Other Peoples of Pandaria

The Hozen

The hozen often find themselves at the periphery of society. A physically robust, monkey-like race, the hozen are notable for having a particularly short lifespan: typically no more than 20 years.

This puts the hozen in a tragic situation. Their short lifespans make it difficult or impossible to become true masters at any skill. It also affects their emotional development. Even an elderly hozen is likely to be impulsive, in the manner of a 20-year old human.

The hozen are poorly integrated into mainstream Pandarian culture. Authorities prefer that the hozen stay in their own villages. The rationale is that when they are isolated, their impetuousness will only harm other hozen. Some of this is regional: hozen in the Valley of the Four Winds are far better integrated than their counterparts in the Jade Forest.

The hozen are often frustrated by how poorly the pandaren understand them. What others call impetuousness, the hozen call passion. And indeed, how could they be anything but passionate? The short allotment of life granted to them means that each hozen needs to seize as much as they can. It's better to risk an already short life than to spend it in slumber.

Everything in hozen society is designed to compensate for a short lifespan. Physical confrontations take less time than drawn out debates. But this doesn't mean that there's no hozen intellectual life. The hozen tend to be devotees of Woist philosophy.

The hozen philosopher Joko put his own spin on Woism during the Hundred Years Sorrow. He took the bold stance of saying that balance was ultimately unknowable. There's no way to be sure if one is strengthening or weakening balance. To go back to the example of deer in a forest, it's entirely possible that their culling (whether by starvation, wolves, or hunters) would actually have other unforeseen effects that continue the imbalance (such as the wolves or hunters starving afterward).

Thus, it is best not to worry. Joko thought it better to act within one's nature and to do it as passionately as possible. Joko was a poet who traveled the breadth of Pandaria twice in his short life, saying he wished only to grasp the whole wide world before he died. His short poems, which are often earthy and humorous, are still celebrated by hozen and pandaren alike.

Hozen incorporate a wide variety of gestures while communicating. This is actually done in order to relay more information within a short space of time (it's extraordinarily difficult for outsiders to learn or properly comprehend). The character-based Pandaren script takes years and years to master, so the hozen have developed a simple phonetic alphabet (consonants only) in order to record their thoughts. Their writing system is brief, aggressive, and to the point. Sadly, this leads many pandaren scholars to dismiss hozen writing, since it contradicts the elliptical and flowery style preferred by most pandaren.

Those hozen who live with the pandaren have managed to adapt reasonably well. Sometimes called village hozen, they usually focus on a particular type of labor and can become quite skilled in its commission. Hozen tend to be quick learners, compensating for their short lifespan. Village hozen rarely enter intellectual fields but this is not necessarily because they lack intelligence. Rather, the paucity of hozen in higher learning might be a function of how long it takes to master written Pandaren and the low esteem in which pandaren may hold them.

Many have wondered why hozen emotionalism never triggered the Sha. It is believed that the negative emotions expressed by the hozen, while powerful, were too short-lived to give the malign entities much real sustenance. Long-simmering resentment did more to feed the Sha of Anger than did a burst of rage.

The Forest Hozen

Though Chief Kah Kah's decision to join the Horde was based on a hostile encounter with the Alliance, he may have had ulterior motives. He knew that the hozen of Grookin Hill were doomed to forever be outsiders and that the refined pandaren of Jade Forest looked down on his people. The Horde was an unknown quantity, but some chances are worth taking.

Currently, the Forest Hozen exist in a gray area of sovereignty. The Peace of Orgrimmar dictates that the Forest Hozen acknowledge Pandaria's suzerainty, but Chief Kah Kah still professes loyalty to the Horde's warchief. Vol'jin was silent on the matter, though Sylvanas extended informal recognition. Regardless, Grookin Hill is too distant for the weakened Horde to protect or extract tribute from. Jade Forest authorities claim that, because Grookin Hill shares in Pandaria's larger super-culture (itself a somewhat vague term), the Forest Hozen are a part of the country. However, no one in Pandaria has actually attempted to exert direct authority since that is contrary to pandaren governance.

In short, nobody really knows to which group the Forest Hozen belongs, but they say they are Horde, so it is perhaps best to take their word for it. Interestingly, at least two hozen have become trained arcanists after studying with orc mages. The Orcish alphabet is phonetic, further evidence that the character-based script of written Pandaren, rather than writing itself, is a problem for the hozen.

The Jinyu

It is known that the jinyu once ruled their own empire in the distant past, one that rivaled even the mighty mogu. The jinyu's uncanny ability to "read" a river—to collect impressions and knowledge gathered by the flowing waters—enabled them to know the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents well before battle began. Today, jinyu waterspeakers continue to glean secrets from the endless flow.

Jinyu culture tends toward contemplation and deliberation. This is reflected in the caste-based structure of their society. Caste is assigned before birth. A jinyu mother will lay a clutch of eggs, which will then be fertilized by prospective fathers. The father's caste will determine the hatchling's caste. Jinyu men outnumber women in a five to one ratio. Women are excluded from the warrior caste due to their rarity but are full participants in all other castes (peasant, trader, crafter, and waterspeaker).

Families are structured quite differently from those of other races. Hatchlings are cared for by their fathers. Multiple fathers will typically live with an older non-fertile woman who also participates in care taking. The biological mother typically has little direct interaction with her children.

Interestingly, some jinyu are know to suffer from a culturally specific mental illness known as insoluble doubt. It most often affects high caste jinyu. This illness takes the form of obsessive uncertainty as to one's caste; the patient's fear is that their eggs were placed with the wrong clutch (which is rare, but known to happen—eggs of different castes cannot be visually distinguished from one another). Meditation seems to be the most effective cure for this.

Renism has some adherents among the jinyu, but most prefer the works of their own philosopher, Susshem. Susshem was a waterspeaker who lived during the reign of the Liaogong Emperor. During this time, the jinyu caste system was strained to the point of breaking. The waterspeakers exerted great control over the lives of lower castes, leading to frustration and stagnation.

Susshem, herself a waterspeaker, saw that this was unsustainable. Thus, she wrote The Doctrine of Many Rivers. Here, she argued in favor of the concept of fate, which she compared to a mighty river. The individual is carried along by fate, and cannot control their destination. However, the individual can move from side to side, and even change streams should the option arise.

Her argument was that though fate cannot be denied. The current will always lead to the ocean (which is death). Until then, one still has choices available to them. One should not be prevented from free movement within one's river. Similarly, it is absurd to be jealous of someone traveling in a different river, because they are ultimately in the same position. They too are headed toward death, but also have the option to become better in the meantime.

Her philosophy took ideas from Woism (Wo's fatalistic idea that everything returns to balance), and from Renism (cultivation of virtue through one's choices). Susshem's efforts gave greater flexibility to individual jinyu without threatening the actual caste system. Workers were less important than waterspeakers, but a worker who did their job well was still worthy of respect.

Susshem is still influential today though some jinyu philosophers now think she tried too hard to fit everything into a river metaphor.

Most jinyu live with their own kind, but a good number also mingle with the pandaren. The contemplative jinyu are naturals for monastic life, while others work as scholars and bureaucrats. Pandaren towns act as an escape valve for jinyu who do not think they fit with their castes. Some jinyu monks, warriors, and scholars in pandaren lands are actually rebellious lower caste jinyu who sought to better their station. Jinyu leaders typically allow this, to the point that self-imposed exile is considered a respectable choice for someone unhappy with their station.

Jinyu warriors are fearsome though their need to stay hydrated limits the environments in which they can fight. Waterspeakers also act as an informal intelligence network for Pandaria.

The Pearlfin Jinyu

The Pearlfin are believed to be the descendants of the old Jinyu Empire's old ruling court. Given the years of travel and intermarriage with other jinyu villages, it's unclear how much of the old blood remains, but no one disputes the name's lineage.

The Pearlfin Tribe honored the Peace of Orgrimmar by accepting Pandaria's authority. However, they remain close to the Alliance, which now runs a small embassy in Pearlfin Village. Ambitious and curious Pearlfin jinyu sometimes leave Pandaria to aid Alliance reconnaissance and serve in its military.

The Grummles

In ancient times, the mogu bred the grummle to be loyal messengers and couriers who braved the high mountain passes of Kun-Lai. As a free people, they now guide travelers and traders through those same treacherous routes.

Not all grummle are guides, of course. Some work as traveling peddlers who may go far beyond the Kun-Lai Summit. The lowland grummle who live in the dry steppes south of Kun-Lai typically run yak ranches and small farms.

Though polite, the grummle tend to keep outsiders at arm's length. It is known that they live in small units of four to five families. The exact method that the grummle use to keep track of generational intermarriage between clans and villages is not known, though likely quite sophisticated. Families typically work together on commercial ventures which is why grummle in a particular company or herd will refer to each other as "cousin". Younger grummle are guided by an elder referred to as an "uncle". This is not necessarily literal or gender-specific. However, it is considered bad luck for a parent to manage their children while working, which means a young grummle will always report to an uncle, aunt, or older cousin.

Much has been said about the grummle cultural practice of the "luckydo", which is a particular item that grants fortune or protection. The grummle do not typically concern themselves with philosophy. They are, however, a devout people. Even the smallest village will revere the Four Celestials along with a host of other gods and spirits unique to the grummle. Countless rituals are performed throughout the day to appease these oft-jealous lesser gods.

In general, the grummle adopt a fatalistic view of the world. Though their deeper religious practices remain obscure to the outside world, it is known that they are the only race in Pandaria to believe in reincarnation. This may be their interpretation of mogu spirit-capture magic, in which an entity's soul could be ripped from their body and placed in another, or in an inanimate object. The grummle hope that they can one day break the cycle of reincarnation and achieve true peace. This can be done through a life of exceptionally piety, or through luck.

On rare occasions, an infant is recognized as a reincarnation of a specific grummle from another community. This is less momentous than it sounds. Typically, such a recognition simply heralds a strengthening of ties with a different clan or village. The reincarnated grummle is regarded as a full member of both involved communities, though this does not confer any particular prestige. Grummle shamans do trace such reincarnations though they are reluctant to talk of this with outsiders.

Though grummle traders can be found throughout Pandaria, it is rare for them to set down roots in other towns. They will almost always return to their families in and around Kun-Lai.

The Yaungols

It's not at all clear if the Pandaren Revolution would have succeeded had it not been for the dauntless yaungol warriors of the western steppes. Unfortunately, they did not benefit from their victory.

Nomads and farmers seldom get along and the early days of free Pandaria were marked by conflict between the roving yaungol clans and the pandaren and grummle farmers. This lasted until a dispute ended in the destruction of a small pandaren village. The outraged Biyu Emperor declared that all yaungol must be kept west of the Serpent's Spine.

This marked the beginning of the Tall Grass Campaign, a war that stretched out over several generations. In the end, the yaungol were driven from civilized Pandaria and forced to live in the mantid-haunted western lands.

The yaungol tell this story somewhat differently. They do not see themselves as having done anything wrong. The pandaren had respected the yaungol for their ferocity during the revolution, only to turn on them once the yaungol ways became inconvenient. That the pandaren would use mogu infrastructure like the Serpent's Spine just showed that the new empire was not truly different from the old one.

Life in the Townlong Steppes has hardened the yaungol. Though the grass there is rich, and good fodder for their herds, they must constantly fight the mantids. Some in Pandaria believe that this endless battle helps thin the mantid ranks but this is unlikely; the yaungol are simply not numerous enough to really inflict much harm on the swarms.

The yaungol have found many clever ways to survive. One is their use of oil. Burning oil creates fumes that confuse and exhaust mantids. The yaungol shamans are able to call spirits to extract oil, and use it in many of their fiery rituals. The yaungol believe in many spirits and in a powerful deity known as She Who Watches. She Who Watches may be the yaungol version of the Earthmother, but she is a distant goddess who cares little for worship. Most reverence is directed toward a clan's ancestor spirits.

Yaungol live in matrilineal clans. Warriors through and through, the clans are highly communal. Much like their tauren cousins, the yaungol take good care of their own. Clans never battle one another and internal disputes are usually solved peacefully. In cases where this is not possible, the offended parties will fight each other with blunted weaponry, so as to reduce the likelihood of serious injury. Both the winner and loser will undergo a shared cleansing ritual to reaffirm their brotherhood.

In the peaceful times between mantid invasions, some yaungol clans are permitted to enter Pandaria for trade. These exchanges generally occur without incident. They never stay for very long, however. Pandaria is simply too constrained for nomads.

The Sauroks

The saurok were the first race to rebel against the Mogu Empire. Their former masters bred them as soldiers: cunning, violent, and aggressive. Sadly, these traits did not serve them well after the Mogu Empire's fall.

Modern saurok live in organized war bands on the periphery of pandaren society. Warriors by design, they seem compelled to maintain a culture of constant violence. Small groups of saurok rely on hunting and gathering, typically in remote wilderness areas. Bands that grow larger will attack settlements for food. This invariably gets the attention of pandaren warriors, who will persecute the saurok and disperse them into smaller groups. From there, the cycle begins anew.

The Mogu

Like the other titan-born races, the mogu originated as stone constructs given life by the Curse of Flesh. Their formidable intellects and arcane talents enabled them to craft a powerful and despotic empire that endured for thousands of years. The signs of mogu power abide even in modern Pandaria. Their palaces and fortifications endure, as do some of their aesthetics and cultural practices.

Much of what is known about the mogu comes from the texts they left behind. The mogu were driven to achieve strength and dominance. To them, weakness was the only unforgivable sin. No one is sure why they embraced such an ethos of power. Some speculate that it was a reaction to the enfeebling nature of the Curse of Flesh, but this is only speculation.

The mogu followed a cruel but coherent philosophy called the Strict Path. No one knows who first formulated this philosophy. The earliest mentions come from the writings of Emperor Tian the Ruthless. Tian says that he accepted the Strict Path, and that once he did, he killed the man who came up with it. This makes more sense once the philosophy is understood.

The Strict Path states that all things tend toward weakness and corruption. Fear is the only way to motivate anyone to better themselves. Slaves fear the lash, scholars fear disgrace, and soldiers fear death. The primary duty of the sovereign is to ensure that everyone lives in fear at all times, for only this can create a strong state.

Laws are a tool for punishing unreliable subordinates. Family ties mean nothing. Rewards should only go to the strong and clever. Weakness is the only thing forbidden to the sovereign. The emperor may do anything else they wish, so long as they are strong enough to do so. Truth has no intrinsic value, since only the powerful determine what is true. Emperor Tian's killing of the Strict Path's unnamed creator, and his co-opting of the philosophy, might be seen as a display of power.

The Strict Path did encourage meritocracy. All mogu children were taken from their parents at birth and raised in creches. This made nepotism impossible. A faceless soldier in the emperor's armies could be his son, but he would never know. Family life was seen as a luxury enjoyed only by slaves. The mogu saw life as a series of cruel tests. Success was the only path to respect, and failure deserved only scorn.

The mogu obsession with dominion extended to their interactions with the natural world. They saw Pandaria's forests and mountains as clay to be sculpted and made useful. Mogu architecture tended to be utilitarian, though imperial residences could be quite lavish.

Information about the Mogu Empire comes primarily from two sources: pandaren scholars and the mogu remnant clans. It's been theorized that both have reason to exaggerate the cruelty of the old empire. For the pandaren, such a narrative justifies the Pandaren Revolution. For the mogu clans (and the propaganda of the Mogu Empire), it has the effect of making them seem more fearsome.

Indeed, it is hard to imagine that an empire consisting solely of power-hungry maniacs could survive for as long as the Mogu Empire did (though the Burning Legion managed it for longer). But while the brutality of the ancient mogu may be exaggerated, there is no question that they were quite harsh. It may be that the Strict Path was limited to elites, with lower caste mogu being somewhat more moderate in their approach. The fact that some emperors, like Tsao, took a more merciful stance suggests that the Strict Path was not universally embraced.

The return of the Thunder King failed to bring about a new Mogu Empire and the clans were once again scattered. The race faces an uncertain future, though there is a small mogu community in Zandalar. These mogu are actually descendants of immigrants who fled the fall of the first Mogu Empire, and have been living in Zandalar for thousands of years. During that time, they have adopted many aspects of Zandalari culture though they are seen as second-class citizens.

The Mantids

The mantid swarms have been the eternal enemy of Pandaria. Like the other invertebrate empires of Azeroth, the mantids are associated with the Old Gods.

Mantid lore says that their race once existed in the "Pure State". Here, every mantid effortlessly conducted the actions correct to their station. Drones and warriors worked in harmony with directors and generals, and directors and generals worked in harmony with the empress. This was done without question or even the need for words—chemicals inspired the right action. The empress herself served as a flawless vessel for the will of Y'shaarj.

Yet doubt arose. Y'shaarj left the mantids to fend for themselves. Modern mantids see themselves as cursed into freedom. This might strike outsiders as peculiar, given the mantid tendency to obedience. However, they see this obedience as forced self-discipline. Mantid are taught to follow orders from an early age. What they actually want, however, is obedience without effort.

This is in contrast to the qiraji, who still rely on pheromonal control, and the nerubians, who actively reject pheromones in favor of iron self-discipline.

Today, obedience is compelled through sound. The noise made by the vibration of mantid wings can be subtly altered to precisely direct even the largest swarms. A general will start the sonic cascade, which then spreads to lieutenants, and then down to even the smallest drone. Multiple orders can be contained in a single sound. Every mantid wishes to experience this at least one; they believe that this is the closest they will ever get to the Pure State.

Mantid society revolves around the immense kypari trees found growing in western Pandaria. The sap of these trees has myriad properties. It can be hardened into tools, building materials, and weapons. Kypari sap also has utility as medicine, preservatives, and can even store the raw thoughts of elite mantids. It's the lifeblood of their society.

The majority of mantids live within these kypari trees. This is a symbiotic rather than parasitic relationship; the mantids guide the tree's growth, cleanse it of actual parasites, and ensure its health. The decay of several kypari trees is what prompted the mantids' recent premature invasion of Pandaria.

Similarly important are the enormous kunchong beetles. These titans trundle across the landscape, clearing overgrowth and smoothing hills. In so doing, the kunchong secrete a type of amber that supplements the larger store of kypari amber.

The mantids do not invade Pandaria with the intent of conquest. Rather, they see it as a test of their own abilities. The swarms seek to perpetually strengthen themselves through challenges, and by pruning the weak. The skilled warriors of Pandaria are seen as the ultimate test.

This is why the mantids' failure to defeat Pandaria is never seen as a failure. In fighting, the pandaren help the mantids accomplish their goals. One might wonder why a constantly strengthening swarm wouldn't eventually conquer Pandaria in spite of itself. The reason for this may be that the swarm is reactive. Though it will learn from its mistakes, it won't necessarily anticipate new tactics or strategies used by the pandaren.

Also, not all invasions are the same. The mantid population reaches a critical mass every seven to eight generations, which leads to a particularly numerous invading army. Most invasions, while terrifying, are smaller and less taxing to the pandaren.

Mantid society is ruled by an empress, but guided by the Klaxxi. These are immortal mantids who study the ebb and flow of history to determine the best course for the swarms. This requires a certain degree of independent thought.

The minority of warriors who survive invasions are granted many honors. They may command their own swarms and get access to the best amber. A scant few are chosen to join the Klaxxi. These are often warriors who are successful in spite of being insubordinate. Disobedience may cost the lives of thousands of lesser warriors—but this is seen as a acceptable. After all, the purpose of the battles is to cull the weak.

It is notable that most Klaxxi have come from the smaller mantid swarms that follow the kunchong beetles.

Currently, the mantids are slowly returning to order under the reign of a new empress. Though the paragons were destroyed in the Fourth War, there are still a number of non-combatant Klaxxi who can guide the swarms. Belief in the Pure State abides, despite the disastrous release of the Sha.