[Location] Knyvz Zith Colony

[Creeper]

In the depths of Taldera, near The Spires, there exists a small Zith colony called Knyvz. The Zith make their home in a series of caverns, with entrances hidden in cliff-faces or covered by trees. While some creatures may stumble upon an entrance, they would not make it very far. There are high cliffs and steep drop offs all throughout the caves, such that anyone without wings would be hard-pressed to find their way in. In the deepest parts of the caves, there are large caverns that the Zith have made into comfortable living spaces. The Zith of this colony are all supporters or followers of Caiyha, and they exist in an uneasy alliance of mutual respect with the Jamoura of The Spires. As such, they will tend to restrict their hunting to the animals of Taldera (who provide more than enough sustenance for a Zith family). They are not above taking the occasional foolish person who wanders too close to their lair, though if such a person is known to be from the Spires, the Zith may restrain themselves. The Zith of Knyvz are made up of several fragmented families who have joined together for security. The overall population rarely rises above fifty, as there are always some Zith who are unruly enough to pose a threat to the safety of Knyvz. They also take in stray Zith who have lost their clans, but only if they are willing to follow the principles of Knyvz, such as respecting Caiyha and not making enemies of The Spires residents. The elders recognize the benefits of maintaining a truce with The Spires, and they do what is necessary to make sure this truce is not threatened. History Not too long ago, there was a colony of Zith in Taldera much like any other. One day, one of the Zith found an entrance to The Spires. He told his clan, and they mounted an attack on the city, thinking that the peaceful Jamoura would be easy targets. In defense of their city, the Jamoura killed them to the last Zith, but being peaceful and compassionate creatures, the Jamoura knew there would be children left somewhere. The Jamoura and followers of Caiyha found the orphaned Zith children, and brought them back to The Spires. The children were raised to respect Caiyha. Some, especially the older ones, rejected the teaching and either left or were banished. A few accepted the teachings, but still could not control their nature well enough to live peacefully in The Spires. Those willing to maintain peace formed a truce with the Jamoura, then gathered their remaining brethren and took up residence in the caves once use by their colony, continuing to respect Caiyha and keeping relatively tolerable relations with The Spires.   Lynx Name: Lynx Race: Zith DoB: 472 AV, 35 PoB: Taldera, near the Spires Title: Elder Skills: Leadership 67, Hunting 53, Wilderness Survival 49, Intimidation 45, Unarmed Combat 41 Lynx is one of the leaders of the colony. As newborns, he and his twin sister Esmeralda were the youngest of the children raised by the Jamoura after their colony's botched attack on the Spires left them all orphans, but they are the oldest who remain alive. Lynx is a strong believer in discipline, and he rules the colony through brute force if necessary, but usually his reputation is enough to keep the younger Zith in line. While harsh, he is respected as leader, because those under his charge never go hungry, and only the truly reckless get seriously hurt. He cares deeply for his colony, and will brook no threat to its safety.   Esmeralda Name: Esmeralda Race: Zith DoB: 472 AV, 35 PoB: Taldera, near the Spires Title: Elder Skills: Observation 62, Wilderness Survival 60, Stealth 56, Leadership 53, Hunting 23 Esmeralda is less strong but more clever than Lynx. On the surface, she seems to be the kinder of the two, but when she does not get her way, she can be effortlessly merciless and brutal. She takes care of such grievances in private, but most of the Zith still know to stay on her good side. She spends much of her time watching others from the shadows, and there is very little going on in the colony that she does not know about. In this way she helps her brother stop trouble almost before it begins. She is also quite promiscuous, and will sleep with just about anyone who's interested. Many Zith vie for the position of her mate, but she refuses to choose just one.   Max Ilwell Name: Max Ilwell Race: Human DoB: Spring 489, 23 PoB: Zeltiva Title: Esmeralda's Slave Skills: Spelunking 62, Climbing 51, Gadgeteering 23, Herbalism 26, Gardening 19 Amateur cave-diver Max Ilwell started his life in Zeltiva, but left at an early age to pursue his love of exploring. His journey took him all over Kalea, where he honed his skills and used clever tricks to get into places previously untouched (as far as he knew). This was, of course, very dangerous, and he has plenty of scars from the various mishaps and hostile creatures he has encountered. Still, he was always more curious than cautious, and caves were his life. After some time, he wandered into Taldera and found The Spires where he gained an interest in plants, but ultimately the caves called to him. One day, he was exploring the Talderan wilderness, when he found a certain cave entrance. The sheer drop a few steps in presented a challenge, but it was nothing the spelunker couldn't handle. They were the most amazing caves he'd ever seen (not that he doesn't say that about all the caves), but he did not realize until nightfall that they were occupied. When the Zith woke up and found a strange human wandering around their home, they were both panicked and intrigued. How could a silly human get so far in? Esmeralda, one of the elders of the Zith, was intrigued and impressed by his ability, so she claimed him as a slave, forbidding harm to come to him. With his recent experience with plants, she put him to work tending the Salialana, at least until they found a more permanent slave for the position, but he still explored the caves as much as the Zith would allow. Max's personality is amiable, but a bit absent-minded. His only true love is caves, and living in one is a dream he could never have imagined. He is well cared for by his Zith master, and wants for pretty much nothing. He greets everyone he meets cheerfully, and his enthusiasms keeps the spirits of the other slaves high. Entrance Sleeping Caverns Slave Caves Fungus Farm Moderator's Note: This is a Meta-Location and requires no Moderation. *Full Credit goes to Alea Davenport.