Tulom-Itzi

Tulom-Itzi was a city in Far Payit in Maztica.

Geography
The city of Tulom-Itzi was located deep within the jungles of Far Payit. Surrounded by the jungle on all sides, there was once a paved road connecting it to Ulatos in Payit, but that road was abandoned after the fall of Payit.

The city itself was built of stone, and it had many large pyramids, fountains, and public buildings. Gardens and pathways of crushed stone filled the city as well. The outer edges of the city were the residential areas, where many of the inhabitants lived in huts and farmed the nearby land.

Within the city itself, one of the greatest structures was the Temple of Qotal, a massive pyramid topped with a pool of water and a fountain. There was also the five-sided Pyramid of the Moon, had a more mysterious purpose: tunnels within the pyramid connect to a secret underground network of tunnels below the city. The other great pyramid in Tulom-Itzi, the Pyramid of the Stars, was not a temple but observatory. However, the Itzas also built another Observatory, which was also the traditional gathering place for the sages of Tulom-Itzi. The citizens of Tulom-Itzi also built the Temple of Pluma, which was a simple hall used by the plumaweavers in their work. Another great building was the Palace of Kukul, which was originally the palace of the Revered Counselor, but later became a center of social interaction for the inhabitants of the city. The Revered Counselor, instead, lived in a different, though still grand, house.

Inhabitants
The city of Tulom-Itzi was inhabited by humans of the Itza ethnic group. They spoke the Payit language and worshiped the Maztican pantheon, especially Qotal and even Kukul.

Society
Tulom-Itzi was ruled by a Revered Counselor, who was a warrior, sage, or priest that was respected by their peers and others, becoming leader by informal consensus.

The Itzas had a strong tradition of learning, especially in regards to astronomy and biology, and an inherently peaceful culture. They did not practice human sacrifice, like other Maztican cultures, or slavery. They were accomplished artisans and artists, and were fond of bright colors.

Merchants often came to Tulom-Itzi to trade for brightly colored feathers, found only in the jungles of Far Payit; bringing in exchange obsidian, which was rare in Far Payit but used in weaponry.

History
Centuries, possibly millenia, before the rise of Nexal, the peoples of Payit and Far Payit reached incredible heights of civilization and knowledge. The cities of Ulatos and Tulom-Itzi were the centers of their twin civilizations, home to many great sages, scholars, physicians, and artisans, including plumaweavers and hishnashapers. A great stone road was built to connect the two cities, and the people flourished. This golden age ended when a prince of Tulom-Itzi, plotted against a princess of Ulatos. The subsequent battle left him, his companions, and the princess dead. Shortly afterward, for unknown reasons, people simply began to leave the cities, going to live in jungle villages. The great highway was overgrown, knowledge was lost, and cities ruined. But some of the great culture lived on in Tulom-Itzi.

After the rise of Nexal, merchants from that city began coming to Tulom-Itzi to trade.