People of Antediluvian: Jatte
Well Met, Travelers,
Welcome to another of my world building sessions. Last time I wrote one of these, I discussed Nephilim and Faustlings.
This week, I want to talk about the Jatte, a people closely related to the Titans and their Giant Children, but free to walk the planet.
The Jatte are tall, well-built humanoids from the Mountains and frigid regions of Blesthurm. They stand usually between 7 and 8 feet tall. Their skin tends to be paler and closer to the color of stone. They tend to grow thick hair to keep them warm in their frozen homes; hair color among their people tends to be dark to absorb what little heat and light come from the sun where they live. Jatte eye color tends to be lighter, usually blue and green, though amber is also possible.
The clothing of the Jatte tends to be thick and warm. Their clothes are often made of the furs and hide of the animals that they kill for food. Among the few materials that they trade with the Minotaur for is linen. Linen underclothes combined with hides and furs create the warm garb that help the Jatte survive in the Northlands. One of the most prized furs that a Jatte can wear is the fur of a Balamusk, one of the Apex predators of Blesthurm's snowy landscape. The fur of a Balamusk is extremely resistant to the cold, allowing the wearer to stay warm even in temperatures below zero. (The Balamusk is also important for the religion of the Jatte)
The culture of the Jatte is a culture of spiritual, honorable merchants and explorers. They have small settlements in which they spend the harsh winter months, but throughout the summer months, they hunt and travel, collecting resources from the northlands and trading them with other cultures who may not come by them as readily. Their Longships sailing into any harbor are a welcome sight to the community, for their trade tends to bring wealth and prosperity to the economy. Jatte have a strict code of honor to which they adhere at all times; it gives them rules for how to treat strangers, enemies, family, and even the spirits of the dead, for in their society, to treat others well is to prepare the path to the afterlife for your family. The Jatte are also deeply spiritual creatures. Their relationship to the Titans has meant that they feel they must prove themselves to the gods, this has resulted in a culture who worship their ancestors and seek the forgiveness of the Gods. Their shaman commune with the spirits of the ancestors and the spirits of the snow and ice to guide the path of the Jarldom.
The blood of the Titans still flows strongly through the veins of the Jatte. As such, magic is a gift that comes fairly naturally to them. The majority of Jatte spellcasters find themselves connected to the Divine Spirits (or sometimes, though rarely, the Gods) or the natural world. A few Jatte attempt to harness magic of the Arcane nature, but there are few among their people who can train them, thus many Jatte Sorcerers find themselves leaving the Northlands to find a tutor. Jatte revere and fear spellcasters in equal measure, especially the Shaman known as Snowspeakers, for they can tame the Mighty Balamusks.
The government of the Jatte is very loose and disjointed. All Jatte feel that the Gods are the highest authority, but that there must be some authority on Antediluvian to keep mortals in check. As such, the Local shaman anoints a bloodline to lead as God-king or Jarl. The Jatte Jarl is the leader of a specific group of Jatte, not the people as a whole. If the Jarl begins to act against the customs of his people, the Shaman can declare his rule mute and anoint a new Jarl.
The Jatte speak the language of Giants known as Jotun, and the Shaman among the Jatte have closely guarded the secrets to speaking the Language of the Titans, know as All-Speech. All-Speech is known only to the Jatte Shaman and a select few other whom they have chosen to teach under a blood oath that those they have taught may not share it. The average Jatte usually live for about 80-90 years.
Marriage and Funerary Customs
The Jatte wedding ceremony involves the carrying of the bride by her future husband into the cold wastes to seek out the Local Shaman. Once found, the Shaman welcomes the couple into his home, where they must spend time preparing for the wedding. The bride presents herself to the Shaman dressed in a simple gown but wearing symbols of every goddess in the pantheon, while the man must present himself wearing or carrying the symbol or weapon of all of the male gods of the Pantheon. Once both bride and groom present themselves to the Shaman, the Shaman will sacrifice an anointed beast and bless the couple in the blood of the slain creature. The Man and Woman must then walk together to bathe in the nearest hot spring, completing the ritual.
The Funerary customs of the Jatte involve their setting the deceased within a funeral barrow, or they are buried beneath the earth and a runestone is erected to commemorate the dead. In both of these cases, the deceased is buried with many of their valuable treasures to help him reach Elysium and hopefully appease the Gods in the process.
I think that this is all for this time. If you enjoyed, check out the other stuff on this blog.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
Welcome to another of my world building sessions. Last time I wrote one of these, I discussed Nephilim and Faustlings.
This week, I want to talk about the Jatte, a people closely related to the Titans and their Giant Children, but free to walk the planet.
 |
| https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1458768275i/18528954._SX540_.jpg |
The clothing of the Jatte tends to be thick and warm. Their clothes are often made of the furs and hide of the animals that they kill for food. Among the few materials that they trade with the Minotaur for is linen. Linen underclothes combined with hides and furs create the warm garb that help the Jatte survive in the Northlands. One of the most prized furs that a Jatte can wear is the fur of a Balamusk, one of the Apex predators of Blesthurm's snowy landscape. The fur of a Balamusk is extremely resistant to the cold, allowing the wearer to stay warm even in temperatures below zero. (The Balamusk is also important for the religion of the Jatte)
 |
| https://orig00.deviantart.net/b41f/f/2013/325/5/f/5fe4840877ae29aeb07aaf56296436e4-d6v2fyj.jpg |
The blood of the Titans still flows strongly through the veins of the Jatte. As such, magic is a gift that comes fairly naturally to them. The majority of Jatte spellcasters find themselves connected to the Divine Spirits (or sometimes, though rarely, the Gods) or the natural world. A few Jatte attempt to harness magic of the Arcane nature, but there are few among their people who can train them, thus many Jatte Sorcerers find themselves leaving the Northlands to find a tutor. Jatte revere and fear spellcasters in equal measure, especially the Shaman known as Snowspeakers, for they can tame the Mighty Balamusks.
 |
| https://i.pinimg.com/originals/92/68/7a/92687ae3c43c7d5c92a9e95a71415b11.jpg |
The Jatte speak the language of Giants known as Jotun, and the Shaman among the Jatte have closely guarded the secrets to speaking the Language of the Titans, know as All-Speech. All-Speech is known only to the Jatte Shaman and a select few other whom they have chosen to teach under a blood oath that those they have taught may not share it. The average Jatte usually live for about 80-90 years.
Marriage and Funerary Customs
The Jatte wedding ceremony involves the carrying of the bride by her future husband into the cold wastes to seek out the Local Shaman. Once found, the Shaman welcomes the couple into his home, where they must spend time preparing for the wedding. The bride presents herself to the Shaman dressed in a simple gown but wearing symbols of every goddess in the pantheon, while the man must present himself wearing or carrying the symbol or weapon of all of the male gods of the Pantheon. Once both bride and groom present themselves to the Shaman, the Shaman will sacrifice an anointed beast and bless the couple in the blood of the slain creature. The Man and Woman must then walk together to bathe in the nearest hot spring, completing the ritual.
 |
| https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/05/88/f405887b56f573e56e24b912102f152b.jpg |
I think that this is all for this time. If you enjoyed, check out the other stuff on this blog.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
Comments