Xotokians

Deep within the deserts that stretch within Achinos, Terripanos, and Doironi, there live a race of humanoids refered to as Xotokians. In their own language, they are really the Skoptobims, but, as with many things in Amythro, the Doiketian pronunctiation prevailed. 

They are a brave and hearty peoples suited for the scrub bush desert. Their full adult height is a mere two foot tall, but don't let their short stature deceive you, they are a fierce and relentless race. Their skin, or "hide" as the Doiketians refer to it, is tough as leather, and is structured in such a way that less than one drop of water is lost in a single day in the desert heat. The Doiketians mock them as "Podo-Xoto" in reference to their "hideous lizard feet."

Though the Doiketians have ruled cruely over the Xotokians, there is little ambition for revolution and autonomy. This is largely due to the luxuries that have come through Doiketian rule. Their native habitat had left Xotokians bereft of the ability to advance technologically, and as such, they have become dependent on trade with those who surround their territory. As such, they have relinquished sovereignty in favor of comfort and safety.

Garb

The Xotokians wear loose sheets of fine linen wrapped around themselves to protect them from both the heat and the sun. As part of their religious practice, they wear their ceremonial knives at all times and a spaulder over one shoulder.  To them, the shoulder is the center of one's power, and the knife is to be ready for any sacrifice necessary.

Homes and Traditional Architecture

Their homes, from the ground level, just looks like a hole that any other desert creature would dig for itself. However, this is because of their rights of passage. When a young Xotokian male turns 12, they hunt the Desert Dragons, and the home of the Dragon that they slay becomes their own place of residence. It is faux pas to widen or alter the opening in any way, since the stature of the dragon slain yields the social status of the slayer.

Underground, though, as many alterations as can be made are made. With the imported drilling equipment and chisels, the most elaborate tunnel systems and engravings there upon are created. Many times these engravings are hagiographic iconography about their own exaggerated accomplishments. Most importantly of all is the iconography in their bedroom which depicts their epic battle slaying the desert dragon in whose dwelling they now reside.

All of their structures are within the ground. In fact, because many of their homes are so close together, a network of tunnels leads between the houses and in those tunnels they set up their businesses. As this is the norm, the business districts are all connected with the first level down from the ground level, and the further down into the earth that a given room resides, it is considered more private and taboo for a non-family member to enter. Doors slide in and out from the walls, but always leave a gap above and below the door to promote airflow. 

Traditional Resources

Not far below the surface of the desert is an extensive network of copper veins. The Xotokians were amongst the first peoples of Amythro to develop bronze and brass. As such, their ceremonial knives are a special alloy of copper that shines blue in the desert sun. The alloy, known as neelobim, is prized as greatly as gold. The Xotokians guard the smelting process stronger than they guard their own lives. This secret process has been the saving grace that has kept the Xotokians from being utterly enslaved by the Doiketians.

The scrub bushes that are plentiful throughout their desert provide some of the most potent medicinal herbs in all of Amythro. Even the wood, which is the sole fuel for the Xeotokians, produces a smoke that both deodorizes and cleanses all sorts of infections after mere seconds of exposure. Because of their vast healing resources, the Xotokians have not shied away from various biological weaponry. It is commonplace to smear one's arrows with feces prior to engaging in battle.

Language

It took only two generations of Doiketian rule before their native tongue was completely wiped out from Amythro, and as news of this spread throughout the land, traditionalist groups sprung up amongst all other races of humanoids. After three generations, even their traditional name for themselves (Skoptobims), was only known in books held within Doiketian libraries.