Runebearer Cobrat Racebook, Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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Cobrat Racebook
Authors
Chris Magoun and Thomas Pope
Artwork
John Lerchey
Contributors
Scott Beaudway, Jason Brown, John Lerchey, Duncan McNulty
Revision Date: 11/13/2003
© 2001-2003 by Chris Magoun and Thomas Pope. All Rights Reserved
www.runebearer.com
1
Overview
Description
Traditionally, succession to the throne is through the eldest
son. However, most states have convoluted bloodlines and
dozens of royal pairings and alliances with their neighbors.
For this reason, the lines of succession can blur and the death
of a shalla often brings some kind of controversy or power
struggle within the city. Most cobrat look upon the death or
overthrow of a shalla with dread and uncertainty. This
instability means that the citizenry often supports unpopular
rulers – better serve a tyrant than face a civil war and the
prospect that the next ruler will be even worse.
The cobrat are reptilian creatures divided into three
subspecies: high cobrat, low cobrat and troglodytes.
High cobrat have snakelike bodies between 9-12 foot long
and about 18 inches in diameter. They stand between 6 and 7
feet tall, with the rest of their body trailing behind them as
they walk. They have thin, but powerful legs and spindly
arms that end in four long digits. High cobrat are covered in
scales ranging in color from dark green (almost black) to a
light tan.
Other government types are seen in cobrat states. Priests rule
one city, a council of mages another. A couple cities that had
traditional monarchies have since been taken over by the
nobility. Now the various factions battle to control the city
without the influence of a powerful king. There is even one
representative democracy among the cobrat states. Citizens
of each district elect a representative to the Senate. The
Senate then sets policy through a majority vote.
Low cobrat are hulking humanoids that stand 5 feet tall.
Their bodies are heavily muscled and powerful. They have
scales and their coloration is similar to that of the high cobrat.
They look like “lizard men” from other fantasy games.
Troglodytes look very similar to low cobrat. However, they
are closer to 8 feet tall and even more powerful. Their scales
grow quickly and they are continuously shedding old scales.
Often the scales grow too fast and individual scales crowd
one another causing them to be crooked.
Internal Relations
The cobrat city-states form an ever-shifting tapestry of
alliances, royal pairings, treachery and conquest. The
political landscape of the cobrat lands changes continuously.
New states are formed; existing ones are conquered; alliances
are made and broken. The cobrat believe in the philosophy of
“Ekhat”, which states that there exists only predator and
prey. This applies to cities as well as individuals. Thus,
strong nations see it as their destiny to defeat the weaker
nations and to rule their cities. Weaker nations use any
methods at their disposal to protect themselves and disrupt
their neighbors.
Cold-Blooded or Warm-Blooded
While descended from a cold-blooded species, cobrat have
developed an organ called the thothe (THO – thay) that
allows them to function in cold environments. Each cobrat
has a number of thothe spaced throughout his circulatory
system. Thothe act to help the heart pump blood through the
veins and arteries. In addition, they produce a substantial
amount of heat and heat the blood as it passes through. The
result is that a cobrat is a warm-blooded (though inefficiently
so) creature.
This continuous tension actually prevents all-out war among
the cobrat nations. If one nation becomes too powerful, the
others will feel threatened and most certainly form an
alliance to destroy the aggressor. If two nations fight
excessively and weaken themselves, their neighbors will
likely use the opportunity against them.
Lands
The cobrat occupy the lush forests, jungles and volcanic
islands to the south of Bostonia. The northernmost of their
lands are temperate forests and rolling hills. Further south,
the climate becomes warmer and wetter and forest gives way
to jungle.
Since total war is dangerous, the cobrat city-states usually
use other methods to further their ends. Diplomacy,
espionage, sedition and assassination are common. Each
state maintains a complex web of alliances and contracts with
its neighbors. Enemies will be hesitant to attack a state with
numerous strong allies. To insure that allies will not abandon
the alliance at the first sign of trouble, most contracts include
provisions to reward the ally. An appropriate award might
be some amount of gold or resources, a tract of land, a mine
or the cession of an entire city to the ally, payable after the
death of the current shalla.
Government
The cobrat lands are divided into numerous city-states. There
are no less than 23 cobrat nations. The smallest of these is a
remote kingdom with only 3500 citizens. The largest is an
empire spanning dozens of towns and hamlets and having
over 100000 inhabitants. Overall, the cobrat number about
450000 individuals.
16 of these kingdoms are monarchies with a king sharing
power with a small group of nobles (Seks). In the traditional
cobrat monarchy, the king, called a Shalla (SHA – leh), has
the power to make and enforce the laws. However, the
nobles wield a great deal of money and influence and they
act to balance the Shalla’s power. Kings consult their nobles
or face resistance and rebellion.
External Relations
The philosophy of Ekhat guides the cobrat in their relations
with other species. Cobrat scholars and astronomers believe
that their culture is the oldest and most developed in the
world. Because of this, cobrat feel that all other species
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should serve the cobrat, or be exploited by them. Polite
relations are possible, but the cobrat will take a position of
superiority and seek every possible advantage. Cobrat often
come across as haughty, aloof, manipulative and arrogant.
successful Thenn might find themselves ruling a city and
thus a Shahs. Ekhatal finding gainful employment become
Salash, or possibly Ushe.
Cobrat society is sharply divided between the sub-species.
High cobrat, low cobrat, and trogs all come from the same
eggs. Over 1000 years ago, high cobrat pairings started to
produce low cobrat and trog eggs. As the generations pass,
less high cobrat and more lows and trogs are being born.
Relations with Bostonia vary among the city-states. Various
cobrat city-states have gone to war with Bostonia over the
past 200 years. Most recently (y799), a dozen cobrat cities,
calling themselves the Teeta Alliance, united to invade a
number of Bostonian colonies and holdings along the border.
Bostonia later allied with the two northern states of Sissli and
Tatokh and recaptured some of the lost land. Much of it
remains under cobrat control to this day.
Currently, low cobrat make up about sixty percent of the
cobrat population. Because of their decreased intelligence,
they are considered inferior and are subject to a great deal of
discrimination. Lows are generally relegated to roles as
laborers and soldiers. However, a few of the most intelligent
and fortunate lows have worked their way to become
craftsmen or shop owners. Regardless of the wealth or power
a low cobrat might accumulate, the highest caste to which a
low can aspire is Ushe.
In addition to the Teeta Alliance, many other southern cobrat
states have poor relations with Bostonia. Several of these
states practice slavery of low cobrat and humans, and even
go as far as raiding Bostonian ships and taking their crew as
slaves. Other southern states support the Pirate Lords in their
campaigns against Bostonia. All of these factors mean that
war with humanity looms near.
Originally, the cobrat tried to integrate trogs into their
society. However, the trogs proved to powerful and bestial to
manage. They could not live in a civilized society, and were
too dangerous to enslave. Many small settlements were
terrorized or wiped out by their troglodyte slaves. Now,
trogs are killed as new hatchlings. However, the troglodytes
that escaped into the swamps in the early years have mated
and multiplied and now, groups of hulking lizard men roam
the cobrat jungles and swamps.
On the other hand, northern states such as Sissli and Tatokh
trade freely with Bostonia. This trade has fostered
cooperation and cultural exchange between the two species.
Both cobrat cities buy Bostonian goods and resources and
both make heavy use of human mercenaries in their conflicts
with other states.
The cobrat are steadily migrating into goblin territory. The
cobrat see the goblins as savages in the way of their
expansion. Many states have sent their young generals into
goblin territory to wage campaigns against the tribes. The
goblins retaliate by raiding and looting cobrat settlements.
Occasionally, a city-state will trade or deal with one of the
goblin tribes, but the usual state is one of tension and battle.
Family
A cobrat’s attachment to his family depends on his
subspecies and caste. High cobrat of the upper castes are
born into the same caste as their father. They are expected to
learn their father’s profession and seek a similar position
when they are the proper age. High cobrat born to low
pairings, or to highs that are Salash or Ekhatal are taken from
their parents and given to proper high families to be raised.
During the War of Bostonian Unification, the cobrat made
contact with the Keevel tribe as the Bost drove them from
their island home (y6). At first, the Keevel, weakened by their
recent war, were defeated and enslaved by cobrat. However,
in y24, the Keevel revolted and won their freedom. Now they
worship the Great Turtle and sail the seas, raiding Bostonia
whenever possible. Among the cobrat, they are known as
Shahs Feffsil, the Pirate Lords.
In the majority of cases, low cobrat are generally taken from
their families and put into communal schools where they are
taught to work hard and obey their high masters. After six
years, the lows are categorized based on their intelligence,
savagery, and strength and found a job that suits their
temperament. The least intelligent of the lows become
laborers and bearers. Those that are most savage and
powerful are trained as shock troops in the military. Low
cobrat that show higher intelligence are permitted to become
sergeants in the military, or craftsmen.
Because of their history, the Pirate Lords have won the
respect of many of the cobrat states. The cobrat trade with the
Pirate Lords and accompany their ships on raids into
Bostonian waters. In many ways, the Pirate Lords are treated
like another city-state.
Though most low cobrat go through life without knowing
their mother or father, there exist a few city-states that permit
low cobrat of Ushe caste to keep and raise their own
hatchlings. In these cases, the expectations are similar to that
of a high cobrat hatchling – that the child will be trained in
their father’s vocation and inherit his position when they
come of age.
Society
Cobrat society is ruled by a caste system. The castes in order
of power are the Shahs (nobility), the Thenn (priesthood and
generals), the Aher (wealthy merchants and scholars), the
Khell (mid-level military officers), the Ushe (craftsmen), the
Salash (soldiers and laborers), and the Ekhatal (thieves,
beggars and the unemployed). The caste of a newly adult
high cobrat is determined by his father’s caste. Low cobrat of
the Salash and Ekhatal castes are generally not raised by their
families. When they come of age, young low cobrat become
Salash. Mobility between castes is possible. For example,
Trog hatchlings are destroyed.
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Food and Drink
Cobrat in the south enjoy warm weather throughout the year.
Southern highs generally wear loose-fitting light wrap
garments or a garment called a sileal, made from hanging,
crisscrossing straps. Pouches and tools can be hung from the
straps. A shirt called a leeth looks like a small human shirt. It
buttons or buckles in the front and has a long back that
drapes down over the tail of the high. In warmer months,
many highs go without clothing, but wear belts or harnesses
with which to carry goods and equipment.
Cobrat eat a variety of foods. The main livestock consists of a
hearty breed of cattle, called Stub Cattle or Shu. In addition,
great lizards called Felsen provide labor and food (though
some highly orthodox churches forbid eating reptiles). Small
mammals are considered a delicacy. Rabbits, squirrels, mice,
and others are cultivated and purchased from Bostonia.
These are often eaten raw, or Fa-Deh meaning, “lightly
killed.”
Cobrat in the north suffer through a more temperate climate
and thus comfort is more at issue. In the north, a tighter
version of the sileal is worn and in winter, several sileals are
layered on top of each other to provide warmth and
protection from the wind and snow. In addition, heavier
version of the leeth made from animal skins and furs is
common, as a form-fitting garment that covers the entire
body – the cobrat version of long johns.
Poor cobrat often gather vegetables. Commonly consumed
plants include shahpheres (SHAW – feerz), graylinks, blood
vine, and various roots and nuts. Cobrat enjoy sweet fruits
and farmers produce many species including mangos,
bananas, and papayas. A fern-like plant called a Chel has
leaves that can be fermented and made into a variety of sweet
wines.
Low cobrat have a body shape much closer to that of
humans. In addition, they are considered ugly by highs. For
that reason, southern lows are required to cover themselves
and wear loincloths, or wrap garments that cover them from
waist to knee. Lows in the north wear clothing similar to
humans – just much bigger.
Economy
Northern Cobrat lands sport huge, thriving hardwood
forests. Northern cities use this hardwood for buildings,
fortifications, shipbuilding, and furniture. Extra supply is
exported to the south where the swamp and climate do not
support hardwood trees.
Priests and nobles often wear a robe called a faya (FI – ya).
This is a robe that fits over the cobrat’s back and covers him
from shoulder to tail. The front of the robe is not fitted to the
body and so hangs straight down to the ground. The entire
garment forms a triangular shape between the shoulders, the
floor directly under the shoulders and the tip of the cobrat’s
tail.
Industrial metal is a resource lacking in Cobrat territory. The
cobrat were using bronze weapons and armor long after the
Bostonians had iron and steel. Gold, silver, gems, and crystal
are fairly common, but iron, tin, zinc, and lead are not. The
cobrat have perfected the art of carving and shaping crystal
and many of their tools are crystalline, including weapons.
More recently, the cobrat have also learned how to mine and
extract iron from ancient ruins. Anything they cannot make
out of crystal, or mine from ancient sites, or extract from their
own poor mines, they have to trade for.
Languages
The cobrat have two languages. The first is Chudaal (shoo –
DUL), the Low Tongue. It is the language spoken in everyday
situations. Both high and low cobrat speak Chudaal, and it is
the language taught to outsiders. The second language is
Feratshahsdaal (fee – ROT – shaz – dul), the Exalted Tongue –
sometimes called the Bubbling Tongue because of the odd
sounds it uses. This is the language spoken by the
underwater ancestors of the cobrat. Only highs are taught to
speak Feratshahsdaal and it is used to communicate securely
when lows or foreigners are around.
Because of their experience with gems and crystals, the
cobrat have an advanced optical science. They have devised
ways to grind and polish lenses and have studied how these
lenses bend light. Spectacles are a commonplace treatment
for visual defects among the cobrat. Magnifying glasses, and
simple telescopes are also available here. Cobrat lens makers
have even devised a powerful weapon that uses focused
beams of light to set distant ships on fire. Optical devices are
a popular export.
Religion
In general, cobrat are excellent craftsmen and excel at
producing finished goods. In addition, due to their lack of
resources, they have mastered the skills of reducing waste
and reusing materials when possible. Cobrat export crystal
and wood furnishings, pottery, stained glass, and tools in
spite of their lack of iron and hard wood.
Cobrat religion is highly structured and controlled. The
Church of Heshahsthalan exists in every city and town and
over 95% of all cobrat belong to it. Cobrat attend formal
ceremonies three times each week. At these ceremonies,
prayers are offered to Heshahsthalan and each cobrat is then
invited to swim across a sacred pool filled with salt water
and various species of sea life. Both low and high cobrat
attend the same ceremonies; they are one of the few
integrated functions in Cobrat society.
Clothing
Clothing styles among cobrat differ depending on location.
Because cobrat do not have the same standards of modesty as
humans, clothing is not worn to cover the body. Clothing is
worn either to protect from the elements, to show rank, or to
be fashionable. Heavy or confining clothing is generally
avoided.
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The Church of Heshahsthalan does not permit statues or
representations of The Great Turtle outside of its temples. In
addition, the name of The Turtle is not to be spoken outside
of the formal prayer services. Religious displays not
sanctioned by the organized church are frowned upon.
Priests are a powerful force in Cobrat society. The priests are
the spiritual leaders of society and hold sway over the hearts
of the people. In addition, they command powerful elemental
magic. So even though priests are rarely part of the power
structure of the Cobrat city-states, shahs and shallas before
almost always consult them before making important
decisions.
Gods of the Cobrat
Cobrat believe that the entire cosmos is supported on the
back of a huge turtle called Heshahsthalan (heh – SHAZ –
thal – en, meaning “The Great Turtle”). The shell of the turtle
is the land, and the ocean and the sky are balanced on top. As
worshippers of The Great Turtle, they ruled a massive
undersea kingdom spanning much of the ocean.
They were forced from this kingdom by the Velesfai, a race of
telekinetic squid that worshipped He Who Stirs the Oceans,
Heshahsveles (heh – SHAZ – velz, meaning “The Great
Squid”). As their kingdom crumbled and they were driven
from their cities, Heshahsthalan saved them from destruction
by granting them the ability to walk and breathe on land. The
cobrat rebuilt their civilization on land, but still long to defeat
their hated enemies and return to the sea.
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Runebearer Cobrat Racebook, Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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