Barleyers
Barleyers are a Human ethnic group from the Barley Sea.
Values
Barleyers traditionally place heavy value on one's family and extended family first, with one's city as a greater extended family. Family harmony and compromise is valued; disowning a family member is viewed as disgraceful and may suffer retaliation against the family from the rest of the community. Loyalty is highly prized, and an individual may be admired for maintaining his allegiances even when his side is in the wrong. Barleyer communities, on the other hand, have rivalries and disagreements with each other going back generations, with members of many cities outright hating Barleyers from other cities due to ancient disputes. Non-Barleyers are generally received by Barleyer communities with courtesy as they are not subject to these fierce internal rivalries. However, since their integration into Lysandria, a shared Lysandrian identity has emerged that has somewhat dulled these ancient rivalries.Traditions
Holidays and Celebrations
New Spring's Day
New Spring's Day takes place on the first day of spring. Festivities include a feast of beer, preserves on crackers, and a roast of the oldest healthy meat animal in the town. After the feast, there is a traditional play serving to recap and commemorate big events of the previous year, ending with a skit or duet featuring the eldest in the village and the most recently of-age member of the community, ending with a solo performance by the younger performer. After that, there is a bonfire, in which the clothes from the play, save those worn by the young performer, is burned along with old broken junk from the previous year.Maiden's Day
Maiden's Day is celebrated in early summer after the planting is done, and is a day dedicated to the goddess Syvanthea. It is a day of decorating homes and hair with flowers, and in the afternoon there is a dance when unmarried young men and women pair off and dance as flower petals are thrown from the sidelines by village children. Marriages proposed on Maiden's Day are believed to be blessed by the goddess.Grandparent's Day
Grandparent's Day is a day of storytelling and sharing of wisdom gained from long life honoring the elders of the village.Harvest's End
Harvest's End is a day of parties and beer celebrating the end of the harvest.The Rivalries
The Rivalries are days each year when old city rivalries are laid bare and men of rival cities meet on prepared grounds and challenge each other to one on one wrestling matches. Although Rivalries are supposed to be a peaceful way of blowing off steam and settling disputes without bloodshed, sometimes fights do break out between teams and spectators alike.Food
The Barley Sea is a fertile grain growing region, and so many traditional Barleyer foods make heavy use of grains, flour, and beer, as well as cattle. The following are traditional meals among Barleyers:- Beer-battered pheasant, usually reserved for the upper class or special occasions
- Layer-stacked flatbreads and soft cheese
- Cowmilk butter on fresh bread
- Barley porridge with fruits, nuts, and roast acorns
- Beef and barley stew with dumplings
- Beef and vegetable pie topped with pheasant egg
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Aiya, Bycine, Cycine, Dyri, Ganine, Laiya, Lugen, Mana, Yuma
Masculine names
Aden, Axen, Baxil, Galen, Layko, Lugen, Rander, Rogan, Rutter, Tannen, Tanneth, Tommi, Ulman
Family names
Axen, Gamblebight, Hinder, Lamellian, Lemellian, Luxian, Magpy, Oxenby, Woad, Wooseby
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Most Barleyers speak a local dialect of Sutherhart Trade, with some erudite Barleyers speaking Old Veldon as well. Barleyers tend to gesticulate with their left hands when they speak, regardless of which hand they favor.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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