Kosan

At A Glance

The Kosani are known for their prowess as gem-cutters and as master artisans of cutting and shaping stone. Their appearance can come as a shock, as they share most of the physical traits of their more murderous and primal cousins, kobolds. A Kosan is a bipedal saurian, standing not much taller than a halfling, with a draconian snout and scales colored matching the classifications of precious stones. Small dexterous hands make for excellent thieves, artists, and even doctors.  

Kosani

During the War of Creation the Obliviator Prince,Verisia attempted to create a race of superior slave beings by imbuing dragon eggs with untamed powers of the Void. But for the divine intervention of The Sister his experiments would have succeeded, for instead of a single dragon-voidgathe hybrid being born from each chromatic and metallic egg a hundred proto-kobolds were ushered into Galdor by her interference. Unabated by his failure, or perhaps driven mad by it, Verisia bent towards the diminutive race and attempted to twist and corrupt them into fierce little killers. In a madness born part of fear and hatred, the tiny hatch-lings turned on their creator, flaying his corporeal form. Their creator banished by the power of their claws the proto-kobold fled in fear, seeking refuge underground in vast natural caverns.   Over the millennium they have split into two distinct races. Some continued to be consumed with rage, hatred, and the lust for power, as Versia continued to whisper in their dreams influencing the race now known as Kobolds. Those more deeply touched by the Sister’s gifts of freedom, grace and charm became the race known as the Kosani. Although having enjoyed at least a millennium of independent social and physical evolution, Kosani can still be easily identified as having the same ancestors as Kobolds, and even be mistaken for their more murderous kin. Just as dragons are split into chromatic and metallic variations Kosani and Kobolds are also split, with a Kosan taking their coloration from the semi-precious stone: amethyst, garnet, quartz, onyx, jade, or the rarer earth metallics; unlike Kolbolds who follow the chromatic dragon color range.     As a result of their magical heritage and evolutionary divergence Kosan breed a lot differently from their more violent kin, often only able to have a single clutch of eggs during their life. Each clutch contains between two and ten eggs, which take roughly two years to incubate. A Kosan still comes of age just as quickly though and is considered an adult around five years of age, however, they don't become a member of society or attain the right of passage required to choose a mate until they have gone on The Great Hunt. Upon reaching adulthood they set out into the world to find themselves and learn a trade, and although uncommon a Kosan can be found in cities working alongside the other races of Galdor. The Great Hunt can last for years, in some cases, a Kosan can be close to 80 years of age before they choose to return to their homes.   There is little physical difference between Kosani males and females, and often only a Kosan, Wyrsi, or Arconian can tell the difference. While they come of age early, Kosani do not die of old age and there are some Kosan that are rumored to be thousands of years old. But life on Galdor is often violent and tasking, meaning most Kosani only average around a 300-year lifespan. Kosani prefer to live underground close to or within the larger deposits of semi-precious stones, their settlements are often well lit and quite civilized approaching dwarf-like craftsmanship. While not as skilled with raw stones as the dwarves, they are the masters of gem-cutting and jewelry making. Their skills far surpassing any others found on Galdor, they are often called upon by the banking guilds to mint currency.   Physical Description: A Kosan is somewhat larger than a Halfling often averaging just under four feet in height, although they are often a bit lighter as their bones are very similar to a bird's or reptiles. Male and female Kosani are on average the same height although females can be just a bit slimmer. There are a few other subtle differences, mostly in crest length and dermal spines or spikes, but they are so strange and minute that often it is impossible for even the most studied scholar to know the difference. The similarities between Arconina, Wyrsi, and Kosani sexual divergence do, however, allow these races to share a taxonomy of identifiable differences they can use in the identification of one another.   Kosani coloration, crests, and dermal spines or spikes vary widely over the different jewel colors, but a Kosan is never naturally a chromatic color. Otherwise, they look very similar to kobolds, with large four-digit hands ending in talons, with small tails and blunt snouts somewhere between a lizard's and a war dog's. Their feet resemble dragon talons, and they almost always prefer to go barefoot, and their bodies are devoid of hair and covered in draconian scales. They lack external ears, and in their place have slightly discolored scales around a small opening into the internal ear. A Kosan is born a hazy colorless quartz, only developing their coloration as they age. Oftentimes it indicates personality traits or is a sign of developmental traits, and is not determined by parental coloration.   Gem Coloration   Amethyst: Amethyst Kosani have scales in the iridescent blue to purple range, often their scales have a dull shimmer much like the precious stone when struck with light. Their eyes are either blue or purple in color. They lack dermal spines or spikes. Instead sporting fan-like crests that come off the back of their jaws, which get longer and fuller the higher up their face it travels. This often gives them the appearance of having small wings in place of ears.   Garnet: Garnet Kosani have scales that range in the orange to deep red range, often their scales seem to be almost translucent like an uncut stone. Their eyes are either brown or orange, never straying too far into the red side of the spectrum. They often sport very small blunt horns on the tip of their snouts, with a row of spines, starting as small bumps, running from that horn along the dermal crest all the way to the tip of their tails. These spines are all roughly pyramidal in shape with the largest being between the shoulders and the hips, tapering at each side.   Quartz: Quartz Kosani have opalescent or off-white scales, often holding an iridescent shimmer when exposed to direct focused light. Their eyes are ice blue to lighter grey shades in color. They sport stubby spikes or spines at the crest of the skull, which progresses down to between the shoulder blades. At times they also have small spikes of bumps under their chins.   Onyx: Onyx Kosani are the jet black of highly polished stone, often small flecks of gold and silver shimmer throughout their scales, which can make them look like the night sky. Unlike their kin, onyx Kosani have a wide range of spines, horns, spikes, and crests. Often no two look the same.   Jade: Jade Kosani have scales that mimic raw jade, with the same shimmering translucent of the stone. This green coloration becomes darker where several scales overlap. Their eyes are dark green to hazel. Crests and sails which look much like a mane of hair cover their heads tapering to small horns on the ends of their snouts. They also often sport whisker-like feelers just behind their nose holes, and at times small frills under the chin back along the jawline.   Metallic: Metallic Kosani are extremely rare, often only being born on or around the turning of a century, during a planetary alignment, or when a great shift has occurred in the Wyrd. They have scales that are either copper, iron, silver or gold in color and appearance. However, their eye color ranges over the entire spectrum available to Kosani as do their crest, spine, and other dermal decorations. Metallic Kosani are touched by the Wyrd and can be extremely potent magic users or psions.     Society: Kosani society is a study in extremes. Those that have completed The Great Hunt are isolationist by nature, preferring to not mingle in Galdor politics but focus on the development and betterment of their own people and vast underground cities. Smaller surface-dwelling settlements, like villages and farming hamlets, are not a reality underground and Kosani are largely communal preferring to live in large underground fortresses and cities, at times sharing border and even mingling into Dwarven, Delvarian and Jjoiroot cultures. On the other extreme are the young Kosani who are on The Great Hunt, driven by wanderlust and curiosity to go out and explore the surface world. Kosani clans are organized into Prides that can be either patriarchal or matriarchal in nature, often showing a very true and equal sense of democratic rule.   There are only four major Kosan cities around Galdor and each is primarily populated and under the stewardship of one pride, although each also boasts an intermixing of the prides. The largest of these is Deeprock, located in the Iron Territories and while running much deeper than shares a border with the Dwarven city of Iron. This city is where most of the Deeprock Pride claim as home, they are known for their abilities to mint coins and are linked to the Eisarn Bank of Galdor.   The Forever Grotto is another major Kosan city, located deep in the Sea of Sands near the Floating Hills, it is primarily populated by the Sparteen Pride. These Kosan are very structured and disciplined pride, placing a lot of weight on martial skill, they are known for their masterwork weapons.   Kremeroc, sometimes referred to as the Hidden Islands, is a subterranean city under the eastern reaches of the Savage Lands. The only way to get to or leave the city is by a complex series of underground waterways, lock gates, and channels, and it is home to the Riverguard Pirde.   Lastly, there are the Slythian, who control the lower reaches of Deavonworth with their own city of Underspire extending several hundred feet under Deavonworth in the Wilderlands.   Relations: Much like Arconians, the Kosani are an ancient race whose oral histories recall a time before even Elves or Dwarves rose to power on Galdor. They often see humans as little more than young children, which need to be tolerated and nurtured. The Kosani don't feel that their cultures or heritages are threatened by the other, and younger races of Galdor and willingly integrate into different cultures during The Great Hunt. This, sometimes quite long, separation from their normal isolated kingdoms means that a young Kosan (or at least those on The Hunt) are very friendly, and will go to lengths to assimilate into their new environments. For example, a Kosan who has chosen to learn the craft of a baker might find themselves living in a second-floor loft wearing city folk clothes and going to the local pub with their co-workers and neighbors. At times, specifically, when it comes to mining operations or tunnel-based farming, the Kosani will work with or establish co-ops with Dwarves, Delvarians or Jjoiroot. Young Kosani are very curious and get along well with all the races of Galdor, although they do at times suffer from racism and communication breakdowns. The Kosan have a very antagonistic relationship with Kobolds, a fact that endears them to the Dwarves and often will raid Kobold settlements just to keep their more violent kin in check.   Alignment and Religion: The modern Kosan often has very little connection to the eons-old war that founded their race and will often follow either The Forge or the Heart of the World. In some cases a Kosan will have fallen under the religious fervor of the Delverian Cult and will follow their dogma, going so far as to set up churches in some of their cities. For the most part, the older Kosani tolerate this as long as the religious zealotry stays to peaceful debate. older Kosani are often more likely to follow The Sister, with some of the eldest having been even rumored to have been present during The Hatching. Those on The Great Hunt are the most flexible and will often follow the customs of wherever they are and at times will follow another of Galdor's gods. A Kosan almost never worships evil gods, just as Kobolds are generally incapable of being good. They are very respectful and lawful people, trending toward lawful good and neutral good.   Adventurers: All Kosani adventures are currently on their personal hunts. However, based on the length of some of these hunts, not all Kosan met on the road is a youngster and just because all Kosani go on The Great Hunt; not all Kosani become adventures. Most just take up normal jobs to experience and collect experiences of other cultures. Those that do take on the calling of an adventurer are prone to bravado and at times act much like a child. Although they are considered adults by their biology they lack the experiences needed to make them wise in many situations. A Kosan doesn't approach their personal hunt from a determined perspective and often chooses to fill all sorts of roles in an adventuring party.    

Names

  A Kosan's name is a reflection of several parts of their heritage, with a given name being chosen by their parents, these are normally short sound forms. This is followed by the Kosanian word that refers to their gem classification, these two are connected by an accent or inflection change. They can also bear a clutch name, much like a Dwarven, Elven or Human last name, and finally there is an accent or inflection change that states whether they have finished The Great Hunt. There is no difference between male and female names, as their culture holds little ceremony in sexual divergence. Tor is applied to the uninitiated and Venu is applied to those who have completed the rights of passage.   As an example: Kos'rea Mea'tor, which would roughly translate as: Kos of the amethyst, uninitiated of the Mea family.   Common Kosea names: Ahn, Bris, Kos, Mal, Xek   Common Kosea clutch names: Aus, Mae, Oken, Rust, Zelt   Gem names:   Rea - Amethyst Dron -Garnet Fen - Quartz Unec - Onyx Gar - Jade Delune - Metallic