Maxcaltec
The Maxcaltec are the Calmaxtec people native to most of northern of Kalmasa, in the large, heavily forested region known as Maxcal. The Maxcaltec are regarded as sturdy, hard working people of a stoic and reserved nature, the 'most Calmaxtec of the Calmaxtec'. Physically, they tend to be short statured, but strong.
Like the Tzetzal to the south before the arrival of the Eshtem, their civilization consisted of largely independent city-states and clan territories. Though not the most populous ethnicity in Kalmasa, they collectively controlled the second largest territory on the continent, despite not being organized into a militarized empire like the Apoxtec to the east.
Their success in controlling territory is believed to be due largely to the easily defended mountainous regions dominating much of the territory, particularly that in the east where the greatest threat, from the Apoxtec Empire, threatened. In addition, the Maxcaltec were and still are the people most devoted to Ehuatlaltipac, the great telluric spirit of Kalmasa, and those known as the Xoxicohtli, who commune with the spirit, were a very strong presence in Maxcal and used their power to help protect the region and its people from incursions.
Currently, ethnic Maxcaltec make up most of the population of the newest and least populated province of Neraj as well as the chartered coastal city-state of Jhargra. They also make up nearly half of the citizens of the Neztlalpan Confederation of northern Kalmasa. Their tlatoani control the northwestern kingdoms of the confederacy as the Apoxtec rulers control those of the east.
The Maxcaltec population in Neraj are mostly serfs, little better than slaves, working on the vast Neraj plantations carved out of the forests of that province. This fact continues to outrage the Maxcaltec of Neztlalpan and their rulers continue to push strongly for the invasion of Neraj, a stance resisted by both the Apoxtec as well as the Xoxicohtli.
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