Jungle Coast
by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary DaviesKaraash - Humanoids, war, victory, conquest, tactics, strength
Atzanteotl - Deceit, betrayal, vengeance, destruction, corruption
Kalaktatla (Ka) - Protection of life, prosperity, healing, magic, knowledge, wisdom
Bachraeus - Hate, vengeance, betrayal, serpents, poison
The Dark Lady (Demogorgon) - Lizardmen, corruption, necromancy, witchcraft, disease
Wei Long (Great One) - Dragons and lizardkin, creation, justice, knowledge, magic
Guan Zi–You (Korotiku) - Liberty, wisdom, guile, cleverness, jokes and fun, subterfuge, clear thought, spiders
Chai Shi Hui (Loup) - Ferocity, survival of the strongest, night, death, loyalty to clan
Kiranjo - Minotaurs, greed, violence, fury, cruelty, massacre
Notes:
1. This region comprises the north-eastern coast of Davania (in which are found Emerond and the Davanian Hinterlands, which nevertheless are listed separately in this section) until High Arypt, and is characterised by the abundant presence of an equatorial jungle and subtropical forests. Within its interior live creatures of every type, but from the canonical sources (PWA2–3) we know that in particular humanoids, humans and dragons dwell there.
2. The Bogdashkan are jungle orcs that live in the northernmost region of the coast, close to the Hinterlands, and that frequently threaten both the Thratians and the Thyatians with their raids, even if they kept away from the Emerondians, which they knew had tremendous natural powers. The Bogdashkan are the descendents of the humanoids that migrated to Davania in the century and decided to explore the Meghala Kimata. After repeatedly clashing with the rakasta that lived there, they were finally settled in the Jungle Coast, and here they stayed. They are divided into various tribes that constantly fight amongst themselves (which is what prevents this horde of orcs from uniting and threatening in a more dangerous way the neighbours), but all are accommodated by the cult of Karaash.
3. The Manacapuru are copper-skinned humans that live in a city from which they took their name, situated within the jungle between the lands of the Bogdashkan and those of the Yasuko. They have a more advanced culture in respect to their neighbours, are masters in the use of poisons and worship serpentoid Immortals. They are probably the descendents of the Oltec tribes of the neighbouring High Arypt that emigrated centuries ago northwards, possibly because of the fall of their kingdom or of the exile imposed on them, which have ended up with them settling in this part of the jungle have remained isolated and built their own city (with a typically Oltec architecture and a pyramidal temple at the centre), alternated commercial exchanges with border wars with the neighbouring tribes and enslaved a large part of the survivors at the collapse of the Milenian Empire that still live in the Jungle Coast. It is probable that the Immortals worshipped are Atzanteotl and Kalaktatla, both linked to the figure of the serpent in the Oltecs myths of the Hollow World, in a dualistic contrast between Order and Chaos. Given that currently they are famous for their poison use (a not completely legal action), it is probable that the influence of the priests of Atzanteotl is dominant in Manacapuru society.
4. Ka is also worshipped by the many pardasta rakasta tribes that live in the southern area of the Jungle Coast, near the border with High Arypt.
5. Based on PWA2, the Yasuko are humans with typically Ochalese traits, probably members of an expedition that departed Ochalea in order to colonise the nearby Jungle Coast and abandoned to its destiny some centuries ago, possibly believed exterminated. It is also possible the Yasuko shared with Bogdashkan and Manacapuru a technology of the Bronze and Iron Ages, which have a structure of extremely united tribal relationships in order to be considered a single people and no longer Ochalese, and that venerate some of the Immortals of the Celestial Court who for them have a major significance, without any reference to the mystic traditions followed in Ochalea. In particular they should honour Wei Long (Great One), lord of the dragons and of the reptiles that abound in the area; Guan Zi–You (Korotiku), associated with the spiders (other extremely common species) and to the liberty to which the Yasuko particularly hold; and Chai Shi Hui (Loup), the “Beast that devours with ferocity”, symbol of the indomitable spirit and of the aggressiveness of which the Yasuko are proud.
6. The Dragon articles relating to the journeys of Prince Haldemar in the Jungle Coast also states the existence of other tribes of tattooed humans and masters in the use of poisons settled to the north of the Manacapuru and to the south of the Yasuko, with a remarkable predilection for the snakes. It is extremely probable that we’re talking about descendents of the ancient Milenians who have been able to remain free, and that these are followers of Bachraeus, the lord of snakes and poison according to the Milenian mythology. It therefore deals with worshippers of an entropic Immortal with conquest and domination intentions on the neighbouring tribes, in competition both with the Manacapuru and with the Yasuko and Bogdashkan, and that probably also number among their ranks some medusas, earthly representatives of the will of Bachraeus.
7. The Jungle Coast is famous for also housing tribes of lizardkin and green dragons from times immemorial. The lizardkin are perhaps the descendents of the ancient carnifex and worship the Black Lady (another identity of Demogorgon), while there are a few lizardmen tribes faithful to the Great One. The majority of the dragons instead honour the Great One, even if some renegades are devoted to the cult of the Black Lady and are backed by the lizardmen over who they rule like true Immortals.
8. Among the most dangerous (even if less numerous) inhabitants of the Jungle Coast there are finally diverse tribes of minotaurs, once slaves of the Milenians and for centuries free to run around the forests and the plains of the Meghala Kimata bringing disorder and make raids in each community, without distinction of race. All these followers are followers of Kiranjo and possess crude and spartan villages in the hidden grottos on the slopes of the jungle-covered hills.
9. Finally there are numerous tabi (small extremely intelligent winged apes) that live in the jungle, even if they aren’t properly organised in tribes but simply in enlarged families, frequently nomadic, and not possessing a unified cult or any particular attention to religious questions, being more than other explorers and lovers of curiosity and mysteries.