Statesmen

Statesmen Culture
The Statesmen, as they often refer to themselves hail from the wide valley of the mighty Ranzin River. From East Port on the shores of the Firespine straits to the Great Plains in the west is where the Statesmen call home. Others often call them the Ironmongers or even the Woodsmen and sometimes Druidic. With strong roots as woodsmen and as Druids those names fit well but it’s the relatively newer technologies of iron and steel that give them the name Ironmongers. Most Statesmen find that name insulting. The physical look varies widely but pale skin with pale eyes mostly green or blue are strong thorough out the population. Hair ranges from rich browns to dark blonds and rarely black. Those of Highlander heritage often sport red hair and green eyes. It is considered an insult to say someone has poor or no skill at gardening and an outright slam on the person’s life station by stating they have a wilted garden. Thus it is a social failure to maintain even the smallest vegetable and herb garden. It is also very rude to not contribute to festivities one has been invited to. While not unheard of a person of much higher station is not expected to contribute to festivities they are invited to but if they attend a gathering hosted by a lower social status, most do still contribute. Schooling is for everyone with the exception of the poor and most attend a small school house from the age of about 5 to the age of 15. Basic reading, mathematics, social, ecological and economical skills are taught. It is during the last three years individuals begin to learn a trade while still at school. Most follow a family line of tradesmen and some choose to move into a new direction. All who graduate must create a short bow to aid as militia. It is a tradition to gift those who graduate with a short sword and seeds. This is known as a future home to grow. While most continue to live in the same home some move on to new ones and this stimulates the growth.
Language The spoken language of Tower Rock has its roots in the Atlantean languages. Over the centuries after the cataclysm words became either bastardized or compounded to alter the vernacular. The close proximity to the Plainsmen has also infused some of those languages as well. Other than a strong accent this language is the same as common trade language. The written alphabet is firmly rooted in the Atlantean.
Literature The written word in Tower Rock is at times elegant and romantic. Its fictional works often play to themes of the astrological and astronomical staring the visual heavenly objects. Nonfiction works are more often than not biographies. Educational works range from the histories and heraldry of genealogy, particularly the royal family, to simple literature, gardening & agricultural, social etiquette and mathematics.
Music Music ranges from grand orchestras filled with strings, brass & wood winds and deep percussions, to simple fun “pub” songs played by bards. Female singers are particularly favored by the aural pleasures of Tower Rock.
Arts Art in the region has a particular fondness of wood carving, many being very realistic. Stone statues are also popular but expensive, works in clay are often smaller and less expensive but both are placed in gardens. Paintings, portraits in particular are common even in the lower class homes.
Architecture Architecture is dominated by square wattle and daub two or three room cottages. A kitchen a common room and a sleeping room are the three most common with a secondary sleeping room for multi-generational homes. The ground floor is most often stone, being carved or river stone, brick is rarely used. Second stories are timber often white washed. Grand architecture is carved granite with marble both commonly polished. The poor often build single or two story waddle and daub cottages with a white wash just like the upper class homes. Almost all homes use a clay tile roof to reduce fires. Wood is often left in debarked natural form for most homes.
Gardens Almost everyone in the kingdom keeps a garden even if it is small. Often generations who share a home share a garden. Vegetables and herbs are the larger focus followed by useful flowers. Generally the upper class, nobility and royalty grow gardens of just flowers mostly for either vanity or color. Most gardens supply homes with minor medicines and remedies as well.
Clothing With the huge sheep farms located in this kingdom wool is naturally the cloth of choice. The weavers and dyers always are crafting the best wool cloth to be durable and strong rather than for bright color. While heavier than cotton cloth, wool is longer lasting with the most popular colors being earth tones followed by greens and blues, green, being the royal preferred color with yellow trim following the colors of the nation’s flag. Yellow garments are not popular but dull yellows are often worn in the spring. A dark green or dark blue cloak lined with a deep dull red plaid are popular as winter cloaks. The feet are well taken care of and even the poor have more than one pair of boots. Most everyone has cold weather boots and warm weather boots. It is common to repair or replace one while the other is being used. Boots can vary from season to season but are also often replaced unlike other societies. The feet are considered to be needed to keep in good health for work or combat. Men grow beards and women grow very long hair. While the men often keep a conservative cut or shape to the facial hair the metropolis of Tower Rock does see some fancy grooming. Women often have very elaborate braids and ribbons are often included. It’s a practical way to keep the long hair out of the way as well as decorate. A common greeting or farewell saying is “may you have enough”.
Culinary The food of the region centers on hearty turnovers (handpies), stews, meats, cheese and breads. Elk is a favored meat and deer are often domesticated. Spiced sausages, chicken or spotted groulet, fresh water fish and garden vegetables are also abundant in the culinary arts. Herbs like rosemary, garlic and many others are also common. Pie and turnover style meals are a staple as this travels better than most other meals. With the increased population of sea vessels fish from the sea is becoming more popular. A strong hearty cheese aged in deep cellars made from the milk of cows, sharp in flavor and deep yellow in color. Three verities exist, one the sharp standard style, the second being spiced with herbs or wine and the third being smoked. The smoked variety is often much less sharp and mellow in its flavor. One particular kind is favored among those cheese mongers who make it, a creamery in Woolshire where they smoke the cheese alongside sausage adding to the flavor of the cheese. Typically this cheese is encased in a red wax for safe shipping and storage.
Pets & Animals A hearty stock animal is the Voquuine, a cross of an ox and a horse in a way. It’s a very muscular horse with various styles of horns. While not fast this breed of work animal has strength and stamina to work everything from pulling carts and farm equipment to lumber carts and work as sturdy war mounts. the most common pet is the weaselpig. A chimera animal of pig, dog and weasel. It can breed with giant weasels, any pig, boar or hog as well as dogs. Other common pets include cats, dogs and less common are birds of prey. The cats are a variety of bobcat or lynx that have small horns, often trained to hunt small animals and birds, sometimes to keep populations down on farms and granaries or as hunting partners for smaller game. Owlcats are popular as well. Dogs are often used as guards or hunting. The guard dog, most likely a marble colored mastiff, is trained to guard by command or particular areas or people. Hunting dogs are often a retriever for hunting water fowl or small game like rabbit and squirrel. Hawks, falcons and even owls are often used to hunt rabbits, squirrels and other birds like dove, chucker and pheasant.
Religion The Path is the theology of choice for most Statesmen and all Druids. While the basis of this religion follows the respect of nature, keeping balance of civilization and nature is the ultimate goal. The primary deities are Mother Earth and Father Sky followed closely by the children they populated the world with consisting of the animal and plant gods and goddesses. Growing in popularity are the New Gods.
Festivals The Planting is the first day of the year and the spring equinox. It is celebrated with the sewing of new seeds or transplanting of new plants. Gardens are often cleaned and prepped for this festival. Seeds are often exchanged as gifts.
Midsummer Festival is often the celebration of the small harvest and the summer solstice.
Founding Day celebrates the founding of the city proper.
Hammer & Forge celebration is the celebration of iron, steel and the skill developed in its use. It is also the first firing of the foundries after summer cleaning.
Harvest Festival is the celebration of the first harvest and follows the second planting of the season. This is the fall equinox.
Turning Leaf festival celebrates the turning of the color of leaves from green to its myriad of gold and red. Often new winter boots are gifted during this holiday.
Ice Festival celebrates the gift of ice that will keep many food supplies from spoiling during the summer. During the day blocks of ice are often shaved and fruit flavored juices are poured over them as a treat. During the evening meal it is traditionally a roasted giant ground endry stuffed with a bread dressing. Sleigh rides and hot cocoa are also popular after dinner accompanied with singing to the neighbors for a refill of cocoa.
Economy (exports, production items etc…) This economy is dominated by iron and agriculture. The kingdom is the world’s largest producer of iron with a 70% share. Base ingots of iron as well as steel are traded to all other nations on this continent and even with the dwarves on Firespine. Finished metal goods, be them iron or steel are also major exports. A distant second export is wool in both bolt and finished forms. Lumber is exported in a limited quantity mostly due to the superior cut by high quality saw blades. Paladine is a major trade partner even though conflict is brewing. They are the closest major kingdom but have very different theological views. Some even think this could be exploited to start a conflict. All other kingdoms and city-states are preferred trade partners even if geographically difficult to get to. Coal is a major import but is only used in the giant smelters in Tower Rock. This may soon be replaced by arcane magically harnessing a fire elemental.
Military The Tower Rock military well trained and well equipped. A trifecta of training, quality weapons & armor and the ability to feed its military easily make this one of if not the strongest military in the land. It is one of the largest on the continent and with control of the iron ore they have access to the best equipment. Every soldier has a basic form of training and every citizen has to serve even if only with the local militia. Every citizen has a short bow and short sword and most have a shield. The standing military keeps the goblins and orcs in check but the deep forest makes it difficult. Even the newest soldier is a skilled woodsmen and this is how the other nations know them as Woodsmen.