"When reporting history, it becomes important to know just who the historian is. All conclusions and opinions usually reflect where the chronicler is coming from. Thus, I have decided to incorporate a brief history of my kin, so that future readers can understand the Tortle race."
Ahanko Tidewader
Tortle Elder / Chronicler of Zul
The Tortles of the Savage Coast
The Tortles. This race is among the most peaceful of the Savage Coast. Their values of peace and their belief in coexistence with those around them is both a tribute to their gentle nature, and a curse that has doomed them to a life of servitude. With no true dominion to call their own, they have simply adapted into what ever culture they happened to be living. This adaptation has kept most Tortles in the same seemingly hopeless situation for generation after generation.
Life for a Tortle on the Savage Coast is difficult at best and they are often seen as "second-class" citizens. As it is not in their nature to be hostile or confrontational, this perception stays mainly intact. Indeed, because of their peaceful nature, many of the cultures they have melded into take advantage of them for menial tasks and cheap labor. They are often perceived as lazy, slow, and clumsy. None of these stereotypes is true, but one can see how the Tortles have their work cut out for them when it comes to gaining acceptance by their neighbors.
Other Tortles enjoy a life of relative tranquillity. Those who dwell in the Tortle Tribelands are for the most part independent and in much better spirit than their cousins. The villages of Tlech', R'nak, and Prash are examples of how some groups of Tortles have come together and share ideas and a culture all their own. The Tortles of Camel Hump and the Free City of Dunwick have also enjoyed a resurgence of Tortle culture. These Tortles are known collectively as the "Free Tortles of Zul". Many of these Free Tortles share a hope that one day all the Tortles of the Savage Coast will again come to know their own culture and history.
Tortles: General Facts
Tortles are land-dwelling humanoid tortoises. They walk upright, but with a ponderous rolling gait. These creatures have leathery reptilian skin and shells that cover their backs and bellies. Only their heads, limbs, and tails stick out of their shells. An average adult Tortle will stand about six feet tall and weigh in at more than five hundred pounds; their shells attributing for the majority of this weight.
Tortles have no hair; their skin is olive green or blue green in color. Their back shells are usually darker and shinier than their skin, while their front shells tend to be lighter, with a yellowish cast. A Tortle's eyes look something like the eyes of humans, with lids, whites, pupils, and irises. A Tortle's irises are sort of star-shaped, with an oval around the pupil and five to eight spokes radiating out across the whites of the eye. The irises are vibrantly colored, usually blue, but occasionally an aqua green, and in rare instances, red. A Tortle's mouth is beaklike and toothless; quite capable to deliver a vicious bite.
Tortles are stocky, but most of their weight comes from their shells, so they tend to remain at their adult weights for their entire adult lives. Their arms and hands are shaped like that of humans , but are thicker and their fingers are tipped with sharp claws. Tortles have tails about two feet long. Usually, they wear no clothing, though some may wear cloaks, or belts or harnesses for carrying tools and supplies.
Despite their ancestry, Tortles are not especially slow, either mentally or physically; they are thinkers who might ponder a question longer than most humans would before answering. Tortles are generally peaceful and slow to anger. While they have the same range of emotions as humans, Tortles are not as demonstrative and often seem cold and distant to more passionate races. They speak their own language, simply called Tortle, but many do speak in the Common tongue.
A typical Tortle lives about 50 years. They mate only once in their lived and usually die within a year afterward. It should be noted, however, the Tortles who do not mate can live to extreme old ages with little loss of vitality. Mating takes place in late summer and egg-laying during the fall. All females ready to produce eggs gather in a specially prepared compound, which the males guard against all attacks. Each Female lays from 4 to 24 eggs, which hatch about 6 months later.
Tortle families are unusual, since parents don't live long enough to raise their own young. A Tortle family might consist of a small number of adult Tortles and a number of their nieces and nephews. The family is usually very close, its members treating one another as parents and children, while referring to one another by correct titles (brother, companion, uncle, and so forth).
Tortles prefer warm climates; they have little tolerance for cold, and enjoy sunning themselves.
Tortles generally prefer to avoid conflict, but once engaged, they seldom retreat, because they know their shells can protect them. They prefer to use weapons, (short bows, staves, long swords, and flails) but can use their claws if unarmed. If a different type of weapon is prominent in the lands the Tortles dwell, those weapons are preferred, i.e. Tortles in Bellayne prefer the nonaka and sa. Some even learn how to bite quite effectively. Wizards and Priests are common among Tortles, Warriors and Bards are uncommon, and Thieves are downright rare.
Origins & History
The Tortles have been living on the Savage Coast since long before anyone can comprehend. The first humans known to have encountered the Tortles were the Oltecs in BC 3400 after fleeing from thier split with the Azcans. Indeed, when the Lawful Brotherhood first began to explore the area known today as the Savage Coast, around 450 AC, Tortles had already been in the area for several centuries. There are many theories on their exact origins. Some think it was a "magical force" that enchanted turtles in this area and helped them to evolve into what the Tortle is today. Still others believe that it was an ancient Lycanthropic Curse that plagued a native, and long forgotten, human tribe and twisted them into these "half-man, half turtle" beings. To hear a Tortle tell it, they simply, "always were". Tortles have been around so long, they simply don't recall their true origins. Their spiritual sides however, tell a tale of the Immortal Mother Ocean, also known as Calitha Starbrow, giving them life:
"Mother Ocean loved our spirit forms and wanted us to live in the physical world so she could watch over us and help us grow. So it happened. She commanded that the Land, which had been the home to our spirits, release us and let us walk among the other forms of life. Then the Land sprung up, high into the sky...forming great Monoliths....the Monoliths were the gate from which we left the Land and our past forms of being and entered this world and our present shapes. After we were all through the gate, it closed, leaving the Monoliths behind. They stand today as a reminder of our close ties with the Land and of Mother Oceans love."
Unknown
Tortle Elder
They began as groups of wandering gatherers living off whatever the land could offer, then moving on to greener pastures. The exact number of Tortles in the world at that time are unknown, but it is estimated that their population was vast. At one time it is thought that Tortles could be found in an area covering everything between modern day Cimmaron County to Orc's Head & the Trident Isles.
It was not until many years later that the Tortles finally began to build settlements where small family groups would live together. These family groups would generally consist of two to three generations of Tortles and were scattered over a large area, usually bordering the edges of other societies existing in the area at the time, i.e. Manscorpion's, Oltecs, and Wallara. The Tortles eventually began to domesticate some of the animals native to their regions and began farming; a specialty modern Tortles still excel at. It is speculated that the Tortles close ties to the land make them the best farmers in the Known World. This general, quiet, and peaceful pattern of a life of hunting and farming was followed by the Tortles for about three millennia.
Roughly 1000 years ago, give or take 500 years, The Tortles began to come together and live in larger groups, even forming cities. The most famous of which was Zul, which they built near the Monoliths that some Tortles believe was the gateway from one world to another; the True monoliths not being the city itself, but the earthen monoliths. A Council of Chieftains ruled the city and all was well with the newly emerging Tortle Civilization. The city grew and grew and became one of the most modern cities in an otherwise ancient world. It became a trading center where the Tortles hosted members of other races also calling the Coast home; Phantons, Wallara, Enduks, and even the Manscorpions. Even the Empires of Men visited the city. Nithians and Oltecs were frequent visitors and the Tortles learned much about architecture from them. The Nithians even went so far as to help the Tortles construct obelisks and a Pyramid to honor Mother Ocean. In return for their help the Tortles taught the Nithians some of the magics of the Land, including, it is speculated, the magics that eventually led to the Nithians creation of the substance that came to be known as Cinnabryl.
Then about 900 years ago, the riches of Zul proved too much for the Goblinoids of the Coast to pass up and they attacked the city several times; resulting in the Tortles eventually abandoning it. The Tortle chieftains and shamans saw the demise of Zul as a sign from Mother Ocean. By building a city, and helping the Humans harness the powers of the Land, the Tortles had lost touch with their patron Immortal. It was decided that there would be no attempt to recover Zul and it would pass into history. From then on it was also decided that the Tortles, as a people, would never build a city such as Zul again. The Tortles of Zul then split into different groups and wandered into the wilderness. Legend has it that some Tortles ventured to the ocean shore, boarded a Zaratan sent by Mother Ocean herself, and left on a voyage to a far away land. Many hundreds of years passed...the early human civilizations faded into obscurity and the Tortles of the Savage Coast forgot they had ever been city-dwellers. The wandering Tortles headed for every corner of the Coast, settling in areas from the Sierra Desperada hills to the Grey Swamps. There they returned to their ancient ways and lived for hundreds of years.
When the first travelers from the Known World arrived, about 560 years ago, they were greeted warmly, but cautiously. When these men began to set up nations that would come to be known as the Savage Baronies, the Tortles simply became absorbed, either forcibly or complacently, into those cultures, retaining little of their own culture or identity. Other groups became absorbed into the Kingdoms of Bellayne, Robrenn, Eusdria, and Renardy . Many families came together to form small villages south of the Kingdom of Renardy; these places still exist today, known as the Tortle Tribelands. Still other Tortles, thanks to the LB Trading Company, took to city living again and account for roughly half the population of the Free City of Dunwick.
As of lately, a resurgence of Tortle cultural identify has begun to spring up among many Tortles. They are becoming aware of their ancient history and are eager to learn more. Some family groups have even gone so far as to leave their homes and strike out into the Wilderness, feeling what some Tortles describe as a strong pull, towards the site where Zul was located long ago. They call themselves, The Free Tortles of Zul.
Tortle Culture & Society
Tortle families are unusual, since parents don't live long enough to raise their own young. A Tortle family might consist of a small number of adult Tortles and a number of their nieces and nephews. The family is usually very close, its members treating one another as parents and children, while referring to one another by correct titles ("brother", "companion", "uncle", and so forth). They never refer to fathers and mothers, except as references to the Immortals, whom they worship as a family. Many of these families ban together and form small villages. When this happens, there is usually an Elder who is more or less in charge of the entire group.
Tortle religion is a mixture of faith and nature. Their Pantheon consists of 4 main Immortals: Mother Ocean (or Calitha Starbrow- the mother and protector of the Tortles), Father Earth (or Ka- the bringer of life through growing things), Brother Shell (or Matin-the protector of families), and Sister Grain (or Ralon-patron of farmers and bringer of food). As one might guess from their faith, Tortles live in harmony with nature.
Native Tortles have an advanced stone-age level of technology. Most of the Tortles have adapted to the ways of their neighbors, using metal tools and weapons, and there are even Tortle smiths capable of making the finest implements. Tortles tend to restrict themselves to the culture in which they live.
Tortles Today
Today, the Tortles still live as much as their ancestors did. Many dwell within other nations and simply blend in with their local customs and histories. The Free Tortles are striving to find their ancient roots and for a culture all their own. Even now, old Tortle folklore and legends have begun to resurface after centuries of silence. A sense of pride too is present as the free Tortles seem to be coming into their own. There is even an Honorbound Company of Tortles, calling themselves the Company of the Shell, who has helped revive the Tortles sense of self.
The Company of the Shell
The Company of the Shell was founded on the first day of Yarthmont,1009 AC. Two individuals, Takoda and Diego Delfino, are given credit for the creation of this brotherhood.
Takoda, was the head of a family group in the settlement of R'nak, south of Renardy. He was also a skilled warrior, and an Honorbound; something extremely uncommon as Tortles go. Takoda, learned the Precepts and Protocols from a lone Honorbound Rakasta. He learned them so well, that eventually the Rakasta sponsored Takoda's efforts to join one of the Companies in Bellayne. Takoda won acceptance and advanced through the ranks over his years of service. As the years went by he began to think of his own people and how they could possibly benefit from having a company of their own. He held a belief that the Tortles needed to be more of a close knit community. The community idea did not necessarily mean coming together in large settlements, but there needed to be a "closeness" among them. With his idea in his head he returned home to R'nak and began laying the groundwork for the first Tortle Honorbound Company. In his mind, he knew the idea would not be a popular one. Tortles tended to believe that violence begets violence and that warriors are the bringers of such things. If Takoda could make the other Tortles understand that this plan was not merely for a military organization, but one that would actually benefit the community as a whole, it would be welcomed with open arms.
As Tortle settlements are small and usually some distance apart, Takoda saw the need for a "For Tortles, By Tortles" group to protect these settlements from goblinoids, bandits, or unscrupulous adventurers, as well as to solve problems developing between family groups. He also envisioned a "humanitarian" side of this group; If a fellow Tortle were sick and could not plant his fields, the Company would be more than happy to help. If your huts were blown down in a violent storm, the Company would arrive on the scene to assist the family group rebuild. If crops were insufficient to feed a family, the Company would seek donations to avoid their starvation. There was no limit in Takoda's mind of the good his Company could do. With the outbreak of the Red Curse, Takoda's brotherhood took on a new task; protection from affliction. He needed an Inheritor to keep his Tortle kin safe from affliction. After failing to find a Tortle Inheritor in Renardy or Bellayne, Takoda began a journey to the Baronies to seek one out, but as luck would have it, he did not have to travel that far.
Diego Delfino, also known as Diego of the Dolphins, was a Tortle Cleric of Mother Ocean who had a large congregation in the Free City of Dunwick. Originally from the Baronies, Diego came to Dunwick in the hope of finding a larger group of Tortles to preach to. He also happened to be an Inheritor of the Order of Crimson. When Takoda arrived in Dunwick to secure passage to the Baronies, he met Diego at one of his religious services, down by the beaches. It then became obvious how Diego got his name. In the shallow surf was a small altar made of coral. When Diego would give his "sermon", dolphins would swim into the area and "listen" until it was over. They would then play gleefully before swimming off. The dolphins returned for each and every service, so the Cleric was dubbed Diego Delfino "of the Dolphins". Diego shared Takoda's vision of a community of Tortles sharing ideas and values, however a group of warriors to act as a "bridge between the communities" did not sit well with him. Tortles, after all, are a peaceful race. Honor to a Tortle is finding a peaceful solution to a given situation; a definition that seemed to conflict with what a typical Honorbound warrior referred to as honor. Takoda argued that at times the best way to assure a lasting peace is to be prepared to fight.
It was during one of these heated debates that an old Tortle, who never gave his name, waddled up and told a story:
"Many ages ago....when our people were fresh from the Land, The Tortles had a champion...and her name was Chelona. Our ancient enemies, who lived among the clouds tormented us endlessly, but Chelona came to our aid. She fought them on the Land and claimed many victories. One fateful day Chelona rose to the heavens on a flying chariot, a gift from the Immortals, in a hope to end the bloodshed once and for all. Riding her wondrous artifact, Chelona flew up into the skies to face the King of the cloud people. A great battle ensued between the two heroes that lasted three days and three nights. In this struggle, Chelona was wounded six times. Each time, a scute fell from her shell to the Land below the clouds. On the third night, Chelona struck the king a fatal blow. The king fell to his knees, exhausted and covered in blood. At the sight of the tears in the eyes of the king's children and his people, Chelona was overwhelmed with compassion. She declared the fighting over for all time, and that it was in her power to give him life again, but at the cost of her own. In exchange for this, the King swore never again to bring harm to the Tortle folk. His fateful words were sealed in a magical oath and Chelona passed from our world to the next. Out of guilt and sheer respect for Chelona, the King kept his word, gave her a fitting burial, and left with his people to a distant place. It is said that the Immortals were so saddened by her death, yet proud of her sacrifice, that a prophecy was born. It is said that the spirit of Chelona would return to the Land if the six lost scutes from her shell were brought to her resting place which lies on a magical cloud that drifts in the breeze."
After completing his tale, the old one gave the two a hexagonal piece of what appeared to be part of a shell. Then the old one waddled down the beach and disappeared. The Scute of Honor was the gift, and it was suddenly clear to Takoda and Diego what had to be done. After hearing the Legend of Chelona, the two agreed that Chelona's character was indeed the embodiment of all that Tortles held dear. They wrote a Code of Conduct for the Company of the Shell, inspired by the Legend of Chelona; traits that every Tortle who wished to be a part of the Company must possess:
1. Honesty - Goodwill and Virtue; Never Lie or Mislead.
2. Compassion - Forgiveness and unselfishness; Help those in need
3. Wisdom - Wit and Intuition; Think before you act and learn from your mistakes
4. Tenacity - Hard work and faith in one's self; Never Give Up
5. Bravery - Gallantry and fortitude; Set your fear aside and do what must be done.
6. Honor - Duty and Respect; Live up to Tortle values and maintain a sense of ethical conduct
With their ideas in place and a bright outlook on the future Takoda and Diego shook hands and put their Code, renamed the Code of the Shell, into writing and traveled the Coast enlisting the aid of Tortles of every skill and walk of life. The Company of the Shell was born.
Structure of the Company
The Company itself has many different positions within its organization. The commander of the organization is called the Lord of the Shell. Under the Lord of the Shell is a Lord Companion; an advisor and second in command. There will be only one Lord of the Shell and Lord Companion at any given time. After the Lord Companion, come a varied number of Companions at Arms, also known as Shell Sergeants who, in turn, are in charge of a varied number of Associate Companions, or Shell Sentinels and Postulant Companions. While the organization is fundamentally, "For-Tortles, By-Tortles", it is not unheard of that a member of another race could become what is called a Companion Ally.
Companion Allies are just that; allies of the company. Members of the company travel far and wide on their missions. Naturally, they are bound to meet and befriend other people of other races and cultures. From time to time, these new-found friends wish to help the Tortles in their endeavors. Upon the discretion of the most senior ranking Tortle present, these people may be welcomed into the adventuring group as Companion Allies. Normally, once a given mission is completed, the Allies return to their normal lives, but on rare occasions, the Allies are allowed to stay on as they possess a rare gift or talent that the Tortles find helpful.
Postulant Companions are those Tortles who have undergone the Test of the Shell and have proven they have the potential to someday become valued members of the company. A Postulant Companion's mission is one of self enlightenment. Adventuring is one way to gain this self enlightenment as well as experience and is highly recommended by the Company for Postulants. Once a Postulant has proven his worth, they are sponsored for promotion and a vote among the Associate Companions is held. An Associate Companion will look for Postulants to display an understanding of the traits handed down from the Company as well as demonstrating personal initiative in their own development and Esprit de Corps for the Company as a whole before sponsoring them for promotion. Once the vote is taken, and a Postulant is recommended to the Shell Sergeant and, if accepted, is then fully promoted to Associate Companion.
Associate Companions, or Shell Sentinels are the backbone of the Company. They must set an example for the Postulants to follow and set standards to which the Postulants must strive to meet. They act as instructors of any organized training and are also tasked with the well-being of the many Postulants in their charge. It is also the Shell Sentinels to whom the Chariot Training falls to. It is their responsibility to ensure that the Postulants learn this art before time comes for their promotion. Many times an Associate Companion will accompany a group of Postulants on adventures to offer leadership and guidance. Unlike Postulants, Associates can not be promoted in the field. When an Associate is ready for promotion to the next rank, the Companions at Arms hold a selection board at the Fort at R'nak. Usually this board is held once a year, but it can be called to order as need arises. Each Shell Sentinel appears before this board to answer a battery of questions and to tell of their deeds and accomplishments. Based on the results of the board, the Companions at Arms make a recommendation to the Lord of the Shell, who ultimately makes the decision. Once an Associate becomes a Shell Sergeant, they learn that the Scute of Honor is in the possession of the Company. In a promotion ceremony, the new Companions are required to touch the Scute and pledge that they will follow the Code of the Shell to the best of their ability.
Companions at Arms, or Shell Sergeants, are the over-all supervisors of the Company and possess the most freedom of action. As more often than not, a group of Companions will be out adventuring, The Shell Sergeants have major responsibilities for the welfare and training of their subordinates. These adventures can include anything from digging a new irrigation ditch, to seeking the lost Scutes of Chelona. They are often the only "commander" some Companions see, thus they must ensure the ethical conduct of all the Tortles beneath them. They ensure that the guidance that the Associate Companions are giving the Postulants is correct and in keeping with the companies values and traditions. They also act as mentors for the Associate Companions; preparing them for their next promotion. Companion at Arms are also responsible for devising and executing plans for the training of Postulant Companions and they are also the Administrators of the Test of the Shell. In addition they also have the authority to permote Postulants to Shell Sentinals in the field. They must know where their Associates and Postulants are at all times. If a group should go missing for long periods of time or the entire company had to rally, knowledge of this nature could be the difference between success and failure.
From here, one of two things may happen to a Shell Sergeant. They can be selected by a sitting Lord of the Shell to become the Lord Companion, if the slot is vacant, or, if the Lord of the Shell position is vacant, be voted on to be the next Lord of the Shell.
Lord Companion, or the Shell Captain, is an advisor and go between to all the levels of the Companies chain of command. He is also seen as the voice of the Lord of the Shell in the actual Lord's absence and overall second in command of the Company. His most important tasks are the administrative duties. The company is largely funded by donations and a percentage of any treasure found by adventuring Companions. The Shell Captain must keep track of the funds both incoming and outgoing. All in all, a very tough job. Diego Delfino is the current Shell Captain.
The Lord of the Shell is the overall commander of the Company. Currently, Takoda holds this position. Among his many tasks include choosing which groups of Companions are assigned to certain quests and ensuring those quests are within the "ethos" of the Company. He is the judge of all disputes and the administer of justice. He is also responsible for relations and meetings between company officials and Tortle dignitaries or foreign powers. Finally, the Lord of the Shell is responsible for organizing major events and ceremonies that involve the entire company. The most important of these events is known as the Renewal; an annual trek to the Monoliths of Zul to renew their vows. As this occasion is one of the few occasions, outside emergencies, that the entire Company is gathered, it is an extremely important time. Most promotions are held during this time as well as updates on the ongoing quest for the Scutes of Chelona.
The Lord of the Shell is usually voted on from among the numbers of Companions at Arms and the Lord Companion. Every Tortle in the company who is willing, available, and sane of mind, regardless of rank, is eligible to cast a vote. In the event of a tie vote, the Lord Companion will take command until the tie can be resolved. If a tie can not be resolved, the Lord Companion will run the company until the next full moon, where another vote will be taken. This process continues until a Lord of the Shell is finally selected.
Joining the Company
It is considered a high honor among Tortles to be selected to become a member of the Company and serve their community. The selection process takes place when ever a group of wandering Companions find intrested Tortles wishing to join their cause. Unlike most Honorbound Companies, Warriors are not the only ones eligible. Any Tortle from any walk of life may petition for induction, but usually the head of a family group will choose one, or in rare instances two. The Trial of the Shell as it is called, is never the same from year to year and is mostly a test of a Tortles character. The process lasts for several days as the Company's leaders "make up" situations which will test a Tortles stamina, wisdom, resourcefulness, compassion, and lastly combat skill. To do this they enlist the help of the members of the community to "role-play" situations a Tortle Honorbound might encounter during the course of his duty.
Those passing the Test of the Shell must then make the Journey of the Circle. The Journey of the Circle is a ceremonial journey as well as a final test of stamina. From the location of the test, the hopeful Tortles make a "pilgrimage" to the Monoliths of Zul. After this long, grueling trek through the desert, and upon arriving at the Monoliths, the Tortles meditate for three days and three nights, in honor of the battle Chelona sacrificed herself in. After this period of reflection, the Tortles are given their symbols of the Honorbound and the red circles are painted on the front of their shells. They are then officially Postulant Companions of the Company of the Shell.; a temporary title, much like an apprentice, that allows them to prove their worth further to the Company hierarchy. For the Postulant the true test begins; that of real life and field experience. Many years and many adventures may pass before a Tortle becomes a full Associate Companion.,
The Company Today
Today, the Company maintains a headquarters in a mud-brick fort in R'nak, called Fort Terrapin by the Tortles, but it is marked as Castillo Tortuga on maps of the other races of the Savage Coast. It was built on a small hilltop, and on top of a natural spring. The tall mud-brick walls were placed in a series of differing sized circular formations; largest on the outside, becoming smaller towards the center. Each wall has several openings, some of them blocked by large boulders. This serves to confuse and adversary trying to enter the fort, and to give the Tortles more than one means of exit should evacuation become necessary. Although the Company mainly operates in and around Dunwick, Bellayne and Renardy, it is not unheard of that the Company will travel great distances, even so far as the Baronies, if it is heard that their Tortle kin are in need of aid. As gatherings of the entire company are limited to special events and emergencies, most encounters with the Company will be in smaller groups of Postulants, Associates, and perhaps even a Shell Sergeant. The duties of the company include:
1. Service to Tortle Communities
2. Recovery of the Six Scutes of Chelona
3. Preservation of Peace among Tortle-kind
4. Direction of ceremonial gatherings
5. Keeping Tortles safe from Affliction
6. Ambassadors of the Tortle people
7. Ambassadors of Good Will to all other peoples asking their aid
One of the constant challenges of the Company, in addition to Goblinoids and Affliction from the Red Curse, ironically, are the very Tortles they serve and protect. Some Tortles see the Company simply as a band of warriors and hold with the old adage "violence begets violence". They see the Company as nothing but trouble waiting to happen. To dispel this, the main mission of the company is community service.
Secondly, many of the more devious landowners and nobles from surrounding nations are rather disturbed at the Tortles attempt at "discovering themselves". To them, their source of cheap labor would be threatened if the Tortles were to unite as a community. To that end, many have taken to hiring mercenaries and adventurers to look for the Scutes of Chelona as well; to keep them out ot Tortle hands, perhaps even to use their legendary powers for themselves.
Another problem are the Snappers; the primitive, bad-tempered cousins of the Tortles. Some family groups who dwell closer to the coast have been having problems with these monsters and have asked for the aid of the Company. Small patrols Postulants and Shell Sentinels are a common site on the beaches, in answer to this request.
The company has no real weapon of choice as combat is seen as a secondary and less important part of the company mission. If an ends can be reached without having do draw weapons, so much the better. Unlike most Honorbound, there is no restriction on the use of ranged weapons. The belief is simply that if one has to use weapons at all, use whatever you have to protect the community and yourself. Magic is seen as a tool and its use is encouraged. In fact, some Tortle mages are often made Postulant Companions. The Tortles in the company do learn the art of charioteering and must master it to reach the higher ranks within the company.
Since its foundation, the Company of the Shell has remained rather small, but still effective enough to accomplish its mission and always on the lookout for more allies. One of the Honorbound Companies in Bellayane has even gone so far as to pledge their support to the Tortles for their, "outstanding sense of community" and "honoring peace above all else."; Which is where the Company of the Shell got its motto "Peace Above All". All in all, the Company of the Shell is seen a positive addition to the lands of the Savage Coast. So, should you ever find yourself in peril, look no further than the shell!