Chultan (ethnicity)

The term Chultan referred broadly to humans from the Chultan Peninsula, consisting primarily of members of the Tabaxi tribe.

Description
Chultans were tall and had dark, ebony skin, darker even than that of the Djen of Calimshan. Chultans had adapted to the harsh climates of Chult and did not suffer the usual effects of heatstroke that most humans visiting that country endured.

The hair of Chultans was always tightly curled.

History
Chultans were originally from a continent southeast of Maztica and southwest of Zakhara, known only as "The Dark Continent" or Katashaka. In -2809 DR, a group of tribes, including the Eshowe, the Tabaxi, and the Thinguth, traveled from their homes to Faerûn. These tribes were led by couatls, who taught them about the god Ubtao. Upon arriving in Chult, they were met by Ubtao at the Peaks of Flame. The Thinguth settled in Thindol; the other tribes populated the rest of the Chultan Peninsula.

According to legend, the Aldani tribe were a tribe who had overfished for lobsters in the Aldani Basin, causing Ubtao to curse them for their greed by turning them into lobsterfolk.

The Chultan holy city of Mezro was founded by Ubtao himself in -2637 DR.

In -438 DR, a war erupted between the Tabaxi and Eshowe tribes that would continue for hundreds of years.

In -137 DR, the Eshowe unleashed Eshowdow, the "Shadow of the Eshowe", and the ancient evil sacked Mezro. However, after ruining Mezro, the creature turned and rampaged against the Eshowe, nearly annihilating them.

In revenge, one of the barae of Mezro, Ras Nsi, began a genocide of the remaining Eshowe people. By -122 DR, the Eshowe were essentially extinct. The remaining Chultan tribes were assimilated into the Tabaxi tribe and became known as Chultans.

Outlook
Chultans, as a whole, were simple people, distrusting power and wealth. If an item was not able to be carried on a person, it was often considered not worth owning.

In the mind of a Chultan, the clan was always more important than the individual.

All Chultans respected the dinosaurs, both as objects of worship and as sources of food and hides.

Society
Most Chultans of the Chultan Peninsula lived in small tribal villages. No village was permitted to have more than a single arcane spellcaster. These tribal spellcasters would brew potions for warriors and take part in tribal ceremonies. The villages were named for their clan, which were in turn named after important heroes or tribal spirits.

Chultan villages consisted of circular huts formed from a ring of saplings tied together to form a dome. The walls were formed from woven saplings and large leaves covered the roofs. Most villages also included a smithy, a clan meeting house, a village altar, and any family shrines.

Villages were led by a council of elders.

Rural Chultans wore simple loin cloths. Those living in the city of Mezro wore loose-fitting robes called "tobes".

Iron and steel were rare in Chult, so native Chultans rarely made use of such metals. Armor was rarely worn because of the climate. Their weapons were made of copper, obsidian, stone, or wood, and their warriors would wear hide breastplates and carry large, colorful, oval-shaped hide shields, called "hlang". Common weapons included the "yklwa" (a short spear), the "kerrie" (a knobbed club), handaxes, daggers, short swords, scimitars, long bows, and hunting spears. Cavalry among the Chultans was unheard of.

Most rural Chultans survived by a combination of hunting and foraging. Those living in the savannah would also farm and herd cattle.

Religion
Ubtao, the god of the jungle and wild creation, was the primary god of the Chultans. He brought them from their ancient home, built them their most sacred city, and has taught them to walk the maze of life.

The monster Eshowdow, which was unleashed on Tabaxi people, was in fact a part of Ubtao's essence that had been absorbed by the goddess Shar. Eshowdow still received worship from a small number of Chultans after the fall of the Eshowe, and Shar continued to plan for her revenge and recruit followers in the Valley of Lost Honor.