totlis

Totlis is a term used in ethnographic fiction and speculative anthropology to denote a portable ritual token that records and transmits communal memory. In the imagined contexts where totlis appears, a totlis is typically a small hand-carved object about the size of a palm, fashioned from wood, bone, or stone. The surface bears glyphs or marks that encode lineage, vows, or key events. Totlis are designed to be passed between individuals during ceremonial exchanges, serving as a tangible record of obligations and memories that survive beyond spoken recitation.

Etymology and origin: The word totlis is a neologism created by contemporary writers to describe this class of artifact. In the in-universe language, roots meaning bond and memory are combined to form the term.

History and use: Scholars place the emergence of totlis in the fictional cultures’ historical narratives, where material memory helps communities maintain social coherence in the absence of extensive written archives. The practice often accompanies oath-taking, inheritance, or diplomatic alliances, and a totlis may be inherited, stored in a family shrine, or loaned for a ceremony.

Variation and distribution: Totlis designs vary by community, with common features including a central core, incised symbols, and, in some variants, pigments or beads. While not used as currency, some totlis pass between households as a form of ceremonial credit or trust.

See also: Talisman, amulet, memory token, oath ritual.

References: In-universe sources include The Chronicles of Northvale and The Ethnography of the Verdant Valleys.