Okisun
One of the smaller tribes of the Sandsage Nomads, this indigenous population of Githzerai is commonly at odds with the Ykanis tribe. They spend most of its migrations wandering through or near the Iron Hills, where they collect iron and smith it into tools and weapons used by the rest of the tribes.
This tribe is best known for their innate psionic abilities and psuedo-monastic lifestyle which are often regarded with heavy mysticism by the few non-tribal societies who have heard about them. But the Okisun do not consider themselves monks. Where monks seek the master the intangible energies of the physical body, the Okisun improve their physical bodies in order to support the intangible energies of the mind. To them, this distinction is very important but they nonetheless tend to think more highly of monks from the wider world than they do of most other outsiders.
Though no proper census has ever been done among the Sandsage tribes, the estimated population of the Okisun in the current age is around 200-250 people.
This tribe is best known for their innate psionic abilities and psuedo-monastic lifestyle which are often regarded with heavy mysticism by the few non-tribal societies who have heard about them. But the Okisun do not consider themselves monks. Where monks seek the master the intangible energies of the physical body, the Okisun improve their physical bodies in order to support the intangible energies of the mind. To them, this distinction is very important but they nonetheless tend to think more highly of monks from the wider world than they do of most other outsiders.
Though no proper census has ever been done among the Sandsage tribes, the estimated population of the Okisun in the current age is around 200-250 people.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Adumecha, Desehonshu, Eremetkaz, Insocha, Janre, Nojolki, Ometkaz, Randa, Rinza, Tokisunkaz, Umelja
Masculine names
Agehiro, Dosike, Folukere, Garudo, Kata, Kazi, Mulak, Nareguruk, Simutozik, Zuziki,
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The tribe speaks Gith as their primary language. The tribe's leader and most of its mystics are almost always capable of speaking Common in order to communicate with the other tribes (especially the two Human ones). Given the Okisun's role as the supplier of metal goods to all other Sandsage communities, it's crucial that Okisun leadership be able to speak Common as the inter-tribal standard for negotiation and trade.
A handful of individuals are chosen by the spiritual leaders to learn the languages of other tribes to function as interpreters if Common isn't spoken by a guest, but the majority of this tribe only speaks Gith.
A handful of individuals are chosen by the spiritual leaders to learn the languages of other tribes to function as interpreters if Common isn't spoken by a guest, but the majority of this tribe only speaks Gith.
Shared customary codes and values
Order
The pursuit of control and discipline requires strict rules. Order in all aspects of life, both personal and social, is a fundamental concept to this society. Through adherence to social norms and mastery of impulses, the Okisun have preserved their place among the Sandsage peoples despite consistently being one of the smallest tribes. They found their ecological and societal niches and have expressed no desire to expand beyond these limits.There is a social order to the Okisun tribe that is based in psionic meritocracy. Those who have proven masters of mental energies and psychic manipulation of the material world are regarded as mystics and spiritual leaders. This collective of distinguished psions chooses an individual from among their ranks to lead the tribe until death, when a new leader is chosen again. This leader is considered an exemplar of what all Okisun strive to be and attain in their life, and the leader's word is to be strictly adhered to. After all, to disobey orders would be sheer chaos in the mind of the Okisun.
The rigid structure of this society lends well to the process of smithing metal into weapons and tools. Smithing requires a rigid sequence of events which demand full focus in order to create a usable item of respectable quality. The process of mining, smelting, and smithing is a continuation of mental development and willpower. The Okisun even have a distinct word in the Gith tongue for "meditating through metalwork". Other smiths of Yvard may find it difficult to understand how something so grueling as working metal might be considered a peaceful or serene experience; here, it constitutes a unique blend of physical and mental training that symbolizes a well-balanced existence.
Balance
There is a place for violence as much as peace, a place for caution as much as assertion. The cultural concept of order begets harmony with all things. According to tribal mystics, it is possible to be content in who you are while striving to be better in every way. Finding that point within oneself and making it a focal point of one's life is something that is difficult to attain but commonly sought. Okisun mysticism teaches that finding The Balance in all things is key to unlocking greater mental potential, in psyionics or mundane cognition.Like all other Sandsage tribes, these folk depend on the resources of their environment and have developed their migration patterns so as to give the lands time to rest between visits. It is possible to preserve the spirits of the tribe alongside the spirits of nature, and this is crucial to finding The Balance. Most places within the Iron Hills see little to no migration of the other tribes, making the Okisun as a whole one of the "alpine specialists" of the greater nomadic community.
Training
If you are ever stupid enough to want to pick a fight with the Okisun, call them lazy. Even just one of them. No need to insult their mother or insist on their spouses having relations with goats; to insinuate, let alone openly declare, that they are undisciplined will provoke them to exhibit the extent of their discipline at your expense.
Imagine getting your ass kicked by a monk. Impossibly fast attacks and fluid defenses which utilize all parts of the body except the muscles of the face, which remain placid. They're not attacking you out of anger. They're attacking you because you need to be shown why you are wrong and why you shouldn't make such a mistake in the future. Have you ever seen a monk snatch an arrow out of its flight with their hand right before it would strike them dead? I have. Now imagine a monk that can do that without moving a muscle, leaving your shot frozen in time constrained by nothing but the power of their mind.
You're better off just telling them to go f--- themselves. They're much more likely to let that one roll like water off a duck's back.
The work ethic of the Okisun people is something to be admired. Nearly every task they undertake has a purpose for improving their lives or environment and is greeted as a challenge of mind and/or body. Hunting and gathering in the mountains physically challenge the body and task the mind to observe and recall information about locations and ecosystems. Mining iron is primarily a mental challenge and is one of the first serious psionic accomplishments young Okisun begin working to achieve, for stone is broken and ore extracted using the power of potent Okisun minds. A miner in this tribe is a very accomplished and respected individual for the skill it takes to psychically crush rocks, especially in a controlled fashion.
Meditation, even the forms that don't involve working metal, are considered methods of challenge as much as relaxation. The Okisun consider psychic strength gained by psychically interacting with the world as inferior to the gains achieved by delving into the depths of one's own mind to identify and "flex" the weakest areas of psionic energy. A child grows their psionic powers by moving a round stone; an adult grows their psionic powers by moving the obstacles within their own psyche.
These core values of the tribe combine to create a unique society that very few outside of the Sandsage lands know much about. Those few who have heard of the Okisun usually associate them with heavy mysticism and regard them as strange arcane monks (though history makes no mention of the Okisun practicing magic). This impression is often exaggerated, but is not far from the truth. Outsiders who have caught glimpses into Okisun society also equate it to that of a monastery, both in attitude and values.
Social Hierarchy
Okisun society is a meritocracy based upon the development of advanced and/or unique psionic capabilities. There are many subtle differences in how the different ranks interact with each other but extensive observance has yet to really focus on the full dynamics of this hierarchy. What is known about this structured class system is described below, beginning with the lowest ranks and progressing in order of increased authority among the tribespeople.- Untitled
The majority of the tribe is Untitled, simply meaning that they have yet to distinguish themselves from their peers enough to advance up the social structure. Outsiders are officially considered Untitled when in the presence of the tribe, though distinguished guests can potentially be recognized at higher social tiers. This is rarely known to occur and is usually a famed warrior who is given a tribal title. - Titled
Unique titles are given to people who accomplish memorable things. There is no set list of titles to choose from, though some are more commonly given than others. Most Titled people earn this position from psionic accomplishment but this isn't always the case. Great warriors or seers who have no major developments in psychic skills can become Titled and are considered equal. (For more information, see "Using Titles" below). It is possible to earn more than one title without advancing up the social order; doing so does not officially put a multi-titled individual any higher in social standing than someone with a single title, but it does command more respect from the community to have a longer title sequence. - Sages
Sages are similar to mystics in that they seem to have comparable roles for teaching and encouraging personal growth, but their psionic capabilities are less than that of a mystic. Okisun Sages are masters of non-psionic mental prowess such as memory, wisdom, military strategy, and natural resource management. They keep the culture's oral traditions flawlessly preserved through generations including tribal laws, legends, lore, and ancestry lines (to prevent inbreeding given the species' small population). - Mystics
The spiritual leaders of the tribe. Mystics have demonstrated their ability to develop multiple advanced psionic capabilities and are skilled communicators when it comes to guiding others through their own physical and psychic developments without simply giving the answers away. Mystics rarely tell you what to do when they give council, for figuring out the path to growth is part of the journey. But they know how to give the right nudges and encouragement. Mystics are also religious leaders, though very little of the Okisun religion is known. Like all other Sandsage tribes, they are known to practice some rudimentary form of animism and seem to observe at least one proper deity. The practices of this observance are either kept very private or integrated so thoroughly into daily life that observers cannot distinguish it. Mystics have been heard using the name "Congenio" with some reverence but it's uncertain if this is a deity or some other important mythological figure. - The Leader
The undisputed authority of the Okisun people. The leader is the most capable psion in the tribe, and quite possibly in the world, at any given time. Once chosen, a leader retains this position until their death. In rare instances, an individual can demonstrate greater skill and be given the title but this is rarely known to have happened.
Common Etiquette rules
Using Titles and Sequences
The majority of the tribe is Untitled, and are therefore addressed using only their name. For any individual who is Titled or higher in the social order, they must be addressed with their title before their name. If someone is Titled and has more than one distinction, the entirety of their titles are expected to be used with their name but in no certain order. This is called a title sequence, and it is very important to not forget any of them. The Okisun have astounding memories and seem to have no problem remembering the titles and sequences of virtually everyone in their community.
Sages, Mystics, and the Leader are addressed simply as such without needing to list off previous titles or sequence. Doing so is considered either excessively formal or pure flattery, and has only been witnessed by guests when a tribe member is being punished and wishes to demonstrate reverence for their superiors by proving they remember complete titles and sequences that may not have been used in decades.
In private settings, an Okisun may tell you to stop using their title/sequence and simply call them by their name. This is a sign that this figure regards you highly with trust and respect. When in public, however, you are expected to continue addressing them formally. Besides spouses and children, most tribe members seem to have very few people to whom they extend this courtesy; a dozen or fewer is believed to be customary.
Respect Authority
The Okisun are not an overbearing people. Their society may seem rigid at first glance but many individual freedoms are afforded to its people and they are largely free to come and go. Individuals can choose their tasks and priorities as they wish provided they continue to seek the Balance and continue ensuring the needs of tribe and nature are met. But if someone higher than you in social order gives you a task, there's virtually no room for rebuttal. This system is rarely abused given the lifelong pursuit of individual growth, which does not encourage excessive delegation.
Greeting
Despite centuries of resentment, bloodshed, and mutual distrust between the two Gith tribes, both the Okisun and the Ykanis use the same hand motion for greeting. A relaxed yet open hand with fingers slightly spread is raised to touch the middle finger to the center of the forehead. The motion is reciprocated by the person being greeted. The meaning of this deliberate motion are not fully known, but given its practice between these two Gith cultures it seems to have some base in their innate psionic powers. The Okisun do not seem to care if outsiders greet them in this way and seem to appreciate the recognition of their custom; the Ykanis despise outsiders who use this gesture. Since non-Gith psions are exceedingly rare in Yvard, almost as rare as outsiders interacting with the Ykanis, it's not certain if a non-Gith psion would be allowed to replicate this motion.
The majority of the tribe is Untitled, and are therefore addressed using only their name. For any individual who is Titled or higher in the social order, they must be addressed with their title before their name. If someone is Titled and has more than one distinction, the entirety of their titles are expected to be used with their name but in no certain order. This is called a title sequence, and it is very important to not forget any of them. The Okisun have astounding memories and seem to have no problem remembering the titles and sequences of virtually everyone in their community.
Sages, Mystics, and the Leader are addressed simply as such without needing to list off previous titles or sequence. Doing so is considered either excessively formal or pure flattery, and has only been witnessed by guests when a tribe member is being punished and wishes to demonstrate reverence for their superiors by proving they remember complete titles and sequences that may not have been used in decades.
In private settings, an Okisun may tell you to stop using their title/sequence and simply call them by their name. This is a sign that this figure regards you highly with trust and respect. When in public, however, you are expected to continue addressing them formally. Besides spouses and children, most tribe members seem to have very few people to whom they extend this courtesy; a dozen or fewer is believed to be customary.
Respect Authority
The Okisun are not an overbearing people. Their society may seem rigid at first glance but many individual freedoms are afforded to its people and they are largely free to come and go. Individuals can choose their tasks and priorities as they wish provided they continue to seek the Balance and continue ensuring the needs of tribe and nature are met. But if someone higher than you in social order gives you a task, there's virtually no room for rebuttal. This system is rarely abused given the lifelong pursuit of individual growth, which does not encourage excessive delegation.
Greeting
Despite centuries of resentment, bloodshed, and mutual distrust between the two Gith tribes, both the Okisun and the Ykanis use the same hand motion for greeting. A relaxed yet open hand with fingers slightly spread is raised to touch the middle finger to the center of the forehead. The motion is reciprocated by the person being greeted. The meaning of this deliberate motion are not fully known, but given its practice between these two Gith cultures it seems to have some base in their innate psionic powers. The Okisun do not seem to care if outsiders greet them in this way and seem to appreciate the recognition of their custom; the Ykanis despise outsiders who use this gesture. Since non-Gith psions are exceedingly rare in Yvard, almost as rare as outsiders interacting with the Ykanis, it's not certain if a non-Gith psion would be allowed to replicate this motion.
Common Dress code
Garments
The Okisun seem to have less tolerance for the brutal heat of the Sandsage Desert which surrounds their mountain peaks, much preferring the cool airs at higher elevations and only migrating outside of the Iron Hills during the coolest times of year. They are the only Sandsage tribe which consistently sport heavy coats, but this is only through their autumn/ winter migrations through the freezing cold desert.
Most of the year, while up in the mountains, the tribe is dressed in long robe-like coats during the chilly mountain nights which are made of somewhat light materials. During the day, trousers extending to just below the knee with long vests or sleeveless tunics are the typical garments worn. In areas of deep snow they wrap their feet in cloth strips but otherwise remain barefoot. It's believed that the sensation of cold and stone upon a nomad's feet bolster a person's base tolerance for pain and discomfort, making the trend indicative of their dedication to training and improving themselves.
The broader conception of the Okisun as a monastic society are often fueled by the fact that most outsiders only see them from a distance; the modest clothing preferred in this culture are a style which is similar to conventional monastic orders in Yvard.
Colors
In stark contrast to many of the vivacious hues beloved by other tribes and settled neighbors, the Okisun stick to tones of earth and stone. Various shades of brown, tan, dark green, and grey are the standard for clothing. No tribal law is known to exist against using other colors, but the extreme rarity of deviation from this palette implies there is some sort of social stigma associated with doing so.
Accessories & Ornamentation
Little value is placed in accessorizing or physically ornamenting one's appearance. The Okisun don't care much for appearance so there is very little physical expression of individuality beyond simple alterations to the pattern of one's clothing. The presence of tattooing traditions, or even tattooed individuals, have not been noted by anthropologists or casual observers in any known sources. Jewelry is rare and usually takes the form of dark metal ear studs. Embroidery or other embellishments to clothing are minimal and only seem to be used by mystics. Hoods and headgear are virtually nonexistent, save a braided leather headdress adorned with strange purple crystal shards worn constantly by the tribe's leader.
The Okisun seem to have less tolerance for the brutal heat of the Sandsage Desert which surrounds their mountain peaks, much preferring the cool airs at higher elevations and only migrating outside of the Iron Hills during the coolest times of year. They are the only Sandsage tribe which consistently sport heavy coats, but this is only through their autumn/ winter migrations through the freezing cold desert.
Most of the year, while up in the mountains, the tribe is dressed in long robe-like coats during the chilly mountain nights which are made of somewhat light materials. During the day, trousers extending to just below the knee with long vests or sleeveless tunics are the typical garments worn. In areas of deep snow they wrap their feet in cloth strips but otherwise remain barefoot. It's believed that the sensation of cold and stone upon a nomad's feet bolster a person's base tolerance for pain and discomfort, making the trend indicative of their dedication to training and improving themselves.
The broader conception of the Okisun as a monastic society are often fueled by the fact that most outsiders only see them from a distance; the modest clothing preferred in this culture are a style which is similar to conventional monastic orders in Yvard.
Colors
In stark contrast to many of the vivacious hues beloved by other tribes and settled neighbors, the Okisun stick to tones of earth and stone. Various shades of brown, tan, dark green, and grey are the standard for clothing. No tribal law is known to exist against using other colors, but the extreme rarity of deviation from this palette implies there is some sort of social stigma associated with doing so.
Accessories & Ornamentation
Little value is placed in accessorizing or physically ornamenting one's appearance. The Okisun don't care much for appearance so there is very little physical expression of individuality beyond simple alterations to the pattern of one's clothing. The presence of tattooing traditions, or even tattooed individuals, have not been noted by anthropologists or casual observers in any known sources. Jewelry is rare and usually takes the form of dark metal ear studs. Embroidery or other embellishments to clothing are minimal and only seem to be used by mystics. Hoods and headgear are virtually nonexistent, save a braided leather headdress adorned with strange purple crystal shards worn constantly by the tribe's leader.
Art & Architecture
Art
SmithingThe only recognized art produced by this society is their metalwork. Ore (typically iron, but not always) is mined from the mountains, smelted, and used to create weapons and tools. The Okisun keep a small percentage of these products for themselves but the varied psionic abilities of the tribespeople make many tools for labor unnecessary. The tribe's warriors don't shy away from metal weapons but many of the most respected warriors are those who face their foes without wielding metal. It's a counterintuitive notion for most outsiders; the warrior with a staff is likely to be far more dangerous than the warrior with a sword, for this society's combatants only fight with metal weapons until their prowess in warfare is sufficient to fell foes without the use of sharpened steel.
Some anthropologists suspect that this notion was a factor in the tribe's development as the source of metal weapons for other Sandsage communities. These theories propose that the Okisun's production and distribution of weapons and tools was (and maybe still is) a subtle slight to the other tribes as if to say "you give swords to your most revered warriors and tools to your craftsfolk while we give them to our children. What does that say about your capabilities in comparison to ours?"
Masonry
Very few tools are used to mine iron ore or shape stone. The Okisun do these things with their psionic power. Not all tribespeople can psychically shape stone, it is considered an advanced technique but is culturally expected of those who develop adequate mental strength. It's estimated that roughly half of the tribe attains this level of master, beginning with chipping away pieces of stone in a manner similar to knapping with flint or churt and developing into the ability to split stone into separate chunks. The greatest tribal masons are said to bear strength sufficient to crush stone into powder.
The quality of Okisun masonry is exquisite but its applications are widely underutilized. There are no decorations or statues produced in this society, they simply manipulate stone to extract ore or construct dome-camps. Dwarven masons who see these skills exhibited are often frustrated by the experience. Some are disappointed that these fantastic abilities are not put to wider use in masonry applications, others feel the inherent reputation of dwarves as masters of stonework is directly threatened. Such dwarves are also frequently flustered by the ease with which the Okisun can complete complex structural designs by using psionics to ignore gravity itself during the process of construction.
Architecture
Like all other Sandsage tribes, this society is nomadic. They migrate through set patterns in accordance with the seasonality of needed natural resources and operate from camps that may stay in one place for a few days, weeks, or months before migrating once more. Throughout their travels and stationary stints the indigenous peoples of Einborg take shelter from the elements in several ways including portable structures (such as yurts or other large tents), temporary non-portable shelters (such as a wigwam or lean-to), and using natural landscape features (such as caves or ruins).The Okisun Dome Camp
The Okisun favor building stationary structures that are intended for limited-time use. Given the abundance of the resource in their favored territories compared to its lack among the lowlands-dwelling tribes, the Okisun are the only Sandsage people who build their shelters primarily from stone. Searching out quantities of properly-proportioned stones to create enough shelter for everyone would take a great deal of time and energy from other tribes. For the Okisun, many of whom are capable of moving, cutting, and shaping rocks psychically for mining iron, it is short work when raw stone is available in ample supply. Many of their repeated camping sites already contain the cut stones from previous migrations, which means the only work needed is assembly. The tribe skillfully arranges these stones with psychic precision in a short time; what appears to be pristine raw mountain wilderness can become a fully operational Okisun dome-camp in one to three hours when previously cut stones are available.
When a temporary living area is set up, the assembled stones create a series of dome-shaped dwellings that protrude like boulders from the mountainsides. The Gith word for this temporary living arrangement is loosely translated as "dome-camp". Other Sandsage tribes sometimes refer to the Okisun simply as "dome-dwellers", a term these Gith seem to regard with indifference despite frequently being spoken with pejorative tones.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Childbirth & Birth Stones
Much like weddings, Okisun births are hardly something that can be described as "celebrated". A child is born and its grandparents provide food to the exhausted parents for several days, peers may inquire as to the health of infant and mother, and trusted friends will issue congratulations. This is the extent to which the general community is directly involved in a child's arrival into the world. Nobody but direct family members are allowed to see a newborn until the mystics have come and gone.
Sometime during the day of a child's birth, or the following day if born in the night, one or more of the tribe's mystics will visit the newborn. The mystic presents a "birth stone" to the infant and entrusts this gift to the parents for safekeeping until the child is old enough to begin training with it. A birth stone is roughly the size of a small apple and shaped by the mystic into a sphere. It is solid rock and is one of the few aesthetic indulgences among this people, for the stones selected and shaped by mystics are often of unique and memorable colors and/or patterns.
Much like weddings, Okisun births are hardly something that can be described as "celebrated". A child is born and its grandparents provide food to the exhausted parents for several days, peers may inquire as to the health of infant and mother, and trusted friends will issue congratulations. This is the extent to which the general community is directly involved in a child's arrival into the world. Nobody but direct family members are allowed to see a newborn until the mystics have come and gone.
Sometime during the day of a child's birth, or the following day if born in the night, one or more of the tribe's mystics will visit the newborn. The mystic presents a "birth stone" to the infant and entrusts this gift to the parents for safekeeping until the child is old enough to begin training with it. A birth stone is roughly the size of a small apple and shaped by the mystic into a sphere. It is solid rock and is one of the few aesthetic indulgences among this people, for the stones selected and shaped by mystics are often of unique and memorable colors and/or patterns.
Coming of Age Rites
An Okisun child only experiences two recognized acknowledgements of their birthday: when they are gifted their birth stone by mystics upon arriving into the world, and when their parents give the birth stone into the child's possession on their sixth birthday. The only other reason the Okisun track birthdays is for the purpose of tracking age; there are no annual celebrations or parties for the occasion.
Birth stones are highly symbolic of Okisun values. All Gith, both among the Okisun and Ykanis tribes, inherently possess the psionic capacity to manipulate small objects with telekenesis. An Okisun child learns how to develop and control this power using their birth stone. The process of this initial psionic growth is slow. Children are usually not able to consistently control the psychic movement of their birth stone until age thirteen or fourteen. Social norms dictate a child should not use telekenesis on anything else until they have proven proficiency with the birth stone.
When a child believes they are proficient, they are assessed by a mystic. Particularly young children may even be assessed directly by the Leader if they are believed to be a prodigy. When competency with basic telekenesis is confirmed by this series of trials, a child is considered mature among the Okisun and can begin pursuing their own psionic development however they see fit.
If they pursue psionic masonry, as most do for a time regardless of if the skill is eventually attained, they use the birth stone to initially develop and improve the ability to psychically chip away at a stone surface. The spherical shape of the stone makes it easy to find any sections that have been properly affected by psionic energy, which at this early developmental level may not happen in the intended location upon the stone. But successfully removing small chips makes way to removing larger chips, then creating cracks or dents, culminating in several other advanced display of psychic stonework. Even aged Okisun can be seen meditating or practicing with their birth stone.
The only acceptable reason to no longer possess a birth stone at any stage of adult life is to have destroyed it through the development of greater psychic strength. Otherwise it is an item that each member of the tribe retains throughout life, and it accompanies them in death.
Birth stones are highly symbolic of Okisun values. All Gith, both among the Okisun and Ykanis tribes, inherently possess the psionic capacity to manipulate small objects with telekenesis. An Okisun child learns how to develop and control this power using their birth stone. The process of this initial psionic growth is slow. Children are usually not able to consistently control the psychic movement of their birth stone until age thirteen or fourteen. Social norms dictate a child should not use telekenesis on anything else until they have proven proficiency with the birth stone.
When a child believes they are proficient, they are assessed by a mystic. Particularly young children may even be assessed directly by the Leader if they are believed to be a prodigy. When competency with basic telekenesis is confirmed by this series of trials, a child is considered mature among the Okisun and can begin pursuing their own psionic development however they see fit.
If they pursue psionic masonry, as most do for a time regardless of if the skill is eventually attained, they use the birth stone to initially develop and improve the ability to psychically chip away at a stone surface. The spherical shape of the stone makes it easy to find any sections that have been properly affected by psionic energy, which at this early developmental level may not happen in the intended location upon the stone. But successfully removing small chips makes way to removing larger chips, then creating cracks or dents, culminating in several other advanced display of psychic stonework. Even aged Okisun can be seen meditating or practicing with their birth stone.
The only acceptable reason to no longer possess a birth stone at any stage of adult life is to have destroyed it through the development of greater psychic strength. Otherwise it is an item that each member of the tribe retains throughout life, and it accompanies them in death.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Cremation
As is custom for most of the Sandsage tribes, the Okisun burn their dead on funeral pyres. Tribal mores encouraging stoicism and emotional control are waived in times of mourning and witnessing the grief of this placid people is a heart-wrenching experience. The tribe is expected to handle the construction of pyres while the family openly grieves the loss of their loved one. All tribal activities are ceased to immediately see to this undertaking in order to light the pyre within 24 hours of death.
The deceased are placed upon the pyre with their birth stone (if it survived their lifetime of psionic training). Okisun tradition is for the entire tribe remain absolutely silent and attentive while the pyre burns, providing the dead a final silent meditation as their spirit passes into their companion stone. It is unclear what the tribe believes to occur to a spirit that has no birth stone, but it's theorized to be something beneficial considering the elevated social status of those who attain sufficient mental prowess to destroy their birth stone.
When the pyre is burnt away the ashes are collected in an obsidian urn. This urn, along with the recently-converted "sorrow stone", are presented by the mystics to the deceased's family. The family then deliberates on how the subsequent memorial will take shape.
Mound Metal
Unlike many "settled" cultures, the Okisun do not keep their loved one's ashes in an urn or scatter them into the wind. The traditional obsidian urn is a temporary holding vessel while the family discusses what form the ashes will take when converted into "mound metal".
The majority of Okisun-produced metal goods are made of iron or steel. These skilled smiths know that adding carbon into the iron smelting process creates steel; when that carbon comes from the pyre ashes within an obsidian urn, Okisun mound metal is created. To outsiders, this appears to just be steel with sentimental value. To the Okisun, it is a crucial spiritual step in ensuring that death does not disrupt the Balance.
Mound metal is smelted and crafted into a weapon or tool symbolic of the deceased's accomplishments or personality, as chosen by the surviving family members. A warrior may be memorialized by a mound metal weapon or helmet regardless of if this item was frequently used during their lifetime. A skilled mason may be preserved in a mound metal chisel. A smith or other person of great physical strength may take the shape of a hammer. Regardless of its final form, if the dead left a sorrow stone (formerly birth stone prior to cremation) it is cut and shaped to be integrated somehow into the mound metal item in some way. The entire sorrow stone is not required to be used, but pieces of it are expected to be featured plainly in the final object.
In the rare instances when a Cogenio crystal is made from the pyre ashes, very little is left for smelting the mound metal. A small portion is deliberately reserved for mound metal and any shortage of carbon content for this alloy is supplemented with regular ash. Since a small measure of pyre ash is preserved in the steel, it does not seem to be considered any spiritually different than "pure" mound metal. The Cogenio crystal is integrated prominently into the finished product in a fashion chosen by the smith.
Cogenio Crystals
If outsiders regard mound metal as steel with sentimental value, a Cogenio crystal is mere diamond with sentimental value. These sacred gemstones are proper diamonds; the term "Cogenio crystal" is simply a catchy alliterative interpretation of the Gith term for this item.
When the tribe's Leader dies, the tribe constructs two funeral pyres. The body of the leader is cremated in traditional fashion, but the obsidian urn is placed upon the second pyre immediately after the ashes are collected. A second blaze is started and the entirety of the Untitled caste is tasked with keeping the pyre stocked with wood for a sustained burning of incredibly intense heat. The tribe's mystics gather around the pyre, protected from the flames by psionic barriers generated from any Sages and Titled individuals capable of producing them. The mystics enter an intense meditative trance as they focus all of their mental energies into exerting immense physical pressure upon the urn's contents. This incredible pressure compresses the contained ashes for a sustained period of time, causing the heat of the pyre and simultaneous condensing of cremation ash to create a small diamond within the urn.
This diamond is a Cogenio crystal. According to Okisun spirituality, this gem now contains the spirit of the departed Leader. Leaders virtually never have a birth stone survive their rigorous lifetime of psychic training, and as such have no vessel to absorb their soul during standard cremation ceremonies. The Cogenio crystal becomes the focal point of the memorial item created from mound metal and is the highest form of postmortem honors among the Okisun people. The level of reverence for this gem implies a deeper level of spiritual importance that is not currently understood by the outside world.
In very rare cases, it's said that a tribal Leader cultivates enough sheer psychic power to be able to pressurize a Cogenio crystal from pyre ashes completely on their own. This is an exceedingly rare ability that apparently is not seen for centuries or even millennia. When a Leader emerges who is capable of this incomprehensible mental acuity, they use it to create Cogenio crystals for every tribe member who dies during their time leading the Okisun people. It would seem that doing this for the common tribesfolk has a distinct spiritual significance from a Cogenio crystal made of a Leader's ashes, but this too remains unknown to outsiders.
Burial Mounds
When a memorial weapon or item is completed, it is presented to the family of the deceased by the crafter who forged it. The community commemorates this final homage to the dead by preparing a meal for the family to eat privately before setting out into the mountain wilderness. For Yvard's first several ages of recorded history, the destination of a grieving family departing dome-camp was a mystery. It took a very unfortunate group of Einborg's early settlers to stumble upon the truth by accident, a blunder that cost most of the settlers their lives.
While awaiting the completion of their memorial item, a grieving family must prepare to deliver their loved one's mound metal to return to the mountain. The Iron Hills contain many sacred areas dedicated to tribal burial mounds, many of which contain impressive arrangements of cairns between burial mounds. Every Okisun lineage has an ancestral burial mound somewhere in the mountains. The Untitled caste have their memorial item interred within a burial mound containing their ancestors' items, while any deceased of Titled status or higher are permitted to have new burial mounds created in their honor.
Burial mounds are constructed in the same fashion as dome-camp by telepathically moving shaped stones into deliberate convex arrangements. The primary difference is that mounds are considerably shorter than a dome dwelling and are completely closed in with stones and boulders to leave no openings. When a grieving family arrives at their destination the mound is opened and the item placed reverently inside, often among a trove of other sacred memorials, before being enclosed once more.
These mounds were first discovered by Einborn settlers who ventured into the Iron Hills during the end of the Age of Fissure and Founding. They were supposedly seeking metal veins to work in order to establish a village upon the Sandsage Ancestral Lands, and they stumbled upon an exposed burial mound that had been disturbed by a recent landslide. Inside they found dozens of fine steel weapons and tools, some bearing exquisite diamonds. As they collected these mysteriously abandoned items, a grieving Okisun family entered the burial grounds to deliver a memorial item and laid eyes on these perceived grave robbers. A great slaughter took place, and the mining expedition was almost completely wiped out. But the survivors' story spread, and soon other expeditions began seeking out Okisun burial mounds in the mountains as a source of easy wealth. Many small wars ensued between the Okisun and the relentless Einborn settlers until The Wandering drove the Sandsage Nomads out of their ancestral homes altogether. When the nomads returned to take their territories back by force, the Okisun were horrified to discover that many of their ancestral burial mounds had been looted. They remain dauntlessly defensive of these sacred spaces to this day.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
This people's concept of beauty is much more abstract than most other cultures. Physical features are not as important to an individual's attractiveness as are their mental characteristics and personal habits. Much of the world who has seen them find the Gith to be a physically ugly species; while this isn't necessarily true within the Gith themselves, the Okisun clearly value other things more highly in a person than what can be seen with the eyes.
Cleanliness and Hygeine
The Okisun find cleanliness to be highly attractive. While one is working, the grimes of smithing or cooking or hunting are not held against anybody. Those who make a habit of regularly washing themselves, their clothes, and their tools once the dirty work is done are considered to be most beautiful in the tribe. Despite this ideal, not all Okisun seem to make the effort to stay clean with equal fervor. Yet even the sloppiest member of this tribe is more consistently hygienic than the majority of Yvard.
With their time spent in the mountains, the Okisun are fond of the hot springs hidden within the Iron Hills. Most of the tribe's favorite migration spots are those with regular access to the warm waters, where virtually everyone spends time bathing and washing for fun rather than for beauty. These hot springs have the additional effects of soothing the muscle aches accumulated by the miners and smiths during their work.
Modesty
By comparison to many other Sandsage societies, this society is very humble and unassuming. The Okisun wear simple clothing in dark colors. Their festivals are quite mild by most standards and many of their great artisans make no attempts to seek fame befitting their skill. They are a reserved people and interact very little with other tribes outside of trading metal goods or inter-tribal diplomacy.
Mental Discipline
The innate psionic powers of the Gith have developed the Okisun to think highly of those who master their own mind. This discipline doesn't apply merely to psionic abilities; individuals are also respected and considered attractive for having strong memories, controlling their emotions, and preserving oral traditions (in this regard, they are believed to get along well with the Rescot tribe).
Rare cultivations of psionic power are attained by the most respected and fearsome members of the tribe. These individuals are able to advance up the social hierarchy to become spiritual leaders and mystics who encourage and guide others in their mundane and psionic pursuits. To achieve this high station within the tribe, one must be able to consistently display great psychic feats. Very few outsiders have seen such feats displayed and lived to bear witness but legends speak of Okisun mystics who, using solely their mind, have been able to teleport, create areas of invulnerability, summon solid structures from thin air, or even control gravity in a contained area.
Cleanliness and Hygeine
The Okisun find cleanliness to be highly attractive. While one is working, the grimes of smithing or cooking or hunting are not held against anybody. Those who make a habit of regularly washing themselves, their clothes, and their tools once the dirty work is done are considered to be most beautiful in the tribe. Despite this ideal, not all Okisun seem to make the effort to stay clean with equal fervor. Yet even the sloppiest member of this tribe is more consistently hygienic than the majority of Yvard.
With their time spent in the mountains, the Okisun are fond of the hot springs hidden within the Iron Hills. Most of the tribe's favorite migration spots are those with regular access to the warm waters, where virtually everyone spends time bathing and washing for fun rather than for beauty. These hot springs have the additional effects of soothing the muscle aches accumulated by the miners and smiths during their work.
Modesty
By comparison to many other Sandsage societies, this society is very humble and unassuming. The Okisun wear simple clothing in dark colors. Their festivals are quite mild by most standards and many of their great artisans make no attempts to seek fame befitting their skill. They are a reserved people and interact very little with other tribes outside of trading metal goods or inter-tribal diplomacy.
The Okisun are particularly uncomfortable around the gaudy and vivacious Valdéra tribe, whom they look down upon as needlessly frivolous and undisciplined. Given this society's value upon mental acuity, it's no surprise they think poorly of the people who freely make and share such an infamous substance as cactus juice.
Mental Discipline
The innate psionic powers of the Gith have developed the Okisun to think highly of those who master their own mind. This discipline doesn't apply merely to psionic abilities; individuals are also respected and considered attractive for having strong memories, controlling their emotions, and preserving oral traditions (in this regard, they are believed to get along well with the Rescot tribe).
Rare cultivations of psionic power are attained by the most respected and fearsome members of the tribe. These individuals are able to advance up the social hierarchy to become spiritual leaders and mystics who encourage and guide others in their mundane and psionic pursuits. To achieve this high station within the tribe, one must be able to consistently display great psychic feats. Very few outsiders have seen such feats displayed and lived to bear witness but legends speak of Okisun mystics who, using solely their mind, have been able to teleport, create areas of invulnerability, summon solid structures from thin air, or even control gravity in a contained area.
Gender Ideals
The Okisun have very few ideals that are different between genders. The attractive traits of an individual are based on abstract concepts like skill, mental fortitude, and stoicism. This has led to a dismantling of traditional gender roles or ideals within this culture given that everyone strives for the same non-concrete goals. The exception to this rule is the existence of several things that are distinct to the biology of sex.
Female members of this society are, like most other humanoid cultures, expected to be the primary caregivers and nurturers of offspring. This species is slow to procreate and mothers rarely give birth to more than two children in their lifetime.
Female members of this society are, like most other humanoid cultures, expected to be the primary caregivers and nurturers of offspring. This species is slow to procreate and mothers rarely give birth to more than two children in their lifetime.
Courtship Ideals
A common misconception about the Okisun is that its stoic people are incapable of love, affection, or carnal desire. Sure, at face value it might seem that way to somebody who learns everything they need at face value. But these paragons of brainpower pay little heed to face value.
They long for love and acceptance as surely as any figure from a Forelian love ballad. Young lovers sneak away for private encounters without coldly planning to procreate. They hold the back of each others' shaved heads as others would hold hands or give a comforting embrace. They simply don't let their life be subject to the whims of emotions underlying these actions; the expression of emotion is more deliberate and therefore more meaningful for the profound truth that they chose to express it to you.
Courtship is a short process among the Okisun, generally lasting only a few weeks. The tribe is small enough that everyone has a working knowledge of everyone else, so many children within similar age ranges grew up together and already know each other well. When two people begin courting they spend a great deal of their time together in conversation or meditation to really get to know one another on a deeper cerebral and spiritual level. If they feel drawn to each other through this process, they agree to be married and announce it to the rest of the tribe.
Marriage
The announcement of marriage is the entirety of an Okisun marriage event. There is no formal ceremony or public festivities. The families of newlyweds will often have a private celebration amongst themselves that is hardly more sharing a meal together and exchanging stories in a surprisingly open fashion. This "wedding feast", which is only larger than a typical meal in the fact that more people are present, is one of few occasions in Okisun society when emotional expression is socially acceptable.
Marriage for this people is a lifelong commitment. There is no known process for divorcing from a spouse and extramarital affairs are punished harshly if discovered. This society has a very firm sense of order and propriety that stands in harsh contrast to the many other accepted relationship dynamics among other Sandsage tribes. The Okisun believe structure is inherent to living a good life, and marriage is an integral part of their social structure.
Relationship Ideals
Spouses
Spouses share the responsibilities of teaching children all aspects of tribal life, from basic survival skills to harnessing psionic abilities to mining and crafting. In addition to cultivating a child's upbringing, spouses are expected to spend time together in various forms of meditation. Most of these Gith spend a large part of their free time meditating; communing with nature, delving inside one's own mind to strengthen psionic power, or linking psionic energies with another to build each other's minds are all common reasons for meditation. The language of the Gith tribes, which is also simply called Gith, has many different words for the various forms of meditation.
Meditating together is a personal experience, especially when delving into each other's psychic energies. It is something only done with a partner who is deeply trusted, and is one of the core expectations of support shared between spouses.
Parents and Children
Parents are responsible for teaching their children how to survive nomadic life and carry on the Okisun traditions. While a very order-focused society, children are inherently chaotic and are generally shown ample patience while being taught how to control themselves in all the expected ways. If a child is known for being particularly rambunctious over a long period, their parents are often considered to be weak of will. Such an assertion is damning in this society and parents who fail to to properly teach their children discipline may have the tribal leaders place the child into the care of a "more competent" family, whether for a set time or indefinitely.
Spouses share the responsibilities of teaching children all aspects of tribal life, from basic survival skills to harnessing psionic abilities to mining and crafting. In addition to cultivating a child's upbringing, spouses are expected to spend time together in various forms of meditation. Most of these Gith spend a large part of their free time meditating; communing with nature, delving inside one's own mind to strengthen psionic power, or linking psionic energies with another to build each other's minds are all common reasons for meditation. The language of the Gith tribes, which is also simply called Gith, has many different words for the various forms of meditation.
Meditating together is a personal experience, especially when delving into each other's psychic energies. It is something only done with a partner who is deeply trusted, and is one of the core expectations of support shared between spouses.
Parents and Children
Parents are responsible for teaching their children how to survive nomadic life and carry on the Okisun traditions. While a very order-focused society, children are inherently chaotic and are generally shown ample patience while being taught how to control themselves in all the expected ways. If a child is known for being particularly rambunctious over a long period, their parents are often considered to be weak of will. Such an assertion is damning in this society and parents who fail to to properly teach their children discipline may have the tribal leaders place the child into the care of a "more competent" family, whether for a set time or indefinitely.
Major organizations
Part of the greater Sandsage Nomads tribal communities.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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