Kotimaan

The Kotimaan people commonly live either on or around the bases of mountains within the far north of Auros, and have long since become accustomed to the colder climate.The ranges within Kotimaa are rich with precious metals, gems and Arcane Essence. All across the mountains are many families that travel with herds of sheep, goats, reindeer, yaks, or other animals well adapted to the snowy mountains. Once or twice a year these families make an effort to visit the villages at the base of the mountains for festivals and reunions.

### **Religion**

Äiti ja Isä or "mother and father," is seen as a kind being. Their form is a pure, golden figure that wears finely embroidered clothes and perfect pelts. When they are Äiti, they are a beautiful woman with a full stomach, her hair is long and reaches down to the floor, her eyes typically closed. Äiti is said to birth new souls that will have the chance to experience the gift of life and continue spreading her will throughout the world. The will of Äiti is not only having children but ensuring their way to a successful adulthood. She is seen wearing a long dress and wears a bear pelt over her head and shoulders.

The embroidery on her dress shows patterns of flowers and snowflakes. When she appears in the realm of the living, it’s sadly never good news. Äiti takes the lives of mothers that die giving birth personally, taking them to the realm of the dead safely with a soft assuring voice. Isä's form is a strong man, his hair long but braided back, his face partially covered from the thick beard he owns (sometimes its braided as well), and he is often seen carrying an axe. Isä, much unlike Äiti, wears heavy boots, a thick pair of gloves, a warm looking shirt, and sturdy pants.

The pelt draped over his head and shoulders is a wolf. The embroidery on his clothes are of the icey dragons that hunt the mountains of Kotimaa. Isä appears before those who are dying from trying to protect their family or anyone's children. He is silent, but his eyes show strong approval and his face moved into a grin as he strongly takes the grip of the hero's hand and guides them into his realm. Souls escorted by the god Äiti ja Isä have the chance of returning to the realm of the living to become a guider of other souls.

Dark mages are not welcome in Kotimaan societies. They are seen as betrayers to the light that gave them the very life they are spoiling. While they might be brave enough to try to get along with them, no one in any Kotimaan family would approve of one of their own family members learning dark magic. They are uncomfortable with it and really rather avoid any trouble from such users. Nothing gains worried eyes from a Kotimaan like dark or blood related magic.

Kotimaans believe in various little spirits in addition to their god/goddess.

### **Appearance**

Due to the harsh colder weather of the land, even the most fit of Kotimaans are rather stocky people. To be thin is seen as an unattractive quality, in addition to the dangers it poses in the frigid climate Kotimaans dwell in. Kotimaans, while infamously short, are seldom petite or delicate.

Kotimaans tend to have incredibly pale skin. Unfortunately for them, the pale skin means that any sort of blushing they have stands out horrifically, making it hard for them to lie about being angry, flustered, or even about an illness.

Most of the Kotimaa people have brown or black hair, the latter being less common. Many keep it long and tie it back with ribbons or threads of pale or bright colors so that the hair tie can be seen and show off a bit of the family's wealth. Kotimaan hair tends to be on the lighter side, flowing easily.

Kotimaans are said to have very easy to read eyes. They can be a soft coffee brown that makes their expressions clear and noticeable or a hazel green.

### **Practices**

The Kotimaan people tend to be quite skilled at traversing dangerous mountain environments, and find themselves quite proficient in mining because of this. Most Kotimaans become laborers, miners, or lumberers if they are unable to find themselves the education needed to pursue greater ideas. When they settle for a job, they attempt to do their job well and push themselves to do so.
Art is a point of pride among the Kotimaans, known for their fine detail among their works and pieces. The more artistic tend to become jewelers and tailors, some even take up glass blazing or pottery. Many Kotimaan people adore bright and colorful creations.

### **Naming Conventions**

All newborns are given a word that describes them at their birth from the traditional language. The names could be describing their eye color, hair color, size, sound they made, and so on at the moment of birth. This is considered their temporary name, as it is only descriptive of physical appearance rather than behavior.

However their name is later changed to one that better suits them usually by their tenth birthday. The new name will describe their personality, or the parents’ understanding of their child. The name change occurs at a birthday gathering, so all those close to the child are aware of the new and proper name as soon as possible. No one from Kotimaa has a “normal” or “common tongue” name. In order to force their traditional language’s life to live on, they uphold this naming tradition fiercely, as silly as it may seem to outsiders.

This naming practice originally started up due to the fact that newborns in Kotimaa rarely made it past the age of ten. This would be either thanks to the harsh weather conditions, poor hunts, failures to find wealth, cruel spirits or cruel people. However at the age of ten a child is more likely able to help with the family's survival and therefore their own.

Kotimaans follow the following naming scheme:[1]

### **Festivals**

There are three festivals every year, all of which celebrated in many settlements within Kotimaa. It’s these festivals that make the people of the land become a close community. This gives those that live in Kotimaa a close knit feeling, where everyone knows each others name and business, making it hard for criminals to get away from their crimes, or for anyone to get away from gossip and shame about themselves.

### Festival of Crossing Souls

The festival of crossing souls occurs during the harsh winters the land can face. It’s a celebration of those that have passed, where everyone shares stories of the beloved departed, often huddled together by the fires of homes or inns.

### Holy Parents Arrival

The Holy Parents arrival festival occurs in spring, to celebrate when their deity came to them and began to teach them their ways that they still use to this day to survive.

#### **Dances**

When a boy reaches the age 13 or a girl has her first menstruation, they are taught the several playful folk dances and a calm waltz in preparation for any ceremonies or events they will have to attend. Many times children of these requirements will be taken into towns for festivals for the parents to begin considering who is worthy for the marriage of their sons and/or daughters.

Being able to waltz properly is seen as attractive and allows a man to respectfully get a view of the women who attend as well as talk to see how interested they are in the available woman. Those who are married may only share the dance with their loved ones unless the husband allows his wife to dance with another, otherwise neither of them may dance with another.

#### **Food**

Pyttipannu (bubble and squeak), made with slices of bacon, potatoes peeled and diced into uniform piece, onions diced into uniform pieces, butter, leftover meat (lamb, steak, ham, or pork), diced into uniform pieces and eggs. It is a delicious and popular meal!

Mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie), made with blueberries obviously but also with sugar, butter and flour.

Piparkakku (gingerbread cookies),a biscuit normally made for the holidays such as the celebration of the crossing of souls. The can have icing on top but that is more of an optional addition, many gingerbread don't have it at all.

Riisipuuro (rice pudding), another traditional food eaten during gatherings of friends and family. It is often eaten with some sort of jam (blueberry, lingonberry, cloudberry etc) and milk with a little cinnamon on top. This is one of the most popular foods to be eaten during Harvest Call and Deep Cold.

Pannukakku (oven pancakes), this is a quite popular dish served at anytime in the year. It is basically a thick pancake. There is usually some pork mixed into it and it is served with jam.

Mustamakkara (blood sausage), a very old kind of sausage which is a mainly a mixture of pig blood, flour and meat. It is not very popular for the younger kids but as they grow older it becomes more well-received, it is served with jam.

Graavilohi (salt-cured salmon), a must-have at every coming of age dinner and is served in small amounts. It is more of an appetizer than a real meal.

#### **Marriage**

Women of Kotimaa are set up for marriages the moment they have their first menstruation. Men are allowed to choose a woman once they are eighteen years old and have begun earning their family money for food or began studying into an admirable field. A man is meant to choose a woman, and court her. If he decides he enjoys her company, she’s of the proper age of eighteen, and if the father of the young lady approves, he may bed with her.

The woman then has at most a year of being with the man this intimately to become pregnant with a child for him. If she is not impregnated within this time period, the man is allowed to end his engagement with her. It is considered extremely shameful for a woman fail to complete an engagement for marriage. A woman can respectfully end an engagement or marriage if the man is caught by another man of hurting her physically or being an endangerment to her or their children.

It isn’t unheard of for Kotimaan men to have several women but he must be sure to supply for all of them, unless he wishes to face the wrath of their jealousy. The supply can include money, food, jewels, clothing, and time. Very rarely a woman will attempt to have several men, but she has to be of very, very high standing and be able to meet all of their demands to avoid trouble as well. It's typically frowned upon and difficult for any marriage to last when it involves more than one spouse.

#### **Cultural** **Expectations**

Men are expected to supply for themselves and their families. If they are not muscular enough to handle harsh work to provide, they are expected to be able to afford the family’s needs and wants. This can include hiring extra help or being able to craft or do one favor in return for any muscle help that might be needed. Men tend to have more education than women but as such they’re also expected to bring in more wealth to make the lives of their women easier. Kotimaan men are educated, muscular, or highly artistic, they are masters at what they do and have endless pride because of it.

Women are expected to keep the house clean and raise as many children as possible. They rarely earn their own wealth or go off to study. Even those who do work outside of their homes tend to be sure they awake before all and return in time to make both the first and last meals of the day. Most also know how to sew and apply stitches in torn clothes.  They are expected to put what the family needs and wants before themselves. It’s considered a good sign for a woman to have more fat; a muscular woman means she might be too undesirable for a man to be her muscles for her. They aren’t too strict with keeping up with hair and looks, as giving attention to a child and household can easily dirty one up. They can be very defensive about their husbands and significant others, as they are expected to be so dependent of them.

##### **Ceremony**

Marriage ceremonies are cheerful and colorful, normally taking place indoors. They can take a year or even longer to plan. This acts as a final "trial" for a couple to be accepted by the families and loved one of both involved. To have a true Kotimaan wedding, several families are invited, gifts are created to be given to each family, massive meals, dozens of bottles of sima, beautiful and unique outfits, flowers, and original vows.

The happy couple are to walk to the chosen light mage at the end of the rows of seats, holding hands and ready to speak. The one who proposed speaks first, saying any promises they may have to their beloved and often compliments or mentions of how they love the person. Then the other speaks, saying the same. The light mage then murmurs a prayer, touching their joined hands with a light around his before he/she declares the couple blessed and official.

Marriages are typically one man and one woman, but sometimes they occur between the same genders. Marriages between both are normally a second marriage that acts as a lesser importance than their first, which would normally be a marriage between opposite genders.

**Education**

Despite their simple lifestyle, Kotiimans place a high level of importance on education. The few who do not pursue knowledge of technical skills or medicine often travel to study the arcane or theology. They have a high respect for scholars and do their best to make as many of their children scholars as well. All Kotimaans know how to read, write, and speak common tongue – though there’s no promise that they’re all masters at it.

**Magic**

For Kotimaans, Light magic is instead known as the holy mother and father's gift. Being a light mage means that you are a "beloved child." The gift of any sort of magic is not admired as much as one being able to be a light mage. It is almost always a promise that one's soul will become a helper to the god Äiti ja Isä and bring their family many healthy children and grandchildren that will continue spreading the will of their god. Light mages are spoiled with attention and wealth as it is believed that being touched with the light they create will bless them too with luck and strength.

### **Death**

#### Funerals

Remains of the dead are usually burned in private settings. A small clearing in a forest or in the family's private property. Only people who were close to the departed may attend. The body is wrapped up in a quilt that is made either in preparation of their death or in a mad rush in the cases of a surprise. The quilts are of the family's colors and with an animal the family may feel bests describes them. The body is also placed upon a pile of wood, with a collection of simple trinkets around it. The items are usually dried flowers, feathers, or wooden carvings. While the body burns the loved ones are expected to stand and speak fondly of them, it's considered disrespectful to cry and harmful to the soul. After the body has burned, chosen members of the family and collection of friends are allowed to plant seeds or saplings in the ashes.

#### Beliefs

Kotimaans believe souls of those that have died recently can still hear the voices of their loved ones. It adds to their confusion when they're trying to properly cross the realm from life to death. It may seem cold to some but the correct behavior is to speak softly of those that have passed and encourage them to cross, assure them that any tasks they had in life will be taken care of. As much as you may miss someone there's only a short amount of time before they become trapped between life and death, in the crossing realm. Once they are trapped there they will suffer and fall victim to a new existence, forgetting their past as they turn into tools of the darkness.

Within the crossing realm is a terrifyingly weak feeling, lost and wicked souls reside there, waiting for chances to slip back into the world of the living. Souls of the lost are normally harmless and tend to be those that were important people in a community. When they slip back into the world of the living they're passive and stick nearby areas they spent much of their lives at. Lost souls are a pitiful thing as they may never be able to cross into the realm of the mother and father. They are doomed to limited sights of the realm of the living and will one day be forgotten and face the risk of becoming a wicked soul. Wicked souls are greedy beings that have lost their wills to help others. With no way to reach Äiti ja Isä again they slowly forget their lives and lash their confused anger out on the living. This can range from pitiful tricks and mild injuries to extremes of killing and horribly disgracing the remains which encourages more lost and wicked souls.

The realm of Äiti ja Isä is where all souls that cross the barrier realm end up. It is a beautiful world where youth and energy is returned to the dead and they are able to be reunited with those that have also safely crossed. All worries of the past and what occurs in the realm of the living should leave them as they are able to enjoy the rest of eternity with those they love. If they do feel concerned for a family member or loved one that remains in the realm of the living they can watch them in the form of a nearby flame or in the hands of a light mage's talent.

They believe younger souls are less likely to make it to the other side of the barrier realm and will end up unable to help the holy parent - Äiti ja Isä - in creating new souls for future generations.