The Txampay’awkx Clan information

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

The Txampay'awkx Clan

Current Olo'eyktan: Sempul'tsyal

Current Tsahìk: Zera'que

General Information:

The Txampay'awkx is but one of several clans that reside along the Eastern Sea, and these are relatively stationary clans that subsist off the bounty of the great sea. The People that call this clan their family at not prone to nomadic behavior, they have made a permanent residence and they are not want to leave.

Ikran riders are the norm, as virtually all members of the clan are riders of a breed of the Mountain Banshee, and the clan does not mount (or even possess) Pa’li (dire horse); however some are known to mount and ride a deadly sea beast called the Tlqsaytan (deep devil) and they are the only known clan that practices this form of tsaheylu.

To a lesser degree the clan is also known to be experienced canoe and kyak users, and they are actually talented shipwrights and sailors; they simply do not set out to sail the deadly sea very often, but they have the skill to craft large/open-sea sailing vessels and the experience to sail to the other side of the eastern sea in only a few months.

The Txampay’awkx are rumored to being born in the sea, as they take to the water as the Omaticaya take to the trees and the Tultxayo take to the Pa’li. In fact it is true that all Txampay’awkx are born “in the sea”, as it is clan tradition to bear all young in the spiritually venerated tidal pools or, failing that in times of storm or high tide, in tubs of fresh sea water.

Their home is in a location that is known as Whispering Cliff, and is found at the end of a long river valley. This ancient erosion valley cuts through the cliffs that run along that portion of the eastern coast, dissecting the nearly hundred mile run into a northern and a southern section. On either side of the fertile and verdant valley are rolling hills and escarpments, the remnants of cliffs from the early river gorge, and these features gently give way to the slow grade of the ancient river valley. The sea cliffs against the ocean rise majestically up from the sea (at high tide) like a dark wall. The clan Ikran roost mainly on the northern run of these sea facing cliffs, while on the opposite side of the valley the natural holes in the cliff face are used for Na'vi residences and special storage grottoes. At the base of the valley, just where the river meets the sea, on a wide fertile valley formed by the alluvial deposits, the leaders of the clan reside, and this is also to location of the long houses of the clan (used for clan meetings and other social obligations).

The social structure of the Txampay’awkx is fairly rigid, and the people of this clan are well known as being particularly practical – to the point of cynicism and sometimes extreme pragmatism.

Females or males may lead the clan, as such a position is not considered to favor either sex, but family heads are invariably always male, and the clan naturally favors males in leadership roles. In any and all cases a Tsahik is always female, this has no variation, and in such times that a female Olo'eyktan takes her place as the clan leader it can be assumed that there shall be no lineage that shall follow that leader… as the leaders of the clan will not be able to mate. If such a female Olo'eyktan does take a mate, other than the Tsahik (which happens in some rare situations), she will likewise be expected to resign as Olo'eyktan. Tradition is very important to the Txampay’awkx and they rigidly hold to the notion that the Olo'eyktan must mate with the Tsahik.

Due to their hard existence, contending with a violent sea, and the dangerous plethora of creatures that live within those waves, members of the Txampay’awkx tend to be a simple, black & white perspective, hardened folk. They fight hard, they fight VERY well, and they have a cultural emphasis on the arts of the hunt and the arts of war.

Because their home is often buffeted by gale force winds, and they exclusively train to fly in such conditions (and use Ikran that have specifically adapted to those conditions), they are superior warriors over their own land. During times of clan conflict they usually can rely simply on their geography to afford them a degree of natural defense, and the fact that they are either exclusively mounted on Ikran, or on aquatic beasts that no other Na'vi mount. As a result of the obvious fact, that they practice in generally harsher atmospheric conditions, they are fierce and respectable aerial combatants in more stable skies.

Txampay’awkx regularly engage in single fighting, one on one bouts; usually unarmed and only to a point where one of the combatants surrenders or is knocked unconscious, often only to first blood (when the fight is armed), but sometimes to much more lethal levels. Sometimes this is done for fun, or to provide entertainment to the clan, as combat is considered beautiful and very much like artistic dance, but generally a fight is arranged by the clan to settle any disputes that cannot be resolved through verbal discussion.

The clan sees strength and endurance as qualities required to survive in their hard world, and weakness is seen as something that must be culled from the society, thus it is not uncommon for the weaker members of the society (or the lazy and the unmotivated) to die early.

Virtually all adult Na'vi of this clan bear battle scars on their legs, forearms, and torso. These scars come from a life spent training with bared blades, actual duels, and the dangerous nature of the life of the Pandoran seas. The Txampay’awkx have a general aversion to aiming blows for the head, also they religiously resist any attempts to sever the unifying tentacle that descends from the back of a Na’vi’s head, so few Txampay’awkx bear any scars on the neck or head.

Though hard and hearty the Txampay’awkx are also generally polite and accepting of visitors from other clans. There is usually an undercurrent of superiority, as most Txampay’awkx do see themselves as superior to other Na’vi clans, but this is only rarely spoken of directly, and it is often not even implied. They believe in fighting when it is time to fight, and not fighting other clans when it is time for peace. They generally don't go out of their way to look for a fight.

An occupation exclusive to the Txampay’awkx is that of Sea-Hunter, or the Tlqsaytan Makto (rider of the deep devil). A Na’vi of this clan must first complete Iknimaya and then Uniltaron and be recognized by the clan Olo'eyktan as a prospective Sea-Hunter.

After this the young warrior must complete Tlqnimaya, a journey that is steeped in ritual and must be accomplished without aide from any other. Tlqnimaya begins at the clan, where the prospective Sea-Hunter must be spiritually purified by the Tsahik, in preparation for death. Then he/she must swim out into the open sea, across a deep chasm, across almost a full six kilometers, and to a lagoon where the unpredictable and deadly immature Tlqsaytan live and hunt (hiding from the cannibalistic adults).

Three out of every four warriors that attempt this ritual are killed and devoured (only 1 out of 4 survives!!!). If a warrior can make tsaheylu with a Tlqsaytan, survive the first ride, and then survive the trip back to the shallower waters around Whispering Cliff he/she is recognized as one of the elite of the clan, a venerated Sea-Hunter.

For a Sea-hunter the hunt, and especially the arts of war, is not a part-time practice. A Sea-Hunter lives for the hunt and the next battle, the next kill, and though they may also practice other skills (leather work, beading, weaving) they never do so to the mastery of those skills. A Sea-Hunter must be a master of survival in the deadly eastern sea, a master of battle, and nothing else.

Out-clan Na'vi are never allowed to attempt the Tlqnimaya, primarily as the Txampay’awkx believes that no other clan could dare the challenge and survive, but also because they respect the spirit of the Tlqsaytan and they refuse to cheapen their bond with the deep devil.

The Txampay’awkx have a low opinion of the Sky People, as they still sing the songs of the war against the sky people, of the Toruk Makto, and of the time of the last great war. The Eastern Sea Clan lost many warriors in those battles 150 years ago, many young Txampay’awkx Na'vi died defending the Tree of Souls, and the clan has never forgiven the Sky People for being responsible for this time of death. Many consider the Sky People to be a natural enemy and look forward to any opportunity to test the warrior ways of the Txampay’awkx against the weapons of the Sky People. At best a Dream Walker can expect to receive a cool reception, and be often challenged to a duel. At worst, in the case of a Sky Person (not an Avatar), there can be an expectation of violent retaliation for nothing more than the presence.


Occupations:

Main Occupations (i.e. all Na'vi have to get trained in these):

• Hunter
  
• Warrior
  

Secondary Occupations:

• Healer
  
  
• Scout/Messenger (in the Txampay’awkx these roles are part of the same occupation, as a scout is always used as a messenger, due to their knowledge of the lands beyond the eastern sea)
  
  
• Crafter (weaver, leather worker, wood worker – note that crafters generally do not overly decorate their products, crafting is a practical skill and generally not artistic)
  
  
• Artisan (a specialist in some form of crafting – this is an artistic focus on crafting and though still creating practical items the amount of time that goes into a single piece is deemed something of a waste within this clan)
  
  
• Singer/Historian/Storyteller (within the Txampay’awkx these professions are always one and the same )
  
  
• Sailor/Trader (the Txampay’awkx generally do not send traders by Ikran, and Tlqsaytan Makto never serve as traders, thus the sailing arts and the trade arts are ever conjoined in this clan)
  
  
• Shipwright (specializes in kayak, canoe, long ship construction)
  
  
• Harvester (specializes in harvesting the few benign animal species, and most plant species, from the eastern sea floor)
  
  
• Sea-Hunter
  
  
  

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

An analysis of weaponry employed by the Tultxayo, Omaticatya, and the Txampay’awkx clans.

The bow vs. the spear.

This is a concept I embraced some years ago while playing a Paladin of Helm in AD&D (3.5 edition). The concept being that a bow, while an amazing weapon for terrestrial combat, is inherently useless within any other liquid medium. The Pally I was playing became an expert at the spear, able to employ this reach-weapon in virtually any environment with equal proficiency (and yes, I took the feats to represent this) and a high degree of skill. As he spent the majority of his career bouncing around the planes, even venturing into wildspace on several occasions, he found that this particular specialization was superior to the impressive skills of his ranger companion. Especially whenever they found themselves either underwater or on a plane where the physical laws made things react as if they were in a heavy liquid environment (which happened on a few notable stories).

It makes sense really. The only viable weapon for an aquatic melee is one that employs a straight/piercing motion, as anything with a slashing/hacking motion would only be slowed down by the resistance of the medium itself. This is why all effective weapons for use underwater are based upon a spear design (harpoon, trident, etc.). It gives reach as well as speed enough to deliver the improved damage that any weapon is intended to create in a wound.

A bow, in an aquatic environment, is totally useless. The kind of bow in use by the Na'vi, probably a composite recurve bow, derive a great deal of their energy from the tension of the string. In a primitive environment such as Pandora this string would be made of wound/braided sinew, a material that would lose significant tension storing power when soaked. To say nothing of the glues that would be used to laminate the disparate materials within the limbs of the bow. In the best case scenario this would only marginally reduce the effectiveness of a bows ability to produce power and velocity.

Then there is the resistance of the string moving through a liquid medium... this would also diminish the effectiveness of a bow.

Then there is the arrow itself. An arrow gains its accuracy from a spin imparted by the fletching at the base. This spin would only hamper movement in a liquid, and indeed bow-fisherman only aim for targets a few feet below the surface, and these are specially designed bows and arrows, used only for this purpose. They simply don't make a bow that is multi-role (terrestrial and aquatic mediums).

Which brings me back to the spear.

This seems to me a much better weapon for the Txampay’awkx to employ, as a matter of commonality, than the bow. It is a more ancient weapon, it is easier to manufacture and replace, and it simply fits in better with a clan that is as much at home in the waters as above. It is a multi-role weapon, a multi-purpose weapon (as it can be thrown or used in melee) if made the correct length, and proven in the field of battle for millennium here on Earth.

This is not to say that I think the Txampay’awkx abandon the bow, indeed, it would be the height of foolishness to believe such a thing. They are the Eastern Ikran Clan after all, and thus (my implied context) are hunters of the lands around their cliff homes as much as the seas. The bow is a more efficient ranged weapon, in the air at any rate. It has a far greater range, better damage capacity, and at least as much accuracy as the thrown spear.

However I would like to think the Txampay’awkx are NOWHERE near the equal of the Omaticaya nor the Tultxayo in this weapon. Why? Because the bow is a specialists weapon. It requires years to become proficient in such a specialized weapon, and years again to become an expert... let alone any kind of master.

Why would a clan, that divides its time between two very different environments, waste time on mastering a weapon that is only useful in one of those two environments?

They would still employ it, as a tool and weapon, but they should not be uniformly seen as experts in the bow. Certainly their skills should generally come under their jungle and plains counterparts.

Now, as to the spear, because they have more of a reason to utilize this weapon, I would like to think that their skills with that weapon far exceed (on the average) those of other clans. The spear, to the Txampay’awkx, should be what the bow is to the Omaticaya and the Tultxayo.

But that's just the way I see it.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Where is the Txampay’awkx (in comparison to the Omaticaya and/or the human colony)?

Based upon the research I've done, and the very few maps I've been able to find on Pandora, the distance (as the crow flies) between the site of the old Hometree and the Eastern Cliffs is, approximately, 2700 kilometers. Roughly that is 1678 miles.

Based on hypothetical flight characteristics of pterosaurs, which are believed to have been able to attain speeds of 120 km/hr flight (about 75 mph), once at altitude, and applying the same characteristics to a banshee (as data on their flight characteristics is painfully lacking), could make this journey in a little over 22 hours if flying non-stop. The pterosaur, as it is hypothesized, could travel such distances non-stop, so it seems plausible that banshee could make such a journey as well.

So, in ideal conditions, at maximum speed and without stopping, an Omaticaya can reach the Txampay’awkx within 22 hours.

Of course this is probably more likely to be accomplished in twice that time, to allow the banshee to rest, and allowing for atmospheric conditions and potential predator encounters. But that should give a baseline for how long it takes for a Na'vi, using a flying mount, to travel from one clan to the other.

The Tultxayo are roughly 900 km from the Omaticaya, and only 7.5 hours flight time from one another (at best speed), for those interested in the mathematics between those clans.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Numbers in the Txampay’awkx.

[edited becuase my math was WAYYYY off... heh heh]

I did some math today, as I was watching the movie again, and got some interesting numbers.

Jake collected fifteen clans under his banner, with a number somewhere around 2000 warriors. Allowing for a moderate fluctuation in the actual number of this population, that would be approximately 130 warrior per clan that attended. Accepting the fact that most adult Na'vi are hunters/warriors, I think assuming that this counts for 80% of the total population of each clan that was present is not unreasonable. Allowing for this that seems to indicate that the clans left 33 members back at each clan (the young, old, those with child, and those not skilled at warfare). Again, I think this number makes sense.

This means, on average, a clan will have around 163 members. This heavily supports the tribal nature that the Na'vi seem to embody, with a clan being linked by a familiar/biological basis as much as anything else. The number is large enough to allow for a decent spread of genetics but small enough to maintain a unified sense of genetic connection to a singular ancestor/figure.

Based upon this data I am under the assumption that the Txampay’awkx have a total population of around 300, as I prefer a number that is easy to work with.

Also with slightly inflated numbers there is an allowance for more player characters without having to start actually tracking family trees and genetic relationships back to only two prior generations.

They are a single clan, divided into 43 families, all sharing a genetic tie to a "founding couple" that is preserved in myth and song. This means each family is represented, at any one time, by 6.6 individuals.

Note that brothers may have the same blood affiliation, and may then establish their own families, but will still be seen as being a single family as opposed to two separate families. Which, in fact, means that the Txampay’awkx probably have something more like 27 recognized families... though the true number (of independent households) would be the aforementioned 43.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

The "Txampay’awkx Weave".

Virtually all members of this clan wear a woven netting of braided cord/cloth at the base of their tail (as offered in the Avatar Maker game). Though, most often, this is a flat tan coloration, some coloring is found.

Only the Olo'eyktan is permitted to wear a black dyed weave. Bleached white is generally reserved for either the Tsahik or the heir-apparent to the Tsahik. Other colors are possible and show certain prestige within the Txampay’awkx.

As this is not a clan that spends a great deal of their time in leisure activities, and thus lacks much by way of decoration, most clan members (barring the Olo'eyktan and Tsahik) wear uncolored clothing and sport only the basic tan Txampay’awkx Weave.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Food and a Clan's Social Aspect.

Was debating this over brunch today with my wife... how food is as much an influence on a society as it is an indication of the nature of said society.

As an example, a culture that has a diet influenced heavily by meat means it is a hunter, or perhaps a cattle/domesticated-herd-animal, society. This indicates a society that possibly has a harder time raising domesticated crops (or there is an economic reason to have a meat heavy diet) and thus turns more to the slaughter of animals for food stuff.

Likewise, a meat concentrated diet indicates a society that is well armed, and quiet possibly motivated strongly by a need to spread into nearby lands (for new hunting/grazing lands), and as such can be seen as having a more violent nature.

The Txampay’awkx are much like all other Na'vi clans, in that they are omnivores, and eat both plant and animal matter. All (currently experienced) Na'vi cultures are primitive hunter/gatherer societies, thus they don't practice any kind of agriculture, and they gain everything they need from the wild.

Thus I assume the Txampay’awkx hunt whatever small game animals are to be found in their territory. This would include, one would assume, some species of Hexapede (yerik), prolemuris
(syaksyuk - and lets not go into the "Na'vi wouldn't kill an animal that is so similar to them" diatribe - as that's dreadfully western and painfully misinformed regarding primitive tribal behaviors), several species of larger tapirus, and fresh water teylu. It would also include many species not detailed in the movie, and thus left for us players to define for ourselves.

I am opposed to the idea that the Txampay’awkx make the sturmbeest (talioang) anything of a regular hunt, as I would like to give the clans some independent distinction... much like only specific Native American tribes hunted the great buffalo. I assume they do occasionally hunt this herd animal, but given the bounty of a whole sea, I think it can be easily deduced that they would not requires such an animal, as there would be an analog that would be aquatic and thus make them independent of all other clans.

In addition to these meat sources the Txampay’awkx would hunt the sea, mostly the tidal zones and the close surf. This in an effort to avoid predation by beasts that are far more specialized for the aquatic world than even the specially adapted Txampay’awkx clan.

I am currently working on data for just a portion of these possible lifeforms... such food stuffs as the Blood Dagger (reypaytstal), the dangerous Blood Fang (srek’reypay), and Club Head (re’otxewk).

Also the Txampay’awkx would take from the forests similar plants for food stores. Things like the Lionberry and Bladder Polyp would be common within the clan. They would also harvest anything the sea would provide... and again I am working on data for a few of these aquatic sources of vegetation.

As the Txampay’awkx are a simple clan, with a hard environment in storm season, one can figure they a mix of plant and animal matter, shifting more to stored provisions when the weather makes hunting and gathering impossible... thus they must have perfected forms of preserving meat and storing grains/plants. Smoking would seem to be the most common form of meat preservation, though pickling (in sea brine) would also be fairly common.

Such pickling would also require techniques in throwing and drying ceramic storage vessels... which means that the Txampay’awkx would be potters as well as ship wrights. Needless to say I kind of like this potential, as again it further defines the clan and gives them their own aspect.

Having such a reliance on the hunt would also mean that much of their (limited) decorations would feature heavily in bone and other products of the hunt. Having a reliance on harvesting from the sea and the forest would mean that the clan would have to have a strong appreciation of seasonal change, and this would likewise be reflected in their rituals and ceremonies.

Amazing what one thinks about over a plate of scrambled/cheesy eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage, and whole wheat toast.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

The Tlqsaytan...

Image is of a Dunkleosteus, a Devonian period armored fish, made by dustdevil. The link to his Deviant Art hosting of the image is here... dustdevil.deviantart.com/art/Devonian-Jaws-146630180

Permission for use was sought but no response to the inquiry was ever received.

Image used without permission. Image will be removed if there is any violation of property laws or ethical mandate.



Note that the animal lacks the head-tentacle link that terrestrial creatures possess. This is not missing from the image... aquatic animals on Pandora (until Cameron himself states otherwise) do not possess this physical adaption. Tsaheylu is made through a bulb that lies beneath the armor plate and is accessed through a hinged armored flap on either side of the head. This is totally intentional and the drawing I was working on, based upon this picture, is virtually identical. There will be no "head-tentacle" on any aquatic lifeform I add to the Pandoran bioscape.

[HorusRe/Bila'reu]

Notes from some of the recent stories:

• 1. The Txampay’awkx regularly experience gale force hurricane winds, especially in the storm season. These storms sweep across the entire region and probably only stop around the floating mountains.
  
  
• 2. The storm season is one of only two real seasons on Pandora. The storm season and the calm season. I don't see any indication that the moon has an axial tilt, and the nature of being the moon of a luminous planet seems to invalidate the context of seasons being more complicated than what I've determined; thusly until Cameron stipulates otherwise I'll assume that the climate of Pandora is virtually uniform across the moon, and only changes in context of precipitation and storm-system activity for about half the counted year.
  
  
• 3. The Txampay’awkx, and probably all Navi, count time by the season, and don't recognize years in the same manner as humans would. Since counting from calm season to calm season (or storm season to storm season, depending on the disposition of the group) would be the same thing it stands to reason they wouldn't make much more of a distinction than that.
  
  
• 4. The Ikran of the Txampay’awkx are smaller than those of the Omaticaya, but are still an offshoot of the mountain species and not the jungle variation. They are also of a stouter body, and have evolved to deal with the hurricane winds of the regular storms that buffet the coast.
  
  
• 5. The Txampay’awkx engage in ritualistic hunts of the sea, and once or twice a storm season will perform the "Late Hunt", meaning the "late-season hunt". This is a clan affair, with virtually all the hunters of the clan participating, and it is tradition to go far out into the sea and hunt the largest, most dangerous game in the Pandoran seas. This is also a deep water hunt, so that makes it even more dangerous, as there is an ever constant threat of drowning. This ritualized hunt honors the local sea deity and often results in a loss of life for the hunters of the clan. The Txampay’awkx consider it an honor to "go into the deep" on such an occasion, as that indicates having been chosen to slate the blood lust of the sea goddess.
  
  
• 6. The Txampay’awkx worship a sea-goddess called T'weu, meaning the "deep sea". She is considered a capricious and potentially violent goddess, a daughter of Eywa, and is respected and feared by all the clan. Rituals performed in her honor always involve blood letting or offerings of animals hunted within her seas. During the storm season she is considered to be closest to the clan, slumbering lightly in the darkness of the deep while the calm season passes. This is why the clan marks time by the storm season, and not by the calm season. They attribute much of their stoic/dour/serious nature to being the chosen of this sea deity, and pattern much of their social norms based upon myths and legends regarding the goddess.
  
  
• 7. The Txampay’awkx alert each other through the use of horns made out of large shells, from sizable sea mollusk-like creatures. They have particular tones, known to all members of the clan, that indicate specific conditions. For instance they have a tone that is used to signal departure of a hunting party, the return of that party, a signal to gather for war, a tone that warns to prepare a defense against a raiding party, and similar such variations. These horns are generally carried by senior hunters, or war-party leaders, and can be heard for several kilometers.
  
  
• 8. The Txampay’awkx refer to death as "going into the deep" and, like most Navi, do not see the event as unfortunate. They believe that all life returns to the web of consciousness that IS Eywa, and is Pandora, and so only find temporary sorrow in losing a family member or mate. They believe that life is for the living, and that the living must continue to do so, not dwell among the shadows of the past like a scavenger along the sea bed.