurian
Former chieftain, who made his tribe join the Tonatiuh tribe as part of a bargain; his tribe was faced with foes that could not be hurt without magical weapons, and Ghosttaker was capable of doing so. It's well-known that being subject to another's leadership doesn't sit well with Lionrender.
Race: Green Dragon
By his own words, Nkhadza is not the strongest dragon around. But make no mistake: he's a huge killing machine, capable of flying, acid breath, running through thick jungle unimpeded and limited mind control.
Unlike other dragons, he actually talks to humanoids, and possesses a ring that lets him assume humanoid shape (although not very accurately). He traded a similar ring to Mactla Darkleaf in exchange for a sword, indicating that the ring was more valuable.
He also pointed to the significance of a symbol scarred into the necks of most of the troglodytes and liskos that had been raiding Ur-Nests:
Tribe: Tovoltec
Race: Skink
A young druid interested in forming a bond with a familiar. He went to the Chipoca to learn from the loira witches how to do so, but hasn't returned...
Also known about him is that he tried out many poisons, to determine what they did; he's become quite the expert.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Human
Druid, interested in magical stones, earth magic and so forth. Claims that he can draw more power from the earth than other druids can.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Wiedergänger
Stoned for thievery, he rose from the dead having Seen The Light, and now he's a priest of Phoenis, capable of channeling the cold of night to hurt his foes (and anyone who happens to be nearby).
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Skink
Druid riding a pterodactyl who seeks to map the world, starting with the nearby lands. He's named the current region Tripotamige: Three River Land.
Tribe: Chipoca
Race: Loira
Witch (and sub-chieftain?) of the Chipoca, liaison to Firenest when they visited.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Gramigna
The Tonatiuh high druid. He needs to spend most of his time away from Tonatiuh though, to hear the trees more clearly.
Tribe: none
Race: Saurian
Outcast from Tonatiuh; his shame name is Corpse-Eater. Perhaps that's what has given him magical power over the living dead, or maybe his necromancy inspired him to eat the dead for power. Either way, Woundtaker wanted him killed for this sin; but Ghosttaker let him live, because Ghosttaker owed him a debt for teaching him the secret of magical claws.
According to Truthhunter, Woundtaker actually wanted to get rid of him because he was uncovering clues that Phoenis wasn't actually such a wonderful and nice god.
Tribe: Spear Tribe
Race: Saurian
Leader of the Spear Tribe; only glimpsed for a moment by Mactla Darkleafat the instigation of Nkhadza. He possesses a Rod that apparently allows him to magically influence the minds of his tribe. As a result, the tribe has lots of followers...
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Saurian
Heavily scarred prophetess of Phoenis, who has granted her the power to suffer the wounds of others for them. She believes (to the dismay of others) that Saurians are the superior race, chosen by her sun god to lead the others. She insists on this doctrine, which is why her tribe is named after the sun.
Tribe: Tovoltec
Race: Human
Warrior-leader of the Tovoltec; he has a strong instinct for group-tactics using shields, and has developed the Tovoltec shield-wall tactic. Now he's awakened to the power of Hallardo by the words of Life-Warden and the vision-herbs of Izquitl.
Tribe: Tonatiuh
Race: Fiore
Explorer and visionary: she seeks to find the Red Sorceress that appears to most everyone who hatches from an Ur-Nest and who (according to her) imbues them with the language Feiyu. This is actually the meaning behind her name: Zhentan means "seeker" and Feiwushi means "red sorceress", in some mysterious language from Zhentan's dreams.
This tribe consists almost entirely of loira, who split from the Tovoltec tribe, amicably. They live on an island at the juncture of the Borapotamos and Teotl rivers.
Members: Xuchizin (senior witch, chieftain), Tilzitzin (witch), Coanitoc (lead druid)
This tribe is huge, and that appears to be because Wordmaster possesses a magical rod that allows him to charm people into following him.
A large and unusually cosmopolitan tribe, Tonatiuh owes much to its chieftain, Ghosttaker. He kept fanatics on either side (saurian supremacists, loira isolationists, unhappy humans) from leaving or dominating. Tonatiuh is particularly active in exploring the jungle, and in absorbing smaller tribes.
Tonatiuh is semi-nomadic, moving farther up and downstream of the Teotl river as the season develops.
Sun Thief, Lionrender (lesser chieftain), Stone Seeker (lesser druid), Chintzitoc,
Medium-sized tribe of humans and skinks; the saurians "left" due to "irreconcilable differences", according to the powerful fiore sorceress and chieftain Belmira. In fact, the loira also left the tribe, due to isolationist tendencies, and founded the Chipoca tribe downstram of the Teotl river. Tovoltec and Chipoca maintain trade relations.
The tribe holds the turtle in high regard and has emulated it by focusing on using shields in combat. Their shield-wall formation has been proven in battle. It's also made its permanent base camp on a peninsula of the Teotle river for added protection.
Members: Belmira (chieftain), Beastspeaker (lesser druid), Poisontaster (lesser druid), Yotkiatl, leader of the warriors
The great north river is truly huge - fast-flowing and still over 50m across at the narrow parts.
A significant river even if it's pretty short.
Every student of systematic arcane magic will run into the Draconic language. (Also, people who run into dragons.) It has a set of words naming elementary things, as well as a sophisticated grammar useful for adding precise meaning to text. The alphabet is based on claw-scratching; the direction in which a scratch-line is drawn is significant to the interpretation of a literal.
This is a very mysterious language; it appears that the same concept can be conveyed with hisses, barks, growls and words. It cannot be written down, cannot be magically translated, but it can be spoken and understood by druids in Wildshape.
A druid who loses his druid powers is no longer able to speak or understand Druidic. Trying to teach Druidic to a non-druid causes a druid to lose his powers.
This language uses elaborately calligraphed characters - it's highly impractical for engraving, much more suitable for frescoes. It's quite expressive in scrolls - the way a character is drawn with a brush helps convey minute nuances of meaning.
This is a very angular language - precisely suitable for stone-carving. The alphabet has no round elements in it, only straight lines and corners at 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and 135 degrees. The alphabet seems to be hierarchical - there are simple glyphs and complex glyphs composed of lesser glyphs.
Game Mechanics: during Shivering a spellcaster needs to make a Concentration check to properly rest. The DC is 15+(highest spell level x 2).
Migration Downstream
When the end of the rainy season approaches, the crabs return downstream again. They seem to know when the rains will slacken, and migrate before the rainy season ends.
Alignment: Lawful Neutral - All the ''true'' races were meant to have their place in the Order of Things. Those who fulfill the duties of their station well shall be rewarded, those who fail or who transgress into a different role shall be punished.
Holy Symbol: There are several variations of Phoenis' holy symbol. At its most basic, it's a sun. It can be made of gold and decorated with precious gems - and priests probably like that - but the essence is a circle with rays. Then there's a couple of subtypes: with a + in the middle, and with an eye in the middle. These highlight specific aspects of Phoenis.
Domains: Healing, Law, Nobility, Scalykind, Sun
Favored Weapon: Chakram - priests often engrave the disc with rays, like a sun.
Description: Lord Sun shines down on all things, observing that each has its proper place. It gives life and warmth to them and asks them each to do their part in the Order of Things.
Alignment: Lawful Good - Hallardo is a benevolent but strict god, who decrees that cooperation and discipline are the straightest path to the common good. The good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one, but not to an infinite degree. (LN priests tend to emphasize the Greater Good while NG priests emphasize the obligation of the majority to compensate the minority for taking precedence.)
Holy Symbol: shield - the shield symbolizes Hallardo's commitment to protect. Priests of Hallardo can use a real shield as holy symbol (if properly sanctified).
Domains: Good, Law, Protection, Travel, War
Favored Weapon: Longsword - Hallardo has no truck with fancy or exotic weapons; priests favor everyone using the same, practical weapon.
Description: The Way and the Warrior; protector of travelers and armies. He presides over struct rules and obligations of hospitality; a guest is to be sheltered and not to be harmed nor coerced, and a guest is not to abuse hospitality and owes gratitude (within his means) to his host. Hallardo favors organization in warfare; strict discipline to make the whole stronger than the sum of the parts.
Masterwork dao made from some mysterious dark iron-like metal, and inscribed with characters in an ancient language.
Currently in the possession of Worchavak
Masterwork jian coated in alchemical silver, and inscribed with characters in an ancient language.
Originally carried by Mactla Darkleaf, who traded it with Nkhadza for a magical ring.
Holy symbol of Phoenis; a medallion displaying a radiant sun, with a + sign inside the sun. It is made of gold, but was stained with soot.
Currently in the possession of Life-Warden who obtained it in the Reclaimed Temple
A beautiful magical Pearl of Power (level 1)
Currently in the possession of Izquitl, found in the Reclaimed Temple
Carved out of ivory.
Currently in the possession of El, found in the Reclaimed Temple
Forged from a mysterious dark iron, just like a certain sword.
Currently in the possession of Life-Warden, found in the Reclaimed Temple
This is a fairly plain gold ring with ten engraved characters in an ancient script, and the Crossed Circle sign:
The ring has the power to transform the wearer into the shape of several different races, by speaking the Draconic name for the intended race. This takes a Standard action and functions mostly as Alter Self, except for the following:
The ring radiates moderate transmutation magic.
Currently in the possession of Mactla Darkleaf, who gained it from Nkhadza in exchange for a silver sword. Nkhadza wears what appears to be another such ring, although his assumed shapes tend to be imperfect; greener than realistic.
The actual origin of this item almost certainly lies in the ancient past, but the current holder is Wordmaster. Where did he get it?
The exact powers of the rod are not known, but Wordmaster uses it to gain the loyalty of dozens of people at the same time - it has some magical influence over the mind.
Nkhadza has hinted to members of Firenest that the Rod should not be in Wordmaster's claws - it would be better if Nkhadza had it - but that he doesn't want to go in to get it himself.
This sign was found scarred into the neck of many troglodytes and liskos that raid Ur-Nests. This fact was pointed out to Mactla Darkleaf by Nkhadza
Many people who emerged from Ur-Nests remember seeing a woman dressed in elaborate red robes, telling them where to go, where to find shelter and nearby tribes. Her words also magically endowed the listeners with the ability to understand the Feiyu language. One fiore has made it her life's work to track down this enigmatic sorceress, which she calls Feiwushi; according to the fiore, Zhentan Feiwushi means "seeker of the red sorceress" in a language she heard in her dreams.
The members of what would later be called Firenest were blissfully slumbering inside eggs, when they were alarmed by loud noises coming from outside. When they managed to hatch, they were faced with troglodytes raiding the nest, ripping open eggs and killing the occupants. Meanwhile, a human woman dressed in elaborate red robes appeared out of nothing and started talking to them; those that listened well figured out how to speak words, and were able to transmit the knowledge to their compatriots. Listening to the apparition was made difficult due to the troglodyte onslaught. Firenest barely managed to drive them off, and then discovered the corpses of a few saurian warriors that had been killed by the trogs. They started following the saurians' trails, because the apparition had said something about that before disappearing.
A while later, El woke up. He'd been clubbed into unconsciousness by the troglodytes, and left for dead. He climbed into a tree to hide, because strange humanoid-like creatures emerged from the trees and started eating the corpses; it seemed wise to stay away from those. The next day he set off down Firenest's trail where he encountered a tree-spirit that guided him and tried to teach him something. Apparently the trees were watching him from the start. After a while he caught up with Firenest. Because he'd missed the apparition of the red sorceress, he had a much more difficult time learning how to speak, but eventually managed.
After a few days of tracking Firenest found Tonatiuh, and was welcomed into the tribe.
