Teotzil
On the frontier of The March bordering the unexplored lands of Alkay is a land of mystery, conflict, passion and adventure. The Kingdom of Teotzil holds ancient secrets, modern works, forbidden magics, and unimaginable beauty within its borders. The Golden Kingdom has existed for ages, before conquerors from the west subjugated it. But now a new revolution threatens to either restore its glory, or tear it apart. It is a land of opportunity for adventurers, whether seeking hidden treasures, collecting bounties, or choosing a side in the war.
History
This is the legend of how the seven tribes of the Tolmec came to be. And like all legends, who can say how true it is.
In the ancient day the people of Teotzil (the world in the native language) were spread far and wide among the land. There were small towns and small kingdoms, good and bad. The elves lives changed when a powerful Bruto Magia united the ogres and marched on the elves. The elven lands fell, ruled over by the cruel and merciless Orgrec Empire whose leaders answered to devils and dark gods. For a thousand years the Ogre king ruled from his mountain fortress.
It was Hunaque who united the seven heroes together to bring down the dark empire. He had found the ancient legends of the gods, and sought to bring those who could emulate them together. Seven heroes, one for each god. The heroes stuck out throughout the land, fighting the emperor's minions, and seekingrelics of the old gods. At last through their efforts, Tolextzil, the jaguar god of the sun was revitalized. The Jaguar god brought the heroes to the ancient temples, gifting each with the mask of one of the seven gods, with Hunaque taking Tolextzil's mask. This is how the first Luchdores came to be. Channeling the powers and fighting skill of the gods, the heroes led a war against the Ogre empire. In the end, the seven fought the emperor himself. The hero Mictlan sacrificed himself, and Hunaque struck the final blow. As the devils who supported the ogres began to rise, Tolextzil struck down the capital of the Ogre Empire with the full power of the sun. This is how the Great Desert came to be.
The people looked to the Luchadores for guidance, but the warriors were not united. Hunaque had brought them together, but others thought they should lead. Mictlan's followers left first, claiming that in death, Mictlan's power had come to eclipse all the others. Gradually the luchadores split, each taking their followers to a new home. This is how the seven Tolmec tribes came to be, named for the patron sun, the great Jaguar of the sky.
The seven Tolmec tribes formed an uneasy alliance. Officially united under Hunaque's tribe at the capital of Teotichtlan, in truth the tribes mostly governed themselves. Each founded a capital, centered around a pyramid temple to the tribe's patron god. Over the next thousand years the tribes would war on each other almost as often as they allied and traded. Threats from the southern jungles occasionally united the tribes, from ogre warlords to barbaric elven tribes with infernal patrons, but the seven Tolmec tribes never truly unified.
In 1454 IH, explorers from the Midlands nation of Corteso landed on the shores of Teotzil. There first contact was with the Rain Tribe, who as diplomats cautiously welcomed the first humans and halflings they had seen. The first diplomatic meetings turned sour when the Corteis sailors sought to influence the Rain Tribe away from the Jaguar. The skilled politician and conqueror Rodrigo Garbado took advantage of divisions in the tribes, turning the Rain, Star, and Coatl tribes against the Jaguar, who could call on the Beast and (Unnamed yet) tribe for aid. The civil war was bloody, but with Corteis backing, short. None of the tribes were ready though when the Corteisans declared the land a province of their country.
No one, that is, but the Death Tribe. Keeping out of the civil war, they struck soon after, assassinating Corteis leaders, including Garbado himself. Even this could not stop the conquest, however, and the death tribe soon retreated, going underground both literally and metaphorically. In the end, the high chief of the Jaguar tribe was killed, and the Tolmec empire surrendered to Corteso, and the colony of Teotzil was born.
Teotzil was opened to the outside world, seeing incredible changes at a quick pace. The Corteso nobles looted the Tolmec riches and sent much of the wealth home. Others built large haciendas, spreading through the rural lands. The Church of Thane stepped in to convert the locals, and found a common story with that of the Jaguar of the Sun. Many tolmec elves came to see Huanape as an avatar of Thane, and conversion rates increased, particularly among the Jaguar Tribe. Over the next centuries the children of the Tolmec and the Cortesan humans became the largest population, and the culture became an active mix as well.
The colony remained a Cortesan possession until Avienne captured Corteso during "The Queen's War". The Avienne occupation met more passive resistance than active, but the nation made it difficult for the High Elves to hold. After the war the new king in Corteso began to give greater autonomy to Teotzil, and talk of independence began.
This all ended during the Dragon War, when the King was killed, and the royal family escaped to Teotzil to rule in exile. All of Teotzil's resources were turned to the war, and Helgest forces were drawn to the Capriseaux Sea. When the war ended in 'The Resolution' and the Midlands were lost, King Diez Corteso declared the royal family would remain, making Teotzil the new royal land.
Demography and Population
While the land was originally home primarily to ogres and elves, the time since colonization has irrevocably changed it. The Golden Kingdom has been open to the world for two centuries now, and nearly any race can be found within it. A caste system has formed in the country due to colonization, and while it was an unwritten rule for centuries, the Diez regime has made moves towards making it official, one of the driving factors in the revolution.
At the top of the caste system are the Nobleza descendants of the the Corteis colonists. Humans are the majority of this caste. A sizeable population of halflings have also settled in Teotzil, and while considered nobleza, it is generally understood that they will never be on the same level as humanity. The Corteis can be anything from farmers to governors, but hold the majority of upper class jobs.
The most common race in the Kingdom are the mixed-blood descendants of the native elves and the Human colonizers. These are considered the Duendos, a middle class of laborers and workers. Duendos may own land, but it is rare to find any with more then a small farm or business. Most duendos in the cities find jobs working for the nobleza.
The bottom rungs of society are for the tragos, the native elves, and the brutos, the ogres. Both groups have largely retreated to the rural and wild areas far from the cities. Some have joined the new Teotzan culture. All of these now groups are now generally considered Teotizos, members of the lower classes.
Those from outside of Teotzil are considered separate, and more commonly their place is based on their own merits than that of the natives. Some Avienne elves and semi (half-elves) remain from the Avienne occupation. Goblins are more common in the cities, and some nobleza have taken to hiring Hobgoblin mercenaries from Almud, making them a more common sight.
The Sun Shines Bright
Capital
Alternative Names
The Golden Kingdom, The Empire of the Sun
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Teotzian
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The Teotzil Peso, worth 1 copper piece
Official State Religion
Location
Official Languages
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Comments