The Thwylyths (THWEE-liths) are a racial polyglot of tribal peoples who live in the low-lying fens and swamplands surrounding the Marches of Autumn. These semi-sedentary peoples have been forced together by two centuries of incursion and encroachment by the sedentary agricultural peoples of the kingdom of Auryas. The Auryans regard the Thwylyths as uncivilized, cultureless savages. The Thwylyths are considered the mortal enemies of the Auryans who live within the realm of the Margrave of Tel Torva where a century of direct conflict has left behind two militant societies and a legacy of atrocity. Within the more settled Auryan heartland, the Thwylyths remained a lingering bogey used to scare children to bed.
Origin
The exact racial composition of the Thwylyth is in question. They have a fair complexion similiar to that of Auryans, which have lead some to conclude that they are in fact kinsmen of the Auryans. Thwylyth legends seem to hint at this. Some scholars have suggested that nucleus of the Thwylyth Nation grew out of maroon colonies of escaped Auryan serfs and outlaws who retreated into the fenlands and bottoms on the borders along the Marches of Autumn.
The complete lack of hair seems to hint at a strong strain of Elven or Half-Elven, although of some unknown origin. The closest population of Elven stock are the mesolythic tribes of the Ndari Elves within the same fenlands. However, these Elves are of large stature and dark complexion. Some scholars also speculate that there are small touches of Orc, Half-Orc, Dohkar, and Half-Troll. This theory does not seems to be anatomically supported, for the Thwylyths are much slighter in stature than typically goblinoids. However, they do have sharp incisorlike teeth and are mainly carnivorous, and are notorious for practicing ritualistic canabalism upon their sacred dead and wounded captives of war. This does seem to lend some support to a goblinoid connection. Regardless, the Thwylyth seem to be a very ancient, and distinct hybrid race of polygotinous origin. The Thwylyth proudly proclaim that they are the only purely bred demihumans, possessing a drop in their blood from every demihuman race known.
Rejection of Race The Thwylyth patently and militantly reject the concept of race and welcome any and all into their society who are willing to commit and contribute to their way of life. They do not frown upon, but in fact encourage interracial unions as a new infusion of blood into their tribe. This is likely a fixture of two centuries of various people groups merging their cultures for protection against incursions. The Thwylyths are also notorious for "grieving the dead." This means when a member of the tribe dies, the tribe dispatches a raiding party to capture a captive to replace them in the tribe. The captives are after a time integrated and adopted into the tnaribe and assume the role of the departed tribesmen in a Naming Ceremony. Since property, goods, and even children are held in common by the whole tribe, the new tribesmen does not come into an inheritance of the deceased, persay. However, they adopt the deceased tribesman's name and protective totems. The Thwylyth also offer sanctuary to fugitives from the law and exiles. These outcasts are adopted into Thwylyth society, and if they break the social compact by causing harm to the tribe, they are ritually cannibalized. This rarely happens. Refugees from across Auryas flock to the Thwylyth in throngs due to the Auryas' wartorn frontier with the Orku kingdom to the South.
Government
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