T'kko Banners

## Federation of the T'kko Banners

The T’kko Banners (T’kko N’ggùe; t‖kʊ n‖gʉe) is the name of the confederation of all T’kko clades. The name “banners” refers to the T’kko practice of representing clades and individual bloodlines with colorful pennants, and thus the “Banners” are the union of all these various communities. The leaders of the individual clades, called Hands, comprise the ruling council of the Six-and-One.

WIP - PARAGRAPH ABOUT HISTORY.

## History

### Pre-History

The T’kko are native to the cold desert and mountain ranges of a region known as the Onshkad (Anškàd; ɞnɕkɐd). The various bloodlines that would eventually form the seven great clades of the T’kko people inhabited the Onshkad as nomads, traveling the milder lowlands in winter and following streams up the mountains in summer. It is uncertain whether the T’kko and the nearby Adeldkulttar share a common ancestor, though their external differences suggest that they do not.

Very little is known about the ancient T’kko people, even to themselves. As a culture of overwhelmingly oral tradition, very few written records remain. It is believed that Qóe, the shared faith of the T’kko, first emerged in its rudimentary form around -300. At that time, the clades had already developed into more or less well-defined entities, each with their own territory and leaders. The development and widespread acceptance of Qóe accelerated the spiritual unity of the T’kko, quickly leading to the institution of the Six-and-One.

### Ancient History (0 - 296)

Ancient T'kko history is marked by a slow change from their original seasonal migrations to a more stable lifestyle. While the T'kko never abandon their nomadic culture during these times, many clades found semi-permanent settlements across the desert, and in particular the western coast where the land is more fertile and hospitable. These settlements tend to remain abandoned for parts of the year, or rotate their inhabitants out every few months as the clades travel.

This period also sees occasional, but lively exchange with nearby culture, including the city-state of Aalda Esso to the north and the Castorean and Rusmenstar civilization east and south. Still, this period is mainly one of slow change and expansion across the inhospitable western stretch of Kashar, and marked by remarkable political stability.

### The Division (296-703)

*Main article: [[The Long Darkness]]*

The end of the third century saw a sudden and radical change in T'kko society. Under the pressure of cultural differences between eastern and western clades, the council lost much of its power. In particular, some of the more traditionalist clades saw in the westwards expansion a threat to the way of their people. These tension were exacerbated by the gradual emergence of a ruling class: As T'kko travelled further and further from their ancestral homeland, it became rarer for entire clades to return. The Hands and their close entourage slowly became permanent delegates to the council.

Under these changes, the situation in Tutsó reached a tipping point in 296. Ultimately, the council was abolished following a coup by a collection of current and former Hands called the Erstwhile. Five of the eight clades sided with the new Council, although defections among them were not uncommon.

At first, the new council attempted to bring all T'kko under its rule. As defections and rebellions grew, however, the two sides of the conflict engaged in blood skirmishes along the borders of the western regions. For almost a century, the stated goal of the Council was to bring the misguided younger clades back into its flock, but success eluded them. The war effort was ultimately halted by the Long Dark: Following a volcanic eruption far to the south, clouds of ash covered southern Kashar-Mahr for years. The drop in temperature and changes to animal- and plantlife had a profound effect on the continent, and many neighboring civilizations crumbled in its wake. For the T'kko, the conflict between the eastern and western clades essentially came to an extended standstill as life became so harsh, their civilization nearly disappeared.

Despite the conflict and the Long Dark, this was also a period of cultural and artistic revival. Spurred by the dangers of the ashen clouds and dwindling natural resources, T'kok built small sanctuaries in the desert as places of respite and learning. Great advancements were made in the sciences, the study of Qoé, and even magic. It is around this time that T'kko became fully psionic.

This period, called the Division, would only be mended over 400 years later. A group of ewstern T'kko exiles and western defectors had come together during the long dark, pushing southwards and towards Rusmenstar. This group would eventually come to call themselves the Clade of Bones, the ninth clade of the Banners. Under the leadership of their leader Netša, the western clades banded together. Owing to their richer, more fertile lands and support from Rusmenstar, these groups managed to reorganize more quickly at the end of the Long Dark and push back against the Council. After the Battle of Tutsó in 701. they overthrew the Erstwhile council and formed a new government, finally reuniting the various clades.

## Geography

The homeland of the T’kko is the Onshkad (T'kko: Ònshkhad (ɵnɕkʼɐd)), a rocky, rugged mountain range in eastern Kashar. The land is rough and barren, and agriculture is virtually unheard of. To the west, the Onshkad gradually descends towards the great central desert of Kashar, while subtropical highlands lie to the south. While the land here is harsh and survival difficult, the T’kko have adapted to their homeland, both in terms of physiology and culture.

The T’kko Banners do not claim territory the same way as most nations do. Borders are a vague concept to them - formal divisions of land hold little importance. Instead, each clade is entitled to the land they traverse during their nomadic migrations. At times, different clades may cross into each other’s territory. In these cases, the clade entering the territory is expected to offer gifts and ask for safe passage. In turn, the ruling clade of that territory usually returns some gifts of their own and offers to share a few days of travel. Nevertheless, there is a certain shared understanding of what constitutes “their'' land. When it comes to outsiders, some clades routinely let foreigners pass through their lands while others are known to fiercely attack intruders. When entering a clade’s territory, foreigners would do well to seek out the local Hand or a representative to exchange vows of hospitality, state their intentions, and, perhaps, offer gifts for safe passage.

T’kko cities are few and rudimentary - usually little more than simple structures of stone and mud, where a clade makes their home for the cold season or stops during their traditional migrations. The largest of these centers is the temple-city of Tutsó (tuʦœ), where the Six-and-One convene.

### Settlements

Tutsó (tuʦʊ) - The closest thing the T’kko have to a capital. Tutsó is a great temple-city - a center of worship devoted to the pursuit of Qóe and the spiritual wellbeing of the T’kko as a whole. It lies on the slopes of Mount Led’kkàn (lɞdǁkan), in the northern half of the Onshkad range.

Jìd (ɟyd) - A port town on the western coast of Kashar, Jìd is a rare permanent settlement established by the Rexix clade in order to trade with Aalda Esso. It is surrounded by a defensive wall and, unlike most other settlements, is inhabited year-round.

## Economy

The economy of the T’kko Banners is rudimentary, owing to the nomadic and frugal lifestyle of its people. Most clades subsist on a mixture of hunting, foraging, and the herding of the few animals that can survive in the harsh, cold desert the T’kko call home. Only recently have the clades begun to settle in more stable ways and turn to more stable forms of economic activity - mainly the extraction and trade of rare desert plants and the establishment of salt mines. In the rare more forested areas along mountain slopes, logging industries have begun to develop.

WIP - TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CASTOREA AND AALDA ESSO

## Culture

T’kko culture is profoundly spiritual and communal, to the point where the very concept of the individual is deeply tied to the collective. There is no “I” in T’kko culture without the context of the clade. These clades are akin to tribes, and include multiple families. They share customs, traditions, territories, and century-long histories. Membership in a clade is a matter of birth, and any single T’kko will spend the entirety of their life within it - changing clades is not unheard of (in the rare case of familial unions), though extremely rare.

Spirituality and community are central to T’kko life. The various clades that make up their confederation are semi-nomadic extended families that travel the cold desert under the leadership of a Hand - a religious leader that manages both the worldly and spiritual affairs of the clade. While many minor families exist within a single clade, they swear allegiance to a single Hand, and the Hands in turn form the council of the Six-and-One, the political leadership of all T’kko.

T’kke religion can most aptly be summarized as a mixture of mysticism and collective worship. Rather than worshiping deities, T’kko follow a set of beliefs and notions known as Qóe - which is the plural form of “one,” but can roughly be translated as “The Many,” “The Ways,” or “Multitudes.” Among the pillars of T’kko faith figure civic duties to others, one’s clade, and T’kko as a whole: Duty, devotion, mutual aid, and respect of authority are some of their most-respected virtues.

While inter-clade conflict is relatively rare, T’kko practice forms of martial arts that include both armed and unarmed combat. These martial arts are highly formalized and ritualized, and form part of their spiritual practices: often, clades will practice these together, and teaching younger T’kko how to fight is considered both an honor and a religious duty.

The importance of community and their shared spiritual practices have awoken in the T’kko a weak form of telepathy, akin to enhanced nonverbal communication. Whether this will prove useful in their development is yet to see.

Ùzùx yùnkod (ʉ-zʉɣ yʉnkʊd) is a game popular amongst the T'kko. The name can be roughly translated as "travelling pebbles," and is a favorite pastime of T'kko during their nomadic migrations. The game is played with the help of colored stones, the number of which varies, and a large number of players (up to twenty). The players agree on the exact amount of stones and players at the beginning of the game, and on a time frame. A single game usually takes all day, starting in the morning when the T'kko break camp and ending in the evening over dinner. The aim of the game is to obtain the largest number of stones for oneself by any nonviolent means - this can include gambling for them through games of chance, negotiation, doing favors for one another, or deception and stealing. At the end of the designated game time, the winner is decided, and that player then redistributes the stones amongst all players to symbolize a return to equality. Ùzùx yùnkod is enjoyed because of its simple rules and the fact it can be played on-the-go, without taking up much time.

### Politics

The council of the Six-and-One is formed by the ruling Hand of each of the seven major clades, who elect a leader from amongst them, named the First-Hand-under-the-Sun, or simply First Hand. The position of First Hand rotates between the Hands of the clades, with elections for a new one being held every two years and re-election being prohibited.

WIP - EXPLAIN CLADES

### Cuisine

Zydžó (zyʥœ), meaning “trail-food” or “wander-food,” refers to a variety of meat-based foods prepared by the T’kko. The origins of Zydžó can be traced back to the northern Onshkad, where semi-nomadic T’kko traded with Aalda Esso, exchanging salt from their mines for food products. Realizing the need to preserve food for long treks through the harsh deserts of Kashar, both races soon realized that salt could be used to preserve foods - especially meat - for extended periods of time. At first, these “trail rations” consisted mostly of dried and cured meats, usually eaten on the road while fresher food was reserved for breakfast or dinner. However, as they continued trading, both the Aessor and T’kko developed a wide range of recipes. Nowadays, Zydžó generally refers to any kind of food prepared from cured meats, often with the addition of vegetables and spices, and is a staple of T’kko cuisine. A particularly popular variant is made from cured game, the spongy flesh of the Dzana cactus, and sugarcane to counteract the salty flavor of the other ingredients. Another version, popular further inland, includes Tsen cheese.

## Notes

The T'kko Banners are played by Ember#5498