Savonne

The Savonne are a race of scaled humanoids native to Bophan Mountains. Originally a nomadic tribe of Bophans, the Savonne produced a leader named Rodos who went on to unite tribes of Bophans and establish the city of Tarnwick. The Savonne of the House of Rhodes have ruled in Tarnwick since Rodos established the city for generations. In addition to having members of the species be part of the ruling dynasty, they have a close relationship with the Sporeborn, with many members of the house accepting the Fungus at some point in their life.

Biology and Appearance
The Savonne are humanoids with pairs of curved scaled horns on the sides of their heads and intricate patterns of scales across their body that can cover patches of skin all the way from their heads down to their ankles. They are otherwise indistinguishable from standard humans with flesh of varying pigments and other features found on humans with no strange characteristics.

Scales on Savonne vary in color, which are passed down from parents to their children. These colors are sometimes used to quickly identify a Savonne’s familial affiliation. The horns found on the sides of their heads grow as they age, with younger Savonne’s small horns growing each year. Accessories are sometimes used just as any other piece of jewelry on these horns.

Savonne are able to reproduce with other humanoid species, although their characteristic scales and horns are lost after a few generations when they do.

History
Before the Bophanites, Savonne were seldom found outside of the Bophan Mountains. Their numbers were small, making their homes high up in the mountains, only coming down to gather and hunt. They were well suited for these extreme conditions, able to keep warm even at the snowy peaks of the mountain range. Like many primitive Bophan tribes, they were nomads, leading to a scarce historical record. Cave paintings depicting figures similar in appearance to the Savonne with their horned heads are scattered throughout the Bophan Mountains, although most of these have been eroded and are indecipherable.

The tribes maintained an oral tradition for generations before settling Tarnwick, which early scholars used to record Savonne legends and folklore. According to them, the Savonne were once simple nomadic humans. They lived along rivers, rested in caves and grottos, like many of the other human Bophan tribes. Where their characteristic scaled features come from is where some tribes of Savonne differed. Two stories were most prevalent in describing this, with both of them telling the story of a chief and his tribe entering a cave for shelter, going deep into the cave to protect themselves from a raging storm. The cave opened up as they proceeded through it until they came across an egg covered in scales. From here the two stories diverge. The Savonne of Rodos’ tribe say that while they were seeking shelter in the cave, the egg hatched and a black dragon appeared. The tribe then raised it for generations, learning their language and customs. At the end of its life the creature was said to have been the size of a mountain and watched over the tribe. When it was approaching its death, the dragon blessed the tribe for their generations of hospitality before leaving to find a resting place, and the Savonne were created. The other story comes from another tribe of Savonne who did not join the Bophanites in Tarnwick, keeping their nomadic traditions before dying off in the decades following the founding of the Bophanites’ city. This tribe follows the same human nomads in their cave, but rather than raising the hatched dragon they waited for it to hatch and age for some years before killing it, skinning the creature for its scales. Shortly after the dragon’s death as the tribe was harvesting its scales, a toxin spread from the dragon’s corpse from the cuts being made in its skin. The tribesman initially mistook it for blood, but in the following hours they had scales growing across their bodies. This spread to the other members of the tribe quickly, and many began developing the horns found in Savonne. In a matter of days the entire tribe had been transformed and became the Savonne.

Members of the early House of Rhodes say the first story is the true origin of the Savonne, and as Tarnwick developed the rulers of the city seized records of alternative interpretations of Savonne origin. Today the Bophans of Lynnmore widely accept the story as presented by the House of Rhodes as no other story is presented.

Relationship with the Sporeborn
Shortly after Tarnwick was settled by Rodos, the Sporeborn appeared in the city in small numbers with the Fungus wrapped in an unassuming bag. After sharing the details of their species with Rodos, the new House of Rhodes and Sporeborn became close. Following the death of Rodos, many of his descendents began inquiring about taking the Fungus, being lured in by the thought of a prolonged life and resistance to disease. Trusting the Sporeborn, some of the lesser members of the house became Sporeborn. Over the years more began to host the Fungus, with many choosing to take it in their later years after having children as Sporeborn cannot reproduce.

Notable Members

 * Rodos, Founder of Tarnwick
 * Theodore Rhodes, Duke of Lynnmore (before becoming Sporeborn)
 * Ardamine Rhodes, Duchess of Lynnmore