The Xholorian Tribes

*"Xholoria is an untamed land of savages waiting to be brought to civilisation, and by Tyr, we WILL claim these lands as our own!"* - Emperor Vrothus of Varnia to his advisors after hearing about the Prithans' success in Southern Xholoria.

*"The Xholorians are wonderful people. So untouched by the ugliness of the outside world. So wild. So pure. I am not sure I approve of either the Prithans or the Varnians meddling with a land and people that would be fine if left alone."* - Arch-Druid Kannis Limmera to Prithan and Varnian diplomats demanding each other's withdrawal from Xholoria at the 47th Karn of Niva.

## **Description**

The Xholorian Tribes is a general term referring to the original peoples of the Xholorian continent. There are no nation states here. The land is dominated by hundreds of tribes, of which only three have populations large enough to be considered non-nomadic: the De'via, the Win'la and the Ka'zan. Tribes occassionally gather at a central location known only as "The Moot", where they arbitrate disputes, celebrate, fight, trade and more. With the arrival of Prithans and Varnians on the continent however, the latest gathering's focus was establishing some sort of united front against the threat in the North with the support of what would appear to be friends in the South - a matter that the De'via and the Win'la disagree heavily on, while the Ka'zan are largely apathetic to the matter.

## **Races**

Xholorians come in basically all shapes and forms, but Humans, Elves and Dwarves are rare. Xholoria is home to vast amounts of Centaurs, Changelings, Dragonborn, Genasi, Goliaths, Kenku, Kobolds, Loxodons, Minotaurs and Yuan-Ti Purebloods.

## **Culture**

Xholorians have no unified culture and as such their mannerisms and talents tend to vary depending on which tribe they belong to.

## **Major** **Tribes**

### The De'via

The De'via are the most powerful Xholorian tribe of the North-Eastern continent. They are like also the most ferocious of the tribes and the most traditionally tribally ruled community on the continent. Their leadership consists primarily of Yuan-Ti Purebloods, Loxodons, and Minotaurs. They are currently lead by Warchief Lash'iek, a hulking figure of a Yuan-Ti Pureblood who has personally fought invaders on several occasions. The De'via are surprisingly not hostile to Varnians; in fact, their shared Yuan-Ti roots with Nimaas have been a boon to diplomacy and the De'via have, as such, been the only force in The Moot discouraging further conflict with Varnia and opposing ties to Prithus. The seat of the De'via is situated by River Kror, right by the edge between fertile grasslands and woods, and more desolate steppes, hills and mountainous wastes. While not exactly a tradehub, the locals perform remarkably well in terms of production for a people that is as warlike as the De'via.

### The Win'la

The Win'la is the most dominant tribe in the Western Xholorian continent, and perhaps also the most 'civilized' of the tribes. The tribe's leadership primarily consists of Dragonborn, Genasi and Changelings, and is basically organized like many of the world's modern republics. Their tribe is unique in that they have a tendency to rely on magic in combat situations, and they were the first enemies of Varnia that could answer the force of the Dragonknights with dragon-riding cavalry of their own. Their seat of power lies by the mouth of the River N'la and is the closest to a trade hub you'll find amongst the Xholorian tribes. They are accustomed to visitors from Prithus and Synghgarth, but have refused to entertain Varnians in recent times due to the conflict on the northern border.

### The Ka'zan

The Ka'zan are the most powerful dominant tribe in the South-East of Xholoria. Their seat of power is situated just south of the Xhol mountains in terrain that can only really be described as hilly steppes. The Ka'zan are reclusive and more or less isolationist, but have also had a history of being assassins and soldiers for hire. Their leadership consists mostly of Kobolds, Kenku, Goliaths and Centaurs. They are currently led by Chieftain Mas'hiko, a Kobold of great ambition and an even greater intellect. No outsider really understands how the tribe keeps itself afloat economically, but that is only because their economy works very differently. Instead of trading with other surfacers, they trade goods with the residents of the mountains and other smaller tribes in the region. Production and trade profits are average, but the income from hiring their well-trained assassins and soldiers out makes the Ka'zan a force to be reckoned with - for many have met their end at the end of a Ka'zan Kenku's poisoned blade or a Ka'zan Centaur's merciless attempts at impalement through a galloping charge with a spear.