Quartz 4

Tribes of Sszath

3 min read

The Tribes of Sszath

A vast, steaming jungle ruled by fang, scale, and ancient memory, the lands of Sszath are not lawless—they are ruled by laws older than words and enforced without mercy.

Overview

  • Capital: None

  • Government: Tribal Dominion

  • Ruler: None (Tribal Hierarchies)

  • Primary Culture: Sszathi (Lizardfolk)

  • Religion: Primordial Totem Worship

  • Allies: None

  • Rivals: Eastern Nokan, all outsiders

Geography

The lands of Sszath stretch across a massive southern jungle, largely unmapped and actively hostile to intrusion.

  • Terrain: Dense rainforest, flooded lowlands, vine-choked ruins

  • Climate: Oppressively hot, humid, frequent monsoons

  • Seas: Southern Sea (mangrove-choked coastlines)

  • Borders:

    • North & East: Eastern Nokan footholds

    • South & West: Endless jungle

Notable Regions & Landmarks

Maps of Sszath are considered optimistic guesses.

History

Little is known of Sszath history—because outsiders do not return.

  • The Sszathi claim to have ruled the jungle since before Solis

  • Their ruins predate human kingdoms

  • Oral traditions speak of “the Warm Age” and “the Long Watching”

  • They survived Solis’ Cataclysm untouched

Scholars suspect Sszath was never conquered because it was never meant to be.

The Tribes

The Sszathi are not a single people, but many tribes bound by shared ancestry and ritual violence.

Common tribal types include:

  • Marsh Broods – Amphibious hunters and poisoners

  • Canopy Stalkers – Arboreal ambushers and scouts

  • Sun-Scale Clans – Zealous warrior cults

  • Deep Fang Circles – Shamanic tribes guarding ancient sites

Tribal warfare is constant—but intrusion unites them instantly.

Law & Custom

There is no written law, but Sszathi justice is absolute.

  • Territory is sacred

  • Trespass is punishable by death

  • Capture is rare—and deliberate

  • Mercy is a foreign concept

Ritual combat, sacrifice, and consumption are all culturally sanctioned.

Religion & Belief

Sszathi belief centers on primordial spirits and ancient jungle gods.

  • Totems of fang, sun, blood, and rot

  • Shamans commune through sacrifice and vision

  • Some spirits are believed to sleep beneath ruins

  • Outsiders are often considered offerings

The jungle itself is worshipped as a living god.

Magic in Sszath

Magic is instinctive, visceral, and terrifying.

  • Blood magic and poison rites common

  • Ancient wards protect sacred sites

  • Solisan and pre-Solisan relics exist—but are taboo

  • Shamans can command beasts and weather locally

Arcane magic from outsiders is seen as theft.

Notes for Players

Sszath is not a dungeon—it is a predator.

Stealth matters more than strength.

Every fire attracts attention.

If the jungle goes quiet, it has already decided what you are.

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