Talosoi Culture (4e Other)
The talosoi (TAL-oh-soy) are a race of apelike people who live in the dense jungles of Takal. Very seclusive creatures, they keep mostly to themselves. They are known to ride giant wasps into battle.
Talosoi average around six to seven feet tall, with a big, broad build. They are mostly covered in short, thick black hair, except for their faces, chest, palms, and the soles of thier feet. Talosoi have large canines, which is disturbing to some people.
Talosoi live in small clans of around 10 or so. These clans live in close proximity with each other, and will unite in times of crisis. Each clan is led by a shaman, who's job is to protect and heal the other talosoi. For every ten clans there is one chieftan, an abnormally large talosoi who governs over the rest of the talosoi.
Social class among these people is determined by profession. At the bottom is hunters and laborers. Above that is the clan warriors, who ride giant wasps into battle. After them are the shamans, and after the shamans are the tribal chieftans, who also ride giant wasps into battle.
The talosoi worship Nok-Lai-Sho, the creator and protector of their race. The shamans act as clerics and priests in talosoi religion, as there are no formal priests of Nok-Lai-Sho. Nok-Lai-Sho is a lesser diety who is allied with Pelor.
Talosoi dwellings are little more than round huts arranged in a ring, made of wood, with a thatched roof and packed dirt floors. These houses are usually only about 10 feet in diameter or so, but the chieftans have huts twice this size. All huts have one door and no windows. In the center of the ring of houses is a large community building, where there is a large fire pit. Eating, cooking, skinning, and pretty much every thing else in talosoi life, except sleeping, happens here.
Talosoi, while being reclusive and usually keeping to themselves, have several allies and enemies. For allies, they usually are friends with the elves and eladrin who live in the same jungle as they. They have been known to ally with humans who live outside the jungle for brief periods. The talosoi have only two major enemies: the yuan-ti and the lizardfolk, who both live in the same places talosoi do. Talosoi will almost always attack these creatures on sight, unless they are hopelessly outnumbered, defenseless, or otherwise.
To talosoi, honor is everything. To break an oath, steal, cheat, or accept mockery or itimidation is seen as failing Nok-Lai-Sho. In talosoi society, the only way to regain honor is in war or single, hand-to-hand combat with the talosoi who caused your loss of honor.
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