Post by SIARITH on Sept 22, 2013 1:22:08 GMT -4
CULTURE
Feyerlun is a country that is extremely proud of its cultural heritage. Foreigners might look upon some of the customs as bizarre, but they are practised avidly by all members of society, even those who are usually stoic in the public eye. To not partake in local custom is seen as unspeakably rude.
LIFE STYLE
ROYALTY
The life of Feyerlun's royals is centred on the exciting business of keeping the kingdoms afloat. The royal family, the House of Fairchild and The house of Gorren, are huge, and together they act as a government, passing laws to further develop their kingdom's interest, and maintain a tenuous sort of peace. The royals are in charge of the Military and also, though to a lesser extent, the Rose Court. Mostly the royals live in their palace, although some live in other areas outside their castle walls.
In day to day life, the royals, in particular the children, enjoy learning. The palace is often filled with the sound of music from those royals who are studying it. Women are taught to act properly in the public eye, and the men are taught to fight. Additionally, the nightly banquet is integral to life in the palace, where time is spent feasting and discussing all manner of things, often politics or foreign relations.
THE WEALTHY
Those lucky few in Feyerlun's society who are wealthy enjoy an excellent quality of life. Although the women spend much of the day cleaning, or preparing drinks and entertainment for guests, and will often complain of how difficult life is, the wealthy are, in general, extremely happy. Wealthy men often have jobs as business owners or guildmasters -- as such, the houses of the wealthy are impeccably decorated with all manner of things, some hand-made by the denizens, and many imported from other countries. The wealthy don't have jobs in government, so their lives are usually dedicated to contributing to the country's economy by buying and selling a ridiculous amount of goods.
The children of wealthy families, much like the royal children, spend much of the day learning. Both men and women, upon reaching sixteen years of age, are expected to be engaged to a suitable partner (someone of similar social standing). Marriages outside of these strict social barriers is not encouraged. Popular entertainment includes balls and tea parties, which are generally quite strict occasions, until the alcohol is broken out.
COMMONERS
The urban and rural commoners of Feyerlun lead extremely different lifestyles.
URBAN
Some commoners who live in the cities lead a respectable life, working in shops or in the marketplace. They have access to the many comforts of city and town life, including sanitation, education and public facilities. Others, however, by unfortunate circumstance, are forced into a life of crime, or living on the streets. There are few homeless shelters in Feyerlun, and so those who have been given a raw deal by life are often forced to worsen it, only in order to survive.
RURAL
Rural life is dominated by the farm. Feyerlun's rural people are up early in the morning for tilling, ploughing, harvesting, milking the cows, collecting eggs, herding sheep, shearing, lambing, and innumerable other necessary jobs. Farm labourers rarely have time for comforts or relaxation, however it's commonplace for the family to gather around the fire or a hearty meal at the end of the day.
FASHION
There are several clothing styles that are common amongst Feyerlun's natives.
ROYALTY: Feyerlun's royals often wear elegant, layered, fitted black and purple garments. Purple is a difficult dye to come across, and is incredibly expensive. The women wear long, ornate dresses, decorated with frills and lace adornments, with keyhole or sweetheart necklines. The men generally wear black jerkins with brightly-coloured shirts underneath. Tights are also customary. Masks -- beautifully ornate things -- and gorgets are popular accessories, along with jewellery of all designs. Bright colours offset with black are popular amongst the royals, but red, green and purple seem to be the prevailing hues.
THE WEALTHY: The wealthy citizens of Feyerlun have a style that rivals the royals' in terms of decorum. They wear loose garments in an array of colours, usually dark, but never black. Tops are typically long, with high necklines, and give a sense of austerity. For women, it is acceptable to wear short dresses, however white tights must be worn: to reveal one's bare legs is unacceptable. Men generally wear breeches and high, tough boots. Rings are popular for both men and women. Bronze and brass accessories are favoured by the wealthy. Popular colours include navy blue, green, and recently red has become more popular, especially to young women. Cosmetics are popular; face powder in particular. Young ladies are encouraged to whiten their face and redden their lips.
COMMONERS: Commoners are usually unable to afford voluminous, pretty clothing. However, the tailors of Feyerlun's common people are versatile and skilled with their work. The prevailing colour is brown, and garments have to be simple for the sake of cost. Breeches, jerkins and cloaks are common even amongst women, for skirts and cinched dresses are impractical for the hard work that the common population must undertake. White and beige are also common, although generally it's in the form of scratchy, untreated fabric. Typically, tops are longsleeved; men may wear plunging necklines, but women generally remain modest. Boots are a necessity. To make their clothing less boring, Feyerlun's common people use all sorts of accessories: brooches, brass and copper jewellery with cheap gemstones, wraps, scarves, shawls, hats, bracers, even brightly coloured bootlaces and belts. The love of colour and artistry prevails even in their fashion. Oruon's people often apply kohl to their eyes; this applies to all sections of society.
SUPERSTITIONS
ART
Feyerlunens adore art in any form, however there is a distinction made between Art and Performing Art: both are equally important. Paintings, sculpture, carvings, pottery and textiles are considered to be 'Art' and often involve the Deities, or epic scenes from Feyerlun's past. The nationalistic nature of the country comes through strongly in their artwork -- depictions of humans pillaging foreign villages or saving fair maidens are common, although more modern art tends to portray the country's landscape.
Some of the more famous pieces of artwork include:
PERFORMING ARTS
Dance, theatre, music, circus and puppetry are equally cherished in Feyerlun. Dramas often revolve, much like artwork, around fables and myths from Feyerlun's tumultuous history, although there are some modern plays that deal with society's ills. Dance is practised by almost everybody, although those with two left feet tend to stick to the typical folk dances of Feyerlun, which are always riotously popular.
BALLADS
Song has been popular in Feyerlun for as long as the country has existed. Ballads are regarded as one of the kingdoms many treasures, and there is nothing that the Queens enjoy more than to be sung to by their minstrels. Examples of more famous ballads include:
Economy
Feyerlun's currency is fairly simple to understand, for the benefit of foreign travellers.
1 Platinum piece = 100 Gold pieces
1 Gold piece = 100 Silver pieces
1 Silver piece = 100 Copper pieces
Gold coins are relatively common, but silver and copper are used most frequently by 'ordinary people'. A platinum piece is extremely rare; lucky families might have one or two and store it extremely carefully. Coinage can be swapped between at the Vaults in each main city.
Feyerlun's main export is raw ore, and its main import is cash crops. It has a surplus of precious metals, and is very stable and improving. However, wealth is concentrated in a small upper class, with everyone else -- usually -- having enough to get by. Homelessness and thievery exist for a reason, though.
THE AFTERLIFE
Feyerlun's understanding of an Afterlife is a relatively confusing one. It is believed that, when people die, their souls go to the Temple of Heroes, and their body stays behind to become a part of Feyerlun. Once the soul arrives at the Temple of Heroes, there it will rest for all of eternity; there are rumours that other outer planes exist, between which extremely powerful souls can travel. It is possible (or it is believed to be possible) for souls to return from the Temple of Heroes and re-enter their mortal bodies, but nobody knows how this is possible.
The people of Feyerlun are equal parts terrified and enthralled with death. There is no proof that souls go to the Temple of Heroes, and the Deities say nothing about it.
Feyerlun is a country that is extremely proud of its cultural heritage. Foreigners might look upon some of the customs as bizarre, but they are practised avidly by all members of society, even those who are usually stoic in the public eye. To not partake in local custom is seen as unspeakably rude.
LIFE STYLE
ROYALTY
The life of Feyerlun's royals is centred on the exciting business of keeping the kingdoms afloat. The royal family, the House of Fairchild and The house of Gorren, are huge, and together they act as a government, passing laws to further develop their kingdom's interest, and maintain a tenuous sort of peace. The royals are in charge of the Military and also, though to a lesser extent, the Rose Court. Mostly the royals live in their palace, although some live in other areas outside their castle walls.
In day to day life, the royals, in particular the children, enjoy learning. The palace is often filled with the sound of music from those royals who are studying it. Women are taught to act properly in the public eye, and the men are taught to fight. Additionally, the nightly banquet is integral to life in the palace, where time is spent feasting and discussing all manner of things, often politics or foreign relations.
THE WEALTHY
Those lucky few in Feyerlun's society who are wealthy enjoy an excellent quality of life. Although the women spend much of the day cleaning, or preparing drinks and entertainment for guests, and will often complain of how difficult life is, the wealthy are, in general, extremely happy. Wealthy men often have jobs as business owners or guildmasters -- as such, the houses of the wealthy are impeccably decorated with all manner of things, some hand-made by the denizens, and many imported from other countries. The wealthy don't have jobs in government, so their lives are usually dedicated to contributing to the country's economy by buying and selling a ridiculous amount of goods.
The children of wealthy families, much like the royal children, spend much of the day learning. Both men and women, upon reaching sixteen years of age, are expected to be engaged to a suitable partner (someone of similar social standing). Marriages outside of these strict social barriers is not encouraged. Popular entertainment includes balls and tea parties, which are generally quite strict occasions, until the alcohol is broken out.
COMMONERS
The urban and rural commoners of Feyerlun lead extremely different lifestyles.
URBAN
Some commoners who live in the cities lead a respectable life, working in shops or in the marketplace. They have access to the many comforts of city and town life, including sanitation, education and public facilities. Others, however, by unfortunate circumstance, are forced into a life of crime, or living on the streets. There are few homeless shelters in Feyerlun, and so those who have been given a raw deal by life are often forced to worsen it, only in order to survive.
RURAL
Rural life is dominated by the farm. Feyerlun's rural people are up early in the morning for tilling, ploughing, harvesting, milking the cows, collecting eggs, herding sheep, shearing, lambing, and innumerable other necessary jobs. Farm labourers rarely have time for comforts or relaxation, however it's commonplace for the family to gather around the fire or a hearty meal at the end of the day.
FASHION
There are several clothing styles that are common amongst Feyerlun's natives.
ROYALTY: Feyerlun's royals often wear elegant, layered, fitted black and purple garments. Purple is a difficult dye to come across, and is incredibly expensive. The women wear long, ornate dresses, decorated with frills and lace adornments, with keyhole or sweetheart necklines. The men generally wear black jerkins with brightly-coloured shirts underneath. Tights are also customary. Masks -- beautifully ornate things -- and gorgets are popular accessories, along with jewellery of all designs. Bright colours offset with black are popular amongst the royals, but red, green and purple seem to be the prevailing hues.
THE WEALTHY: The wealthy citizens of Feyerlun have a style that rivals the royals' in terms of decorum. They wear loose garments in an array of colours, usually dark, but never black. Tops are typically long, with high necklines, and give a sense of austerity. For women, it is acceptable to wear short dresses, however white tights must be worn: to reveal one's bare legs is unacceptable. Men generally wear breeches and high, tough boots. Rings are popular for both men and women. Bronze and brass accessories are favoured by the wealthy. Popular colours include navy blue, green, and recently red has become more popular, especially to young women. Cosmetics are popular; face powder in particular. Young ladies are encouraged to whiten their face and redden their lips.
COMMONERS: Commoners are usually unable to afford voluminous, pretty clothing. However, the tailors of Feyerlun's common people are versatile and skilled with their work. The prevailing colour is brown, and garments have to be simple for the sake of cost. Breeches, jerkins and cloaks are common even amongst women, for skirts and cinched dresses are impractical for the hard work that the common population must undertake. White and beige are also common, although generally it's in the form of scratchy, untreated fabric. Typically, tops are longsleeved; men may wear plunging necklines, but women generally remain modest. Boots are a necessity. To make their clothing less boring, Feyerlun's common people use all sorts of accessories: brooches, brass and copper jewellery with cheap gemstones, wraps, scarves, shawls, hats, bracers, even brightly coloured bootlaces and belts. The love of colour and artistry prevails even in their fashion. Oruon's people often apply kohl to their eyes; this applies to all sections of society.
SUPERSTITIONS
- Never sharpen weapons on a full moon; they're doomed to tarnish and blunt.
- Black cats make milk curdle. (The evidence for this is spotty at best).
- Don't begin a romance without first ensuring your shoes are tightly laced.
- Being slapped in the face by the tail of a Sesuul is good luck.
ART
Feyerlunens adore art in any form, however there is a distinction made between Art and Performing Art: both are equally important. Paintings, sculpture, carvings, pottery and textiles are considered to be 'Art' and often involve the Deities, or epic scenes from Feyerlun's past. The nationalistic nature of the country comes through strongly in their artwork -- depictions of humans pillaging foreign villages or saving fair maidens are common, although more modern art tends to portray the country's landscape.
Some of the more famous pieces of artwork include:
- A gigantic tapestry, currently hung in the Palace of Setanul, depicting the King of Setanul upon his throne.
- The sculptures of the Deities that are scattered around Feyerlun.
- A small bronze sculpture, like a hand-held totem, of Caster, that is currently in the possession of the Rose Court. It's said to have magical properties.
PERFORMING ARTS
Dance, theatre, music, circus and puppetry are equally cherished in Feyerlun. Dramas often revolve, much like artwork, around fables and myths from Feyerlun's tumultuous history, although there are some modern plays that deal with society's ills. Dance is practised by almost everybody, although those with two left feet tend to stick to the typical folk dances of Feyerlun, which are always riotously popular.
BALLADS
Song has been popular in Feyerlun for as long as the country has existed. Ballads are regarded as one of the kingdoms many treasures, and there is nothing that the Queens enjoy more than to be sung to by their minstrels. Examples of more famous ballads include:
- A 3-verse tragedy concerning Caster's fall from the pantheon. Every bard who is worth salt can sing it excellently.
- An intrigue-filled ballad with 4 verses, telling the story of Zepon's and Ai's tempestuous relationship. It has been banned in the Setanul as it is incredibly risqué, and some bards refuse to sing it at all.
- A frenetic and hilarious ballad sung by a man and a woman usually, about the chaos of the Rose Court. It is banned in Toldale. 4 verses.
- A complicated and educational epic (7 verses!) about the importance of respecting one's teachers. The melody is quite soothing, however, and children often hum it to themselves.
Economy
Feyerlun's currency is fairly simple to understand, for the benefit of foreign travellers.
1 Platinum piece = 100 Gold pieces
1 Gold piece = 100 Silver pieces
1 Silver piece = 100 Copper pieces
Gold coins are relatively common, but silver and copper are used most frequently by 'ordinary people'. A platinum piece is extremely rare; lucky families might have one or two and store it extremely carefully. Coinage can be swapped between at the Vaults in each main city.
Feyerlun's main export is raw ore, and its main import is cash crops. It has a surplus of precious metals, and is very stable and improving. However, wealth is concentrated in a small upper class, with everyone else -- usually -- having enough to get by. Homelessness and thievery exist for a reason, though.
THE AFTERLIFE
Feyerlun's understanding of an Afterlife is a relatively confusing one. It is believed that, when people die, their souls go to the Temple of Heroes, and their body stays behind to become a part of Feyerlun. Once the soul arrives at the Temple of Heroes, there it will rest for all of eternity; there are rumours that other outer planes exist, between which extremely powerful souls can travel. It is possible (or it is believed to be possible) for souls to return from the Temple of Heroes and re-enter their mortal bodies, but nobody knows how this is possible.
The people of Feyerlun are equal parts terrified and enthralled with death. There is no proof that souls go to the Temple of Heroes, and the Deities say nothing about it.