Tzetzal
The Tzetzal are the Calmaxtec people native to the southeastern regions of Kalmasa. Before colonization and subjugation by the Eshtem rajans, their kingdoms ranged from the plains west of the Yaax'ke River and everything to the north and west between the Rirha Mountains and the coast, up through the entirety the Veshkalni Peninsula.
Currently, most Tzetzal still live within this region, most of which lies within the province of Donava. The Tzetzal and those Tlanelolli of Eshtem and Tzetzal descent make up the majority of the citizens in the coastal cities of Donava. The populations of most villages and towns in the interior consist almost entirely of Tzetzal.
The Tzetzal ethnicity can be broken into two major groups, that of the the Chim Tzetzal of the lowlands and those of the highland regions, the Kaax Tzetzal. The two languages, Chimak and Kaaxak and their dialects are closely related to the Chol'ak languages. Tzetzal means "the handsome people" and it is widely agreed upon by all Calmaxtec that they are on the whole the most attractive people in Kalmasa, with much agreement from the other human ethnicities.
They are often stereotyped as a easygoing, gentle people, but like all such stereotypes it breaks down quickly under examination. This is most evident from the most famous of Tzetzal folk heroes, Huemac Chichilcuautli, who managed to take back and hold most of the former Tzetzal lands from Rajan Mahar and nearly succeeded in expanding his rebellion southwards into Chol’um before being defeated and forced to flee to parts unknown through betrayal. To this day, the Tzetzal, traditionally neteotiloani, also make offerings at shrines devoted to Huemac.
In recent years, many Tzetzal have risen to prominence through the merchant trade and others have begun to take leadership roles in the trade guilds. Though Huemac is gone, his name is invoked any time opression is felt by the Tzetzal. This sentiment has been utilized by Chicahuacohtli to recruit Tzetzal to their cause of resurrecting a vision of Calmaxtlan remade through the power of Ucuriaztl.
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