Race: Hodekin

What is a Hodech? What is a Yadech?

While the race as a whole is usually referred to as hodekin, an individual female is called a hodech. Males, in large part due the physical differences from females, are not afforded this term, and are instead referred to as yadekin; yadech individually. The two sexes do have some similarities, most notably their short stature compared to the other races, but also including their pointed ears (as one would expect on elves in other settings). Both sexes also share the same skin tone, a somewhat stony greyish hue, and they are well known for red hair.

The typical hodech is perhaps best described as sturdy. They are extremely well muscled even compared to males of other races, but despite this are somewhat slower because of their stubby legs. Hodekin are also well known for being busty. Although in their youth a hodech is clean-faced like any other female, once they reach menopause their bodies begin overproducing testosterone and most grow voluminous beards.

Though not tremendously strong, yadekin are very nimble and quick. A typical yadech is somewhat taller and more slender than a hodech, but still considerably shorter than a human. Males never, under any circumstances, grow facial hair and, because beards are seen as a sign of experience and wisdom, males are therefore seen as dim-witted but pretty.

What are Hodekin like?

The hodekin are, in a word, proud; but that pride manifests differently in the two sexes. Females are proud of their place in the family; they are the source of both children and wealth, and they are incredibly protective of their children. For a hodech, family is everything, and the success of her daughters is her success. For a male there is a sense of duty, they are far more protective of one another. A yadech is still fiercely loyal to his family, but cares more for his sons; the success of a son is seen as an affirmation of the worth of all yadekin. Males also take pride in the fact that while females are the ones to carry and give birth to children, that act is ultimately impossible without a male. Some yadekin are more reserved, and many hodekin prefer it that way, because it was a male’s interference that killed Voland, which is seen somewhat similarly to the original sin of Eve in our world.

Hodekin Society

For the most part hodekin society is fairly static; you are generally born to your station and never really move. There is a very small noble class made up of Dames and Digems, and to a lesser extent Ritters and Rittrems. Below that is a somewhat larger class of artisans and other skilled workers. At the bottom is the serf class, the farmers and miners and other similar labourers. Finally there is the priesthood, which stands somewhat to the side of the normal hierarchy; joining the Order is the only easy way to rise in social status, but Keepers often serve hodekin of a similar status as they were born.

Yadekin are mostly expected to do the housework and watch over the children, but during the growing season they join the workforce alongside the females. Males are rarely allowed to enter skilled professions as the view is that they exist simply to makes the lives of females easier. Because many medics are Keepers, male physicians do exist in small numbers. Historically males have not been allowed to serve in the military; more recently, out of necessity, they have been allowed to enter armed service, but only as crossbowmen.

Sexuality among hodekin is a point of interest. The two sexes are viewed as wholly separate animals, and as a result sexual relations with another of your own gender isn’t really viewed as sex at all. Everyone is expected to find a mate of the opposite gender, and adultery is harshly punished, but same-sex relations, not being viewed as sex, do not constitute adultery by hodekin social mores or laws. The exception to the expectation that all hodekin get married are Keepers, who are instead forbidden to marry or have sex, but like all hodekin can have sex within their own gender.

Hodekin Faith

The religious views of the hodekin depart a fair bit from the traditional teachings of the Order, but are nonetheless served and taught to hodekin by the Order of the Bay. The primary difference rests in the fact that in hodekin faith there are not two gods, but four, two female and two male. The females take the traditional names of Voland, Dame of Fire, and Bishal, Dame of Ice. The males, unique to hodekin faith, are Orich, Digem of Light and husband of Voland, and Yarem, Digem of Darkness and husband of Bishal.

The story is altered so that Bishal was not initially evil, but rather helped Voland to create the world. Yarem, however, was jealous of the way that fire could overcome ice, and light could overcome darkness. To right this perceived wrong, Yarem slowly convinced his wife to turn on Voland for fear of being destroyed. Voland fell dead, but her husband Orich used his light to heal her and watched over her with the first Keepers.

Each kirkhall is made up of two identical sets of rooms with separate entrances and no connecting doors between the two inside. Hodekin and yadekin are segregated for services, and are never allowed to enter the other sex’s half of the kirkhall. As a result of this division, the Order is the only realm in which males have as much power and prominence as females, even being allowed to hold higher ranking positions.

Wednesday: The Order