Amaz

Amazakaran

**The Amazakaran**, or the **Amaz**, is a race of warrior horsewomen of the Caledonian mountains. They allow women of any race to join them. They do not allow men into their tribe, or anywhere on their land, the Amazakaran Territory.

## Physical Description

Because the Amaz allow women of any race to join them, they do not have a uniform appearance in skin, hair, and eye color. Those who join the Amaz do have runic tattoos on their face and body. Many also have piercings. The Amaz also tend to be muscular and are in excellent shape, regardless of whether they are soldiers or not.

The Amaz soldiers wear crimson military tunics emblazoned with glowing scarlet runes, black pants, and boots. In winter they wear dark winter cloaks lined with black fur secured over their shoulders. Their weapon of choice is a giant battle rune-ax they wear strapped to their back.

## History

After Gardneria and Alfsigroth annex Verpacia, Keltania, and the Lupine Territories, Amazakaraan is now the only free land in the Western Realm.

## Culture

The Amaz usually execute any men who enters their land. The Amaz use rune-magery to only give birth to girls, but it doesn't always work. If a male baby is born, they leave them in the Lupine forests to die, but the Lupine usually take them in. The Amaz refer to themselves as the Amazakaran Free Peoples of the Caledonian Mountains. The military of the Amaz is called the Amaz Guard. The elite part of the military is the Queen's Guard, which protects the queen. When a woman joins the Amaz, thee queen bestows them with a new name.

It is part of Amaz etiquette that people bow low to the queen and not tomake eye contact until she acknowledges them. To bow before the queen, one must drop to their knees and bow until their forehead touches the floor. It also includes the custom of people not stepping on the threshold when they enter a dwelling and to remove their shoes. One also gives a slight bow to say thank you. The Amaz don't take kindly to strangers in their lands, even female strangers.

All the Amaz, except for the young children, are heavily armed with various weapons. Even the very old wear knives and hatchets. The Amaz train all children in a wide variety of weaponry and martial arts. It is acceptable and common practice for women to openly nurse.

## Language

Because the Amaz are a diverse group, many of them speak multiple language. The Amaz does have its own language.

### Known Language

* *Muth'li*: Mother
* *Ghuul Raith*: The Black Witch
* *Visay'un*: Watchers
* *Visay'ihne* deer: A breed of little deer

## Religion

Their deity is called the Great Mother, *Ama*. She created the world and everything in it. And the first people she made were the Three Sisters. After they were created, *Ama* saw that the Sisters were lonely, so she took a bone from each of their fists and made the First Men. The First Men were not grateful for all the Goddess had done for them. Instead, they tried to convince the Three Sisters to join them and slay the Great Mother, so that they could rule over all of Erthia.

One of the sisters refused to betray the Great Mother. She went to her and warned her of their terrible plan. The Great Mother renamed this First Sister Amaz, and set down a curse on the others. The two Sisters who betrayed the Goddess were sent to live with the First Men, who were strengthened by the extra bone in their fist and emboldened. They sought to enslave these two Sisters and abused them in every way. But the loyal Daughter was greatly blessed by the Goddess and remained strong and free. The Great Goddess rewarded the faithful Daughter by giving her a rune-stylus made of starlight. Thus, from the beginnings of time, men have been untrustworthy and only interested in cruelty and domination. The Amaz believe that when they die, they will go to the Goddesshaven.

The Amaz religion also has sacred animals that belong to the Goddess. One of those animals is the *Visay'ihne* deer, which are little deer found all over the Amaz lands. They are beloved by the Goddess. The other sacred animals are the Watchers, known as *Visay'un*, and the *Visay'ithere* snake.

## Government

The Amaz are ruled by a queen, who is currently Queen Alkaia. She is supported by her Council.

## Powers & Abilities

The leaders of the Amaz's magic is the Circle of Sorcerers. Rune-sorcery is rare though, so the Amaz only have twelve rune-sorceresses. But they span almost every tradition in the know world. The Amaz rune-sorceresses bring together runic systems from all of their origin cultures. When they combine these systems, they can do more with them. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in diversity, which leads to enhanced power. When the different runic systems are melded, they turn red, which gives the Amaz their rather monolithic color scheme. Their runes enhance the magic power of the user. One of the most widely known Amaz rune-tattoo confers the ability to speak to horses with one's mind. Other runes power lights, stoves, and other things. Runes can be placed on weapons that can be activated by the user.

## Known Members

* Astrid Volya
* Andras Volya
* Valasca Xanthrir
* Freyja
* Alcippe Feyir
* Pyrgomanche Feyir
* Sala Feyir
* Alkaia
* Tith'lin
* Ysilldir Illyrindor
* Tamalyyn
* Sorcha Xanthippe
* Konnor
* Thraso
* Skyleia
* Euryleia

## Trivia

* The Amaz often say "Avenging Goddess" when shocked.

## References

1. ↑ *The Iron Flower*: page 314
2. ↑ *The Iron Flower*: page 141
3. ↑ *The Iron Flower*: page 327