Romatians

Mountainous, snowy, and heavily forested, those who make Romatia their home enjoy a picturesque landscape. But some claim the icy wind that blows here turns the people's hearts hard and frigid.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

• French Mainstays: Amalie, Colette, Genevieve, Yvette

• English/British Mainstays: Bellamy, Lena, Nelly, Pippa

• German Mainstays: Adele, Anja, Johanna, Liesel

• Slavic Mainstays: Annika, Natasha, Sonia, Tatiana

Masculine names

• French Mainstays: Croix, Laurent, Lyle, Pierre

• English/British Mainstays: Beckett, Emmett, Kit, Remington

• German Mainstays: Bernard, Charles, Franz, Otto

• Slavic Mainstays: Dimitri, Erik, Ivan, Nikolai

Family names

Most Romatians have a mixture of British, French, German, and Slavic ancestry. Beginning in about 1300, people from these groups began to migrate to the area, and took their names with them. The Knavesmire family was in charge at this time. Today, the royal palace bears their name. In the 1520s, the nation became independent, and the von Delmonts took the throne, as most of the Knavesmire line had died. Noble families began taking on the von prefix as a marker of their status. It is estimated that there are about twenty von clans besides the royal family.

Other names

Each of King George and Queen Isabella's children were named for other royals, except for Jewels.

• Margaret was named for Margaret Tudor of England

• Genevieve was named for Romatia's first queen

• Marie was named for Marie de'Medici of France

• Anastasia was named for Anastasia Romonov, Last Grand Duchess of Russia

• Jewels was named for the Crown Jewels of England

• Celia's legal name is Catherine, for Catherine the Great of Russia

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

English is the official language, and most people can speak at least some, but there are areas where other languages are more prominent. German speakers are most commonly found running the length of the Alst Woods at the south border. Around Whale Water Port and Naval Base, there's a heavily concentrated French populous. (The Quebec dialect is the main one.) Slavic tongues can be found at the county's western arm. The Kyger ethnic minority live in pockets along the Eros Range at the north border. They are Romatia's native people, and speak the Kygac language.

Culture and cultural heritage

Because of their mixed ancestry, the Romatian people blend traditions from many different areas into their own heritage. Their cooking style mirrors the British. Many of their celebrations are German. Etiquette is French based. Their sports and leisure activities are Slavic.

Shared customary codes and values

Romatians have what many would consider "old fashioned" values: hard work, loyalty, frugality, initiative, and unity. The safety of the status quo often wins out over the idea of change, and this does sometimes clash against the march of progress. They can be somewhat closed-minded. Visitors often feel that the country is part of another, older era than the one they are accustomed to at home.

Average technological level

Since they value tradition, Romatia is not as tech-based as many other countries these days. The most recent innovations to reach their shores include computers and smartphones. The phones are proving popular, but not many people have a computer yet, or feel confident using them. Advances in gene therapy are making Romatian doctors some of the best at treating conditions like cancer, second only to their magically gifted Constellan neighbors.

Common Etiquette rules

Romatians are rather picky about their personal space, and so they are not physically affectionate in most cases. This only strengthens outsiders' perceptions of them as cold. A common greeting among family and friends is to give a small kiss on each cheek. They don't usually shake hands upon first meeting. A man should be chivalrous, making sure to open doors for ladies and pull out the chairs of his female relatives at mealtimes. A lady should be poised and mannerly, always. They are not deceitful, but speak in a sort of coded way. A person may sound perfectly pleasant to an outside ear, but a native knows a scathing remark has just been delivered without a smile out of place. When they drop this code, say for the benefit of a visiting friend, they come across as too blunt.

Common Dress code

A person who is "smartly dressed" gets far here. There are marked preferences for soft fabrics, cool colors, and silver accented jewelry.

Common Taboos

The quickest way to insult a Romatian is to call them vain (although, let's face it, many are thanks to their belief in their own superiority.) There is no formal law against criticizing the royal family, but it tends to carry social consequences and is frowned upon by most. Romatians look upon their leaders with loyalty and pride, and they dislike being reminded that even those in charge can be wrong.

Common Myths and Legends

Many of their legends involve their cimate and geography, so tales of Jack Frost and snow pixies that draw in frosted windows are common. They also have tales of Fae and banshees, brought over from those English who immigrated to the country when Ireland was reunified.

Historical figures

The von Delmont rule began in the 1520's with young knight Cyneric von Delmont and his wife, Genevieve. He was a top lawmaker during the rule of the Knavesmires, and ascended the throne when the Knavesmire line began to fade away.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Due to their roots, most Romatians are fair and favor a "china doll" complexion. Light eyes are preferred, especially against the contrast of dark hair. The people here may look slender or scrawny, but most are quite strong, especially if they make their living from the forest or mountains.

Gender Ideals

Gender roles are still quite rigid here, sadly. Men are being used to placed above women in terms of importance, and they aren't easily convinced to give that up. Change is coming, albeit slowly. The current queen, Margaret, is ruling as the country's sole monarch, after the tragic death of her husband James. It took quite a lot of work to convince the advisors to allow this arrangement rather than forcing her to marry again. Margaret has also decreed that her eldest daughter Genevieve, set to inherit the throne, may rule alone if she wishes.

Relationship Ideals

Romatians value that which is stable and secure, and so the best relationships are deemed unbreakable. Within marriage, men are usually the breadwinners and women keep the home and raise any children. Unlike with their southern neighbors, same-sex relationships are still heavily stigmatized here, and same-sex marriage is not yet legal. Recently, the Duchess Jewels (or Lady J, as many know here here,) has begun championing the cause. She must tread carefully though, lest the advisory cabinet (mostly made of older wealthy men) grow suspicious.