Jiban
This was once a well-established lapix warren, once of several to occupy a small strip of no man's land between Haun, Slank, and Erdanis, until the Erdani barony of Savagnos expanded its borders in a bid to acquire more farmland. Human settlers gradually dominated the area, and the pacifist lapix were forced into signing an agreement with the gorg merchant league of Savagnos in order to keep their land. This basically made them slaves of the Erdani collective, though they do enjoy the 'protection' of a lazy, abusive czath garrison, and some basic trade privilages. Fully half of their yearly harvest is allocated to Savagnos, along with guild fees that they barely understand. Suffice to say, the lapix aren't especially happy with their current state of affairs. They just don't say it within earshot of the czath.
What the lapix don't know is that Jiban is more useful to the Erdani as a buffer for skole raiders, who have no qualms in attacking human caravans or settlements. The skoles are far more reluctant to raid the defenseless lapix, who they see as yet more victims of a greedy, honorless empire. Jiban has become the model for several smaller farming communities in this area, much to the chargrin of the nomadic raiders. Lapix make excellent farmers, and without a strong leaders, have a tendecy towards meek obedience. Jiban exports some of the best produce around, with a wide radius of orchards and fields surrounding the central warren. Scores of slender windmills can be seen dotting the rolling green hills, though the majority of Jiban remains underground and hidden. This is another defensive aspect the Erdani find useful, especially in repelling raids.
Fefin: This heavyset lapix is what passes as Jiban's mayor, though he acts more as a spokesperson than a leader with any real power. Fefin doesn't want to be where he is, and drinks heavily to forget about it. He can often be found in one of the tavern burrows, consuming vast quantities of clover ale as he listens to the various daily grievances of the lapix living under Erdani rule. Fefin is basically good, just too fearful and underconfident (and drunk) to do anything about it. He's easily distinguised by his right ear, which is half missing, and his mahogany-brown pelt.
Bazo: The czath captain in charge of Jiban's garrison is almost as resentful of his position as the lapix are. Only the hopes of skole raids promise any sort of action for the bored garrison and its commander, and to pass the time, he and his men harass the lapix. Bazo has a taste for lapix flesh in both the carnal and cullinary respects, and isn't above the occasional execution to keep his charges in line. Bazo takes particular delight in humiliating Fefil in front of his people - it was the czath commander who bit off the lapix leader's ear. Ten czath warriors report directly to Bazo, though they tend to scatter themselves throughout the colony rather than sharing a barracks.
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