Oni

Demons of Reliah

In valley villages and high in the mountains above working in caves and forges or on the front lines of battle serving their lord without question, Oni are renown as the mightly horned people of Reliah.
Known as both fierce warriors and talented craftsmen, Oni are masters of integral to many modern trade networks. Some lords even rever ancestral blades made by Oni smiths above any other treasures within their kingdom. Oni first became part of more common society when many of them were hired as mercenaries by waring lords. These warriors were later granted positions of privilege after showing loyalty and exemplary service. In the common age, it is not rare to see Oni holding ranks in the military of large kingdoms.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Oni are muscular in comparison to most of the other races and have red or sometimes blue skin. All Oni have one or more horns from their head. They have black or sometimes dark brown hair. Oni have two long teeth on the lower or upper jaw, sharp claw-like nails, and pointed ears. Kijo are more slimly built compared to their male counterparts but like all Oni are still quite muscular.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While they are omnivorous, Oni require some amount of meat in their diet or risk muscular atrophy. Ancient Oni were once thought to eat people but in the common age, it is known that Oni prefer pork to all other meats.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Oni have a dulled sense of taste so they often consume food and drink that is very potent. Oni while not easily burned have sensitive enough skin to feel subtle changes in temperature with great precision. The eyes of an Oni are adapted to low amounts of light, granting them superior vision in dark environments. When light catches an Oni's eyes, they glow orange or red.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Among the Oni, the surname comes before the given name. Thus, a person with surname Takuda and given name Satori is referred to as Takuda Satori.

Beauty Ideals

The Oni don't believe in exterior beauty culturally and have no word for it. Instead, an Oni or Kijo is considered in term of honor, skill, or social status when being considered as a perspective mate.

Gender Ideals

In Oni society, it is believed that some trades are to remain exclusive to either Oni or Kijo. Oni are the only ones in the society that are allowed to smith weapons and armor. Kijo however, are the only ones allowed to brew alcohol.

Courtship Ideals

It is customary for Kijo to offer drinks to an Oni they wish to marry. If the Oni accepts the drink, the Kijo then takes the Oni to her home and keeps giving him alcohol until he passes out. Once the Oni falls unconscious, the Kijo puts a string of large beads around his neck and when he wakes up, if the beads have not fallen off, they are engaged to marry.

Relationship Ideals

After marriage, an Oni and Kijo move from their original homes and build a new one. Sometimes this is as simple as adding a new house to a village, and other times it is as vast an undertaking as settling a new land miles away. Once their home is built, the couple often goes about their lives in a way similar to that as before with the added exception that they are to raise as large a family possible.

Common Etiquette Rules

While from the outside, the Oni may seem very brutish or barbaric, they keep very well maintained and structured homes and lives. It is customary for Oni to remove their shoes when entering a building with floors, bow before beginning and when ending a conversation, and to even offer any visitors who come to their door food and drink.

Common Dress Code

Oni wear loose fitting clothing and often wear several layers. Each piece of clothing usually has one or more ties to help fasten it in place and come even wear thick rope belts. It is socially acceptable among Oni to have no cloth covering the back or chest regardless of gender but most Oni, especially Kijo wear a loose fitting top around the other races. Oni constructs their sandals from either hempen ropes or wooden blocks.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Once a year the Oni celebrate the Lunar New Year and hold festivals. While most of these festivals are limited to the small mountain villages, any city with a large enough Oni population may have a small celebration organized in a town square. During these celebrations, it is common for tons of small carnival games to be set up for children to play. Paper lanterns light up the night and some villages even host drinking competitions to see who if anyone can drink through eight pitchers of alcohol, the eight pitchers being a reference to a piece of ancient folklore.

Common Taboos

Oni warriors consider retreat during a battle that can still be won shameful and most would face death for the chance at victory. The mantra "I expect death, so live, you expect life, so die." is one that these warriors internalize when they step out onto the field.

Lifespan

90 years

Average Height

Oni: 6'5" Kijo: 5'10"

Average Weight

Oni: 350 lbs Kijo: 200 lbs

Average Physique

Muscular