Payit

Payit was a native nation located in eastern Maztica, north of the peninsula of Far Payit and east of Pezelac and Nexal.

Geography
Payit was dominated by dense jungles and open, grassy savannas, with the occasional village and accompanying fields of crops. It had one city, Ulatos.


 * Ulatos : The only city in Payit, it was nevertheless a great, grand city. It boasted many tall pyramids, surrounding a plaza that also served as a marketplace.
 * The Twin Visages : Located on the northern coast of Payit, these two faces (one of a man, the other a woman) were carved into the cliffsides on either side of the ocean harbor Qotal set sail from, both looking east, supposedly for Qotal's return. A crumbling pyramid also sat atop the cliffs.

Inhabitants
Payit was inhabited mostly by humans of the Payit ethnic group, who spoke their own language, also called Payit.

Society
Payits were a peaceful people, lacking the warlike skills possessed by the Nexalans and Kultakans. They had a primarily agricultural society, growing crops such as mayz and cocoa. However, they also had a strong tradition of artwork and scholarship, dating back to their golden days long before the rise of the Nexal Empire. In particular, their sages were knowledgeable about biology and astronomy.

History
Centuries, possibly millenia, before the rise of Nexal, the peoples of Payit and Far Payit reached incredible heights of civilization and knowledge in their twin cities of Tulom-Itzi and Ulatos. Their sages and scholars created the writing system used by all Mazticans, and physicians learned how to treat nearly any disease or injury. Of all the deities, they worshiped Qotal the greatest, and performed no sacrifices of humans like the Mazticans to the west. Great works of art and pluma were created during this time, which lasted centuries.

This golden age ended when a prince of Tulom-Itzi came to greatly desire a princess of Ulatos, but she was already betrothed to another prince. Despite that, he plotted with his companions to steal her away, a plan that went into motion at her wedding. However, the warriors of Ulatos proved too numerous for the conspirators to defeat, and they, along with the princess, were slain. Not long afterwards, for no apparent reason, the Payit culture began to decline, with people leaving the cities and moving back into the jungles. Knowledge was lost and cities were abandoned and fell into ruin.

Not long after, though, the tribe that would become the Nexalans arrived in the Valley of Nexal from the north. After Nexal's rise, merchants from Nexal began to travel to Payit to trade.