Far Payit

The Far Payit lands were a heavily forested jungle region of Maztica, occupying the peninsula on the eastern side of Maztica, directly south of Payit. The sea between the peninsula and the rest of the continent was called the Sea of Azul.

Geography
The region was covered with steamy, leaf-shrouded rainforests, some covering swamps or low mountains, sometimes interrupted by patches of farmed land or the ruins of ancient cities and temples.

Inhabitants
Far Payit was primarily occupied by humans, called Itzas, who spoke the Payit language and lived mostly in small villages scattered around the jungles. They did have two great cities, Tulom-Itza, from which they took their name, and Maxal. In addition, villages of halflings were said to lie in the deepest parts of the jungle.

Society
The Itzas once had one of the greatest nations on Maztica, and retained much of their culture even during the decline of their population. They had an inherently peaceful culture, and abhorred violence. They did not practice human sacrifice or slavery, unlike the warlike Nexalans. Rulership was very informal among the Itzas: in a village, an honored warrior, wise man, or priest would be designated the headman, and would then have the responsibilities of dealing with outsiders and settling internal disputes. Rulership in the cities worked much the same way, with a warrior, sage, or priest winning respect from others for his wisdom and becoming leader by default.

The Itza people enjoyed a good deal of freedom in their lives, and were one of the few peoples in Maztica to allow women in positions of authority. They also had a strong tradition of knowledge, especially in regards to astronomy. However, they had a poor tradition of fighting, and had few warriors among them. Despite this, they had never been conquered.

The Itzas worshiped the Maztican pantheon, honoring Qotal the most. Some worshiped the elder god Kakul, as well.

Itzas were accomplished artisans and made many beautiful works of art over the years. They especially liked bright colors.

Economy
Villages were largely self-sufficient, growing crops such as coconuts, citrus, mango, and other fruits. Cities grew most of their own food in garden plots, but would trade with villagers. Each city had a market square for trading with both villagers and outsiders. The villagers might bring items such as rubber, gold, and jade, while foreign traders primarily brought obsidian to exchange for the brightly colored feathers that could only be found in the jungles of Far Payit.