Vulkooridal

The Qaltiar, meaning "broken oath" in Elvish, are one of the drow cultures that emerged on Xen’drik after the fall of the giant civilisations. The ancestors of the Qaltiar drow rebelled alongside the elves against the giants. It's even possible that some of these drow fled Xen'drik in the exodus lead by Aeren.

The Qaltiar are a nomadic tribal society inhabiting the jungles of Xen'drik. They worship a host of animal spirits which they believe guide them in their lives. The greatest of these spirits is the scorpion, Vulkoor. They also believe that souls are tested by these spirits when they die. If a soul is found worthy, they are reborn into the world.

There are many of these spirits, far more than those listed here, and not all Qaltiar are united in their views of the spirits or the roles these spirits play. Some of these tribes venerate a rainbow-winged serpent, which is almost certainly a couatl.

• Vulkoor is the greatest of the spirits worshipped by the Qaltiar and takes the form of a great scorpion. He is seen as both a deadly hunter and a wise provider, who teaches the Qaltiar to live sustainably. He is usually depicted as a ghost scorpion, and drow warriors will often wear Armor made from the pale chitin of ghost scorpions, which they consider to be one of Vulkoor's many gifts. Others will tattoo themselves with scorpion venom, a ritual that they believe will imbue them with the power and wisdom of Vulkoor.
• Hul'drac is the spirit of the shifting panther (displacer beast) and is second only to Vulkoor in the stories of the Qaltiar. He is a cunning hunter who relies on guile and trickery to avoid enemies’ blows. He is often revered by hunters and warriors of the Qaltiar, who hope that he will guide them in battle.
• Ko'molaq is a spirit that takes the form of an immense two-headed serpent. Ko'molaq translates to "keeper of secrets", and he is said to possess knowledge of many hidden and secret things. Drow will often beseech Ko'molaq for guidance, but the advice given should always be taken with a grain of salt, as you can never know if Ko'molaq is telling the truth.
• Kura'tra is the spirit of the tilxin bird, a clever spirit that relies on speed and keen senses to outwit and outrun predators. While many other spirits the Qaltiar revere are predators, Kura'tra is seen as a wise and cunning spirit worthy of respect. The Qaltiar may call on Kura'tra to provide them with inspiration, or to speed them along their way.
• Ton’amil is a spirit that takes the form of a rainbowfeathered winged serpent. They are said to command the light, the sun and the stars, and Ton’amil illuminates the darkest nights and helps lost Qaltiar find their way home. Rarely, there are stories of Ton’amil appearing to Qaltiar and empowering them to fight particularly fearsome foes.
• The Wanderer is an enigmatic spirit that takes on many forms. They are seen as a bringer of change that is neither good nor bad. If you encounter them, the only thing you can be sure of is that your future is uncertain.

Hantar’kul

The name of this tribal tradition translates to “Blood Hunters,” and its members worship Vulkoor the Cunning. The drow of the Hantar’kul believe that it is the destiny of their people to rule over all Xen’drik. They despise the giants and other creatures of the shattered land, but they believe that dominance over these creatures is assured; it is foreigners that they see as a threat. As such, the Hantar’kul actively prey on explorers who venture into the depths of Xen’drik. They have been responsible for the destruction of a number of mining and farming settlements, and the Hantar’kul present an ongoing threat to House Tharashk and House Vadalis operations. Although they hate all foreigners, the Hantar’kul have a special vendetta against the elves of Aerenal and Valenar and the drow and half-drow who live within Stormreach.

As with many other drow traditions, the Hantar’kul mantle is borne by a number of different drow tribes. These tribes respect one another but rarely work together, and each has slightly different traditions. The tribe that poses the greatest threat to Stormreach is the Qar Hantar’kul, which uses a curved double-bladed dagger as its emblem. The Qar tribe has recently set up camp in the tunnels below Stormreach; the drow hope to fi nd powerful weapons in the deep dungeons and to establish a strong foothold from which to strike at the foreigners in the world above.

Most Hantar’kul fit the traditional image of the Vulkoori drow, including the pale tattoos and chitin armor. However, the Blood Hunters recognize the power of the past, and they constantly search for magic items and weapons they can use. As students of Vulkoor the Cunning, their numbers include rogues, rangers, assassins, and monks.