Troglodyte Society

[Nephallim]

I'm going to be doing a series of fluff articles on the troglodytes of Blin and their society. I figure it'd be good to give them some depth.

Names:

Troglodytes generally carry two names. One name, their 'egg name,' is given at hatching. The other name, their 'deed name,' describes their status and accomplishments. The deed name 'Mancleaver' for example indicates prowess in battle and exploits in raids against humans. Deed names, however, are not always earned through the deed they describe. A troglodyte who slays another troglodyte in single combat and eats his eyes may take his foe's deed name, casting aside his own. Common deed names, related to age, exist for troglodytes who do not distinguish themselves or steal a name. These names are 'Youngscale,' 'Fullscale,' and 'Oldscale.'

Aside from the generic names, deed names are unique, only held by one troglodyte at a time, and thus especially prestigious names are highly sought after. Indeed, the prestige of deed names sets a loose chain of command among troglodytes. 'Mancleaver,' 'Mancutter,' and 'Mancrusher' indicate squad leaders in raids while 'Hardscale' indicates a role as leader of a nest's defenses. 'Scaleholder' indicates a place as civil leader of a trible while 'Eyefinder' indicates status as a great warchief.

When a troglodyte dies in battle or goes missing his deed name is stripped from him and given to another troglodyte. If a troglodyte who has gone missing returns he may either challenge the troglodyte he shares a name with, or attempt to claim a greater name for himself.

Names are granted by troglodyte priests dedicated to the Dark Force and only a tribe's high priest may create new deed names.

[Nephallim]

Cannibalism and Trophies

Simply put, troglodytes eat those they kill. For most this is simply a matter of survival in Blin, where food can be scarce. More sophisticated tribes, however, have developed highly ritualistic traditions for cannablizing an enemy. The warriors of these tribes first consume parts of their foes that have significance, if the foe was worthy. Commonly, this is the foe's eyes, for what greater advantage can a warrior have than the ability to see through the eyes of a foe? If the troglodyte's victim was especially prominant or powerful, the troglodyte will eat his heart first.

Troglodytes also have a strong trophy-taking tradition. Among more primitive tribes, sculls are the preferred trophy and are commonly displayed on sticks and in piles. More sophisticated tribes, however, take a defeated foe's teeth instead. Teeth are both easier to move than sculls, and better embody a defeated foe's strength. To steal a troglodyte's teeth is to rob them of a weapon, and they believe others see things similarly. Every troglodyte tribe's lair has an "Ivory Hall," a cave where trophies are kept. In more barbaric tribes this is simply a room piled to the ceiling with sculls. In the lairs of more sophisticated tribes, however, this hall is a tribe's meeting place, with a floor paved with the teeth of their vanquished foes.

Troglodytes generally will not cannibalize or take trophies from foes who commit suicide. To do so is considered cheating at war and is punishable by death or exile.

[Nephallim]

Primitive and Sophisticated Tribes

There are two primary types of troglodyte tribes: wild and civilized.

Wild tribes generally live in isolation. They have been left to their own devices and are not affiliated with the leadership of Blin. These tribes wear primitive hide armor, if any, and may have one steel weapon for every fifty warriors, if at all. Barbarian is the most common class among the wild tribes, and they generally have adepts or evil druids as spiritual leaders, not clerics.

The civilized tribes generally dwell close to cities or castles and have been at least partially assimilated into Blinian society. These tribes have learned mining, metalurgy, and magic from the humans of Blin and have made the transition froma primitive, barbaric people to a highly sophisticated and well armed military society. Only faith and propoganda keeps these tribes under Blin's control.

The priests of these tribes are not trained by other troglodytes. Instead they live away from the tribe for six to eight years adn are trained alongside human acolytes of the Dark Force. Upon their return, these priests preach a very simple message: the purpose troglodytes are born for is to fight the enemies of the Dark Force, under the leadership of the Shadow Lords of Blin.

No troglodyte tribes farm their own food. Wild tribes hunt for anything with meat while civilized tribes exchange the services of their warriors for food farmed by nearby human settlements. Civilized tribes, however, will take blood tribute from the settlements they dwell near if the humans fail to feed them. Indeed, parts of Blin are thrown into anarchic civil war in times of famine, as troglodyte tribes, both wild and civilized, go hunting for the flesh of man.

[Nephallim]

Creation Myth

In the beginning there was nothing but the darkness and the Wyrm, a great serpent with scales that drank in light. Then the Potter came and banished the blessed darkness, filling the holy emptiness with light and matter. The Wyrm, roused by the defilement of his home, attacked the Potter and battled him for nine days and nine nights. At the end of the ninth night, the Wills of Worlds bound the Potter and the Wyrm in prisons of ivory and obsidian. The Potter's creation eventually gave birth to life: dragons, gods, and mortals. Some of these blasphemous creatures felt the Wyrm's will and became the first Shadow Lords. To aid these followers of the true path, the Wyrm cracked a hole in his prison and spat forth the People of Numberless Scales, the troglodytes.