Ofessah

The **Ofessah** are a tribe of **Manna** living within the icy pole of **Northern Aurulora**. They share their settlement and much of their culture with their sister tribe, the **Obeah**.

## Settlement

The Ofessah live alongside the **Obeah** in the settlement **Casseah Clila**. They make their home on the upper, floating isle of the settlement, using the serenity of the location to practice magic and knowledge. Their homes are built along the very edges of the floating isle, allowing for them to cast their fishing lines off of the edge and catch food to feed themselves and their families, with the buildings being made out of core wood and mammoth furs. Within the homes are weaved pots decorated with **hippocampi** and other ocean life, filled with marble carvings and frozen flowers. In the center of the floating island is a large, otherworldly tree made out of ice and crystal. The waters of the ocean go up to the center of the trunk, sporting an aquarium-like appearance from the sea life that swims inside of it. The Ofessah have carved entrances into the tree trunk, using it as an elevator and a quick entrance to spearfish. The Ofessah enjoy joining their sister-tribe on their section of the settlement, sharing meals and trading crafts. The occurrence happens so often that it has become a tradition between the two to have a feast on each full moon, referred to as the **Feast of Tides**. With their shared tradition, the Ofessah often set sail on voyages following the feast, aiming to bring back a large catch. This is the only time that Ofessah will catch more than they need. At any other time, the Ofessah will thank the **Abyss Stalker Juena** for feeding them, and release anything extra back to the sea.

## History

The Ofessah often will sit around the large tree connecting their isle to the lands below, sharing stories about their origins with their children. The Ofessah believe that their founder, **Sanjaya Heru**, had actually been an **Oril** instead of a **Manna**, and that the tribe has only become Manna over time due to her relationship with her lover, **Rangi Nala**. The story says that Sanjaya had found Rangi lost and unconscious at sea, taking his body to the icy shores of **Northern Aurulora**. Sanjaya had decided to stay at Rangi's side, nursing him back to health and building up the settlement that the two tribes share together today.

## Physical Appearance

Ofessah skin tones are far and wide, but a majority of the Ofessah have darker skin and narrower faces. Ofessah typically wear fluffy clothes made out of wool or fur, with the colors being neutrals or blues. Decorations cover them from the top and bottom, with many of them being creative and unique to whatever the wearer connects with the best, due to the Ofessah being proficient in **sewing** and **embroidery**. The clothing typically covers the nose and mouth, due to the Ofessah being prone to deadly diseases.

## Culture

The Ofessah focus heavily on the magical arts, with many of them being trained from a young age on how to control and use the frigid ices that surrounds them to their advantage. Every Ofessah has a natural resilience to the ice, even if they're unable to control it, and are often the ones sent out to freeze the waters surrounding their village in the summer.

### Food

The Ofessah primarily focus on the oceans as their primary source of food. They can often be seen fishing or diving deep within the waters, due to their natural talent with swimming. When they are not swimming, the Ofessah will set up voyages to go to the deeper sections of the ocean to aim for larger catches. They primarily hunt down whales, seals, and fish.

The Ofessah is not a strict carnivorous society, and can often be seen foraging the local lands or the bottom of lakes and rivers for roots, various vegetations, and seaweed. The Ofessah are known for their specialty dish of **Seafin Soup**, created from whale fins, green noodles, and seaweed. The Ofessah came up with the dish due to a discomfort in wasting any part of an animal, leading them to figuring out the dish when confronted with the dilemma of what to do with the fins from a whale.

### Trade

The Ofessah refuse to waste any part of an animal that they hunt down, leading to the tribe using **bonecarving** and **leatherworking** as their primary trade. They use leftover bones and ivory to create intricate tools and decorations, often using leather to decorate the bases of their tools, or as embellishments on decorations.

As well as this, the Ofessah are proficient in **sewing** and **embroidery**, with many of them opting to sell or trade clothes woven from wool.

### Worship

The Ofessah look towards both **Juena** and **Alene** for guidance in their daily lives. The Ofessah believe that the two **Celestials** are directly responsible for bringing the fish to their rivers, allowing for them to properly live and survive in the ecosystem they have chosen. As well as this, they believe that Alene is responsible for keeping the tides calm at night, preventing them from washing ashore and destroying their homes or supplies.

Despite this, worship among the tribe is extremely loose. The Ofessah often choose to go about their tasks at their own pace, only confiding in the Celestials in dire times of need.

### Romance

Ofessah romance conventions consist of either side of the party decorating a marble box with a colorful mosaic, creating swirling designs that form the shape of an aquatic animal. Once passed off to a potential lover, the lover will keep the box if they accept the proposal, using it as their primary source of storage for jewelry and decorations.

During marriage, the couple is donned in fluffy, pure white furs, with long veils of translucent cloth and silver jewelry decorating their body. More revered couples may decorate themselves with lapis lazuli as well.

### Childcare

Due to the low temperatures of **Northern Aurulora**, the tribes living within it have a hard time reproducing and keeping their children alive. Couples within the tribes are expected to attempt for children, with couples who don’t often being looked down on by their tribemates and sometimes casted out. In an attempt to counter this, the **Obeah** and Ofessah alike have begun to wrap their newborn in thick, warm furs, holding them within maternity buildings that have a consistent fire going to keep the room as warm as possible.

### Death

When death occurs within the Ofessah tribe, a funeral is placed. During it, the close family of the deceased will carry the body of their loved one upon a marble cot down to the ocean. Once there, the body will be dipped down into the water and released, allowing for the deceased to return to the sea, where they came from.

### Language

The Ofessah speak the language of **Oumqian**, shared alongside their sister-tribe of the **Obeah**. The name "Ofessah" means "Of the Sea" in the Eprean language. Many of the Ofessah speak Eprean as well as their native tongue.

## Leadership

The current leader of the Ofessah tribe is Evelina Naumov.