WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK 0044 0044
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is hard to see from an individual point of view, however,
and many banished Cold Skins carry with them justifiable bitterness and hearts heavy with betrayal and resentment.
Regardless of the initial incentives that moved them
farther out into Khitus, most wandering Cold Skins desire
to bring greater prosperity back to their homelands. They
seek new ideas, new materials, new methods, and new
technologies—anything they can copy and bring home
to use or teach others. Racial unity gnaws at them, even
those treated most unfairly. The wanderers are insatiably
curious, often poking their snouts into places they may
not be welcome. They skulk around, watch patiently, analyze, and quietly contemplate. They ask questions, seek
counsel and instruction, and are willing to pay for these
privileges. An emergent Oritahl is drawn to what he has
never seen before and does not yet understand.
Customs & Culture
Where the emergent find their greatest challenge,
though, is within the existing intelligent hierarchy of
their native village. Cold Skin societies have the trappings of a cooperative agricultural existence, but are
often far more primitive than human agrarian settlements. Change is slow and, as the harbingers of their
own societies, the emergent change what they may
without inciting wrath or fear among their brethren.
All in a village or settlement share the work and responsibility for the good of the community, with certain
numbers assigned to specific roles for plowing, planting,
harvesting, sorting, and storing produce. Among the earliest accomplishments by the Oritahl were the building
and use of storage structures (like grain bins) and tools
(like the plow and scythe) to increase and improve their
farming. These Classic Age changes made the Daragkarik
and others mark Oritahl as undeniably intelligent.
More recent emergent advances and ideas, which take
hold slowly and sporadically across their common culture, include common defense (including militias as
well as defensive fortification and tactical settlement
planning), general education, and a sense of justice for
the individual.
Cold Skins continue to struggle with their changing
nature:
• Emergent Infanticide: Infanticide against suspected emergent newborns is not uncommon, driven
by jealousy and entrenchment; the need for more
thinkers in each society to help it grow, survive, and
compete is not obvious to most Cold Skins.
• Stubbornness: Cold Skin stubbornness runs deep
among village elders and, like humans, they can
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act for self-serving reasons to the detriment of the
group at large.
• Challenges to Emergents: Bright youngsters must
persevere to find their place among society’s decision makers without upsetting long-established
patterns of power and stability. Public outrage
grows slowly among the dim-witted populations,
and they’re more apt to be angry at being shown
their stupidity than in listening to any changes
suggested by bright Cold Skins who push too hard
for change.
Cold Skins & Weaponry
Cold Skins have mastered metalworking in the past
century and more than a few can make bronze, iron, or
steel blades and fittings. They can arm themselves with
swords and spears, like humans and Pachyaur, but their
use remains uncommon at best. Oritahl show an acute
reliance on their own teeth and claws over supplemental weapons. This is not a simple preference, such as a
human warrior choosing to use unarmed combat. Even
the most intelligent Cold Skins struggle to break their
visceral dependency on innate weaponry, regardless of
how effective other weapons might be. Choosing to use
manufactured arms and armor requires a distinct and
conscious effort. Cold Skins have high regard for any of
their number who can use such equipment without apparent effort. Escaping their tendency to settle matters
with bared claws is a remarkable achievement.
Rumors & Whispers
Cold Skins have long turned inward to survive and
grow on the fringes of the world. Now, they turn outward to persevere and endure the changing times and
the racial hatred they face on nearly all fronts. Without
meaning to upset any balances, the mere fact that the
Oritahl now have voices and interests outside of fringe
lands angers many and fuels more than a few unfortunate frictions and ugly rumors.
• Especially along the frontiers, outsiders harass or
attack burgeoning communities, hoping to “make
their lizard kind disappear.”
• How the Oritahl can eventually grow must come
from outside their realms, in what they can observe,
steal, and copy. They can be collectively imitative,
and whatever succeeds for one settlement can
spread quickly among their villages.
• Some (but not all) Gare Attessa claim that Oritahl
curiosity is a mask concealing overt spying and espionage, seeking to undermine human strength
and power by stealing their secrets and technology.
