Nation NameEdontas
Ethnic PeoplesEdontian
Pathy (Considered derogatory depending on inflection)
Ethnic DescriptionThe Edontians are generally short and pudgy when they are rich, and short and stocky when they are poor. Most of the men reach a maximum of 5'6 or so, while their women are a few inches shorter -- Despite their stockiness, they are generally said to be a loud people with a presence that far outweighs their stature. Whether it is a genetic fault, mark of poor hygiene or diet, or a side effect of the culture's affinity with pipe-smoking is unknown, though many Edontians have crooked, sharp, or naturally missing teeth. An "Edontian Smile" is expression synonymous with showing off, due to the popularity of false teeth, gold caps, and other custom dentistry in Edontas' upper circles.
Black or brown hair and dark olive skin are common traits, though the southern Edontians are generally paler with redder brown hair, whereas northern Edontians are of darker features -- Both have curly hair, thick eyebrows, and thick body hair, which are all seen as stereotypical Edontian traits. The men are either short, broad-shouldered, and packed with fatty muscle, or somewhat less short but taut and lean, whereas their women are usually short and full-bodied. Almost all Edontians are brown-eyed, though those born with green eyes are considered lucky. No full-blooded Edontian can have blue eyes or blonde hair, and the two are stigmas tied to bastardy among commoners.
CultureTo know Edontas is to know a poor country. Given as a slight to one of Ardall the Great's lesser liked generals, the strangely-shaped lines on the map Edontas is confined to were purposely drawn to give the country vast swathes of marshes, craggy hills, and inhospitable sandy earth. Edontas has always lacked the natural resources to support a true population, and so throughout history, many Edontians have taken to nomadic lifestyles throughout Ardacia, travelling, trading, and doing seasonal work when it is available, then returning home or sending most of their money back to relatives. This has led to the common slur for Edontians,
Pathy, in reference to the trails and roads they walk, though whether it is an insult or not largely depends on how it is used.
Edontas is almost completely covered in pine forests that are separated by sparse bogs too shallow and sulfurous to yield bog-iron, and many small craggy hills and valleys, increasing in size further north. Almost all of Edontas' soil is too loose and sandy to be farmed, as well as having literal
piles of slowly-degrading pine needles. Coupled with Edontas' climate being cold and wet due to its proximity with the mixing northern and southern winds and landlocked location, all of Edontas' land is almost comically ill-equipped to farm.
To make up for this, those in Edontas who toil rather than travel by cart are almost always either miners, buckwheat farmers, or lumberjacks. Edontas is rich with precious metals, ore, and salt, and so mining makes up about three fourths of Edontas' exports, while the remaining exports are woodcrafts -- particularly wagons -- and Edontian Ale, a buckwheat stout known for its malty taste and dark red color. Aside from these professions, many Edontians who travel the continent are pirates, bandits, and swords-for-hire, though not as reliable or honorable as Questors.
The Edontians are a merchant people who can seemingly put a price on anything. In Edontian funerals, the body is commonly bid for in an auction to "prove the worth of one's life", which usually pays for the cost of the funeral itself. Due to the Edontian culture of poverty, haggling is socially acceptable for just about every transaction, while small lies designed to benefit oneself are simply accepted as the norm. Crime is additionally a more socially acceptable form of occupation than in most countries Lesser crimes are made invisible to guards through bribes, while honor killings and duels remain the most common form of justice in their place.
The Edontian's preference of vengeance over justice stems from Ardall the Conquerer bequeathing Edontas to Leiredon the Red, his least-liked general and rumored half-cousin. The founding of the country was known as "Ardall's Gift", and due to the country's borders binding it to inhospitable terrain, gift-giving is unheard of; In Edontas, there are only transactions. To exact vengeance, Leiredon did eerything in his power to keep his country as far from Imperial rule as he could during his life, such as inflicting the lightest possible punishments for those caught practicing Yevism. Because of this, Edontas has been deeply tied with Yevism for all of its existence, harboring the fewest number of Red Yevist temples of the seven kingdoms, and some of the most spiritual people.
Cuisine in Edontas is seen by outsiders either as too spicy or too oily -- Spice is used to cover the taste of bespoilt meat, while the oil of the whitecairn plant is used either as a thickening agent or in cooking. Because many Edontians, male and female, learn to cook for themselves while on the road, the kitchens of kings and lords all throughout Ardacia are usually stocked by Edontians willing to work for cheaper than most. Edontas' surplus of salt affects its cuisine as well, and it is featured prominently in most Edontian dishes, as well as one drink. Due to the inhospitable farmland available in the countr, most of the food is imported from Caerulmoste, Aaldorenfeald, Westport, and The Sylvain, while the occasional miracle crop grown on Edontian soil is usually consumed by the grower.
Mealtime in Edontas is traditionally a segregated affair -- Unless one is hosting a "Dinner" or any sort of event, men will eat, drink, and smoke outside, while women, children, the ill, and the elderly eat inside by the fire. Smoking takes a large part in Edontian male interaction, as it shows a certain level of tolerance to pain not believed to be found in women and children, as well as serving as a social gathering. More wealthy Edontians frequently drink tea as they smoke to soothe their throat, and to prolong conversation. Such conversation is usually about the road: the wandering Edontian is both a popular character in folklore and the basis for the Edontian experience. Because Edontas cannot support a true population, longing for a home is a deep-seated part of
being Edontian.
Edontas' associated weapon is the
Sicklewhip, a short scythe attached to a metal weight by a chain. Though it is an unheroic and ugly weapon, it is a useful one, as it is designed for both the scythe and flail halves of the weapon allow an assailant to reach around a shield. In addition, the sicklewhip is often used as a tripwire by bandits to dismount those on horseback by tying the chain half to a root and sticking the scythe end into a nearby tree. It can also be used as an assassination tool for choking, as well as a farm tool for cutting and threshing wheat, which is the only crop of Edontas.
Aside from their less savory attributes, there are still good things to be said for the Edontians. They are a deeply musical people, known for playing anything from the fiddle to the lute to the concertina. Edontian courtship frequently involves singing songs and dancing, and musical talent is frequently part of the scale suitors are measured by. Aside from their affinity for music, they are almost always hospitable and warm to their fellow countrymen due to their culture of travelling and the loneliness this begets. Though they are seen as gypsies, tramps, and thieves by most, they have grown comfortable with their lable and wear it proudly.
HistoryEdontas was given to Leiredon the Red as a slight for his perceived lack of skill on the battlefield during Ardall's conquest. Comprised mostly of sandy pine forests, sulfur bogs, hot springs, and packed hollow ground above large cave systems, "The Gift" as it was known, would set Leiredon against Ardall subtly, which would be the beginning of the country's anti-Imperial mindset.
Worship of Staloth over Eirtu and Elonar never rose to much popularity due to the original lack of funding for any national force of guards, police, or the church of Staloth's clergy in Edontas. Originally abandoned by Leiredon for the first two decades of its existence while he sailed along the Sunrise Sea, Edontas and crime have been synonymous since its literal founding. It was the site of few events of historical importance until The Great Uprising, when a company of sellswords led by Flitkor the Blind usurped the ruling House of Edon. Flitkor's first order of business would be to found his own great house -- his second would be to gather forces to march on the Imperial city, a fight that had already been in progress for six months.
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