Fiction Xolek-Zi, The Lost.*Edited first entry to include a little more backstory*

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Starting with Detailing the months or weeks before Xolek stumbles upon the Camp/Ruins of the RPG that is under the command of the Star Seer Izqux

Xolek-Zi: Skink Oracle

Description: A bit larger than other Skinks Xolek has dark obsidian black scales with a cascading sunset of oranges, reds, and dark pinks that transforms into the color of the rising full moon down his side. Aside from his odd coloration the skink also has a tail that splits into three with feathers all adorned with 2 orbs each towards the ends, he stands out where ever he goes. Although not the most graceful of tacticians Xolek-Zi makes up for it with his agility, quick mind and quicker blade work along with his magical prowess when needed.

Xolek-Zi is a smart, sarcastic, lustrian medical plant loving skink who loves to eat when not in the thick of battle. Often alone he isnt great at conversation, making group efforts awkward and often done in a smokey haze has his Twin Tailed Serpent pipe is often Lit even when in battle.

While in battle laughing is often heard as the Oracle slaughters all around him, smoke and flame erupting from his pipe and the feathers of his headdress covered in the blood of fallen foes. Hoping that with more kills and sacrifices given a vision will be given to him once again...

Temple City of Origin: Axlotol

Primary Old Ones Worshipped: Sotek, Tepok

Melee Weapon: One 1h machauitl carried on the skinks back and a whip with obsidian edges. His tri split tail has thagomizers made of metal and Obsidian on them

Ranged Weapon: Blow Pipe

Back Story -

Dark clouds ascend above a ruined city, wind creeps through the crumbling buildings while it speaks whispers to any who would listen. Lightning flashes above with thunder crashing soon after, four skyward reaching pillars are shown for a moment before disappearing into the dark once more. Red eyes from the black look up, lightning again illuminating the sky, nothing but clouds can be seen from below. High above however four godlike beings sit atop their pillar throwns meditating and gazing upwards at the stars above, all in separate directions.

Below sat many spawning pools, all of which had last been used over a thousand years ago sat quiet, large fish and other animals about the the swamp grass and cattails growing from them. Slowly something different began to take place, steam began to rise from the most central spawning pool. Fish begin jumping out of the water trying to find relief, the lucky few jumping into neighbouring spawning pools. Soon boiling with the heat of a volcano the pool turns a dark black, and then a bright red to a purple and finally to a moon silver. It was then that the first Mage Priest took his gaze off the stars and peered down, and at that moment a gargled scream let out...which was then followed by the chittering of skaven...and then silence.

All aroused from their meditation all four mage priests descend from their pillars through the storm clouds and mist, their protective barriers burning bright as the storm crashes against it. As they get closer to the ground all they see are dead skaven and serpents everywhere, though serpents they had not seen before. Attributing it to Sotek the Mage Priests evoke his name and soon after come across a single skink, his markings unique but not entirely visable, all they can make out is the black of his scales with what looks to be rays of light on his side and a tail split not twice but three times. Naming him Xolek-Zi, the slanns determine him to be a Oracle of Sotek before returning to the tops of their pillars...though his coloring and tail strange...perhaps pointing to a spawning of another....

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A strong breeze from the ocean blows onto the shore, the large white caps from waves crashing onto the shore. Broken wood, barrels of a far off land, and other random objects including a blunt club lay amongst part of a ship that liters the sand up and down the beach. Large ocean birds circle above although there are no bodies but one, a lone skink. In the sun his black scales bake to a heat that delicate flesh would burn to the touch. The cascading bright yellow to bright orange pattern down the skinks side reveal a half buried tail, though vaguely showing from the sand covering most of it. A belt of Stegadon leather wrapped around the skinks hips is visible, many pouches made of animal hides, and a ceremonial dagger hang from it. As birds circle above a few glide down next to the body and begin investigating the wood and objects around before one gets the whiff of flesh baking in the sun.

*Peck, Peck, Peck* A sharp beak taps against hard back scale, the skink doesn’t move as the bird continues to investigate moving down to softer flesh, eventually finding the buried tail which had feathers and blue orbs around it. Using its large talons, it beings to dig up the sand around the tail, still no movement can be detected from the body and the bird begins pulling at the tail hungrily. More birds begin to swoop down, looking and pecking at everything that was scattered about the beach, a few approach the body. In a fury of feathers, sharp talons and loud calls the original bird displays his dominance over the body. Bright red and purple chest feathers pop out while a headdress of long vibrant feathers shake violently. The birds of about shoulder height to a skink begin flocking in outnumbering the finder, one grips the leg of the skink, little teeth digging into flesh. Out of no where the forked tail of the skink shoots upwards looking for its target, finding the birds neck it begins to strangle the bird. The obsidian black scaled head rises, a pained look on its face. In a panic the bird opens its mouth freeing the leg but the tail only further constricts until finally slamming the head down onto the sand. With agility the lizardman gets to his feet only to notice no less than ten birds around him. Arming himself with his dagger in one hand he thrusts down into the chest of the bird as a panicked look enteresthe predator’s eye, a large screech following. Standing up bracelets paying homage to Sotek are seen on the wrists, a smile cracks wide showing two large canines. The birds sensing a bigger fight than they bargained for squawk angrily at the bloodied lizardman, who only returns a chilling laugh. Once the birds are out of sight the skink collapses under what was once a crows nest, darkness consumes him.

Waking hours later, all that can be felt is the soreness of bones and muscle as a barely open eye peers out of the broken wood, memories began to rush into his mind, what was his name? He could not remember, “I was on a ship..” he thought to himself, looking about he saw what remained of an exotic ship, markings of a far off Temple City carved onto eastern jungle red wood. Getting up a bright smile lights up, “Xolek! Xolek-Zi!” remembering his name and saying it out loud felt good, slowly more and more memories began to pour in. His Spawning, his name, the fact that he was an Oracle of Sotek and then the vision, the vision from Sotek himself. A great beast and a powerful artefact, one in the swamps of Lustria the other in a ruined temple, but he could not recall where. Standing tall the jungle meets him head on to the south , to the west down the beach a great swamp, looking in either direction he sighs, dried blood covering him. “Guide me” Closing his eyes Xolek meditates a moment before heading west towards the Pirahana swamps as if being pulled there.
After a few miles of walking the Oracle looks out to sea and notices a large Island, and then the two canoes flanking a larger river boat approaching him.

 

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The ships arrive on the coast in front of Xolek, the skink looks curiously on at the decorations of the larger ship, some he thought he had seen before. Large Feathers that seemed to beam with energy, carved symbols in a strange language, but most noticeable was the gigantic totem in the center depicting a giant Serpent and a Jaguar fighting a Rat like creature: in the wind a large sail with a giant Jaguar with a crown of the flower Blue Paradise on it. The oracle can feel the eyes of who approaches him from the ship on him, spears and other weapons similar to what lizardmen would use are in clear sight, the oracle seeing the odds against him begins to run towards the swamp that is only 300 yards away. About twenty what he would now realize to be female warmbloods were now rowing their canoe after him, oars hitting the water with powerful strokes. The ship traveling faster and faster begins to catch up as four long haired humans jump out, their clothing that of fur and leather, jaguar headdresses adorning the warriors now chasing him. Knowing he wont reach the swamp Xolek turns sharply south towards the jungle, right as he is within reach, four bear sized jaguars with riders adorned with the same headdresses ontop of them leap out of the jungle, two with spears and the other two with bows armed with poision tipped arrows. With no where to run the oracle stops in his tracks and turns, the 4 warmbloods behind him were soon to be upon him, all wielding obsidian bladed macahuitl’s. Letting out a large sigh pure exhaustion sets in, dropping to his knees the skink bows his head in submission, putting both of his arms out to the side, the 4 women behind him now taking his arms and legs and lifting him up and begin taking him back towards the canoe that was now accompanied by the two other boats. Looking around Xolek notices a few interesting things, first of which being a line of skaven slaves tied to one of the giant cats, in that moment a scream lets out as one of the slaves is shot in the leg, being forced to limp as the poison sets in. looking at the river boat Xolek notices a warmblood dressed differently than all the rest, her elaborate headdress of gold that had luminous colored feathers, two of which gleamed with seemingly magical energies. Dressed in a delicate feathered like snake leather and soft cloth dress, gold chains and necklace, she looked like a Priestess of some sort. In her hand a large bow, larger than the others and a polearm next to her, she glanced at the Oracle and then pointed while shouting a command. Soon the larger boat comes close enough to the shore that a large stair is lowered onto the shore and carried aboard Xolek questions his fate.

On the ship the skink sees no less than 40 warmbloods on board, all going about the various duties assigned to them, all of them giving the lizard a look, most curious. The warmbloods around him are heard speaking, and to his surprise Xolek can understand them, but how? “Split Tail” he heard and then “Why is it split in three? It does not look mutilated” and finally “Why did we not just kill it?” Xolek still in the grasp of the four warriors could do nothing but listen. Walking down the staircase that connected the two levels, the woman who pointed at Xolek approached, her stomach and hips visible through the thin cloth. The warriors without warning drop Xolek from midair sending him down to the ships deck, his face crashing into wood soon followed by his legs.

“Get it to its feet” a beautifully calming voice rang out, “Get it some water” soon a ladle of cold water was before him, first his reptilian lips touched it, then his forked tongue…and then in rather large gulp the water was gone but soon a second and then a third was before him. Before long Xolek felt his mind coming back to him, and then with a rush of cold water over his body his nerves sprang back to life as he was now fully aware even in his exhausted state. Feeling no one gripping him the skink looks about him and then to the woman in front of him

“I am Kelira of the Amazons, High Warrior Priestess of the Feathered Serpent and Huanchi, you are an Oracle of Sotek, messenger and warrior of the Serpent God. Your Mandate is to rid these jungles of Xa'kota…and we have many” turning to the front of the boat Kelira begins to walk, the warriors behind Xolek push him forward as he refuses to follow. “What Temple City did you spawn from?” curiously asking probing for information.

“Xiuhcoatl, the birth place of fire and serpents” after moments of silence and a jab to the stomach the Oracle answers, his voice a deep kroak turning into a series of chirps and clicks.

“I do not know of this Temple City…where about in Lustria is it? The West? Do you come from the Sentinels of Xi?” the High Priestess voices tone suggesting she has figured it out

Again refusing to speak the guards around Xolek beat him until a raised hand commands them to stop, “You will tell me the truth I demand, willingly or not, Oracle of Sotek….the Feathered Serpent in its wisdom has ways to draw it out” in a foreign tongue Kelira shouts commands before leaving Xoleks sight, soon the skink is dragged back down the stiars to a holding area below. Open cages hanged below the boat, this is where the skaven were taken and now Xolek amongst them in his own cage. Waves of water crashing against all of them, in one corner of a larger cage ten slaves cower together trying to keep warm. Xolek notices one of the slaves face first in the water that keeps breaching, an arrow in the leg still he realizes the skaven met its end from the poison. Looking forward the large Island that was once in the distance was now upon them, and what looked like a protected cove.

Entering the half moon shaped cove it connected to a river that went further inland, the small jungle that covered the island was now all around them. In the distance a large settlement atop higher ground, tops of high walls and towers can be seen dotting the tree line. Flowers, berry bushes and other vegetation dot the rivers shore on either side, large beasts are seen drinking from the shore. A large call is cried out, “Ahead!” the boat shifts to its port side sharply, soon after Xolek notices many broken logs in the river, but then they seemed to move. Soon rising out of the water a large scaled creature with a peculiar mouth revealed itself, in its maw a large catfish the size of a saurus struggling to get free. Standing on three of four legs, the large beast uses a large sickled claw to hook the catfishes mouth shut before small grippers from within the mouth begin to pull the fish further in. looking at the boat the beast submerges into the river, the frame of a cat fish showing in the large sac connected to its neck.

Now coming up to the high walls and towers dotting them, bridges behind them within the city are visible above the wall connecting for faster movement. Archers can be seen on the walls looking down at them, the doors open, within the city there are women walking around everywhere, some with spears on patrol, others with parchments as they write, still others with fish from the river’s mouth, all happenings of the city were going on around them. Small Temples Lined the outside of the city to less revered Old Ones, in the middle three great Ziggurats stood in the middle with three Temples ontop, one to Rigg the Outcasr, one to Huanchi and another to Topek the Feathered Serpent. Docking at a large river port, Xolek is lifted out of the cage he was in by two strong hands. Soon as he was walking off the boat heard the screams of the skaven slaves as the amazon warriors use crude neck harnesses to lift the skaven out of their cage. A splash is then heard, looking back the skink sees the dead skavens body…and then a large carnivorous head taking it below the rivers surface, and then blood. Being led by Kelira and what looked to be her personal guard, Xolek notices they are not headed to the central ziggurats, but in the direction of the opposite side of the city through what looked to be a market of sorts. Looking back, he noticed the skaven slaves being taken to the center of the settlement towards the towering ziggurats.

 

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Entering a market area, carts and small booths with all different kinds of fruits, meats and many other trade able goods lined an outer. Amazons were seen bartering with one another, the skink looked while they walked trying to pick up of any words he could or any cultural gestures. Fine cloth was being laid out in front of patrons as they inspected the quality, out of the corner of his eye he saw something he did not think he would see, a slave market consisting of captured raiders it seemed. Warmbloods from all over were being measured and sized, one he recognized to be a Bretonnian, and rage filled him. He remembered the blasphemy of Bretonnians eating Slann legs as a delicacy in their royal courts, “Old Ones Strike him down” he thought to himself. He then noticed a familiar sight, a Kroxigor. In strong chains and surrounded by 10 amazons, the Kroxigor’s head hanged low as if in defeat, wounds both fresh and old scaring the reptile. Looking at the Kroxigor head on the Oracle noticed he also had black scales with a pattern of Sotek green and white trim. As they passed the slave market the words “Good Fighter” rang in the oracles ear, he hoped they did not speak of his kin.

Getting closer to what was now clear to be a fortress of sorts and inside it a temple, the group enters what could only be training grounds for warriors. Xolek tried to remember the training grounds of his Temple City, the memories of skinks training beasts or with Kroxigors to practice menuvours. He recalled the Saurus only joining once the Skinks and Kroxigors had mastered their own movements, the Saurus warriors impatient with mistakes as they were spawned for war and thrived in all its aspects. This was different Xolek decided, all the warriors seemed to train together, no matter their station. Xolek watched as Amazons on Jaguars practiced how to fire while moving or attacking a target together. The amazons showing great agility and precision in each arrow strike or thrust of their spears, the Oracle impressed takes note. Noticing another Jaguar rider, this one standing up with ease while her Jaguar runs towards a fake target, she shoots her bow, while yet another is slung on the side of the giant cat as she slices through a target. Walking a bit further a warrior dressed in giant eagle wings and a headdress throws two spears one after another at a fellow eagle warrior who blocks the first and dodges the other before returning a throw of her sword. More Amazons were fighting in an arena, practicing 1v1 and even 1v4 combat. One such skirmish was taking place, so impressed that Kelira stopped to watch and the group with her. A female surrounded by 4 others took a defensive stance, deflecting any attempt to unarm or otherwise subdue her, even blocking arrow shots with her shield and machuitl. Finall taking a more aggressive approach the single warrior until pinned the last to the ground with her obsidian blade drawn to the throat. Kelira claps and lets out a laugh, “Very good!” the warrior bows, a large smile quickly fades to a warriors stern face. The spar begins again as 2 more warriors are added, the group walks away as 2 challengers are subdued in almost one action.

Looking up he noticed Terradon riders be lead by… a Coatl? Shocked he could not take his eyes off the mesmorizing serpent flying through the air on its vibrant colored wings, the winds of magic seeming to flow off of them.

“As you can see, the skies above as well as the ground you walk on are watched well and in strength, do not try to run away or you will end up like any other invader onto our lands” Kelira called back, her headdress flowing in the breeze that came from a large port that opened up to a cove on the northside of the Island.

Xolek thought of this and decided he would heed her words, though escape had never entered his mind. Seeing Skaven and the High Priestess knowing his own title, the skink thought that perhaps she had plans for him. To him that was just fine, as long as he was fed and given rest, the enemies of the Skaven would be his allies, and he would find a way to free the Kroxigor that he had seen; such strength could not go unnoticed.

Coming up to the fortress wooden stakes were poking out from the ground ready to impale any who ran into them. A large wall of ancient stone was infront of them with the fortress gate open, heavily armed guards stood watch not flinching as they passed. The river flowed through this area, a bridge connected to the other side, walking over it Xolek noticed large bodies in the water. Large gentle creatures appeared on the surface, seemingly gliding through the waters, even turning onto their backs and showing their flippers out of the water. One of the Amazons looks at Xolek, "A male once called them 'River Cows'" pointing at the blubberous mass infront of them, "They are gentle creatures, one of the few in these jungles, their saftey is in numbers" the full herd now around them, numbering over 100.

Turning towards the Temple Xolek is taken to a side entrance as Kelira goes up the main flight of stairs towards the pinnacle. Only upon looking up at the last moment before entering the building did he notice that she infact went to a different area about midway up the pyramid on a side ramp. Inside cool air greets his sweaty skin, fire from torches light the way. Entering a room Xolek looks about him, he knows where he is, and soon enough he is thrown into a holding cell...