Caéled

The Caéled are an ancient lineage of humans that has populated the lands of northern and north-eastern Heartlands for the past few thousand years -- if not longer. Their ancestral lands stretch from the western seaboard of Caraegwyn to the jagged plains of Aredhen and the wild frontier of Menargion which borders the Rubian Desert. The peoples of Caraegwyn and Aredhen are closely tied to this day, and the two kingdoms have been political allies for decades if not centuries. Meanwhile the Caéled of Menargion have splintered into dozens of barbarian tribes.

Social structure, civilization and culture

Nowadays Caéled are majority populations in three significant geopolitical areas: the kingsdoms of Caraegwyn and Aredhen and the tribal frontier region of Menargion. The peoples of all these civilizations share a long common history and their cultures share many hallmarks to this day.
For information on nation-specific differences in culture, see: Caraegwyn and Aredhen

Equality

Perhaps the most unique aspect of Caéled culture is their tradition of absolute gender equality. Neither political, social or cultural power is divided on the basis of gender. This sets the Caéled well apart from other civilizations of the Heartlands, and, indeed, the world. Caéled societies are not patriarchal -- like most societies in the Heartlands are -- but neither are they matriarchal -- like, for example, the realms of Isatia and Achillonia are.
Powerful nobles are as likely to be male as female. Women are admitted into schools, academies and high offices of civil service on the same grounds as men. Women are allowed to join the military but so too can they be forcibly levied in times of war. Traditionally, the heir of a family is not the eldest son, but rather simply the eldest child. Not even the inheritance of a monarchy is gender-biased.
Equality has its roots deep in the history of the Caéled peoples. It derives from the social behaviour of fey, namely the Sidhe, who are gender-neutral in their social structures. The fey have had a profound influence on Caéled culture for the past millenia. The traditions and teachings of the fey are cherished in Caéled culture, and some go even as far as to worship the lords and ladies of the Sidhe.
Equality has ever been prevalent in Caéled culture, but it was King Arthur I Pendragon -- he who re-founded the Summer Kingdom several centuries ago -- that first officially set it into law. This was a brazen declaration for a newly founded nation, setting the Summer Kingdom distinctly against the patriarchal traditions of the older civilizations of the Heartlands. Aredhen followed suit some decades later.

Marriage

Marriage is free of gender bias in Caéled culture. No sex or gender is assumed to be of a superior standing in a marriage. When two people get married, they decide amongst themselves -- or their families decide, as is usually the case in the pairings of nobles -- which of the two spouses joins the other's family. The most common practice is having the person from a family of lower social standing join the family of a higher social standing. There can also be more concrete aspects to consider, such as the wealth of both spouses and their families as well as possible claims to holdings and other property.
The spouse that is chosen to join the other's family is referred to as the dow or the dower. The other spouse -- whose family is to be joined by the dow -- is referred to as the endower.
The dow takes the endower's surname and officially becomes a member of the endower's family. This means, among other things, that the dow officially relinquishes all claims to their birthfamily's property, fortune and social status. The dow's family is expected to present a dowry to the other family. The endower retains their surname, of course.
Same-sex marriage is both legal and socially acceptable. This is true for all nations of the Heartlands -- not thanks to the fey but rather the teachings of the Empyreal Faith. However, same-sex marriage can be, at times, frowned upon amongst nobility as well as other social circles that place great value upon the continuation of bloodlines. Such frowning is commonplace in Caraegwyn, the land of chivalry and noble heroes, but less so in other Caéled cultures.

Naming traditions

Male names

Giles, Gery, Stomund, Tytos, Bran, Luther, Trystan, Gawin, Barric, Breode, Jacob, Frank, Austin, Dan, Thomas, Ered.

Female names

Mary, Eryn, Sybenn, Igrain, Abella, Daalna, Boda, Sairi, Messbia, Modwen, Lillian, Harriet, Eveline.

Surnames

Davey, Lyney, Poole, Wake, Gardaw, Cardwy, Bexley, Illif, Rheyne, Rivers, Yarcourt, Johns, May, Clark.

Noble families

See: Noble Houses

Name generators to use

Online generators for human names can be used. Such names would represent Egean influence in naming conventions, being thus perhaps quite rare in Menargion, which is located quite far from The Empire.

• Fantasy name generator by donjon -- see the human names generator

For names that are more traditional to the Caéled, use generators that produce historical English and Celtic names. Arthurian names and Edwardian names (British names from 1900-1920s) are appropriate as well.

• Fantasy name generator by donjon -- see the English and Celtic generators
• British English names by FantasyNameGenerators.com
• English renaissance names by FantasyNameGenerators.com
• Edwardian names by FantasyNameGenerators.com
• Arthurian names by FantasyNameGenerators.com

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Synonyms
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Body tint, color and markings
Light to tan skin. The freemen tribes of Menargion are known for their colorful tattoos.
Special characteristics
Wide range of hair and eye colors from dark to light.
Significant populations
Caraegwyn
Aredhen
Language
Caéled
Common
Religion
Empyreal Faith

Related Myths

• Fable of the Yellow-Eyed Witch