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Okanu is a world that is inhabited by a race of beings called, animalians. Animalians are anthropomorphic creatures that descended from the "first ones", the supernatural beings of legends that were created by the hands of the Great Spirit, the supreme deity worshipped by the people of the world. Animalians are made up of various mammalian carnivores of the various lands. From giants, like lions, bears, and wolves, to the smallest, the diminutive common house cats of Catriona, Okanu is home to them all. Only predatory mammalians became animalians. Other animals, like birds, deer, and lizards exist in their natural forms.
Adohi
Adohi (the land of wind and wood) is the second largest country in the world. It is led by councils of chiefs and elders in various geographical areas of the land and is based off of North America. Adohi supports the vastest array of animals and animalian species in all of Okanu. The largest native species are bears, wolves, and pumas, while the smallest are raccoons, otters, and ferrets.
In addition to having the greatest diversity of animalian species, Adohi also has the greatest diversity of habitats. From grasslands, to dense forests, to frozen tundras, to scorching deserts, and even a subtropic jungle, Adohi displays every type of climate on one single continent. It makes Adohi a very popular place for tourists to visit.
The majority of the country has 4 annual seasonal changes; spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The southern-most and northern-most parts of the country only have 2 seasons; summer and winter. The southern region of Adohi is nearly tropical. The summer and winter seasons are referred to as the wet and dey seasons. The northern region, in addition to only having two seasons, also has perieods where the sun never sets and times when it never rises. In summer, when the sun never sets, it's called, midnight sun. Inversely, in winther, when the sun never rises, it's called, polar night. Central Adohi has fairly temperate weather, although there is the occasional heat wave, blizzard, ice storm, or flood.
Exported goods include: ores, herbs (medicinal and culinary), fish, timber, and fresh water.
Imported goods include: medicinal herbs, spices, ostrich/emu harvestable goods, fish, meat, produce, equipment and labor.
With regard to naming, Adohians have both given names and surnames. Given names are generally reflective of elements of life, nature, or spirit and are very simplistic. Surnames, however, are a little more formulaic. Family names are a merger of two words; the first being an adjective or a descriptor, and the second being a noun. For example, Bravewolf is a combination of the adjective, brave and the noun, wolf. It's a simple way of distinguishing the people of Adohi from the people of Panthros, as both animalians use surnames.
Catriona Isles
Catriona Isles (the speckled islands of the tropics) is a land made up of a tiny series of 11 islands in a tropical region of the world. Each island is led by a monarchy; an emperor, an empress, princes, and princesses. Catriona Isles are unique in that the only native species to the entire country are common, domestic cats. No other animalians are natural inhabitants, although a few have relocated to the feline kingdoms of Catriona Isles, typically after taking a local resident as their mate and choosing to live with the love of their lives in their tropical, paradise homes.
Over all, Catriona Isles are based off of the Hawaiian Islands. But, the individual islands themselves are based after various countries of our world. For example, the country of Calico is based off of the United States, Cathal is based off of England, Kitwa is based after India, and so on. Each island represents a different country. In alphabetical order, the islands are: Calico, Cathal, Catlin, Cato, Caton, Catori, Kita, Kitena, Kitkun, Kitoko, and Kitwa.
All of the islands have two seasons; wet and dry. In the wet season, it's hot and humid. The dry is hotter, but the heat that's less sweltering. There are mountains on some islands and some mountains ranges reach high enough into the atmosphere that it's cold enough for snow. Other than that small area of cool, the rest of the country is a hot one.
Exported goods include: herbs (medicinal and culinary), spices, ostrich/emu harvestable goods, fish, produce, and fresh water.
Imported goods include: meat, medicinal herbs, timber, equipment and labor.
With regard to naming, Catrionans have only given names.
Oslan
Oslan (the dusty country of endless sand) is the country at the bottom of the world. It's led by a council of legacy leaders. The leadership is similar to the tribal institutions of Adohi, but also has elements of the elected governance of Panthros, as well. Each society, or pack, has an alpha leader whose children carryon leading their people after they stepdown. However, alphas can be voted out and a new leader installed, or an existing alpha can appoint another successor other than their firstborn if they deem them unfit to lead their people in their place.
Oslan is an arid country based off of Australia.,where the sunshine is everlasting and the rains are a precious commodity. Like Catriona Isles, Oslan is unique in that its native inhabitants are exclusively made up of dogs and small desert foxes. Also like Catriona, Oslan experiences only 2 seasons; wet and dry. Although, "wet" is used charitably. Still, throughout the year, it's the season that has the most rainfall. Despite the lack of water, there are several plains and grasslands, as well as a few rivers and lakes mostly near mountainous areas of the country.
Because of it's largely barren terrain, Oslan is an industrious land. Solar factories that refine ores, metals, and plastic are the primary industry. As such, the only exports from Oslan are equipment and labor. Oslanders supply equipment and machinery to the outher countries, as well as laborers to install and prived maintenance for the devices and machines that require the attention of their mechanics and engineers. The lack of natural resources means that the people of Oslan must import their goods. These imports include: ores, herbs (medicinal and culinary), spices, fresh water, ostrich/emu harvestable goods, meat, and timber.
Though fresh water is listed under goods received through trade, fresh water is actually given freely from the other countries as it is understood that the country of Oslan has very little sources of water. Each country happily shares their water supply with their neighbor to the south, as they know that it is not a source of income, but a source of life.
Yet again like Catriona, when it comes to naming, Oslanders have only given names.
Panthros
Panthros (the islands of the most tall) is the largest country in the world, and home to some of the largest animalians on the planet. It's governed by hosts of elected officials, like governors and mayors, and is based off of Africa and Asia. Some of the animalian inhabitants of Panthros include: tigers, lions, hyenas, and jackals.
Panthros is a very hot region of the world, though not a desert or a jungle biome. There are deserts and jungles, however, but the majority of the country is made up of open grasslands and dense forests. Like most countries, Panthros as 2 seasons, wet and dry. The wet season brings torrential rains and monsoons, and sometimes an occasional flood. Despite the hazards, however, it's also the most fertile time of year for plantlife. Inversely, the dry season is prone to heat waves and droughts. Even so, it is a safer time of year, weather-wise, as rivers, lakes and other large bodies of water are abundant and many towns are built along the coasts. That's why it's also the time of year when children attend school.
The primary exports include: herbs (medicinal and culinary), spices, meat, fish, ores, and timber. Imported goods include: herbs (medicinal and culinary), ostrich/emu harvestable goods, fish, produce, equipment and labor.
With regard to namind, Panthroans have both given names and surnames. There is no furmula to naming, however. The names given are formal or proper nouns, like Kingsley or Jabulani. It's a simple way of distinguishing the people of Panthros from the people of Adohi, as both animalians use surnames.
Animalians: the People of Okanu
Animalians are the people that inhabit the world of Okanu. They are anthropomorphic creatures that resemble carnivorous mammals with human characteristics. Yet, despite the similarities, animalians are neither human nor animal. They come in many species and sizes. The general size of an animalian varies according to the species. Animalians descended from large animals (like lions, wolves, beart, etc) are much bigger than animalians whose ancestors were much smaller (like cats, foxes, and raccoons). The difference in size is comparable to that of the natural animal counterpart of the respective animalians.
Animalians are descendants of life forms that were created by the elemental spirits of Okanu in order to serve as sovereign mediators over the world and to maintain the natural order of life. To humans, they were at once revered as gods and reviled as demons. To the animalians of today, they are simply referred to as, the "first ones". To achieve the goal of safeguarding the world, the spirits bestowed the first ones with supernatural abilities, such as the power to control the volume of sound, to heal broken bodies and plants with a single touch, to mold the earth and rocks with a thought, or to hear the voice of the winds and to direct the flow of its breath. They used their gifts to maintain the balance of nature and to keep those that would jeopardize that order in check and in place.
In the present day, humans no longer exist and have been relegated to the tales of myth and legend. As for the magic power the ancestors of the animalians of today formerly possessed, it has largely been lost to their descendants. Some still possess a modicum of that ancient power, but for the most part, it slumbers dormant with their spirits. There are some special individuals that yield an innate ability to access their hidden abilities, but those people are very rare and generally speaking, they rarely can tap into their wells of magic purposefully. Some inadvertently summon their abilities in times of distress, while others reach into them purely accidentally and with no provocation. But, the rarest of all are the ones that are born with powerful abilities that were activated at birth. It's almost impossible to control the tremendous power within them and without guidance and training, it can consume them.
Beyond the magic, both the biology and the societal constructs of animalians contain traits of both animals and humans. They have complex systems of government, structured social customs, begaviors, and laws. They build homes, have families, tgo to work, and live in social comunities with other animalians For the most part, their societies are reflective of those designed by man. There is one common language that is spoken across the world. No matter which continent you visit, the language spoken will always be the same, although the accents and dialect may vary. There are languages that are no longer commonly used in conversation, but are still remembered and often used as proper nouns such as the names of people and places. And just as they have a common language, they worship and pray to a single deity that they refer to as, the Great Spirit. It is believed that the Great Spirit instructed the spirits of Okanu to create the first animalians countless millennia ago and it was through its power that they were granted their incredible powers.
When it comes to the science behind animalians, their biology is more closely related their animal ancestry. Physically, they do have both human and animal characteristics, but animalians share genetic similarities to their respective animal species. Because of this, however, starting a family can sometimes be difficult. Although interspecies relationships are common, animalians that do not share the same taxonomic family cannot breed. For example, in the case of Night (a wolf) and Mhina (a lioness), they cannot create biological children together. Even so, they were perfectly content to adopt and now have a family that includes 4 beautiful boys. There are other ways of expanding a family beyond adoption that typically involves utilizing the assistance of a fertility clinic and joining a breeding program. Animalians that can breed usually give birth to multiple babies at once. Bears generally give birth to twins, while animalians like cats give birth to up to half a dozen at once. Though a species that typically gives birth to multiples happens to give birth to a single child is not rare, it is a little peculiar.
Like humans, animalians enjoy a long childhood. They are considered to be adults at the age of 20, but are acknowledged as being mature enough to engage in serious romantic relationships and can even marry. Children enter grade school (grade 1) at the age of 5 and graduate at the age of 20. From here, they either go to college, build their own business, seek employment from other establishments, or work within a family business. Many animalians have family businesses, the most common of which being ranching. It is not uncommon and is even customary for children to live with their parents until they find mates of their own. Once they are wed, the couple will either continue to live with the parents of the bride or the groom (especially if there is a family enterprise), or acquire a home of their own. As a side note, the concept of divorce does not exist in this world.
Like divorce, war does not exist in this world. Crime and violence are so low that many communities do not even have law enforcement divisions or detainment units. Likewise, homelessness and hunger are not concepts in this universe. Communities tend to care for each other. If someone is hungry, their community will feed them. If a person loses their home, their town or village will house them. Villagers will always look after their people and take care of their friends and neighbors whenever they can.
Global Customs in the World of Okanu
The customs that exist in this world vary from region to region. From weddings and courtship, to social interactions, to delegations of government, each country has their own way of life. But, there are a few customs and beliefs that are shared across the globe.
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HOLIDAYS
New Year: Svnalei (Morning) is the celebration to commemorate the beginning of a new year.
Celebration of Wind and Sky & Wood Festival (2 day celebration)
• Celebration of Wind and Sky: Snana (Jingle like little bells) is a celebration of nature and dreams.
• Wood Festival is a day to give back to the land by planting trees and other flora.
Remembrance Day & Ancestor’s Day (2 day celebration)
• Remembrance Day is a day to celebrate and learn about your country’s history and legends.
• Ancestor’s Day: Catori (Spirit) is a day to learn about your family’s history and ancestry.
Sun Celebration & Fire Festival (2 day celebration)
• Sun Celebration: Otekah (Sun Maiden) is a celebration of the day.
• Fire Festival: Satinka (Magical Dancer) is a celebration of the cultivation of fire, its uses and its legends.
Children’s Jubilee & Parent’s Day (2 day celebration)
• Children’s Jubilee: Watoto (Children) is a day to celebrate youth.
• Parent’s Day is a day to celebrate mothers and fathers.
Carnival of Lovers aka Sweetheart’s Fair: Unahu (Heart) is a day to celebrate or discover the romance between lovers.
Revelry of Color & Song Festival (2 day celebration)
• Revelry of Color: Tangakwunu (Rainbow) is a celebration of joy.
• Song Festival: Ominotago (Beautiful Voice) is a celebration of music.
Harvest Festival (5 day celebration)
• Harvest Festival (days 1 & 5) is a celebration of appreciation and thanksgiving for family, friends and the fruits of the land. This celebration opens and closes the five day festival.
• Sea Carnival (day 2) is a celebration of the oceans and seas and all of the treasures that come from it.
• Festival of Return (day 3) is a celebration of gratitude and charity for the bounty of the land.
• Day of the Wool and Feather (day 4) is a day to celebrate the various types of livestock and to give thanks for their lives and their harvests.
Moon Dance: Pamuya (Water Moon) is a celebration of the night.
Festival of Lights: Una (Remember) is a celebration of remembrance of loved ones who have died.
Royal’s Fair is a celebration hosted by the Royals to celebrate and appreciate the people of the respective countries in which they live.
Year’s End: Svnoyi (Night) is a celebration to end the year.
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TECHNOLOGY
The technological advances in the planet of Okanu are comparable to that of the 1980's in our world. The internet, cell phones, and laptop computers have not been invented. Moreover, when it comes to transportation, airplanes have also yet to have been created. The modes of transportation are primarily; riding animal, animal-drawn carriage, boat, and train. Cars and other motorized vehicles are an incredible rarity. They are almost exclusively owned by emergency rescue units and assorted royal families. Vehicles and electronics are powered by electricity and electricity is generated by solar power and wind or water turbines. Contemporary homes are heated with electricity, but some more traditional homes are heated with wood-burning stoves. These homes often have stoves and ovens that are operated in the same way.
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