Legobarian (leh-goh-bar-ee-yan)
The people of Legoba are a hearty, mountain-dwelling people known for their ruggedness but also their surprisingly progressive values regarding gender and societal roles. The main castes or divisions in the culture are the Townsfolk and the Foragers. The former live within Legoba itself or one of the other dozens of villages in the mountain region, taking care of the children and houses while the foragers venture out to hunt beasts or track down the sparse vegetation in the mountains. The society is built around a general meritocracy based on how well one can perform their role in society - whatever that may be. The mountain range that this people calls home is largely barren and has very little vegetation and sparse animal life.
The society does not prescribe roles to people but allow them to gravitate toward whatever they feel is best as they grow up. People are encouraged and allowed to explore other roles in society or switch whenever they want. The only 'barbaric' aspect of Legobarian society is the rejection of those who are seriously physically disabled. The determinate of what is 'too severe' is any feature or disability that would not allow the person to contribute in some way to society. It is not uncommon to see mothers with disabled babies abandon their children in the wilderness, leaving it up to nature and fate if the child survives. Apart from this, Legobarian society is widely considered one of the most progressive in the world.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
All names are unisex in Legoba, and you can find suggestions for given names from the Orc or Half-Orc races in the 5E Player's Handbook or Xanathar's Guide. Nicknames are based on appearance, personality, or deeds. Examples of this include: Three-Tusk, Roc Slayer, Crag Climber, Ogre-Temper, or Smiley.
Family names
There are no family names in the society of Legoba. Most people have a given name from birth and a nickname based on their deeds, personality, or appearance.
Culture
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Upon birth, all Legobarians are given a name by their parents. Some are ancestral, coming from recent family generations, while others are chosen based on ideals or words within the Legobarian dialect and culture. Many parents choose to 'bless' their child upon birth by painting the child's name in cultural runes on their forehead with various animals' blood. The animal(s) chosen and the time of year correlate to certain traits they want their child to possess when older. For example, cave bear blood would represent strength and protectiveness, while mountain goat blood would be used to bring agility or perseverance.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Funerary rites depend on the person's age and general physical condition upon death. Older members of the society are typically cremated and their ashes spread on top of a mountain while the priests and living relatives tell tales of the person's life. Younger, more hale individuals also have their family and the priests tell tales of their life, though instead of cremation their bodies are taken to the top of a mountain where the beasts can use their bodies to preserve the fragile ecosystem. It is customary to get a loved one's full name or a unique rune tattooed on one's body.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The beauty and grooming standards of Legoba are split into two different groups: the townsfolk and the foragers. For those who frequently venture out of the town, rough and rugged is the name of the game. The foragers are mostly decked out in hides of slain beasts, or when the weather allows they go almost naked with only basic hide loincloths to cover their privates and warpaint all over their body in cultural designs.
The townsfolk are, conversely, a bit more "prettied" like what one would expect from any other 'civilized' town or city. Their adornment is not made of the fine linens and silks, but of hides and leathers. Still, they are quite fine clothes, and are accented by simple silver or bronze jewelry. The few visitors who venture to this city have found this juxtaposition of the rugged and the beautiful to be incredibly unique.
Gender Ideals
There is very little difference between genders in Legoba. Insofar as there are genders or masculine/feminine designations, they relate to the townsfolk / forager groups. Townsfolk are typically viewed as more caring and compassionate. Foragers are considered a bit more emotional and passionate, with a reputation for aggression or combativeness. Apart from this, the society has no ideals or considerations of genders, and transgender and intersex are recognized within the culture.
Relationship Ideals
The Legobarian society has very little rules around courtship, relationships, and marriage. There is no stigma about relationships between members of the same sex; much like the rest of Legobarian culture, relationships are viewed as somewhat of a meritocracy. The only trend or tradition in Legobarian society is that foragers and townsfolk tend to intermarry and do not prefer members of their own group. This is not a hard rule of the culture but more of a trend or unspoken preference, though the few scholars who travel to the city cannot tell what may be the reason for this.
Major organizations
Related Locations
Comments