The Qaltiar ("Broken Oath" in Elven)[3] are nomadic drow of Xen'drik connected to the Vulkoori, and known for their hatred for giants.[1][4][5]
Organization[]
The Qaltiar are a nomadic tribe of drow who despise giants[4] and actively hunt them.[5]
The Jalaq Qaltiar are but one of the Qaltiar tribes, and by 997 YK they were almost wiped out.[2]
Relationships[]
The Qaltiar have ongoing conflict with the giants, and with the Sulatar drow.[5]
- the Eberron novels.
The followers of Vulkoor see them as heretical because of their religion.[2]
History[]
Like other dark elves, the Qaltiar drow are the descendants of eladrin enslaved by the giants,[7] who decided to stay in the jungles of Xen'drik rather than flee with their kin to Aerenal.[8] Part of the Vulkoori in origin, they differentiate themselves from the larger culture by practicing a more pantheistic and animistic spiritual life.[1]
Society[]
A Qaltiar warrior helping in the fight against Colchyn the fey boar.
The Qaltiar are a culture of nomadic warriors who fight and kill giants.[5][9] They still retain traditions from the Vulkoori, such as tattooing themselves with a pale substance, the "sacred venom of Vulkoor", and training special warriors known as scorpion wraiths.[10][11]
- the Eberron novels.
The tribes travel constantly, looking for new prey and new enemies to defeat, reaching the point where drow mothers enter combat with their babies hanging on their backs so they don't have to stop.[2] They use ruins as shelter, and they only accept to share them with others sharing blood with them; they have a lot of respect for their community and family, passing their most valuable weapons to their younger relatives, and considering that only a Qaltiar can give actual orders to another. Among the members of the tribe it is considered acceptable to give someone suffering due to a wound or illness a quick and clean death, if there is no chance for them to recover. Their children are taught to fight since they are young, and often deprived from sight, so they know how to take advantage of their own darkness spell.[2] They also keep animal companions such as scorpions as pets.[3]
Religion[]
The Qaltiar believe that there are many spirits in the wild worthy of recognition, with their own names, attributions, and associated lessons. Vulkoor is thought to be but one among many of these spirits. They believe those entities are able to communicate with them in their minds.[1]
The “Qulashtaq,” or dream serpents, are considered sacred for the drow of Xen'drik.[12]
- the Eberron novels.
The known spirits they worship are:[2]
- Vulkoor, the Great Scorpion: The greatest among the spirits, represented as a ghost scorpion. He is seen as a deadly hunter and wise provider.[2]
- Hul'drac: Second only to Vulkoor in the eyes of some drow, and represented as a shifting panther. He is seen as a cunning hunter who uses guile to avoid harm.[2]
- Ko'molaq, the Keeper of Secrets: Represented as an immense, two-headed serpent. He collects knowledge about many things.[2]
- Kura'tra: Represented as a tilxin bird. Despite not being a predator, she is seen as a source of inspiration, a wise and cunning entity of great speed and keen senses like her associated animal.[2]
- The Wanderer: A spirit of chaos and change, not bound to flesh nor a specific form, representing a lesson that stays unknown until the very end, making those who survive it stronger.[2]
The Qaltiar drow live their lives in preparation for death, and among them it is believed that when they die they do not go to Dolurrh, but to "the testing grounds", a realm in which they can encounter the spirits they worship. After completing certain tests that involve facing powerful entities (such as the Huntsman) they can go to the Final Lands, an afterlife of warriors.[2] They also believe in reincarnation, and that even those outside their community can be tested after death and be reborn as Qaltiar.[3]
Notable Qaltiar[]
- the Eberron novels.
There are several Qaltiar tribes. The known members, from the Jalaq Qaltiar, were:[2]
- Shen'kar: Commander of one of the scorpion wraith squads.[2][3]
- Xu'sasar: Shen'kar's daughter. Last surviving scorpion wraith of the tribe, and the wielder of the Tooth of the Wanderer, a magical weapon.[2][3]
- Kulikoor: A chain-wielder scorpion wraith.[3]
- Uul'she: A scorpion wraith.[3]
- The Teller of Tales: A lorekeeper who told stories about the Final Lands and the fallen feyspire they called the City of Tears.[2][13]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
Since the ancestors of the Qaltiar rebelled against the giants, they don't use their language, but a dialect of Elven.[5][14]
- the Eberron novels.
At least among the Jalaq Qaltiar there are elements of non-verbal communication, such as clicking the tongue as a form of affirmation or confirmation.[2][3]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Keith Baker, Nicolas Logue, James Desborough, C.A. Suleiman (2008). City of Stormreach. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 123–124. ISBN 0-7869-4803-5.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Keith Baker (2006). The Gates of Night. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-4013-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Keith Baker (2006). The Shattered Land. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-3821-8.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 109–110. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Keith Baker, Nicolas Logue, James Desborough, C.A. Suleiman (2008). City of Stormreach. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-4803-5.
- ↑ Keith Baker (November 2009). Son of Khyber. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108. ISBN 0-7869-5234-2.
- ↑ James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Keith Baker, Luke Johnson, Steven Brown (2006). Player's Guide to Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 154. ISBN 0-7869-3912-5.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 109–114. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 73–74. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 130–133. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 77. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Keith Baker (2006). The Gates of Night. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 255. ISBN 0-7869-4013-1.
- ↑ See Keith Baker's comments about the Qaltiar and the giants.