Civilization - Alukhai

The Alukhai

 

Civilization

The name Alukhai symbolizes the fierceness of Kanum Kotan’s people. It means “tribe destroyer,” a title that best fits this nation’s warriors. After the Great Flood, they allocated themselves in the northwestern section of what used to be part of Midgard and named it “Kanum Kotan”, the land of evil gods, as they do not consider it their home land

Background

You grew up in the city, close to the port on the shores of Kanum Kotan. You can remember the busy roads filled with bustling folks who never stopped to take a second glance at you. As a child, you were mesmerized by the traveling street performers making a living by practicing martial arts in public areas in a vague attempt to master the arts. You frequented the military base for your amusement, as your rank as the son of one of the city’s officials granted you permission to watch the soldiers training sessions. Education was your first priority, as one cannot become useful for warfare with an empty head.

Alukhai were taught to ride from a tender age - children would sometimes be strapped to a horse’s back before they could walk. It is likely that you already own your own horse, as most locals do.

You and your family are not very close, with the exception of perhaps your siblings or cousins. You live in a large house held up by wood and walls of stone and clay. The structure is in the shape of a square, with a courtyard in the middle that is used to practicing martial arts or for the younger children to play in.

The men and woman of Kanum Kotan wear similar clothing, the only difference being in the colors (women wore lighter shades than the men.) Fur and leather are very popular fashions, worn outside of the home against the cold.

Hierarchy

In Kanum Kotan, the population is divided into hierarchies. At the top of the pyramid lies, of course, the Great Khanum. The Khan of the nation occupy the second layer, as they are the commanding officials who look over a town or city as the mayors. Next in line are the general officers of the army, followed by the merchants and pirates who keep commerce thriving for the land. Soldiers of the army are next, and commoners make up the largest portion of the pyramid. Thugs and bandits are second to last at the bottom of the ladder, and slaves and prisoners are at the bottom.

Traditions and Legends

The Alukhai are a people with many traditions derived from ancient legends of their ancestors’ pasts. The custom that a herdsman could slit a vein in his horse’s neck and drink the blood for sustenance came from the legend of the hero Gantulga, who had done so when he ran out of supplies in his quest to find the dragon Mönkh-Erdene. Gantulga’s horse, a rare steed bred in the northern highlands, had survived the wound and continued serving his master until the end of his days.

Horses are considered to be the noblest of all animals for the Alukhai, providing aid in travelling, milk, and strength to plow the frozen lands. Fermented mares milk gives the Alukhai their favorite alcoholic drink: airag.

Half-orcs are considered to be half human and half demon. These half-breeds are thought to be a blessing from the ancestors. The surrounding islands of Kanum Kotan are inhabited by orcs, and women are sent to these “demon islands” to become impregnated with their seed. Once they return to their homeland, they await the day they give birth, so that their children could be sent to the army for training. Marriage to another human after this ritual is optional, though very few men would agree to bed these women.

Religion

Ancestor worship (also called ancestor veneration) is a ritual practice that is based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living.

Rituals of ancestor worship most commonly consist of offerings to the deceased to provide for their welfare in the afterlife, which is envisioned as being similar to the earthly life. Ancestor worship begins at the deceased kin's funeral, at which necessities are placed in the coffin or burned as a sacrifice.

After a family member's funeral, families set up a home altar for the purpose of ancestor worship. The altar normally includes a tablet with the kin’s name and offerings. Altars are usually taken down after 49 days, the period during which the deceased is believed to be undergoing judgment. After the 49-day period, the deceased is worshipped along with all the other ancestors of the family.

Ancestral tablets are pieces of wood inscribed with the name and dates of the deceased. They are kept in a small shrine at home and in the clan ancestral temple. Incense is lit before the tablets daily and offerings of food and prostrations are presented twice a month.