[center] [b][u]Kingdom's cultural information[/u][/b] [hider=Uzgob Desert - Cultural Information] {More to be added later} [b][u]Uzgob Lore - The Sand Wyrm[/u][/b] During the first era, a particular legend haunted the people of the Uzgob desert. The legend of the sand wyrm could be heard around any campfire one joined. The tales depict a creature much like a dragon, save for its limbs, that resembled much like a flying serpent. When traversing across the desert landscape, many people of Uzgob carried amulets of protection to ward off sand storms, believed to be caused by the Sand Wyrm. No one has ever seen a Sand Wyrm, for the legend says that the serpentine-like beast resides within the sand storms, and swallows up any victims that cross its paths. For many years, the people that lived in the desert were terrified of travelling across the desert, especially at the heart of it, for they never knew when the beast would strike. Over time, the legends of the Sand Wyrm have died away, leaving most people in today’s time to be less wary when traversing the desert, though they can still be heard to frighten children from venturing to far from their parents. If one happened to stumble upon a cave located in the sandy terrain of Uzgob, it would not be surprising to see a cave drawing from before the first era, depicting a flying serpentine with wings. [/hider] [hider=Telmarion - Cultural Information] [u][b]Local Dishes[/b][/u] Blank mang- a sweet dish combining milk, rice, almonds and chopped meat. [u][b]Customs[/b][/u] Rolling burning barrels down a hill on Midsummer’s Eve [u][b]Clothes[/b][/u] [i]Nobles[/i] Extravagant robes that are normally worn in a solid color, though no collective amount of people adhere to a certain color. Women wear elaborate headdresses of hair nets with pearls, or coifs, some that can afford to, adorn their head with golden headwear. Men, and women alike in the nobility wear fancy hats, as the more flamboyant, the more attention one receives. A favorite type of hat amongst the men, is either a small cap, or floppy, wide-brimmed hat with large feathers tucked into the hat band. It is not uncommon for men, or women to wear lots of jewelery all at once, many wearing three-to-five rings at a time on hand, with bracelets, and richly made necklaces for the women. [i]Middle-class[/i] Those that live in the middle class can afford better clothes than their lesser counterparts, the peasants. They can afford simple jewelery, often cheap, and brittle in construction. It is more uncommon to see a middle-class citizen wearing more than three pieces of jewelery, for example: one ring, one necklace, or a pair of earrings. Leather jackets are commonly worn amongst the men, and the women dress in simple linen dresses, with plain patterns, or solid colors. The same applies for men with their cloth tunics, lacking of detailed embroidery in most cases. [i]Peasants[/i] The peasant people in Telmarion are lucky to afford a basic sack-cloth tunic, or a gunny dress for the women. They are lucky if they can afford a pair of boots, if not, they forgo that, and wear linen footwraps, or leather sandals in the warmer months. In the winter, they cover their heads with sack-cloth hoods. [i]Legend[/I] The Witch of the Grey Tower Long ago, during the first era in Telmarion, women practicing magick were condemned to being burned at the stake, as they were believed to be evil witches, that harmed innocent people. A noble family, by the name of Greywinter, bore a daughter, who from an early age, could wield magick. To prevent their daughter from suffering the flames of the stake, were she to be found out, they placed her in a tower, deep within the midst of their vast property. Inside the forest, there stood an ancient tower, long built by the family’s ancestors before recorded history. It served as a look-out tower for many generations, until their daughter, Azara was born. Then the tower served as a way to keep the girl inside. Her parents had a blacksmith forge an amulet for their daughter, then by the old ways, they were able to imbue the amulet with magickal properties, that would prevent the girl from using her magick. They still feared her nonetheless, and did not wish for their daughter to be found out, or for those close to the family to question the purpose of the amulet. For many years, she lived within the walls of the tower, where she was protected by two guardsmen, and she had a governess to look over her, and provide her with an education needed of a noble woman. As the years ticked by, Azara reached the age of seventeen, and she had begun to wonder what lay beyond the realm of her tower. To her knowledge, Azara did not know of her parents, or of her family that lived just miles on the outskirts of the forest. One day, as she sat gazing longingly out her tower window, she spotted a young man below upon horseback. This man was the first person she had seen other than her two guardsmen, and her governess. He too, saw her, and stopped her horse, and called out to her. The two exchanged words of friendship, and he vowed to return to her later, in a few days’ time. The guardsmen, and her governess did not learn of the encounter until a few days later when Azara accidentally informed her governess that she was expecting a visitor. To her dismay, the governess reacted in horror, and locked Azara inside her bedroom, preventing the girl from leaving the tower to meet with the mysterious young man. Devastated at the idea of not being able to meet the young man that spoke so kindly to her, Azara wept with anger. However, near dusk, as she sat languidly gazing at the sunset, she heard the familiar sound of hoofbeats below. There upon, she spotted the handsome man that had exchanged such friendly words with her. She called out to him in excitement, and he asked to come upstairs, for he brought her a gift, and even some food with which to dine. Before she could tell him that the guardsmen would not let the man inside, they exited the tower, and smote the man from his horse. She cried out in terror, and while the governess tried to comfort her, she could not be consoled. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and Azara would not leave her room. She did not understand as to why she had to remain inside the tower. Even at this point in time, Azara was not aware of her magickal capabilites, as she had never used them, due to the amulet she wore around her neck that suppressed the use of her powers. Azara refused to eat, which worried the governess, so she had the guardsmen break down her door. When the door opened, they found that Azara had thrown aside her amulet, and found her barely alive. However, they underestimated her capabilites, and when they rushed her thin, malnourished frame. Azara rose from her chair in anger, and with a fiery blast, torched the governess, and the guardsmen to cinders. In despair from what she did, Azara leapt from the window at the tower, and plummeted to her death. Many months passed before her father rode out to the tower to discover the reason why he had not received any letters on the well-being of his daughter’s well-being. Upon arriving at the Grey Tower, he discovered her decaying corpse, and lamented for casting her aside instead of loving her like any other child. He carried her body up the stairs, and laid her upon her bed, and left her there. To this day, some say that when passing through the Grey Forest, many can spot a youthful woman dressed in white seated at the tower window. Many have tried to gain entry, but the doors were welded shut to prevent anyone from disturbing the tower. [/hider] [hider=Ralda – Cultural Information] [b][u]Local foods[/u][/b] [b][i]Sea Food[/i][/b] (Shrimp, Fish {Flounder, Perch, Herring, Cod}, Lobster, Crab, Prawns. Often served with limes, or lemon, and flavoured with wild herbs, such as rosemary, mint, basil, and oregan. [i][b]Wild Boar Bacon[/b][/i] (Wild Boars are a nuisance in Ralda, and to prevent them from destroying farmer’s fields, they are aggressively hunted, and the most prized part of the Boar, is the delicious, fatty, meat obtained from the belly. The bacon is prepared like most other, such as tamed pigs, but it is darker in color, and mixed with honey, and sugar for a sweeter taste, along with pepper for spice.) [i][b]Venison[/b][/i] (Most people prefer not to eat their cattle unless they have to, as it can fetch a higher price at market if they fall on hard times. The abundance of deer in Ralda is significant, and much like the Wild Boar, are hunted aggressively to prevent the deer from eating their crops, especially if corn is grown. Almost every meal contains vension, from vension stew, to vension steaks, and even vension jerky.) [b][u]Customs[/u][/b] [i]Throwing of the Fruit Festival[/i] The residents in Ralda throw rotten fruit, and vegetables that are rotten, or spoilt, at one another at the end of summer. This event takes place throughout all of Ralda; though this is a treasured festival, and a much enjoyed tradition, it does lead to an average of five deaths per year. No one knows how this happens… [b][u]Clothes[/u][/b] [i]Nobles[/i] Men, and women alike in Ralda wear loose fitting garments, that are draped across their shoulders, much like togas, but more refined. Women are often seen wearing jeweled armbands, heavily detailed earrings, and countless rings, though most noble men forgo adorning their persons with jewelery, save for a necklace, or a ring. Leather sandals, or finely crafted boots are the preferred footwear for most nobles in Ralda. [i]Middle class[/i] Those that live in the middle class can afford better clothes than their lesser counterparts, the peasants. They can afford simple jewelery, often cheap, and brittle in construction. It is more uncommon to see a middle-class citizen wearing more than three pieces of jewelery, for example: one ring, one necklace, or a pair of earrings. Leather jackets are commonly worn amongst the men, and the women dress in simple linen dresses, with plain patterns, or solid colors. The same applies for men with their cloth tunics, lacking of detailed embroidery in most cases. [i]Peasants[/i] The peasant people in Telmarion are lucky to afford a basic sack-cloth tunic, or a gunny dress for the women. They are lucky if they can afford a pair of boots, if not, they forgo that, and wear linen footwraps, or leather sandals in the warmer months, or if they are poorer, they go without any footwear whatsoever. In the winter, they cover their heads with sack-cloth hoods, and hand-wraps for gloves. [i]Legends[/i] The Tale of the White Banshee Long ago, in 1000 B.R., across the hilly landscape, to the mountains in the south-west, lies an ancient, stone fortress. This fortress, known to local’s in the area, was once called, Corshire Fortress. The fortress was built by the Corshire family, a once noble family, now long gone. For five generations, the Corshire’s lived without trouble in the fortress, until a man travelling through the countryside, called upon the nobles to rest inside. The Headmistress of Corshire Fortress, Lady Nadina, agreed. She was married to a powerful Lord, and was quite young herself, only being 23, in age. Upon allowing the passing traveller refuge in her fortress, the man revealed to her that he was a seer, and asked her if she wished to see her fate. Skeptical about whether the man was telling the truth, Nadina couldn’t suppress her curiosity. Relenting, the mysterious man sat her down at a stone table in her court yard, and proceeded to read the lines in her hand. He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. When she inquired what he saw, he simply stated, that he needed to consult his runes. Drawing out a curious, black, velvet pouch, the man drew out seven stones, each with ancient markings, those of which Lady Nadina had never witnessed. Again, he shook his head disapprovingly. Finally, he told her what he read in her future. “You will bear seven children. Each of them will be cursed. And they will all die. You will lose your mind, and turn to madness.” Upset at hearing his negative words, Lady Nadina cursed him with foul language, and had her guardsmen personally escort the man out of her fortress. Little did she know, she was already pregnant with her first child. For the next seven years, Lady Nadina bore a child every year. She paid no to heed to the seer’s words, and regarded them as folly. However, when her first child passed in a freak hunting accident, she began to grow apprehensive, and worried that the foretold prophecy might be coming true after all. In an attempt to protect her children, she assigned guardsmen to accompany them day and night. Yet, for the next seven years, each child passed away under strange circumstances. One child drowned in the river, another from a fencing accident, another from falling from a horse, and cracking their skull open. One-by-one, until her last child perished, Nadina slowly lost her sanity as she could not bear the pain of losing all of her children. Lastly, her husband, Lord Gustav, perished as well, from falling off the ramparts of their fortress, and plummeted to his death. It is said, that when her last child died, from falling out of an open window, Nadina screamed for days on end. She banished all of her handmaidens, and even the guardsmen. How she managed to keep her voice, and continue her bouts of maddening screams, no one knows. They whispered that by shunning the seer from her fortress, Nadina was cursed. Others say that by letting in the seer, who, to many, was a dark mage in disguise, cursed her from the beginning. Days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, then months to years; yet, the screams of Lady Nadina could still be heard echoing across the landscape. When travellers pass by Corshire Fortress, many are overcome with fear, and grief. If one lingers long enough, as others have done in the past, they say they see a mysterious figure, dressed in white garments, floating along the rampart walls, or hovering in the now-broken windows. No one dares to trespass in the fortress, for fear of being cursed, like that of Lady Nadina. Many parents use this tale to warn their children of trusting individuals whom they do not know, others use it to warn them about the potential dangers of using magick, or falling victim to it. [/hider] [hider=Akki – Cultural Information] Akki is a large island, imagine the size of Great Britain for example, with a temperate climate (mildly hot summers, and harsh winters). There are mountains, moorlands, peat bogs, freshwater rivers formed by the mountain streams; the forest trees in the mountains are coniferous, consisting of spruce, pines, and fir trees, while in the lowlands, there are plenty of deciduous trees such as oaks, birch, aspen, and maples. The animals that roam Akki vary greatly, as there are mountain goats, sheep, and the occasional wild boar. There are also, plenty of wild deer, albeit, they are smaller than those found elsewhere in Formaroth; even wild horses that have managed to escape their owners, and remain uncaptured, albeit, it is a rather small flock of horses that roam the wilderness. There are even packs of wolves that roam the country side, as well as red and grey foxes. Squirrels are common as well, and prefer to live in the lowland forest areas, some red squirrels live along the coastal area where finding food is rather easy. [u][b]Local Foods[/b][/u] [i][b]Sea Food[/b][/i] – Like other cities oriented on coastal areas, the presence of sea food in Akki, is almost their main source of meat. However, there is a popular dish, which is placing raw sea food items, into brined, saltwater, and serving it, either rolled in brown rice, bound with seaweed, or served with brown rice on the side. After eating the raw sea food, varying from fish, to crab, and lobster, or even eel, the people of Akki, cleanse their palettes with fresh ginger. This dish is often served along the coastal areas where seafood is abundant, and easy to catch. [i][b]Mountain Goat Stew[/b][/i] – With what goats there are, the people of Akki have a special stew they serve only in the winter time. A gathering of local hunter’s head for the mountains, and proceed to hunt the mountain goats, or rams, that they can find. The meat is held in high esteem as it has a succulent, gamey flavor. In the stew, potatoes, onions, and carrots are added in. It is considered to be a hearty dish. [i][b]Spiced Fish and Fruit Soup[/b][/i] – A sweet soup, that has cooked fish, such as tuna, salmon, trout, herring, or cod coated in spices, like cayenne pepper, lemon, salt, garlic, and ginger. Not only does the soup have fruit in it, varying from apples, pears, oranges, and even watermelon, the soup also has a large amount of vegetables in it including; cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, artichoke, and broccoli. It is served year around on the island, with seasonal fruits, and vegetables. As with seafood, this dish is commonly served along the coastal communities where the fish caught are fresh. [i][b]Apple-Pear Crème[/b][/i] – This delectable desert is served on special holidays, or during festivals. It is made from mashed apples, and pears, with a cupful of milk (provided by goats, or from what little cows they do have on the island), and honey. It is brought to a boil, and then cooled. The people of Akki place this concoction inside a canvas wrapped jar, in a hole in the ground that they have dug, and cover it with rocks. After a week of being buried underground, they bring up the desert, and it is cold, even in the heat of the summer. [b][u]Customs[/u][/b] [i]The Lantern Festival[/i] The Lantern Festival takes place at the end of summer, and it commemorates anyone that has passed away. The people of Akki make tiny, wooden boats, and place a candle in the center, surrounded by thin parchment paper. The boats are then placed in the ocean’s waters, and set adrift. For miles around on the coastline, if one is lucky enough to visit Akki, they can see thousands of dancing lights, sailing out to sea. [i]Shaking Hands[/i] It is a custom amongst the people of Akki, not to shake hands. In fact, it is seen as offensive to shake hands with someone from the island. They prefer to be embraced, and for close friends, they exchange kisses on the cheeks. [b][u]Clothes[/u][/b] [i]Nobles[/i] The nobles of Akki, are few and far between, even though the island is relatively large. Therefore, it is rather easy to determine a person’s social status on the island. Noblewomen wear festive, silk dresses. Their hair is always up, except in the privacy of their own homes with their friends, and families, their hair is adorned with pearls, and gold ornaments, some even possess luxurious gems such as sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. They do not wear necklaces, but prefer to wear earrings, and rings on their fingers. Noblewomen wear silk slippers, with wooden soles. As for their counterparts, noblemen, wear silk robes, and go without the adornments of jewelry, save for an insignia ring. Unlike the women, they shave their heads bald, save for a top-knot, or a single, braid. The noblemen prefer to wear round, black hats with tiny bells on top, these are known as bell-hats. They wear boots, or wooden sandals with a thong for the summer time. In the winter time, to keep the cold out, they wear leather gloves trimmed in fur, and cloaks of fur as well. As well, in the winter time, the noblemen, and women exchange their silken attire for those of heavy brocade, or velvet. [i]Middle Class [/i] The middle class citizens do not wear such luxuries as their noble counterparts. Women and men alike, wear cotton robes, with simple belts. They wear woven, rattan sandals on their feet in the summertime. Most women wear their hair in simple styles, or such as a bun, or a braid. Men grow their hair long, and often wear it in a braid as well, or in a top-knot. They do not wear much jewelry save for the occasional ring, or pair of earrings if they are merchants, or more well-off than their lower-class citizens, the peasants. [i]Peasants[/i] The peasants of Akki, are poor indeed. For that, men wear tunics of coarse cotton with short breeches of the same material under the hot sun, and women sport dresses of canvas, in the summer time; they typically forgo foot-wear, as most work in the fields, or on fishing boats. However, when the cold comes about, they can be found wearing outfits made of hide, albeit, not as comely as the nobles, but it keeps them warm nonetheless. In the winter, the men wear hide boots, and the women choose moccasin-like footwear. They wrap their hands in canvas cloth to keep the cold out, and stuff their shoes full of sawdust, or dried grass clippings. The men forgo their coarsely made cotton clothes in exchange for sack-cloth tunics and trousers, makeshift cloaks of hide (often obtained from their own livestock). While the women still wear their sack-cloth dresses, the ones in winter are much longer, and are often layered. [i]Legends[/i] The Dryads of Wyantenock Forest In the eras of time, when the people of Akki worshipped the Three Divine’s, Giphine, Hizreus, and Hystix, as willingly as they worship the Gods and Goddesses of Klebrithy now, there was a tale of the goddess Giphine. Before the rise of the church of Klebrithy, each of the Three Divine’s represented more natural ideologies than are portrayed in today’s time. Giphine represented fertility, and growth; Hizreus represented Blood-shed, Manhood, and War; Hystix represented the idea of freedom, from freedom to love anyone, and everyone, to freedom of choice, and the freedom to pursue happiness as one saw fit. On the island of Akki, the people of the bygone eras were fierce believers of the Three Divine’s, and created tales and legends centered around these deities. As such, one tale speaks of a dryad. The tale is as follows: Long ago, in the era of purity, and innocence, in the forest of Wyantenock, there lived an old woman by the name of Ismenia the Witch. Many people journeyed across the island in seek of help for their illnesses, or other bodily problems. One day, a young man came to her, begging for help. She sat him down at her cottage table, and inquired as to what bothered him, for he did not seem sick. He told her that he had asked the father of his dearly beloved, for her hand in marriage. He revealed that her father had rejected him, for he was not fit to marry his daughter, and would not give him a bride-price. In this revelation, while the man suffered a broken heart, Ismenia also learned that the woman had been promised to another man after his proposal. She told the young man, that if he could bring the woman to her cottage, she could make her his forever, in a fortnight when the moon was full. Eager to do anything to be with his beloved, the young man went off to bring his beloved to the witch as promised. Without fail, by the next full moon, he arrived at Ismenia’s cottage in the dark of night with his beloved, under the light of the full moon. She fed both lover’s a specially brewed potion, and ordered them to follow her into the depths of Wyantenock Forest. Madly in love, and happy to be together at last, the couple followed the elderly woman in the darkened depths of the forest with only the light of the moon to guide them. When she declared that they had arrived at the desired spot, she bade them to drink from a bubbling spring. They obeyed her without delay, and cupped their hands full of the water, drinking with a great thirst. Then, Ismenia instructed them to embrace a grand, oak tree, one of the oldest in the forest. After they had followed her instructions, she bid them to grasp one another’s hands, as she tied leather strips around them. They were unsuspecting in their love, and when Ismenia stepped away from the tree, she lifted her hands into the air, tipped her head back, and began to chant: Come forth Lady Giphine! O’ Daughter of the Forest, Queen of the Land, The Bringer of Seasons ever-changing, and our Mother of Love! Come forth Lady Giphine! Unite these lovers’ bound, for all of eternity! What the lovers did not realize, was that Ismenia had given them draughts of a deadly poison, one that made the drinker hallucinate before falling into madness. A great ball of white light appeared in the sky above, and descended into the forest, where it absorbed itself into the oak tree the lovers were bound too. It was then that the tree came alive. Terrified cries of the lovers filled the air as an unimaginable occurrence happened, the tree was sucking their bodies into its very core. Not before long, the man and the woman were swallowed alive by the tree completely. Ismenia took her leave for the night, and returned only when dawn had broken on the horizon. When Ismenia had returned at dawn, she smiled knowingly, as before her, she could see the forms of the lovers intertwined, embracing one another, their bodies now made of bark, their limbs the tree’s branches. She had given the lovers what their parents could not, a ceremony of love, to be bound forevermore. The invocation of Giphine had turned them into dryad’s, and for the centuries to come, those that wandered through the forest of Wyantenock, and came upon the dryad’s, they were greeted with an ever-changing scene by the bubbling brook, an eerie image of two lovers embracing, their arms entangled. Yet, if one were to journey to the spring under a full moon, they would see the tree move, and the lovers separate. In their tree form, they would sit by the spring holding hands. However, over time, the exact location of the tree, and the spring were lost. Many people of Akki will not journey into the forest after dark for fear of being eaten alive by the tree’s. Even more so, on a moonlit night, they can hear eerie voices singing through the trees, believed to belong to the paramour lovers, that were now dryad’s of the forest. [/hider] [hider=Raeldar ~ Cultural Information] Located in the southern most region of Formaroth, Raeldar is a mountainous swath of land. With mild summers, harsh winters, and thick coniferous forests, filled with elk, bears, wild-cats, and the occasional badger, Raeldar is not an easy place to live. In the northern region of the kingdom, Raeldar has gentle rolling hills, and great forests that stretch for miles, with immense mountain ranges in the south. A majority of the civilians live in the northern area, as it is easier to raise crops, herd sheep, and build a house on flatter land. However, in the southern region of Raeldar, there are a numerous amount of civilians that live in remote villages with the foothills of the mountains. Such is a place that Aurelia Vyncetta was born and raised {current High Magister}. From the snow-capped mountains, crystalline rivers flow through deep ravines before making it out to sea. This is the only place in Formaroth where the rivers run north instead of south; the reason for this is due to the elevation of the mountains in the south, that the land going north is at a lower elevation. There are also pockets of lakes that yield a wide variety of fish. Another thing to note about Raeldar is its archaic ways, and teachings. Most people in Formaroth would consider Raeldar to be very backwards in its thinking, as they tend to raise their people with traditional ways. [b][u]Local Foods[/u][/b] [b]Roasted Pork Belly[/b] ~ A favorite dish served year round, or when pork is available, it is usually served with sauerkraut, and boiled potatoes. [b]Meat Cakes[/b] ~ These are rough, large cakes of ground beef, seasoned onion, garlic, and salt. [b]Baked Duck[/b] ~ A duck is placed in a fire brick oven, inside a cast-iron dish. The duck is seasoned with the atypical seasonings, such as onion, garlic, and salt, but also includes, thyme, and dill. Potatoes, onions and cabbage are cooked in the dish as well. This meal is normally accompanied with freshly baked bread, such as rye bread. [b]Fish[/b] ~ Either smoked, or fried, fish is very popular to eat as it is readily abundant. With many choices to choose from, a few favorite choices are those of salmon, pike, perch, and herring. It is normally served with lemons, which are harvested in the summer time before the frost comes. Pepper is a favorite seasoning to have on smoked fish as well. [b]Mead[/b] ~ Raeldar is known worldly for their mead. They have many different types of mead, some spiced, some with a fruity flavor, these meads are typically high in alcohol content, and will put anyone under a table if they are not a heavy drinker, or an alcoholic. [b][u]Customs[/u][/b] [i]Midsummer Festival[/i] ~ Starting on the Summer Solstice, a day of festivities lasts until the following sunrise. The day consists of mead drinking contests, dancing that last throughout the day and well into the night (much like Valentine’s Day, this is the time when unmarried men, and women come together to dance in hopes of finding a partner.), children often dance around a large pole erected in the center of the festival, with ribbons fastened to the top. At the end of the night, there is a large bonfire to commemorate the end of midsummer. Everyone present stays around the bonfire until it dies out, and remains until the sun rises. They often toss items into the bonfire to bring them good luck, such as love letters, coins to bring good fortune, a cupful of blood from a particular livestock (such as pig, cow, sheep, oxen, etc.) to bring more births into the year; farmers often save a portion of last year’s harvest to toss into the fire to bring about a plentiful harvest. [i]The Great Hunt[/i] ~ Every month, a group of noblemen, and commoners gather in various towns, and villages to set out on a weeklong hunt. Their purpose is to find the finest specimen, be it deer, elk, or bear. At the end of the week, the hunters come back to town, where special game wardens await the return of the hunters, and they record information pertaining to size, height, weight, species, bodily measurements, gender, and the rarity of such a find. When the information has been collected, the game wardens assess the kills, and give out a large sum of money to the victor. [i]Sauna Bathing[/i] ~ For those that live in Raeldar, during the cold winter months, the people bathe in sweat lodges, built next to a water source. As it would seem odd to other people of Formaroth, the citizens of Raeldar bathe together, even with strangers. When they are finished soaking in the sweat lodges, they run outside and jump into cool springs, lakes or rivers. If someone is invited to join another person in a sauna, it is seen as impolite to decline their offer, and considered offensive and rude. [b][u]Clothes[/u][/b] [i]Nobles[/i] As always with the nobles of any kingdom in Formaroth, the noble class are richly dressed in comparison with the lower classes. Here, men keep their hair kept short, to the jawline, or cropped like a Caesarean cut, as they see long, loose hair, to be dirty and grounds for lice infestations. Men of the upper class dress in doublets, or leather jerkins. In the warmer months, they trade in their winter leather trousers for hose. The men of noble family’s wear necklaces bearing the male head-of-house insignia, along with eloquently designed signet rings. Men prefer to wear tall leather boots year round, for not only is it fashionable, it is relatively comfortable, and it is easy to distinguish them from the lower classes. The women on the other hand, while equally dressed in high quality fabrics, differentiate from the lower-classes as well. They wear their hair in ringlets, loose curls, or hairstyles where their hair is piled high upon their head in intricate braids, plaits, or covered with jeweled, or pearled coifs. Women often wear elaborate dresses consisting of silk shifts, a cotton dress, tight bodices with a corset to hold it in place, and a fashionable, patterned surcoat. They wear silk hosiery under their dresses, with silken slippers too match. Most women do not venture far outside of their abodes for they are busy with learning how to better domesticate their homes for a possible suitor, although this is not limited to these skills, as the more liberal women take it upon themselves to further education in different areas. During the winter months, men and women alike wear heavier clothes made of the finest quality of wool to be found in Raeldar. It is often as well, that they wear fur cloaks, the preferred choice of fur varies from family to family, but the popular choices are bear, elk, deer, and the occasional, wolf or fox (though these are often more than one piece sewn together due to their smaller size.). [i]Middle-Class[/i] For the somewhat better off in Raeldar, they are able to afford higher quality wool in the winter time, and during the summer time, they wear clothes made of fine cotton. As with all of the middle-class throughout Formaroth, they can be found wearing the occasional piece of jewelry, such as a copper ring, or corded pendant. Their style of dress is relatively similar to the peasant folk, but of course the sole difference between these two classes, is the higher quality of fabrics used in their clothes. Men still wear their hair long and free, although some choose to keep it tied back with a leather cord. The women wear their hair in more elaborate braids and plaits, with occasional bonnet, scarf or some type of headdress worn for the married women. [i]Peasants[/i] The peasant folk of Raeldar dress in simple, wool clothes. Most families in Raeldar own sheep, as it is an essential commodity for providing clothes, and blankets during the chill of the cold winter months. Men wear long tunics that fall to their knees, and women wear simple dresses with aprons over them. They were simple leather shoes. In the winter-time, clothing is typically the same, although they dress in layers. The women are particularly good at knitting, and provide their household with thick mittens to keep out the cold air. Also, during the winter, the men and women switch to leather boots stuff with sawdust, or shorn wool to keep their feet from freezing, along with thick wool cloaks to keep out the fierce, biting wind. Most men wear their hair long and loose, while the women keep their hair up in braids. [i]Legends[/i] The Hunter and The Wolf Many people in Raeldar are hunters by nature, on one such occasion, during the early eras of Formaroth, a strange occurene happened to a man by the name of Hemli. He was a hermit, and lived deep in the coniferous forests before the mountain foothills. The locals knew of him, though many avoided him, for they felt he was a strange man; this was not the case. His wife, and son had passed away from hayfever when Hemli first married her years ago. He spent his time ever since, wandering the deep pine forests. One day, in the woods, Hemli came across a curious scene. Before him, caught in a trap, lay an injured wolf. The creature was splendid, with a brilliant coat of white fur, and vivid, golden eyes. It lifted its head, and uttered a soft whimper. Hemli could not bear to see the wolf die in the iron bear-trap, and without thinking, freed the wolf. Struggling to its feet, the wolf could not make an escape, and collapsed exhausted on the ground. Approaching with care, Hemli lifted the wolf off the ground, as it offered no sign of struggle, and carried it back to his cabin. For two weeks, Hemli cared for the white wolf. Its paw was mangled from the teeth of the trap, and left a horrible gash, along with a broken bone. To prevent infection, Hemli used a poultice to heal the wound, and prepared clean bandages every morning, and night. When the wound had healed over, the bone remained broken. There, Hemli fixed a wooden splint for the wolf, who had curiously let him tend to his wounds without fuss. Throughout the nights that the wolf remained in his cabin, Hemli would leave every mid-morning to go for a hunt, catching grouse, squirrel or rabbit. When he returned, he would prepare a meal for the wolf to eat, which the creature ate readily. When the time came to return the wolf to the forest, Hemli carried the beautiful creature back to the spot where he had found it, unsure of where its den lay. As he set the wolf down, and turned to go, the wolf gave a short bark, drawing his attention back to him. “Dear Hunter, you have cared for me like your own child.” The wolf spoke. Hemli was equally surprised to learn that the wolf could speak at all, and stared with his mouth agape. “Fear not, for I am the Guardian of the Forest. I presented myself to you, in hopes of seeing if you would pass a test, and pass it you did. You have shown me great care while I was injured, like I was one of your own. I have known you for a long time, Hemli. I know of your sadness, for I hear it in your footsteps wherever you walk through my forest. I wish to offer you a gift of your choosing, whatever it is, I will grant it.” Hemli dropped to his knees, overwhelmed that the wolf was the guardian of the forest, and even more so that the wolf wanted to reward him for his kind behavior. He cast his eyes before him, upon the decaying leaves of the forest floor. He could have anything he wanted, wealth, fame, a woman to love, anything his heart desired. Lifting his head to look into the gold eyes of the wolf, Hemli gave one answer. “I wish for immortality.” “Then so be it.” The wolf approached the fallen man, and placed his paws upon his bent knees, there the wolf touched his muzzle to Hemli’s forehead. A mist encompassed the two of them, before the wolf stepped away, and sat on its haunches. “I have combined my soul with yours. Together, we are bound for all of eternity. I am bound to this land, and you may not leave here ever again, to travel to distant places. You can only die, if I die, Hemli. You, and I are the guardians of this forest now, we shall walk together for years to come, and you shall never be alone anymore.” [/hider] [hider=Alenius - Cultural Information] [i]A Land Reforged[/i] Mercy, Capital of Alenius Mercy is a larger castle city extending down the forested hillsides, and towards the coastline. The metropolis is protected by a series of walls, having been built hundreds of years in advance of each other. Many of the internal walls have suffered greatly from time, and dragon alike, but instead of being left with gaping holes, new work has done on them regularly to repair them to their original glory. The city is divided into a few different districts dominated by the way ruling dynasties have prioritized them. Very few buildings peek out over the menacing walls, with the outermost one being the thickest, and the newest. Much water runs through these walls with aqueducts built-in beneath the top layers to provide water to the extensively wide population that drain into cisterns beneath the ground, and flow out to the sea. However, one thing that does stand out is an alarming number of towers. Thicker, tougher towers that are a bit stout, and have great width mark the cityscape. These structures are continuously being maintained. The areas central river snakes around the inner sections of the urban environment, and is reinforced with large canal walls, having been built up with short wooden palisades in the event of an incursion. These tend to have rectangular holes sparingly cut into them. The bridges are reinforced with more metallic gilded plates on top of stone to create fire-resistant architectural integrity. Despite being separated by districts, and walls of varying quality and age, the city retains its low architecture with a profuse stucco-like design that focuses on low columns, and railings bordering everything. The rooftops are inaccessible due to the peaking, and terracotta tiles of years past marking them, and in lower class areas, are known to be a rather frequent cause of death. However, wood was not a readily available building type contrary to the surrounding landscape, simply due to the frequent dragon attacks in the past, though after the Blackwell Dragon War, the forests around the keep have been cleared to make expansive fields around the keep, and to use wood more liberally as a resource within the keep and lands. That being said, however, there are many city streets which do retain signature scorch marks from prior battles. The worst scar on the city perhaps would be the main avenue, where many market vendors, and traders move to streamline their mercantile processes, but end up being the primary target for attacks. However in past generations, the city has undergone construction of safe rooms, and subterranean tunnels which are used as checkpoints intermittently, and have gone through fortifications and expansions by the Blackwells when they assumed control of the keep. The castle itself is magnificently appointed on the zenith of the hillside, having itself another wall around it, but with taller towers more closely placed together to create a fence-like atmosphere on the approach. The castle is wide and spread across the hilltop, like an acropolis, with the main keep being at the highest point but only a few stories tall with large spires, and spikes on the rooftop. Several gardens and atriums are sprinkled around, with the atriums doubling as a defensive front with iron lattice work overtop to allow shots through. Regardless of the lack of extreme height or roof peaking, the fortress has a number of buttresses supporting the outer walls. The buttresses have layered color schemes, and the entire estate tends to lean towards red and orange hues, being the colors of the family crest. The many archways show vaulted ceilings, and the railings are more often metal than they are wooden and have solid, opaque shutters that fold around the columns, and can be unlocked in case of attack. A series of cheiro ballistas, and onagers mark the castle grounds and roof, most seeming to have been repaired, and refurbished recently, if not built not too long ago. [Credit for description goes to an associate of mine off-guild, for he has a mind for architecture that I do not] Local Dishes The cuisine and dishes of Alenius are of a spartan nature, its people having little room for experimentation in the past due to the cruelty of their lords, and the infestation of dragons rending their agricultural life moot, and food a scarcity - so the people of Alenius made the most of very little, and rather than elaborate or extravagant dishes the people have developed efficient and simple meals. After the Blackwell family was placed in power, and agriculture was allowed to flourish, however, many exotic meals surfaced from the land's rich soils, primarily in the form of herbs and spice. [i]Dragon's Spit[/i] This is an incredibly spicy dish that resembles a gruel, and is almost a point of pride for drunkards in taverns everywhere, who challenge others to the consumption of the dish. Its intense spice aside, the dish is an amalgamation of many spices and herbs that come from the land, though its primary contents are a simple blend of grains that become enriched by the spices. A fulfilling and challenging dish. [i]Spite[/i] It is a particularly potent ale from the region. The ale is served steaming hot rather than cold, and is actually a rather bland drink once the heat dies away from it. Crafted from a blend of herbs and spices, the drink smothers the thick alcohol used to brew it under a strong spicy musk, which leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, not unlike chewing tobacco, once the fiery sweetness of the spice fades. Usually the consumer is too drunk to notice or care about the aftertaste, and drink it in [b]spite[/b] of the aftertaste itself. [i]Hot Dish[/i] This dish is, perhaps, one of the only cultural aspects of Alenius that has persisted through the Blackwell reconstruction period. Hot Dish is a simple, fast to make, and fulfilling meal consisting of jerked meats being packed tightly in a bundle with hardtack breads and a tightly-wound bundle of herbs. The dish was made popular by refugees from the dragon-infested lands in the south, who when seeking asylum would often be supplied with these things and ended up grouping them together into an oddly satisfying meal. It would seem that generations of survivors and travellers have made Hot Dish a favorite of those travelling Alenius for its ease of transport and fulfilling nature, despite its minimalism. Any other meals are rather standard. Customs The people of Alenius have a handful of customs born of the circumstances of their land, and naturally these events revolve around the tyranny of House Willow, the dragons formerly plaguing their lands, and the rise of the Blackwells. [i]The Fall of Willow[/i] Nearing the end of winter, groups of men and children often get together to re-enact the complete, and utter destruction of the Willow military, and the routing of the House in comical, and often times, exaggerated ways. It seems to bring them good cheer to mock their prior tyrants. [i]The Dance of Dragons[/i]... and other marriage rites This is one of the queer customs that survived the Blackwell reconstruction of Alenius, and it's a tradition that exists through the rites of marriage. Those getting married within Alenius' lands are married within a ring of fire, which separates the groom and bride from those observing the marriage until the ceremony is complete. Those with weak constitutions might very well faint from the heat or water deprivation, but it isn't seen as an ill omen for this to happen, and the ceremony does not last very long, meaning this occurs incredibly infrequently. The marriage ceremony, and the marriage celebration are very separate for this very reason, and following the marriage ceremony is a period of revelry - often in the form of 'rehydration' through 'excess alcohol consumption'. [i]Competition[/i] Competition is a large part of Alenius society following the Blackwell reconstruction of Alenius - as rather than blood or status dictating socio-economic position, the Blackwell's value merit. The repercussions and benefits of this competitive spirit the Blackwell's have instilled are far reaching, and numerous, and depicting them would be redundant in usefulness and wasteful of time. [i]Fighting Rings[/i] In a land where fields were destitute, and coin scarce from the sapping grip of a tyrannical house, the peasants had little to entertain themselves with - thus the people of Alenius soon found entertainment in the gritty joy that is the sand pit. Circuits of fighting rings formed all through Alenius' lands, entertainment for those with nothing better to do originally, but after the Blackwell reconstruction coin began to flow through the land once more, debt was conquered, and gambling on these fights became a popular pass-time. There are other minor customs that marr Alenius and give it its queer, unique, air, though they do not merit description. Clothes The clothes of the people of Alenius are simple, and focus on function rather than form on all levels save the higher nobility of the land, and even then the Blackwell family's value of simplicity and effectiveness has skewed the upper echelon of nobility into favoring simplistic elegance rather than complex clothing. Colors are used more heavily than fanciful materials, though those who can afford softer silks and more comfortable clothes than the rough-hewn stuff of peasants certainly do enjoy that luxury. Legends [i]The Tale of Edward Fire-Heart[/i] The Tale of Edward Fire-Heart is a children's tale, a rather popular one at that, that quite possibly explains why so many people of Alenius stayed rather than fled in the years that dragons inhabited the lands. The tale of Edward depicts a man who owned a farm who travelled into the mountains after his home was burnt down by dragons. He had lost his wife and son in the fire and had nothing left to his name save the clothes on his back and a longsword of Dwarven Steel he had from years in service to the noble house of the time. When he arrived in the mountains, the story says that he spent years searching them and trying to find where the dragons laid their eggs or kept their young, or even where they slept so he could slay them in the spirit of revenge for his family. He survived by scavenging the scraps the dragons themselves ate, and every so often he'd glimpse one of his formidable foes in the sky, and rave at them madly. However, one day, many years after he entered the mountains, he did discover the nest of a dragon, and when he approached it he grew mad with wrath, and butchered the dragon's young and eggs. The dragon whose nest he had sacked returned shortly after he had concluded his foul deed, and a great battle ensued between the two - a father who lost everything, and the great beast he had scorned. Edward overcame the beast after a battle that raged a week in length, but after his rage subsided, and he laid down to rest, his heart stopped, and he lay still forevermore in the very cave the battle originated. It is said that other dragons returned, and melted the very stone of the cavern, and buried Edward Fire-Heart's body inside, with the corpses of the dragons he slew. While the tale is grim, and lacking in fantasy, it made many children spiteful of the dragons, and later lead to the high quantity of would-be dragonslayers that the Blackwell's later drew from in their Dragon War. [b]The Warrior Poetess[/b] [i]Alyssandra Heart[/i] was said to have lived hundreds of years ago, and to have been one of those who sought to escape the dragons when they first became a problem in the land. Her poems, and epics are the most noteworthy writings to come from Alenius, and they are a matter of pride for the people of the land. Alyssandra Heart's existence is doubted by some, who claim her being to be fictitious and fabricated to hide the real author's identity, but regardless of this fact Alyssandra Heart's name and writings are renowned for their fantastic nature. Alyssandra is said to have died in combat with bandits who assailed her in her travels, though no report of her death can be found officially [i]The Grand Adventure of Narmora Stone[/i] This is an epic of Alenius culture, and is a fantastic myth written by the most famous writer to come from Alenius; Alyssandra Heart. This is considered by many to be her magnum opus, and to be the epitome of poetic content across all of Formaroth. Of course, this could be bias from those born in Alenius itself. Many believe the epic to be an auto-biography of the woman, though others dispute it as pure fantasy, but regardless it is a harrowing tale of morality and ethics. The poem begins by describing a woman who is aboard a great ship, sailing away from Formaroth and to the Elvish lands. She was a warrior, fleeing the dragons terrorizing her home in search of wealth and glory so that she might return home one day and save her family and kingdom from the dragons' wrath. However a storm struck the sailing ship, and soon the ship was splintered by the power of the tempest and the woman was left floating the sea on debris. She is said to have drifted for several days, before a great swell suddenly erupted from the sea and threatened to throw her weak body into its depths. She clung to her life-saving flotsam however, and soon is depicted to be face-to-face with the massive form of a Kraken. Alyssandra's poem depicts a Kraken as a [i]Massive shelled creature, with great tendrils bearing power and muscle. Its great beak could rend the sea, man, woman, ship, sword, knight, castle, and the sky itself into nothingness, and that its cry threatened to send the very soul itself from Narmora's soaking body[/i]. The kraken, however, did not even seem to notice Narmora floating there, and instead seemed to be in great pain from wounds it had suffered. As Narmora marvelled at the creature, she suddenly realized her danger had not passed - as a second swelling once more threatened to capsize her. A second Kraken had risen violently from the ocean, and plunged its massive beak into the body of the first kraken Narmora had witnessed - the two great beasts were doing battle! Their throes, and thrashes created such powerful swells, and waves that Narmora was sent rapidly across the surface of the ocean, and was carried far through the night at such rapid speeds she nearly lost grip to her life-saving flotsam on numerous occasions. However, she soon saw light in the distance, and within a few moments she was thrown ashore near a campfire by the waves that carried her. She fell limp then, and all was dark. She awoke much later, inside, dry, and with warm clothes. Her spear, a weapon of legend amongst the people of Alenius known as 'Fate' was missing however, and she sensed in her bones she was not home. And indeed, she was not, instead she was in the Elvish Imperium- the very place she had set out to reach, in the hands of a friendly mercenary group. She was lacking her spear, but soon she recovered and set out with this new mercenary group with a loaned lance, and she rode with them for several years through the queer lands. The poem then spends considerably time describing her adventures with this mercenary company, and the great battles she got in, and the numerous fantastic misadventures she took part in- including the riding of a unicorn, the discovery of a dwarvish city, the murder of an Elvish prince, the forging of a Dwarven blade, and the rediscovery of her beloved spear 'Fate'. With 'Fate' rediscovered, she took to the sea once more- and on her travels back to Alenius the sea once more held peril for her, though with her spear in hand and a song in her throat the woman slew the kraken that rose from the deep and threatened their passage home. When she returned home, it is said she took her mercenary company south to combat the dragons and never returned. Many still whisper that, perhaps, the legendary spear 'Fate' is lost in the mountains, and that it can be found by those who search hard enough for Narmora Stone's grave-site. [/hider] [/center]