Tlakah

The High Priestess looked down at me from atop the altar. Arcane energy glowed from her eyes as she raised the knife above her head. The crowd around us chanted in unison as the individual chosen for sacrifice laid down on the stone table. Beneath us, the mountain began to rumble...

-Fenrick Willowmonte,

Races of the Jungle.

Tlakah are a secretive race, insular, and self-sufficient. Should one survive their initial encounter with them, there is much that can be learned from these unique beings. The trouble, however, is managing to leave with this new found knowledge.

Spectrum of Appearance

To those unfamiliar with the tlakah, it is often assumed that they are a variety of lizardfolk or some variety of dragonborn. This is a natural assumption due to the similarities with these races. However, the tlakah are something entirely separate. They range in height from 4 feet to nearly 6 feet, and are much more slender than either lizardfolk or dragonborn typically.
Overall, they are a scaled race with feathers that grow from the crown of their head and down to their neck. Similar feathers are found near the tip of their slender tails. As well, tlakah have a set of horns that slope backwards from their brows. These horns can range from dragon-like in appearance to more like antlers. Their coloration also varies dramatically including some born with bright, multi-colored displays and others with more muted, natural colors.

Unified

The tlakah live within a singular empire contained inside of a single, sprawling city. The word tlakah literally means "the people" in their language, their sense of unity within the community is a key aspect of their racial identity. Their society is ruled by a council of religious leaders with a high priestess at their head.
The tlakah worship couatl as manifestations of their creator. The ways in which they practice their worship change with each high priestess. What does not change, however, is the zeal in which most tlakah practice their beliefs. Any outsiders they encounter are often treated harshly if they do not conform to the faith of the tlakah.

Three Families

Tlakah culture operates within a caste sustem. Individuals are born into one of three different "families", or Sanye, depending on their coloration and abilities. The sanye a person is born into determines their social rank, what careers they pursue, with who they can socialize, and many other aspects of their lives.
While uncommon, it is possible for two members of one sanye to give birth to a tlakah of a different sanye. When the tlakah born is a higher sanye, the parents are temporarily elevated in status while they raise the child. If the child is of a lower sanye, the parents temporarily fall in ranking.

Names

Tlakah each possess two names. In their language, tlakah'n, the first name describes which sanye they belong and the second is given to them by their parents at birth. Individuals found outside their native city sometimes will take a common name while retaining their sanye name as a surname.
Sanye Names: High - Tlah, Common - Chik, Low - Tsin
Female Names: Acalan, Huatzi, Chimal, Itzli, Citalee, Eztli
Male Names: Ahuic, Atlaton, Cozamalotl, Atzi, Ixtli, Itzpapal

Out in the World

Tlakah typically are not found alone or even that far outside their native lands. Those that do venture far from their homeland do not do so without good reason.

Tlakah Traits

Your tlakah character has the following characteristics in common with all tlakah.

Age

A tlakah reaches adulthood at the age of 7 and generally lives until their mid-60s.

Alignment

Tlakah, with a strong sense of community, tend towards lawful good alignments.

Size

Tlakah are between 4 and a half feet to almost 6 feet tall and a slender build, averaging 100 pounds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't disern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Tlakah'n, the fast paced language of the tlakah, and one extra language of your choice.

Senye

Your tlakah character belongs to one of three subraces, or Senye: High Senye, Common Senye, and Low Senye. Aptitudes and abilities vary with each type. In general, High Senye display the greatest variance in coloration and have more exotic and refined features including stag-like horns. Common Senye tend to be mono, or bi-chromatic with a hearty physique compared to the other senye. Low Senye are smaller and possess muted brown and green colorations ideal for hunting.

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High Senye

With slender, elegant bodies and bright distinctive colors, the High Senye tlakah are easily recognizable. Tlakah of this Senye are born to positions of power and influence.

High Senye Magic

You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the chromatic orb spell as a 2nd-level spell; you must finish a long rest in order to cast the spell again using this trait. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the augury spell as a 2nd-level spell; you must finish a long rest in order to cast the spell again using this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Divine Chosen

You have resistance to radiant damage.

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Mid Senye

Often the largest and most athletic of the Senye, the Mid Senye tlakah only display one or two scale colors. Their strength and resilience leads many of these tlakah to serve in the military.

Savage Attacker

When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Toughness

Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

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Low Senye

Low Senye Tlakah are the smallest of the different senye and often overlooked due to their more subtle colorations of green and browns. Tlakah of this type often work as scouts, hunters, and general laborers.

Sneaky

You are proficient in the Stealth skills.

Mask of the Wild

You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Ambusher

If you attack from a hidden location and hit with an attack your first turn in combat, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage to it. You can use this trait only once per combat.