Except from the Encylopedia Royale (with referance notes)
Race: Kazi
Appearance: Hairless, vaguely reptilian face, tan skin, 2 jointed leg (think extended foot/standing on your toes), claws on fingers and toes, opposing fingers, extremely dark iris (black with flecks of gold).
Average Height: 5' (the average height for a human is 5' 6")
Average Weight: 90-110 lb
Average Lifespan: They have a natural lifespan of 60 years, but due to the high death rate many don't live to the age of 35.
Description: The Kazi are a race of warriors, hunting the vast southern desert constantly for food, they are also the middlemen between the humans to the north and the dwarves to the south. They live in nomadic tribes and, for the most part, don't use iron weapons. Instead they use a weapon called the ichyti, a combination between a spear and an axe, made of the bones of futti and nioti, both predators that inhabit their lands.
Personality: Caring little for what tomorrow might bring, they give little thought to the consequences of their actions. They hunt because they're hungry, and set down camp because they're tired. The exception to this is the Kleggich, a combination elder and chief, who seem to make up for their clan's lack of forethought by planning months in advance. Charting out the best ways to get to the next oasis or way station, dealing with the heathens for food and water, all the things that the Gich, or warriors, are too rash to do.
The Kazi tend to look down upon foreigners as heathens and scum. To lost in their decadence to see their sin. They give adventurers and others who live their lives at the edge of society a grudging respect, because even though they follow the Fallen Ones, they value martial prowess. They think that there will be a special place in hell set for the adventurers, because Yr will have sympathy on their souls.
The kleggich are viewed with the utmost reverence and respect, for in their day they were all great warriors (how else could they have lived so long) and because the long-term plans are made by them. Below them are the gich, the warriors and hunters. The gich often wear necklaces with a tooth from every beast/enemy they've killed, and the warrior with the most teeth is considered just below the kleggich in power. He often gets first pick at the food and women at night. The Kazi also have no wives, instead sharing the women of the tribe among themselves and their guests. Because of this family lineage is not tracked through the father but through the mother.
Home: Being nomadic they are very rarely in any place for more than a couple of nights, and view the idea of settling down on one place for your entire life as un-Kazi, bordering on sinful. It is because of this one of the most horrid punishment is to be made nuchnibi. The nuchnibi are castrated and forced to live and tend to the way stations. They are guarded by Edu, a small group of males, who are often unfit for either combat or travel. Gimps, blind, shortsighted, deaf, mutes all are left here at the age of 8. The edu often live to the age of 45 or 50 because the biggest risk to their health is the nuchnibi.
Relations: They have strained relations with the humans to the north. They are only put up with when they bring dwarven metals with them, tales are told of them that would make a cannibal sick in the north. They fare better in the south, with the dwarves, but only just. The dwarves and Kazi respect each other for their prowess in battle, for it wasn't that long ago that they were at each others throats. They are just as likely to embrace a dwarf as brother as to kill him out right when he gets near their camp, but it's getting better.
They are traders, mainly because they are the only effective way to transport good north and south. They bring ores and weapons up north, to the iron deficient northern continent, and bring grains and meats south to the dwarves, who have populations much to large to support on the meager crops that they harvest. Out of the deal they get no gold, the heavy symbol of decadence, but cloth for their backs, and food/water for their way stations.
Religion: They worship the god Yr, the sun god. He is a vengeful god, caring little for their suffering, only asking for their strength. He demands that they be pure of heart and stout of body. He tells them to let no one rule over them, and to give no quarter, for their enemies are constantly at their throats seeking the demise of his Chosen Ones.
Language: They have two languages, a ritualistic one and a day-to-day one. The ritualistic one is a complex language that many spend 20 years to learn. It is all but impossible to speak by anyone other than the Kazi, and even then some can't speak it. A bard once described it as 'music that even the birds envy.' The more common language is a bastardized form of Kearthig. Scholars debate the origin of this language, for there are absolutely no references to them during this time. Some scholars think that this was the fabled hyndie, people from over the western sea that were enslaved by Emperor Harod III. They possess no written language, in either of the two, and so bards are treated well, for they are the only link to the past.
The bards of their culture serve as combination poet/priests. Weaving old tales into the complex High language they spend years learning. Often they are taken for their parent at a young age by an old bard and trained for years to understand the language well enough to twist it. They're taught tales of Yr, and of his saints, and of great warriors and battles. The bards are never a part of any tribe, and will often travel opposite the rest of the tribes, visiting as many as they can in the limited time provided.
Okay. I need help on this. Mostly it's just names but...
I need a name for the bards/preists. Bard brings trecherous troubadours to mind, which is exactly what these guys are not.
I need to figure out what they call their two language too. High and Low just don't sound right to me.
And I feel like I'm missing something, I'll figure it out eventually but till then.
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? Responses (9)
Lizardmen types.I like the bardic idea.
This is very detailed and made a good read.
Good stuff:
Well described tribal culture with the elders and the warriors, the castrates and the women. The Native American references were noticable, but good.
Bad stuff:
The predators mentioned at the beginning of the text sounded like italian candy, to me at least, so that detracted a little.
All will be made clear in time AG. There is a reason that I mentioned those, even though they seem superfluous. I thought I hate kinda cut them out but I guess I missed that. My submission on their weapons might make it a bit clearer.
solid hunter-gatherer lizard-folk
I think it is a good solid posting. I like some of the little touches of chrome, in addition to the basics.
I almost think you should expand out certain sections (as systems posts or appropriate) then delete those parts out. Those posts can stand on their own or you can make this a continuing scroll.
Oh you did. You just did not link them. (Suggest a submission at the botton of the page) . That would certainly improve the score in many people's mind, especially if you edit the main entry to say 'GO LOOK AT THE OTHER POST...'
Barbarian, lizard man, hunter-traders, with a touch of bardic culture to boot - good stuff - 4.5 / 5
I love the Edu and nuchnibi! Good stuff P!