Cocidian

Sisters of survival.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: Akhoata

• Taxonomic Family: Shefereans

• Alignment: Shebvic

• Energy: B’qar

• Lifespan: 200 years

• Diet: Meat

• Habitat: Forests

Origins

Descended of Shefere, a daughter of Mother Shem, they became a species defined by their ability to survive.

Description

Cocidians appear to be female-assigned human-like beings that stand about 5' tall. They have short, badger-like tails; sharp claws; and antlers. Their skin has a slight golden undertone, and they tend to have dark brown hair.

Procreation

Cocidian reproduce with the male-assigned members of any sexual species that has male-assgned members, always producing cocidian children, except when reproducing with enders.

Powers

A cocidian can take the form of their symbolic tribal predator animal if they drink the blood of the same. If they are hunting, they can think like their prey if they have caught one of that kind before.

Specific Powers

All cocidians can sense their prey with their third eye, seeing movement, heat, and weakness. They also have a heightened sense of smell, and while they are hunting (for at least an hour), they have a major bonus to endurance. If they stand still for half an hour, they will fade mostly from vision.

Sisterhood

As children of Shefere, cocidians have a kinship with valkyries that makes them instantly recognizable to one another. They also have deep cultural ties and respect for one another. A cocidian is more likely to befriend, support, and show kindness to a valkyrie of any nation than a cocidian of another tribe or nation.

Weaknesses

Nations

There are seven nations of cocidians:

• Amanqalğan: a nation in Wymmera.

• Kynnanqil: a nation in Starfall.

• Preživeli: a nation on the White Moon.

• P’rkvats: a nation in Artere.

• Superstes: a nation in Gyrah.

• Túlélő: the original nation in Idangar.

• Xìngcúnzhě: a nation underground.

Culture

In the deep forests of Idangar, the original cocidians, the Túlélő nation, are one of many nations that live as quasi-hunter-gatherer societies. Though they have a basic class system in their culture, they still have deep ties to their matriarchal roots. There is conflict amongst their tribes and within their tribes.

Each tribe is ruled by a council of the best hunters, the legnagyobb, and their spouses (either other women of the tribe or men from other nations/species). The council determines the rank of the other hunters in three tiers: jó, gyakori, and tanulás. The jó are the highest ranked, the ones with the most skill or most loyalty to the legnagyobb. The gyakori are "commoners," those who have no special skill or loyalty, and the tanulás are "learning," either new to hunting or not very good at it, regardless of their loyalties. The other rank among them, the lowest, is the tartózkodás, those who stay behind. They are the gatherers or planters, the ill or infirm, the young children, the very elderly, or the ones simply too unskilled at hunting to do it at all.

Because the diet of the cocidians is meat-based and focused on game, they do not value livestock very much. Hunted food is better for them, for mystic reasons as well as political ones. As such, agriculture does not take hold as a source of power among them. The few planters they have focus on medicinal or practical plants (i.e., certain kinds of trees for wood, certain kinds of berries for dyes, etc.).

Cocidian children are raised by the entire tribe, except for the legnagyobb, who only focus on hunting and leading. Children are not given names until they are old enough to speak coherently. Once they are old enough to run, they begin training as hunters. Their first lessons are about being quiet, running through thick forest, and staying still. They build up to lessons about using bows, spears, and daggers or drinking animal blood for power. They begin group hunts once they prove themselves capable of the right amount of stealth and patience, joining them as assistants to experienced hunters. They are given weapons only once they show they are responsible enough to carry them. Once they have made their first kill on a group hunt, they are deemed ready for a solo hunt. They are then given seven nights of solo hunts (spread out within a month) to make their first solo kill. If they do so, they are officially considered a mature member of the tribe. If they fail, they are sent to become one of the tartózkodás.

Once a tribal member becomes a full-fledged hunter, they then begin their journey from tanulás to jó. Each time they attain a new rank, they must go through a ritual of determination, that is, a test of their stamina and endurance. They must sit silently in the cold or heat (depending on time of year) for a night, unmoving and unafraid, in order to prove themselves. Any failure results in a failure to move to the next level. Seven failures means moving back a level. If they end up as a tartózkodás, they can never come back to being a hunter.

Every tribe has its own symbolic predator and every individual their own symbolic prey. The predator symbols give the tribes their names:

• Kerecsensólyom (Saker Falcon)

• Foltos Hiúz (Spotted [Eurasian] Lynx)

• Karcsú Hiúz (Slender [Carpathian] Lynx)

• Vadmacska (Jesenranic [European] Wildcat)

• Vörös Róka (Red Fox)

• Barna Medve (Brown Bear)

• Szürke Farkas (Grey Wolf)

• Aranysakál (Golden Jackal)

• Közönséges Vidra (Common Otter)

• Bükk Nyest (Beech Marten)

• Fenyő Nyest (Pine Marten)

• Borz (Badger)

• Hermelin (Stoat)

• Legkevésbé Menyét (Least Weasel)

• Görény (Jesenranic [European] Polecat)

• Halászsas (Osprey)

• Mézes Keselyű (Jesenranic [European] Honey-Buzzard)

• Griff Keselyű (Griffon Vulture)

• Nagyobb Rétisas (Greater Spotted Eagle)

• Csizmás Sas (Booted Eagle)

• Cztyeppei Sas (Steppe Eagle)

• Parlagi Sas (Imperial Eagle)

• Szirti Sas (Golden Eagle)

• Vörös Sárkány (Red Kite)

• Fekete Sárkány (Black Kite)

• Sápadt Rétisas (Pallid Harrier)

• Tyúkhús (Hen Harrier)

• Pacsirta (Jesendabusense (Eurasian) Sparrowhawk)

• Közönséges Ölyv (Common Buzzard)

• Durva Lábú Sólyom (Rough-Legged Hawk)

• Macskabagoly (Barn Owl)

• Kis Bagoly (Little Owl)

• Bagoly (Tawny Owl)

• Boreális Bagoly (Boreal Owl)

• Vörös Vércse (Jesendabusenese (Eurasian) Kestrel)

• Kis Sólyom (Merlin)

• Hobbi Sólyom (Jesendabusenese [Eurasian] Hobby)

• Vándorsólyom (Peregrine Falcon)

• Turul

The Borz, Szürke Farkas, and Legkevésbé Menyét are the largest, most powerful tribes. The Vadmacska, Fenyő Nyest, and Karcsú Hiúz are the smallest and weakest. Though in some modern settings they have lost tribal bonds or assimilated into other cultures, their primary tribal affiliation will be remembered ancestrally and thus the power to transform into one of these animals preserved. For their relationships to prey animals, see below.

Every tribe has a territory based on how much they can control. They sometimes share territory with non-cocidian peoples, but they never share with other cocidians. The larger tribes have larger territories, and they often try to take over other territories. This has led to many long-standing rivalries among the tribes, notably between the two lynx tribes, between the fox, wolf, and jackal tribes, between the polecat, weasel, stoat, and two marten tribes, and between the badger and otter tribes. All of the raptors hate each other. The wildcats and brown bears manage to remain relatively neutral. In times of scarcity, tribal disputes become much more fierce and brutal.

Every season brings a new festival of thanksgiving, offering, feasting, and ritual hunts. The first hunt of a season is a hunt that targets the tribe's symbolic predator animal. This is the only time it is allowed to do this. The cocidian who kills the target is raised a rank (the legnagyobb and tartózkodás do not participate) without having to go through a ritual of determination. If nothing is caught, no one is raised in rank, and it is considered a bad omen for the season. A special offering is then done, wherein each member of the tribe gives a bit of their blood to a massive bonfire. Anyone who refuses (except the very young or very ill) is ritually hunted, caught, bound, and flogged by the entire tribe for their refusal, and they are considered the reason for the bad hunt. If they are not caught, they are banished from the tribe permanently. If the predator is caught in the initial hunt, the offerings given to the bonfire are pelts, meat, and/or blood from prey caught in the previous season, saved for this purpose.

Cocidian arts and crafts focus on pelts, feathers, bones, antlers, and other animal parts, including painting with blood. Their music is mournful and tells tales of hard seasons, tragic loves, and hauntings.

Prey

During the initial solo hunt of a cocidian, the animal they kill becomes their symbolic prey animal. It is considered good luck for them every time they kill one henceforth. It gives them their middle name and kinship with anyone else who has that symbolic prey, even if they are of another tribe. Their symbolic prey also determines their status and whom they can marry (see gender below):

• Hód: Jesendabusenese [Eurasian] Beaver

• Vörös Mókus: Red Squirrel

• Földi Mókus: Common Ground Squirrel

• Pézsmapocok: Muskrat

• Nyúl: Jesenranic [European] Rabbit

• Mezei Nyúl: Jesenranic [European] Hare

• Sündisznó: Hedgehog

• Denevér: any kind of Bat

• Jávorszarvas: Moose

• Őz: Roe Deer

• Piros Szarvas: Red Deer

• Vaddisznó: Wild Boar

• Bölény: Aurochs/Jesenranic [European] Bison

• Liba: any kind of Goose

• Kacsa: any kind of Duck

• Bütykös Hattyú: Mute Swan

• Hideg Hattyú: Tundra Swan

• Büszkén Hattyú: Whooper Swan

• Fürj: Common Quail

• Fácán: Ring-Necked Pheasant

• Skarlátvörös Szín: Greater Flamingo

• Túzok: any kind of Bustard

• Daru: Common Crane

• Pingvin: Razorbill

• Fehér Gólya: White Stork

• Fekete Gólya: Black Stork

• Nagy Kárókatona: Great Cormorant

• Nagy Kócsag: Great Egret

• Lila Gém: Purple Heron

• Szürke Gém: Grey Heron

• Jégmadár: Common Kingfisher

• Lidérc: Liderc is an esoteric monster

If they kill a predator on their first solo hunt, it is considered bad luck, and they must keep hunting until they have killed three prey animals, or return in shame and work to redeem themselves as a priestess (see religion). If they kill certain small animals (voles, mice, small birds, etc.), it simply does not count and is ignored. These are not prey; they are vermin. All corvids are also considered either vermin or simply bad omens. Snakes are considered neither predator nor prey, but dangers. Livestock are not counted, no matter their size. Insects, arachnids, etc. do not count.

If a domesticated animal is mistakenly killed (i.e., a domesticated pig vs. a wild boar), it neither counts as the symbolic prey nor as a lost night if the animal is believably confused or circumstances dictate confusion is warranted. Legendarily, a cocidian in the Görény tribe once spent her entire life accidentally killing escaped bulls and pigs. This story, Szerencsétlen Gyung (Unlucky Gyung), is a popular song and comedic tale often told during drunken revelries.

National Cultures

The other nations have similar cultures to the Túlélő, but with some variations:

• Amanqalğan: in Wymmera, the Amanqalğan incorporate bloodcasting and other nommic arts into their culture.

• Kynnanqil: in Starfall, more focus is given in their culture to basic survival; they have no advanced into any kind of class society but instead live in a brutal survival mode that requires communal property and support.

• Preživeli: on the Green Moon, they honor the moons instead of their original trinity of goddesses and honor them as huntresses.

• P’rkvats: in Artere, the P’rkvats are a nation entirely subsumed into the Wild Hunt.

• Superstes: in Gyrah, they are a nation with allegiance to the Uraymean empire, serving as an elite, oppressor nation alongside the speculari.

• Xìngcúnzhě: a nation underground, the Xìngcúnzhě live in the tunnels of the Hypogaeum and adapt to the dark. They are an ally nation with the dongxue.

Esoterica

Cocidians are beings of b’qar, the greatest of survivors in the wild, and they are the inventors of the arts of the vadasz (see file in Occupations). They view the energy of fuinneamh as a lesser energy, one too romanticized, but they still sometimes use it as it is so closely related to their own primary energy. Other powers they commonly use include all shebvic energies, nzwara murazvo, tyvka vlast, prasinofos, hvittdogg, hasken fure, ma’dhahabi, lunar aether, true shadow, kiiric yihi, kor, fate, ethereal essence, tahalana, ayase, kutsegula, and all nommic powers.

Religion

Cocidians worship Nagy Vadásznő, the Great Huntress (crone); Shefere, Daughter of the Goddess (maiden); and the Goddess (Mother Shem) (mother). They offer them each an offering at the start of each season, burning animal parts in bonfires; dedicate special hunts to them (one for each - Maiden in Spring, Mother in Summer, Crone in Autumn, rest in Winter); and perform ritual tattooing and piercing for them. The Huntress is the leader of all cocidians who hunt; Shefere is goddess over the young children and infirm; the Goddess protects the tartózkodás.

Papnők (priestesses, sing. papnő) are a special class among the cocidians. They are revered such that their leaders (who have no special titles, but all know who they are) outrank even the legnagyobb, though they almost never invoke this authority. Priestesses wear no clothing except the skins, furs, or feathers and blood of their symbolic predator animal and their personal symbolic prey. They always leave their chests bare except during special sacrifices, during which the removal of their own breasts is done (this is only for those who seek redemption after killing a predator animal; see below). They carry staves made of bone, antler, horn, and feather that are called hosszú ujjak ("long fingers), sing. hosszú ujj).

When a child reaches the age where they can learn to read, the priestesses begin to watch them for signs. If the child shows special signs (interest in reading, interest in certain different presentations - i.e., non-feminine-related gender presentation, or special markings on their bodies), they are taken by the priestesses into the wilderness for a special ritual of blood and psychedelic visions. After this, the child is guided through a series of tests; if they fail, they are sent back to being a normal cocidian. If they pass, they are chosen as an acolyte. They then undergo spiritual training, learning about the rites of the trinity, the special meals (each month has a special prey animal that must be eaten every seven days), moon rites, and eventually the sexual initiation rites.

If one kills a predator on their first solo hunt and does not redeem themselves by killing three prey animals, they are sent to the priestesses to find their redemption. First, they must go through the rituals of becoming a priestess; if they fail at all, they are banished. Then they must go through a special ritual during which they remove their own breasts, cauterize them with burning hosszú ujjak, and then dance for seven hours under a full moon (any moon). At the end, they bathe in the blood of their symbolic predator and beg forgiveness of the Goddesses. They are forgiven if and only if they see an animal in the moonlight in the next hour (it can even be an insect).

Gender

All cocidians are assigned female at birth. Other genders are known to them, though most are seen as foreign practices. They see themselves as special women who are superior to the culture of others, and thus, their gender as female/women is inherently better. Those of their tribes who end up showing interest in other gender presentations are taken by the priestesses. Femininity among the cocidians is, of course, much different from femininity among other nations or species, as they view hunting skills as inherently feminine.

Their symbolic prey animal is considered a part of their gender, as it determines whom they may marry. This can vary, but the general rule of thumb is, mammal marries bird; only certain prey symbols may marry outside the species in order to have children (this varies by tribe). Tartózkodás, who have no prey symbol, cannot marry, but the legnagyobb will assign them male mates from other species to have children with. Only the legnagyobb and jó may marry without permission. Priestesses never marry as they are married to the trinity of Goddesses. Anyone may have children, however, without marrying, and this is encouraged. Marriages matter because they determine certain rights about leading trades with other nations, tribes, and species, which brings wealth to those who have such rights.

Economy

The seven nations are part of different economies:

• Amanqalğan: early leanings toward class society but not quite.

• Kynnanqil: purely communal and matriarchal but with an emphasis on survival in brutal environments.

• Preživeli: purely communal and matriarchal.

• P’rkvats: early leanings toward class society but not quite.

• Superstes: autocratic, slave-based economy.

• Túlélő: early leanings toward class society but not quite.

• Xìngcúnzhě: autocratic, slave-based economy.

Military

Every tribe has a large force of hunters, obviously, and these serve as warriors in times of conflict. Their hierarchy is the same as that of the tribe itself.

Language

The Túlélő language is based on Hungarian.

Trade

Cocidians trade basic products made from their hunting kills, including meat and leather, with other nations and communities.

Occupations

Some common occupations include

• Aldozat: girlchildren who have a special role in ritual hunts (see Vadasz Occupation file).

• Betoro: a hunter-turned-thief, usually in a settled area.

• Betyar: outcast cocidians who engage in banditry or communities who turn to banditry during scarce times.

• Bőrműves: leatherworkers among the tartózkodás.

• Druida: druidesses among the cocidians who commune with the forest.

• Ellenor: hunters tasked with finding a specific prey or target on behalf of the community; investigators.

• Gyakori,: moderately skilled hunters, “commoners”, those who are not elite in skill nor specially loyal to the legnagyobb.

• Hírnök: hunters sent to bring messages to other cocidian communities.

• Igazságtevõ: those who take up being vigilantes in settled areas.

• Jó: the most skilled and loyal hunters after the legnagyobb.

• Legnagyobb: elite hunters who lead the community.

• Megoldó: a retired hunter who spends their time studying the Puzzle of Bloods.

• Papnő: priestesses.

• Solymar: a hunter who specializes in falconry.

• Szarvasvalto: hunters who can turn into stags via zoanthropic powers.

• Szucs: furriers among the tartózkodás.

• Taltos: shamanesses who connect to the hunting ancestors.

• Tanulás: hunters in training.

• Tartózkodás are those who stay behind. They are the gatherers or planters, the ill or infirm, the young children, the very elderly, or the ones simply too unskilled at hunting to do it at all.

• Vadásznő: the supernatural hunters who wield b’qar and bond to the hunt. All elite cocidian hunters are vadásznő; only the tanulás and tartózkodás are not vadásznő.

• Verselo: aqyns who use poetry and song to praise the great hunters.

• Zarándok: a priestess who travels from their territory to the region of Idangar known as the original hunting grounds, where they make blood sacrifice to appease the goddesses and end a bad hunting season.

Outside View

As a nation within Idangar, the cocidians are part of the complex class system there. They have a protected status as their own autonomous nation in their territories, but they are often looked down upon as "savages" by those who live in cities and towns or farms.

Deforestation of their territories has become a major issue for the cocidians, and they are constantly at war with logging companies. Outside of Idangar, they are generally viewed as "savage women". In Vesturia, they are prized as slaves.

Notables

• Világ Vére, Cocidian Manifest, Aeonian

• Szerencsétlen Gyung, Unlucky Huntress from song and story

Estimated Populations

• Amanqalğan: 60,000

• Kynnanqil: 10,000

• Preživeli: 10,000

• P’rkvats: 60,000

• Superstes: 20,000

• Túlélő: 120,000

• Xìngcúnzhě: 40,000

• Other: 100,000

Sample Stats

PRO 11
ATH 12
STR 11
AWA 10
WIL 11
PRS 10
STH 11