Frewenic

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Lucia, Eline, Fara, Nora, Tavia

Masculine names

Caserus, Arcares, Tauren, Alezar, Arlen

Unisex names

Maeral, Tanathil, Ellis, Aryn, Callor

Family names

Adrorus, Alpheaus, Priaphises, Toross, Orira

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Norrish

Culture and cultural heritage

Frewenic culture

Shared customary codes and values

Frewenic people are close knit and value family above all else. However, they do not tend to care deeply for those outside their immediate families, but instead focus on the needs of those they are directly related to. Most people of Frewenic descent don't like to live alone or in isolation but prefer to live among communities. It's not very common to see these people living on their own, or far away from their families.
It's customary for Frewenic youths to depart from their families for a time to make it on their own and then return to their home villages once they are older. That being said, it's not common for them to move back in with their parents, but rather it's expected that they will at least live near where their parents are. If the youth does marry, it's customary for the couple to then live closer to the wife's relatives over the husbands.

Common Etiquette rules

Frewenic women are expected to be the epitome of polite behavior and manners. Young women are said to always dress modestly and to be very good cooks. Social standing is very important to these people as well. For men, it is important for them to have a career that is not only lucrative, but it respected among their peers. For instance, if a man is raised in a farming community, it would be good for him to become a farmer as well, or something closely related to farming. It would not be respectful for that man to move to a city and become an bar keep. Just the same if a man was raised in the city to be a merchant, it would be disrespectful for that man to become a farmer. It's very common to see family run businesses, or trades that have been passed on from generation to generation.

Art & Architecture

Frewenic architecture is said to be some of the most beautiful in all the world. They love to build tall, majestic buildings with tall spires and arches. Grand cathedrals and palaces are well known in Frewen culture. Some of the mainstays of Frewenic architecture are stone structures, large expanses of glass, clustered columns, sharply pointed spires, intricate sculptures, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses. Some of the world's greatest architects are of Frewenic descent.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

The Frewenic people are very festive, they enjoy getting together a celebrating! There are many festivals and traditions throughout the year. Like most cultures, they celebrate the start of their new year with the New Moons Festival, they also celebrate the end of the harvest season with a feast. All in all, they celebrate around 50 different festivals, traditions, parties, and feasts in a year. Any excuse for a party is a good one. Here are some major customs that are observed among the Frewenic people.
Festival of the New Moons - Observed every year on the final day of the year (Shem 29) and ends on the 2nd day of the new year (Arvem 2).
Feast of Lights - Celebrated during the first full moon of the year. This feast typically last for 4 days, and can often coincide with the Festival of New Moons. During this festival, communities come and feast together in the evenings. It is customary for every participant to bring a source of light with them, be it a candle, torch, or flame of some kind. During the feast days, there is a large bonfire that burns throughout the nights. People are encouraged to bring something to add to the fire as a way of shedding the past year, along with its troubles and hardships, to start again new.
Arlens Day - Arlens Day is to commemorate the first King Arlen of Frewen. He is a benevolent hero among the people of Frewen and is remembered fondly. During the celebration, it's customary for young boys to dress up like knights complete with wooden swords. A common dish served on Arlens Day is fogberry pie. Arlens Day is observed on the 20th of Eydrem, supposedly the day the day when he died.
The Seeds Festival - The Seeds festival is held during the first 2 days of Hollem to celebrate the spring and the planting of new crops. Even those who live in the city and do not live or work on farms celebrate this time. For the Seeds Festival, people typically dress in green and white and use those colors in their home decor. A popular dish is river salad, which consists of a fully cooked river quill fish in the center with various kinds of leafy greens and river plants surrounding the fish. River quill are abundant during the first couple weeks of Hollem due to their mating and migration patterns when they pass through the North Arlen River on their way to the ocean in the northeast.
Midsummer Nights - This festival is held during the entire second week in Bellum to celebrate all things summer related. It is officially started with the annual Fogberry Hunt where young children (with their parents) search the nearby forests for fogberries. This is the time of year when they are in full bloom and it often appears as though there is a thick fog surrounding where they grow. For children, it is fun to locate the berries in the dense fog and pick them without breaking them open. It's customary for the child with the most berries picked at the end of the day to win a prize. The rest of the week is dedicated to having fun in the sun, filled with games, laughter, and eating. In the evenings at the end of every day, the people come together and feast. These feasts are always held outside, it would be considered bad luck to eat indoors during the festival.
Holy Arvalis Day - Holy Aravlis day is held on the 28th of Sedonem. This is to celebrate the coming of the Arvalis and the end of Emperor Falvor's reign. Generally this day is very exciting, considered the most elaborate feast of the year. Everyone celebrates this day and all businesses close for the day. People exchange gifts and sing songs about the Arvalis and the Keeper. There are songs dedicated to each Keeper throughout history. This is the most important day for people who are Arvalean in their beliefs. At midday, there is a very large feast that takes place. Every community across the kingdom holds one where everyone in that community or city is invited to take part.
Harvest Festival - The Harvest Festival takes place on the third Lusda in Veracrusem. The Harvest Festival brings everyone together so celebrate harvest and to enjoy its spoils. The food is centered around the theme of autumn and makes use of all the autumn vegetables and grains.

Coming of Age Rites

While there is no official ritual that Frewenic people follow, it is an unspoken tradition that when a child become a teen, they often will leave their parents home in search of their own career and love. Some will go to specialized schools or universities, and others will find work in a city or nearby village. It's tradition for their career to follow in the same path as their parents, if not something related or similar.

Historical figures

King Arlen