The World of Matope (Start here!)

[Matope]

Matope

The home of the kimeti is a vast swamp (called Matope) approximately the size (and shape) of our Earth's state of Tennessee. The Kimeti in the thread are located on the far northern border of the swamp, although Kimeti can be quite nomadic and may hail from anywhere in the swamp. This area of Matope contains many flat marshplains and is slightly easier to survive in than the wilder areas. At the center of the largest of these marshplains is an enormous mound of wood and stone and earth called Ghost Thistle's mound where most Kimeti gatherings take place. It is one of the few places above water in all of Matope.

To the North of Matope the swamp peters out into flatlands, and then rises up into gentle hills. Beyond that, no Kimeti living has ever seen, although information may be forthcoming.

To all other directions lies an ocean. Matope is situated on a penninsula. Some few Kimeti have seen the ocean, but the trip is not hospitable, and most do not live to tell the tale.

There are essentially two seasons in Matope: the warm, and the cold. The cold season is still fairly temperate, with snowfall being very uncommon and generally melting before it has time to pile up. In the warm season rain is less frequent but still occurs at least once weekly, and thunderstorms are common. In the cold season, the rains are steadier but milder, although occasionally mingled with sleet.

[Matope]

Kimeti

Kimeti are quadrapedal, sentient, sapient omnivores with no definite social structure. Some form into tribes and clans, some remain solitary, and some form pair bonds. Breeding among Kimeti tends to be open and monogamous relationships are uncommon but not unheard of. Homosexuality exists in Matope and for the most part there is no stigma attached to it. The Kimeti's voices are similar to whalesong and can, with effort, be projected some incredible distance, especially when many Kimeti sing in tandem. Their eyes are pupilless and glowing--even Kimeti with black eyes emit a very faint purple or blue glow.


Kiokote

The Kiokote live on the plains and revere, above all things, speed, freedom, and athleticism. For the most part Kiokote live in small haremic groups of several does and a lead buck referred to as a stallion. Although stallions are figuratively leaders, most tribes, especially the larger ones, have a council of does that are responsible for making any major decisions about the group and delegating duties. Hunting is shared equally between members and for the most part does are free to move between tribes at will. While solitary does are uncommon, many bucks end up on their own for obvious reasons, or formed into small bachelor groups.

In many ways the Kiokote are very similar to Kimeti, including their stance on monogamy (not for everyone), their love of song and story (although your average Kiokote would rather a foot race than a sing-along), and their omnivorous diets. They tend to be closer to their children than Kimeti, however- although not all Kiokote foals are raised by their parents, many are.


Acha

Even more gregarious than the Kiokote, Acha live in huge good-natured tribes on the open deserts. Able to go for days without water and with very little food, the Acha are hardier than their dainty appearance might suggest, but for the most part no more substantial: the Acha are hedonists to the bone, living for beauty, art, music, and fleshly pleasures. Their cultural addiction to good times runs so deep that serious disagreements are few, rivalries play out in elaborate social snubbing and friend-making and backstabbing, and figurehead "leaders" for most tribes are chosen purely on the basis of good looks or musical or artistic talent. Acha tend to move from one from oasis to another, leaving one when they've worn it out with their constant partying to find another. Groups meet and merge and separate frequently, and despite their vast territory the Acha are on the whole well-connected with one another.


Totoma

The Totoma come from the icy winds of the north. Strong of limb and stubborn of mind, they are to almost to a beast straightforward, honest, and honorable. They live by strict if somewhat odd codes of behavior, most of which dictate what constitutes a fair fight - the Totoma, more than any of the Kin, like to resolve their problems speedily and with force. This is true of females equally as of males: there is little gender differentiation in Totoma society, and in fact does are expected to be somewhat hardier, since pregnancy and labor do not excuse them from their duties as hunters and warriors.


Zikwa

The Zikwa are a complete enigma. Some say they went up to the sky and the clouds, and some argue no, just the opposite - underground - and still others say that like in some of the Totoma stories, they went below the water. Some insist that they ended up in a place called a jungle, sweltering and wet in a way that the Swamp is not and full of dangerous beasts. The general consensus is that the Zikwa never existed, anyway, and were merely an embellishment invented later to spice up the tales and give them some length for long festivals. In the stories in which they appear Zikwa are nearly always sweet damsels, romantic interests, pleasant old hags doing favors for heroes, or innocent children. In some stories they are huge, hideous monsters with hearts of gold. It's hard to say whether any of the stories are true, if the Zikwa existed - or still exist - at all.

Additional Information

If this is not enough information for you, there is more to be found in this topic, including more detailed cultural information, some mythology, and a pronunciation guide.

[Matope]

Naming Dreams

Kimeti, kiokote, and acha are not named by their parents, nor do they choose their names. Instead, every one of these kin has a profound dream while he is still in his sac, and this dream determines his future name. Each is born with an instinctive knowledge of this name and it is often the first words he speaks. Some Kin have nicknames, which are either merely shortened versions of their names, or clever words that mean the same thing (Chirp for Cicadasong, or Bob for Up-and-Down, for example).

For this reason, names are a big deal in Matope and we encourage you to be creative and reasonable with them. Names in Matope must:

• be unique, no two kin have the same name or the same dream;
• be a real word, an English word, and not too scientific a term;
• be familiar to a swamp-dwelling creature who has some ancestral knowledge of other climes (for example, names referencing deserts, tundras, etc. are exceedingly rare but not unheard-of; names referencing the Swamp are much more common); avoid these if possible;
• must not reference human culture too directly, for example by being an item Kin would not have/cannot create due to lack of thumbs and materials, or referring to particular human-specific mythology;
• be relatively short--more than a few words is too long;
• be spelled correctly, although whether you use British or American spelling it up to you; "creative" spelling, even if it's just an extraneous "e" at the end of a word, is NOT allowed.

Naming tips:

• Keep it simple! This doesn't mean one-word names necessarily, but it does mean simple words and phrases that avoid elaborate terminology. "Smiling Aura" is preferable to "Felicitous Ambience."
• We will be buckling down on words that imply complex systems of science. General/generic/common names for stones and plants are fine (Diamond, Jasper, Pearl, Orchid, Lily) are fine, specific or Latin names are not (Chrysoberyl, Clinohumite, Epidendroideae, and Asteraceae). When in doubt, simplify.
• This doesn't mean we don't want you to exercise a good vocabulary. Just be reasonable.
• Names that imply major social taboos will be rejected. Names that imply cannibalism, incest, rape, etc. will be rejected, primarily for OOC reasons but also because the Swamp is unlikely to bestow her own children with such a name, even if they engage in such practices. Minor vices--lying, unfaithfulness, etc.--are fine as names, and in fact we have a Kin named "Rotten Liar." A Kin named Philanderer would be unusual but not unheard-of.
• Probably the absolute best way to approach a name is to approach the naming dream first, and then the name, even if you never plan on writing out the dream. It makes it easier to ensure you've chosen a solid one that won't give your colourist a headache.

Totoma Names

Unlike the other Kin, Totoma are born live. This means that, strangely, Totoma are robbed of Naming Dreams. In a concept that will surely seem incredibly alien to the other Kin, the Totoma neither dream their names nor are given them by their parents: instead, Totoma earn their names through some act of bravery or valor. Your Totoma will be certed as “Totoma” until he is an adult, at which point your chosen name will be assigned to his cert under the assumption that he has earned it (meaning yes, you will choose a name for your newborn foal). Please remember that this severely limits available names for Totoma: be ready and willing to explain what act gave your Totoma his name. This also means that phrase-names like Carries-All and Spills-Blood are far more common than single words, although these do exist. The Totoma do not go in for purple prose and flighty poetry, so make your name as simple and straightforward as possible.

To die nameless is the greatest shame a Totoma can face (and so the name Nameless is not an option for your Totoma, in much the same way we would not name a baby Coward), and so some older nameless Totoma are driven to perform suicidal acts of sacrifice to earn a name. These unlucky but brave few are given the post-mortem honorific “who-died-honorably,” such as Travels-Far, who-died-honorably: perhaps a Totoma who perished in his journey to the Swamp.

While nearly all Totoma names are the result of physical strength, even the Totoma recognize that not all are so hardy. Therefore strategic intellect, stealthiness, a talent for tracking prey or enemies, or even a particular knack for singing the glory of fighters or honoring the dead can earn a name, although this path is more difficult than simply performing an act of strength or hardiness.

The Bottom Line:

The key to a good name in Matope is this: keep it simple. Avoid 'purple prose' names. Don't dive into the thesaurus. Remember that these are swamp creatures and, while intelligent, they are not an advanced society, and these names are a translation of a concept into words. Do it as neatly and as succinctly as possible!

Staff members will review all names before certing, and if yours is borderline, questionable, or inappropriate, they will send you a PM to let you know, and to find something more suited to the world.

Writing Naming Dreams:

There are almost no restrictions on naming dreams. They can be long, short, even one sentence--they may even be a drawing to represent merely a strong image. Feel free to break out of your comfort zone and be creative in your formatting--these are dreams, after all, and dreams follow no rules. Frequently these dreams express something about the personality of the Kin, but they absolutely don't need to. For inspiration or to write your own dream, visit this subforum.

[Matope]

Sac/Larva/Egg:

Each kimeti doe lays between one and six sacs, each containing five eggs. All but one of the eggs will die off, and one will reach maturity. Occasionally, two will survive, and twins will result. While in the sac the foal is helpless and has its naming dream. Some does watch their clutches, and some do not.

Kiokote and acha does lay between one and six eggs, instead of sacs. Twins are much less common in these races, but still appear.

For Kimeti, green sacs indicates female, blue is male, and purple is twins.
For Kiokote, green grass indicates female, blue is male.
For Acha, a flower appears on the cactus to indicate the offspring is female.
Totoma are labeled by the colorists as 'doe' or 'buck'.
Zikwa gender is decided by the owner.



Foal:

When a sac or egg hatches, the foal tumbles out into the inhospitable swamp, helpless, blind, and vulnerable. It will rest in the shadows until it is strong enough to walk and its eyes open, at which point it will instinctively seek out other kin, and sometimes its parents.

Only Totoma foals have open eyes, watching the world around them, more precocious than the other species.

All foal stages are unisex.



Doe/Buck:

Fully-grown Kin are powerful, agile, and intelligent. Their only natural predator is the crocodile or alligator, and to an alert or strong adult this is not a threat at all. All kin are capable of mating at this age. Some live alone, some mate into strong pair bonds, some flit from fling to fling, and others join tribes.