Chab K'al

History

Little is known about the island of Chab K'al. The land itself is tropical and swampy, with 4 emerald peaks piercing through a vast jungle of lush vegetation. In the center is a largely treeless marsh, at the center of which lies a massive tree called "Wakah-Chan" or "World Tree" by the native lizardfolk. Ancient temples and other stone structures dot the island, but the lizardfolk live in mud homes and lack the ability to reproduce the ancient stoneworks that cover the island. Along with various creatures and monsters, the island is home to the cat-like Tabaxi. The Tabaxi live entirely in the tall jungle trees of Chab K'al, avoiding the surface where the lizardfolk and other dangerous creatures live. They build homes from fallen wood and leaves and hunt birds and other small prey from the safety of the treetops.
Chab K'al was first discovered by a Nihon trade ship driven off-course in a storm. The ship's crew did not survive their encounter with the lizardfolk, and were later discovered by an Ekorosi expedition to the mysterious jungle island. The Ekorosi found the lizardfolk to be entirely alien and prone to violence, but managed to trade them baubles in return for solid gold idols of mysterious deities. The lizardfolk did not seem to understand the value of gold. The Ekorosi expedition also encountered and documented the existence of the Tabaxi, whom they found much more reasonable (though prone to thievery and mischief). A Tabaxi male returned to the Marble Isle with the expedition and was, for a time, employed as a servant to the Drakos family until he was caught stealing from their estate.
Other expeditions to Chab K'al have been attempted by brave adventurers seeking the hidden treasures of the Lizardfolk and whatever ancient kingdom left behind its magnificent stone structures. Archeologists have uncovered little, but most believe (from pictographic evidence) that the lizardfolk were slaves to the civilization that once ruled the island.
Pirates from the shipwreck isles have been known to visit Chab K'al to hunt for treasures and capture Tabaxi slaves. They avoid the dangerous lizardfolk, preferring to trick the Tabaxi into servitude (though they often end up missing half their loot and their new captives at the next port).

Religion and Magic

According to one particularly outspoken lizardfolk, the island of Chab K'al was once a giant crocodile who was slain by the Maize Hero and god Ek'tao (First Father), who fashioned the world from its carcass. He planted a seed in its belly, and from it sprouted the world tree Wakah-Chan. Under the aegis of First Father, three stones were set up at a place called 'Lying-down-sky', forming the image of the sky. First Father entered the sky and made a house of eight partitions there. He raised the Wakah-Chan, the World Tree, so that its crown stood in the north sky. And finally, he gave circular motion to the sky, setting the constellations into their dance through the night.
The lizardfolk take this to be the literal creation of the world, but spend little thought on gods and worship. Since they have no written record and only pass on oral history and no one remembers those who lived before, the lizardfolk simply survive and hunt. Occasionally, lizardfolk are born with magical abilities. These are a mystery to them, but these "special ones" usually become chieftains of their tribe. Unknown to them, these spellcasters are usually harnessing divine (from some unknown god) or druidic magic. Some are able to harness strange psionic abilities. The lizardfolk believe that ingesting the sap of the World Tree Wakah-Chan helps develop these abilities, and expecting mothers brew a "sap beer" from it before laying eggs.
Some temples in the darkest, deepest reaches of the jungle have been found to show iconography similar to far realm cults found in the Great Below.
The Tabaxi seem to worship the moon as a deity named Awilix. Their clerics specialize in the twilight domain. They follow the lunar cycles and offer slain prey to Awilix before a meal. Arcane magic is entirely foreign to the Tabaxi.

Military and Government

The lizardfolk of Chab K'al do not have a formal military, but generally congregate in tribes. Each tribe has warriors who fight for the tribe, hunters to hunt for food and scouts who warn them of possible attacks from other tribes or foreigners. Lizarfolk weapons and armor are crude, usually formed from stone or bone (which the lizardfolk are extremely skilled at forming into weapons). Tribes blessed with "special ones" are usually led by spellcasters and (if blessed with more than one) send their spellcasters into battle against the enemy or use them to enhance their warriors' abilities.
The Tabaxi are generally independent, mating for life and forming small families that stay together. They do not congregate as tribes and do not have any formal military. They are highly adept at avoiding the lizardfolk, who have hunted them for millenia. When forced to fight, the Tabaxi use ranged weapons like slings and crude bows or stone throwing knives. If forced to fight in melee, they will use their deadly claws against their enemies.

Government: Tribal
Size: Small kingdom
Population: unknown
Economy: none
Races: Lizardfolk ?? Tabaxi ?? other ??