Kalora
People of the Eastern Veins
The Kaloran people to the northeast of the Zige continent are a
noble people ruled by a major political organization, the Kaloran
Askan, and freely trade with their neighbors in mutually beneficial
ways. Their main export is fish and timber to the Raron Kingdom.
Despite historical differences that have set the Western and Eastern
Veins apart from each other, there is still a mutual respect between
the two.
Naming Traditions
All personal names are unisex.
Family Names
The many families that make up Kaloran communities all have
family names that are from a set list. When the line of descent
from one family ends, a new lineage can take up the same name.
Multiple families can also have the same name while there are
living members. While there may not be a direct line of
inheritance between one family named Lugodi and another, the two
still share a form of kinship and family privileges can be
extended to both families.
Beside a family name, Kaloran children are also given names from
a set list of names that are used within the family. The list of
names is much larger than that of the Paba, who also have set
name choices for their children. It is rare for two children
with the same name to encounter each other during their
education and training, although they may meet adults with their
same name. Names that have the kinds of epiglottal sounds that
the sela body is best able to produce are becoming increasingly
rarer than names that Rarites have an easier time pronouncing.
Other Names
Nicknames are abundant. While many people use their given and
family names, it is much more common to go by a nickname. These
nicknames can be anything but are often bestowed upon a person
rather than the person deciding on a nickname themselves. Names
can reference physical attributes about a person, personality
traits, circumstances, relations, or any other facet of a
person's overall being. It is also expected for nicknames to be
unique for their generation. If someone with a certain nickname
dies, it is available for other use, but instead nicknames are
more personalized, and are often rather long, such as
Egididesowifo or Neghufibanofo. To convey this nickname, many
will wear articles of clothing with their name on them, and it
is considered rude to shorten someone's nickname.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Kaloran people speak languages in the Patado language family.
Their languages are notorious for having consonants that the
rarites have a hard time pronouncing, so the simplified Forward
Patado is used as a creole language, especially in trading and
economic capacities.
Shared Customary Codes and Values
Kaloran people value enjoying the "simple pleasures" in life,
authenticity, openness, self-expression, and reputation. Living an
authentic life with one's individual expression honored is an
achievable goal within Kaloran society, as long as one does not
plan on interfering with the lives of others in a negative way.
People are encouraged to find their own passions in life and
engage with them, and most importantly share with others.
Common Dress Code
Unlike other neighboring peoples, Kaloran people wear shoes that
cover the entire foot up to the knee. These boots often have the
capacity to attach large flat pieces at the bottom in order to
make traveling through the snow less strenuous, crampons for
navigating tough icy areas, and blades that slide over frozen
water. Boots themselves can be decorated with beads, but the
chosen attachments for the boots often reflect the wearer's style.
Rolling up one's sleeves is considered a fashion faux pas, as it
suggests that the wearer misinterpreted the future weather and
failed to prepare accordingly. Rather than rolling up sleeves,
Kaloran people take off their top clothes entirely or else deal
with the heat.
Foods & Cuisine
Salt is an important part of the Kaloran diet. Salt is used for
curing meats, but it is also used by itself as a seasoning. The
close relationship that the Kaloran people have with the Raron
people to the south, who live by a hypersaline lake, gives them a
lot of access to salt. Flavoring salts with herbs or spices before
curing fishes and meats results in delicious food.
Sweet food has a big place in Kaloran cuisine as well. While many
items are cured with salt, sugar is an equally popular curing
ingredient, especially for fish. Sugar-cured food does not last as
long as salt-cured food, so it usually commands a slightly higher
price.
Common Customs, Traditions, and Rituals
Before going to bed for the night, Kaloran people say goodnight to
every member of their household individually.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
There are two basic genders in Kaloran culture, and they are not
associated with reproductive role. It is possible to opt out of
the gender system entirely, similar to the Paban tradition, but
it is not common.
Khuti (plural khutina) Kalorans are associated with keeping the
family happy and fed. The pronouns most often used are
they/them. They often pursue occupations in fishing, hunting,
farming, or domestic caregiving, but their duties always lie
with their family. They are expected to serve as important role
models for self-sufficiency for their children.
Ḩagu (plural h̨aguna) Kalorans are associated with maintaining a
respectable reputation in the greater community. The most common
pronouns are ey/em. Eir domains are government and politics,
education, art, and communications, occupations that share with
others. Ey serve the family directly by informing others of the
good work they do, and children model and appreciate that which
is shared with them.
Courtship Ideals
Single Kaloran people gather in large parties called hehuna
(sing. hehu) approximately once a month and look for potential
partners. People are expected to meet and interact with many
people and eventually settle into partners looking to explore
their relationship further. Popular date spots are the beach
where couples will go to swim, to local markets to try foods,
and into each other's childhood homes to meet family members and
play games.
Relationship Ideals
Families are large with many descendants sharing the same name.
Within each major family are coupled units who are responsible
for each other and raising of their children. The children may
not be their own physical offspring: Kaloran children grow up as
only children, so any siblings are given to childless couples in
the family to raise. If there are no childless couples, the
couple with the oldest child will take on the youngest, but it's
considered irresponsible to have a child without having an
appropriate set of parents available.
Couples may have two members of the same gender or of opposite
ones.
Major Organizations
The Kaloran Askan is the organization run by the Kaloran
Veinlords. The Veinlords are responsible for organizing the
economic trade conditions for their engagements with the Raron and
Paban people. The Kaloran Askan is also notoriously frustrated by
the Paban Askan, and the two organizations disagree on their exact
borders and territories.