Chultan

The humans of Chult live in small tribal villages of ten to fifteen family units, moving yearly when the poor soil becomes depleted. They use weapons that don’t require much metal, such as handaxes, bows, clubs, halfspears, bolas, knives, and shortspears. Iron and steel are too rare for the Chultans to produce metal armor in any quantity, so their warriors wear hide breastplates and carry large, ovalshaped hide shields.
Tribal custom restricts the practice of sorcery and wizardry among the rural clans, although people with an aptitude for magic are as common in Chult as they are anywhere else. Only one wielder of arcane magic is permitted to practice his or her craft in any given clan or village. These sorcerers and wizards participate in hunting ceremonies and brew potions to aid the warriors. Renegade mages hide in the jungle and study magic in secret, or abandon their home villages to travel to the college in Mezro.
The Chultans distrust power and wealth, preferring to live simply and trading excess valuables for useful goods. Other than the humans, intelligent creatures living in large numbers in Chult include the Batiri (tribes of green-skinned goblins skilled at tracking), wild dwarves, lizardfolk, pterafolk, and yuan-ti. Less common are aarakocras, chuuls, hydras, nagas, troglodytes, trolls, and wyverns. The natives greatly respect the dinosaurs, which have a special place in local mythologies and are sometimes worshiped as aspects of Ubtao.
The lines of kings and queens that once held political sway throughout Chult have been mostly wiped out by time, war, calamity, and misfortune. They’ve been replaced by Chultan merchant princes who learned the art and craft of trading from Amnian and Tethyrian profiteers, and who now use their wealth to forge profitable alliances and to steer the fate of their frontier realm.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Azuil, Bati, Chuil, Déla, Eki, Fipya, Isi, Joli, Katéla, Lorit, Mainu, Naboli, Nyali, Omoyala, Razira, Sana, Tefnek, U’lolo, Wadizi, Yuta, Zaidi, Zamisi

Masculine names

Atuar, Atumwa, Chiwa, Dengo, Emporo, Juma, Kundé, Kwalu, Losi, Mezoar, Mzolu, Olu, Osaw, Rindawan, Selu, Teron, Ugor, Vazul, Weshtek, Yapa

Family names

Agolo, Atazi, Balaka, Bolélé, Dawa, Ekulu, Hakal, Imbogoro, Jaharwon, M’wenye, Natombe, Ngore, Oboko, O’tamu, Sahandi, Talro’a, Utugelu, Yudan, Zuberi

Culture

Average technological level

They trade in gold, gemstones, jewelry, textiles, spices, rare herbs, ivory, wood, unrefined metal ore, and other commodities plucked and plundered from the jungles, valleys, and mountains of Chult. Among themselves, all Chultans still speak their own tribal languages (a mix of exhaled and inhaled vowels, consonants, and tongue clicks), but any who deal regularly with foreigners also speak Common fluently, often with a heavy, characteristic accent.

Common Dress code

Chultans dress in light, colorful clothing appropriate for the tropical climate.