Lore: The Khalaks

The Khalaks are a collective of reptilian and amphibious species that live in the Hearthyoke Jungle in Southern Malteria. They believe that they are all descendants of a single 1st Cycle Civilization which they refer to simply as "The Precursors". Evidence of the precursors can be found scattered all around the Jungles, and forests of Southern Malteria, in the form of vast crumbling complexes haunted with the wisping energies of high magic. Most notable of these places is the House of Khalash, a truly massive series of spires, ziggurats and labyrinthine underground complexes that worms through much of the Blacktooth Mountains. 

Rigati'Ta

The Rigati'Ta are one of the most populous of the Khalak subspecies, they exsist as the primary driving labor force for agricultural production, and building. In the religious understandings of the Khalaks, the Rigati'Ta are the physical embodiment of Father Khalash's arms and his legs, the vital mechanisms by which he and his society are moved forward through the cyclical ages. The Rigati'Ta are the life most consistently recognized as "The Khalaks" by outsiders, mostly through the providence of their massive population proportionate to the other subspecies. In form, they resemble a humanoid with a frogs head, generally green or yellow-brown in coloration, though some notable and common variations on this appearance are a single cyclopean eye of bluish or purplish coloration lacking a pupil, generally found in those gifted with an aptitude for learning.  Some are possessed of a second pair of arms and lack any need to sleep, while still others possess hardened scale growth over their backs and forearms. 

The Rigati'Ta are typically untrustworthy of outsiders of any kind making no distinctions about the nativity of a species to Malteria as other long-lived races might. While not always directly hostile, they will attack any who venture too deep into the Hearthyoke Jungle with unparalleled fervour, as doing thus is a grave violation of the places deep religious and societal meaning to the Khalaks. It has been known for some Rigati'Ta to venture out, into the wider world, but doing so dooms them in the eyes of others of the Khalak, as the fire of Khalash is thought to dwindle the further out one goes from the Hearthyoke.  A curious note is that those Khalaks, Rigati'Ta or not, that stray far from the Jungles shift in personality wildly, many becoming deeply welcoming and loyal to those they meet, particularly Vrundians. With one such community of these "Flameguttered" Khalaks living in the Northern spans of the River Lords in a community they have termed Gleshtashi'Mash'Katah or "Human Friends". 


Tul'Bearg

The Tul'Bearg are perhaps the most physically imposing of all the subspecies of the Khalaks, it is thought that they are the physical embodiment of Father Khalash's torso, his strong body and the trunk in which the fire is housed, and the blood sent to where it is needed. The Tul'Bearg act in Khalak society as leaders, warriors, and guardians. They appear as tall, fearsomely muscled humanoids with the head of a salamander, typically reddish-brown or yellow-green in coloration, some may possess webbed spines around the base of the neck. The Tul'Bearg, through dint of their sheer size, and physical prowess thrive as the warrior-chieftains of many of the scattered Khalak tribes, these imposing figures will be at the forefront of all of a tribes activities, hunts, combats, religious ceremonies and the rituals of spawning and illumination.

Tul'Bearg are rarely seen outside of the Hearthyoke, their place in the upper echelons of the religious order of Khalak society tends to breed out a streak for wanderlust in their number, and the predilection for power and great physical aptitude means that they rarely want for much. It is therefore often only the frontline troops of the River Lords or the ill-fated crews of Sanctomite Corsair's that encounter the Tul'Bearg, and few of these ever survive to bring an account back to their people of them.



Isk

The Isk are the scouts, spies, lore keepers, and shaman of Khalak society, they are the breath of Father Khalash, unseen, unheard, but essential to connect the body with the world and keep it alive, without breath the body dies, no voice can be made, or warmth kept within. An Isk, is a very thin, humanoid with the head of a gecko, their coloration shifts to match their environment. Some Isk are possessed of a lengthened skull and no eyes, but still retain the ability to see, these fortunate individuals are possessed of immense magical abilities, and are the tenders of the Khalaks spawning pools, called kindlers these Isk interpret the eddies of life energies and aetheric potential that are invisible to all others, channeling these flowing tides into the clutches of eggs, determining the subspecies they will grow to become.

The Isk, play a vital role inside Khalak society, working as diplomats between tribes when open fighting is deemed unfavorable, assassins or skirmishers when it is, and as information gatherers or tribal advisors. Many would say that the Isk are never seen outside of the Hearthyoke, but there are organizations that know this is not the case, the Indagators of the River Lords, the Faespeakers of Sanctum, even the Cold Order of the Dark Wardens all know that no where is truly safe from the Breath's of Khalash. It is a foolish Chieftan indeed that does not hunger for any edge in the tribal warfare of the Jungle Dwellers, and Malteria is riddled with artifacts, technologies, and marvels that lie far beyond the Hearthyoke.




Faith in Fire

In the mythic tellings of the Khalak tribes, their potent fire god, Father Khalash breathed the Precursors into existence at the start of the 1st Cycle. It is said that with the guidance of Father Khalash the Precursors were made masters of all Malteria, even the realms beyond the Malterian shores came under their influence. It was through the jealous scheming of lesser gods and the subjects of the Precursors which undid this mighty reign and set about the endless cycle of renewing.  It is said that it took the fall of the Oricalcon's, and the decay of the traitor gods hold on the mortal realms, for Father Khalash to finally take advantage of the chinks in his prison, and search for what remained of his chosen people.

As the survivors of Ythr and Mounbreath washed ashore in central Malteria, the Avatar of Khalash came to a lone Tul'Baerg, its tribe lost to the spears of internecine war. This Tul'Baerg became known as the Herald of Fire, Khal'Het. Gifted with everlasting life, the Khal'Het began rebuilding his tribe, expanding and issuing the word of Khalash's return to all other tribes. The Khal'Het has one goal, the unification of the Khalaks into a great tribe, known as the Khalkar, and the revitalization of Father Khalash.


War Against the River Lords 

In his goal to unite the tribes of the Khalak, the Khal'Het knew that he must provide a consistent and tenacious common enemy to the chosen people. The closest to hand were the River Lords, and so the fledgling Gleshmereian state's outward progress was arrested, as villages and merchants across the southern spans of their domain were destroyed. Skirmishing across the border of the Hearthyoke with the Firebrands of Ackers has continued for years, the Gleshmereian commanders are certain that the situation is well in hand, but the Khal'Het knows better, for the Isk have brought the word of the spread of dissent in the River Lords, banditry and rebellion have become rife, spurred to greater heights by a long and costly foreign war with the Dark Wardens. The Gleshermereians are bleeding themselves dry in a hundred battlefields, while each skirmish yields more experience for the warriors of the Khalaks, warriors that can aid in the final unification of their people, and then the newly born Khalakar can leave their Jungle at long last to reclaim their birthright and bring the firey revenge of a chained god down upon the heads of his rebellious subjects.