Mojocki

Settled widely throughout the whole west of Ahkna, the umbrella of Mojocki tribes are known for their strength and size. Many historical figures in Ahknan history have been from Mojoc, the most notable being Athan, the first rorak of the country, and the one who first suggested bringing it together.
Among the well-known trinkets and traditions of most of the tribes are the stone feather necklaces given to girls at birth, which are decorated as they grow, and the fighting style of ethka, which is more of an art form than a battle tactic. They are painted as a proud people, refusing any type of magic that isn't absolutely necessary, valuing the human body for what it can do on its own. Although, many aspects of their culture would be seen as dangerous from an outside view. Most of the popular games within the region are contests to see who can hold burning alcohol in their mouth the longest, or something else of the sort that provided physical risk and danger, but could easily be patched up with a simple healing spell or natural process.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Khala, Alazay, Ekhra, Nidore, Ajira

Masculine names

Jirced, Sidhra, Deokhet, Bashinath, Bol

Unisex names

Talah, Khiba, Othba, Maka, Terkhan

Family names

Surnames are basically just the birthplace of a person (ex: na Sol = of (the city) Sol)

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Ahknan, Khabati (Mojocki dialect of Ahknan)

Shared customary codes and values

Respect for the elderly runs deep in Mojoki culture, as most mojocki tribes still function on a community-based system, where food and medicine are shared between all. Elders must be cared for as they once cared for the young ones.

Physical strength is also highly valued, as it allows for more work to be done and a stronger defensive force for others. Back in the days when tribes would go to war with each other, warriors would have needed to maintain great strength in the case of an attack. That practice has carried on in present times, despite the traditional warrior style being replaced with a national military.

Something that's also highly valued is endurance, or pain tolerance. When coupled with physical strength, it's seen as something referred to in the Mojocki dialect as Jhoban, or true strength. The pairing of the two create a greater achievement. Endurance guarantees a task or battle can be outlasted, however in present times, it's been replaced more and more with the idea of pain tolerance. To build on this, people often compete in games that bring themselves physical harm and see how long they can last without a healing spell. One of the most popular of these games is okha, a drinking game where each person sees how long they can hold a burning or stinging beverage in their mouth without swallowing. Typically, the drink is incredibly alcoholic.

Coming of Age Rites

Naming Ceremony

Oftentimes, as a child grows up, parents may realize that they're not growing into their name. Some children might have a knack for weaving even though their name means 'warrior,' or they turn out to be incredibly beautiful instead of incredibly knowledgeable. This usually calls for a name change, which involves an entire ceremony and consultant of a matchmaker, who is supposed to be a person who can read and predict out others will turn out to be. A name change rectifies a small mistake made by parents who guessed wrong about how their child would turn out, and signifies that a person has become closer to growing into their own person. It also serves to show the rest of the community who or what they are.

Historical figures

• Athan - former local leader, rose to be the first ruler of Ahkna

• Utroka - a past master of the ritansi ceremonial sword, and great teacher of ethka, the sacred dance

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Long, dark hair, darker skin, and wide set black eyes. These are typically characteristic of one who bears great knowledge and intuition. Another ideal would be for a person to live up to their name meaning, which often results in vague name meanings such as 'strong' or 'hunter,' or other things that are easy to accomplish for a single person. For this reason, it's not unheard of for a person's name may change a couple of times during their childhood.

Courtship Ideals

A matchmaker will set up a couple who have complementing skills or character traits. A couple formed out of matchmaking is considered chaotic and unbalanced, as it is unchecked by a professional, someone who can know them and make sure they can succeed as a couple.

After being set up by a matchmaker, each half of the couple are expected to complete a few minor tests to see if they're ready to run a household together. This may require preparing a meal, cleaning up a space, or working to solve a specific scenario in their personal lives. For example, if the couple in question were both from farming families, they could be asked to work together for a few days during the harvest.

Major organizations

Ethakan, the practitioners of the sacred dancing style of ethka. Though without head or leader, most masters and teachers keep up to date on who and where the most senior practitioner is (this is mostly a common occurrence because practitioners need a person to ask questions of and correct their methods).

Related Organizations

• Ahknan Military
• The Ahknan Coalition