T'Skrang

Description

T’skrang are reptilian beings with a flair for the dramatic. They average 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and their tails add another 6 feet of length. T’skrang weigh an average of 200 pounds, of which nearly 40 is the tail. T’skrang skin color ranges from verdant green to green-yellow or green-blue, with aqua-blue and even sunset-red variants. T’skrang have cauliflower-shaped ears set into the sides of their heads. The t’skrang mature physically by the age of 10, and often live 80 or more years. The t’skrang talent for tale-telling casts doubt on their claims of a 181-year-old t’skrang, particularly because careful dwarf observations place the oldest known t’skrang at a mere 115. T’skrang scholars blame this variance on faulty dwarf calculations, which of course the dwarfs vigorously deny.

Society

T’skrang give primary loyalty to their families, though like humans, they can transfer this loyalty to tribes and nations. Some individuals pledge their loyalty to other races’ societies, but pirate federations are the closest thing to a nation the t’skrang have built for themselves. Females lead t’skrang society, which is matriarchal in most aspects. T’skrang prefer to live in roofed dwellings along bodies of water, and submerge portions of their homes. T’skrang love to swim and immerse themselves in water, becoming sulky and irritable if unable to do so at least once a week.
Each t’skrang takes pride in the heritage and bloodline of his or her niall, or foundation. The foundation is a large communal family consisting of thirty to sixty kin, from infants to ancients, all living under a single roof. Lineage is traced through the maternal line. When a woman takes a husband, the male leaves his foundation to join the niall of his mate. Sometimes, allied nialls will band together in what is known as a “crew covenant,” combining their numbers to operate a riverboat or fleet of riverboats.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Humanoid

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

The largest political units among the t’skrang are the aropagoi, or Great Houses. Just as a crew covenant consist of several cooperating foundations, so each aropagoi consist of numerous villages and crew covenants. Each Great House coordinates trade operations to the benefit of the crews and villages that compose it. The main purpose of the aropagoi are profit and trade advantage.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

T’skrang consider members of the other Name-giver races rather dull and boring. In turn, most other Name-giver races consider t’skrang overly flamboyant and somewhat frivolous. All races agree that each holds a unique and necessary place in the society of Barsaive, and so agree to disagree.

Lifespan

80 years

Average Height

5-6 feet