Reptile Woods: History and Rumors
The Reptile Woods are the home to many of the more horrible and darker denizens of the island. Colonies of spiders inhabit the trees, while najashanian inhabit the forest's lower regions. Warm springs of water bubble up to the surface in many parts of the woods, causing quagmires of hot black mud which heat the air and fill it with a faint sulphuric smell.
The woods have always been home to various communities of najashanian who grew in number as they adapted to the land in which they dwelt over time. For much of their past, the najashanian seem to have resided in relative peace, eking out a primitive living in the woods. However, eventually they began to clash with the early centaur clans on the island and also the pixie clans around Horseshoe Lake.
Over time the najashanian forged a name for themselves and the centaur and liontaur clans regarded the Reptile Woods with a greater wariness. Several pixie clans around the lake were wiped out entirely and the rest fled, and have only recently begun to recolonize the far banks of Horseshoe Lake.
In the 11th century, many years after the pixies had fled from their Horseshoe Lake homes, a najashanian shaman stumbled across a mysterious black stone buried deep in the woods. It was smooth and circular in shape and made from a strange metal. Whether through divine insight, fate, or a brilliant stroke of luck, the shaman discovered a means of summoning creatures into his realm through the use of this strange object. Using his dark shamanic magic, the shaman unwittingly called forth a creature which called itself Riz'tik'nordek; Lord of a Pit of Endless Strife, who was very interested in the shaman,'or rather in the souls it could gather.
As Riz'tik'nordek looked very much like a najashanian, with his cobra-like head and black-scaled body, the shaman believed him to be a god.
The shaman agreed to sacrifice some of the lives of his people in order to summon more "gods" to the place. With the deal done, Riz'tik'nordek was able to summon several of his minions before the object melted into slag. Riz'tik'nordek then ordered the shaman to bring more of his people to him, so that his minions could multiply. It was done, and the creatures injected their hosts with eggs that soon hatched.
During this period, Riz'tik'nordek taught the Black Claw clan of najashanian the arts of war and began to build up their military strength. Eventually, with the aid of their allies, the Black Claw clan began to assimilate the other clans in the Reptile Woods, using many of these assimilated newcomers as hosts for the eggs of the Pit creatures.
When Riz'tik'nordek felt they were ready, they also began to make forays from the Reptile Woods into the lands of the centaurs and the fey. The first forays were a resounding success, and soon they began to consider how to extend their reach even further.
As the Black Claw army spread further outside of the Reptile Woods, the centaurs, liontaurs and fey of the island began to make plans to combat them. The Black Claws spread out further and further until the combined centaur, liontaur and fey armies challenged them from across the River of Floods.
The final, inevitable clash was a mighty confrontation and both armies suffered heavy losses. However, the Pit dwellers seemed to fare much better than the other races; it was their najashanian servants who suffered the most. It was then, while Riz'tik'nordek held a meeting with some of his senior servants and najashanian, that Grovewarden Thunderhoof and a group of hand selected warriors infiltrated the camp under guise of magic. The Grovewarden and his companions slew the Pit Lord and most, if not all, of those in the meeting before they themselves were slaughtered by the enraged najashanian. Without adequate leadership, the najashanian army fell to fighting amongst themselves for supremacy. None managed to win the allegiance of enough of the fractured factions within the army, and the remaining najashanian leaders returned to the Reptile Woods with their own contingents.
Since that time the najashanian have mostly fought amongst themselves, as their usual hierarchy shattered when Riz'tik'nordek and many of their leaders were slain. In last few decades the Black Claw clan has once again established itself as a dominant clan with the help of its leader, chief Zurzis, and his adviser Hozrik.
