NES Cultures

[Perfectionist]

I have no imagination.

Name of Culture: Sweordwera
Place of origin: Cold coastal plains.
Gods & Goddesses and related beings: Oh, your typical Indo-European pagan pantheon. I've always rather liked Old Norse mythology, so I expect I'll use something rather like that.
Any significant past accomplishments: Killing and driving out the previous inhabitants of their current location, a Neolithic culture heavy on the monumental architecture. So, current location has lots of deserted, slowly decaying monuments.
Current economic base: Mostly subsistence agriculture, of course, with relatively significant long distance riverine trade, and lots of raiding between clans, tribes, and other cultures for profits of said trade. Cities completely non-existent, towns few and far between, villages small and low density.
Current location: Heavily forested, somewhat hilly uplands, large nearby fens. Preferably close to LB's Welshmen, so we have some demons to kill.
Lineage: Salic patrimony
Spoken language: Sweordisc
Written language: Runic alphabet, mostly used for ceremonial occasions.
Medium for writing: Sheepskin.
Class structure: Nobility, priesthood, free men, peasants, slaves; little real difference in living standards. Slaves either battle captives or debtors; in either case, condition only temporary.
Ruling class: Hereditary chieftain, with powers limited mostly by his ability to pursuade the tribe or clan, often in general council, to go along with him, and his capacity for gift giving. Those, in turn, limited largely by his success in battle. Consistent failure, or simple disinclination to lead from the fore, leads often to deposition in favour of a more daring man. Below that, ill-defined warrior nobility. Sufficient success in battle, with associated taking of plunder and acquisition of fame, can lead to de facto entry into nobility. Similarly, failure in battle, or cowardice, leads to de facto expulsion from nobility. At the side, priests, with relatively little direct power, but responsible for discipline in armies and generally acting sort of as a supreme court, maintaining order at general councils and such.
Key values: Pursuit of fame, leadership by example, proto-egalitarianism, personal and familial honour, reciprocal obligation, hospitality.
OTL mix: More or less straight up early Germanic, with particular emphasis towards the Anglo-Saxon branch.

Incidentally, did you know there's an Old English wikipedia?

 

[Swissempire]

I didn't know there was one.

And my cradle is plenty crowded thank you very much.

Between Perfectionist, Emu and LittleBoots, the pit fights will be interesting

 

[alex994]

You know, it is only up to the Bronze Age. Civilizations can't get THAT decadent so quickly swiss. You have to build an actual Empire before you can get decadent

 

[~Darkening~]

Name of Culture: Ilosilletar (Ill-owe-sill-tar). The name is an example of tangible nouns in Quet-Ilieon, in which specific words and meanings are combined to form a greater word. In the case of 'Ilosilletar', the name literally comes across as "The Rose Kingdom". As the name implies, the white rose is considered a highly influential piece of Ilieon culture, and much of the shrubs are cultivated only in the king's gardens.
Place of origin: River valley. The main myth in the Ilieon culture is the one depicting their relative preference of isolation. The myth (Olor) depicts how the Ilieon, after a past of constant attacks by their neighbors, fled their original homes and found their haven in the islands. It is mainly through this centuries old tradition, in which each generation is reminded of why they do not associate with foreigners, and helps keep the society free from foreign ideas.
Gods & Goddesses and related beings: Worship of a tri-system of gods (known as Malatyzer) which is mostly used to keep the masses in line. While there is some benevolence towards their gods, the Ilieon mostly worship a single god every now and then, and most of the people's spiritual needs are taken as a whole by the priests. The three main gods are Nóre (land), Aire (sea), and Linde (sky). Finally, there is a large cult to the goddess Vinyille, the Rose Virgin (who is credited for giving the shrub to the islands' king.) The adjective for Malatyzer is Tyzerai.
significant past accomplishments: The main accomplishments of the Ilieon deal with mostly cultural issues- there are a number of proto-instruments utilized in ceremonies. In addition, while being based in a island chain has resulted in a tendency for attempting to maximize the possible uses of land, and keeping the lower castes in their respectful places. Finally, there is some experience among the Ilieon in the areas of fishing, but they lack much of the naval warfare technology as they tend to ignore anyone approaching.
Current economic base: Naturally being based on an island chain, the majority of the people make their income from the sea. Fishermen, couriers, and sailors make the majority of the workforce. There are some farmers, with individual lots to be worked being given out by the king, through with the need for land there is not a lot available to be utilized in this format. Finally, the result of the populace fall in mostly mercantile professions, working as artisans, soldiers, and priests.
Current location: A small chain of islands located a short distance from the coast (hopefully something akin to the Japanese islands or the Caribbean). The home islands of the Ilieon, the Misalona, form the entirety base of where the people live. Disgusted in have relationships with other peoples, the Ilieon are entirely isolationist and only a fraction of the people perform the role of tradeing with other peoples- there might be two traders among a whole city, and even then the locations they serve is highly limited by the Losartano (Rose-king). While there a few cases in which an outsider may be accepted into the culture, the main feature the Ilieon are known for are their unwillingness to even deal with foreigners.
Lineage: Lineage is mostly patriarchal, through some matriarchal lines exist. The ruling line of the Ilieon, the Losartano, claim to be descended from the goddess Vinyille, giving rise to the Rose kingdom. And while the Losartano may come across as the 'Rose-king', the name is also applied to female rulers of the nation.
Spoken language: Quet-Ilieon- literally "Talk (of) the people". Quet-Ilieon is spoken according to social rank, and as such that many of the lower classes are required to speak with certain suffixes.
Written language: Written language isn't considered necessary, through for certain situations a proto-alphabetic system is used. Most of the people care little for the language (known as Tucilieon), through its used mostly by the merchants and governors.
Medium for writing: papyrus
Class structure: Nobility-farmers-naval classes-priests-peasents-slaves.
Ruling class: nobility (a monarchy if you wish to call it that).
Key values: Politeness, hard-work, society, structure, honesty.
OTL mix: Phoenician/Japanese/ with a hint of greek (pyshical appearence of people).

 

[The Loser]

Name of Culture: The Eagles Of Death Metal
Place of origin: The nordic peninsula.
Gods & Goddesses and related beings: Worship of the Eagles and other nature phenomenon
Any significant past accomplishments: They are not afraid of Death, and can fight with unknown strenght. Also, they are masters in crafting jewels from all sorts of Metals
Current economic base: Trade, and exploring/colinisation
Current location: A group of larger islands of the coast of the nordic peninsula
Spoken language: Norsk
Written language: pictographs on reindeer skin
Medium for writing: reindeer skin
Class structure: The Elders => Priests => common people. ( a special class is the musician )
Ruling class: A counsel of Elders.
Key values: Hard working, brute, but also with a artistic touch (the jewels)
OTL mix: Scandinavian: a mixture from Vikings ( the Warjagen: comercial people, and The Norsk: hard working people.)

 

[Abaddon]

Im back-ish... this kinda thing any good Bird? I will let my imagination flow and perhaps even play a little less pOwa-gAm3R this time if things go well.

Name of Culture:Aagödia
Place of origin: At the base of lush foothills along a river valley.
Gods & Goddesses and related beings: Serephina - Goddess of Spring, the renewer, and many smaller gods. Seasonal gods are the most important, but Sereph is the most adored. Motherhood, fertility, life, rebirth, luck – all combined with an agriculturally blessed nation.
Any significant past accomplishments: exceptional husbandry
Current economic base: farming, mercantile.
Current location: spread downriver,threading out over lush floodplains and touching on the coastline. A food rich nation with heavily trade.
Lineage: Matriarchal - The High Phien "Queen" of the royal family is head- above her partner, as the female god Serephina will only communicate through female subjects.
Spoken language: Aagöten
Written language: alphabet
Medium for writing: Plant inks on rough cloth
Class structure: Very lose system, money controls your position. If you try something, and your good at it you’ll do fine. Royal Family, religious are above others, but then it is a mishmash depending where you are in the country! It is a long and ardous initiation ceremony for females wishing to join religious ranks
Ruling class: Family/Religious bodies- A royal family line, who head the worship of Serephina
Key values: High merit, High reward
OTL mix: no idea…

 

[Swissempire]

Name of Culture: The Eagles Of Death Metal
Place of origin: The nordic peninsula.
Gods & Goddesses and related beings: Worship of the Eagles and other nature phenomenon
Any significant past accomplishments: They are not afraid of Death, and can fight with unknown strenght. Also, they are masters in crafting jewels from all sorts of Metals
Current economic base: Trade, and exploring/colinisation
Current location: A group of larger islands of the coast of the nordic peninsula
Spoken language: Norsk
Written language: pictographs on reindeer skin
Medium for writing: reindeer skin
Class structure: The Elders => Priests => common people. ( a special class is the musician )
Ruling class: A counsel of Elders.
Key values: Hard working, brute, but also with a artistic touch (the jewels)
OTL mix: Scandinavian: a mixture from Vikings ( the Warjagen: comercial people, and The Norsk: hard working people.)

Dude, liek r u bing 4 srs?

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Well, other than the name it seems like a decent nation. No need to be too mocking Swiss.

 

[Swissempire]

Well, other than the name it seems like a decent nation. No need to be too mocking Swiss.

I know, I was just gawking at the name.

 

[North King]

While on a break from updating, I came up with this (subject, as always, to change):

Name of Culture: Kitiluk

Place of origin: A coastal, forested region, quite cold and wet.

Gods & Goddesses and related beings: The Kitaluk don't believe in true "gods" and "goddesses" in the sense that most nations do. The closest things to divine beings are their heroic, mostly mythical predecessors, who were, it is said, the first to top the waves on wooden vessel. They are still said to prowl the ocean to this day, watching over their people. This is, however, a fairy tale, and very few believe that these ancestors were anything more than just that--ancestors to their people. Their tales are mostly made to inspire.

Any significant past accomplishments: Seaworthy vessels; extremely skilled carving, especially in ivory; good knowledge of fortifications; sophisticated fishing technology.

Current economic base: What is not derived from the sea (fishing), or from the coasts (hunting) is traded for; given their general lack of land area to settle on, they tend to rely heavily on products gotten from the mainland.

Current location: A temperate, heavily forested, rocky coastline, quite wet, though they are eager to make forays just about everywhere. They do not actually hold significant lands in any place: the largest bits they hold are islands. They usually pick a particularly large coastal hill or rock, build a fortress on it, and make a good harbor so that they can use it as a resupply point and anchorage; through these they trade with the mainlanders. Their society is so lacking in conventional land power that most nations ignore them--the rock fortresses are worthless if taken and a pain to take. Their true power lies in their ships: nearly their entire nation is at sea.

Lineage: Essentially ignored by the great part of the populace. Since there are more or less no lands to settle upon, there is no real need for inheritance, and captains of the ships are elected on merit by crews. Most men keep a necklace or bracelet of carved ivory beads that carry single words that their friends carved for them--usually descriptions of their character.

Spoken language: An isolate, unrelated to its neighbors (the Kitaluki migrated from a colder region to the coasts of their present lands, and the relatives of the old language have probably died out). Nothing particularly surprising compared to most other languages.

Written language: Highly distinctive, the Kitaluki do not write in grammatically correct sentences. Instead, their writing consists of a string of words arranged almost in the stream-of-consciousness style, designed to evoke images and thoughts in the reader's mind. It is also one of the few truly three dimensional systems of writing in the world--feeling the "text" is just as important, if not more, than reading it.

Medium for writing: Usually a string of carved ivory beads on a long string. Each ivory bead is carved as a word or expression, and a person "reads" them by feeling each bead in turn on the string. Stone is occasionally used, as is wood, all in the form of beads. This doesn't lend itself to monumental inscription very well, however, and the crude derivations of the carvings projected onto a flat surface are usually curt in message. One would be correct in getting the impression that the Kitaluki detest transferring their writing to a stone's surface.

Class structure: The rulers of the Kitaluki are almost universally elected. Captains are elected by their men, and when the men want to throw out a captain, they vote on that, as well. Captains elect an admiral when command must be centralized. The nation itself rarely has one ruler, but when one must be agreed upon, anyone who can arrive to cast a vote is allowed to, with no man's vote held in higher regard than any other's. Candidates for elections tend to be disregarded unless they win a large majority of the vote--those who win a small majority are usually pressed to hold elections again and again until they can manage a larger share. This staggering level of egalitarianism and decentralization is due mostly to the utter lack of lands to be inherited, and even ships are not passed from father to son.

Ruling class: Since almost all Kitaluki are held in equal regard, there is no universally defined ruling class. Even when they must elect a universal leader, his power is not absolute.

Key values: Advance by merit; honesty; service to society.

OTL mix: None that I'm aware of.

 

[alex994]

OOC: Don't be so harsh on them! Have faith! ^_^

 

[Birdjaguar]

Wow! Pretty interesting cultures. I hope I can accommodate them all on the map when its done. It will be fun grouping them. Keep in mind that in the beginning, nations will be small.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Oh yes, of course they will be. That's not unexpected.

 

[LightFang]

What? We don't start with empires that span 1/3 of the known world? That's preposterous.

 

[alex994]

Am I the only one who feels self-conscious when birdjaguar says "pretty interesting cultures?"

 

[LightFang]

Probably, since you're not creative enough to write your way out of an English essay for first-graders. D:

 

[Birdjaguar]

So far:

River valley: 5
Upland Rainforest: 1
Forested mountains: 2
Islands or coastline: 5
Island in a lake: 1

 

[~Darkening~]

Islands or coastline: 5

How sad .

 

[North King]

I thought out mine ahead of time; don't blame me.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

He really did, NK talked to me about it earlier.