The Xsawah (Bloodletters)

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The Xsawah (Bloodletters)
Matlal steadied himself in his perch among
the branches, slowed his breathing, and
listened. It was as if he could hear the
thrumming of the hearts of his people,
scattered among the treetops, preparing
themselves. It was a persistent beat to a war
dance they all knew and all felt, pulsing
through their veins. "We are the masters of
both the trees and the forest floor, children of
the Sun, none shall ever be greater." A smile
spread across his feline features as he felt the
thrumming rise to a humming crescendo –
Now! His heart leapt in his chest and he fell
with fluid grace onto the back of a Great
Salatsu, his brothers and sisters swiftly
following suit, and together they brought the
monstrous thing to its knees. His claws sank
deeply into the thing’s flesh, and the warm,
iron scent of blood filled his nostrils.
Internally he rejoiced, "None shall ever be
greater than we, the Xsawah."
In Brief
Called the Bloodletters by outsiders because of
the tales of their savage nature and mysterious ritual sacrifices, these catlike people refer to
themselves as the Xsawah (pronounced “Eks-ah-wah”), a word which means “The Children
Between.” While the Xsawah prefer the proper name for their people, most have come to accept the
new moniker. Hailing from deep within a dense and untamed jungle, the Xsawah are an old and
proud race, valuing battle prowess and strength of mind and body, the elements necessary to survive
the daily trials of life in their home. The Xsawah’s interaction with the rest of the world has been
limited to occasional trade, and war with those that have pushed too far into their beloved jungle,
most notably the Saurians. Since the return of the sun, more Xsawah have ventured into the world at
large, sometimes as lone adventurers, or more commonly in small hunting packs.
Xsawah have a coat of short, fine fur covering the entire body, and their markings resemble those of
ocelots, having a base tan color with black and white markings. They have long wicked claws that
they use for hunting and fighting, and a spirit to match.
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Before and After the Dawn
Even the Xsawah themselves aren’t sure where exactly their origins lie. Some stories tell of a massive
warrior society that rose to power ages ago, before the Great Eclipse came to shadow the lands, a
society which stood as the head of a vast empire ruled by the Sun itself. Some say that they were the
maddened spawn of the great cats and the tribes-people of the jungle, fused together via sacred
magical rite. Many Xsawah hold the belief that they are the children of the Earth and the Sky
themselves, the belief from which they take their name.
The Xsawah civilization predates the coming of the eclipse, though written records of pre-eclipse
society are scarce at best. Even with the coming of the darkness, the culture of the Xsawah changed
fairly little. They continued to dwell within their great jungle home, nurtured by a significant well
upon which their greatest city, Tehyoqui, was built. The dangers of the jungle increased, but the
Xsawah persevered and continued to hunt and war as they had, simply seeing the twisted creatures
that began to arise as new challenges to be bested.
In the last decades of the eclipse, the number of ritual sacrifices increased significantly, as they sought
a way to bring back the light of the sun. Great seers of the Xsawah spoke of a way of returning the
sun’s light to the world, and just before the end of the eclipse, massive rituals were performed where
hundreds of lives were sacrificed at a time. The majority of the Xsawah hold the belief that it was
their actions that returned the sun to the world.
Once the eclipse passed and plant life started to spread from the jungles, so too did the reach and population
of the Xsawah grow. As vegetation started to re-grow outside of the jungle area, some found the exterior lands
to be more inviting and began travelling outside of the homeland. Xsawah have since become more common
in societies outside the jungle.
Even so, the Xsawah are still very isolated as a whole, particularly when it comes to trade. At
different times throughout the years, parties have reached to edges of the jungle to trade with
travelers, and at times with brave members of the merchant houses who will venture so far. They are
amazed by the races that have come into being since the isolation has come to an end. A mixture of
curiosity and mild distrust is the common reaction. Competition with the Saurian tribes that dwell
in the jungle over the well for livable space and supplies has been a source of conflict over the ages,
and the two races have come into conflict and warred countless times over the ages, and even today
tensions still exist, though they are not at war.
Philosophy and Culture
Survival of the fittest is the central tenet of Xsawah culture, a principal that life within the deep
jungle serves to reinforce. Honor, prestige and social standing, adventure and finding the thrills in
life, pushing their own limits are goals important to the Xsawah. The question of personal morals
may never come up to a lone Xsawah; rather societal ethics is the greater judge. Amongst Xsawah
that have left their jungle home and now dwell amongst other cultures, this same philosophy is
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reflected in their adoption of the local culture's sense of ethics, to varying extents. The Xsawah
perception of right and wrong is viewed in terms of how will ones actions be judged when witnessed
by others; will they bring you honor and acclaim, or show you as lacking? Some have posited the
theory that the Xsawah live mostly in bursts of quick thought and action and tend to mock those
among them who strive towards greater pursuits of knowledge, is linked to their being much like
their smaller, less-sentient feline cousins.
Life and the loss thereof is not a matter of great importance, as each life ends, the spirit returns to
cycle and the wheel turns. If a life has been well-lived, there is no shame in such a life being a short
one. Death in combat is the most glorious. If one is dying, measures are taken to hasten their death
so they may return to the cycle to be reborn to fight again more swiftly. The infirm or elderly may
volunteer for perilous hunts, or take the front lines in a battle. In combat, Xsawah fall upon their
downed foes with wild abandon, ensuring that the fallen are dealt mortal blows and their spirits
returned to the cycle. The unwilling or unable are sacrificed, preferably at the great ziggurat
(including those more cowardly and despicable Xsawah who may appear reluctant to properly kill
fallen opponents). Honored dead are laid to rest on raised platforms, built as high as possible to put
them closer to sun, for which the flesh of the bodies is given up as an offering. Those that die in
dishonor are either simply left to rot where they fell, or in some cases even dumped unceremoniously
into the darkened underbrush, hidden from the sun.
Family Life
Weddings are unheard of amongst the Xsawah, and are looked upon as an alien concept with no
value. Mates are chosen on the basis of who is strongest, can best provide, and can remain dominant.
The birth of a child is an occasion celebrated by the whole community, not merely relatives. Once a
child is old enough to venture out, they do so in social packs of their own choosing, and these pack
bonds often follow the Xsawah throughout their entire lives.
Clothing and Jewelry
The wardrobe of the Xsawah is comprised of materials readily available in the jungle: leather, hide,
furs, alongside other materials such as bone, feathers, and the fabric either woven from plant fibers or
procured via trade. They wear what is considered the regalia of most cultures in the world that are
often titled “primitive.” One will see a lot of simplistically crafted clothing: loose tunics and
breeches, soft leather boots, leather skirts or leggings among them. Special occasions such as the
solstices are marked by the Xsawah’s elaborate accessories of feathered headdresses, collars, armbands
and anklets; a larger display of gold jewelry, and occasionally present are the furs and other items of
foes that have been defeated. They wear a wide palette meant to help the race blend in better with
their vibrant settings, typically a wide variety of rich browns and greens with splashes of bright colors
to mix in with the various flora and fauna of the region.
Gold holds an important significance to the Xsawah, as they believe it has a symbolic link to the sun.
They use it in much of their decorations and functional day to day items, and they are often seen
carrying golden daggers and gold-tipped spears.
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Education
The Xsawah race holds more value over what one can do with their hands over what one can do with
their minds. (As a result, the Xsawah tend to favor visual works of art over performing arts, including
beauty in practical items such as weapons, architecture, or pottery.) Advanced scholarly studies are
not a typical career route for a Xsawah. Most of the race is barely literate, if at all. Those who are
skilled at reading/writing are more likely to be high-ranking shamans, of which there are few. Those
seeking teaching often must impress or prove their worth to their teachers by action or dedication.
Calendar
Summer solstice is the most important day of the Xsawah calendar. During the Eclipse, observances
fell off and the importance declined. Once the sun returned, there was a resurgence of the
ceremonies associated with this day. The week leading up to the solstice is full of competitions,
sparring, and culminates in a great feast held at noon, when the sun is at its zenith. Winter solstice is
a less important holiday, but the next largest after the summer solstice. It is a time of remembering
those that have fallen honorably.
Professions
The Xsawah’s main strengths lie in the skill sets needed for warriors and rogues, but they also excel
in both herb gathering and the production of some weapon crafting. They are a warrior society, and
warriors are accordingly held in the highest esteem, then rogues and custoi, with mages receiving the
least amount of respect.
Government
The strongest shall rule over the rest. One of the Xsawah kings or queens always stands above the
rest as a figurehead to organize and handle military actions. Family lines have no direct bearing on
who is ruler, although strong parents tend to raise strong children. The rulers of the Xsawah rise to
power through a trial of blood, laying low any who would oppose them, and defeating the current
ruler in combat. Once a leader has been deposed (in the rare cases when they survive the process)
they are shunned and purged from the race’s collective memory. The weak have no place amongst
the Xsawah, and once a leader has been bested, they are removed from the history of their people.
No formal structured military exists, though the race as a whole will rise up and fight when the
potential for battle arises.
Homeland
The seat of Xsawah civilization is split between two locations that exist essentially side by side within
the jungle.
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The first of these places is the largest of the
Xsawah village complexes, Tehyoqui, a
network of interconnected structures built
amongst the branches of the trees, not
visible from the forest floor, but which
rises as a shining city adorned in gold at
the canopy level.
The second is the great Ziggurat of the
Sun, a massive construction of stone,
wood, and adorned with an unbelievable
amount of gold, built in the time before
the eclipse, whose base rests on the forest
floor and the peak of which rises above the
canopy. The ziggurat was built over the
well that enabled the Xsawah to survive
the age of the eclipse, and is centered at
the very heart of the jungle.
Growing in the darkened floor amongst
the underbrush, or high in the massive
tress, there are certain rare plants, valued
for their use in the creation of potions and
salves, as well as in ritual magic, that
cannot be found outside of the boundaries
of the jungle. Adventurous scouts brave
the dangers of the jungle floor, and the perils of the canopy’s heights to collect these precious plants,
knowing which can cure and which can kill, a prized knowledge amongst the Xsawah and outsiders
alike. Those skilled in the brewing of healing draughts and deadly poisons are valued members of
any pack of Xsawah, and afforded a place of respect for the skill needed to create such things, as well
as the dangers that they must face to gather the precious ingredients.
People of Note - Historical
King Kataxsa
A fierce warrior, whose name is still sung. During his reign, Kataxsa put down an unrivaled number
of would be usurpers, a total of 32, the last of which he struck down in the final days of his 70th
year. In the end, Kataxsa was never displaced from his throne, but died gloriously in battle, awash in
the blood of Saurians, ensuring his name would be remembered and honored.
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Ilcalla
In the weeks preceding the end of the eclipse, the great seer and shaman Ilcalla shared a vision of a
way to return light to the world, and end the age of darkness. A week long ritual was performed,
Ilcalla overseeing the thousands of lives sacrificed. The victims were pulled from captured Saurians,
taken for this specific purpose, as well as members of the Xsawah people. Whether Ilcalla’s massive
ritual was truly the cause or not, the sun did return as the final victim was sacrificed, as Ilcalla cut his
own still beating heart from his chest to complete the ritual.
Queen Ichtaca
A hundred generations ago, deep in the dark times of the eclipse, the legendary queen Ichtaca rose
to power, wresting control of the Xsawah people from the previous ruler, and becoming the first of
many females to lead them. Not only was she the first woman to rule the Xsawah, but she is one of
the few shamans to become ruler. Tales speak of a great combat where she battered the previous king
to his knees with an onslaught of magics of all the seasons, destroying all of his honor guards and
pack mates before slashing his throat with her claws, offering up his blood and life as she took to the
throne. Ichtaca ruled her people and led them to many victories in battle in the years of her reign
before perishing during the birth of her daughter. This daughter grew strong, and eventually took
the throne from Ichtaca’s successor, becoming Queen Wacheka. Many leaders have claimed to be
descended from this strong and proud line that continued through Wacheka's successor, Queen
Nayatcha, though as the ages have passed, these claims are hard to prove.
People of Note - Current
Toozcutl the Great Hunter (or Toozcutl the Mad)
A fierce hunter, Toozcutl earned her fame early in life. When called out by a senior hunter on her
outrageous boasts, she vowed that she would kill one of the great bears singlehandedly. The senior
hunter laughed her away. When she returned three nights later, a giant claw hung about her neck as
a trophy, she silenced any laughter when she presented the senior hunter the great beast’s head, after
which she struck down the senior hunter, whose name has been purged. Toozcutl is a living legend
amongst the Xsawah, even if most whisper of her madness (though only well out of her hearing).
King Natlanxu
King Natlanxu currently rules the Xsawah. Nearly ten years ago, a young Natlanxu defeated the
previous king in a short but bloody combat before a vast gathering of his people at the summer
solstice festival, and has effortlessly fended off three attempts to unseat him since that day.
High Shaman N’cal
Matters of magic are handled by High Shaman N’cal, the most powerful of the blood shamans of
the Xsawah. A childhood pack mate of King Natlanxu, N’cal has shown himself to be fiercely loyal
to the king, and unflinchingly devoted to the performance of the sacrificial rites which he extols are
responsible for the continued strength and health of the Xsawah as a people.
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Items of Renown
The Golden Spear of Great King Kataxsa
A golden hunting spear that belonged to the Great King, said to have absorbed a fraction of the his
ferocity and strength upon his death. The Golden Spear has changed hands several times, and has
laid in the hands of many a ruler of the Xsawah. Roughly 50 years before the return of the sun, the
Great King of that time was hunting one of the massive bears when he was taken by surprise by one
of the beasts. They were cast off a cliff falling to the river below. The King slew the beast with his
bare hands further attesting to his dominance as a hunter and a king. However the Spear is still
missing and many have sought to reclaim it, but so far none have found any trace of its whereabouts.
Blood Daggers
Wicked, curved stone daggers, prized by ritualists and blood shamans, blood daggers are readily
recognizable to all Xsawah by their distinctive golden edges and symbolic inlay. These ritually
prepared blades aid in the casting of rituals, the very lifeblood of their victims feeding into the
energies of ritual castings. While not commonplace, several are known to exist, with varying degrees
of power. Tales are told of extremely potent blood daggers on which blood is said to never dry.
Flora and Fauna
Salatsu
The Xsawah are said to be the greatest hunters and their most revered prey are the Salatsu, immense
sentient bears, averaging at 30 feet tall at the shoulder, that roam through underbrush choked floors
of the jungle. These peaceful creatures are hunted by packs of Xsawah, not out of hatred or for food,
but rather because the Salatsu are viewed as worthy adversaries and looked on with a sense of respect
akin to that given to a mighty warrior of the Xsawah. Only the foolish attempt to hunt a salatsu in
packs smaller than 10 strong.
Mookoos
These long limbed, wide-eyed, red-furred monkeys are viewed as some of the more annoying
creature among those that can be found in the canopies of the jungle. Quick and agile, Mookoos are
prized as particularly tasty by the Xsawah, though often hard to catch.
Stranglefern
Large masses of vines and fronds, stranglefern grow throughout the jungle home of the Xsawah.
Creeping over trunks of trees, these strange plants can move incredibly quickly, enveloping those
unaware or too slow to move. The constricting vines of the stranglefern slowly crush and smother
their prey. It is not unusual to see humanoid-shaped clumps of vines and leaves in areas where
stranglefern grow, a testament to those too slow to escape their reaching tendrils.
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Death Orchids
The large flowers of these plants emit a sweet nectar, the scent of which draws in their prey. Once
ingested, the powerful natural paralytic in the nectar immobilizes their victims, which are slowly
devoured while still alive by the dissolving gastric juices of these deadly and beautiful plants.
Racial Advantages and Disadvantages
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Claws
Pounce
Hide in Shadows at discount
Must killing blow any one that they drop