Krolaryn (culture)

Cultural Overview

Origins

Krolar was once a large empire which had expanded and spread its influence; forming colonial settlements throughout the continent, however following the Iskandean War for Independance, a series of political schisms have broken it into a mixture of smaller kingdoms, city-states, and small republics. These smaller nations comprise what is collectively referred to as Old Krolar, and follow mostly similar cultural patterns.

Geography

Krolar spanned the region between the Northern Desert to the North, and the northern shores of the Torcastan Sea to the South, from the Sildar Mountains in the East to the forested foot of the Darlom Mountains in the West.

Language

The dominant language of the region is Krolaryn.

Family

Structure / Size

Krolaryn family tend to keep together, with as many as four or five generations living in the same home. Although marriages of adult offspring will necessarily include some moving out or establishing new homes for their own spouse and offspring. Typically due to inheritance, the eldest male will remain in the family home living with his parents and eventually taking on the duties and responsibilities as the primary home owner.

Roles of Family Members

Krolaryns have somewhat strict gender roles for male and female family members, both in the home and the community.

Males

Men and older male children are expected to perform many tasks of manual labour and earning income to support the family as a whole.

Females

Female roles are primarily aligned with nurturing and caring for the family members. This includes cooking, and hygiene related tasks like housecleaning and laundry.

Importance

Family is an important aspect of Krolaryn culture. It influences one's social standing, and is the primary source of opportunities for work, or advancement socially. Those without large or well-off families will often struggle without the network of support they provide.

Influence

Many decisions made by Krolaryns are made with strong consideration of how it will affect the family. While family members will advise and guide those facing a choice, the impact on others is something an individual must come to terms with. Individuals who make choices harmful to their family may find themselves outcast and without support when they need it later.

Orphans

In the former Krolaryn Empire state sponsored orphanages exist to take in the children who do not find fostering with families, or other "pseudo family" situations. These children are wards of the state. They are educated and trained in professions as needed by the local governments needs. Often finding themselves in bureaucratic, or military roles should they survive to adulthood.

Religion

Primary Beliefs

Worship of the Twinned Goddess is the dominant religion throughout Old Krolar. In more remote parts of the former empire some vestigial elements of earlier tribal religions remain as local customs and rituals.

Ceremonial

Birth

Krolaryns welcome newborns with a private family gathering the day after the child is born. Depending on the size and importance of the extended family, these can extend for up to five days of visits and gift-giving. For public figures, a day of celebration and formal introduction of the child to the public is held on the sixth day following the birth.

Naming

Krolaryn children will be named by their parents at the time of their birth, and have a formal baptism at the next church service the family can attend.

Age

As is the custom in many other cultures, Krolaryns count ones age as the number of solstices which have passed since one's birth. Certain milestones are celebrated biannually on the anniversary of one's birth, and the midpoint of the year opposite this date.

Apprenticeship

When a young person begins an apprenticeship, their parents may gift them with a new outfit of clothing. Upon completion of an apprenticeship a gift of some tools of their trade is sometimes given.

Adulthood

Krolaryns mark the passage from child to adult around the age of 18 sols. While there often isn't a formal ceremony, some more public figures will host a party or event to celebrate the new status with others.

Marriage

Krolaryn marriages follow the religious practices of the couple. A married couple have certain gender role expectations in the community and at home. Married folks mark themselves as such by wearing a wedding band on the third finger of their left hand. The design of such varies widely from simple smooth silver rings, to elaborate jewels, or even braided and lacquered textiles.

Divorce

Krolaryns view divorce as an unforgiveable failure of the couple. While it still happens, it is more likely that a separation will occur, while they remain legally married in the eyes of the community and church.

Death

Krolaryn funerals are usually performed by the appropriate clergy according to the faith of the departed, and most often include burial of the departed's remains in consecrated ground when possible.

Inheritance

Inheritance of lands and title by the first born son is the norm, although some women can inherit before a younger brother, especially when the will of the deceased isn't specific about the heir's identity. Bastard children are only considered for inheritance if there are no surviving marriage-born children or a spouse.

Diet

Food

Cultural Dishes

Krolaryn meals tend to be individually served dishes of thick soups, stews, or mince meats and vegetables with a crust of cheese or pastry baked in clay dishes. These are often accompanied by leavened breads, dry crackers or hardtack.

Spice / Flavours

Krolaryn dishes are usually more savory with salty notes. Primary dishes are often lacking in sweet, sour, or strong acrid spice flavours.

Drink

Non-Alcoholic

Most Krolaryns drink water, unfermented fruit juices, and sai.

Alcohol

Beers, ales, ciders, and wine are common. Brandies and spirits are rarer and expensive.

Fashion

Textiles

The Krolaryn climate isn't suitable for more exotic fibers, so most fabrics are either wool or linen. Leather and fur are also common for work wear or cold weather garments.

Dyes

A wide range of colurs are available from locally source ingredients. Krolaryns have experiemented with layered dying to create mottled patterns in one or more colours as well as elaborate weaving of coloured yarns to make geometric and colourful patterns in the fabrics.

Embellishments

Embroidery, tassels, ribbons, and beads are all possible means of decorating a garment for personal, display, or ceremonial purposes.

Outfits

Daily by Class

Typically a Krolaryn person has two or three changes of clothes that are practical for the season and work they do. They tend to use layers of pieced garments to give variety, and utility to their daily clothing.

Ceremonial

Formal and ceremonial clothing is usually noted by the quality and type of textiles. Although some reserved colours of dyes, or particular pelts or furs may also indicate rank and role of the wearer.

Regalia

Specific outfits for celebratory occasions are usually overtly embellished and impractical for daily wear. These may include sprays, fans, or trains.

Jewellery

Krolaryns wear a wide range of bejeweled and simple adornments. Earrings, rings, bracelets, arm bands, chains, necklaces, and hair ornamentation are all common. These may be crafted from wood, bone, glass, clay, or precious metals. and decorated further with gems, feathers, shells, enameling, and craving or etching.

Makeup

Krolaryns wear eye kohl, and other make-up as a sign of social status. Make-up may also be used for covering of blemishes or similar cosmetic reasons.

Tattooing

Tattooing is uncommon in Krolaryn society as a whole. However, certain trades will wear marks, both visible and hidden to indication professional ranks, or association within groups or guilds.

Leisure Activities

Krolaryns engage in a wide variety of social activities for leisure.

Sports

Most physical sports involve team or individual competitions, and often revolve around profession-based skills. Contests involving tradesmen, or martially trained persons will reflect skill and physical prowess related to the profession.

Games

Games can involve elaborate pieces and boards, or simply be body or word based play.

Gambling

Wagering on the outcomes of sports, games, or other contests is common enough that speciiff gambling houses have arisen as a kind of tavern catering to the activity, including in-house usurers offering loans. These are usually operated by the one guild or another, and competition between guilds over legal control of the activity s fierce.

Social Gatherings

Krolaryns will often gather for companionship, and merriment when an appropriate occasion comes along. Drinking, dancing, and staged performances of music, singing, plays or other artistic activities is common.

Hosting such gatherings is an important activity for networking amongst business and political peers.

Arts

Given the long history of Krolaryn culture, they have a rich and well developed artistic side.

Storytelling

The telling of stories is a longstanding tradition is Krolar, rooted in a tradition of oral-histories and semi-formal education. Professional storytellers exist as a kind of travelling artist, and news source.

Writing

Written works are primarily philosophical treatises or religious testaments.

Poetry

Poetry in Krolar has developed into a few unique styles with regional preferences.

Fiction

Works of pure fiction are left to the oral traditions, or poets.

Theatre

The theatrical profession is active in Krolar.

Acting

Actor are a necessary part of professional storytelling, however the duplicitous nature of portraying a character other than one's own leaves them with a poor reputation.

Plays

Plays performed in formal or informal settings are generally historical in nature. Works of pure fiction are gaining in popularity, but are often poorly disguise social commentary or political slants.

Dance

Dancing in Krolar varies between free spirited rhythmic movements, to formalized patterns of steps paired to specific musical styles. Groups or partnered dances are common, and vary with social class.

Gymnastics

Both ground tumbling and arial work is popular as a circus performance by well trained professionals. The practice also includes body contortionists

Music

Music on it's own or paired with other performance arts is common.

Singing

Vocalists are found accompanied by one or more instruments, as well as highly talented vocal artists, whose voice needs no accompaniment.

Both the singing of lyrics and throat instrumentation are equally common.

Percussion

Drums, shakers, rattles, and tonal plates like xylophones are all common.

Strings

A variety of stringed instruments are common, both with and without a sounding chambre, bowed or unbowed.

Wind

Flutes, horns, and trumpets are common throughout Krolar, although their inclusion in musical performances is a matter of style and purpose.

Painting

Painting is a common way of embellishing walls in buildings or dwellings. Portraiture, landscapes and other subjects are also frequently commissioned by patrons of the arts, looking for a more portable option.

Sculpture

Sculpture and carving of stone, wood, or clay is common. Statuary is a common sight in public spaces and as reliefs on important buildings.

Time

Timekeeping

Krolaryns measure time like most other cultures. Dividing the day into a sequence of watches and hours. Devices used to accurately tell the time of day are not commonplace, but a variety of water clocks, sand glasses, and sundials are often used.

The burning of measured candles, and the regular chiming of bells is also common.

Krolar follows the Saynoh calendar to divide the year into months.

Daily Routine

Most Krolaryns follow the same daily patterns of activity. Waking around dawn, eating a light meal, then getting on with the work day. A break for midday including a meal is common, and the work day ends with a meal and leisure time.

Persons

List of Krolaryn Persons

Stories

Cursed (fifty word fantasy)

Knight (fifty word fantasy)

Tanpi and Emel

See Also

Krolar

Krolaryn (people)