Lord of Elves
Suede-Denim Secret Police
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
- Messages
- 6,976
If Japan doesn't start getting smaller, I'm packing up and moving to Europe/Mesopotamia. 
ljNES - Nessos Universalis
- Thread starter Angst
- Start date
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
Culture name: Thrace
Culture history:
The Thracians are a diverse group living in the eastern half of the Balkan Peninsula. Chronically disunited, and as yet lacking any truly strong leaders, they have been largely unable to gain the upper hand in interactions with any of their neighbors -- namely the soon-to-be Dacians to their north and the soon-to-be Mycenaeans to their south, or even the scattered Illyrians to their west.
Thracian civilization clusters around hillforts and villages, the various minor tribes contesting the region for military dominance, but as always, it would be wrong to portray them as some sort of bloodthirsty people. Commerce is their preferred way to deal with others, and art, while not highly developed, is pervasive and quite loved by the locals.
Values
Individual values: Young men are expected to bring home the harvest and occasionally march to war and acquit themselves valorously. Women, of course, are expected to raise a family. The middle aged reprise these roles over and over, and the elderly are there to look wise and spout meaningless aphorisms.
Family values: The chief's family and a few of the most honored do not need to work; instead they make war and art and music, and of course rule. The rest of the families are usually arrayed somehow around the center of the tribe, be it a hillfort or a village, and farm the countryside (herding is usually left to the adolescents or elderly, those who are not attached and seek independence).
Government values: Chronically disorganized, the individual tribes are usually ruled by hereditary chiefs.
Design
Economy: The majority of the civilization is a farming culture, with herders as always existing on the fringes of society. The southern villages trade with the merchants of the Aegean, though they have yet to build ships of their own.
Creativity: In recent centuries increasing harvests and times of plenty have allowed the Thracians to branch out into the realm of the arts. Architecture is still extremely primitive, but pottery is beloved and frequently decorated with scenes from the harvest or war. Music has begun to come into its own, with the flute and lyre joining drum and voice in the songs of the current age.
Religion: A not particularly interesting polytheism which worships the sun, the harvest, and so on.
Ask me if the start location isn't obvious.
Culture history:
The Thracians are a diverse group living in the eastern half of the Balkan Peninsula. Chronically disunited, and as yet lacking any truly strong leaders, they have been largely unable to gain the upper hand in interactions with any of their neighbors -- namely the soon-to-be Dacians to their north and the soon-to-be Mycenaeans to their south, or even the scattered Illyrians to their west.
Thracian civilization clusters around hillforts and villages, the various minor tribes contesting the region for military dominance, but as always, it would be wrong to portray them as some sort of bloodthirsty people. Commerce is their preferred way to deal with others, and art, while not highly developed, is pervasive and quite loved by the locals.
Values
Individual values: Young men are expected to bring home the harvest and occasionally march to war and acquit themselves valorously. Women, of course, are expected to raise a family. The middle aged reprise these roles over and over, and the elderly are there to look wise and spout meaningless aphorisms.
Family values: The chief's family and a few of the most honored do not need to work; instead they make war and art and music, and of course rule. The rest of the families are usually arrayed somehow around the center of the tribe, be it a hillfort or a village, and farm the countryside (herding is usually left to the adolescents or elderly, those who are not attached and seek independence).
Government values: Chronically disorganized, the individual tribes are usually ruled by hereditary chiefs.
Design
Economy: The majority of the civilization is a farming culture, with herders as always existing on the fringes of society. The southern villages trade with the merchants of the Aegean, though they have yet to build ships of their own.
Creativity: In recent centuries increasing harvests and times of plenty have allowed the Thracians to branch out into the realm of the arts. Architecture is still extremely primitive, but pottery is beloved and frequently decorated with scenes from the harvest or war. Music has begun to come into its own, with the flute and lyre joining drum and voice in the songs of the current age.
Religion: A not particularly interesting polytheism which worships the sun, the harvest, and so on.
Ask me if the start location isn't obvious.
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
I'm really tempted to join... really tempted. But I will hold off until 2-3 updates from now (more so that I can see how I deal with my schedule/jobs in college). I expect great things lj.
Cull
Big Daddy
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2010
- Messages
- 2,838
I agree.
Abaddon
Deity
I like the older maps myself. I find this one overly complicated for editting etc.. also its too large for my computer screen!
Lord of Elves
Suede-Denim Secret Police
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
- Messages
- 6,976
Can't you generally adjust the resolution, or does the map ignore that?
@Lord Joakim, I've changed my template so as not to be a part of the Asian cluster-<snip>. Thanks
Angst
Rambling and inconsistent
So many people returning, and North King's back from hiatusicus disorderus! WB old buddy.
Sounds great, and I'm happy to see you again as well. Do hurry, though. We already have 3 players in China. (Even though azale exclaimed that there was room for six, it's still somewhat crowded. ^^)
Sounds great, and I'm happy to see you again as well.
Do hurry, though. We already have 3 players in China. (Even though azale exclaimed that there was room for six, it's still somewhat crowded. ^^)bestrfcplayer
Steppin' up!
I clam Hawaii. More stuff to come at a later time.
Vertinari118
Deity
Spoiler :
Culture name: Inka
Culture history: This will come later as well though most could be inferred from the information below.
Values
Individual values: The default for any small tribal group taking the first steps towards civilisation. The men are the hunters, warriors, craftsmen of practical things such as tools and weapons, leaders in some aspects and priests, or at this point shamans. The women are the gathers, farmers, craftswomen and also play a leadership role. A young woman would be expected to settle down with a good husband, start a family, learn a skill such as weaving and help in the fields or gathering as well as brewing the beer. A young man would be expected learn to hunt, the ways of the land and the many ways of hunting for the many quarries. He would also be expected to learn how to fight his fellow man. A young man might, depending on his birth, intelligence and charisma, be chosen to be a priest or leader, in which case he would learn these skills as well. A small but increasing minority of those who are not strong enough or fast enough for hunting are learning crafts along side the womenfolk, using the strength they have when a task exceeds a woman's strength. These men are lightly ridiculed for choosing such a path but equally are respected for choosing a path best for the people as opposed to their own interests. Though it is likely, in truth, it is also in the interest of these men to choose the path they have. Childhoods are harsh, discipline strictly enforced with the standard sorts of tests of strength, endurance and intelligence for boys to become men. The harsh discipline which enforces respect for elders and superiors rigorously will no doubt help the formation of a more unified Inka culture in the future.
Family values: Families are, in general, patrilineal, that it the family name and property pass down through the male line. Their is one exception to this. The chief's line is matrilineal and this is deliberate because it means a chief's male heir must make something of himself and acquire some property and wealth before his father dies else his inheritance will pass to one of the younger brothers who have succeeded. If they all fail it will pass to one of the sisters instead. It also means a chief is less inclined to marriage, as his sons will be nobles under his sister's sons. I have already outlined traditional jobs above. The women are the domestic rulers in the household, though a good wife allows her husband to appear to be in charge of domestic affairs. Once money and finance comes in to the equation men would probably take that role though money in the Inka is not the same as in the west or any other society I know of. Men are in charge of affairs outside the household hunting, landownership, warfare and leadership of the community as a whole. The two roles complement each other as they allow each gender to focus its attentions in one area.
Government values: At this present point in time the Inka are barely more than a tribe. I will write this when they actually have a government beyond a tribe to speak of. Unless you want us to write down now and predict how our societies will evolve based on a timeline that is not yet written and thus how they will organise themselves on a larger scale?
Design
Economy: The Inka primarily eat maize, though its domestication might not have been fully completed to bring it to the maize we know today. They have three different varieties: sweet corn and flour corn or field corn, which are the main staples, with pop corn also being known about and eaten occasionally or by people who can afford or produce seasonings to make it taste of something. The maize, which on its own causes pellagra, which is a deficiency in niacin or B3 and prevented by soaking the limewater, or a deficiency in certain proteins, which is prevented by balancing one's diet meat, fish, beans, chica and amaranth, the last two can be eaten as seeds or leaf vegetables respectively or as grains. The Inka have domesticated llamas and alpacas and, to a limited extent, vicuña and guanaco. Llamas and alpacas are used as pack animals, meat, milk and wool, basically a combination of sheep and mules though not entirely accurate. The vicuña and the guanaco are prized solely their wool, which is finer than cashmere. Numerous religious rituals surround the production and use of vicuña wool, it is so fine and rare, that it is only used for religious or artistic purposes or by high chiefs to denote their great rank. The Inka can work metals which occur natively, objects of gold, silver copper, bronze and tumbago, an alloy of gold and copper, are works of great beauty, second only to the finest woven cloths, and in the case of sacrificial knives and a few weapons quite deadly. Weapons and tools, unless they have a cultural significance or need the properties of metals, are made from stone, either flint or obsidian. Finally the Inka produce fine ceramics as well.
Creativity: The most creative genius of the Inka is their written language which is written using quipu or knotted cords. These cords are knotted together to form 'books'. The encoding is a decimal system of knots with one being a figure of eight knot and other numbers being encoded using overhand knots with one or more twists. The same system can be used to encode letters. As mentioned earlier the Inka can work metals and produce fine ceramics for other, later peoples to ogle at. If they cloth weaving techniques survive the test of time then those could also be ogled at.
Religion: The head of the Inka pantheon is the Sun God with his wife the Moon goddess being next in importance and a Mother Earth goddess being next after them. The Inka split the world of the gods into two halves: the sky and the inner earth, with humans living on the intermediary between the two. They also have a variety of gods associated with various natural phenomena, thunder, lighting, rainbows, etc. I will flesh out their pantheon in a bit.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
You guys put a little too much into it. My streamlined template in the first post is much superior for mod use. 
Culture name: Utari
Culture history: A sedentary people, subsisting on an intensive rice culture. The Utari are not particularly more warlike or pacific than their neighbors, policies usually varying on the faction that has gained power.
On this, politics has evolved in Utari to the point where it tends to revolve around three poles. These poles are the warrior-landholders, the landholding and nonlandholding "clergy" (and the symbolic ceremony they provide to the rising wealthy classes), and the mass of the agricultural poor who vacillate between supporting the latter, former, or striking their own path to power by supporting some charismatic leader. The leader is either striking a balance between these three support bases or strongly favors one at the expense of the other two.
Values
Individual values: A young man may be expected to inherit the family plot, serve in the militias, or become a sanctioned practitioner of religious rites and ceremony depending on his background. A female would be expected to work the household, raise the family, but curiously may inherit land if there are no male heirs, may become a practitioner and may even rise to the position of leader.
Family values: I outlined some of the gender roles above, but families will tend to work with one another in a given area since rice cultivation tends to be a long, laborious process. Among the agriculture poor, intermarriage among these "rice plot families" is common. The warrior-landlord class has the latitude to marry below, at, or above their social station, though with some risk. The small upper class usually marries amongst itself, but this class can grow through promotion of religious practitioners or warrior-landlords.
Government values: A council governs with the interests of the three main groups concerned represented. A leader is chosen by political machinations of various sorts. This leader does not generally have autocratic power, except in the case of the charismatic, powerful sorts of men/women who can overpower the council's authority. It would be severely frowned upon for this sort of individual to ever actually abolish the council, however.
Design
Economy: Rice based mostly, with some developing trade ties with nearby peoples in Kyushu, further south in Honshu, Shikoku, and even as far away as coastal China and the southern coasts of Korea. The Utari do partake in the exchange of various goods for metals from these regions, for weaponry and light jewelry for marking wealth and rank.
Creativity: I DUNNO I'll think on this one.
Religion: Largely animistic, spiritualistic, polytheistic pantheon to serve the needs of the ritualists and their wealthy patrons. The legends are generally the same, but differ in some detail depending on if told in a poor village as a folk tale or as official lore. This has serious potential to change over time to suit the needs of the leader, and could be very syncretic in the near future.
Eh ok kinda slapped that together, hope it's not too confusing.
Culture history: A sedentary people, subsisting on an intensive rice culture. The Utari are not particularly more warlike or pacific than their neighbors, policies usually varying on the faction that has gained power.
On this, politics has evolved in Utari to the point where it tends to revolve around three poles. These poles are the warrior-landholders, the landholding and nonlandholding "clergy" (and the symbolic ceremony they provide to the rising wealthy classes), and the mass of the agricultural poor who vacillate between supporting the latter, former, or striking their own path to power by supporting some charismatic leader. The leader is either striking a balance between these three support bases or strongly favors one at the expense of the other two.
Values
Individual values: A young man may be expected to inherit the family plot, serve in the militias, or become a sanctioned practitioner of religious rites and ceremony depending on his background. A female would be expected to work the household, raise the family, but curiously may inherit land if there are no male heirs, may become a practitioner and may even rise to the position of leader.
Family values: I outlined some of the gender roles above, but families will tend to work with one another in a given area since rice cultivation tends to be a long, laborious process. Among the agriculture poor, intermarriage among these "rice plot families" is common. The warrior-landlord class has the latitude to marry below, at, or above their social station, though with some risk. The small upper class usually marries amongst itself, but this class can grow through promotion of religious practitioners or warrior-landlords.
Government values: A council governs with the interests of the three main groups concerned represented. A leader is chosen by political machinations of various sorts. This leader does not generally have autocratic power, except in the case of the charismatic, powerful sorts of men/women who can overpower the council's authority. It would be severely frowned upon for this sort of individual to ever actually abolish the council, however.
Design
Economy: Rice based mostly, with some developing trade ties with nearby peoples in Kyushu, further south in Honshu, Shikoku, and even as far away as coastal China and the southern coasts of Korea. The Utari do partake in the exchange of various goods for metals from these regions, for weaponry and light jewelry for marking wealth and rank.
Creativity: I DUNNO I'll think on this one.
Religion: Largely animistic, spiritualistic, polytheistic pantheon to serve the needs of the ritualists and their wealthy patrons. The legends are generally the same, but differ in some detail depending on if told in a poor village as a folk tale or as official lore. This has serious potential to change over time to suit the needs of the leader, and could be very syncretic in the near future.
Eh ok kinda slapped that together, hope it's not too confusing.
You guys put a little too much into it. My streamlined template in the first post is much superior for mod use.
I know, right? Simplicity represent!
MathNerd
High on math (a, not e)
This is my first NES, and it looked simpler than a lot of the others, so I decided to dive in. Also, to prevent any future confusion, I know Cull in RL.
----
Culture name: Daraku (adj: Darakese)
Location:
Culture history: Daraku is quite technologically advanced. It is estimated that the Darakese first arrived at their current location by hopping from island to island via boat circa 4500 BC. During this time, they were hundreds of peaceful hunter-gatherer families. Disputes were resolved calmly via negotiations, and the Darakese led happy lives, free to make discoveries and enjoy themselves.
Over time, many of these families gathered together into three main clans, Rantaria, Xaran, and Safara. The Rantarians were the farmers (by this time, agriculture had been developed), hunters, and fishers. The Xarans were the most warlike of the three clans (They were, in a sense, the “Spartans” of Darkau), and they were expert manufacturers and shipbuilders. The Safara clan was the technological center of Daraku (One could call it the “Athens” of Safara), and it was the largest of the three clans. Rantaria, Xaran, and Safara began to trade with each other, and modern Daraku was born.
Individual values: Expectations vary greatly by clan. In Rantaria, all members of the family are expected to work the fields from dawn to dusk, with a four hour break starting at noon, including children. In Xaran, the work hours are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with occasional 10 minute breaks, also including children. In Safara, children are sent to school until age 16, where they move on to either teaching or researching.
Family values: Mentioned in individual values. Gender does not play much of a role, and neither does age.
Government values: The government is composed of three elders, one from each clan. These elders are chosen on every winter solstice by a contest. In Rantaria, the candidates must catch as much meat as they can. The one with the most meat at the end of the day is the clan elder for the rest of the year. In Xaran, each candidate is given a spear and set loose in the city. Last one living in the clan elder for the rest of the years. In Safara, the previous year’s elder creates a list of difficult logic problems. The candidates are locked in separate rooms for the rest of the day with the problems, and the candidate that correctly answers the most problems wins. No elder can be an elder twice.
Economy: Without trading, the Darakese civilization would collapse. Each clan trades with the others for the resources it needs. Every new moon, each family reports to their clan elder about what they would like to receive from the other clans. The elder makes a record of the requests and which family made the request. The three clan elders meet every full moon, and they compare the request lists, attempting to meet every family’s requests. Also, the elders discuss trades that would benefit the clan as a whole, such as a new ship, or new ship building technology.
Creativity: Darakese are very peaceful people. All of their weapons are designed as defense against the waves of barbarians that often appear. (I’m not exactly sure what you’re looking for here…
Religion: Religion holds together the Darakese. Darakese religion emphasizes the afterlife. Any moral wrongdoing, whether it be requesting more than what is needed, slacking out on duties, killing a human (other than in the Xaran elder contest), etc. is punished very harshly in the afterlife. If one lives a pure life, then benefits beyond belief await in the afterlife. There are not any priests, and the religion is almost entirely passed down from generation to generation orally, even though the Darakese have developed a written language.
----
Culture name: Daraku (adj: Darakese)
Location:
Culture history: Daraku is quite technologically advanced. It is estimated that the Darakese first arrived at their current location by hopping from island to island via boat circa 4500 BC. During this time, they were hundreds of peaceful hunter-gatherer families. Disputes were resolved calmly via negotiations, and the Darakese led happy lives, free to make discoveries and enjoy themselves.
Over time, many of these families gathered together into three main clans, Rantaria, Xaran, and Safara. The Rantarians were the farmers (by this time, agriculture had been developed), hunters, and fishers. The Xarans were the most warlike of the three clans (They were, in a sense, the “Spartans” of Darkau), and they were expert manufacturers and shipbuilders. The Safara clan was the technological center of Daraku (One could call it the “Athens” of Safara), and it was the largest of the three clans. Rantaria, Xaran, and Safara began to trade with each other, and modern Daraku was born.
Individual values: Expectations vary greatly by clan. In Rantaria, all members of the family are expected to work the fields from dawn to dusk, with a four hour break starting at noon, including children. In Xaran, the work hours are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with occasional 10 minute breaks, also including children. In Safara, children are sent to school until age 16, where they move on to either teaching or researching.
Family values: Mentioned in individual values. Gender does not play much of a role, and neither does age.
Government values: The government is composed of three elders, one from each clan. These elders are chosen on every winter solstice by a contest. In Rantaria, the candidates must catch as much meat as they can. The one with the most meat at the end of the day is the clan elder for the rest of the year. In Xaran, each candidate is given a spear and set loose in the city. Last one living in the clan elder for the rest of the years. In Safara, the previous year’s elder creates a list of difficult logic problems. The candidates are locked in separate rooms for the rest of the day with the problems, and the candidate that correctly answers the most problems wins. No elder can be an elder twice.
Economy: Without trading, the Darakese civilization would collapse. Each clan trades with the others for the resources it needs. Every new moon, each family reports to their clan elder about what they would like to receive from the other clans. The elder makes a record of the requests and which family made the request. The three clan elders meet every full moon, and they compare the request lists, attempting to meet every family’s requests. Also, the elders discuss trades that would benefit the clan as a whole, such as a new ship, or new ship building technology.
Creativity: Darakese are very peaceful people. All of their weapons are designed as defense against the waves of barbarians that often appear. (I’m not exactly sure what you’re looking for here…
Religion: Religion holds together the Darakese. Darakese religion emphasizes the afterlife. Any moral wrongdoing, whether it be requesting more than what is needed, slacking out on duties, killing a human (other than in the Xaran elder contest), etc. is punished very harshly in the afterlife. If one lives a pure life, then benefits beyond belief await in the afterlife. There are not any priests, and the religion is almost entirely passed down from generation to generation orally, even though the Darakese have developed a written language.
Let's see if I can stay in this after the first update.
Culture name: Tarragon (adj. Tarrago)
Culture history: A constellation of various agricultural and herding tribes, linked by a common language, a common mythology, a common clan system and a common set of tribal laws. They're a farming and trading people, not especially warlike but well-known in the region for being ambitious and risk-taking, and particularly quarrelsome, stubborn and independent. Murder is strictly forbidden, however, even during a feud.
Individual values: A typical Tarrago community is a very close-knit sort. Mutual respect, honour and interreliance characterizes Tarrago society. The Tarrago tolerates independent thinking and encourages self-reliance in their members, but when it comes to important matters effecting a clan or a village, all members of a clan are expected to work together. The Elders must be treated with the utmost respect - failure to do so may result in exile from the Tarragon. Within a clan, each individual is held accountable for his or her own actions. In inter-clan matters, however, each clan is expected to self-police their own members. If a particularly serious crime is commited by the members of one tribe against another, then the whole tribe may be expelled from the Tarragon.
Family values: The family is the most important unit of Tarrago society. A child who abandons his family is an outcast in the Tarragon - however, a patriach who treats his wife and children badly can also expected to be criticized, even punished. Men and women's roles are not clearly defined, but in all Tarrago societies the public domain is generally considered to be a male domain, and the private female. Children help out on the farm or are taught their trades as soon as the parents consider they are old enough. Marriage is usually arranged, though if the couple is strongly opposed to it the marriage will not be forced. Divorce is frowned upon, but is possible if the couple do not have children.
Government values: Each Tarrago village is self-governed. About once a year, or if something important which effects all of the Tarragon does arise, then each village will send a representative to the Tribal Council.
Economy: Agriculture is very important to the Tarragon, but it is trade that is the lifeblood of the economy. Both internal (between villages) and external trade flourishes. Generally, each village would raise only a few types of crops and specializes in one or two fields of manufacturing (one may make excellent pottery, perhaps, and another may pride itself on its metal tools).
Creativity: The Tarrago encourages innovation and creativity. The Tarrago are known not so much for their music or decoration or artistic skills; rather, they channel their creative energies into practical pursuits - new types of buildings, new farming techniques, weapons, tools, etc. If they do venture into the arts, it'd be for trade.
Religion: The Tarrago may be described as a pagan people, though they have a complex mythology and parts of their tribal codes may well be considered divine commendents. There is no structured priesthood, though one may turn to certain Elders for religious authority and spiritual guidance.
Culture name: Tarragon (adj. Tarrago)
Culture history: A constellation of various agricultural and herding tribes, linked by a common language, a common mythology, a common clan system and a common set of tribal laws. They're a farming and trading people, not especially warlike but well-known in the region for being ambitious and risk-taking, and particularly quarrelsome, stubborn and independent. Murder is strictly forbidden, however, even during a feud.
Individual values: A typical Tarrago community is a very close-knit sort. Mutual respect, honour and interreliance characterizes Tarrago society. The Tarrago tolerates independent thinking and encourages self-reliance in their members, but when it comes to important matters effecting a clan or a village, all members of a clan are expected to work together. The Elders must be treated with the utmost respect - failure to do so may result in exile from the Tarragon. Within a clan, each individual is held accountable for his or her own actions. In inter-clan matters, however, each clan is expected to self-police their own members. If a particularly serious crime is commited by the members of one tribe against another, then the whole tribe may be expelled from the Tarragon.
Family values: The family is the most important unit of Tarrago society. A child who abandons his family is an outcast in the Tarragon - however, a patriach who treats his wife and children badly can also expected to be criticized, even punished. Men and women's roles are not clearly defined, but in all Tarrago societies the public domain is generally considered to be a male domain, and the private female. Children help out on the farm or are taught their trades as soon as the parents consider they are old enough. Marriage is usually arranged, though if the couple is strongly opposed to it the marriage will not be forced. Divorce is frowned upon, but is possible if the couple do not have children.
Government values: Each Tarrago village is self-governed. About once a year, or if something important which effects all of the Tarragon does arise, then each village will send a representative to the Tribal Council.
Economy: Agriculture is very important to the Tarragon, but it is trade that is the lifeblood of the economy. Both internal (between villages) and external trade flourishes. Generally, each village would raise only a few types of crops and specializes in one or two fields of manufacturing (one may make excellent pottery, perhaps, and another may pride itself on its metal tools).
Creativity: The Tarrago encourages innovation and creativity. The Tarrago are known not so much for their music or decoration or artistic skills; rather, they channel their creative energies into practical pursuits - new types of buildings, new farming techniques, weapons, tools, etc. If they do venture into the arts, it'd be for trade.
Religion: The Tarrago may be described as a pagan people, though they have a complex mythology and parts of their tribal codes may well be considered divine commendents. There is no structured priesthood, though one may turn to certain Elders for religious authority and spiritual guidance.
Kamilian
Deity
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2002
- Messages
- 3,473
Starting location: Poland, around the Warsaw area (want the capital to be Warsaw, so around middle of Vistula River
Culture name: Poland (from Polanie, people of the plains)
Culture history:
Various tribes united together around a major settlement on the Wisla, which they called Warsaw, in honor of the first ruling couple, Wars and Sawa. The Polanie (henceforth known by the English real-life demonym, Poles) are a polytheistic people, linked by the same values of family loyalty. They have heard of other neighboring tribes with a similar parthenon of gods and goddesses, as well as close linguistic patterns, and are eager to unite them and further expand the Polish cultures. The upper clans place a strong value on the arts, while the lower-ranked clans tend to the farms and fields and are strongly tied to the land. The Poles are ambitious, and while generally preferring to avoid massive confrontation, if it comes down to it they will defend themselves and their land to the end.
Values
Individual Values: In the farmer families, it is typically the man that does the hard labor in the fields, while the woman tends to the home and the children. Some women do prefer to have a small patch of garden around their huts as well. Nevertheless, even in the upper-class clans, the man is expected to be able to provide for his wife and family. Polish communities are usually relatively close, and many people have generally similar circles of friends. The elders in the clans hold much sway and tend to commune with each other to discuss issues that affect their village or town, and can appeal to the local chieftain (male head of the most powerful or richest family in the area).
Family values: Polish men tend to be at the head of the family in most things. While the man leads the family, a woman has a strong pull and influence as well, and the family matriarch demands and gets much respect from the husband. When it comes to marriage, the groom-to-be must ask for permission of both parents to wed the daughter; even if the father consents, without approval from the mother a marriage is unlikely unless a very generous dowry is given. Polygamy is accepted for males, though only the first marriage is considered "husband-and-wife"; all subsequent wives are considered "consorts" and must defer to the first wife in any and all circumstance. Any sort of inheritance, whether farmland or riches, goes primarily to the children of the first wife; the consorts and theirs get very little.
Government values: Among the Poles, the greater community is governed loosely from Warsaw, by Emperor Wars of the powerful Piast clan. Nevertheless, their effective domain is still limited to their capital town itself, or when it comes to leading a war/military campaign. Overall, local Polish societies are governed by the patriarch of the most influential or richest family in the area, though other elders and family leaders can consult with him in local council meetings. Local tribal rule and the overall imperial throne is passed through hereditary succession. (sort of a "Tribal Monarchy" or something of the sort).
Design
Economy: Living along the Vistula, the Poles know that trade is a necessary part of making their communities work. Internal trade is important, and there is a general barter system amongst the villagers and townspeople. Grain harvesting is a mainstay food source and trade item, and there is an active trade in amber passing through Warsaw as well. Amber is a luxury enjoyed particularly by the richer clans.
Creativity: Arts have thus far been limited to myths and legends of the origins from way-back-when of the Polish Empire, and how the tribes began venturing to the focal point that Warsaw shall soon be. Pottery and wall decorations often depict the gods as well, as an homage to the various deities and insurance that the house will have divine blessings and good luck for life. Nevertheless, the arts are limited to mainly the upper clans, while hard work and ambition is a prime value and focus of energy and efforts. There are yet to be paintings of military conquests, which is what some of the tribal leaders hope may happen soon.
Religion: (Wikipedia basically Slavic gods and such, and that would be our current pantheon). Among the founding stories of how the Piast clan came to be the leaders of Poland, is that Wars' father, a high priest of the thunder god Perun, and some of his cohorts at a temple were told by the seer that it is his family's birthright to unite the Poles. At the same time as she said this, witnesses say, the sun shined upon his newborn son, while lightning struck in four places in the distance. Since then, it has been told that the gods have blessed the Piast clan with the ability to unite the local tribes.
There is a structured priesthood, and each god and goddess has a temple dedicated, or smaller shrines scattered throughout the community. Wherever there is a central temple in homage to each dedicated god, there is a hierarchical arrangement with several levels of apprentices, accolytes, priests, and high priests (for men). Young women can also choose to remain virgins forever, dedicated to never marrying or engaging with men who, as mortals, could never be as giving as the gods. Should she be found to have been tainted with temptation, a temple virgin must be shunned and banished by society, and her family surrender a great deal of their wealth to the temple and risk losing their own dignity and influence, her purity and theirs tainted for generations. If a temple virgin remains in the service of the temple well into adulthood, she may be eventually elevated to the status of priestess, and ultimately a select few are annointed as high priestesses (though they are not considered equal to their male counterparts). Some temple virgins, if they appear to have been blessed with special visions and powers by the gods, may become seers, and serve in the inner chambers of the temple to provide prophecy and spiritual guidance from the gods.
(oh yes, there will be great stories to be had here)
Culture name: Poland (from Polanie, people of the plains)
Culture history:
Various tribes united together around a major settlement on the Wisla, which they called Warsaw, in honor of the first ruling couple, Wars and Sawa. The Polanie (henceforth known by the English real-life demonym, Poles) are a polytheistic people, linked by the same values of family loyalty. They have heard of other neighboring tribes with a similar parthenon of gods and goddesses, as well as close linguistic patterns, and are eager to unite them and further expand the Polish cultures. The upper clans place a strong value on the arts, while the lower-ranked clans tend to the farms and fields and are strongly tied to the land. The Poles are ambitious, and while generally preferring to avoid massive confrontation, if it comes down to it they will defend themselves and their land to the end.
Values
Individual Values: In the farmer families, it is typically the man that does the hard labor in the fields, while the woman tends to the home and the children. Some women do prefer to have a small patch of garden around their huts as well. Nevertheless, even in the upper-class clans, the man is expected to be able to provide for his wife and family. Polish communities are usually relatively close, and many people have generally similar circles of friends. The elders in the clans hold much sway and tend to commune with each other to discuss issues that affect their village or town, and can appeal to the local chieftain (male head of the most powerful or richest family in the area).
Family values: Polish men tend to be at the head of the family in most things. While the man leads the family, a woman has a strong pull and influence as well, and the family matriarch demands and gets much respect from the husband. When it comes to marriage, the groom-to-be must ask for permission of both parents to wed the daughter; even if the father consents, without approval from the mother a marriage is unlikely unless a very generous dowry is given. Polygamy is accepted for males, though only the first marriage is considered "husband-and-wife"; all subsequent wives are considered "consorts" and must defer to the first wife in any and all circumstance. Any sort of inheritance, whether farmland or riches, goes primarily to the children of the first wife; the consorts and theirs get very little.
Government values: Among the Poles, the greater community is governed loosely from Warsaw, by Emperor Wars of the powerful Piast clan. Nevertheless, their effective domain is still limited to their capital town itself, or when it comes to leading a war/military campaign. Overall, local Polish societies are governed by the patriarch of the most influential or richest family in the area, though other elders and family leaders can consult with him in local council meetings. Local tribal rule and the overall imperial throne is passed through hereditary succession. (sort of a "Tribal Monarchy" or something of the sort).
Design
Economy: Living along the Vistula, the Poles know that trade is a necessary part of making their communities work. Internal trade is important, and there is a general barter system amongst the villagers and townspeople. Grain harvesting is a mainstay food source and trade item, and there is an active trade in amber passing through Warsaw as well. Amber is a luxury enjoyed particularly by the richer clans.
Creativity: Arts have thus far been limited to myths and legends of the origins from way-back-when of the Polish Empire, and how the tribes began venturing to the focal point that Warsaw shall soon be. Pottery and wall decorations often depict the gods as well, as an homage to the various deities and insurance that the house will have divine blessings and good luck for life. Nevertheless, the arts are limited to mainly the upper clans, while hard work and ambition is a prime value and focus of energy and efforts. There are yet to be paintings of military conquests, which is what some of the tribal leaders hope may happen soon.
Religion: (Wikipedia basically Slavic gods and such, and that would be our current pantheon). Among the founding stories of how the Piast clan came to be the leaders of Poland, is that Wars' father, a high priest of the thunder god Perun, and some of his cohorts at a temple were told by the seer that it is his family's birthright to unite the Poles. At the same time as she said this, witnesses say, the sun shined upon his newborn son, while lightning struck in four places in the distance. Since then, it has been told that the gods have blessed the Piast clan with the ability to unite the local tribes.
There is a structured priesthood, and each god and goddess has a temple dedicated, or smaller shrines scattered throughout the community. Wherever there is a central temple in homage to each dedicated god, there is a hierarchical arrangement with several levels of apprentices, accolytes, priests, and high priests (for men). Young women can also choose to remain virgins forever, dedicated to never marrying or engaging with men who, as mortals, could never be as giving as the gods. Should she be found to have been tainted with temptation, a temple virgin must be shunned and banished by society, and her family surrender a great deal of their wealth to the temple and risk losing their own dignity and influence, her purity and theirs tainted for generations. If a temple virgin remains in the service of the temple well into adulthood, she may be eventually elevated to the status of priestess, and ultimately a select few are annointed as high priestesses (though they are not considered equal to their male counterparts). Some temple virgins, if they appear to have been blessed with special visions and powers by the gods, may become seers, and serve in the inner chambers of the temple to provide prophecy and spiritual guidance from the gods.
(oh yes, there will be great stories to be had here
)
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
Lurker's Comment: Kamilian! How are you? What have you been up to all these years? You modded the first nes I joined! 
KaiserElectric
Total Freakin Besties
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Save a spot for me, I'm working on a nation.
erez87
Lord of Random
- Joined
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How long will the first update be? like 4000bc - 2000bc? I need to know in order to set my culture according to the reality of the world in those dates (until like 1000bc most of Europe was nothing but barbarian tribes and small farming villages).
Abaddon
Deity
How long till update 1?
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