Difference between revisions of "Highlanders"
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A proud and hardy race, the Highland people are descendants of Horen that dwell in the rougher corners of the world. Oft found braving the elements in the far north, or battling threats on the frontier. Some of the toughest and most rugged heroes of humanity have emerged from the ranks of this proud people. Highlanders are typically larger than their fairer cousins due to the harsh constraints of their homelands only allowing the strongest to survive. It is not unusual for highlanders to sport copious amounts of facial hair, with some highlander cultures regarding this as a symbol of masculinity. Highlanders are fair skinned with hair colour ranging from blond to dark brown, some variations of highlanders have been known to dye their hair as a ritual for battle, however, this is not common. Highlanders usually display brash and aggressive personalities that are likely a result of the highly warlike and hierarchical societies from which they originate. Highlanders typically follow the standard aging of descendants of Horen, not living far beyond eighty (80) years of age naturally, yet the oldest reaching a hundred and fifty (150). Due to the harsh lifestyle of the highlander people they often meet death earlier than others. The Highlanders experience the same curse as the rest of the progeny of Horen, with very short lives.
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Culture
Unlike their kin of the heartland, the Highlandish peoples are divided into extremes. The Raev, Kaedrini, and Hansets are all so different, all so at odds, that its a miracle they can be grouped by historians into such a broad term. Each draws upon different ancient traditions, different styles of combat, different beliefs and tenets, amongst many other differing political allegiances.
Hanseti: Drawing their descent from the Teutonic Order, which dates back the days of Aegis, the Hansets are a culture of towering, warrior-like men who draw hair from the fair and dark spectrums. The Teuts eventually mingled with the common northmen and eventually the race of the Hansets would hold to be the basin in which all northmanic culture would spill from. In one stream, the Waldens would form and emerge as the holder of the Kingdom of Aesterwald, crowning themselves Konigs under the House Rovin. These men, once faithful of the Church of the True Faith, are known to be frivolous in devotion to God although differing in belief and dogma to the Canonist Church. They've also led to the emergence of other northern cultures such as the Ruric or the Siegradan (a mix between raev and Hanset cultures). Link to Hanseti page Hanseti
Kaedrin: (Taken from the Kaedreni Scirpt, Written by the Byzabro)
Unlike their Aegisian counterparts, the origin of the Kaedreni people had not come from the world of Aegis, nor are its people an ancient ethnicity stemming since the beginning of recorded time. Kaedrin, formed from the fires of the Malinorian Wars, was a kingdom that expressed the same ideals of tradition and simplicity that couples its people into the Highlander people. The Kaedreni people are considered successors to the once proud Kingdom of Gaekrin, located in northeast Aeldin. After the plague known as Zitoun’s Revenge, the kingdom disintegrated and fractured, most of the more prominent families fleeing in all directions. The Chivay family arrived in Asulon as a result, and brought with them the cultural aspects of their Aeldinic ancestry. When Kaedrin was granted to Peter I, those same aspects were revitalized and expressed once again, and the Kaedreni people once again saw a rapid revival.
Raevir: A culture birthed from the Ancient Harrenic tribes, the raevir first made their appearance in the political field of Oren in the realm of Anthos. Their bastion of power, the Krelmstad once overlooked the bustling city of Kralta which housed a wide range of peoples. The raev, in the Old Age, focused on teamwork and unity versus individuality of the soul. Their social structure was unlike the other cultures of Man which possessed unified militant doctrine. In opposition, the raevir were defined by their serf class, called strelts. These peoples ranged from agricultural farmers to steel smiths. Each contributed to the community and each owed loyalty to their lord. The raev man, or woman, is defined by brown hair, sometimes favoring darker shades. Their skin is fair, however strelesy often possessed darker, more tanned complexions due to working the field. Their Great House can be identified in the House Carrion.
Art
The stereotype that heartlanders are artless people is a shame. They often dabbled in art forms involving great religious scenes, (see Bogdan and the Scrolls), they've also embarked on great feats of writing, often recounting the political history or makeup of Oren in volumes.
Literature
Highlanders are not well known for their scholarly tradition and beyond their historical records, there are no great poems or recountings of a tale. Though warriors are fond of boasting of the achievements of their fathers after imbuing a few ale.
Music
Highlander music typically consists of battle hymns or tavern songs with very little formalized music being recorded .
Religion
In the past, the Highlanders have been dominated by religious beliefs. In the Kaedrini culture, the belief of 'Lucienism' once dominated. In comparison to Modern Lucienism, developed by the proto-Aesterwaldians, this Lucienism was marked by human dominance and fueled the war machine, the beliefs, that was the White Rose. The Hansets, possibly the longest opposer to Orenian mainstream, claimed loyalty to the Creator and took upon themselves the Black Cross as their signet. In the Raev, the old faith of Ruskan Orthodoxy was molded amongst the aristocracy and clergy. In the aftermath of the Horenian Exodus, the Raevir forged this religion in opposition to other denominations and, in future years, most directly opposed the Order of Saint Lucien. Ruskan Orthodoxy, perhaps the most important contribution of Highlanders to the Faith of Man, was a key component in molding the modern Church of the Canon. The highlander cultures were once pitted against one another, in the Great Schism. A war between the Canonist League, spearheaded by the Pontiff Daniel I (a former Carrion) clashed against the Schismatic Aesterwaldian-Rovin state, which sook to remove the Carrionic Hegemony from the Church.
History
It cannot be said that there is any one history of Highlanders due to the multiple sub-groups of Highland people.
Recent Highlander History
Historical Highlander Kingdoms
Cities
Highlander settlements are typically not as populous as the settlements of their southern kin. This combined with their tendency to live on the frontier has resulted in Highlander towns being dense heavily fortified settlements that stand starkly in the snow.
Existing Highlander Settlements
- Carrenhall - Capital of Erochland, occupied by House Colborn it is a highlander city most prominant in the artisan ways and trade.
- Riga - Capital of Courland, occupied by House Staunton and its vassals. Arguably not a highlander settlement as it is controlled by heartlanders.
- Godansk - Capital of Krajia, occupied by the Krajian Hetman and his free men.
Historical Highlander Settlements
- Siegrad
- Karovia
- Kralta
Random Tidbits
- Highlander lore is a compilation of influences from Germanic, Viking and Witcher sources
- Highlanders are the best humans
Written by: Narthok
