Overview

Life in Emanys can be summed up in one simple word, free. The freedom to come and go from this moving city of tents and gers is a large part of its beauty for the Ontari people. The is order, structure and security, but nothing to keep tribes from venturing where they long to go. The sense of community is strong, tribes, even those who aren’t known to get along, are still humble enough to help one another. The city is always growing and shrinking, hosting anywhere from 50 to 700 gers and with larger trade tents positioned closer to the centre. This is to encourage trade within the city hub, drawing locals in from the grasslands.

History

The history of the Ontari and the City of Emanys is a long and bloody one. In the beginning, cave paintings show stories of Ontari fighting giants for the land in the shadow of Mount Karamea, the biggest mountain on the mainland. Following their defeat and the Ontari’s victory, and igniting the Age of Defiance, Ontari lived for a time in peace. That was until the Humans settled in Noar, sparking the Age of Man, a reign that lasted eighteen hundred years. Ontari and Humans have never and perhaps will never see eye to eye.

Before the invasion of the Humans, Ontari roamed the grasslands far and wide. Of course, like any race, they had their own faults and disputes they believed could only be settled with violence, warring over trivial things like territory, women, and herds. Though tradition is rooted deep within the culture, the clans were able to set aside their differences and come together in the name of oneness to fight back their common enemy, the Humans. Things have returned to normal since that time, with different tribes fighting over the same old things. The Ontari have a long memory and will never forget or forgive the loses their people suffered when the Humans first arrived.

Timeline

Age of Titans - Karamea created the Ontari people.
Age of Defiance - Oshar was created when Osana was destroyed by her mother, Karamea.
Age of Man - Emanys was formed after a war between Humans and Ontari. All land south of the fjord was claimed by the Ontari, while north was taken by the Humans.
Age of Kings - Ontari fight amongst themselves, only adding to the hardship of surviving on the plains.

Legend

From the serpent's mouth, the humans came and fire followed. Ontari ancestors fought them with arrows and iron, driving them back across the fjord to the northern lands where titans once ruled.

Legend tells that Ontari were the creation of Karamea, Mother of all things. This knowledge has always made the Ontari people feel incredibly close to the gods and, as such they have worked very hard to stay in the Mother’s favour, taking only what they need to survive and no more.

Before the Humans arrived, the Ontari people camped beside the fjord, but never lived in wood or stone buildings as other races do. Instead they lived in gers, as they continue to do to this day. The only difference now is, the Ontari never stay in one place, always moving, just as their city does.

The Capital

Emanys

Emanys is a collective encampment of the five clans, made up of the different tribes that fall under their banner and protection. The leaders of the five clans travel and camp together at the centre of the moving city of tents that forms around them. There is a great deal of order within the city, which fans out in the shape of a five-pointed star. Each section of the star makes up the different clans. Those who intend to stay the longest camp closer to the centre, while others who wish to come and go erect their gers at the furthest points of their clans territory.

Every tribe within the city works to ensure the area remains hidden, drawing Esen into the area to use the power of Mirroring to hide from predators and outsiders alike. This ability works like a reflective wall, making the grasslands appear as if they go on where in actual fact a city resides within. It also works as a sort of sound barrier, canceling the noise of the city. The people and sound that cross through this invisible barrier, the Esen that is needed to help repair it. Though all Ontari learn to wield this form of magic from a very young age, maintaining the wall usually falls to the Riders of Tundra. This routine work takes place daily, with scouts and patrols working around the city fringes to ensure the safety of the Ontari people.

Travel & Villages

Takarh

The only known settlement outside of the city of Emanys is a small village of wood and palm flax houses on the south western shores of Emanys. The village is known to the Ontari as Takarh. This small village is owned by the Shore people, an ancient race of humanoids said to have been the very first to walk the shores of Noar. They survive on a diet of coconuts, plants, fish, and whatever they can hunt, usually insects, birds, and ground game. Interbreeding has occured between the two races in the past, though Ontari Women have never been able to successfully bear the children of the Shore people, Ontari men have sired a number of Shore children.

(See Lesser Races write-ups in the Lore for more information).

Migration takes place at the end of each season, generally ten days before the new season starts. In Bloom, the moving city sets up camp in the far south, the stomping grounds of the Water Clan. In Blaze the Ontari move westward, settling closer to the beaches, where the Air Clan have long roamed. In Harvest, the city is closest to the fjord, protected by the Fire Clan, and, in Frost, the foothills to the east provide just enough shelter to protect them from the rain, wind and snow. The Eastern lands of Emanys have always belonged to the Spirit Clan, with the Earth Clan often found somewhere in the middle of it all, surrounded on all sides by one clan or another.

Settlements & Titles

There are no player settlements or titles to date. To have one added, submit an application to the Help Desk.

Geography

Emanys is a vast and seemingly endless continent of grasslands that stretches from the fjord, to as far south as the land reaches. It wraps around the mountains to the borders of Ryon, defined only by the willingness of those hardy enough to fight to maintain and encroach on new boundary. As territory is so undefined east of Emanys, most tribes refuse to venture that far. The general rule is, anything east of the mountains belongs to Ryon and, anything north of the fjord is owned by the Humans of Aramane.

The land is mostly flat with very tall, fertile grasses. Forests fringe the mountain sides, and palm trees litter the western beaches. Mount Osana at the far northwest of Emanys is tall enough to get snow, but even in the season of Frost, winters are mild here at best. Dangerous swamps are dotted throughout the grasslands, but can be easily avoided by those who know what they are looking for. Large, round, rocky boulders can be found in the south along the shore, though no one is sure what their history is. They are far too heavy to move and many attempts to break them open have failed.

Where the land is flat throughout the plains, it does dip into deep valleys that follow the mountains. In the past, these valleys have been used tactically for battle. During the rest of the year, they are often avoided due to the sheer amount of rain they see. Easy rolling hills to the north and far south are the only other type of terrain to break up the endless flats of the plains.

Climate

The climate in Emanys is generally mild all year round, though there have been years of extremes in hot and cold weather. Any extremes in weather are usually devastating to the Ontari people, who lose stock, items, and even family, especially during periods of extreme cold. For this reason, they are strategic in the migration and placement of their camps and food stores. The grasslands can be as dangerous as the desert of Nejem in Blaze, especially when individuals find themselves more than a day or two travel from a fresh water source.

Perhaps one of the biggest issues is often the wind, wild thunderstorms and rain. Felt, after all, though very weather resistant, is a light fabric that can and often is battered by strong winds, causing gers and tents to come undone in the night, leaving families exposed to the elements. Those who are fortunate enough to have many sheep find these problems easy to avoid, but families with less often struggle when the weather is bad.

Surroundings

Aramane is situated north of the fjord that separates Human territory from that of the Ontari. Most of the Human villages know not to cross the fjord, warning others of the same. For any who brave the trip, however, certain death awaits, especially during the season of Blaze when the Ontari camp closest to the fjord, hosted by the Fire Clan.

To the east, beyond the mountains, the city of Ryon and the Wyvern people can be found. Wyvern and Ontari do not get along, clashing every now and then over turf wars to the south. While the Wyvern were once deemed pets to the Gods, the Ontari consider themselves children of the Gods, which in itself has caused arguments throughout history as well. The two races know it is best to steer clear of one another, and often do.

The only race the Ontari tolerate on their land is the Shore people of Takarh. The Shore people are a peaceful race of gatherers and craftsmen. They build small boats and fish the oceans that surround Emanys to the west and south, seldom bothering anyone. Though there have been disagreements between the two races in the past, an easy peace has settled between them and the Shore people are free to come and go from the city, usually to trade fish and other seaside goods.

Maps & Landmarks

Oshar

Oshar is a giant crater, a vast bowl-shaped cavity in the ground that stretches three thousand metres across. It formed upon the explosion of the Goddess Osana, who was turned into a mountain, forever trapped by the edge of the sea. Her death filled the crater with Wild Esen, which is most potent within this location. The death of Osana marks the beginning of the Age of Defiance, when Titans and Gods no longer ruled, too busy fighting one another.

Perhaps the most holy place in all of Emanys, the wall of Oshar is riddled with caves and cracks, areas in which the Wild Esen has slowly spilled forth into the world over the last twenty-five hundred years. The crater of Oshar is said to be so thick with Wild Esen, that none but the Ontair can enter, without suffering dire consequences. Wild Esen, as most know, has the power to worpe the mind, genes, and even cause death, especially in Humans, who are not as adapted to its strange energy as the native races of Noar are.

Every year the Ontari travel to Oshar, making it a key part of their migration route, though they never stay long, usually just long enough to house their dead in the sacred caves of Oshar. Those who are deemed important enough to carry to the caves, are said to go on to watch over the grasslands and the people of Emanys.

Mount Karamea

Being the biggest mountain in all of Noar, Mount Karamea has long been a gathering place for the Ontari people. The ground here is as sacred to them as that of Oshar, and all the rivers that run from Mount Karamea are thought to be life giving.

Mount Osana

Osana sits on the northwestern limit of Emanys, said to have one foot in the sea and the other on land, the cave systems that weave through the guts of this mountain, have long been explored and used by the Ontari people. At the end of Harvest, the people of Emanys celebrate the coming of Blaze by making glassland wine from the rich variety of fruit trees dotted about the base of the mountain. A small ceremony is had, where the best cow from each clan is sacrificed, believed to ensure a profitable Blaze. This is known as Kava Day which usually takes place within the last ten days of Harvest.

Takarh

A small village on the western shore of Emanys, run by the Shore people.

Oshar

A crater that marks the death of Osana, daughter of Karamea, The Mother. Karamea was rumoured to have killed her own daughter, not willing to share her with the Titan, Lochren, whom Osana had fallen in love with. Oshar is a sacred place, filled with Wild Esen so thick that no other race can tolerate its presence, as even the Ontari only linger long enough to take in small doses.

The Fjord

The fjord marks the boundary between Aramane and Emanys. None may cross it, for all that do seldom return home. Any women and children that cross the fjord are often taken in by the Ontair people, while any men who try their luck are almost always put to death by Riders of Tundra, if one of the tribes doesn’t stumble upon them first. The fjord is very wide and deep, making it almost impossible to cross without a boat of some kind. Some have been known to swim, though it takes the better part of a day to do so, leaving those lucky enough to make it across, extremely exhausted.

Coastline

Concerned only with the patrol and protection of the west and south coast of the mainland, Ontari are highly protective of their coastline. The Shore people also fall under the protection, often raided by pirate ships who might happen to spot them.

West Coast

The white sandy beaches of the west coast are a bit of a paradise for all who find themselves lucky enough to walk the long winding shores. The banks are littered with palm trees, coconut, and other exotic flora.

South Coast

The south coast is colder than the west, littered with rock pools and black sandy beaches. The rock pools have long been the playgrounds of young Merfolk and other social sea creatures, such as seals and dolphins. The Ontari hunt seals for their fur, meat and fat, never taking more than they need, and only during seasons outside of mating and nursing for the creatures. Crabs and shellfish are abundant here, making up some of the Ontari’s diet during Frost and Bloom. Beautiful shells litter the black sand beaches, used for decorating and making pieces of jewelry.

Culture

Ontari are a peaceful race of people with strong belief systems and respect for the natural world. While they are a curious people, they are what most other races would consider a closed community. Close-knit and family-orientated, it is rare that Ontari will accept outsiders into their groups, or take on the beliefs and ideals of the world beyond the glasslands. Ontari often take or trade captives to integrate into their tribes, and are very protective of children, finding them easier to teach. Women and children are welcome in this nomadic society, however, men of alternative races struggle to join the Ontari, taken only as slaves if they aren’t first killed on sight. They believe in balance, the cycle of life and death, and that everything has a season.

In the instance of capture, a woman would be expected to work within the tribe, cleaning, cooking, minding the children, or tending to the animals. She would not belong to one individual, but instead the whole tribe, until a year has passed. By the end of her first year with the tribe, the female captive would then be given the opportunity to earn her marks, the tattooing full members are decorated with, or be escorted back to one of the Human villages beyond the borders of Emanys. If she chose to leave, she would never be welcome in the grasslands again, but if she chose to stay, she would be free to marry, no higher than the rank of second wife, and become a full member of the tribe she worked for throughout her captivity.

The Ontari measure time, not in hours, but by the position of the sun or moon. New sun is morning, high sun is midday, low sun is dusk, and high moon is midnight. They are more than capable of reading a sundial and adhere to the perception of time when visiting the villages or cities of other races. Instead of using gold, silver, or copper ren, Ontari work on a trade and bartering system among the clans, trading goods and services without the use of money, it is only outside of their culture that they trade in gold.

Demographics

A recent census of the city estimated that there are just under 6,000 people living in or around the moving city of Emanys, with an extra five or six hundred surviving in the grasslands beyond the protection of the masses. The city numbers fluctuate throughout the year, with the majority of Ontari coming together in Blaze, only to disappear in Frost.

Of these totals, Ontari make up 88%, followed by Mix Bloods at 9%, Ecrede 2%, and 1% N’jiin.

Housing

Tents

Ontari tents are triangular in design with an open front. The side of the tent is designed to open out and extend, providing cover from the elements, rain or shine. Tents are not traditionally used as Ontari homes, but are instead constructed and maintained for trade. They are big enough to house up to twenty Ontari, making them excellent meeting and discussion points. Most tribes own at least one tent for all of their cooking, eating and storage needs. Clan tents are the largest, providing cover for up to fifty fully grown men. These tents are made from ornate and carved wooden beams, with canvas carved from animal hide, stitched and stretch over the triangular, wooden frame. Materials are coated in wax to make them waterproof and protect the hide from long term exposure to the elements.

Gers

Gers have been a distinctive feature of life in Emanys for at least three thousand years. A Ger is a traditional dome shaped dwelling that has been used since the Age of Titans, the very symbol of nomadic life. In essence, a Ger is the home of an Ontari family, with three or more making up what is known as a Tribe. A Ger is portable, easily assembled and disassembled, and the most natural dwelling in all of Noar. A Ger consists of felt or hide covers, wooden columns, and a round window at the top, thin wooden poles and floor, wall (wooden lattice attached together with animal hide, ropes) and ropes. Most Ger materials, such as felt, are made of sheep wool, and ropes fashioned from sheep wool, horse or yak’s tail, and, of course, wood.

Religion & Temples

For Ontari, the only god of any real importance is Karamea, The Mother. In their society, Karamea represents all life, growth, change, and sustainability. They have many rituals said to honour the god, from storytelling to days of fasting. During the season of Frost, Ontari go without killing any animals, living off stores of dried meat, berries, nuts and seeds that they have collected leading up to the cold season. There are many songs dedicated to Karamea, offerings, and tribal dances, where all members of the tribe paint themselves and dance to music by firelight. Fire dancing is one of their specialties, and is said to be a marvel to behold.

Oshar Caves

Though the Ontari people do not build any buildings, they have a long history of cave paintings on the walls in the caves of Oshar. These paintings date back hundreds and even thousands of years, maintained and protected by the Ontari people. The depictions tell stories of their history, recorded in earthy tones and shallow engravings.

Rituals & Traditions

Bands of Honour

Birthdays are not celebrated by the Ontari people, used only to mark the length on this earth. Instead, every ten years an individual is award with an armband, bronze for the first ten years on this earth, silver for their second, and gold marks thirty years. After this, precious stones are added to the armbands, forty years is marked by adding emeralds to the bronze armband, sapphires are added to the silver armband, marking fifty years, and rubies are added to gold at sixty years. Of course, thirty to sixty years of life is the average in Emanys, but Ontari can and do live longer than this, some have been known to live into their eighties, with the odd individual lasting as long as ninety years. For this reason, A diamond is then added to each of the rings, bronze, silver, and gold, marking their seventieth, eightieth, and ninetieth year on Noar. Ontari are not buried or burnt with their rings, which are removed after death and passed down through the family, usually going to the first son or daughter in the line of succession.

Frost Fast

No animals are slaughtered during the season of Frost, both to ensure a productive Bloom, and to honour the Mother of Earth and Life, Karamea. Though this tradition is honoured by most, there is no punishment for those who don’t manage to abstain from eating meat. It is frowned upon to openly flaunt any consumption of meat during Frost, and while dry stores can be diminished, hunting is strictly out of the question.

Rah’har

Rah’har is an end of summer tradition that sees young Ontari who want to prove themselves and their bravery, ride out into the grasslands in search of the flower that only blooms during Baze, and only in the territory of a beast known as a Grassland Tuscoro. The fearsome beast feeds on the Rah’har flowers, and though it isn’t usually considered a meat-eater, the Tuscoro are a lot like pigs and will eat almost anything they come across. They are the size of a large bull, with three sets of tusks and two sets of ears, believed to be a type of wild pig that were mutated by the presence of Wild Esen that changed lots about the grasslands when it was introduced via Osana’s destruction.

Those who manage to obtain a Rah’har flower without injury are considered very brave, if not a little stupid. It is mostly the men who undertake this task, gifting the prized flowers to their betrothed partners. Women who manage to find and take a flower, are able to extend a proposal to any man they choose. It is said that to reject the offering of a Rah’har flower, is to bring bad luck to one’s self, family and tribe.

Guest Rights

The Ontari are a very cautious, protective race of people, who do not like to be approached by strangers, even of their own kind. They have an age old tradition, however, first formed in the Age of Man to insure peace amongst the united clans. This is known as Guest Rights. When the members of a tribe approach a neighbouring or unfamiliar tribe, they are usually met with a strong display of strength, with riders going out on horseback to challenge or intimidate them. If the approaching riders mean no harm and no display of hostility is returned, guests are usually accompanied by the riders in the camp and extended Guest Rights by the tribe’s leader, the Onkarl. This allows the guests to walk freely among the camp, eat and share drinks with the tribe and grants them an audience with the Onkarl.

It is forbidden to break Guest Rights with acts of violence. All weapons of the visiting tribe members are taken by the host and set down in clear sight of the guests, guarded by members of the hosting tribe. If any fighting does occur, the guests are usually slaughtered, with one beaten and battered member being sent back to their tribe to tell of their demise and shame. For, to break Guest Rights, brings great shame upon a tribe and gives their overall clan a bad reputation.

Sometimes a tribe will host the male heir of another tribe for a full year after he is betrothed to one of their daughters. The boy is tasked with many trials and hard, long days of work, usually to prove his worth. It is thought that the harder the boy works, the more respect he has for the hosting family and his future wife. If this stay does not go well or the tribe feels slighted in any way, bethroals can and often are called off.

Holidays

Kava Day

In the last ten days of the season of Harvest, the Ontari gather at the foot of Mount Osana to collect fruit and make wine to share. Each of the clans puts forward their best cow to be sacrificed and share in a large feast that brings all of the tribes together in celebration. This is done to ensure a profitable season of Blaze.

Marriage & Divorce

For Ontari, marriage isn’t just a binding of couples, but the blending of families. Because of this, weddings are a long process. Unions have long lasting implications in Ontari culture, affecting everything from property holdings to inheritance. For this reason, negotiations are carried out before the terms of any marriage are formally agreed upon.

Setting the date for an Ontari wedding has its own little process. Traditionally, weddings are only held in Bloom, which in Ontari religion is a sacred season for their god Karamea, the mother. Weddings typically last a few hours, and family and friends are expected to travel to the site of the wedding. Other considerations included appropriate accommodations, acquiring enough food and drink for all guests for the duration of the ceremony, and brewing a special drink drunk by the bride, or brides and groom as part of the ceremony, usually cow blood and a mix of ground herbs is said to bring the union good fortune and fertility. All these considerations sometimes put a very long time table on a wedding, however, most ceremonies take place within a year of all of the negotiations being settled.

The bride is offered up by her family with a considerable dowry, usually a few cattle, a Treka or a fine tent. Gold is never offered up as a wedding present as it symbolises greed and is considered a thoughtless gift, even unlucky by some clans. Bride and groom don't wear elaborate costumes or gowns. Rather, the ornamental focus is on their hair and skin. A woman's hair especially, is very important in grassland culture, and indicative of her sexual allure. The longer and more elaborately tied, the better.

Regardless of any dowry offered up, it is traditional for the new bride to offer her husband a new weapon, typically an axe, worn off his hip for the duration of the ceremony. Such a weapon is symbolic of his mastery in the union, and is believed to ensure a fruitful marriage. The bride is presented to the groom with one hand bound to the hand of her mother or mother figure. The groom takes his axe and severs the tie with care, which is usually red. This signifies the ending of one bond in order to make way for a newer, stronger bond. The groom becomes his bride's protector, and is expected to care for her always. The person marrying the couple sees that they join hands and wraps a new, blue sash around their wrists, signifying that the new bond has been made.

This does not mark the end of the ceremony, however, as a sacrifice is always made first. A goat or young cow is washed in sacred water from Mount Karamea before its throat is slit. If the animal struggles, it is said that the couple's first child will be a girl, but if the animal takes a knee, they will be blessed with a boy. It is during this stage of the wedding that the couple drink from the same cup, one shared between bride, groom, and any existing wives. The blood and ground herbs are mixed with water, and mark the joining of two tribes, in a ritual called kashala, blood and water.

The couple or group then dip their fingers in the collected blood and smear each other with the blood. A strike on the cheek means endearment, the chin is respect, and the forehead is eternal love. Each individual, husband and wife, or wives, is permitted to make one mark on each of the people they are bound to, in an act that is considered to convey the blessings of their god.

Following the wedding ceremony, there is a feast, where both tribes come together and sit under the same tent around the fire-pit. The bride presents her husband with a decorated bull-horn filled with honey-mead. He is to take a sip before offering it back to his wife, who is to do the same. The tribes sit and talk, sing and play music until dark, when the couple are then encouraged to leave the group and disappear to a tent set up especially for them and the consummation of their marriage. They are led by torchlight to the tent and left to their own devices. The guests are in charge of packing up after the party has ended before going to bed. Existing wives are not permitted to share the tent with their new wife until the following night when things return to normal. All weddings are final and a woman can only remarry if and when her husband dies.

Food

As Ontari never stay anywhere long enough to cultivate and use the land to their advantage, their diets are mainly meat based, relying on what they can hunt and gather. Berries, wild root vegetables and quick growing crops that need little attention are their go to choices, such as radish, spring onion and potato. They raise a large number of stock, herding them across the grasslands, which means their meat supply is often well fed and fresh. They harvest salt from small mines and wells in the south of Emanys and to the west in Oshar, which is used to cure meat and hides. Drying racks line the city outskirts in Blaze, curing goods to see their store replenished.

Music

Music is an important part of the Ontari culture. All Ontari have a love of singing, which is something they do often at get togethers, while preparing food, or just sitting around the campfire of an evening. As they don’t allow influences of outside culture to trump tradition. It is rare for an Ontari individual to play an instrument outside of the pan pipes or drums. String instruments are only used by those who have travelled to the villages and cities in the west, as these items are not built in Emanys, and thus hard to come by. Drums and pipes are made in the moving city of Emanys, and are often played during celebrations and gatherings.

Language

The Ontari speak a language called Tarri which is complex, quick spoken and difficult for outsiders to learn on account of the many meanings individual words can have. For this reason, Tarri is spoken with partnered hand gestures, sign language used to convey the meaning of spoken words. Ontari can have whole conversations without speaking any Tarri, using only hand gestures, which works well when a group is hunting and need to remain quiet. Some of the clan elders and travelling traders speak the common tongue, but it is rare among the younger generation who haven’t travelled outside of Emanys. Stories and songs are important to the Ontari people are they do not have a written language.

Folktales

Tell Rune to add some. She is so lazy!

Society

The Ontari are known for helping one another in times of need, however, not all Ontari see eye to eye all the time, and some tribes refuse to play nice with others they consider rivals. Though crimes such as murder are frowned upon in Emanys, such things still occur every now and then, with some cases that can’t be proven, even going unpunished. Within a tribe there can also be in-fighting, especially when generations of individual families have stayed together and followed one another for many years, fall out over forgotten loyalties. Sometimes when an Onkarl dies and his title is passed to his eldest son, other tribe members don’t agree, and either overthrow or challenge the new Onkarl for leadership, believing they know better. Pride and egos often get in the way, and if the Ontari are known for anything, it is their tenacity and stubbornness.

On a whole, the Ontari are an easy-going people with a good sense of community. Like the N’jiin people, they are protective of their language and culture, with few going to the effort, outside of tribe elders, to learn languages such as common. They thrive as a race, though can sometimes be easily undone by disasters, such as wild weather patterns. It is during these times that they tend to come together and help each other pick up the pieces of what remains.

Education

Ontari do not have any formal education system, instead, all of the children in each tribe are looked after by a number of women, usually second or third wives, and gather with the tribe elders to listen to stories about their history, the dangers of the grasslands, and laws of their people. The race believe that life is a school and everyday tasks are lessons. For this reason, children are expected to help out around camp, gather firewood, watch the herds, hunt, weave baskets, tan leather, and prepare food. A lot is expected of Ontari children, who are often better prepared to face the dangers of the world by the age of ten, than most adults from other races are at eighteen.

Once a child is ten years old, they are allowed to specialise in a subject of their choice, be it hunting, cooking, crafting, or any other number of skills. They accomplish this by going out with the hunting party, cooking with the woman, working as apprentices for craftspeople, adopted during work hours by the specialists within each tribe. Of course there are core skills that all Ontari are expected to know, like which plants found in the wild are safe to eat, or what herbs can be used to cure fever, and how to make a campfire, the very basics of survival.

Economy & Employment

As the Ontari have no use for gold crowns and other forms of currency, surviving on trade and bartering, they have little use for paid work. If help is given, a favour is owed. Ontari work to survive, each taking on important roles within their Tribes to ensure things run like clockwork. The women are in charge of cooking, setting up or taking down the camp. Older children mind their younger siblings, learn by doing, and help with hunting and gathering, a burden all Ontari are expected to share. The men are charged with protecting the families, tribes, and greater clan as a whole. Everyone has a skill and together they hunt, gather, craft, live, and trade together.

Historical Epithets

Terreth Redsun of the Air Clan - The Undefeated
Kimba Sapphire of the Fire Clan - The Healer
Yava Coral of the Water Clan - Of Wind and Sea
Rikki Haretracker of the Spirit Clan - The Hunter
Temu Gravite of the Earth Clan - The Unbroken

Government & Politics

Akohl

Ontari are a robust, adaptable race of people who roam the grasslands of Emanys in organised communities called clans. There are five clans in Emanys, including Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit, each led by an elder, known as the Akohl. This leader rises to power via trial by combat and can be challenged once every three years by a full blooded Ontari warrior over the age of eighteen. The Akohl is responsible for all the Tribes who fall under his clan, dictating where they camp within the city and which area they move to season by season, including how long they stay, who among them can be considered for Tundra Warriors, and how to handle the threat of outside forces.

Onkarl

The Clans are made up of family groups called Tribes, each with a Tribe Leader referred to as the Onkarl, a title that is usually passed down from father to son. This role is one only an Ontari male can achieve. It is rare that an Onkarl is ever challenged, but in cases where the Onkarl dies and has no sons old enough to take his place, other male elders within the tribe sometimes challenge the Onkarl’s family for leadership. The Onkarl is in charge of everyone’s safety and most of the decision making regarding where the tribe camps.

Orna

The Orna is the first wife of the Onkarl, otherwise known as the tribe leader. She is the matriarch, in charge of organising the women and individual families that make up the Tribe. If an Onkarl dies and his eldest son is not old enough to lead the Tribe and goes unchallenged, the Orna is expected to lead in his place until the oldest son (not always hers) comes of age.

National Army

Riders of Tundra

To become a Rider of Tundra, a young man or woman, usually in their late teens or early twenties, must have the blessing of their Onkarl and know the basics of mirroring, riding, and tracking. The Riders of Tundra are the first and last line of defence between the outside world and the moving city of Emanys. They are in charge of keeping the land and people safe. The key jobs of a rider are observing, investigating, defending against, and attacking any known threats to the land or Ontari people. They often work in groups of five or ten, usually but not always led by a Turf or Tor Warrior.

Rider Ranks

Thread: Named after a single blade of grass, the Ontari people understand the importance a single member of a group can have on the larger scale of things. These warriors are considered to be members in training and are usually partnered two or three at a time with a Tussock Warrior, who are in charge of both guiding and challenging the new recruits.

Tussock

These warriors have proved themselves to be valuable members of Tundra, and make up the majority of the Riders of Tundra. Like the Thread Warriors, Tussock Warriors are posted close to home in order to ensure the safety of the clans and moving city of Emanys. This also enables them to recruit and train new members. Tussock Warriors of Tundra are considered to be individuals of honour, thus their tribe honours them by allowing them to eat first during mealtimes and sit closest to the fire.

Turf

Turf Warriors are fearsome individuals, charged with leading groups of riders. They are tried and tested men and women with the ability to survive missions out on the grasslands in small groups. They are skilled navigators and survivalists, with a knack for tracking and following old trails, already considered lost by the general public. They are trusted with tasks like escorting or guarding any one of the five Akohls, though they usually choose to work with the Akohl from their own clan. They only take orders from him or their betters, the Tor and Tundra Riders.

Tor

Riders of Tor are few and far between, considered to be some of the best fighters the Ontari have to offer. They work alone or in pairs, often patrolling the goat tracks of the surrounding hills and mountains that keep Emanys safe. To be a Rider of Tor is to know the sacrifice of leaving one's family behind for seasons at a time, to ensure to safety of many. Riders of Tor are mirroring experts, said to be able to wear wild magic like a cloak, pulling and sculpting it as they rider to see that they go unseen wherever they are. To become a rider of Tor is considered a great feat, and these men and women are treated with the utmost respect, as it is they who usually go on to become Akohl or wives of the Akohl.

Tundra

Tundra Warriors are considered to be the best of the best, out-riding, thinking, and fighting even the strongest of Ontari. They are a law unto themselves, choosing what is best for their people. Though they abide by The Five Accords, Tundra Warriors are the only members of the Ontari race who can kill without fear of being reprimanded, and are usually tasked with doing so when an exiled member of the Ontari refuses to leave Emanys. Tundra Warriors are particular about tradition and upholding the law of the land. They are well known within their clans and community, and their families are very well taken care of by the Onatri people because of this. To marry a son or daughter of a Tundra Warrior is considered to bring great luck and honour to one's family.

International Army

The Ontari have zero international presence and any Ontari found wandering in foreign lands have usually either been cast out or are experiencing Revula, a journey for the soul.

Law & Order

The Ontari believe in balance and have a love of nature, choosing to preserve and restore rather than destroy and change. For this reason, Ontari never stay in one place any longer than a season, allowing the land and the surrounding wildlife to recover from the time of their stay and hunting efforts. When it comes to law and order, Ontari believe that an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind, and so, if one of the Ontari break any of their sacred rules, that person is then banished from the grasslands of Emanys for a full year. They call this punishment Revula, a journey for the soul, where the individual being punished is expected to leave the grasslands on foot, with no tools or supplies to see them on their way. They are encouraged to live alone beyond the borders of the grasslands, reflect on their crime, travel if they desire, and return to their tribe at the end of their sentence. Repeat offenders are barred for life and only then, if they refuse to leave or continue to return, will Ontari resort to violence against their own.

In Emanys, the Ontari people live by a set of rules that govern all who enter their lands. Visitors are usually made aware of these rules by one of the guides they may have paid to take them through the grasslands. Any outsider caught breaking one of these rules is not afforded the same punishment enforced on members of the clans, but is instead put to death. Historically, outsiders caught breaking any one of the sacred accords was subject to cannibalism, but this practice is not as widespread as it once was, only practiced now, by a handful of tribes, often members of the Spirit or Fire Clan, which have always been less accepting of outsiders.

The Sacred Accords
Thou shalt not trade in gold
Thou shalt not betray the city
Thou shalt not harm a Treka
Thou shalt not disobey an Akohl
Thou shalt not take in excess

Crime & Punishment

The accords were formed hundreds of years ago during the Age of Defiance, one submitted by each of the clans. The Fire Clan, who have always been considered the more fearsome of the Ontari, were difficult to negotiate with, and put forth an accord they have struggled at times to live by. Accepting gold for trade is considered taboo, the majority of the Ontari people believing that greed poisons the soul. It was the Water Clan, famed for their protective nature and skill in healing, who submitted their oath of kinship, stating that no member of the Ontari should ever betray the city and its people, either by leading outsiders into camp or giving away clan secrets. The Spirit Clan, perhaps with a deeper connection to animals than any other clan, highlighted the importance of protecting and keeping safe their most sacred animal, the horse, known to the Ontari as Treka. Anyone caught mistreating a Treka will not be tolerated, and are instantly sent packing from the tribe. The Air Clan believe in leadership and wisdom, ensuring that their accord protected the leaders of each of the clans, the Akohl. Earth Clan, who have always been at one with nature, believe that preserving the Ontari way of life is of utmost importance, and encourage all to take no more than they need, both from each other and their surroundings.

Factions

Riders of Tundra

The Riders of Tundra are the first and last line of defence between the outside world and the moving city of Emanys. They are in charge of keeping the land and people safe. The key jobs of a rider are observing, investigating, defending against, and attacking any known threats to the land or Ontari people.

The Riders of Tundra begin as Thread Warriors, gradually graduating from that very first rank, through Tussock, Turf, Tor, and finally onto Tundra. They are fearsome, brave, weathered, and usually only male.

Earth Clan

Each clan is known for their different strengths. The Earth Clan are master hunters, famed for their stealth and ability with the bow, especially on horseback. They are good at tracking game and ingredients, and know the land well. Members of the Earth Clan are considered to be honest, hard working, and wise, making ideal leaders and teachers. Historically they have worked best with members of the Water and Air Clan.

Water Clan

The Water Clan, known for their ability to treat almost any wound or infection with locally grown plants and herbs, make excellent doctors and mothers. Women from the Water Clan are sought after by Ontari men, considered to be very desirable and loyal. The Water Clan are excellent craftsmen, building all kinds of things from clay pots to leather harnesses. They get along best with members of the Earth and Spirit Clan.

Air Clan

Perhaps the most temperamental of all the clans, are the people of the Air Clan, flighty, spirited, and good-natured, they have always been praised for their ability to tell stories and keep the most accurate tales from history. They like to explore, venturing closer to the borders of Emanys than most of the other clans do, mapping paths, mountains, and shorelines. The Air Clan mix well with members of the Earth and Spirit Clan.

Spirit Clan

The Spirit Clan are known for their ability to train almost any animal. They keep small herds of goats and cattle, enough to feed their clan, and hand raise a lot of young animals they find in the wild. Their speciality is working with hawks and eagles, teaching them to hunt and fetch things. Smaller birds like owls are taught to carry messages, sometimes as far as Aramane, and if anyone is looking for a well trained dog, they need go no further than the members of the Spirit Clan. The Fire, Water, and Air Clan relate with them best.

Fire Clan

War and battle seems but a distant memory to the Ontari, who have grown somewhat comfortable living in the grasslands unchallenged. But the Fire Clan are not so quick to forget, and spend their hours training in all types of fighting styles, with a vast array of different weapons. Their preferred weapon is the flail, which is easy to swing from the back of a horse, closely followed by the bec-de-corbin, also called the Crow’s Beak, a hammer-like weapon with a blunt head that tapers into a sharp point. The Fire Clan make and trade all of the weapons they use. The Fire Clan aren’t as social as the others, but have a long history with the people of the Spirit Clan.

Foreign Relations

Being a closed community, the Ontari have no need for foreign relations of international trade. They aren’t known for travel, but are very territorial, and to this day, will any Humans who stray too far from Aramane.

Neutral
Clead
Crixus
Nejem
Rathos
Renmere
Vayne

Negative
Aramane
Ryon

Magic

Elemental and Spirit Magic are the most commonly used in Emanys, believed to individually reflect the true essence of each individual clan. Magic is learned from a young age, and most children in Emanys are born with some form of alignment to one of the four Elemental Magics. Though magic is widely practiced, it is not used recklessly, and always under the watchful eye of a tribe elder.

Though no types of magic are strictly outlawed, the use of Necromancy, Blood Magic, and Summoning, as somewhat frowned upon by certain clans. Captives are strictly forbidden from using any form of magic other than Healing, and do not earn the right to practice magic until they have been with their chosen tribe for at least a full year.

Slavery

There is no market for slavery in Emanys. Rather, individuals caught in the grasslands are accepted by or gifted into a tribe to live and work among the people. However, Ontari do not take kindly to intruders, and any men travelling through the grasslands are swiftly put to death. Women and children, on the other hand, are permitted and even encouraged to stay. After a year of service to a chosen tribe, individuals are welcome to return home from where they came. If they choose to stay, they will be initiated into a clan and given all the rights a full blooded Ontari has.