Iansan

When the people of Natlan think about the Collective of Plenty, the first thing that springs to mind is the tribe's culture of fitness — followed shortly by mental images of towering, muscular, chiseled physiques... Many first-time visitors to the Collective of Plenty, therefore, are surprised to learn that the current leading light of the tribe's fitness scene is about as far away from those mental images as it's possible to be. As tall — or short — as a child, the young lady in question is positively scrawny when compared with most of her peers. This young lady — whose unimposing frame gives the impression that a strong gust of wind might well blow her away — is the head coach of the fitness club at the Collective of Plenty: Coach Iansan. At first, many visitors had assumed that the tribe were merely playing a trick on outsiders. But in due course, there was ample opportunity for newcomers to witness Coach Iansan directing training sessions — and the aftermath, with her students collapsed exhausted on the floor while she herself had hardly broken a sweat. Eventually, with the eyes of all Natlan watching, Iansan proved her prowess on the greatest stage, setting an all-time victory record in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame. And now, Iansan is widely recognized as the gold standard for trainers in Natlan. She has even set up her own special training camp to teach the techniques required to attain victory in the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame. Folk are shocked by Iansan's strength and curious as to its source. There are rumors that she has an unusual lineage, one which bestows her with extraordinary strength, but also uncommon shortness. Whenever outsiders to the tribe attempt to confirm these rumors with the Collective of Plenty, however, their questions are met by little more than icy stares and an equally frosty answer: "Hmph, she trains hard." Having met their perfunctory burden of manners, the people of the Collective of Plenty will then return to working out, leaving behind befuddled outsiders who are unsure exactly what they did to cause offense. And so new rumors begin to spread, ones that claim Iansan's power is derived from a secret tribal weapon belonging to the Collective of Plenty — a weapon that they are forbidden from talking to outsiders about. Whenever such rumors begin to do the rounds, Iansan is quick to seek out the curious questioners. "You too can be as strong as me. Join my training academy and I guarantee you results!" Once their shock has faded, most people decline the offer. Perhaps they don't believe that Coach Iansan can really guarantee success, or perhaps they've already heard stories of just how grueling her training really is. The rumors surrounding Iansan continue to swirl and spread. On the rare occasions when she isn't training and has the time to pay them heed, Iansan can only sigh and shake her head. "I keep telling them it's down to the training... Why doesn't anybody listen?"