J'lact of Nirik-Tohr converses

[Attilius]

Aug 22, 2023 3:41:51 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

- Eslyk gets closer to HurK and taps in his ankle and with serious grumpy and full of curiosity face - "Is everything okay?..."

HurK looks down and smiles "Yes, why? This is exciting, meeting a new race. Learning new things..." he says looking back at their host.

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Eslyk looks back at him - "We don't know their traditions neither their reactions but I do agree about meeting new races and learn from them although how can we if we don't let them interact?"

[Attilius]

The half giant frowns "who's not letting who interact? "

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- "Us right now.." - looking at him - "We are all foreigners in this land but Chat'cho, they will best know, I believe" - lowering her voice, trying to be less disruptive that she normally is

[Attilius]

He looks confused and whispers "They KNOW him already?"

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- She tiptoes to reach HurK and whispering back - "Not sure who you refer by him. I meant Chat'cho will best know how to discuss this matter following Kreen traditions with the tribe, not that they know Chat'cho, but better we listen and then we ask at the end? Yes?" - smiling at him

[Attilius]

"Hmmm..." the Half giant nods his understanding then looks back to their host in earnest 

[DM Bob]

The room has another exit towards the rear. Hurk barely needs to hunch at all, as the ceiling can accommodate the full height of a tohr-kreen. This room could double as a proper meeting hall as for it's size. Even with your party, there's room for double that.

J'lact quickly understands the areas that you know little of, so over drinks of floral fermented weezer honey, he expounds as if an old friend. He seems enamored over Chat'cho and waves off any unseen disrespect from the others. She did mention that her pack was new to her and that they had their own pack leader in that of Oronis and Kurn.

"You must learn how we function under the Haazan's rule... and our general structure here. I would be tempted to add your clutch to mine if I felt it would benefit both our packs. But as I stand, I am not currently strong enough to challenge the Emperor myself. There might be others in the other cities that are more suited for this. To the west, Jez'tere holds 30-40x the number of tohr than Nirik does. My people, the J'ez, have greater numbers - and masters of the Hunt, Way and shamans beyond our clutch's skill."

He then goes on to explain the government in the simplest terms, as well as challenges as a whole. After this, the first tongues passes. No lies are detected.

The clutch form of government is odd from a non-kreen perspective, a study in seeming contradictions. It is a democracy, because every clutchmate can voice an opinion, and they all
matter; all thri-kreen have rights and responsibilities. However, the dominance order means that some clutchmates are more equal than others, so the democracy is not complete.
Clutch government is also a tyranny, because the word of the clutchleader is obeyed without question or fail. Yet, the leader does not issue orders without thought, and any clutchmate can become clutchleader if powerful enough.
The clutch also has elements of anarchy, for each member is free, and there are no real laws governing their actions. Still, the biological compulsions of tokchak dictate certain behaviors, such as the dominance order and mutual protection of clutchmates.
The best description of the clutch system of government might be democratic tyranny: while everyone is essentially equal, the leader's orders are followed implicitly. This also
reflects the individual's dichotomy; while many individual thri-kreen are chaotic, they act in a lawful manner in regards to the clutch. Most thri-kreen are chaotic, and few are lawful. The majority of thri-kreen are neutral in reference to good and evil, though quite a few are good, and some are evil. Even the most chaotic and evil thri-kreen is still lawful in regards to the clutch and good in regards to clutchmates.

The Challenge
Thri-kreen indulge in three types of challenge by combat. The first and most common is the challenge for a higher place in a clutch's dominance order; this is also used to determine pack leadership. The second is challenge combat between leaders or champions of thri-kreen packs who are opposed for some reason. The third is cha11enge combat between a thri-kreen pack and an army or other group of another race or collection of other races.

Dominance Challenge
The first type of challenge is used within a clutch, including the clutch of clutchleaders that governs a pack, to determine dominance order of clutches within the pack. Dominance challenges take place rather often, and while a matter of interest to the thri-kreen of a clutch, are not unusual enough to warrant great attention from those not directly
involved. To be official, a challenge must be issued formally, at least between thri-kreen; thri-kreen assume, usually correctly, that non-kreen do not know enough about tokchak to either issue a challenge correctly, or know what to do when issued one, so a dominance challenge between a thri-kreen and a non-kreen usually just moves into a combat with little speaking.
A thri-kreen, to formally begin the challenge with another thri-kreen, says something simple and to the point, like I challenge you or, if appropriate, I challenge you for leadership of the clutch. The challenged individual can voluntarily step down and allow the other to move up a step in the dominance hierarchy; this is usually done when a clutchleader is grievously wounded, or realizes he or she has grown too old to remain an effective leader. A thri-kreen who has accepted a non-kreen as a clutchmate, and knows he or she can overpower the non-kreen, might issue a formal challenge in hopes that the non-kreen will realize who will win, and a fight can be avoided.
If the challenged individual accepts, the two challengers move to a clear area and begin fighting. Generally, only natural weapons are used. Psionics and other weapons can be used if desired; sometimes a thri-kreen fights with a gythka (for example) to threaten other would-be challengers; a thri-kreen who can win a challenge with a gythka against claws is a formidable opponent indeed. Sometimes, both opponents will agree to use a certain type of contest, such as psionics, or gythka sparring, or leap-jousting, or even a chatkcha duel. Spell use is frowned upon in a challenge, but marginally acceptable if the spells are clerical in nature. Some challenges are conducted only until blood is drawn, while others are continued until one challenger surrenders or dies. However, since it never helps a clutch for a clutchmate to die in a dominance fight, if possible a priest stands by a challenge in case of accident.

Pack Challenge
The second type of challenge is the challenge between packs. This type of challenge stems from a meeting between two packs and some sort of disagreement between them. Rather than starting a free-for-all battle (which sometimes happens as well), the packs might agree to a contest of champions, to settle a territorial or other dispute, such as which pack has the right to go after a particular herd of erdlands or some such. The pack being challenged also has the tight to decide what they get if they win. The challenge can take place only between thri-kreen pack, though non-kreen pack members can participate. In this type of challenge, the challenger makes a simple, formal declaration, such as, "On behalf of the Chtik-tek, I challenge the K'ro-kek for the right to travel through their lands unharmed. The thri-kreen receiving the challenge sets the terms, such as how many champions are to be involved, and whether the fight is to the death. Only natural weapons are allowed in this challenge, even if non-kreen participate. The use of magic and psionics is to be agreed upon before the combat starts, and both are usually forbidden. The winner of the challenge gets the agreed-upon reward.
The winners can also take possessions from the losers; this is limited to one item if the terms of the challenge allows the losers to live (and they do live), but can include all possessions if the terms were to the death. The one item chosen from a living loser cannot be a dasl chatkcha; this simply is not done, because it is too degrading to the loser. The loser's pack takes anything left over, so long as the winners do not object (and since thri-kreen abhor waste, they either take the losers' possessions or let the
other pack have them). Even if the combat is to the death, the winners almost always allow the losers' pack to keep any dasl chatkcha possessed by the dead combatants; this avoids feuds that can last years.

War Challenge
The third type, challenge between thri-kreen and non-kreen, is rare. For the most part, thri-kreen will not accept a challenge from a human or other non-kreen pack (army or other group led by a human or other non-kreen). A thri-kreen accepts such a challenge only if the other side offers a thri-kreen as its champion. The combat is governed by strict rules: no weapons. Thrikreen warriors do not challenge meat animals, nor will they accept such challenges from non-kreen who belong to a nonkreen pack. Such people are not believed to know how to fight correctly in a challenge.

At this point, it is mid afternoon.

He continues on, explaining the differences in the different tohr-kreen species and then the concerns he has with the Messenger in more detail.

OOC: Please don't respond yet, I'll add another block to this conversation shortly. -Bob

[DM Bob]

www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5ip378tjcj8c78axwdug0/Thri-Kreen-of-Athas_Poster-1.png?rlkey=f0004tmbxmq8w47xbawlayexa&dl=0

You are now able to discern the differences in most western kreen as per the details in the Thri-Kreen of Athas poster.

J'lact then states, "If you are to visit the Messenger, I will send some of my clutch to accompany you if you wish. This way, you will less likely be viewed as prey. Do you need to speak to your own clutch-leaders soon? You use the Way as we do, I think. You don't have the look of hard travel, we assume that's how you came here?"

If it is not entirely obvious, you notice that J'lact constantly switches from I to We when referring to the clutch and city he leads.

[Deleted]

Chat'cho listens quietly to these descriptions, trying her best to absorb the information and internalize it in the hopes of it coming in handy later.

[Tohr'Kreen] "I thank you sweetly for your efforts to educate me. I know it is not easy starting from nothing, and I must seem quite childish to you. At any rate, we did travel here Psionically, with the aid of our powerful mind-benders. We should not need to travel back to he-who-sends-us so early...at least, I do not believe this to be so. I have cast a Consequence spell earlier and it would have us believe that the Messenger comet is of great importance to our mission, so we should indeed investigate it. If you will go with us, we will be blessed to have your company."

[DM Bob]

"I know that your friends... sleep. Would you like to rest this night-cycle and journey in the morning as the flying cousins seek water from the rivers to the north?"

He pauses.

"It would give me time to learn of your tohr."

DM note: What information are you comfortable sharing with him about the Tablelands, Kurn, Oronis, etc...?

[Deleted]

[Tohr'Kreen] "That is a fine offer, and I am certain my weary Chakak companions will be pleased to recuperate their abilities. It is agreeable to I."

Chat'cho is willing to tell this Kreen nearly anything. She does not see him as a threat and will happily speak to him of anything he wishes.

[DM Bob]

Then you share as he asks questions. After much conversation he seems to get a decent grasp of life in the Tablelands, and in particular Kurn.

J'lact agrees that your Clutch-leader Oronis seems to be the better of allies.

"I think he was wise to point you to my kind, the J'ez. How much younger will such a fruit make one of the tohr?"

You do not know the answer, but it is possible for you to find out.

[Deleted]

[Tohr'Kreen] "I know little to nothing of these fruits, host. My apologies."

Feeling apologetic about her outburst earlier, Chat'cho sheepishly gestures towards the remainder of her group, particularly Hurk.

[Tohr'Kreen] "They may have told you, if I had not..."

She trails off. Determined to make up for her mistake, she casts a Speak With Plants spell and attempts to persuade the fruit tree to divulge just how long the fruit will prolong one's life.

[Attilius]

Fast tracking HurK's evening discussion with J'lact, he will recap everything he knows of the "Dead Lands" and his experiences within Bodach, Odrela, Speaker Veneteer and Lenishad.

Topics he will ask about:

• Where undead bugs and/or humanoids are plaguing the borders of the Kreen Empire?
  
• When did the attacks first start and how often do the attacks happen?
  
• Who or what are leading the Undead attackers?
• How are they stopping them?
  
• Who or what clutches are doing the best at defending against the undead?
  
• What techniques/spells/psionics are working best in their battles?