Inpu
Overview
by Yliade
Since the time of the ancient Itharans and their great pyramids and kingdoms, the inpu have taken it upon themselves to look after the dead and ensure that they find peace after a life of chaos and danger. Born from jackals transformed by aether, inpu are largely humanoid, but with the limbs, tails, and usually heads of their canine origin. Their bodies are usually covered in fur of a brown or golden hue, but a few rare inpu are born with ebony black fur. These black inpu are viewed as a divine blessing by their kin: black is the color of regeneration, life, the rich soil of the Turquoise Serpent, and the hue of a corpse after embalming, and so a black inpu embodies the border between vibrant life and respectful death.
Inpu communities (referred to by their people as "packs") most often settle near necropoli, regardless of the types of creatures held within the necropolis. These close-knit communities revolve primarily around the care of their chosen necropolis: masons are trained to repair any structural issues, guards stand watch against looters (frequently pitting them against tomb raiders, adventurers, and apshai), shamans speak with the dead and put to rest any risen undead. The inpu were also responsible for developing the complex art of mummification in ancient times, but while this was a common practice in ancient Itharan history, now only the inpu continue this practice to preserve their dead.
Inpu have a complex relationship with the undead. Much like a person living in a house, the body is believed to be just as important as the soul; while it is believed that the soul persists in the body for a short time after death, the body should not be pushed beyond a lifespan it can endure. A necromancer raising corpses is therefore seen as defiling them, while a person who has reanimated their own degraded corpse to live on is considered an abomination. Some few inpu, however, take it upon themselves to defile their own bodies for the sake of protecting their pack's necropolis, and will volunteer to be mummified and rise again once they are needed. This act is seen as the greatest sacrifice and act of dedication an inpu can carry out, and while no inpu are pressured into this fate, any who choose to do so are treated with the utmost respect and admiration.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Inpu continue to use the naming traditions of the ancient Itharans, generally granting only single names to their children. To distinguish inpu with the same name, epithets are usually added: Aa ("great," for the eldest), Hery-ib ("in the middle"), or Nedjes (“small,” for the youngest) to distinguish multiple children, or, if inheriting a parent's name, Ir-en (“of his body”) or Mes-en (“born of”). Abbreviations are generally acceptable, and an inpu’s name could be changed to indicate if they have moved to a different necropolis or if they have committed a significant crime.
Examples of inpu names include Anput, Djedefre, Djoser-tety, Harkhebi, Hemiunu, Ka, Kawab, Meresankh, Nefermaat, Sahur, Setka, Userkaf, and Wepwawet.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Among the common people of Ithara, the inpu are the only culture to continue speaking, reading, and writing Ancient Itharan as their native language. This has been a massive benefit to historians seeking to translate relics of Ithara's long-dead history, and some inpu communities have even allowed researchers to explore the tombs they watch over with supervision.
The leader of an inpu pack will usually learn a secondary language as appropriate, to warn or communicate with any travelers. Most often this is East or West Itharan, but some have also chosen to learn Common, particularly if they live in an area frequented by adventurers.
Contents
Details
Origin/Ancestry
Aether-transformed jackals
Lifespan
90 years
Average Height
5-6 feet
Geographic Distribution
