Society (Maztica Supplement)
General Trends[edit]
Maztica has a long history of conquest, from the iron fist of Nexal to the flourishing unity of Payit to ancient empires whose names have long been forgotten, each having left their mark on Maztican society as a whole.
Governance[edit]
On the lowest level of governance, most Maztican society is organized into wards. Within a ward, a noble family oversees multiple commoner families, managing their land and education. Each ward pays a tribute to the city they fall under four times a year, typically in a staggered cycle, and is expected to keep a militia trained in both policing and warfare.
City law is shaped by that city's council, consisting of a number of noble families. The direction of city law can shift dramatically depending on the ratio of warden, priestly, artisan, and knightly families. Unlike ward law, city law is enforced by knightly families and affects all wards under the council's purview. Additionally, it is the city council's duty to organize trade between cities.
Nations are ultimately ruled by the Supreme Chamber, typically organized into three seats:
- The Revered Counselor is elected by their nation's noble houses, typically from one among their ranks. It is the Revered Counselor's role to negotiate with other nations, direct trade, and lead the nobles in shaping national law. The position typically lasts for life, and it is not uncommon for a negligent Revered Counselor to be replaced by their assassin.
- The high priest is directly chosen by the nation's patron deity, typically from their ranks of priests, making it the most concrete position. Their role is to communicate their god's will, schedule minor rituals, lead major rituals, and ultimately provide legitimacy to the Supreme Chamber's rule.
- The military conclave consists of the highest ranking military commanders, sometimes organized under a single general. In most nations, this is the chief Eagle Knight, chief Jaguar Knight, and the head noble in charge of organizing ward levies.
Technology[edit]
Prior to Cordell's invasion, the vast majority of Maztica lacked metalworking. Traditional Maztican warriors wore leather, hide, or fur armor, and went into battle wielding weapons crafted from wood and sharpened chips of flint or obsidian; spears, maca, spear-throwers, and shortbows.
Since the beginning of the Age of Freedom, many nations have begun experimenting with steelsmithing. While it isn't uncommon to see high-ranking Eagle and Jaguar Knights wearing ornate suits of steel armor or wielding a steel maca, or to see noble artisans working with steel tools, each of these pieces is a non-insignificant portion of Maztica's limited steel reserves.
Economy[edit]
The vast majority of Maztican commoners are farmers, either farming corn, cocoa, or cotton. Between commoners, goods and services are typically exchanged for corn. More complex artisanship is typically exclusive to noble houses, but it isn't uncommon for an industrious commoner to be sudden swept up into an artisan family's ranks (and sometimes forbidden from returning to their old home).
In city markets, the go-to currency is jade and turquoise (typically at about the exchange rate listed on DMG pg. 133). Most will react with either confusion, humor, or disgust when offered coins as currency; at best these are materials that belong to armorers and jewelers not traders, and at worst it is what Mazticans were enslaved and killed for.
Between noble families, trade is typically done in raw resources. Warden families typically trade in slaves or rarely in rights to entire commoner families if the other noble family is also wardens, priestly families trade in blessings or rarely magic items, artisan families trade in their crafts, and knightly families trade in journeys to retrieve rare materials or slay dangerous monsters.
Crime and Punishment[edit]
Like most societies, slavery is abhorrent in the public eye. Also like most societies, the nations of Maztica have found their own way around perception. Enslavement it a common punishment for crimes more severe than petty theft, including the crimes of being a captured enemy soldier or hostage taken during an invasion. Where supplies are freely shared to some extent within a ward, supplies for slaves are strictly rationed to keep them weak, and thus unable to revolt.
Ritual human sacrifice is a regular occurrence in cities dedicated to Zaltec, Azul, and Tezca. Sacrifices are most commonly chosen from captured soldiers, or from other permanent slaves if no soldiers remain, and are very rarely chosen from non-permanent slaves. Typically the sacrifice is paraded down a major road and up a pyramid dedicated to the god being honored, hearing petitions to the god being honored throughout. Sacrifice is typically done via extracting the sacrifice's heart from their chest with a small knife, but major sacrifices typically require more complex rituals be performed on the body before or after: Zaltec prefers a body be bleeding grievously throughout the sacrifice, Azul prefers that the sacrifice be drowning as they are being sacrificed, and Tezca prefers that the sacrifice's body be burned after.
Magic[edit]
Magic is part of everyday life in Maztica. Fields are blessed by priests daily, Eagle and Jaguar Knights often patrol shapechanged, and healing is most often preformed via a combination of medicinal herbs and pluma. Droughts are often resolved by making deals with tlalocoatl or chacna, and the curses found in the continent's ruins are well known and feared.
The Nine Nations[edit]
Payit[edit]
Formerly one of Maztica's dominant empires, Payit has fallen from grace twice: first being conquered by Nexal and again by Amn. During Amnian occupation, many payit escaped slavery by fleeing to Far Payit, where the nation now reigns exclusively. Payit society abhors violence, being one of the few nations to not practice human sacrifice, and is home to Maztica's most powerful plumaweavers.
Qotal is the patron deity of Payit, and its capitol is Tulom-Itzi, a city dating back to the days of the Payit Empire built around a grand central plaza of fountains and pyramids with an ancient road leading all the way to the former capitol of Ulatos (now New Nexal), though the road is now overgrown and broken. Tulom-Itzi's sister city Maxal, the City by the Sea, is one of Maztica's only walled cities, with homes and temples built around a central market within the walls and farms beyond the walls. Its villages include Matil and Zula.
Nexal[edit]
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Technically the most recent of the nine nations to be formed, New Nexal was formed when holdouts from the Amnian destruction of Nexal who had been gathering strength in Huacli, Kultaka, and Itzcala invaded New Amn's core territory while it was recovering from the Spellplague. New Nexal carries on the legacy of old Nexal, being a warrior culture lead not by a council lead by a Revered Counselor, but by the High Priest of Zaltec alone, who served both priestly and military roles. Its hishna is unmatched, as is its warriors' ferocity. Zaltec is the patron deity of New Nexal, and its capitol is the city of New Nexal, formerly Helmsport-Ulatos, a walled city overlooking the Gulf of Zaltec. Its villages include Qoral (a former Amnian settlement), Palil, Mazti, Dzibil, and Palenqi. |
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Huacli[edit]
Huacli is an ancient culture, having gone nearly unchanged since the days of the Zatecan Empire. In order to serve as Revered Counselor, one must be part of a patriarchal line of chieftains, and the Revered Counselor has the final say in any matter rather than acting as a mediator. The arid land of Huacli receives little rain making it difficult to farm, so the nation employs a large fleet of canoes to fish the Western Ocean with spears and nets.
Azul is the patron deity of Huacli, and its capitol is Otomi, whose easy access to large quantities of copper from the mountains it is situated in made it very the most technologically advanced nation for centuries, though this advantage is beginning to wane rapidly. Its other cities include Ixit, Honal, Pulco, Azcat, and Ixtal, all five of which fell under Nexal control at the Nexalan Empire's peak.
Kultaka[edit]
In order to survive bordering Old Nexal, now Jagre Nexal, Kultaka became a nation of warriors long ago. Rather than training only a portion of each ward as warriors, all citizens are trained in combat. Kultakans typically prefer to fight in the morning, where historically the sun obscured their troops from Nexalan approach.
Tezca is the patron deity of Kultaka, and its capitol is Kultaka City, a city of tall pueblos built atop a rocky butte. It is Kultaka's only city, with the rest of its population being spread throughout the fertile valley in isolated farms.
Pasocada[edit]
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The pasocada basin is not technically organized into a single nation; no conquerors have subjugates their neighbors, nor do any settlements have a unified governing body. However, the peoples of the pasocada basin are certainly more unified than disparate citystates; the nomadic Nahopaca and Poscadari are welcome in any village, and war is almost unheard of throughout the region. There's also the nature of its only city, which has no ruler of its own beyond the Gilded Priest who lead's the city's religious ceremonies clad in gold dust, and is considered neutral ground where Azuposi trade grain and fruits, Metahel trade fish and whale, Nahopaca trade meat and skins, and Poscadari trade art and blessings. Furthermore, each of the region's settlements are connected to Michaca via high roads maintained by the towns connected to them. To this end, the other eight nations treat the pasocada basin as the singular nation of Pasocada. Plutoq is the patron deity of Pasocada, and its effective capitol is Michaca, the fabled City of Gold. According to legend, long ago the peoples of the basin warred against one another to satiate their greed. Chief Tapeyzin prayed to the gods for a solution, and it was Plutoq that commanded him to gather the gold the valley was rich with and fashion it into a city in the center of the basin. The city was beautiful, attracting the warring tribes, but had nothing worth fighting over. Tribes began to use Michaca as a place to rest, and as cohabitation began so did peace. Its villages include Ukolo and Shokogya who mine the hills for turquoise and jade respectively, Elfmeet where the Poscadari processions stop multiple times a year, and many more. |
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Lopango[edit]
Much like Pasocada, the tabaxi clans that occupy Lopango do not have a unified governing body, and yet they are unified nonetheless. The societal structure of the clans bears almost no resemblance to the other nations of Maztica, having never been truly conquered, practicing a kind of primitive communism.
Most clans occupy ramada villages built around a central lair where shamans, elders, and children reside. Adults are split into "hunts" of 2-8 individuals who patrol, hunt, and gather for the clan. Individuals are free to change hunts, but bonds between huntmates are typically strengthened through battle. While clans rarely trade with each other, seeing trading as inherently demeaning, there is an understanding of mutual defense between clans not ruled by jaguar lords, likely caused by regular tlincalli attacks.
Watil is the patron deity of the tabaxi clans. The location, size, and number of clans and lairs changes by the decade, and most lairs lack a name beyond "warm cave" or "wide hollow". Therefore, no clan or lair can truly be considered Lopango's capitol.
Pezelac[edit]
Pezelac has historically been one of the first nations to be conquered in the rise of an empire. As such, the nation has a fatalistic, almost depressive culture. Most pezels put little effort is put into improving their life, and octal addiction is rampant.
Watil is the patron deity of Pezelac, though Calor receives much worship in the countryside while Kiltzi receives similar worship within the capitol. Its capitol is the city of Pezelac, which lacks the many bright murals and fountains of most other capitol cities, and even some non-capitols, and is significantly fed by the fish-rich Lake Kiltzi it is built on the shores of. Its villages include Hakl, Maju, Coxl, Ozalt, and Palul.
Qotalemitl[edit]
Until the dawn of the Age of Freedom, Qotalemitl was known as New Waterdeep, a rival colonial expedition to New Amn. Unlike their rivals, New Waterdeep colonized mostly unoccupied territory and did not war against or enslave the native population. It even attempted to establish trade relations with their neighbors, though this was greatly inhibited by their only neighbors being Kultaka and New Amn, both of whom tried to invade on multiple occasions.
As the nexalan uprising crushed Helmsport, many payitlan clearly recognized the potential rise of a new Nexalan Empire. Rather than remain in the forming New Nexal, refugees fled across the Bay of Kultaka in such numbers that, despite losses to the salt marshes, the guards first thought they too were being invaded. Now a half payit, half waterdavian city, the city underwent a period or rapid cultural shifts assisted by both cultures' desires to avoid conflict. By the end of the Spellplague, Qotalemitl was formed as a land unto itself.
The architecture of Qotalemitl uses Faerûnian foundations with Maztican stylings: brick buildings with intricate mural reliefs carved into them, grand pyramids with chapels built into their sides. Animal husbandry, a nearly unheard of practice throughout most of Maztica, is practiced extensively within Qotalemitl, making it the only Maztican nation with cavalry divisions. Even its government operates significantly differently, where public elections form a council of twelve representatives, many of whom inevitably come from noble families, who then elect a Revered Counselor from among themselves.
Nula is the patron deity of Qotalemitl, having formerly wrestled with Qotal over patronage over Far Payit before being smitten with their care for her creations. Its capitol is Qotalemitl, a grand city stretching across the bay to Maztapan Island where the nation is slowly amassing a fleet. Its sister city, Trythosford, was founded by the paladin Trythos, regarded as the fairest of the colonial rulers by far, and has been attempting to establish mining efforts in the nearby Borderlands for decades.
Kolan[edit]
The people of Kolan are largely proud and self-sufficient, using what little resources their territory provides efficiently and effectively. The four original cities of Kolan are built into cliffsides and are extremely vertical, with many areas only being accessible by ladder. Kolan has been building a fleet both for fishing and potentially war, and though it does not have as many ships as Huacli nor is it as advanced as Qotalemitl's fleet, Eha's Riders drill in their keelboats almost daily.
Eha is the patron deity of Kolan, and its capitol changes depending on which city the Revered Counselor makes his home in, most commonly one of the four original cities. The fifth city, Tukan, was founded from the Nexalan diaspora Qotal led through the House of Tezca on the Night of Wailing. Tukan benefits from plentiful harvests of carefully cultivated cacti and reverses of gold in the bed of the lake it is built upon.
Other Nations[edit]
Desert Dwarves[edit]
The desert dwarves of Maztica are organized very similarly to dwarves elsewhere, even speaking the same dialect as some Faerûnian dwarves, having only migrated via the Underdark during the rise of the Nexalan Empire and remaining fairly isolationist in the roughly three lifespans since. Each dwarven settlement is a fortress carved into the mountainside using stone tools, and belongs to a single clan. Most of these fortresses feed themselves with mushroom and cheese caves in their deepest depths, and by raising poultry near the main gate, which often becomes sausage or dumplings.
Desert dwarves lack the wealth of iron and gemstones that other dwarven civilizations have, though their archives retain the techniques necessary to work it. Instead, their forges, each blessed by a cleric in Tezca and Plutoq's names, primarily see gold, silver, clay, and glass. Following the Razing of Helmsport, high-quality steel became available to Nexal and its surrounding nations, and it became common to turn it over to a community of desert dwarves to work it in exchange for food or labor.
The two largest dwarf clans in Maztica are Aelarkralva (often translated as Sand-Beard or sometimes Gold-Father) and Sonnmurbar (Rock-Jaw, sometimes Stone-Argument) in the Sands of Itzcala. The House of Tezca is home to many smaller clans, many of whom have petty rivalries with one another, including Sabarakril (Broken-Pillar, in reference to the great fluted pillar that separates its main gate's twin doors and the crack that runs down it), Mondinvos (Unruly-Peak, sometimes High-Rave), Rrinphulk (Over-Venom, in reference to the height of the Underdark beneath, making any downward tunneling potentially lethal), Tornothog (Lizard-Hill, in reference to the many lizards in the surrounding area, which they uniquely hunt), and Norskultor (Spider-Hill, in reference to the giant spider nests that populate the food of their mountain).
Halfling Tribes[edit]
The halfling tribes of Far Payit are isolationist hunter-gatherers organized into networks of harems. The halfling with the largest harem acts as the tribe's chief; the head of the tecalli (a sort of royal family). Each pilli (the chief's direct family members) is expected to support as many spouses as they comfortably can. Conversely, a halfling that is not a one of the pipiltin has a societal responsibility to marry the pilli that they believe best exhibits certain traits, including bravery, cunning, and piety to whichever god the tribe serves, typically Zaltec or Nula. It isn't uncommon for an upcoming pilli to challenge another to a duel or to go on a dangerous quest, gaining or losing partners based on victory or defeat. In times when the tecalli lacks enough members to support all other members of the tribe, it isn't uncommon for non-pipiltin who embody these traits to be taken into the chief's family, though these are often the chief's extended family. When a chief loses their position, such as from another pilli having a larger harem or more often from dying, these "calpanpilli" lose their titles with them.
Like Faerûnian halflings, Payit halflings typically do not use their written language, but maintain a rich oral tradition. Many of these traditions are stories based in the heroic deeds and villainous treacheries legendary figures enacted to grow their family, from which numerous superstitions have arisen. Each tribe maintains a talisman; a creature or item of power through which they perform their sacrifice, such as a jaguar lord to which outsiders are thrown in honor of Zaltec.
Hautlhjolo[edit]
Hautlhjolo (pronounced Hot-l-hyolo; roughly translating to Hillheart) is the hill giant clan occupying Long Canyon. They speak a garbled jumble of Azuposi and Giant colloquially given the same name. Like most hill giants, the Hautlhjolo are ravenous, unclothed dullards who sate their appetite with mountain goats, but prefer travelers much more.
Jagre Nexal[edit]
During the Night of Wailing, as Qotal guided civilians out of Nexal, Zaltec's chosen people fought tooth and nail to keep Cordell's forces from breaching its walls. As defeat closed in around them, a wave of red light emanated from the Pyramid of Zaltec, imbuing anyone still in the city with Zaltec's might. While the invasion was ultimately successful in crushing the city, it was the presence of these transformed Nexalans that kept the city forever out of the invader's hands.
Jagre Nexal occupies the core territory of the old Nexalan Empire, namely the ruined cities of Nexal, Azatl, Tezat, Kozil, and Cordotl. While parts of these cities have been rebuilt, namely parts of residential districts, armories, and even the grand Pyramid of Zaltec (second in size only to the Pyramid of the Gods in Tewahca), the rest remains in ruins. The monsterfolk of Jagre Nexal sustain themselves exclusively through hunting in the Lake of the Gods, where giant crocodiles and cipactli abound.
Jagre Nexal has a strict caste system enforced through individual might and connection to Zaltec. At the top of the pantheon are the Ancient Ones, Zaltec's drow high priests once trusted to guard the Darkfyre now cursed into irritable spiderfolk by the drow god Lolth, and their champions. The Ancient Ones rarely leave the chambers built within the Pyramid of Zaltec, making any appearance they make (often surrounded by a procession of lesser Jagre Nexalans) of great importance. Beneath them are the jagre, formerly Zaltec's most beloved Jaguar Knights, now hide-clad ogres charged with leading warbands, and the viperhands, Zaltec's formerly human priests. At the bottom of the hierarchy are ogres and orcs, who are treated as disposable infantry and are honored to be such in Zaltec's name.
Mictlatepec[edit]
Sea Cults[edit]
Tlincalli Tribes[edit]
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