Setominasut - Otens Gift
Brief Overview
A holiday created in honor of Oten, a young human who put his family and his small town above himself. His selfless bravery caused the rest of his village to prosper, even long after his demise.General Overview
Setominasut is a day where all people are encouraged to put others before themselves. This is usually represented in the form of gifting one another with something they would need in hopes of putting everyone in the community in a better position than they were the year before.Though Setominasut started out as a tradition in Oten, Odeasus, it quickly picked up and spread across the continent of Birtham allowing all people of different walks and cultures to participate as long as their religion allowed it. This is due to the meaning behind Setominasut and how deeply many of the rest of the world felt for the moral of Otens story and his sacrifice. The old village of Oten, later renamed for the man and his loss, now stands as one of the most profitable cities in Odeasus.
History
In a small town plagued by poverty lived a young man named Oten with his little family.
Starvation claimed his older sister, but his little sister remained. She whom he treasured most.
One day while begging passing adventurers to polish their shoes for some coin, his little sister,
Lyla, skipped on over and kissed his cheek. The Traveler scoffed and continued on his way,
frustrating Oten.
“Why would you bother me when I’m working, Lyla? You know better!” He shouted, causing her to pout a little before a simple smile spread across her face.
“I’m supposed to nap soon, but you know I can’t sleep without my lullaby!” She said with a giggle, gently poking his chest.
“Listen to mothers lullaby. I’m working!” He shouted, standing up and throwing his rag to the ground. Tears welled up in Lylas eyes and she turned and ran home. He stood there alone as dusk blanketed the small town, upset at the way he’d reacted. Releasing a long sigh, he rushed home to find her. As he entered his mother and father greeted him, but he passed them by and entered Lylas room. She faced the wall, allowing only the faintest of sobs to escape her lips. He lay down beside her and tapped her shoulder and as Lyla rolled over to see him her face lit up with joy.
“You came!” She cried placing her head snuck on his chest. He lay there in silence as she listened fondly to his lullaby, tapping his chest lightly to the beat of his heart. “This is my favorite song…” She said, her sleepy tone revealing that he needn’t remain there much longer. Eventually, her little taps slowed to a stop and she drifted off to a better place. The place of dreams. He slipped out from under her and snuck out the window. He disliked telling his parents he’d failed to put food on the table for yet another day, so instead he went for a moonlit walk. As he crept through the darkened trees a sudden glow caught his attention. It looked like a half buried sphere of some sort…
“If only that were true…” She said softly, her tone barely above a whisper. Oten fell silent as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
“W… What’s wrong?” He asked his father, who pointed towards Lylas room.
“It’s Lyla… She’s fallen ill. We all have…” His father replied. Before anything else, Oten rushed to Lylas bedside and dropped to his knees.
“Lyla? Lyla!” He cried out, shaking her abruptly. Not a word came from his little sister, only raspy, labored breaths. What the hell? I was here only moments ago! How could this happen so quickly? He thought, running his hands through his hair in distress. He leaned in close and pressed his ear against her chest. The sound of her unsteady heartbeats made his blood run cold. This was no longer a lullaby or a song. This was a struggle… He lay down at her side, careful not to harm her further, and closed his eyes tight. Praying that things would change by dawn... He awoke the next day to Lyla in the same sorry state, so he resolved to head back into town to get her some food. He’d seek out medicine, but here in Orden there were no doctors or priests, only more of the same. Starving peasants praying for pennies. As he passed through the den he noticed his mother and father resting on the couch. They had cried themselves to sleep. Continuing out the door, he immediately happened upon yet another sack of kye. After counting it out he was happy to find that there was 500 kye in this bag. He hopped with joy and sprinted to the market, eager to pick up more food than he’d initially assumed. As he arrived a young woman noticed the golden broach sticking out from his tattered bag and offered him 1000 kye to buy it from him. A slow grin crept across his face and he agreed, then grabbing 3 bags of food and some clean water in a jug. This left him still with over 1200 kye to spend for himself later, but as he got home he noticed that his mother and father still slept as they were, in the exact same position on the couch. He placed the food & water on the floor and walked over to them, tapping his fathers foot with his own. No response… Oten kneeled down and pressed his ear to each of their chests, listening intently for their songs, but all he heard were staggering heartbeats from each of them. Gasping deeply, he then ran to Lylas room and paused in terror as his eyes fell upon her. Her pretty pale skin was turning a murky black, just like that of the orb he had found… His mind raced as he pulled the sphere from his bag and realized that the glow was all but gone. It’s this stupid thing, isn’t it? He thought to himself in dismay.
"It brought me riches, but it’s taken my treasure!" He sobbed aloud and dropped to his knees, pushing the sphere away from himself. It rolled slowly across the floor until Lylas limp little hand fell from the edge of the bed, stopping it in its tracks. As her hand brushed across the sphere, a bright glow lit it up, sending waves of light throughout its dull surface. Oten looked up in confusion and crawled towards it slowly, watching as the sludge inside began to turn into a swirl of sparkling waters. He inched his way up onto the bed and pressed his head upon her chest and minute, by minute, the staggering sound of her heartbeat began to stabilize, turning back into her simple song. The second he grabbed the orb to investigate it, the dark sludge began to take over once more. Gasping in surprise, Oten quickly made a little blanket nest at Lylas side and placed the sphere so it was touching her skin. The light streamed through it yet again, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. He placed his head upon her once more and listened intently, finally understanding Lylas lullaby. It was her favorite song because it meant those who she loved were healthy, even if they were struggling. His own breath staggered and the world seemed to spin so he lay down on the floor at her side. Oten placed his fingers to his neck and upon finding his pulse he realized the sphere’s true curse. It will either take them… Or take me… He thought as his heartbeat stuttered and waned. He got up and retrieved a small scroll and a quill to write to Lyla. Then he lay down one last time, never to wake again. When Layla awoke she read his note and wept at his loss. She tried and tried to listen, but her favorite song had ended. She then took the orb and got her (now healthy) parents to take her to the museum, to whom she gifted the orb. The new attraction brought droves of tourists and revived the impoverished town, allowing all to benefit from Otens gift. Now, each year on the day of his death the town of new Oten celebrates “Setominasut,” meaning, the day of all above one. A day when all townspeople exchanged their gifts together.
“Why would you bother me when I’m working, Lyla? You know better!” He shouted, causing her to pout a little before a simple smile spread across her face.
“I’m supposed to nap soon, but you know I can’t sleep without my lullaby!” She said with a giggle, gently poking his chest.
“Listen to mothers lullaby. I’m working!” He shouted, standing up and throwing his rag to the ground. Tears welled up in Lylas eyes and she turned and ran home. He stood there alone as dusk blanketed the small town, upset at the way he’d reacted. Releasing a long sigh, he rushed home to find her. As he entered his mother and father greeted him, but he passed them by and entered Lylas room. She faced the wall, allowing only the faintest of sobs to escape her lips. He lay down beside her and tapped her shoulder and as Lyla rolled over to see him her face lit up with joy.
“You came!” She cried placing her head snuck on his chest. He lay there in silence as she listened fondly to his lullaby, tapping his chest lightly to the beat of his heart. “This is my favorite song…” She said, her sleepy tone revealing that he needn’t remain there much longer. Eventually, her little taps slowed to a stop and she drifted off to a better place. The place of dreams. He slipped out from under her and snuck out the window. He disliked telling his parents he’d failed to put food on the table for yet another day, so instead he went for a moonlit walk. As he crept through the darkened trees a sudden glow caught his attention. It looked like a half buried sphere of some sort…
“Pick it up and you will be… A man to gain riches beyond his wildest dreams. But if you keep it you will see… All you love will rot, along with your greed.”He glanced around in curiosity, but no one was around. Unsure of who had given that warning, he picked up the sphere and looked it up and down. It was a deep, dark orb with a black sludge swirling around within. Shrugging with indifference, he took the orb and returned to town. As he paced the streets he was able to find a bag with 300 kye coins, a shiny golden broach to sell, and a silver sword. He reveled in his newfound fortune. What luck! He thought to himself, glancing down at his blackened orb. He squinted slightly to investigate it further and noticed that the sphere’s glow was now much dimmer. He pondered why this must have been as he passed a few young beggars on his walk home. They pleaded for just a single kye coin, but he ignored them as he passed. This was not uncommon here in the poor town of Orden. I starved for many moons, so why should they share in my riches? He thought, hurrying home. As he entered the den the cries of his parents caught him off guard. Each one sobbed as if the world itself were ending. “What’s wrong? I have coin for us to get food tomorrow! Our troubles are over!” He said happily as his mother shook her head.
“If only that were true…” She said softly, her tone barely above a whisper. Oten fell silent as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
“W… What’s wrong?” He asked his father, who pointed towards Lylas room.
“It’s Lyla… She’s fallen ill. We all have…” His father replied. Before anything else, Oten rushed to Lylas bedside and dropped to his knees.
“Lyla? Lyla!” He cried out, shaking her abruptly. Not a word came from his little sister, only raspy, labored breaths. What the hell? I was here only moments ago! How could this happen so quickly? He thought, running his hands through his hair in distress. He leaned in close and pressed his ear against her chest. The sound of her unsteady heartbeats made his blood run cold. This was no longer a lullaby or a song. This was a struggle… He lay down at her side, careful not to harm her further, and closed his eyes tight. Praying that things would change by dawn... He awoke the next day to Lyla in the same sorry state, so he resolved to head back into town to get her some food. He’d seek out medicine, but here in Orden there were no doctors or priests, only more of the same. Starving peasants praying for pennies. As he passed through the den he noticed his mother and father resting on the couch. They had cried themselves to sleep. Continuing out the door, he immediately happened upon yet another sack of kye. After counting it out he was happy to find that there was 500 kye in this bag. He hopped with joy and sprinted to the market, eager to pick up more food than he’d initially assumed. As he arrived a young woman noticed the golden broach sticking out from his tattered bag and offered him 1000 kye to buy it from him. A slow grin crept across his face and he agreed, then grabbing 3 bags of food and some clean water in a jug. This left him still with over 1200 kye to spend for himself later, but as he got home he noticed that his mother and father still slept as they were, in the exact same position on the couch. He placed the food & water on the floor and walked over to them, tapping his fathers foot with his own. No response… Oten kneeled down and pressed his ear to each of their chests, listening intently for their songs, but all he heard were staggering heartbeats from each of them. Gasping deeply, he then ran to Lylas room and paused in terror as his eyes fell upon her. Her pretty pale skin was turning a murky black, just like that of the orb he had found… His mind raced as he pulled the sphere from his bag and realized that the glow was all but gone. It’s this stupid thing, isn’t it? He thought to himself in dismay.
"It brought me riches, but it’s taken my treasure!" He sobbed aloud and dropped to his knees, pushing the sphere away from himself. It rolled slowly across the floor until Lylas limp little hand fell from the edge of the bed, stopping it in its tracks. As her hand brushed across the sphere, a bright glow lit it up, sending waves of light throughout its dull surface. Oten looked up in confusion and crawled towards it slowly, watching as the sludge inside began to turn into a swirl of sparkling waters. He inched his way up onto the bed and pressed his head upon her chest and minute, by minute, the staggering sound of her heartbeat began to stabilize, turning back into her simple song. The second he grabbed the orb to investigate it, the dark sludge began to take over once more. Gasping in surprise, Oten quickly made a little blanket nest at Lylas side and placed the sphere so it was touching her skin. The light streamed through it yet again, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. He placed his head upon her once more and listened intently, finally understanding Lylas lullaby. It was her favorite song because it meant those who she loved were healthy, even if they were struggling. His own breath staggered and the world seemed to spin so he lay down on the floor at her side. Oten placed his fingers to his neck and upon finding his pulse he realized the sphere’s true curse. It will either take them… Or take me… He thought as his heartbeat stuttered and waned. He got up and retrieved a small scroll and a quill to write to Lyla. Then he lay down one last time, never to wake again. When Layla awoke she read his note and wept at his loss. She tried and tried to listen, but her favorite song had ended. She then took the orb and got her (now healthy) parents to take her to the museum, to whom she gifted the orb. The new attraction brought droves of tourists and revived the impoverished town, allowing all to benefit from Otens gift. Now, each year on the day of his death the town of new Oten celebrates “Setominasut,” meaning, the day of all above one. A day when all townspeople exchanged their gifts together.
Execution
Each time the day of Setominasut arrives the people who celebrate the holiday spend their morning preparing a nice feast while the children decorate the town/city. Once 12:00pm comes, everyone gathers in their town or temple and have a glorious feast, one to fill the bellies of all, not just those who participate. After the feast everyone exchanges their gifts, and the rest of the day is spent cleaning and thanking those who gave.
Comments