Baskans

The ocean-faring peoples' of the Baskan Isles, which rest to the north of the Mephistian coast, refer to themselves simply as Baskans. Several thousand years ago, as the dwarves emerged from the mountains of Sheanora - and the elves and humans crossed the Merchant Sea to push the continent's original residents out - the orcish King Bask retreated to the rocky cliffs of the Isles, building a sanctuary for his people. Much of the population remains orcish in heritage, but because of their hospitality towards refugees, a large demographic of humans has settled some of the far flung islands over the last two hundred years, most seeking to escape Mephistian nobility. This mingling of ancestries has given birth to one of the largest groups of half-orcs in the known world.
A proud, humorous people, almost every Baskan has served on a ship at one point in time in their life. They view themselves as superior to the "sea dwellers" on the interior of the Merchant Sea, preferring the harsh and dangerous waves of the Auslairic Ocean. Baskan sailors are often the only peoples' of the Merchant Sea region to have stepped foot on continents to the east and they tend to don their homes with minor goods and trinkets that they brought back with them. 
The inherent dangers of the Isles, as well as the ocean that most Baskans spend their lives on, have transformed them into an incredibly religious people. However, they take a very distinct view from the rest of Sheanora, choosing to worship the gods of the Eternal Court as one interwoven whole, as opposed to individual entities to be worshipped in isolation. This holistic view recognizes each of the gods as essential to life on Aorna - even those that would normally be considered outcaste or abhorrent. It is not uncommon for a Baskan community to contain a temple to Mox, The Eruption or even Qanar, The Occluded Face.   
Each week, Baskan worshippers attend service for a different god, until they have made their way through the entirety of the pantheon. Once complete, they travel to the Temple of the Eternal Court in Evergreen Bay and perform the "Ceremony of the Wholeheart" to rededicate themselves to their faith - only to start the cycle again the following week.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Aina, Ardena, Briann, Doreena, Fianna, Idelisa, Keelyn, Lavena, Marvina, Nareena, Oriana, Rowena, Wynn, Yseula, Dierdri, Liatha, Morwen, Eistir, Macha, Fiona, Athra

Masculine names

Airic, Anghus, Bardon, Berruk, Bredon, Caradoc, Cedric, Darcy, Donaghy, Ewyn, Ferghus, Galvyn, Karney, Maccus, Talies, Tierne, Caiman, Cormac, Donovan, Tuathal, Rann, Gault

Family names

Rinakh, Balag, Murgorim, Kurz, Hogart, Sarkan, Tarak, Kansiff, Shadbak, Lukil, Shagrah

Culture

Art & Architecture

National Colors: Dark Blue, White, Gray
National Symbols: Jagged Rocks, The Eye of a Hurricane, A Hammerhead Shark, Two Triangular Sails Within A Drop of Water