Captain Gecko: Cultural Resurgence Update

2026-09-03T10:30:33Z

Cultural Resurgence Update

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:30, 3 September 2026
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	~~{{Unathi_Culture}}~~
	{{Navbox Lore}}		{{Navbox Lore}}
	{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}		{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}
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	-Ancient Th'akh prayer of the [[Tza Prairie]]		-Ancient Th'akh prayer of the [[Tza Prairie]]

	Th'akh, literally translated to "ancestor devotion" in Sinta'Azaziba, is the oldest and most pervasive religion among Unathi. Dating back before even the First ~~Hegemony~~, Th'akh has been a mainstay belief across almost every culture on [[Moghes]] for centuries, even millennia, partially due to Unathite stubbornness. Th'akh's core tenet is simple: worship the spirits so that they may smile on you, reward your devotion, and you may join the Spirit World and avoid reincarnation. The spirits are a multitude that exists within nature, whether alive or inanimate, and are varying in power, from small impish devils to ancient and powerful spirit-gods. Particularly nasty natural disasters, plagues, and misfortunes were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits or even evil spirit-gods influencing events in the material world. In order to stave off these ills, Th'akh worshippers believe in almost paganistic ritualism; however, the widespread nature of the religion (and the various interpretations of spirits and spirit-gods) means that two believers could have an entirely different set of practices. It is claimed that the short lifespan of Unathi lent to the credence of the religion, yet it is speculation at best. Monks that practice oral tradition; aquatic Sinta that revere the sea; a nation devoted to an ancient god-king: Th'akh is as diverse as the stars in the sky.		Th'akh, literally translated to "ancestor devotion" in Sinta'Azaziba, is the oldest and most pervasive religion among Unathi. Dating back before even the First Karszekani, Th'akh has been a mainstay belief across almost every culture on [[Moghes]] for centuries, even millennia, partially due to Unathite stubbornness. Th'akh's core tenet is simple: worship the spirits so that they may smile on you, reward your devotion, and you may join the Spirit World and avoid reincarnation. The spirits are a multitude that exists within nature, whether alive or inanimate, and are varying in power, from small impish devils to ancient and powerful spirit-gods. Particularly nasty natural disasters, plagues, and misfortunes were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits or even evil spirit-gods influencing events in the material world. In order to stave off these ills, Th'akh worshippers believe in almost paganistic ritualism; however, the widespread nature of the religion (and the various interpretations of spirits and spirit-gods) means that two believers could have an entirely different set of practices. It is claimed that the short lifespan of Unathi lent to the credence of the religion, yet it is speculation at best. Monks that practice oral tradition; aquatic Sinta that revere the sea; a nation devoted to an ancient god-king: Th'akh is as diverse as the stars in the sky.

	== Doctrines and Worship ==		== Doctrines and Worship ==
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	To properly give worship to the spirits, an effigy or totem is devoted to a specific clan, ancestor, or spiritual concept. These items of worship are traditionally crafted by a shaman or by the individual paying respect. They are usually crafted out of natural materials like bone or wood and shaped into whatever represents the being of worship. The item of worship should be brought with the worshiper wherever they go or be set up as a small shrine in a home or workplace. On Moghes and abroad, Sk'akh worshippers have stereotyped Th'akh effigies as items of blood magic.		To properly give worship to the spirits, an effigy or totem is devoted to a specific clan, ancestor, or spiritual concept. These items of worship are traditionally crafted by a shaman or by the individual paying respect. They are usually crafted out of natural materials like bone or wood and shaped into whatever represents the being of worship. The item of worship should be brought with the worshiper wherever they go or be set up as a small shrine in a home or workplace. On Moghes and abroad, Sk'akh worshippers have stereotyped Th'akh effigies as items of blood magic.

	The traditional way to pay respects to clan effigies was to shed a single drop of related blood, which in theory strengthens the ancestral connection between the spiritual and the living. Clans in the ~~Izweski Hegemony~~ have been extremely looked down upon for this practice, and it is viewed as heretical. To the traditional spirit worshiper, however, it is a moment of reflection and deep memory.		The traditional way to pay respects to clan effigies was to shed a single drop of related blood, which in theory strengthens the ancestral connection between the spiritual and the living. Clans in the Karszekani Moghes have been extremely looked down upon for this practice, and it is viewed as heretical. To the traditional spirit worshiper, however, it is a moment of reflection and deep memory.

	=== Additional Beliefs ===		=== Additional Beliefs ===
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	Th'akh shamans also believe that, due to reincarnation, it is possible for a soul to be placed into an egg that does not match its sex. When this occurs, a Unathi may claim the soul of a different sex than their own; however, recanting this can be seen as extremely dishonorable due to lying, and even claiming this fact about one's self without a shaman's agreement may lead to doubt from their clan and peers. Sk'akh does not believe in reincarnation, and thus believes that this is not possible.		Th'akh shamans also believe that, due to reincarnation, it is possible for a soul to be placed into an egg that does not match its sex. When this occurs, a Unathi may claim the soul of a different sex than their own; however, recanting this can be seen as extremely dishonorable due to lying, and even claiming this fact about one's self without a shaman's agreement may lead to doubt from their clan and peers. Sk'akh does not believe in reincarnation, and thus believes that this is not possible.

	Non-traditional relationships are frowned on by most Th'akh shamans because of the cultural importance of arranged marriage and one's duty to continue a clan's bloodline. Because of the eternal nature of existence in this life and the afterlife, shamans heavily stress the importance of monogamous relationships— eventually, the ghosts of past-scorned lovers can cause problems in their jealousy, or their ancestors could become frustrated with the continued lack of grandchildren! Relationships for shamans are taught as combining three aspects: lust, or physical desire; love, or romantic desire; and duty, or proper desire. The more these three are balanced, the longer and healthier the relationship is for the couple and the entire Clan. With that said, a same-sex couple is not seen as a proper end-goal for many varieties of Th'akh, due to the idea of a duty to perpetuate a clan's bloodline. This view varies wildly with shamans with some being completely accepting of the concept of same-sex couples being eternal, but most shamans caution against non-traditional relationships in general. Marriage is usually a traditional political contract between two clans to combine their dynasty for Sk'akh and the ~~Hegemony~~; despite this, there are still no mechanisms in place for same-sex marriages in the Th'akh faith with marriage being viewed as symbolic of continuing both clans through a new, stronger bloodline.		Non-traditional relationships are frowned on by most Th'akh shamans because of the cultural importance of arranged marriage and one's duty to continue a clan's bloodline. Because of the eternal nature of existence in this life and the afterlife, shamans heavily stress the importance of monogamous relationships— eventually, the ghosts of past-scorned lovers can cause problems in their jealousy, or their ancestors could become frustrated with the continued lack of grandchildren! Relationships for shamans are taught as combining three aspects: lust, or physical desire; love, or romantic desire; and duty, or proper desire. The more these three are balanced, the longer and healthier the relationship is for the couple and the entire Clan. With that said, a same-sex couple is not seen as a proper end-goal for many varieties of Th'akh, due to the idea of a duty to perpetuate a clan's bloodline. This view varies wildly with shamans with some being completely accepting of the concept of same-sex couples being eternal, but most shamans caution against non-traditional relationships in general. Marriage is usually a traditional political contract between two clans to combine their dynasty for Sk'akh and the Karszekani; despite this, there are still no mechanisms in place for same-sex marriages in the Th'akh faith with marriage being viewed as symbolic of continuing both clans through a new, stronger bloodline.

	==== Items of Power ====		==== Items of Power ====
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	== Politics ==		== Politics ==
	On a large scale, Th'akh has never wielded as much political influence over Moghes as the Sk'akh Church has. Though there are many Th'akh faithful across the ~~Hegemony~~, they lack a singular unifying structure to advocate for them, and to exert the kind of pressure that Sk'akh can upon the ~~Hegemon~~. During the Iron Crusade, many Th'akh shamans were killed by the soldiers of the Maraziite Order, which largely operated unchecked by the Izweski until its fall in 2462. The closest thing to a Th'akh political force was the Akhanzi Order, which was driven from Moghes by the Maraziites.		On a large scale, Th'akh has never wielded as much political influence over Moghes as the Sk'akh Church has. Though there are many Th'akh faithful across the Karszekani, they lack a singular unifying structure to advocate for them, and to exert the kind of pressure that Sk'akh can upon the Karszekan. During the Iron Crusade, many Th'akh shamans were killed by the soldiers of the Maraziite Order, which largely operated unchecked by the Izweski until its fall in 2462. The closest thing to a Th'akh political force was the Akhanzi Order, which was driven from Moghes by the Maraziites.

	On a regional scale, however, Th'akh shamans have wielded significant political power. The most notable example of this is the [[Torn Cities]], which were a Th'akh theocracy ruled by the shamans known as Storm Heralds prior to the Contact War. Nearly all Th'akh nobles will have a court shaman to act as an advisor on spiritual matters, with some nobles in more cosmopolitan regions such as the Southlands having both a Th'akh shaman and Sk'akh priest present in their court. The greatest political force for Th'akh is concentrated in the [[Tza Prairie]], a majority-Th'akh region ruled by Overlord Azui Hutay'zai, who has put his significant power to use in favor of Th'akh many times - most notably in 2465, when he appointed an Archpriest of the Sk'akh Church in order to swing the vote in favor of paying reparations to the Akhanzi. Whether Hutay'zai will be able to further leverage his influence in favor of Th'akh remains to be seen.		On a regional scale, however, Th'akh shamans have wielded significant political power. The most notable example of this is the [[Torn Cities]], which were a Th'akh theocracy ruled by the shamans known as Storm Heralds prior to the Contact War. Nearly all Th'akh nobles will have a court shaman to act as an advisor on spiritual matters, with some nobles in more cosmopolitan regions such as the Southlands having both a Th'akh shaman and Sk'akh priest present in their court. The greatest political force for Th'akh is concentrated in the [[Tza Prairie]], a majority-Th'akh region ruled by Overlord Azui Hutay'zai, who has put his significant power to use in favor of Th'akh many times - most notably in 2465, when he appointed an Archpriest of the Sk'akh Church in order to swing the vote in favor of paying reparations to the Akhanzi. Whether Hutay'zai will be able to further leverage his influence in favor of Th'akh remains to be seen.
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	In preparation for the day, Unathi will often decorate their bodies with paint, though with what often depends on the religion. Th’akh (and, by extension, Aut’akh) often choose symbols or names of those in their clan that no longer walk the lands they do. Children usually receive paintings of fables and stories of old that represent virtues they aspire for. Sk’akh and Si’akh are more uniform; emblematic and larger symbols are drawn along the back, chest, or most of their body. These can represent aspects of the Great Spirit, common prayers, or blessings, all things the receiving Unathi hope to gain by showing favor with Sk’akh. Si’akh recently will specifically show somewhat violent depictions of how they view reincarnation and often go for flames as body paintings.		In preparation for the day, Unathi will often decorate their bodies with paint, though with what often depends on the religion. Th’akh (and, by extension, Aut’akh) often choose symbols or names of those in their clan that no longer walk the lands they do. Children usually receive paintings of fables and stories of old that represent virtues they aspire for. Sk’akh and Si’akh are more uniform; emblematic and larger symbols are drawn along the back, chest, or most of their body. These can represent aspects of the Great Spirit, common prayers, or blessings, all things the receiving Unathi hope to gain by showing favor with Sk’akh. Si’akh recently will specifically show somewhat violent depictions of how they view reincarnation and often go for flames as body paintings.

	Celebrations themselves can vary widely from city to city, clan to clan. Parades themselves often include lively music as a centerpiece, with dancing and song from attendees being commonplace. Unathi tend to do this with other observed holidays outside of ~~Hegemony~~ space, which leads to weird looks and strange gazes from other species. Customs of a clan regarding the Keeping of Memories rarely change, though, and it is a chance for the clan elders to remind and teach the young of their own clan’s history and the significance of their traditions.		Celebrations themselves can vary widely from city to city, clan to clan. Parades themselves often include lively music as a centerpiece, with dancing and song from attendees being commonplace. Unathi tend to do this with other observed holidays outside of Karszekani space, which leads to weird looks and strange gazes from other species. Customs of a clan regarding the Keeping of Memories rarely change, though, and it is a chance for the clan elders to remind and teach the young of their own clan’s history and the significance of their traditions.

	The holy men of the day remain extraordinarily busy, as one can imagine. Th’akh shamans often anoint clan elders with a blessing of spiritual power so that, in their stead, these Unathi may perform ceremonies and even reach out to the spirit world. Keeping of Memories celebrations lead to the spirit world’s boundaries weakening, Unathi say, and so reaching out to specific ancestors becomes easier to do, with the right offerings and preparation. However, Sk’akh priests do not believe the power they wield can be ‘lent’ as Th’akh does. As a result, these priests are needed in the flesh to perform ceremonies, and to prevent being overworked, a handsome tithe from the entire clan is required to be given to the Sk’akh Church.		The holy men of the day remain extraordinarily busy, as one can imagine. Th’akh shamans often anoint clan elders with a blessing of spiritual power so that, in their stead, these Unathi may perform ceremonies and even reach out to the spirit world. Keeping of Memories celebrations lead to the spirit world’s boundaries weakening, Unathi say, and so reaching out to specific ancestors becomes easier to do, with the right offerings and preparation. However, Sk’akh priests do not believe the power they wield can be ‘lent’ as Th’akh does. As a result, these priests are needed in the flesh to perform ceremonies, and to prevent being overworked, a handsome tithe from the entire clan is required to be given to the Sk’akh Church.

Lent23 at 23:12, 23 February 2026

2026-02-23T23:12:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:12, 23 February 2026
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			{{Unathi_Culture}}
	{{Navbox Lore}}		{{Navbox Lore}}
	{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}		{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}

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2024-03-10T01:53:36Z

RustingWithYou: Created page with "{{Navbox Lore}} {{Navbox Unathi Lore}} {{TOC Hidden}} == Overview == ''"You, whose bones I carry,''
''Whose memories I hold,''
''Grant me your wisdom now, that I might know the path."''
-Ancient Th'akh prayer of the Tza Prairie Th'akh, literally translated to "ancestor devotion" in Sinta'Azaziba, is the oldest and most pervasive religion among Unathi. Dating back before even the First Hegemony, Th'akh has been a mainstay belief across almost every cultur..."

2024-03-10T01:49:31Z

Created page with "{{Navbox Lore}} {{Navbox Unathi Lore}} {{TOC Hidden}} == Overview == ''"You, whose bones I carry,''<br> ''Whose memories I hold,''<br> ''Grant me your wisdom now, that I might know the path."''<br> -Ancient Th'akh prayer of the Tza Prairie Th'akh, literally translated to "ancestor devotion" in Sinta'Azaziba, is the oldest and most pervasive religion among Unathi. Dating back before even the First Hegemony, Th'akh has been a mainstay belief across almost every cultur..."

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← Older revision		Revision as of 01:53, 10 March 2024
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	Despite this, all Unathi share one concrete aspect of the holiday: the retelling of stories. Whether Sk’akh parables, notable memories of ancestors, or ancient fables of healer-shamans and warrior-heroes, Unathi take the occasion to tell stories with one another. It is appropriate for Unathi to share these stories with those they know and people they have never met, for a person never truly dies if their memories live on.		Despite this, all Unathi share one concrete aspect of the holiday: the retelling of stories. Whether Sk’akh parables, notable memories of ancestors, or ancient fables of healer-shamans and warrior-heroes, Unathi take the occasion to tell stories with one another. It is appropriate for Unathi to share these stories with those they know and people they have never met, for a person never truly dies if their memories live on.

			[[Category:Unathi]]
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Th'akh - Revision history

Captain Gecko: Cultural Resurgence Update

Lent23 at 23:12, 23 February 2026

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