Caventoca

Leaders in Caventoca are chosen by sortition using a pool of candidates for each position that is offered from the people of Lillicata. These leaders are called Tlatoani the word for "speaker" in native Caventocan. Any name can be added to the pool and the more names a candidate receives the more likely they are to be drawn. However, the random nature of the draw always leaves room for what the Caventocan's would call "Murmurak's Wisdom" to choose instead.  

Tlatoani

Each Tlatoani lives within a lavish villa where they allow their closest associates, called Teyahua ("Tidekin"), to live.   Ifan Talro'a, Tlatoani of the Verdant Hunt. Deals in hunting, trapping, and raising of beasts of burden.   Ketzun Tanglewave, Tlatoani of the Loom & Line. Deals in clothing, sailmaking, fishing, & ropecraft.   Sulkith Tidesheen, Tlatoani the Pearl Veins. Deals in pearl diving, gems, jewelry, cloth and armor.   Tzaya Shellflare, Tlatoani of the Coral Hearth. Deals in fruit, wine, ale, tej, oil, perfume, and insect repellant.   Vaxol Driftthorn, Tlatoani of the Serpent's Mirth. Deals in plants, poisons, and assassination.   Xiluatl Brinebloom, Tlatoani of Murmurs. Deals in lore, relics, and access to religious and historical sites.   Zokuatl Foamcrest, Tlatoani of the Cut Teeth. Deals in weapons, shields, travelling gear and supply of guides across the island.

While many live in various villas across the island, nearly all of the population is concentrated in the capital city of Lillicata. Those who live outside the city are often fishers, pearl divers, hunters, and trappers. Caventocans possess both superstitious beliefs and pragmatic wisdom about the inner parts of the island. The wisdom comes from the understanding of the deadly beasts, plants, and magic that should be avoided while trekking inland. The superstitions come from a long oral history of the island that explains these dangers through various stories. While many of these stories are light-hearted, a few are insidious, terrifying tales of the dangers further inland. As such, Caventocans know to stick to the coast as much a possible, fearful of creatures both real and imagined that lurk beneath the dense canopy.   Rich and full of stories about the world, natives of Caventoca are not only tolerant of other religions, they welcome them as a source of lore to plunder. For themselves however, most Caventocans, partially due to their heritage as Swarmlings, don't place much emphasis on organized religion. Most believe in some form of reincarnation for the soul after death. In times of trial, most would invoke the wisdom of the sea beast, Murmurak, whom many claim as a creator though they would rarely worship him.   Magic is unusual in Caventoca. Not in the sense of rarity, but in the beliefs the locals have around it. Rooted in superstitions that permeate society, many locals believe that magic can't and shouldn't be learned. They believe Murmurak, and perhaps lesser beings, such as the trickster gods, can grant magical abilities temporarily to allow for heroic or epic feats. Though the locals are well aware of Wizards and other's study of magic, they would politely request that such casters refrain from magic on the island as they believe it to be an affront to Murmurak. Several Tlatoani, such as Vaxol Driftthorn, eschew this believe in favor of a more tolerant approach that can help drive channels of commerce.   Caventocans value independence and competence, especially in their area of expertise; often they develop a trade over generations within the Queltzin ("Great Current") of a Tlatoani. The first Tlatoanis were nothing more than family elders valued for their wisdom gained over the years; after the influence of Astravari economists, the new age the Tlatoanis have grown their Queltzin into a wealth merchant class within the city of Lillicata exploiting the island. No longer a birth requirement, membership and adoption of a Queltzin's trades is seen as the pinnacle of a good Caventocan. Each Queltzin has cultivated a knowledge of the land and sea needed to survive and thrive. Their expertise is usually relied upon by outsiders to safely harvest, hunt, or explore in the wilderness of the island. A fact recognized and utilized by the Tlatoanis to build their merchant empire.

• 55% Swarmling

• 30% Stonehoof

• 15% Human

• <1% Elvespian

• <1% Varath