Komtol
The Komtol people are a sizeable cultural group of humans who live throughout Atux, residing primarily in the northern and western regions of the continent. The Komtol people originated in Atux, being descendants of various nomadic tribes who eventually settled into permanent villages throughout the northwest of Atux. Like the Hazcuo, the Komtol control few sovereign kingdoms in Atux despite the continent being their homeland. The only kingdom controlled by a Komtol leader is the Moyi Wekk, a small and somewhat unimportant kingdom on the northern coast of Atux. The Utor migration led to Atux being taken over entirely by Utoric kingdoms, with the predecessors to the Kich Mepyukk and its allies conquering the disorganized Hazcuo and Komtol kingdoms. Unlike the Hazcuo, the Komtol were far more similar, culturally, to the Utoric peoples; therefore, many of the limitations placed on the Hazcuo, in terms of their political and religious freedoms, did not apply to the Komtol. Thus, Komtol peoples were still often able to hold titles and political positions, and their affiliation with Dhunya Amarish meant that they shared a religion with the Utor and were free from religious persecution. However, the initial Utor invasion and the following reorganization of Atux politically led to internal conflicts among Komtol leaders which hindered attempts to preserve local Komtol elites. Additionally, Utoric rulers preferred advisors and courtiers to be Utoric as well, leading many Komtol who attempted to rise in rank to face systemic challenges.
Komtol people are pale or tan skinned humans with hair that is typically thin and black, though some groups in the west of Atux tend to have blonde or even red hair. They speak Dodeshi, the common tongue of the western hemisphere, and have similar dialects to those of Utoric peoples. This is thought to be due to their supposed relation to Utoric tribes who migrated from Haraxim to Atux thousands of years ago across a land bridge. The majority of Komtol people practice Dhunya Amarish, primarily worshipping Een, the Komtol deity of the pantheon. Thus, as per Een's teachings, Komtol people value their connections with each other and with the world around them. They believe in magical strands that connect the souls of each living being together as well as connecting said souls to elements of the world around them. They value all relationships, positive or negative, and aim to further their connection to the world around them through the pursuit of knowledge. Komtol people believe that bearing knowledge of something, whether it be knowledge of another person or a scholarly topic, is a sign of a person's strand connecting with whatever they have grown close to, either through knowledge or emotions. Emotional knowledge is just as important as scholarly knowledge to the Komtol, meaning friendships and relationships are typically very close and valued greatly. In addition, the Komtol tend to be very outgoing and extroverted, believing it to be important to connect, emotionally, to as many people around them as possible.
Komtol culture involves a variety of traditions and taboos which many find unique or even odd. A common death rite for Komtol peoples is for the body to be split into six different parts, typically each of the limbs, the head, and the torso itself. These separated parts are then buried in six different locations which would have held some importance to the deceased individual. This is said to allow their soul strands to remain connected to the different locations that the deceased had formed connections with in their life. Additionally, every year, during a full moon, Komtol people take part in a traditional feast in which each member of the family is meant to burn some prized possession of theirs. Then, once the fire has died down, the ashes are collected and imbued into a tea, which is drank by every member of the family. Generally, dedication to religion and the gods is less important to Komtol peoples than in many other cultures as the Komtol believe it more important to be connected to the mortal world and to revere the world around oneself rather than place all of one's care in some higher plane. Makeup and cosmetics are common and encouraged among all, being commonplace and generally seen as a non-gendered element of fashion.
The Komtol people primarily reside in the cooler and more temperate regions of Atux, living largely in permanent communities. Thus, Komtol fashion mostly involves woolen tops and hide pants, typically dyed various shades of yellow and green. Tops are often short or cropped while most bottoms are long and wide. Tall, cylindrical hats are common among masculine fashion whereas feminine fashion mostly involves gilded jewelry used to tie hair into braids and buns. Komtol cuisine is largely based in local crops and produce, often combining various local vegetables with meat from the reptilian Hurox, a commonly herded animal in northern Atux. The Hurox' meat is naturally bitter, so many Komtol dishes use various herbs and spices to create sweet sauces to contrast with the meat's natural flavor. In terms of art, Komtol art is largely based in pottery, ceramics, and sculptures. Ceramics are often painted in extravagant colors to create strange and complex spiraling patterns. Most Komtol sculptures are multi-focus, typically comprising of more than one sculpted figure and typically depicting some dynamic scene. Most Komtol architecture is similar to that of Utoric architecture, largely revolving around the use of framed wood, shingled roofs, and stone floors. Buildings are often basic, with little or no extravagance or decoration.
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