The Sleeper

The Sleeper was a female tarrasque and one of the nyama-nummo, the offspring of the deity Olurobo in ancient Katashaka.The nyama-nummo are named after elements of the religion of the Dogon people of Mali, with the concept of nyama (roughly, human nature) and the Nummo spirits or deities. However, what they could be in D&D terms and in the Forgotten Realms setting is unknown.While the Sleeper is not defined in the text of the passage on page 30 of the The Grand History of the Realms, the accompanying image shows a tarrasque, with the caption "The Sleeper awakens". However, the art in Grand History is all reused from prior sourcebooks and often inappropriate. Nevertheless, in the original fan-work A Grand History of the Realms, an entity called "Tarrasque" who reigned over Katashaka is mentioned. Moreover, the name Tarasajok is suggestive of the tarrasque. Thus, it is assumed a tarrasque, or something very like one, was indeed intended.
Believed to be the greatest of the nyama-nummo, the Sleeper dwelled in the Palace of the Alliz-Dren. She reigned over the lands of the Tabaxi tribe of humans and supposedly favored them over the other tribes. In turn, they chose one of their own at birth to be named Tarasajok, meaning "She Who Watches over the Sleeper"—and who had the honor of being first to be eaten by her upon awakening on the next Night of Feasting.A Night of Feasting occurs at "the millennium end", suggesting they occur once every thousand years, but the sleep schedule of a tarrasque is generally noted to be unpredictable and more frequent.
In Tabaxi legend, one season, the Sleeper desired vengeance against an ancient enemy and summoned the greatest warriors of the nine tribes to follow her into battle in Mhairshaulk (c. to c. ). Apparently defeated, the Sleeper returned in a rage, went on a rampage, and devoured four other nyama-nummo on the Night of Feasting, before finally returning to sleep and recuperate in the Palace of Alliz-Dren. She would awaken twenty-three more times, and ever more angry and hungry.If this is every thousand years, then a span of 23,000 years is covered, and the battle occurred around , which is within the time of Mhairshaulk when dominated by yuan-ti.
Finally, on the next Night of Feasting at the end of a millennium, before , the current Tarasajok, Oyai was blessed by Ubtao and empowered with magic. This was right before the Sleeper awoke with a roar and came to devour her. But she used the magic to halt, crush, and slay the Sleeper. That night, many liberated and joyous Tabaxi pledged themselves to Ubtao and thereafter journeyed across the sea to Chult.
==Appendix==
===See Also===
* Akongo
===Notes===
===References===
Category:Tarrasques
Category:Inhabitants of Katashaka
Category:Inhabitants of Toril
Category:Rulers