The Olman People

The Olman are a once-great human civilization whose empire spanned Hepmonaland and the Amedio Jungle before collapsing due to war, divine misfortune, and internal strife. Though now scattered into tribal groups, their last city-state, Xamaclan, preserves remnants of their rich culture, history, and powerful pantheon.

---

Overview

The Olman are a human civilization primarily inhabiting the southern fringes of the Flanaess. Once rulers of a great empire, they now exist mostly as scattered tribal groups in the Amedio Jungle and the Isle of Dread, with their last remaining city-state, Xamaclan. Their culture, language, and pantheon bear striking similarities to the Aztec, Mayan, Olmec, and Toltec civilizations of another plane.

Origins and History

The Olman trace their origins to northern Hepmonaland, where they built a grand civilization that flourished between -1900 and -1500 CY. However, war with the Touv people, internal strife, and a disastrous pact with the god Tlaloc (circa -1100 CY) led to the empire’s downfall and the rise of the yuan-ti.

Around -1000 CY, the Olman began migrating across the Densac Gulf to the Amedio Jungle, where they established a powerful empire that lasted centuries. In -805 CY, they declared themselves the true Olman nation, marking the start of the Olman Lunar Calendar (OL 1). By -800 CY, their seven city-states had fractured into independent polities, though still linked by culture.

By -490 CY, civil war erupted after the assassination of Emperor Tloqasikukuatl of Chetanicatla. By -425 CY, the empire had collapsed, and magical warfare destroyed the city-state of Tamoachan in a single day.

During their golden age, the Olman constructed vast stone temples, elaborate shrines, and intricate step pyramids, explored the southern oceans, and developed advanced bronze-working techniques. They are credited with inventing the blowgun, an iconic weapon of their warriors.

Physical Appearance

The Olman people have reddish-brown to dark brown skin, straight black hair, and dark brown to almost black eyes. Nobility often exhibit high cheekbones and prominent noses, and some still practice cranial shaping, flattening the foreheads of infants to create a high, sloping profile—considered a mark of beauty.

Culture and Society

The Olman are predominantly tribal, with isolated groups scattered throughout the Amedio Jungle. While most practice traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles, the people of Xamaclan maintain remnants of their imperial traditions. Rituals, warfare, and astrology play vital roles in their society.

• Architecture: Their temples are step pyramids, aligned to the four cardinal directions.
• Language: The Olman speak their own indigenous Olman tongue.
• Magic: Their battle magic is highly destructive and intimidating, while divination spells are commonly used to interpret omens. However, protective and healing magic is rare.

Religion and Deities

The Olman pantheon consists of many deities, originally worshiped by other peoples on another plane. Their gods discovered Oerth and the primitive Olman around -2400 CY, and they have been worshiped ever since.

Major Olman Deities:

• Camazotz/Zotzilaha – Bat god of night and sacrifice
• Chitza-Atlan – Guardian of the underworld
• Coatlicue – Earth-mother goddess
• Hurakan – Storm god
• Mictlantecuhtli – Lord of the dead
• Quetzalcoatl – Feathered serpent of wisdom and air
• Tezcatlipoca/Apocatequil – God of fate and war
• Tlaloc – God of rain and fertility
• Tlazoteotl – Goddess of vice and purification
• Tonatiuh – Sun god

Beyond these, the Olman also revere non-divine entities, including Xilonen, a fertility spirit, and even strange beings like the gas spore Xuxeteanlahucuxolazapaminaco.

Holy Days and Rituals:

Olman religious ceremonies occur every 20 days, aligning with their divinatory calendar. Each cycle is ruled by a different deity. Sacrificial offerings vary by god, and public attendance is mandatory.

Modern Olman Society

After the collapse of their empire, the Olman scattered. Today, they mainly inhabit:

• Xamaclan – The last city-state of the Olman Amedio empire, maintaining remnants of their past grandeur.
• Amedio Jungle – Various isolated tribes still live here, adhering to their traditional ways.
• Isle of Dread – A remote island south of the Azure Sea, where many Olman tribes survive despite its dangerous inhabitants.

Despite their reduced numbers and influence, the Olman continue to honor their ancestors and gods, preserving the echoes of their once-mighty empire.