Post by a123 on Jan 20, 2023 7:24:59 GMT
Introduction
In the deepest reaches of the Arctic north lies a mysterious island constantly swirling with storms both visible and invisible.
At first glance, the land looks both uninhabited and uninhabitable. Even when the air is calm, there’s an overbearing, oppressive aura of danger — gripping cold that plunges downwards of negative-seventy degrees Fahrenheit in the coldest months and remains below zero for the majority of the year. Only during one or two summer months do the people of this island receive a respite from the climate in the form of pleasant but ephemeral summers that barely inch above freezing temperatures. Fifty-degree weather is practically a cause for celebration. Compounded with frequent winter storms, featuring hazards ranging from freezing rain to whiteouts, it is no wonder that few approach the island from the warmer south.
The island is called Bukkora, and has been for many eras. In the days of yore, things in Bukkora were more pleasant, but that age has long since passed. Once a mirthful and welcoming people, the passage of time and the harshening of the environment has soured the collective Bukkoran disposition. Now, only a handful of species have survived long enough to evolve; the rest either stayed in their ancient forms or perished to the wars, famines, and gargantuan beasts that ravaged the island. Those species gathered together in small polities, banding together to fend off the perils that lurked all around them, all of which remained united under an unbroken succession of imperial leaders. They remain distrustful of outsiders, only allowing a few ports that play host to foreign species from nearby lands, but the Bukkoran people will not hesitate to attack or even kill outsiders who they perceive have wronged them. If the environment doesn't kill you, the people will.
Quick Facts
Population: ~325,000
Density: ~14/km²
Capital: Pyalchero (Behálcelo, lit. "like a star") is the de jure seat of government
Racial groups: 44.1% Bohkó, 30.7% Tóhae, 18.0% Ktocoóba, 7.1% Kátol, 0.1% other (see below for more details)
Religions: 98.0% folk religion, 2.0% other
Official languages: Bachwa, a language isolate, is the lingua franca. It is named after the river Bachwa (Kbácoa, lit. “pearl”)
Official scripts: Bachwa syllabics. Literacy rates outside of the upper-level or mercantile castes are limited.
Government type: Absolute monarchy
Emperor: Unknown
Demographics
The most populous species and the slight majority by raw numbers are bohkó — massive, bipedal bovine creatures resembling muskoxen, with conspicuous humps on their backs and sets of two gnarled horns that act as natural shock absorbers. This species ranges from about five and a half to seven feet tall for females and six and a half to eight feet for males, and weighs approximately five hundred to one thousand pounds. Their extremely thick fur — usually deep brown with the occasional lighter chestnut morph, with a white or gray tuft on the head — serves as both a protector against the harsh Arctic cold and a tool for intimidating enemies with their size. Bohkó are a bluntly honest, aggressive people who see the worth of others as a function of their resilience and believe their way of life to be on a virtuous high ground.
There are other species, too, that call Bukkora their home. Sharing the island with the bohkó are a species known as tóhae, creatures who most closely resemble giant polar bears standing on two legs, reaching even taller than bohkó at about seven to nine feet and routinely weighing upwards of half a ton. With their thick cream-colored and off-white coats and their layers of adipose tissue and hide, they are superbly well-adapted to the brutal Bukkoran environment, and their powerful musculature and mildly amphibious nature has enabled them to stand their ground amidst the turbulence of the times. In contrast to the bohkó, the tóhae tend to be hardworking and no-nonsense, preferring to use their strengths for the good of their communities.
Forming a relative minority are two species that are collectively known as ktocoóba. One species evolved from moose, tall and bulky at about seven to eight feet tall, boasting massive, palmate antlers that are mostly smooth and curved. Other than by their distinctive antlers, they are characterized by their prominent brown beards, rounded cervid snouts, and long limbs. Meanwhile, the smaller and leaner species, about twelve to eighteen inches shorter on average and about two or three hundred pounds lighter, is more similar to the reindeer; they are recognizable by their lighter coats and dendritic, branching antlers, contrasting with the dark coats and smooth antlers of the moose ktocoóba - which, notably, have evolved to be present on females as well as on males.
While relatively small compared to their peers, the kátol have made their way through smarts and cunning. These rare creatures resemble Arctic foxes, ranging from four to six feet in height and weighing around one hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds — comparable in size to the humans that formerly inhabited the land. Kátol are naturally curious and inquisitive, but also have a reputation for ostentation and extravagance. Their most distinctive physical traits are the fluffy white fur covering their bodies and their long, downy, brush-like tails. Despite their usual haughtiness and occasional intrepid aggression, their pointed ears are always keenly listening for the presence of larger predators, ready to run at a moment's notice. Kátol are most commonly in the upper-middle or scholarly classes, but can be found in all walks of life.
Forming a relative minority are two species that are collectively known as ktocoóba. One species evolved from moose, tall and bulky at about seven to eight feet tall, boasting massive, palmate antlers that are mostly smooth and curved. Other than by their distinctive antlers, they are characterized by their prominent brown beards, rounded cervid snouts, and long limbs. Meanwhile, the smaller and leaner species, about twelve to eighteen inches shorter on average and about two or three hundred pounds lighter, is more similar to the reindeer; they are recognizable by their lighter coats and dendritic, branching antlers, contrasting with the dark coats and smooth antlers of the moose ktocoóba - which, notably, have evolved to be present on females as well as on males.
While relatively small compared to their peers, the kátol have made their way through smarts and cunning. These rare creatures resemble Arctic foxes, ranging from four to six feet in height and weighing around one hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds — comparable in size to the humans that formerly inhabited the land. Kátol are naturally curious and inquisitive, but also have a reputation for ostentation and extravagance. Their most distinctive physical traits are the fluffy white fur covering their bodies and their long, downy, brush-like tails. Despite their usual haughtiness and occasional intrepid aggression, their pointed ears are always keenly listening for the presence of larger predators, ready to run at a moment's notice. Kátol are most commonly in the upper-middle or scholarly classes, but can be found in all walks of life.
Politics
The nation known as Bukkora is more accurately described as a loose federation of city-states and their conquered territories that subscribe to imperial law where required but are otherwise allowed to govern their own territories as they wish. The Emperor lives in perpetual shadow, and very few know their true identity or even their species, issuing their edicts from the central palace by proxy. Meanwhile, the various city-states of Bukkora are almost constantly bickering and fighting with one another — except when there is a common threat to the nation, in which case they will usually band together against the enemy. Even in times like this, they will often attempt to outcompete each other for spoils and prestige.
The nation known as Bukkora is more accurately described as a loose federation of city-states and their conquered territories that subscribe to imperial law where required but are otherwise allowed to govern their own territories as they wish. The Emperor lives in perpetual shadow, and very few know their true identity or even their species, issuing their edicts from the central palace by proxy. Meanwhile, the various city-states of Bukkora are almost constantly bickering and fighting with one another — except when there is a common threat to the nation, in which case they will usually band together against the enemy. Even in times like this, they will often attempt to outcompete each other for spoils and prestige.
Society
Strength is considered a core virtue, and there is no place for the weak among the Bukkorans. However, while the immense physical power of the Bukkorans is second to none, their magic is more limited; the magic that Bukkorans do practice is fiercely safeguarded and geared more toward internal survival and utility than defense from outsiders. One of the most commonly used magic spells is the use of a tiny, specially made crystal that is widely available to most, which emits a pillar of paint-like liquid that changes color depending on air temperature, acting like a magically powered thermometer. The coldest temperatures cause the substance to turn deep purple, which turns to a light pink to white color in the warmest temperatures (about forty-five degrees F). Magic is also used as aids in communication over long distances, as travel to other city-states is grueling and perilous.
Notably, the Bukkoran city-states are linked together with a salient cultural commonality: adherence to a stringent caste system. While social mobility does exist, caste is largely hereditary and linked to specific sets of tasks or roles in society; one's caste is often a factor in determining access to magic, resources, literacy and education, and advantageous societal positions, among others. The below table briefly summarizes the castes, in rank order from highest to lowest.
Other than among the highest echelons, social mobility is usually influenced by fighting prowess, and public displays of intra- and inter-caste aggression are not uncommon.
| Native name | English name | Responsible for |
| Caloló ᔨᔮᔮ (lit. “leaders”) | Aristocracy / landed gentry | Legislation, ruling, and advisory. The highest class who exemplify bureaucratic values. |
| Áhakwe léca ᑎᐱᒷ ᔺᔨ (lit. “understanding people”) | Scholars / civil servants | Upkeep of most magic resources, literary standard prescription, interpretation, and other scientific jobs. Must pass a rigorous civil service exam. |
| Álat léca ᑎᔭᒧ ᔺᔨ (lit. “people who are above”) | Upper-middle class | Comparable to white-collar jobs, e.g. engineers, accountants, calligraphers, etc., as well as freelance entertainers such as musicians and artists. |
| Takwatétak ᒧᒪᒲᒧᒥ (lit. “center”) | Lower-middle class | Most menial or physical labor tasks, and other similarly vital but low-paying jobs. |
| Álo léca ᑎᔮ ᔺᔨ (lit. “people who are below”) | Lower-class | Tasks considered vulgar, such as foraging and butchering. Usually illiterate. |
Other than among the highest echelons, social mobility is usually influenced by fighting prowess, and public displays of intra- and inter-caste aggression are not uncommon.
Language
The lingua franca is known as Bachwa, named after a prominent lake. Notable for its extremely small phonemic inventory, it is a language isolate, unrelated to any other language; scholars have attempted in vain to search for any cognate sets or phonological traces linking it to another. Archaeological evidence provides vague suggestions that Bachwa once had living relatives elsewhere in the region, all of which presumably went extinct through aggressive Bukkoran linguicide.
Their writing system is a unique neography, an alphasyllabary created by a scholar who made it his mission to bring literacy to the common man. This goal was for the most part achieved, but generations of mismanagement and caste stratification have greatly reduced literacy rates among the lower class.
Stay tuned - more detailed information coming soon.