Editing Thunderous Quake (section)

= 3 x 3 =

'''Breakdown:'''

* Coulritloxtec characters
** 13 Serpet (contact)
** 11 Wind (ally)
** 8 Deer (enemy) - this entry explains the other two
* Characters from Cala
** Connor Mala (contact)
** Ingoff Yokum Shri Takaow (ally)
** Heng Lin Shunbai (emeny)
* Characters from elsewhere
** Herncis (contact from Thorns region)
** Rufina Slamunta (ally from Kirighast)
** Laerk Pontasliefr (enemy from Pangu)


== Contacts ==
'''13 Serpent "Turquoise Moon"'''<br>
13 Serpent is the daughter of 6 Lizard and 11 Wind, 12 Quake's half brother. 12 Quake helped to raise her and taught her much of valor and bravery, combat, and how to interpret the mark of days. She eventually married her own half uncle 8 Deer in an attempt to form a political alliance. She is Coulritloxtec.

'''Connor Mala''' <br>
Once he found himself near the great city of Cala, Popotla had learned enough of the realm's language to converse with some of the people he encountered. Connor was an elderly peasant on his way into Calin with hopes of selling some of the amber sculptures he'd carved. Popotla carried the old man and his wares for many miles of near-constant chatter. Though Popotla found the litany of beautiful women he'd bedded, fantastic places he'd been, and ghosts he'd trapped in his hat annoying, it was a great learning experience for Popotla, who needed more exposure to the language.

'''Herncis''' <br>
A traveling merchant who Popotla spoke with not far from Thorns. More intrigued than intimidated, Herncis was eager to trade a few supplies to Popotla in exchange for some protection from wild beasts while on the road, and what tales he could tell. Herncis was particularly interested in tales of Denandsor, once he assumed Denandsor must have been the great silent city through which Popotla had traveled.

== Allies ==
'''11 Wind "Bloody Jaguar"'''<br>
11 Wind is 12 Quake's half brother and the king of the city "Xipe's Bundle", also known as Red and White Bundle, or Xipemoutequetla. This is a Coulritloxtec city.

'''Ingoff Yokum Shri Takaow''' <br>
Yokum is an influencial blacksmith in Cala, and is a celebrated weaponsmith. For a time, Popotla worked for him as a hired assistant, still unsure of how to deal with his new and dangerous power. During his time in Cala Popotla attempted to use his work as a smith to change the course of events for people he saw as downtrodden, but soon realized that his efforts would always be limited by the scope and location of his responsibilities.

'''Rufina Slamunta''' <br>
Rufina is a very young female terrestrial from Kirighast. Mahtlak-om Popotla discovered her weeping and wailing in an alley where he was hiding. He could not understand her language, but she gibbered on, pointing into an adjoining alley. Thinking she was being chased by some Fair monster, he drew his great macuaham and charged around the corner that she indicated. Instead of finding a monster, he found two men already engaged in bloody battle. 

Just then, one got the better of the other, and with the young girl's scream, he knew who her monster was. With two great steps, he swung hard and knocked the assailant out of the way of the prone figure. She came to this one's side, weeping still but obviously happy, just as the assailant rebounded and came at Popotla with all he had. Having never fought a Dragonblooded exalt before, Popotla brought all his might to bear and crushed the man. Now glowing brightly, he turned back to the two lovers and heard the word "Anathema" for the first time. It stuck with him because of the look of horror on their faces as they said it... and then screamed it. Not that it would have mattered, everyone within a hundred yards could see the silver glow from that alley. 

Hearing the rising commotion, she realized that they had just condemned the giant man who helped them. She said what Popotla realized later meant she was sorry, and they lead him into another alley and pointed out of town. It took a rising mob behind them for him to realize why they pointed that way, and though he made it out of town eventually, half of the terrestrials of that district of Kirighast know his unmistakable face.

What he couldn't understand is that the man he killed was her betrothed. Though the arrangement was beneficial for the Slamunta family, Rufina was still young enough to crave love over duty and attempted to run away with her young lover. Popotla interrupted her betrothed attempting to stop their illicit tryst by talking some sense into the young man who professed to love her. They'd only drawn weapons because the younger man was frightened and romantic enough to think he'd die for his love. Rufina feels guilty for not helping Popotla more, but she paid a sort of penance when she met her new husband-to-be and realized how good the dead exalt whom Popotla had killed actually was by comparison. Thankfully he plans a very long engagement, unlike her first, which allows her plenty of time to mature into womanhood and learn to accept her situation.

Rufina and Popotla don't know each others' names, but would certainly know each other by sight.


== Enemies ==
'''8 Deer "Jaguar Claw"'''<br>
12 Quake's half brother is 8 Deer, of the Jaguar Claw family (Iya Nacuaa Teyusi Ñaña). They shared a mother, 9 Eagle “Cocoa-Flower”, queen of Tecamatxalco. 8 Deer is a bloody-handed warlord in control of more clans of the Coulritloxtec than any one warlord in a hundred years. 12 Quake chose to leave Coulritloxa, in part, because of conflicts with 8 Deer. ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Deer_Jaguar_Claw reference]) Once the two brothers were faithful war companions, working to unite the various cities of Coulritloxa, when 8 Deer's greed pitted him against his own family.

8 Deer's half sister, 6 Lizard "Jade Fan", was born on an extremely auspicious day when considered with the conjunction of her family line, patron god, and birth order. This, to the Coulritloxtec, is akin to being the most beautiful and chaste woman in the world. When she came of age, 8 Deer made 6 Lizard his lover, and pledged (though some claim "threatened") to marry her. She instead chose to marry 8 Deer's archenemy 11 Wind “Bloody Jaguar”, the king of the city "Xipe's Bundle", also known as Red and White Bundle, or Xipemoutequetla. 11 Wind is 12 Quake's half brother through their father who, along with the other lords of Xipe's Bundle had rights to the throne of Tilantongo and were therefore the most important rivals to 8 Deer's power.

This caused 8 Deer to see 12 Quake as a rival to his own power, or at least as a threat because of his association with 11 Wind. Things came to a head before 12 Quake left Coulritloxa for the mists of the Wyld. Seeing his departure as a weakening of his own power base, 11 Wind agreed to allow his daughter 13 Serpent to marry 8 Deer (she, being the daughter of 6 Lizard as well, would therefore be 8 Deer's half niece).

'''Heng Lin Shunbai''' <br>
Heng is a beurocrat in Cala. Popotla's backward barbaric ways were a cause of much grief for the rigid and bombastic Heng. Popotla refused to work on a chastity belt for Heng's daughter one day because it was a day of fertility, and the gods of crafting were waning during the same conflux of destruction and weakness ascending and invoking the power of mischief. It was risky to create anything of importance on such a day, but an item meant to be worn comfortably by a young lady in order to maintain her moral purity was simply far too delicate. This put off the schedule for her dress fitting, which required rescheduling of the flower accompaniment, which of course delayed installation of the pond and fountain system. Needless to say, her mogi, the coming-of-age ceremony, had to be delayed a full day, putting it on the day of her 13th birthday instead of the day before, causing much emberassment to Heng's family. When Heng vowed to kill Popotla for what he had done, he instead chose to leave on the next outbound merchant ship.

'''Laerk Pontasliefr''' <br>
Laerk is from Pangu, and is a member of the Immaculate Order. When Rufina's betrothed was killed by Popotla in Kirighast and the commotion was stirred, some reports drifted back to one of the Order's spies. Laerk has been seeking more information about the ashen-skinned giant and his people, and may have information about other Coulritloxtec who have survived the descent through the Mists of Chaos. Laerk would not have heard of Popotla if it were not for him being a solar exalt, but Laerk's primary desire is for knowledge, and will stop at nothing to obtain it.

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