Hylek
The hylek are a Tyrian frogman species. They have lately spread in increasing numbers along coasts surrounding the Sea of Sorrows, such as the Tarnished Coast, the Krytan coasts, and the coasts to the west of the Shiverpeak Mountains. Although once reclusive and xenophobic, some of the hylek tribes now welcome trade with outsiders. Other tribes, especially those that produce the deadliest toxins, are still very hostile.
Physiology
The hylek are wide-mouthed frogmen with lashing tongues. Hylek thrive in all types of water, but prefer to live in swampy areas. Despite this preference they can be found far away from their spawning grounds. All hylek have a set of poison glands filled with deadly toxins, each being immune to their own toxins and a variety of other poisons. Hylek are renowned alchemists for their mastery of poisons and antidotes.
Hylek come in wide variety of colors with each tribe having a unique color. The color hints at their aggressiveness which correlates to the deadliness of the toxin they produce. Blue hylek are always friendly, green are mostly friendly, orange/yellow are mostly hostile, and red are almost always hostile.
Culture
The hylek divide themselves into different tribes which can be differentiated by their color. Each tribe has a different toxin strength, those with the strongest toxins are the most aggressive. Tribe size can vary from dozens of members to hundreds. Due to their territorial nature, it is nearly impossible to get two tribes to cooperate. When two tribes claim the same land they often wage war until one or both tribes are destroyed. "Hylek" was once the name of a single tribe among the race, but in the past 250 years, it has expanded to refer to the race as a whole.
The tribe oversees care of a new brood of youngsters with minimal effort, leaving individuals to fend for themselves. When a brood of young hylek matures, a coming-of-age festival is held where they have competitions to show off the young hylek's strength and value to the whole tribe.
How the hylek perform during the festival determines their role in the tribe for life, such as whether they become warriors or merchants.
Due to their high resistance to toxins, hylek often experiment with poisons, their antidotes, and other compounds, which in turn makes them highly valued alchemists. This has allowed hylek to form an economy with other races and groups. Other races sometimes accept hylek as apprentice alchemists, allowing both races to gain new knowledge. Even the asura value the hylek for their alchemy.In most other areas, however, they fall short when compared to other races in terms of advancement, but they have made, and are still making, significant progress in social development over the last 250 years.
The hylek do not have a faith in gods but rather revere the sun as a nameless divine entity, believing it to represent both good and evil. To hylek, the sun is the bringer of life-sustaining heat and bounty, as well as the harbinger of drought and famine. They often hold festivals on the solstices to celebrate the waning and waxing of the days' lengths.
Hylek priests and shamans are masters of reading the sun and the sky and each tribe has at least one priest, if not more. These priests interpret the sun and the sky for weather patterns that could tell when it will rain and how long dry seasons would last. Among the hylek, it is often considered that an accurate priest is one of the most important factors for the prosperity of the tribe.
Names
Hylek seem to have very aztec inspired names but the names patterns vary from tribe to tribe.
Traits and Talents:
+2 Any
Poison Resistance: Hyleks do not get poisoned and take half damage from acid attacks.
Wild Society: Most of hyleks live in the wilderness. They start with 1 graduation on survival.
