D'jo (/ˈdʒo/)
The Northeastern Orc tribes, known as the D'jo, comprise a confederation of six tribes, united in their adherence to the esoteric Ashar Rema, an oral tradition consisting of spells, tales, myths, and philosophical outlooks that serve as the underpinning of the Dj’o perspective, and from which the Tragedy of Thröm is but a single part. D'jo Elders are the keepers of the Ashar Rema, they dessiminate it's teachings as they see fit, both to the D'jo and the broader Southern Orc community. The D'jo hail from the Cape of Telora, at the northeastern edge of the Dotharan Coast and western edges of the Jollì Steppes.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
D'jo surnames are all unisex, and overwhelmingly simple, generally no more than 1-2 syllables. They tend to end in vowels or the /k/, /ɡ/, /q/, /ʃ/ or /m/ consonants.
Common surnames include: Amok, Drog, Faya, Gesh, Kam, Thröm, and Qī.
Family names
D'jo family names, like most Southern Orcs, are clan-based. The family name therefore includes both the immediate relatives and the clan name as a suffix.
The most common D'jo clans are the Urlocc, Cocra, and Hiptar.
Other names
Though less common amongst the D'jo than in their fellow southern orcs, talented or well-skilled D'jo often adopt monikers to append to their surnames in lieu of using their family names. Their children may then inherit the chosen name, starting a new family within the established clans.
Common examples of this include "the Unhurried", "the Wisened", and "of Ashar".
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Most D'jo speak Djonan, a dialect of the otherwise-extinct language of D'jù, the ancient and forgotten tongue of the southern orcs, lost after generations of Feloran rule. A few also speak Dotharan or Feloran, however most D'jo, if they do speak a second tongue, use the common Trade Pidgin..
Shared customary codes and values
The Elders of the D'jo preach that freedom is only worthy for those who understand the responsibility and sacredness of it. The Elders hold final and ultimate sway in D'jo communities, with myths, rituals, and law preserved across generations through folktales, songs, and chants known exclusively to Elders.
Like the rest of their relatives across Northern Felora , the D'jo are clan-based, however those that choose to live in a D'jo community must renounce all rivalries with other clans and agree only to attack in self-defense, or when their closest Elder decides.
Average technological level
D'jo hunters are renowned for their skills in navigating challenging terrain, employing ancient tracking techniques, cutting edge mapping and navigation skills, and relentless endurance to capture elusive creatures of the rainforest. Their reputation for cartography has seen them sought out by Dotharan, Aeillan, and Hadar interests, and they are among the D'jo to travel the furthest from their homeland. The D'jo have also developed the Orcish schooner, the first Feloran Orc ship to not incorporate rowers in the design, to take advantage of the high winds of the Dotharan Cliffs. They also have their own writing system, however it's use is restricted to the elders of the tribes, who use it to communicate and shape the spiritual outlook of their people. It bears some resemblance to the few known instances of the written form of the Druidic tongue.
Common Etiquette rules
The D'jo venerate their elders before anyone or anything else. It is unnacceptable to question a Clan Elder or the Keepers of the Ashar Rema.
Common Dress code
Living in a rainforest environment, D'jonan dress favours breathable fabrics and minimal covering. Common colors include greens, yellows, and browns.
Art & Architecture
Families and clans of the D'jo often make tapestries or quilts of their families, each parent adding to the quilt a new section as their legacy, family history as living art. This is how personal histories are kept, independently of the Elders.
Foods & Cuisine
Proximity to the Dotharan Cliffs grants the D'jo access to an abundant variety of seafood. The distinct sails of an Orcish fishing schooner can be seen off the coasts of D'jo settlements, harvesting fish and other marine delights from the nearby waters. Grilled fish, seasoned with indigenous herbs and spices, is a common staple among the D'jo, often enjoyed alongside vibrant vegetable dishes infused with the flavors of the rainforest. For meat, wild boar holds a central place in D'jo cuisine, being a delicacy served at grand feasts and other celebrations. The boar's meat is used in a variety of dishes, ranging from hearty stews and roasted cuts to savory skewers cooked over open fires during communal gatherings.
In addition to their reliance on local resources, the D'jo engage in trade with the Dotharans to supplement their culinary options. The Dotharans provide the D'jo with cash crops, such as grain and rice, which are unable to be grown in the D'jo's dense rainforest territories. These imported staples form a significant part of the D'jo's diet and are skillfully incorporated into their culinary repertoire. Rice may be steamed and flavored with aromatic herbs gathered from the rainforest, creating fragrant and nourishing rice dishes. Grains are transformed into hearty porridges or ground into flour for baking traditional breads when a more settled period allows for such preparations.
The D'jo's semi-nomadic lifestyle necessitates practicality and adaptability in their culinary practices. Portable and easy-to-prepare meals, such as smoked and dried meats, are common, providing sustenance during long journeys or periods away from established settlements. Nuts, fruits, and edible plants found in the rainforest also contribute to their diet, offering both nourishment and flavors unique to their environment.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
A lighter, communal custom are drinking games, played to help bond the village or other unit, such as tribe, clan, or even family.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
D'jo children are raised by their clan members as a whole.
Coming of Age Rites
A coming of age rite into earliest stages of adulthood is being allowed to partake in one's first drinking game with the rest of the family. When the D'jo begin to show the weariness of the years, generally by their 5th decade, they begin to memorise the Ashar Rema under the tutelage of their closest Elder.
Funerary and Memorial customs
The D'jo cremate their dead, believing the body a shell to be returned to the material plane. Funerals are presided over by the village or clan elder, according to the wishes of the closest living relative, generally a child or partner. They believe that a spirit transits to the Plane of Shadow, and that the fire of cremation helps protect them on the journey they must make to their Ancestral Hall, where they join their other deceased loved ones.
Common Taboos
Some temples and shrines are prohibited to outsiders and even a majority of D'jo. It is taboo for the Keepers of the Story to drink in front of the rest of their commune.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The D'jo value strength of mind and body, placing great importance on strength, both physical and mental, as a measure of attractiveness. Physical prowess is admired, but it extends beyond mere muscular strength. Traditional D'jo beauty accentuates the chests and arms, with an eye for the biceps and/or pectoral muscles, regardless of gender. The D'jo place great value on inner strength and intellectual acuity, believing that true beauty lies in the alignment of one's physical prowess with the cultivation of wisdom, creativity, and a deep understanding the Elder's teachings. Those who exhibit a combination of physical strength, mental agility, and spiritual insight are considered especially attractive among the D'jo.
Gender Ideals
D'jo men and women largely have the same ideals. D'jo promote a sense of equality and mutual respect between genders. Both men and women are encouraged to actively engage in discussions, debates, and the sharing of knowledge related to the Ashar Rema. Indeed, the D'jo Elders take care to ensure an equal number of men and women among their ranks. Intellectual curiosity, insightful perspectives, and a willingness to contribute to the collective wisdom of the community are qualities expected from the D'jo, giving rise to the Feloran image of the D'jo "warrior-poet." Men and women take part in the same physical activities that contribute to the toning and sculpting of the body.
Courtship Ideals
D'jo like prospective or interested romantic and/or sexual partners to be direct and honest about their desires and interests. If the feeling is reciprocated, it is expected to be convey just as honestly. Expressing interest is often done as some attempt at proving the respect, attraction, and admiration for the other. The recitation of love poems from the Ashar Rema, particularly ones said to be authored by ancient warrior-poet Thröm, is considered to be the strongest way for one to profess their attractions for another.
Relationship Ideals
So long as one is honest about what they want from a relationship, there is no set or established limits to a relationship, with some remaining with one partner, while others continually look for partners throughout their life, maintaining relationships of varying degrees. When a D'jo desires a child, it is considered the personal choice of them alone, and it is perfectly acceptable and even expected to be the child of a single parent.
Major organizations
The various D'jo tribes are all part of a Confederacy on the Teloran Cape, logically referred to as the D'jo Confederation. Outside of the cape, D'jo can be found living across Felora among the other Orcs of the continent, and many clans in the D'jo Confederation also exist outside of it. D'jonans are not found in large numbers in Galisea, however it is not unheard of. Within the D'jo are the Elders, who wield much sway and garner immense respect from even the rest of the Feloran Orcs.
D'jo man and woman by Trekman10 (w/ Midjourney AI)
Parent ethnicities
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Languages spoken
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