The Nylasa
Until the year 317FO [518SA], the Nylasa dominated the jungles and mountains between the Ghazai and Ro'babza. Their imperium was devastated by a period (318 - 397FO [519-598SA]) of civil war, plague and raiding. By the year 399FO [600SA], the empire was a memory.
During the next 240 years the Nylasa discovered pain, fear and death in a terrible dark age. They warred on themselves and suffered severe losses to foreign enemies. In the year 640FO [841SA] (the first year of the She - tiger) a great leader, known as "the Holy One" or "the Mistress of the Tiger," rose among the Ga'Nylasa. By the year of her death, the 59th year of the She - tiger (699FO [900SA]), the Nylasa were again a power to be reckoned with.
Just before the death of the Holy One, a Pa'Nylasa Shaman found the Dark City and was lost to its power. Under the sway of the Dark City, the Pa'Nylasa became an evil culture whose terrible rites blighted the land. Soon after the rise of darkness, the other Nylasi tribes came to call them enemy.
Since the Dark City split the tribes, the Ga'Nylasa, Kizand and Ko'nal have formed a solid coalition. The Pa'Nylasa haunt the hills and jungles serving their dark masters and raiding Port Doman. They are feared by the Izza and detested by all others. Currently, in the 249th year of the She - tiger, they are without friends in the area.
NOTE - The Nylasa tribes have a warrior society called the Society of the Tiger. It is composed of veteran warriors and led by female tiger shamans. Its members are dedicated to the end of slave raids into their lands, the eradication of Port Doman and vengeance against the Izza. It is an elite guard for a reemerging empire.
Population
The Pa'Nylasa are pawns of the Dark City. Their total population is 20,000. They can field 4,000 warriors in addition to the Dark Band (300 fanatical warriors dedicated to the death of all whites and the service of the Dark City).
The Nylasa Coalition has three tribes, the Ga'Nylasa (35,000), Ko'nal (15,000) and Kizand (10,000). Their total population is 60,000. They can field 12,000 warriors including the Society of the Tiger (800 members, 30 of them are female tiger shamans).
NOTE - Of the warriors in the Nylasa Coalition 2,400 Ga'Nylasa, 800 Ko'nal and 400 Kizand are trained to operate as organized units. The Society of the Tiger also operates as a unit in war.
Economy
The economy of these tribes is based on mining, hunting and trapping. They have some agriculture and no contact with the Fomorians. Their trade is handled by Kacili and Kirazani traders. Pa'Nylasa trade is handled by any smugglers or Gomese traders who have the courage to risk trading with them. The items that the tribes trade for are metal weapons, fine goods and, for the Pa'Nylasa only, liquor and drugs.
Religion
The coalition tribes follow the path of the tiger. Their faith is animistic and shamanistic. The Pa'Nylasa worship the master of the Dark City who serves the god Ba'en'kekon.
Personality
Ga'Nylasa, Ko'nal and Kizand: These tribesmen have faith in their religion and their shamans. They hate the white race and never give a white man their full trust (except in exceptional cases). They are a stoic and fatalistic people with a strong attachment to their families. They are kind and understanding when dealing with relatives and are capable of great self - sacrifice in defending them.
Pa'Nylasa: Pa'Nylasa males are magically dedicated to the service of the Dark City on puberty. Any that refuse are killed. After this ritual is performed they cannot resist the Dark City. Pa'Nylasa warriors hate mankind, especially the white race. They are cannibals who enjoy torture, the mental punishment of their captives and total, preferably humiliating, domination of inferiors. They are cruel, barbaric and evil warriors who are incapable of fear. (The women of the Pa'Nylasa are deemed unworthy to serve the Dark City. They are chattel with no rights whatsoever. Their lives pass quickly and are a nightmare of pain and terror.)
Legal System
Ga'Nylasa, Ko'nal, Kizand: The absolute ruler of each clan is its female tiger shaman. Shaman training includes Nylasa history, shamanic lore and combat training. Among these tribes the only capital crime is sacrilege. For other crimes the felon is mutilated (ear - nicking) and forced to serve the family that his crime affected until their loss is repaid.
Pa'Nylasa: The Pa'Nylasa are ruled by the Dark Elder (the master of the Dark City). His edicts are enforced by the Dark Band and those enlisted to serve them. The penalty for nay crime is slavery, for members of the Pa'Nylasa, and death for others. Those sentenced to death by this culture are eaten or taken to the Dark City of Sacrifice.
Allies
Forces of Chaos, sent by the Dark Elder, sometimes aid the Pa'Nylasa (a rare occurrence). The Mopazi are allies of the coalition. It is likely that they will join sometime in the future, if worship of the tiger is not held to be mandatory.
Enemies
Both groups despise Port Doman. The coalition is hostile to the Pa'Nylasa. They are fanatically hostile to the Izza. The holy plan of the coalition is to conquer Port Doman and break the power of the Izza.
Language
| Nylasa | 100% | (80%) |
| Mopazi | 20% | (0%) |
| Ro'babzan | 10% | (0%) |
| Gomese | 5% | (15%) |
| Fomorian | 5% | (0%) |
| Sair'a'cili | 5% | (40%) |
| Dark Tongue | 0% | (20%)* |
*The tongue of the Dark City. It is used by men of the Pa'Nylasa when they speak to another initiate. At other times they use sign language, Nylasa or Sair'a'cili.
Numbers in parenthesis are for the Pa'Nylasa.
Basic Characteristics
| Height | 68" | |
| Weight | 170lbs |
Favored Weapons
Spear, Sword and Javelin
Earth Equivalent
the Hausa and Fulani of West Africa
Other Notes
The Nylasa use shields in battle. Their elite fight in tiger skins. Other warriors wear different furs. Except for battle, and ceremonial occasions, they rarely wear much clothing. They never wear armor or helmets.
Calendar (Seasonal)
In the Nylasa Coalition it is the 259th year of the She - tiger. Their calendar dates from the birth of the Shaman who put their tribes back on the road to greatness. She is a revered saint in the eyes of her people.
The Pa'Nylasa use a different system. Their calendar is that of the Dark City, which dates from the alliance of its ancient race with the god Ba'en'kekon. It is the year 4680 by this calendar.