Dunai
The Dunai are an Ethnicity of Tlincali. They reside in the Dunes of Sheid and have resided there for thousands of years. They are characterized in appearance by their yellow-brown chitin. They are spiritualistic religion-wise, and pure power is what they worship most. Many of them have a penchant for combat, for survival on the dunes used to be a fight for every day. They may worship strength, but they believe in potential as well. They fiercely defend their young and honor their elders, for they must have been of great strength to have survived thus far. Their stories have been passed down orally for a long time, and their language does not have its own script, instead utilizing the letters and symbols of Ashtari elvish. Their spirit-walkers (basically priests) did have one way of recording important things, weaving together plant fibers dyed in blood, ash, and mud. The end product is almost a tapestry of seemingly random patterns, readable by Spirit-walkers and many psionic races.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
There is not much gender distinction in Tlincali society. The Females are often larger, but to Tlincali power is power. Tlincali names are hard to decipher and are often a very long description of the Tlincali's exploits, status, and so forth. When giving a name in other languages they will simply give an idea or something else important in their life as their name. The names of Tlincali in their own language are rather short, being a combination of clicks, buzzes, and fricatives.
Family names
The family names of Tlincali are very hard for other races to translate but often refer to their pack over their parentage. Those Tlincali in groups of non-Tlincali will use a family name that originates from the group, whether it be goblins, elves, or an adventuring party.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Dunai speak in a form of Chiteen, a language spoken by many arthropodal races. They use an elvish script for standard writing, having learned it from the Atara. For more ceremonial purposes or from more ancient times Dunai spirit-walkers weave messages into braids of dyed plant fiber.
Shared customary codes and values
Dunai share in the philosophy of strength and potential. Those who are strong must protect those who will be strong, for the survival of the group and the achievement of the individual.
Beyond those values, Tlincali often worship spirits and nature, being an expression of pure power. They will also often care for plants and hunting animals. Plants are rare enough that their existence is an expression of their ability to survive. Hunting animals are part of the collective, and can be as strong as any other member.
Art & Architecture
The two main Tlincali arts are weaving, having been one of the few ways to express oneself with the resources they had, and pottery. Clay was hard to find for the Tlincali, so pottery was rare, but a prized art form.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Tlincali only have two observed holidays on the winter and summer solstices. The holiday on the winter solstice is the day of the Moon. On this day, they all rest and sing and dance with each other all through the night. The Holiday on the winter solstice is the day of the Sun. On this day, they spend the whole day going on one large ordeal as a group and do not rest until they complete it.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Upon hatching, hatchling Dunai are marked in ash and blood paint to ritually mark them as one new group. This group is nearly inseparable and must work together until they finally come of age.
Coming of Age Rites
Dunai finally come of age when they make their first hunt alone. Then, they discard their paint on Their upper body. Then, they paint themselves and the other members of any new group they identify with.
Funerary and Memorial customs
For the honored dead, the Tlincali will cremate their bodies, the leftover chitin is left in the sand, and the ashes are used as a dye in paint later on. Those that died in battle are left where they died.
Common Taboos
The murder of those in your pack is of the highest taboo. The only taboo bellow that is partaking in the flesh of an intelligent creature.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Muscularity, size, and the length of the tail are all very attractive to other Tlicali. Also, the darkness of the chitin is also very attractive to Tlincali. There is no specific ideal for these traits, but eye color, horn size/shape, and spikes are often a preference for choosing a mate.
Courtship Ideals
The two prospective mates should be of near-equal strength. One of them should give the other a trophy, and the other should reciprocate with an equally impressive trophy. The two then spend time with each other to decide whether or not they find each other's company appealing. Then, they present each other with an invitation to a great ordeal. If both cooperate and win, they take back a trophy to symbolize their partnership, which is often for the rest of their lives.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments