Tzecheni'korak
The Ambush
Shr’ii’pa padded through the dense foliage, his gator-hide shield in one hand, and a bundle or keen, and flint tipped spears in the other. The only noise, aside from the rustle of leaves as he passed was the occasion quiet ring of the steel arrowhead that he wore on a thong around his neck. That arrowhead was part of the reason that he was in this part of the swamp, so far from his tribe’s village in the roots of the great trees. Like the few other steel things Shr’ii’pa had seen, a slight sheen of rust coated its edge. Also, like those other few metal weapons, the arrowhead had been fired from a Kari-Zaro bow and killed a Tzenchni’korack. Shr’ii’pa had claimed rights to this bit of metal after the pointed eared ones were gone, but not to use as a weapon or a trophy like most of the other captured pieces had been. He had taken the arrowhead to use as a reminder of that day.
Shr’ii’pa quickly came to his senses and realized that he had been standing still, staring into the glinting arrowhead for…how long? A few score heartbeats at least. Long enough for one of the many predators of the jungles to pick up his scent and make a meal of him. Looking around quickly he found a suitable tree and leaped to its lowest branches to swing up to the next. He continued his leaping-swinging pace for several minutes until he was sure that there was no creature following. After a moment to get his bearings, Shr’ii’pa dropped lightly to the ground and began to stalk again. The signs were clear to him. Here a bent branch, there a broken blade of grass…once he even found the edge of a boot-print in the mud.
“Seven” he muttered to himself. Seven Kari-Zaro had passed this way. Too many for a hunting party. These were the raiders that he sought, or another band like them… It didn’t matter. In war there was only the enemy.
Shr’ii’pa loosened his spear in its girth, and slipped into the brackish water near the side of the trail. He lowered himself until only his eyes were visible from the surface, and then only if you were looking directly at him. Shr’ii’pa knew that they would pass this way again soon. When they did, he would be here waiting for them.
Personality
The life of a Tzenchni’korack is often short and violent. Their personality is much of what you would expect from a seemingly primitive culture, they are short tempered, hot blooded, and rash when dealing with outsiders. This does not mean that they lack the capacity to be kind or gentle. In a society where only the strong survive there is a time and place for tenderness, and that is behind closed doors. Tzenchni’korack society is tribal, with the strongest, or in some cases wisest, leading. As you could expect, those in a position of power seldom wish to lose it, so most tribes are lead with an iron fist. It is not uncommon for an exceptional youth to be banished from the tribe for some fabricated offense, or to be sent on a near impossible ‘test’ to prove himself.
Due to their savage appearance, most other races assume that the Tzenchni’korack are unintelligent and easily duped. They may not be very educated, but they are quick thinkers and extremely cunning. The Tzenchni’korack are natural predators and are predatory as individuals and in groups. They are very protective of their homes, hunting grounds, and personal belongings. The Tzenchni’korack own very few possessions individually. Their weapons, clothes, and trophies are their only personal belongings. Everything else that they use on a daily basis belongs to the tribe, to be given or taken away at the chieftain’s whim.
Tzenchni’korack come from a primitive tribal background, and the ‘cultured’ world of the civilized races is all new, strange, and in some ways offensive to them. Simple concepts like owning a house, or paying for food with gold are foreign. They are truly animals at heart. When fighting those weaker than them they may play with their victims. When sitting down for dinner they may hiss at anyone reaching near their food. A Tzenchni’korack at home is reserved and docile, leaping at the word from the chieftain or the medicine man. When away from the swamps, and a Tzenchni’korack is the only one of his kind about, he could become boisterous, loud and demanding, acting like the chief of his own tribe (a tribe of one). Or, he could become dark, quiet and brooding, not used to having a free will. Perhaps he’d ‘adopt’ his party as a sort of temporary tribe, and serve the leader docilely, while barking orders and demands at those obviously weaker than him.
Physical Description
An average Tzenchni’korack stands roughly six feet tall with a hunched, humanoid build. Tzenchni’korack are of slender build, with green, yellow, or brown scales covering their entire bodies. Their tails are 3 to 4 feet long, and used for balance causing them to have a stooped appearance. Tzenchni’korack have no hair, but males have ridged crests on their head that sometimes spans all the way down to their tails. Some males notch or trim their crests into spiky designs to attract a mate, or intimidate others. These crests are the easiest way to tell individuals apart, aside from scale coloration.
Tzenchni’korack have short claws on their feet and hands, and sharp pointed teeth. While at one time the race may have been carnivorous, their diet now consists of mostly plants harvested from the swamp. This is supplemented with fish, and whatever else the hunters may bring in. Contrary to popular belief, Tzenchni’korack do not eat their captives. When hunting, they will use claws as well as carved spears and javelins to bring down their prey. When in combat with other predators (or the Kari-Zaro), they use clubs, flint headed maces and daggers, or any stolen metal weapons that are at their disposal.
Tzenchni’korack clothing is relatively non-existent. Tribe shamans and chieftains sometimes wear robes of woven feathers or leaves with extensive headdresses, but the average Tzenchni’korack wears only belts to hold their equipment or weapons, and whatever armor they may possess. When outside of the jungles, and in the ‘civilized’ lands, Tzenchni’korack do don a loincloth or light pants so as not to offend those with different ideas of modesty.
Relations
Other than their neighbors, the Kari-Zaro, the Tzenchni’korack have few contact with other races. Suspicious by nature, the few humans or Nerrid that they have encountered have had their heads decorate spears on a jungle path as a warning to others.
Alignment
As a race, the Tzenchni’korack are almost more animal-like than civilized. They rely heavily on their instincts, and see little difference between law and chaos or good and evil.
Tzenchni’korack Lands
Deep within the Jungles of Kash-pah, the Tzenchni’korack make their villages out of mud and straw in low-lying wetlands. Their structures often wash away during the monsoon, and whole villages have been known to move overnight as a reaction to a strange omen or as a result of war.
Religion
Tzenchni’korack worship what they describe as the ‘gods of the gods’. While it is not a structured worship like the churches of the humans, it is a devout one. Of the gods, only Shar’iish’ta and Jez'bali'dahn are named. Meals, hunts, crafts, children, kills, wars and more are dedicated to Shar’iish’ta. Jez’bali’dhan is revered by them in some way, usually with a quiet prayer, but not openly worshiped. They find it difficult to dedicate daily actions to a being that is so ephemeral and incomprehensible.
Language
The language of the Tzenchni’korack grew out of the Shar’iish’tic language. In their reptilian tongues, it had flattened and smoothed over the millennia and is dominated by soft “s” sounds and long vowels. Very little is written in this language – most of it mere signs marking territory, dangerous spots, or excellent hunting grounds.
Names
Like their language, Tzenchni’korack names roll off the tongue. It is difficult to discern between male or female names, and surnames are not used. Some sample names are Rash’tala, Vers’sti, Palashra, and Shri’kaffa.
Adventuring
Of all the races on Tarien, perhaps the rarest to encounter adventuring are the Tzenchni’korack. Those that do venture out into the world are often of above average intelligence, below average strength and agility – they simply do not fit into the mold of the tribe.
We waited, crouched about 10 feet up, clinging the broad trunk for the Kapok - I with piton and rope and they with simply their claws. I was struck by their stillness and silence. I could feel the droplets of my sweat mingling with the thick, wet, air. I could hear the thud of my heart and watched the rise and fall of my chest as I breathed, as quiet as humanly possible. But my Tzenchni’korack companions could have been statues. In an instant, that all changed. They exploded in a single, violent movement, practically teleporting from their tree stand to the back of the hippo as it passed underneath, dispatching of the creature with precision of moneylender weighing gold.
Morning Mists Over the Dakkon River Valley
Related Organizations
Tzenchni’korack Racial Traits
- Ability Scores: +2 to Strength, +1 to Dexterity. Tzenchni’korack are natural hunters and predators.
- Size: MediumTzenchni’korack have no bonuses or penalties for size.
- Speed: Tzenchni’korack base speed is 30 feet.
- Darkvision: A Tzechni'korak can see up to 60 feet in dim light as if it were brightlight and in darkness as if it were dim light.
- Amphibious: Tzenchni’korack are equally at home in the water as they are on land. They swim at a move of 30 feet and can hold their breath underwater for extended periods of time. A Tzenchni’korack can hold his breath for twice his Constitution score in minutes.
- Naturally Athletic: Tzechni'korak are climb and leap from a young age as they chase their prey. They all gain proficiency in Athletics. Additionally, their jump distance is doubled.
- Natural Weapons: The fingers and toes of a Tzechni'korak ends in long, sharp claws and their mouth is full of razor sharp teeth. They are able to use these natural weapons in combat with proficiency. In lieu of any other attack, they may strike with a claw or bite. A successful strike inflicts 1d6 points of base damage of 1d6 (plus strength and other modifiers). Their claws do Note that they are not proficient in making other unarmed attacks, such striking with a fist that does not rely on claws. After all, what is the point in that?
- Situational Awareness: As predators, Tzenchi'korak are always aware of their surroundings. They gain the Alertness feat.
- Toxin Resistant: Their jungle homes have given Tzenchi'korak tolerance against most poisons. They have advantage on saving throws against poison, and have resistance against poison damage.
- Automatic Languages:Tzecheni'korak
- Bonus Languages: Choose two of the following: Aquan, Auran, Eldorian, Kari-Zaro and Shar'iish'ta - even if the character is not a Druid. An Tzenchni’korackmay elect to spend one of these slots to learn to read and write one of their languages instead.