Haha no, just one of my poorly fleshed out spec evo creations
Pikkuhiljaa
@pikkuhiljaa.bsky.social
94 followers 61 following 175 posts
Ecology major and actual fossil (𐌸𐌳). Name means quiet, but I never stop yapping about palaeontology, nature, East Asian history and ancient languages. (Vlaams) Nederlands - English - Suomi - Français - 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐍂𐌰𐌶𐌳𐌰
![Wát [β̞ʷɒːt]
Noun: ‘Animal soul’, the part of the fuŋe that separates animals from plants and lightning. It is required for instinctive behaviour, such as reacting to environmental hazards, looking for food, and reproduction. See also wátu ‘to have sex’, from wát + -ŋy- (verbalising suffix).
When an animal or person is robbed of their Láq, they simply die. When they are robbed of their Wát however, they become completely unresponsive, not reacting to any outside stimuli, but remaining alive, at least until they pass away due to hunger or thirst. In addition, all sensory organs cease working and they stop feeling emotions. This is considered a fate worse than death by the Śácamþań, and usually results in the ritual murder of the being in question to avoid spreading any plagues as well as to reduce their suffering.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreifc6l7wh653mwmay2bsozrz6iunm4h6e7oxx4bgi25aaxg5qavfeq)
![Láq [lɑːχ]
Noun: ‘Natural soul’. The Śácamþań believe the salt, essence or soul of a person is composed of three parts, and only sentient beings have all three. Láq, the natural soul, is the most basic of the three. It is associated with the capacity for life itself, and the most fundamental functions of living beings.
Plants and other sessile animals are believed to only have Láq and neither of the others. Despite this, it is heavily associated with mobility; see ‘myiw láq(sá)’ lit. ‘to express the natural soul’, meaning ‘to dance’. In addition to living beings, flowing water, thunder and fire also possess Láq.
Láq is also associated with the colours purple and grue due to its connections to plant life and water respectively.
Credit for the picture of a waterfall in the background goes to Amos T Fairchild.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreiczqr3ee5nuwrurwn6zyaorca6daekfqhbr3dcbffbbxbwou4tvde)
![Furiu [furyu̯]
Noun: ‘Lantern’. Generally, lanterns are not used for their light in Śácamþa, but rather for religious and signalisation purposes. Indeed, the lantern has been so ubiquitous as a signalling device to the gods that furiu appears in the names of the Þeurilá punctuation marks; ‘asking lantern’ ≈ ‘question mark’.
Lanterns are used throughout the year, with red lanterns being wishes for the bloods and thus drought (the bloods typically mark the beginning of the dry season) and blue lanterns being wishes for rain. This is greatly amplified during the two lantern festivals, however.
The blue lantern festival is the closest to what would be ‘Christmas’ on Earth in the temperate northern hemisphere, as it takes place around what would be October to November. Historically, the start of the event are the casting rains (Wyiŋaq), the first rains since the start of the dry season. At this point, the farmers in the bay plant their crops, and a week or two later, the settlement hoists blue lanterns, banners, and any other blue objects, and a week-long feast commences.
The blue lanterns tell the Ocean Áj to further intensify the rains so her people can grow food and fish. In the modern day, the blue lantern festival has become a fixed event that marks the start of the calendar year in the Reá.
Śyńyrár jaipa wiqájpa! (Happy blue lantern festival!)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreidfitea7rxiwxqhjamu66sba2ruatwwyanjm5uuglprym5hukhide)
![Reá [rɪɑː]
Noun: Union, alliance, family, group of related things. In particular, the Śácamþań Reá refers to the triarchy, the governing body of the bay.
The Reá was originally an alliance between the cities of Náfśiłja, Jácáw and Łáracań. The alliance was founded mainly to keep trade links open, and because in many ways, the three cities complemented each other. Łáracań had been the most prestigious city in the bay for centuries, and was known for its artists and libraries. Náfśiłja had one of the bay‘s strongest militaries, but was lacking in trade flow. Finally, Jácáw was the richest of the bay‘s many trading towns and possessed a vast fleet.
Combined, the three cities were able to convince, coerce or bribe their way into a dominant position among the bay‘s settlements. The triarchy‘s prestige grew and with it their power; Łáracań succeeded at standardising the Þeurilá script across the once diverse bay, even among settlements whose languages were largely incompatible with this version.
The Reá is run by the mayor of one of the three cities in turn, with yearly switching. Leaders of other settlements can only influence government indirectly by sending advisors, commanders or other officials, or through bribes.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreienxjuhdznxxneiby3wlkmnesxrzuudqoyxl2azfenrzkljuwza34)
![Myáływ [ⁿbɘɑːɬɵβ̞ʷ]
Noun: ‘Mountain Barbarian’, likely of mocking onomatopoeic origin. Unlike the Ráŋár, the Myáływ are mostly pastoralists and farmers, and thus could be considered a rival civilisation (or rather civilisations) to the Śácamþań. It is evident from the way they are treated however, that the Śácamþań do not hold them in very high regard.
Many Myáływ groups share the Śácamþań pantheon, which had led scholars to postulate that the gods may have been in the bay before its speakers were. In addition, many of them are corde trading partners of, or even part of, the Reá (although the latter is rarely of their own volition). The main differences are the absence of a rite of passage and the increased importance of Ár and Miŋe over Áj. Sá also appears to be absent from their pantheons.
The mountain folk are largely organised into scattered city states, with occasional empire formation on a scale and power similar to the Reá, although active diplomatic interventions usually prevent these from forming nowadays. Their languages are many, and poorly known in the Reá, but nonetheless sources of several loanwords in Śácamþaśá, such as yiqyj ‘chalk tree’ and seŋan ‘rhyme’.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreiewxaoejodfqmdrgydnh4lhsm5mzog57f6wicsuhk4lvnsnldm4xi)
![Ráŋár [rɑːŋɑːr]
Noun: ‘Barbarian, inlander’ from ráŋa ‘hinterland, desert’ + -r (person suffix), from Khaajokhiilo *ralwaaro. In the Śácamþań belief, ráŋár could be seen as the ‘dangerous’ type of barbarian. Frequently depicted on large, six-legged steeds and worshipping to Wáw in small bands, the concept is based on the steppe and desert peoples from the arid regions surrounding the Home Bay, all the way to the fort of the void.
They are the great enemies of civilisation, the despoilers and looters that the Reá fights every year to keep at bay. Their intelligence is presumed inferior but their warrior prowess is evidently great. In truth, there is likely very large variability among the different groups and cultures that the label ráŋár applies to, but not any the Reá would want its citizens to know about.
Similarly, they would absolutely not like to know that a western branch of Ráŋár is their closest relative, living around the urheimat of Khaajokhiilo itself. Generally, however, the conception is that the further south one goes, the more barbaric the people become, but also the more hardy. As such, the Reá equips northern tribes to keep the southerners at bay.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreibri2qgrnhgd3noeagqoh3gqwd7p5v3o3aj3ebetg2tgivcla4owu)
![Sá [sɑː]
Noun: ‘Light’, specifically non-solar. In mythology, Sá is a relatively minor deity compared to the main four, and indeed it is suspected that there were originally only four major deities, before the number became so heavily stigmatised. In some ways Sá represents attempts by the Śácamþań to deify civilisation and personhood itself. As such, they are the only deity to be commonly depicted as a person, usually a third gender or ambiguous one wielding a flaming torch.
Unlike Miŋe, Sá is unable to protect against Jiwe, but does provide aid against Sur and Þupa, healing loneliness and calming tempers by providing a sense of comfort. Because of this, they are usually invoked to assist against mental troubles rather than the physical. To some extent, they also represent the power of knowledge and are the patron deity of academics, woodworkers and inn owners.
In that respect, Sá stands against Tuŋim‘s representation of family, Ár‘s warriors, Miŋe‘s romance and Áj‘s representation of wealth and trade. Sá is perhaps most approachable of the gods, albeit not the most responsive.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreibczrl6r76x3gbew3fm7hhhbwyiu6astxivw4ilfmhcxpric7kujy)
![Miŋe [ⁿbiŋɪ]
Noun: ‘Sun’, the star around which Jáłár orbits. It is a smaller G-type main sequence star. Since it is significantly closer to its star than earth, Jáłár receives around 77% of earth‘s total light.
In mythology, Miŋe is considered the lover of the earth. The combined efforts of Sur and Wáw have succeeded at banishing her from him. When Sur attempted to strike the final blow however, the stars flashed brightly, temporarily blinding them and allowing her to escape. It is these stars who now form her only company, but she continues to thwart Sur by periodically blinding them during the cycles of their weakness. She is largely unable to assist against Wáw, however.
Aside from Sur, she mainly assists mortals with defence against Jiwe, who may be able to snuff out individual lights, but has no defence for her all-encompassing vision. His servants dare not even come out during the day.
Miŋe is the patron deity of pastoralists, leatherworkers and political leaders, as she yields them from the influence of Jiwe and allows for clear visibility. Species too may occasionally pray to her. Just as her great enemy, Sur, her power waxes and wanes with the hours and seasons, so worship has to be conducted at specific times, mostly midday and especially during the summer solstice.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreifeun2tvhencsmdowjcybasjmcfcidaszzaeb7xwdvwvh5f474w7y)
![Tuŋim [tuŋim]
Noun: ‘Nature’, representative of all that is alive and moving, from waterfalls to trees to animals. They are the great thorn in side of Wáw, who cannot grasp at them to subdue them. In this matter they are a great ally of Ár, the Earth, but prayer to Tuŋim happens for wildly different reasons.
Tuŋim is the patron deity of hunters and some warriors. They are most revered in the forests, where people live surrounded by them. Just like the people who worship them however, they are sensitive to loneliness and rejection, a fact Þupa is more than willing to take advantage of.
Shrines to Tuŋim are often left at the edge of forests for hunters and travellers to pay respects, and it is believed that their power is strongest in the chalk forests not far from the coast, where they meet Áj. Their shared vestige with Ár is then the alpine forests of the north.
It is perhaps the fact that they combine with both of these deities, both binaries that best exemplifies Tuŋim’s personality. They are above all carefree, upbeat and content. Active prayer to them is unlikely to achieve anything, but a consistent paying of respects is sure to grant you favours with them.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreiho76uw2t3tojc4fjfrb62xqguovviceyhzfwlf47qqhigd7lfrfi)
![Ár [ɑːr]
Noun: ‘Earth’, in many ways antithetical to Áj, but together Jáła ‘water’ and Ár make up the world (Jáłár). He is calm, collected, but slow to act on just about anything, especially in a pinch. Most of the evil souls are barely able to affect him at all. The only real exception is Wáw, who has been steadily attempting to pierce through his tough skeleton with unrelenting force and cold.
Ár is the patron deity of the elders, the mountain pastoralists and many of the barbarians. Warriors too, look to him for the stability and calculatedness they need. In this way, he reflects the good side of Wáw like the waves reflect the sky.
Active prayer to Ár is relatively uncommon, but mainly occurs for long-term goals. He cares little for the more intricate affairs between mortals, but is a supporting father figure in the Śácamþań pantheon.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreibo3lxbi2bhedy5e23alihtgkgj7xl35zavxdszadb6nbm733fnqm)
![Áj [ɑːj]
Noun: ‘Ocean‘, the primary deity of the Śácamþań. Besides representing the bay which is the lifeblood of its inhabitants, she also stands for the rains which brings life to the fields and the alternation of the seasons. She is the patron deity of sailors and merchants alike, and her seasons and tides are the basis of the calendar.
Áj and especially her servants are, however easily corrupted by the night Sur. They make her water spirits vengeful, attacking ships in the form of Jiqyś and other sea monsters or rogue waves. Halfway through the year, she has no option but to kill them all, taining the bay red with their blood and ending the rains they produce. When mother of the sun align, they cause the waters to sweep across the coast at the height of two trees for hours on end.
In spite of this, Áj is respected and feared by all who live along the bay. Perhaps her most admirable trait is the fact that she shows response to those who follow her; mortals may signal the time for the bloods with red, and the time for the rains with blue. This means that any Śácamþań, especially a coastal one, will pray to Áj before any other deity and offers her immense power.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreidwrh37sqri7rb6f74ilfyn5salgqndduj4zvoyipnr2es52j2wui)
![Jiwe [jiβ̞ʷɪ]
Noun: ‘Mystery‘, last of the four evil souls. Just like Þupa, he mainly acts upon the mental and human, but unlike her, he is much more organised. Jiwe considers himself superior to all others in the universe, co-operating with no-one but the lát, his servants (‘shades’ in English). He is also euphemistically called Látlát on occasion.
The lát only organise themselves in isolated locations, but mostly act alone, luring people near them like sirens only to swallow them whole, or infiltrating command structures and governments to sabotage them or spread the disease their master causes.
Jiwe is most feared by mountain pastoralists and sailors who are naturally superstitious and conspiratorial, but also by the rulers of large organisations.
Those afflicted by him act with extreme but calculated selfishness, lying and spying on people as they deem fit. They make for good spies and scouts, on the rare occasion they can be trusted. The rite of passage generally involves clearly visible tasks in public areas, such as reciting religious texts word-per-word with no personal interpretation whatsoever, or listing names of those who have completed the rite of passage (and are thus now adults).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreih2uomigxkab25fy3w5ktuf7hj5rtyylfioe5rwf3neltdfbirbdi)
![Þupa [θupɐ]
Noun: ‘Ghost’, the third of the evil souls. Unlike the previously discussed souls, which acted primarily within the physical, Þupa acts upon the spiritual and the ‘human’. (For lack of a better translation, as the speakers of Śácamþaśá are not human)
The main aspect which sets her apart is her unpredictability; she may cause great joy to one person, only to plunge another into depression or kill them in a freak occurence, such as a volcanic eruption. Þupa thrives on the lonely and the unsatisfied, and it is most feared in the forests and mountains.
Unlike other souls, Þupa‘s servants, the Þupaw or ‘ghosts‘ (not *The Ghost*) are mortals whose personal soul, the one which gives humanity, was shattered by an exceedingly strong emotion induced by her. They trick and harass people for the sick enjoyment of their master, and are rendered immortal for this purpose.
Those afflicted by Þupa tend to be poets and musicians, and the rite of passage generally involves highly strategic decision-making such as mock war planning or forcing the afflicted to make meticulous records of some mundane activity to temper their emotional impulses.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreihsvrivcymf3axp6vdu576zcthhxr7sifsymp44b6amnihltbe2wm)
![Wáw [β̞ʷɒːβ̞ʷ]
Noun: ‘Sky, void, emptiness.’ From Khaajokhiilo *woolwuu, perhaps onomatopoeic.
The Sky is always calm, hollow, perhaps seeming apathetic. While Sur takes on the Ocean, Wáw tends to occupy itself with the earth. It despises the variety of environments found upon it and wishes nothing more than to freeze all of its inhabitants to death and return it to a state of tranquility.
It is mainly feared in the inland regions and those closer to the fort of the void, where it touches the bare bones of the earth and has succeeded in freezing it. Wáw assisted Sur with the banishment of the sky, but following their failure to fully defeat him, it no longer considered them worthy of its support.
Those affected by Wáw may develop into tyrants if given positions of power, which indeed they often are as they are natural leaders and meticulous recordkeepers, uncaring for any context or empathy. Changes and the unexpected incite rage in them. The rite of passage involves solitary hard labour, often near waterfalls, forests or other chaotic environments over which they can never assert control.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:32j3gmifba3qgahaznor2cz3/bafkreifydeksq4sh2brd76ikyngoda5ygebfsdrta3q3slpnn6eb5qrdt4)