Iskandean (culture)

Cultural Overview

Origins

Iskandean culture descended from Krolaryn culture both during and after the fight for independence from the colonizing empire. Being geographically isolated and influenced by the subjugated Domic culture Iskandeans developed a maritime culture variant of their parent culture.

Geography

Iskandean culture is mostly restricted to the islands of the Isk Archipelago. Small pockets of the culture are present within Iskandean ethnic communities in foreign ports, and smaller mainland settlements established by Iskandean sailors in otherwise unclaimed territories.

Language

Most Iskandeans speak the Iskandean language, a daughter language of the Krolaryn language. Those of Domic ancestry, may speak the Domic language as well.

Traders and sailors who travel overseas may have learned additional foreign languages as appropriate to the cultures they regularly interact with.

Family

Structure / Size

Iskandean family clans tend to live in multigenerational homes. Four or five generations might share a large dwelling with divided sections for each branch of the family.

These large family groups only spilt into separate families following the death of the clan head. Even after such division the families are still bound by blood and familial ties as cousins.

Roles of Family Members

Clan Head

The eldest of a clan is afforded great respect, and where possible is consulted on all matters concerning the family.

Father

Male parents are generally the familial figure head, taking on tasks external to running the household. They are the lead decision maker for the family.

Mother

Female parents are left to the tasks of household management and caring for the clan's children.

Children

Children are expected to learn the family trade(s) and to help out with maintaining the household within their capabilities.

Importance

A person with a small or non-existent family may be seen as weak and taken advantage of.

Collectivism and care for the young and elders makes for strong familial bonds that extend into the greater clans.

Influence

One's family provides a source of physical, financial, and political support. If one wishes to gain power and succeed politically or even in business, the support of a strong family is a necessity.

Orphans

Iskandeans will take in orphans as their own children when they can. Although these foster children do not have the same rights to inheritance as true born children, they are considered in the same light as bastard children.

Religion

Primary Beliefs

The dominant religion of of the Iskandean people is worship of the Twinned Goddess.

Religious Figures

Within every settlement is a priest/priestess of the Twinned Goddess who directs the village or town in religious and ceremonial matters.

Ceremonial

Birth

Expectant mothers are afforded certain respect and may choose who is present during the birthing process. Usually a doctor or midwife, and a couple of female relatives will tend to the mother and newborn child at this time. Celebration of the birth is held until the child's naming day.

Naming

Within five days of the child's birth, the mother and father will choose a name for their offspring. Typically the name of a relative or ancestor, although if older siblings have the same name a child's name may be chosen for other qualities of circumstance. Then the child is formally presented to the community, starting with immediate family, and then more distant relatives. Presents and feasting ensues for several days depending on the size and wealth of the larger clan.

Age

Iskandeans mark ones age using the solstices like many other cultures. A child's age being the number of sols since their naming day.

Apprenticeship

When a young person reaches twelve sols in age, they are expected to begin a trade. /typically training with their parents in the family trade, although if there are too many children they might be fostered with a relative who works a different trade.

Adulthood

At eighteen sols, an Iskandean is no longer considered a child, and is afforded all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of adulthood. A celebration is usually held by the clan to welcome the new adult, and to formally set aside their childhood.

Marriage

Iskandean marriages are typically political in nature. Betterment of one's clan's position and wealth through arranged marriages and alliances is the norm. Few, usually latter generations of children can marry for love alone, and usually only when a better marriage partner is not available. Multiple partners is seen as sinful, and the bonds of marriage are seen as a spiritual union between two souls, breakable only upon the death of either partner. Married couples may exchange tokens to represent their partnership, but there is not common cultural symbol of marriage.

Divorce

Iskandean's do not believe in divorce.

Death

When an Iskandean dies their family will hold a three day vigil before burying the departed one's remains in a rock lined grave. Gifts of food and objects of personal significance are often buried with the corpse. Once the body has been buried the family will host a small feast in celebration of the deceased life, recounting tales of their deeds and reminiscing about their lost loved one.

Inheritance

The rights of inheritance are restricted to acknowledged children by blood. An orphan may well inherit the property of their dead parents, but would generally be out for inheriting the property of their foster parents. It can be done, but usually only if no remaining legitimate heirs are alive to inherit. Even then a surviving bastard child may become acknowledged, and inherit before the fostered orphan. There is no restriction against female heirs inheriting before younger siblings of either sex.

Diet

Food

Being a maritime culture, Iskandean diets include a fair volume of fish and other sea products. Many dishes include seaweeds, shellfish, or fish. A few varieties of mud grains and pot grains are hearty enough to grow in the archipelago's climate, and root and leaf vegetables will further fill out their staples foods. Fruits and berries are also found growing on the islands.

Cultural Dishes

Suupi

A seafood chowder unique to the islands, containing fermented sea kelp, root vegetables and white fleshed fish with a strong distinct flavour.

Shaloki Liver

Eaten raw as long fillets which are skewered and rolled in crushed sea salt.

Spice / Flavours

Iskander produces little in the way of spices, and as a result their dishes tend to use herbs for savoury flavour, supplemented with salt, honey, and butter.

Drink

Non-Alcoholic

Water, teas, milk, and some fruit juices are common.

Alcohol

Beers, ciders, and wines are common beverages.

Apetil

A signature cider beverage brewed from the Apet fruit, a pear like tree fruit known only to the islands of the archipelago.

Fashion

Textiles

Wool and flax fibres are the predominant sources for fabrics in Iskander, although a few sea plants produce viable textile fibres suitable for fabricweaving.

Some articles of clothing are made from knitted woolen yarns rather that woven cloth. Primarily thick woolen shirts, stockings and headwear.

Dyes

A wide selection of colours are available from plant based sources. a few rare colours are only available for the wealthy as they must be imported from overseas.

Embellishments

Beading and embroidery are common, using colourful shells, corals or yarns.

Outfits

Daily by Class

Daily wear by social class varies mostly in the quality of materials. The basic garments of a tunic, vest and leggings is common for all. Women's tunics being longer, and more dress-like. The wealthy being able to afford fur or other trimmings, will wear more decorative garments, which would be impractical for the working class.

Ceremonial

Ceremonial clothing is typically heavily embellished versions of everyday wear.

Jewellery

Precious metals, wood, bone, precious stones, gems, ivory, and shells will all be used to make jewellery. Traditional designs favour armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. Broches for securing cloaks are also common.

Makeup

Both men and women may wear makeup, particularly around the eyes. More general make-up tends to be used by women to mask imperfections, or to appear younger. There is also temporary face and body markings in warriors using a colourful dyed clay as body paint.

Leisure Activities

Sports

Most competitive athletics in Iskander involve swimming, diving, or endurance activities such as cross country running, or wrestling.

Games

Games played by all ages of Iskandeans include cards, dice, darts, knife or axe throwing, and some forms of bowling using wooden stakes and stone balls.

Gambling

Games of chance are traditionally reserved for adults. Dice being the most common.

Social Gatherings

Outside of ceremonial gatherings, the close proximity of persons sharing homes leads to gatherings occurring just for social interactions. These are more spontaneous in nature and involve activities such as storytelling, singing, dancing to music.

Arts

Storytelling

Storytelling is an old tradition in Iskander, predating their independence from Krolar. Skalds exists as a professional class of storytellers, often pairing song and musical instruments together.

Topics of these tales are typically historic in nature, and the collection of stories forms an oral history of Iskander.

Writing

Literacy is not common amongst the lower classes of Iskander, as such writing as an art form is secondary to oral storytelling, or plays.

Poetry

Poets exist in any culture, and Iskander is no exception. Poems written by those few Iskandeans inclined to such writings

Theatre

Formal theatre is a growing cultural artform in Iskander, driven by the desire to create a independent identity from their Krolaryn roots.

Acting

Actors are a respected profession in Iskander. Many share talents in singing, dance, and storytelling.

Plays

Formal stage plays are performed in permanent theatres. Playwrights will produce plays which recount historical and fictional events. Some plays include moral messages, but such parables are not the more popular stories. Instead, comedic plays are more common.

Dance

Iskandean dance involve rhythmic flowing movements reminiscent of the waters surrounding their islands, and elements of tumbling, jumping and spinning.

Gymnastics

A variation of dance, being more a display of physical strength, flexibility and coordination. Such activity is usually performed at fairs or spectacles.

Music

Iskandeans enjoy their music as much as any other culture.

Singing

Singing melodic songs, and using the voice as a instrument are both practiced in Iskander.

Percussion

Drums made of wood and leather are common. Seldom played alone, they are companion instruments to strings, or wind instruments, providing the base rhythms for songs or dance.

Strings

Stings instruments come in a wide variety. Harps and lyres are common sight in the hands of storytellers. Lutes, and similar acoustic chambered stringed instruments will be played by plucking or bowing in ensembles to produce more complex music.

Wind

Horns and a variety of single or multi-pipe flutes are both common instruments in Iskander.

Painting

Frescoes in important permanent buildings are common, using simple colours and motifs. Portrait or other paintings as more portable art are rare. Generally such art is reserve for the wealthy and exist as a form of documentation of important clan members over their years.

Sculpture

Carved wood is the most common form of sculptural art, although some masonry is also used for decorating larger buildings. Large statues are rare in Iskander, mostly due to a lack of suitable stone for such objects. Smaller clay or soapstone figurines are sometimes produced as toys or mementos.

Time

Timekeeping

Iskandeans generally use the path of the sun in sky as an indicator of the passing hours. Water clocks, sand glasses, and other devices are rare and generally just curiosities owned by the wealthy.

Daily Routine

Most working class Iskandeans wake with the dawn, and have a light meal to begin their day. Work is performed until mid-day, when a small meal is eaten. Afternoons are a mix of work and other activities of daily living, before a larger evening meal is eaten with family. A period of social activities and winding down of the day follows the evening meal.

Wealthier Iskandeans, have more leisure time available, but still respect the same pattern of their neighbours. Mealtimes and evening activities are much the same regardless of one's social standing.

Timeline

• Colonization of the Iskandean Archipelago by Krolar (98 YG)
• Iskandean Independance (139 YG)
• Peryth Festival (209 YG)

Persons

List of Iskandean Persons

Stories

Beauty (fifty word fantasy)

Dolf and Ardra

Kids (fifty word fantasy)

Spare (fifty word fantasy)

Tavern (fifty word fantasy)

Worthless (fifty word fantasy)

See Also

Iskandean (people)

Iskander