Tokian

Naming Traditions

For most of the humanoid species, the naming conventions are similar to that of their ancestry, but humans in particular typically follow a more regional naming convention adapting from a myriad of different species that have become what they are today. Even so many species that have integrated with Tok society have begun naming their offspring more Tokian-type names so it is not uncommon for these names to be shared among many from different cultures and locations.

Feminine Names

Aurelia, Avita, Cecilia, Decima, Drusilla, Faustina, Gaia, Galla, Junia, Livia, Laurentia, Marcella, Marilla, Maxima, Octavia, Prima, Quintia, Sabina, Septima, Tatiana, Tauria, Tertia, Tullia, Urbana, Valentia, Varina, Vita

Masculine Names

Atticus, Aurelius, Cassius, Cato, Cicero, Cyprian, Decimus, Felix, Justus, Lucius, Magnus, Marcus, Nero, Octavius, Philo, Quintus, Remus, Romulus, Rufus, Seneca, Septimus, Tiberius, Tiberimus, Urban

Unisex Names

Attu, Caceli, Druso, Faust, Cypris, Deciim, Felun, Livus, Magnu, Marill, Naru, Octavi, Phol, Quinn, Rebin, Sepu, Titanu, Terrance, Tiperu, Urbanu, Valen, Vitu

Art By: Nintendo Entertainment

Family Names

The family names of the Tokian people are typically the given name of their father. For instance, a woman named Octavia who's father is named Rufus would therefore be named Octavia Rufus. Sometimes it is not a literal adaptation of their name and instead some variation of it to better fit the given name of the child. Using the previous example, for instance, could very well become Octavia Rufia to give it a more feminine sounding name.

Other Names

Another common surname for people are simply titles or professions like Swordbreaker or Alebrewer. This is especially common among orphans and people who wish to disassociate with their families.

Culture

The culture of the Tokian people isn't as diverse as many of the other regions of Oryth with many differing beliefs being persecuted like many other heretical means of worship. The Tok Empire expects a certain spiritual connection with their Hextorian faith.

Major Language Groups & Dialects

The language most widely spoken among the Tokian people is Tof'kran Common, but among the Hextorian priests a devout worshipers have been known to speak Infernal in an attempt to be closer to their deity, Hextor. There are lesser dialects among not only the differing regions of Tok, but also the higher and lower classes.

Languages native to specific races are still allowed to be spoken among their people, but Tof'kran is required to be understood and spoken by the citizens of the Tok Empire. Those not well-enough versed in the language to speak with Tok Officials are put into custody where they stand trial and are evaluated for deportation outside of the nation of Tok, usually to a remote island to the north and left to exist in brutal environmental conditions.

Culture & Cultural Heritage

The culture of Tok actually derives from an amalgamation of many different cultures from when the continent first came together after the original death of Hextor, uniting under the banner of Heironeous. This, however, is not something that is allowed to be discussed due to the Hextorian faith being the only religion allowed under Tok rule. After the rebirth of Hextor, much of the original history was distorted and morphed to appease the monarchy as the old mantra goes, "History is written by its victors." This all being said, there are still many tribes and small cultural places that are far enough from the central Tok Empire's rule that they are able to celebrate their own culture and beliefs, but these are far and few between.

Shared Customary Codes & Values

The most valued commodity among the Tok people is a shared sense of strong work ethic. Often, especially within lower-class areas, monetary exchange is less common than the exchange of favors. Gratuity and charity are said to be "Not the place of the people" and often seen as an insult throughout the regions. Unlike other continents and places across Oryth, tipping is considered a faux pas and can also come across as demeaning and ungrateful for the service they received. This can be a bit of a culture shock for outsiders when they think they are doing a good deed, only to have it blow up in their face and create enmity to the very person they wished to celebrate.

Art By: Wizards of the Coast

Average Technological Level

Technology has recently begun to boom in the Tokian culture due to the prohibition on magic. Steampowered and clockwork devices have begun to develop at an alarming pace. Machines that can do the work of 10 farmhands have been developed. Though some see this as laziness and look down on those people, others see it as a way to work harder and produce more results. With the revolutionary discovery of black-powder projected missiles, also known as firearms, many believe that Tok will soon have the power to win the War of Attrition once and for all.

Art By: Paizo

Common Etiquette Rules

The Tok Empire rules the area and their word is the law. Speak only when spoken to and act only if requested. The young are often seen as silly and naive where the old are seen as aloof and senile. Still, there is wisdom to garnered from everyone's perspective and the Tok Empire tries to listen to all of its citizens as best as it can to gather as much information as possible.

Common Dress Code

The dress of Tok is most commonly what separates the higher and lower classes of the Tokian people. Lower-class people wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothes of neutral colors and simplistic designs. Higher-class folk often wear bright attention-grabbing colors that are form-fitting and adorn themselves with bright jewels and gems to display their status to those around them.

The feminine often dresses to be revealing to appeal to potential mates, where more masculine people often dress to appear more imposing or strong.

Art & Architecture

Art of the Tokian people is less than the physical and more in the social. Most of the physical structures are idols and art depicted in the Hextorian faith. This is due to many pieces of art dancing the ever-thinning line of heresy. The best means of expression in Tok is the music and dance. The Tokian Poi Dancers being some of the beautiful art forms in the lands. People become hypnotized by these dancers and often can lose themselves (and their pockets) to such sultry dancers.

The architecture of the Tokian people is also something that can denote one's status to the population. Lower-class citizens often live in hovels made of wood and thatch-roofing where the higher class citizens will live in stone buildings with intricately carved knotted frames and beautiful steepled rooftops.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

A child belonging to the Hextorian faith is lacerated on their left hand as a sign of faith to their god. If a child is born in a Tok sanctioned facility, they are inspected for a magical aura, if one is detected, on the child's third birthday they are affixed with a Pacification Bracer. All naturally magical creatures such as gnomes and elves are also affixed with this on their third birthdays as well.

Encompassed species

• Tiefling

Related Organizations

• Hextorian
• Tok Empire

Languages spoken

• Tof'kran

Related Locations

• Tok Proper

Art By: Wizards of the Coast

Ideals

The ideals of the Tokian people have been warped over the years to better fit the religious purviews of the nation. In order to encourage selective breeding to make stronger children ample subjects for war.

Beauty Ideals

Unrealistic ideals of beauty state that men should be incredibly strong. That certain mental emotions such as fear or depression are not masculine and should suppress them at all costs. The masculine should have a rippling physique or they will never be able to protect their family. Meanwhile, feminine qualities should be thin and spry, able to care for the family while their partners are away at war.

Gender Ideals

The gender ideals of Tok are a mixed lot. Though there is little in the way of discrimination toward those who do not identify with their assigned biological gender, it is frowned up for people to grow old with having offspring to contribute to the war efforts of the Tok Empire. "Be who you wish to be, so long as you spawn a strong and able child to fight our war".

Courtship Ideals

Courtship among nobles is purely to create stronger unions and offspring with other families. Marriage is only viewed as a means to strengthen the Tok Empire and have no romantic bearings in the Tok Empire. The idea of marrying only those you love is a frivolous and alien concept.

Relationship Ideals

Any people or peoples are free to be in a relationship with whomever they please. Their sexual orientation is of no consequence to anyone but themselves and even if public knowledge holds no prejudice among the people of Tok. So long as you do your duty among your country to have at least one child, you are free to be with anyone you choose.

Major Organizations

The major organizations of Tok are the Tok Militia, The Hextorian Church, and the Spellbreakers. There are myriad of smaller organizations throughout the continent of Tok and not all of them align with the current ideals of the nation, such as the aspiring rebellious organization, the MANTICORE.

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Common Customs, Traditions & Rituals

The Blooding

The most prominent of rituals and traditions among the Tokian people is a nation-wide celebration known as The Blooding marked by the 8^th-14^th of Hexbis. The people of Tok are to make a laceration in their left palm and offer their life-force to Hextor. The Blooding is a seven-day celebration where people gather, drink, dance, sing, and (most importantly) fight for their god's favor.

Discovery

Marked by the 12^th of Boccbis and the day before the beginning of the Season of Harvest, Discovery is the one day of the year that magic prowess is allowed in the realm of Tok and the day the recruitment for promising Spellbreakers. Should the magic adept fail the Spellbreaker Trials, however, they are sentenced to death to be carried out at midnight with the turning of the Season of Harvest to symbolize the harvesting of their magic.

Day of Curiosities

The Day of Curiosities is marked by the 7^th of Trithbis and is the most widely celebrated holiday in all of Oryth and Tok is no exception. It is the one day of the year that in accordance with the Laws of War that no blood shall be shed between the nations of Hroff and Tok. It is customary on this day to give three gifts. The first gift is a handmade gift presented to one's parents, the second, a bought gift for one's closest friend or friends, and the third, a gesture of kindness of no material solidarity to a complete stranger.

Coming of Age Rites

On the 13^th anniversary equivalent of a person's birth, they are stripped down to their undergarments and hanged from their hands. Their left palm is lacerated and left to bleed onto their body as they hang. This is done to not only pay homage to Hextor but also to teach humility to the child and allow them to endure the future that lies ahead of them.

Funerary & Memorial Customs

The Memento Mori is observed even in Tok when a person dies to remember that we all die and that our blood force returns to Hextor. This is one of the few traditions that does not have its origins in the Hextorian faith and some have debated whether or not it is actually heretical. However, it has been deemed illegal due to the fact that the divine presence of the two beings that once graced our world is no longer with us, and therefore ridding the belief from the people would actually cause more harm than good.

Art By: Craig J. Spearing

Common Taboos

Other taboos outside of the expected illicit activities of magic-using and worshipping of other gods consist mostly of stepping out of your station. If you are lower class than that is your station in life and unless you are able to amass a wealth to display your newly acquired station, then you are not to converse with those of a different class. Even those that begin poor and become rich by hard work and preservation often much cast aside their loved ones for their own betterment. And since charity is faux pas then there is no sharing your wealth with your family or friends. It is up to them to raise themselves or they are too weak to raise their station and deserve the treatment they get for being "lesser people".

Common Myths & Legends

The greatest legend of Tok is the still living Faruko de Ivalon, the High Harbinger of the Hextorian faith. During the Era of the Godless when the avatar of Hextor was first reborn, its power was dwindling. Accompanied by two other beings, whose names have been wiped from Tokian history, gathered a following and increased their strength allowing them to empower the child god. When the time came, Ivalon slew his two companions, giving their lifeblood to the God of Tok, allowing Hextor to become fully imbued in his new empowered state. As a reward for assisting the god, Ivalon has been gifted with the power of immortality and has reigned as the High Harbinger ever since.

Historical Figures

Being credited for the forming of the Nation of Tok, D'maryp Evna is revered by many as the father of the Tok Empire. However, the records of Tok have been skewed and warped and the names of Heironeous (whom he was a true paladin of) have been replaced with the name of Hextor. It is said that he was responsible for uniting the continent under the banner of the Grey Hand and brought peace to the continent. The Scholars of Oryth have records of the truth, but due to their stance of neutrality are unable to shed light on these falsities and keep the records a coveted secret.