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The term Chultan referred broadly to humans from the Chultan Peninsula,[3] consisting primarily of members of the Tabaxi tribe.[4]

Description[]

Chultans were tall and had dark, ebony skin,[2] darker even than that of the Djen of Calimshan.[5] 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.[6]

The hair of Chultans was always tightly curled.[5]

History[]

Chultan warrior

A Tabaxi tribe warrior.

Chultans were originally from a continent southeast of Maztica and southwest of Zakhara, known only as "The Dark Continent"[7] or Katashaka.[8] 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.[8]

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.[9]

The Chultan holy city of Mezro was founded by Ubtao himself in −2637 DR.[2]

In −438 DR, a war erupted between the Tabaxi and Eshowe tribes that would continue for hundreds of years.[4]

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.[10]

In revenge, one of the barae of Mezro, Ras Nsi, began a genocide of the remaining Eshowe people.[11] By −122 DR, the Eshowe were essentially extinct. The remaining Chultan tribes were assimilated into the Tabaxi tribe and became known as Chultans.[4]

Sometime before 1372 DR, Intulik of the Blood, a Chultan witch doctor, rose to political power after disposing of several members of opposition. He subjugated the tribes, aiming to stay in power for several decades. His life and career were ended abruptly, shortly after Intulik rose to power. The ruler was cut down by Tatchalik the bounty hunter who later left Chult for Waterdeep.[12]

Outlook[]

Chultans, as a whole, were simple people, distrusting power and wealth.[3] If an item was not able to be carried on a person, it was often considered not worth owning.[13]

In the mind of a Chultan, the clan was always more important than the individual.[14]

All Chultans respected the dinosaurs, both as objects of worship and as sources of food and hides.[15]

Society[]

Tabaxi medicine man

A wise Tabaxi medicine man.

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.[3] The villages were named for their clan, which were in turn named after important heroes or tribal spirits.[13]

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.[13]

Villages were led by a council of elders.[13]

Rural Chultans wore simple loin cloths. Those living in the city of Mezro wore loose-fitting robes called "tobes".[14]

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".[3][16] Common weapons included the "yklwa" (a short spear), the "kerrie" (a knobbed club), handaxes, daggers, short swords, scimitars, long bows, and hunting spears.[17] Cavalry among the Chultans was unheard of.[14]

Most rural Chultans survived by a combination of hunting and foraging. Those living in the savannah would also farm and herd cattle.[14]

Culture[]

Tabaxi humans map

A typical village of a Tabaxi tribe.

In Chultan culture outside of the city of Mezro, the color white was associated with death. Unlike the folk of Faerûn, grieving Chultan wore white clothes when grieving, most common being simple flowing light robes.[18]

Chultan legends of the rare and seclusive firebirds told the tale of the creatures' flawless beauty and curses sent by the gods upon anyone who harmed these birds. However, these stories were likely created to discourage anyone from hunting firebirds as stalking them meant staying the the earshot of the birds' awful raucously obscene hollering they passed for singing.[19]

Language[]

The Chultan language made notable usage of inhalations and clicks, and sounded almost musical.[20]

Common Chultan male names included Atuar, Atumwa, Chiwa, Dengo, Emporo, Juma, Kundé, Kwalu, Losi, Mezoar, Mzolu, Nsi, Osaw, Rindawan, Selu, Teron, Ugor, Vazul, Weshtek, and Yapa. Common Chultan female names included Azuil, Bati, Chuil, Déla, Eki, Fipya, Isi, Joli, Katéla, Lorit, Mainu, Naboli, Nyali, Omoyala, Razira, Sana, Tefnek, U'lolo, Wadizi, Yuta, Zaidi, and Zamisi.[21][22] Chultans did not traditionally have surnames,[21] however in the late 15th century DR, some adopted their old dynastic names as surnames. These included Agolo, Atazi, Balaka, Bolélé, Dawa, Ekulu, Hakal, Imbogoro, Jaharwon, M'wenye, Natombe, Ngore, Oboko, O'tamu, Sahandi, Talro'a, Utugelu, Yudan, and Zuberi.[22]

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,[2] and has taught them to walk the maze of life.[23]

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.[23] Eshowdow still received worship from a small number of Chultans after the fall of the Eshowe,[2] and Shar continued to plan for her revenge and recruit followers in the Valley of Lost Honor.[11]

Health[]

Chultan were susceptible to a rare natural disease that only affected them, among other human ethnicities. This eating disease was known to grown serpent-scale-like calluses on the skin, often affecting forearms.[24]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 110–111. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 103. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 50. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  6. James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  7. Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 29.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  9. Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  10. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  12. Ossian Studios (June 2018). Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford. Beamdog.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 19. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  15. James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  16. James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  17. James Lowder, Jean Rabe (1993). The Jungles of Chult. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 1-5607-6605-0.
  18. James Lowder (November 1992). The Ring of Winter. (TSR, Inc), chap. 6, p. 103. ISBN 978-1560763307.
  19. Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 34. ISBN 978-0786905317.
  20. Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 16. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 109. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  24. Ed Greenwood (February 1998). The Mercenaries. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 7, p. 71. ISBN 0-7869-0866-1.

Connections[]

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