#taberas

[gato-the-galra-blog]

World-building time - Taberani holidays and everything to do with them?

There are six traditional holidays on the Taberas: Year-end, Washing Day, Hearts’ Day, Year-Middle, Hunter’s day and Day of Masks.

Year-End (Bliad'Deiradh) festivities are held indoors, to symbolize the home planet, Celith’s wintertime. It is more of a private celebration, when family and friends get together; the shamans thank the ancestors and the spirits for the bountiful year and ask for blessings. Gifting is customary, people get useful things: clothing, tools, literary datapads and food that is mean to be eaten during this time.

The night when the old year ends and the new one dawns is marked with city-wide parties; Taberans have contemplated the past year already, it’s time to look for the future.

The first three days of the new year are those of rest; people stay home, eat the leftovers and spend time with the family or the closest of friends.

Then, for another three days, it gets busy again: people send greetings, ask for personal blessings and sometimes take their gifts (or new things bought that haven’t been used yet) to the shamans for a blessing that’d ensure that work involving those things will be blessed as well, and the items will last long.

Washing Day (Ionnaladh'Latha) is an ancient Celithi tradition. On the ancestral planet, it was held at the end of winter, when there was still snow; it was the time to clean up, preparing for spring. The ancestors bathed in the snow (they mostly just resorted to brushing during wintertime, being furry creatures), washed their clothes in melted ice, cleaned their homes and lit fires, both so they could dry faster and to chase away the darkness and cold, to end the Dark Serpent’s reign.  

The fires and the cleaning still is an important part of the festivities, but since the Taberas lack seasons, the Galra resort to seeking out various bodies of water, including hot springs. Some who want to preserve tradition travel to the regions that do have snow and conduct the ritual in the old-fashioned way.

The tradition also incorporates healing from various wounds and ailments; if a Taberani suffers from a condition, Washing Day is considered to be the best opportunity to get rid of it once and for all. This also includes abandoning bad habits. The festivity symbolizes a new, fresh beginning.

Hearts’ Day (Cridanor’latha) is held in honor of two legendary lovers, Gaisel and Cridoran. The latter was a beautiful maiden who even captured the eyes of Mor’Nathair; the serpent kidnapped her and demanded she married him. Cridoran remained adamant in her refusal despite the various threats and torture; while her betrothed Gaisel made his perilous way toward the dragon’s lair to finally engage with it in combat. Cridoran didn’t sit idly; she actively participated in the battle and even miraculously healed her fiancé who suffered a mortal wound in the fight.

The festivities celebrate both lovers and soldiers, since the two isn’t always entirely different. Back in the days, lovers were expected to show off their determination to each other (and others) in various (not always violent) ways.

Year-Middle (Bliad’Medad) is akin to a summer fest, with bonfires and cooking over them, dancing, singing and music. Mid-year gifts are those of fancy: toys, perfume, jewelry and sweets. It is the time of mingling, making new acquaintances; at many places, anyone can request a kiss from anyone else, whether on the streets or around the fires. Many marriages are held at this time and the shamans are selling charms and go deep into the forests to get in contact with the spirits.

On the modern-day Taberas, the off days also incorporate various concerts and faires, including the Reenactor Gathering in the capital, where children and adults alike can observe and try some select Celithi crafts; mostly actual crafting, instruments and weapons.

Hunter’s Day (Salgadhor’Latha) signaled the hunting season, the beginning of the preparation for winter. To this day, big hunts are held all over the twin planets with feasts afterwards. The meat is then preserved and put in storage; the pelts are prepared and the craftsmen turn them into blankets and clothing.

It is also the beginning of the harvest through Celithi/Taberani Galras have little use of fruits and vegetables, being unable to digest them; but various grains are still harvested to make baked goods, honey is collected and when processed, fruits can be turned into beverages.

The Day of Masks (Cidhisor’Latha) is reserved for the dead, the reverence of the ancestors, and for the Taberani to immerse into spirituality. According to beliefs, this is the day when Mor’Nathair flies over the lands, followed by cold and darkness; and he calls the various spirits forth. The malicious ones would seek to wrong the Galra, so at this time, everyone dons a mask, to mislead the troublemakers. Usually, the disguise represents an animal, but on occasion, ancient heroes’ likenesses can be seen on the streets as well.

The shamans cast protective spells on homes, the settlements’ perimeter, and if anyone would like to come into contact with the departed, now is the time. Some attempt divination, seeking answers to their questions and it is believed that jewelry components collected at this time in nature have magical properties.

[gato-the-galra-blog]

ヽ( ´O｀): What is their body language like when sleepy? &「(°ヘ°): How does one calm them down when they are freaking out? Do they prefer physical comfort, or would they rather be left alone?

- He hardly ever gets to the point when it shows, but his back will hunch subtly, as if he’d want to curl up, For some reason, Gato scratches when he’s sleepy, his ears, the back of his neck; and of course, he’ll yawn. He always puts his hand over his mouth when he does - unless he is messing with someone, showing off his fangs or how bored he is - because his culture believes that malicious spirits can slip into your body and make you sick if you provide them with entry.

- Physical comfort is an excellent solution to a lot of Gato’s problems, so yes, a hug tends to help. So will calm reasoning, depending on the situation. 

[gato-the-galra-blog]

What kinds of spirits do Taberani most commonly worship?

They do not differentiate; while the spirits can be nature spirits and powerful ghosts, lost souls and forgotten gods, these are not dividing categories. A spirit is a spirit, and whether they’re benevolent, mischievous or malicious, the Taberani will try to please them and treat them with respect.

The only way spirits can be divided is to differentiate between the aforementioned entities and the spirits of the Ancestors.

[gato-the-galra-blog]

Worldbuilding questions last batch @cairis-in-the-field

Is the world ruled more by magic, technology and science, religion or a mixture of them?

Science and technology, for the most part. Religion/magic mostly affect people’s personal lives and some social customs. So ruled by tech, influenced by traditions

Do gods exist? Tell us about a god or goddess that resides in the world.

No gods for the Taberani, save maybe Mor’Nathair (lit. ‘evil serpent’), also called the Black Serpent/Dragon. He is the personification of evil and death and according to the legends, there were a great many heroes who tried (and for a time, succeeded) to defeat him. Those heroes, old historical figures mixed, molded and wrapped in mystery probably can be considered demigods. People only pray to them, because they are ancestors as well.

What are funeral rites consist of? How do they differ between the major groups of races or species?

If a Taberani doesn’t die at home, the hospital - after the necessary procedures - will give the body out to the family. If the death occurs off planet, the family will make fierce attempts at retrieving the cadaver. The body will be cleaned and groomed, neatly dressed, then set on display for a day, so friends and family can see them one last time. At night, a wake is held which usually starts solemn but progresses into a special kind of subtle merriment as associates recount good memories about the deceased. In the morning, the body is carried out to the cemetery forest, where it is put into the grave. Taberani use no coffins, the body is wrapped in a sheet or similar personal item (blanket, cape), so it could eventually become one with the planet. A tree is planted on the grave with a small marker by it displaying the deceased’s name and after the last prayer, the mourning crowd slowly disperses.

A shaman is present the whole time, cleansing the air, praying to the ancestors and offering emotional support to mourners.

The belongings of the deceased are distributed according their last will. Some opt to take significant personal assets to the grave (usually jewelry or weapons).

On the off chance that the deceased has no family or they cannot be found (and even for non-Celithi, there’s a throughout investigation), the funeral is conducted by the first available shaman and a group of volunteer government officers. On the Taberas, everyone goes down properly.

Taberan cemeteries are not gloomy at all; they’re seldom guarded, because any sort of vandalism would be a serious crime. People are free to visit the grave-trees, leave little offerings; newborns are taken there so the ancestors would get to know them so they could protect them. Sometimes, couples get intimate under a grave-tree; it is not considered disrespectful at all. They’re just showing the ancestors that their loved ones are happy and thriving.

The soul is believed to return in a newborn Galra over and over again until it reaches a state of higher understanding, at which point, it gains access to a separate plane of existence. From there, it can watch over the descendants.

What sorts of government or ruling systems exist? Are they independent based on the species or race in questions?

The Taberas are independently governed; they do not answer to Celith. The government, oddly enough in Galra circles, is very democratic - everyone in the parliament is fairly voted for their positions. Both planets have their own government, but they work closely with each other. Since the inhabited areas are small with a relatively low population, every city has a representative in the parliament. In case the planets themselves need to be represented, both parliaments would vote for a person for this post, and both of them would turn up at the meeting.

The cities, due to their large areas, are divided to districts, and this is where all the voting fun happens, because district representative candidates do actual campaigns. The biggest ‘fight’ (it’s actually really tame, representatives are expected to behave honorably during a campaign, no smearing each other and such - who’d want to vote for someone who can only point fingers and snarl? What are we, animals?) is always in the first district, because the winning representative is also the city mayor, and thus, automatically the member of the parliament.

The parliament consists of the aforementioned city mayors, the Head of Council (who applies for the job of keeping order and organizing meetings, etc; and the parliament votes for possible candidates), and a Minister of Defense, who is always a Taberani who serves or has served in the military as Commander (usually a retired one). The latter’s job is to provide aid if the planets are threatened by some outside force.

[gato-the-galra-blog]

A1 and A8, B2 and B8, C1 and C7, D7 and D9

First four

Are there any notable capital cities? How large are they in comparison to other notable cities?

Tabera Beta’s capital is Calcor’onear. It was the first settlement on the planet and is still the largest, though not by a wide margin compared to the other cities. Taberan settlements, due to plenty of available space, sprawl out; while the industrial and community service areas are more densely packed, the residential area is fairly airy, there’s a decent distance between individual homes. The capital is home to roughly one and a half million people.

Other cities house a population between 1.2 million and 250K. On the two planets, there are 127 cities altogether.

Are there any locations that are taboo to visit? If so, why?

Not really; but there are locations that are not advisable to visit, due to very tangible dangers like unstable terrain or dangerous plants; or because they are believed to be home to malicious spirits. Children are warned off against getting near these area, but the Taberani also believe in natural selection.

Does the supernatural exist throughout the world? If so, are they kept hidden from the majority or are they well-known?

The answer is complicated, since everything the Taberas have to offer in terms of ‘supernatural’ can be explained scientifically (even though sometimes the explanation would involve science that sounds… whacky, at first), but the twin planets indeed have a - for the lack of better word - species, that aligns 100% with the definition of ‘spirits’. And Taberani accept the existence of spirits and magic by default.

Are there any major groups that are at odds or at war with one another currently?

The indigenous Griv’aten harbor a deeply seated and completely understandable loathing for the Galra settlers. It’s not a wonder: the Griv’aten used to thrive in the temperate forest areas, the safes places on the planet. Obviously, the Galra realized this fairly soon, and they simply drove the natives out of their former homes. The Griv’aten were pushed back toward the more hostile terrains where life is much harder for a race that’s been stuck in the Stone Age.

The four thousand years that passed did not diminish this animosity. The Galra became demons, evil gods in the eyes of the Griv’aten (who actually call themselves Kantoa; ‘Griv’aten’ means ‘before-commers’ in Celithi. It is very interesting that Celithi also refers to the earliest ancestors with this term), while the Galra are still largely ignorant (and mildly annoyed) about their less sophisticated neighbors. There are no attempts at communication or observation, aside monitoring property perimeters, to keep the Griv’aten from doing any sort of harm.

Thus, the Taberani have no idea that the Griv’aten is evolving; they’re still ages behind but they’ve adapted to their hostile territory, began mining and forging. They’re still no match for force fields and energy weapons, but they’re shaping up to be tough, cunning and vicious; something that’d cause the Galra trouble later.

[gato-the-galra-blog]

☁️ + Ritual

association game - Accepting

“A certain herbal scent,” Gato nods. “The shamans use it to cleanse the area and to invoke the kind spirits - the dried herb is stacked and lit, then blown out, so it produces smoke. I’ve had the chance to smell this several occasions. I have a tiny satchel of the herb itself so I could burn it, but ship regulations hardly permit lighting a fire in one’s room.”

[gato-the-galra-blog]

Worldbuilding questions - Accepting // @cairis-in-the-field​

C2 and C8, D3 and D6

What sorts of magic exists in this world, if any? Are there any severe limitations to magic use?

Celithi/Taberani magic is... subtle, to say at least. It is most often used for little things - to ensure good luck and happiness, calm weather, long life and fertility. The shamans were never battlemages - and no one expected them to be. This subtlety is what makes other Galra mock it, simply treating it as superstition.

However, since magic DOES exist in the universe and is capable of remarkable feats, shamanic traditions cannot be written off so easily. In fact, every single Celithi/Taberani is capable of a degree of magic - but, again, in most untrained individuals, this ability can hardly achieve anything.

Good or ill luck spells, praying for good weather is very subtle reality-altering. 

Curative magic - which is seldom used and hardly ever yields spectacular results - works with the caster transferring their own quintessence into the sick/injured. Only the best shamans can use this type of magic, and they’re wary of it; it’s way too easy to dangerously deplete their own life energy. Legends, however, do tell of such miracles - but more often than not, they ended in self-sacrifice.  

Shamans also attempt to communicate with spirits or the deceased, which is very reminiscent of the Altean memory-crystal technology. The shamanic magic relies heavily on using various objects that belonged to the deceased, but a handful of leaves or twigs from the deceased’s marker-tree are an absolute must. For the spirits, various natural objects are used. The ‘summoning’ also requires a deep meditative state which is achieved through breathing techniques, visualization exercises - and a few psychoactive substances.

Lastly, a very common magic is blessings - which actually don’t do much. Those are literally just prayers to the ancestors and the cosmic energies to protect the object or individual - but once in a while, the universe might just listen, so why take chances. ^^ However, when the blessing concerns weapons - and every single warrior would take their signature weapon to a shaman - it has a kind of placebo effect. A blessed weapon is supposed to be better - truer, sharper, more powerful - and if the wielder really has faith in it, they will be less likely to falter in battle. 

Does religion play a role with how laws are developed or is it geared more toward science/technology or magic in mind? If magic exists, do any laws govern over the use of it?

Religion itself is merely the reverence of the ancestors, not a collection of dogmas, so it doesn’t much influence the law. However, law itself is protective of religion; destroying a clan’s records is, for example, still an offense punishable by death. Cemetery forests and ancient Griv’aten monuments are also protected. 

Technically, law tries to regulate magic-using - the harmful kind at least; any murder or assault committed using magic is the same as those committed by other means though obviously, it’s a seldom-used chapter in the book.

Celithi/Taberani law is simply based on logic. 

Are any plants, animals, or locations given great significant meaning? If so, why?

Everything that looks more or less like something that exists on Celith was immediately bestowed the same significance. 

Generally, things that seem to display a dual nature are thought to bear the favor of spirits (one of the reasons why jewelry is often made of both organic and inorganic components). 

One such a creature is the Calcai’bolga (lit. ‘walking mushroom’ Sometimes people run out of ideas.) It looks remarkably plant-like, but in fact, it is a cunningly camouflaged animal living in symbiosis with the mushrooms.

What are marriage ceremonies like? Do they differ between the major groups of races or species?

Thankfully, I’ve already written it down here

[gato-the-galra-blog]

A5 and A6, B3 and B4, C2 and C8, D3 and D6

Worldbuilding questions - Accepting

Again, I’m splitting this ‘cause tl;dr

Are any locations given great significance whether magical, religious or otherwise?

Ancient sites left behind by the original population is treated with proper respect and the Taberani believe that they have strong energies. The shamans use these places to converge and conduct their rituals. 

The spot of the first landing is a historical monument nowadays.

Are there any places that people actively make pilgrimages to?

Not as in real pilgrimages, thought the cemeteries are regularly visited. If a Taberani wants so visit an actual site of their culture, they have to go back to Celith.

What race or species dominates the world? If none, is it an equally-dominated realm between the major races and/or species?

The dominant (both literally and figuratively) species is the Celithi/Taberani Galra, but they share the planet with the ingenious Griv’aten; as well as various minorities of other Galra subspecies. (No one really bothered to count, but the Taberani and the Griv’aten population is actually about the same in numbers.) 

What’s the most dangerous animal life that exists?

It varies from terrain to terrain, but the arctic region’s Dro’vak is highly dangerous. These rather large, direwolf-like creatures are vicious and don’t tolerate outsiders; they also move in packs. 

While they aren’t a threat, sharks on the Taberas grow large and could destroy small vessels, but the Galra don’t venture far out on the waters.

Volcanic areas have a certain type of herbivores that look like a mountain goat out of a nightmare due to their soot-covered, wiry bodies and glowing yellow eyes. They’ve adapted to the harsh environment by essentially becoming fireproof; they resist extreme heat and they’re accustomed to breathing the lethal fumes. Their saliva is acidic and their horns are sharp.

The Equatorial area has an insect with a lethal bite; until the proper antidote was found, bites of these vicious creatures were most often fatal. Thanks to repellents and force-screen technology, casualties are now far less, but the antidote is a permanent part of every household, workplace and public area’s first aid kit, and every year, there are several victims.