Gallery

Overview

Johtans are brutal, savage and lawless, and are known to tamper with Hematomancy. As far as outsiders are concerned, all Johtans are out to make some quick coin and will happily scam the most vulnerable person they can spot. The Land of One Thousand Clans is a wild place where the conventions of the rest of civilization no longer apply— they have their own codes and customs, which frequently involve permanent body modification, tattooing and scarring. All Johtans know that in order to survive in this brutal, unforgiving land you must have a clan; there is no bond more sacred than that between a clansmen and their clan, the clan to their Jarl, the Jarl to their Highness, their Highness to their gods. After all, the Johtans are the ancestors of all of humanity— the chosen ones.

Geography

The Johtaja is a massive, sprawling desert with a savannah to the east and craggy, mountainous highlands towards the west. Cities tend to form around the scattered oases, with nomadic clans patrolling the arid expanses in between. There are frequent sand storms in the center of the continent, and violent thunderstorms tend to gather near the coasts. The brutal heat and windswept expanses of the Johtaja are home to some of the hardiest people across the lands. While there are a few scattered oasis cities in permanent locations, much of the rural population is fiercely tribal and nomadic. The people here are proud and often find glory in battling the creatures of the wilderness. Those that live in the larger settlements are also often rather pragmatic, and the communities tend to be tight knit.

In the north, there is an isthmus oasis that serves as the only point of entry from the Johtaja into the main continent. The capital city of Odessa is perched on this isthmus, and is usually as much of the Johtaja as an outsider ever sees. It is relatively comfortable to live here, with a dry heat persisting all year long that is quenched by the plentiful waters of the Gulf of Maladh and Loch Sabhail.

In the east, the savannah stretches on into a number of mirages. The most consistent and recognizable of these mirages are Cuan Glainne (The Glass Sea), and The Ulotshana. Cuan Glainne is incredibly hot and dangerous, and is believed to be a site of great magical potential. The Ulotshana is a good omen and a sign of divine favor for anyone who is able to reach it.

In the south, the desert ends in a wide, sharp set of cliffs generally referred to as Deireadh an Saoghail. The area surrounding these cliffs is almost constantly consumed with endless thunderstorms. As far as any Johtan is concerned, even approaching this area is a death sentence. Beyond the cliffs lie a scattering of small frigid mountains covered in a desert made of ice and snow; these lands are part of Niflheim, but nobody ever goes there.

In the west, beyond the Nèamhaidh Mountains, is A’mhuirghain, or A’mhuirghain. The A’mhuirghain is extremely hazardous and almost impossible to cross without the assistance of an experienced guide. A’mhuirghain separates The Johtaja from Sokoku.

Geography

Settlements

Appearance

Johtans are known for tattooing and scarification, especially of the shoulders and back. The design of their shoulder tattoos depict their clan loyalty and standing, and the scars on their back are usually brands of punishment. Due to the importance of these tattoos, Johtans simply do not wear sleeves, and most of their armor leaves at least one shoulder exposed. Most of their fashions are unisex and feature leather buckles and straps; men and women alike tend to wear skirts, sandals, and very little on their chests. It is a high honor for elite soldiers and leaders to wear capes pinned with emblems of their clan or their god.

Partially shaved hairstyles are very popular. Those with long hair often braid it to keep it out of their faces while riding horseback. It is fashionable for Johtan men to have beards. Johtans value physical prowess over pursuits of the mind and reward those who appear young, strong, and able-bodied.

Military & Diplomacy

The Johtan head of state is an elected monarch chosen from one of the Jarls of the nine Johtan Realms every five years. Realms are large groups of loosely related clans, all of whom look to their Jarl as their head and protector— though less directly in the west than in the east. Johtan clans are ruled by a chief, who is traditionally the most experienced, noble and rich member of the clan, and can be male or female. Each Realm has their own way of determining their Jarl— some by trail of combat, some by inheritance, and others by spiritual guidance and ritual.

In the eastern and central savannahs of the Johtaja, there are more permanent settlements which are based around a feudal system of governing. This is where most of the great noble Jarls reside, and where stone castles rise from the sands. This part of the Johtaja is known for their fast, lean horses and their disciplined knights, often known as Battle Riders.

Due to the challenging terrain of the highlands and desert sands of the western Johtaja, there is an absence of any meaningful police force here and Jarls tend to have less direct control over the clans in their Realm. Even the Templars rarely make their way to these parts. Instead, countless clans rule and roam mostly independently, with clansmen acting as their own security force. Some clans are tied to territory (usually those who have laid claim to an oasis or a significant landmark), but most clans are not tied to a certain territory and are instead nomadic in nature.

All clan chiefs and Jarls meet in a ceremony known as Folkmoot. Folkmoot is a time of peace between clans and celebration of Johtan culture and pride. While diplomatic in nature, the events of this festival often predict who will be elected as the next monarch.

The oldest Johtan diplomatic tradition is the gifting of weaponry. A clan chief maintains relations with neighboring clans by sending gifts of weaponry. Much like the Veretian language of flowers, the type and make of the weapon is a coded message that carries a great deal of meaning to its recipient. For instance, it is a great honor and high compliment to send the mate of a chief an ornamental, jewel encrusted axe, for it is clearly never meant to be used and means that the clan is powerful enough that the mate should never need to be put in battle... but if the same weapon were gifted to the chief themselves, it would be an incredible insult that means they are lazy and more interested in wealth than they are in glory-- all talk and no game.

Magic & Faith

The Johtaja is known to traditionally practice Hematomancy. Officially, Hematomancy has been outlawed for many generations, but it is a poorly kept secret that Johtan Jarls are all still required to participate in Hematomancy rites as part of their initiation, and many clans also still perform Hematomancy, especially during their tattooing and scarification rituals. Johtans know better than most what fate befalls those who frequently cast Hematomancy, but they also have yet to find a more effective or sustainable method of protecting themselves from the darkness that lives in the desert, so it is a risk they choose to take.

Education & Technology

While most Johtans are fluent in common, it is unusual for a Johtan to be fully literate. This is largely because Johtan culture heavily emphasizes oral histories and storytelling; very little is written down outside of merchant records and formal contracts, which only clan leaders, advisors and specialists need to handle. The Johtaja is home to Beul-Aithris, one of the best bard colleges in the world, which specializes in improvisation and the performance of unwritten stories.

When Johtans do write, they use an ancient runic writing system known as Canan. It is derived from the runic writings found in ruins dating back before Tearfall, and believed to be the oldest native language in the world that is still widely used to this day.

Family Life

All Johtans belong to a clan. Johtan clansmen are obligated by honor to avenge one another and protect each other, and a chief will often take a blood oath to “bind” themselves to their mate. It is common for this blood oath to last even beyond death, with the surviving partner living out the rest of their days in celibacy and reverence.

Naming Conventions

It is a common misconception that every person who bears a clan’s name is a lineal descendant of the chiefs. Many clansmen, although not related to the chief, take the chief’s surname as their own to either show solidarity, or to obtain the family’s favor. Johtan names are inspired by a combination of Norse and Celtic names.

Personal names: Astrid, Tor, Freya, Ragnar, Bjorn, Ingrid, Ivar, Solveig, Sigrid, Odin, Siv, Gunhild, Saga, Harald, Magnus, Leif, Logan, Rory, Reggie, Kayden, Noel, Mack, Lochlan, Archie, Isobel, Elspeth, Emilie, Bonnie, Ellie, Caitlin, Neve, Harley, Dean, Noel

Family/Clan names: MacLeod, MacKenzie, Volsung, Lindsay, Stewart, Scylding, Gordon, Kerr, Scott, Erling, Campbell, Wulfing, Drummond, MacLean, Ruthven, Douglas, Scylfing, Folke, Dunbar

Local NPC Compendium

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Story Notes

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