The Ten Clans of Walandor

## The Silent Arrows

Dominant Race: Elves

The pine trees of southern Walandor are the home of the Silent Arrows, a tribe famous for its expertise in hunting and archery. They live in beautifully carved houses connected with wooden bridges in the tree tops of their territory and outsiders seeing their settlements for the first time describe them as something straight out of a fairytale.

They usually keep to themselves and only maintain very few trade connections to their neighbors in Academia. Because of this it is quite hard for foreigners to earn their trust. The Silent Arrows patrol their borders very frequently and do not appreciate trespassers at all. The main reason for this is the aggressive behavior of the Skull Crackers, who they share parts of their border with.

Millodan is the main deity they pray to and all over their territory one may find wooden shrines dedicated to him.

## The Water Runners

Dominant Race: Bullywugs/Grungs/Tritons

As a tribe consisting of mostly aquatic races the population density of this rather shy clan is highest around the shores of the Still Lake and the Thousand Arm Delta in the south west of Walandor. They tend to only get involved with the rest of the continent during border conflicts, otherwise they seem to keep to themselves and mind their own business. The Holy Islet in the territory of the Silent Arrows is a sacred place to them, so they have made official deals with their neighboring clan to be allowed to travel there for certain ceremonies.

It is said the Water Runners control quite a few secret trade routes throughout the ocean leading to all kinds of places in Navaria, mostly to the Sunken City in Azarva. Even though this information is not officially confirmed it is very likely true, since there have been various reports from coastal cities about trade deals with this otherwise so (on the surface) inconsiderable clan. Connections between them and notorious smugglers all around the world are probably pure speculation.

## The Skull Crackers

Dominant Race: Humans

This probably most aggressive of all the clans lives in a large territory on the western side of Walandor. The Skull Crackers are always looking for opportunities to expand their borders at the cost of their neighbors and show no hesitance using violence for their goals. Their society is wholly built on the idea of physical strength, so they mostly teach their children from birth how to become stronger and how to overwhelm their opponents in battle. Leaders are chosen in duels and can change any time a more capable individual challenges them.

The only things that somewhat keep them in check are the hostile flora and fauna in that area. Large carnivorous plants and giant beasts call this part of the jungle their home and this permanent danger occupies many of the Skull Cracker’s forces at all times. If it weren’t for them the clan probably would have at least tried to conquest the whole continent by now, but due to the high mortality rate among them they fortunately don’t really pose a threat to the peace of Walandor.

## The Crying Scales

Dominant Race: Dragonborn/Lizardfolk/Kobolds

The territory of the Crying Scales in the western parts of Walandor includes the Light’s Throne, the highest mountain of the continent. The people of their tribe all see themselves as descendants of Niv-Bharat, making it so even though they believe in the existence of all gods he is the one they exclusively pray to. In the center of their villages one can find impressively carved wooden totems in the shape of dragons to honor their ancestors.

They maintain a very good relation with their eastern neighbors, the Soothing Hands, so any border conflicts they are involved in mainly occur in the south of their territory, where the Skull Crackers regularly try to expand their borders. The lake Naya’s Gift was given to them by a former chieftain of the Soothing Hands, because the Crying Scales had come to their aid during a war against a long forgotten clan, that hasn’t survived this alliance in the progress.

## The Soothing Hands

Dominant Race: Elves

The Soothing Hands are a very peaceful clan in the center of Walandor right between Academia and Port Hulm. They welcome visitors with open arms and allow travelers to pass through most of their territory undisturbed. Underestimating them would be a grave mistake to make though. If they are forced to fight, they are just as fierce and wild as the other clans. They tend to hold grudges for centuries, so getting on their bad side is definitely not recommended.

They are specialized in all kinds of healing methods, be it magical or traditional. When it comes to treating lethal wounds or illnesses, even the Archmages of Academia ask for their advice and experience. The main reason for their vast knowledge is their bond with the deity Lukina. The Soothing Hands adore her for the sacrifices she has made to find a cure for all the sicknesses in the world. They follow her guidance with a passion rarely seen anywhere else in Navaria and dedicate their lives following in her footsteps.

## The Poison Fangs

Dominant Race: Yuan-Ti

The mysterious clan of the Poison Fangs lives in the Serpent Marsh in the north of Walandor and is known to show a very territorial behavior. They meet visitors and trespassers with utmost aggression and each attempt of peaceful negotiations has failed so far. On the other hand they do not start any conflicts on their own and never cross the borders of their territory. This makes them a very isolated tribe, but they have lived this way for several hundred years now and don’t seem to want to change that anytime soon.

## The Shadow Dancers

Dominant Race: Unknown

Not much is known about this mysterious tribe in the far north of Walandor. The Shadow Dancers tend to wear masks and capes mimicking their environment, so information about their race is hard to come by.

The jungle is especially thick within their borders and anyone trespassing is usually dealt with - swiftly and lethally. Because of this and the fact they are basically isolated from the rest of the continent by the territory of the Poison Fangs, not many people dare to lead any kind of expedition there.

## The Forgotten Strangers

Dominant Race: Mixed

The Forgotten Strangers are a clan of mercenaries with a strict rank order, consisting of people from various races and backgrounds from all over the world. Most of them had no other place they belonged to, so they formed this youngest of the clans only a couple decades ago in the year 2349ah. New members usually join for either glory, coin or just a place to call home.

The Forgotten Strangers mercenary company ranks are as follows:

* High Chiefs - the elite fighters of the Forgotten Strangers, who are responsible for most of the success of the company. lead war companies
* Chiefs - distinguished fighters, who have earned a lot of respect and loyalty from their fellow mercenaries, lead divisions
* Captains - strong fighters who have proven themselves in battle, lead task forces
* Soldiers - need to get out there and prove their worth

A task force contains between three to five soldiers and is mainly used for smaller jobs (personal protection, scouting etc.).

A division consists of multiple task forces under a chief's oversight. It is perfect for tasks such as riot control or attacking a bandit camp.

Multiple divisions together form a war company, needed for actual battlefields and warfare.

These ranks are in motion continuously. If a chief earns more money and glory for the company than the currently lowest ranked high chief, he is promoted to that spot immediately. This rule prevents the high chiefs from slacking off and to go out on missions themselves, even if it's just with a simple task force sometimes.

## The Blood Claws

Dominant Race: Tabaxi/Leonin

One of the largest clans in Walandor are definitely the Blood Claws. Across dozens of villages there are supposed to be thousands of members of their tribe, but even an estimated guess probably doesn’t come close to the real number.

Their favorable geographical position between Academia and Volrana allows them to collect tolls from adventurers and merchants travelling between the two cities. They don’t appreciate trespassers who stray too far from the main road, but they tend to give multiple warnings before they actually resort to violence.

The Blood Claws have always embraced their tribal ways and try not to get involved with modern society too much. They worship the gods, defend their territory from the other clans and hold their ceremonies just like hundreds of years ago.

## The Golden Tongues

Dominant Race: Mixed

The Golden Tongues are the only of the ten clans of Walandor, who have given up most of their tribal lifestyle in exchange for a more modern take on society.

Around five centuries ago a very unfortunate chain of events including bloody border wars with the Blood Claws and several terrible floods caused a lot of casualties among them. It was then a very young woman named Renia was chosen as chieftain to lead the clan into a brighter future. Already known for their golden tongues she started utilizing their ability to negotiate and trade with the evolving world of Navaria around them, which brought them peace, prosperity and knowledge.

It was this knowledge that slowly replaced their old tribal ways with the lifestyle of the big cities of Walandor and beyond. Their capital Volrana is a perfect example of the transformation they went through to arrive in this place in history. Nowadays they are still very proud of their ancestors to have chosen this path and they show their respect by holding regular festivals in their names.