Koshiva

The Koshiva, or Boat People, were a human Nubari tribe that held territory along the River of Laughing Idols, beginning on the southeaster edge of the Fire Mountain and ending on the borders of the Rudra territory, on the Malatran Plateau in Kara-Tur.

Habitat
Despite their name, the Boat People did not live on water like the raft-dwelling Zantira. The Koshiva constructed spectacular tree villages. Homes were attached to tree trunks and connected to each other via woven bridges and large open platforms, all suspended high above the ground. Occasionally such villages even stretched across the River of Laughing Idols.

Culture
The Koshiva tribe consisted of relatively peaceful hunters and fishers. They trained no warriors, but the tribe's hunters, both men and women, were skilled hunters and provided good defense in times of crisis or against an occasional korobokuru, lizardfolk, or caiman katanga raid.

Most members of the tribe were trained fishers and boat makers who knew how to handle ropes and were proficient at weaving. The Koshiva people were hard-working and clever Nubari, making them masters of arts and crafts.

Garb
The most distinct feature of the Koshiva women was their unique and complex headwear, which was designed to rise high up and support their coifs of hair. The height of these elaborate decorations was an indicator of the woman's social standing within the tribe. "She wears her hair too high" was a common Koshiva saying, indicating the target's arrogance and vanity. Those women who raised their hair up without earning the status were forcefully sheared by her fellow Koshiva women.

The men of the tribe shaved their heads, in contrast to the women. Their hair was cropped short with simple ornamental designs shaved into their scalps. Traditionally, women were not allowed to shave men's heads as it was believed to be bad luck, and this privilege was granted only to a man's closest male friends.

Trade
The Koshiva's lands were along the banks of the River of Laughing Idols and, as such, the tribe's main industry was fishing. The river provided people with food, while additional food was foraged from the land by aging men and women of the tribe. On-land hunting parties were not common, but for special occasions, they brought back jungle beasts like wild boars.

Talented craftspeople, the Koshiva created the best pottery, carvings, and jewelry among all Nubari tribes. Koshiva date wine was a traded commodity in the Living Jungle. This wine could be found in the hands of the lacerials from Lilac.

The Koshiva maintained friendly relationships with other Nubari tribes, shu villages, and korobokuru communities. The tribe's relationship with river tam'hi remained strained and occasionally deteriorated over perceived disrespect of the tam'hi traditions or harm to the river. After the Year of New Peoples, Koshiva established trade relations with the reformed cannibal Kukalatu tribe with the help from heroes of the Living Jungle.

History
in the Year of New Peoples, in the late 14 century DR, the chief of one of the Koshiva tribes, Rakil, was taken hostage, along with his wife and daughter. The culprits were wildspace-faring oscray, led by Backbiter. The tribes of the Living Jungle became involved in a space war between oscray factions. Eventually, the heroes of Malatra defeated Backbiter, but the warlord's opponents, peaceful oscray, ended up stranded in the Living Jungle.

Notable Koshiva

 * Green Spirit, a hunter and ranger who joined the heroes of the Living Jungle to oppose the Mother of a Thousand Young in the Year of Tigers Curse.
 * Chief Katar (Nubari), one of the Koshiva chiefs in the late 14 century DR, who sent a group of heroes of the Living Jungle to the Kukalatu tribe to ask for a powerful special healing potion.
 * M'le, a Koshiva runner who was sent to the Tribe of Big Chief Bagoomba with a warning of a spelljammer ship crashlanding in the Year of New Peoples, late 14 century DR.
 * Taronee, a Koshiva witch doctor in the late 14 century DR.

Trivia
In the Kukalatu language, Koshiva was translated as Kusiva, which meant "sharp spirit welcome."

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * The Necromancer's Stone &bull; Trembling Village &bull; Curse of the Fire Mountain &bull; Ship from the Sky &bull; Sharp Teeth, Mostly Tasty &bull; An Army of One Thousand
 * Dark Village &bull; It Came from the Sky
 * Dark Village &bull; It Came from the Sky