Ur-Kesh

Considered to be the ancestral progenitors of the Arkoshians, the Tu-Kesh are small lizard looking creatures, colloquially known as kobolds. The Tu-Kesh reside in southern Esor, and inhabit many of the hills, valleys, desert badlands south of the caliphate. The Tu-Kesh are superstitious at best, and considerably adversarial to aggressive expansion. During the Turathi rule, several attempts were made to subjugate them in an attempt to utilize them against the Arkoshians, but no attempt was truly successful. In the centuries since, the Tu-Kesh have remained stubbornly resistant to other outside attempts at conquest or trade, with only a select few clans willing to deal with outsiders, and even then, do so reluctantly.
Summary Region Size: medium Major Cities: 8 Density: very high Infrastructure: average
Population Urban: 80% Rural: 20% Literacy Rate: 5% Immigrant Population: >1%
Gender Ratio: 3.2 male(s)/female Fertility Rate: 8.3 children/family Life Expectancy: 45.3 years
Culture Highly Values: magical aptitude Known For: exotic wildlife Popular Entertainment: none Respected Profession: hunter
Discrimination: race-based Major Taboo: money Major Social Ill: bribery
Ecology Main Climate: hills/desert Ocean: one side Mountains: many Frequent Trouble: cave-ins, sandstorms, heatwaves
Wilderness: 85% Wild Animals: common Natural Resources: abundant
Economy Main Export: cash crops Main Import: tools Main Resource: trained animals Trade: a slight deficit
Strength: weak, and declining Wealth: concentrated in a small upper class
Magic Occurrence: uncommon Primary Source: inherited Major Use: law enforcement
Viewed: with respect Enchanted Items: rare
Military Strength: average Focus: land Main Unit: infantry
Soldiers: volunteer/draftees Main Use: border security Rank: promoted by subordinates
Politics Political Structure: tribal – warring Strong Influence: clans Popular Issue: foreign relations Stability: somewhat stable
Personal Freedoms: very few Scandals: some Foreign Relations: poor
Religion Type: polytheism Focus: sin Worship: joyous organized prayer in public temples
Associated Art form: tile murals Prevalence: believed by most Holidays: very few
Culture The Keshen Kobolds are ancestral cousins to the Arkoshian Dragonborn. Like the Arkoshians, the Keshans grew a society out of the teachings of the Dragon prohets. As some point early on in the Printing the Keshans and Arkoshians came into conflict, and debates about the intents of the Prophets wisdom caused a major skism. This skism would ultimately cause the Arkoshians to bind themselves together into a great society, whist the Keshans would in turn began to fragmant into smaller tribes.
Each tribe broke off from the whole, convinced that the other had a flawed view of the wisdom, and that they couldn't be trusted. Some Arkoshians speculate that the Keshans were poisoned against each other early on in an attempt to keep them from growing in strength, while others think that Keshans were simply not destined to carry on the tenants of the prophets.
In either case, the Keshan's behaviors and beliefs are tied very much to their individual tribe, and the local domain they inhabit. Keshan kobolds make their homes in isolated subterranian colonies. The colonies are tightly knit and each have their own traditions and values, and each work independent of each other to survive and grow.
Only a couple of tribes have expanded beyond a singular colony, and are careful in attempting more in order to prevent other minor tribes from binding together to threaten them.

Type

Geopolitical, Clan

Demonym

Kesh