The legacy of the Hora tells the tale of ancient priests of Hormus and several loyal followers who traveled the devastation of the continent during the Times of Sorrow attempting to sow knowledge of their deity and hope brought about through his death. This often involved poetic monologues and flashy Workings to amplify the message and while they are widely considered to have been ineffectual at improving morale at scale it is believed they were received gladly wherever they traveled. Today the Hora name refers to four current traveling groups who carry around oddities, bizarre animals and strange Workings to wow and awe audiences in all but the least civilized regions.
Hora troops range from 10-20 individuals of mixed race and gender some of who may or may not count towards the oddities of the Hora itself. Each member is expected to aid in travel, setup, performance, showcase and teardown of the Hora as it operates on the continent. Each Hora has a slightly different focus as described below, however each has a bit of everything. All Hora include one Minstrel Worker and generally several competent musicians/Pellervo.
The Four Hora
Each of the Hora has a multi-century history and has a named inspired by an Abbaki word that pertains towards their specialty and focus. There was a fifth Hora which was responsible for showcasing creatures and individuals who had been exposed to Demonic influence. However after the modern Attovia world accepted the existence of Katara as a genealogical trait which did not pertain to the individuals own actions or whereabouts they found little success and have long since disbanded.
Haya Hora
Haya means animal in Abbaki and the Haya Hora has by far the most in their displays. This means they also have one of the higher member counts, more carts and more expenses since each and every animal requires different resources and tending to keep healthy. They also must replace animals on occasion though for the extremely rare they have been known to preserve them in different mediums to be able to continue displaying them.
Haya Hora have two different kinds of carts, personnel and animal. Personnel carts are the standard for all Hora and are covered to allow for some privacy and protection from the elements. Animal carts have hinged siding that can be unlatched and swung up onto the flat roof revealing bars through which the animal inside can be safely viewed. Some animals such as the Ejderej are quite docile or trainable and may be let out to roam about with some oversight by a sentient member of the Hora.
Ged Hora
Ged in Abbaki is said to derive from the word for costume but more notably known for its other possible meaning: betrayal. The Ged Hora specializes in elaborate costumes used to represent legendary historical figures often physically large figures for which they attempt to match the descriptions as closely as possible to the legends. Some of the larger costumes require more than one member of the Hora to move about and operate properly. This along with a member to tell legends and myth about the character in question means that the Ged Hora has, and needs, the most members of any of the four. They rotate costumes per location as the need for repair often arises after only a single use thanks to the general complexity of each outfit.
Shimur Hora
This Hora dedicates itself to the preservation of culture. In fact Shimur is said to mean conservation or preservation in Abbaki and they take this charge seriously. An act representing each major people group is maintained the year round and each is performed at least once at every stop made by the Hora. For the Nammalians a high flying acrobatic ohmage to Armupe and Kemupe. The live blowing of Toqume and a comparison to legitimate pieces to honor the Girav gel craftsmanship. Methodical Snow Palm Readings by a proper Snow Reader from Strana Gigantov. Many more such acts pay a beautiful and careful tribute to the diverse histories of Attovia. Generally the Shimur Hora stays about a week, performing a few acts every other night providing some time for more direct paid lessons on specific aspects of the acts themselves. This is generally their greatest appeal, children can learn simple Armupe basics, craftsmen who are interested can learn fundamental Rugadhian forging methods and there’s usually something for anyone interested with a few Clips to spare.
World Building Notes
Hora’a means teaching in Hebrew