Lithic (LETH ik)

Eastern Novya

Most commonly called Eastern Novya, or simply Easterners in the Heartlands, the Lithic people, often shortened to Lith, are a large population of Human from, as the nomenclature implies, eastern Novyum, on the major continent of Ethae. They are primarily centered in and around the region known as the Eastern Petty Kingdoms. Their cultural name comes from Old Capedo, during the rise of Lakorth. It was a term used by both cultures, and is though to have meant foreigner, or stranger. It seemed to become a common term during the height of the Republic of Lakorth, shifting its meaning to more of a blanket term for humans living to the east of Lake Roic. Over the centuries the term narrowed to the culture group it represents in the modern day.

The Lith are traditionally associated with the lands between the Straboria River to their north, and the Dumidan River at their south, and from the Lakortha controlled lands around Lake Roic to the west, to Ubara's Arm of the Lechish people. During the rule of the Republic, these tribal horsemen consolidated into reigonal kingdoms under Lakortha rule. They adapted to the spreading western culture, putting aside their nomadic tribal life, establishing farms for the Republic. Within the first few generations the Lithic kingdoms were as wealthy and powerful as their counterparts west of Lake Roic.

Despite their shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer life to a settled farming life, the Lith kept hold of their ancestral traditions. It is these traditions that kept them united and strong during the decline of the Republic and the wars that followed. The centuries changed this however, and by the time the Lith kingdoms joined the United Kingdoms of Novyum the Lithic people were on the verge of war among themselves. The forced unity of the United Kingdom's era only festered these generational grievances. The fall of the United Kingdoms and the Novyum Civil War lit the kindling that was already smoldered, and the Lithic people exploded into war with themselves. This civil war, within the greater Novyum Civil War is what led to the regional chaos of the modern day.

The internal war among the Lith crumbled every one of their kingdoms, leaving a lawless land of bandits, shattered castle, and burnt farms. Now, the region is a cycle of rising and falling petty kingdoms and city-states, changing so fast, that the rest of Novyum rarely bothers learning their names or politics. Cartographers have long given up on listing any on maps, clumping all into the region called on most maps, the Eastern Petty Kingdoms. Some are led by mercenary bands, who's leaders fancy themselves as would be kings. Others are established by Lith with their own agenda, be it revenge on their neighbor, an attempt to seize power, or even an altruistic attempt at finally bringing peace to their region. But raids and battles are the ways of all.

The Lith of the modern day are a hardy people. They have never known a world without conflict and war. Many seek little more than their family's survival. Some build small farms to feed themselves and sell what little they can. Others hire themselves of as fighters for local armies or mercenary bands to earn some coin to send home or fight to hold their town's territory. Some of those ancient nomadic roots have resurfaced in these people, with them often moving from town to town hoping to find the one stable place to plant roots. There seems to be an eternal hope that the next tiny kingdom to rise will remain stable and grown to control the region.

War is a constant for these people, meaning most have some combat experience. Even if never having encountered violence, most men, and women alike, have some training. This, along with their daily labor, leaves little time for scholastic endeavors. Lithic culture is one of the few in the Heartlands that have a high number of uneducated people, with many of their common folks never learning to read or write.

While dominantly of Novya heritage, the Lithic lands have long been a mixing pot of east and west. Migrating Slava blood has mixed among the culture making the Lith people a genetically diverse people. Lighter hair colors may still dominate, but the darker shades of blondes from the east have grown through the generations. Eye colors range from most natural colors among humans. They style is traditional for the Heartlands, though the Lithic colors tend to be muted and grey, rather than the bright pastels of the west. Outside of labor, it is not uncommon to see Lith wearing some form of armor in public. The endless struggles in their region make many wary of sudden attacks by bandit or warbands. Both sexes are expected to be conservative in public, with faces and hands being the only body part to be allowed to show skin. While there are no laws controlling this, and no real punishment, aside from possible dirty looks and shunning, the cultural tradition run deeps in these people.

Race: Human

Ethnicity: Normon

Homeland: Eastern Petty Kingdoms

Alignment: War has raged in their land for so long the Lithic people do what they can to survive, leading them towards a more neutral or chaotic.

Age: Lith have an average lifespan for humans. If violence doesn't claim them, the live an between 65 to 95 years.

Size: (Medium) Lith are an average height for humans, ranging form 5 to 6 feet tall. Men usually stand taller then their female counterpart.

Language: The Lithic people are people of the Heartlands of Novyum, meaning the Common Tongue as their cultural language. Often being their only learned language, as few have time for scholastic learning. Reading and writing is rarely studied by the common people of the Eastern Petty Kingdoms.