Brekarian
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The primary language of the Brekarian people was Brekarian, a language still spoken to this day, and the most common language for trade in all of Geloriel. Due to the national presence of the Brekarian empire in its day, as well as the presence of its descendant nations now, Brekarian has become one of the most common languages. For the purposes of a D&D campaign in Geloriel, Brekarian fulfills the role of a "Common" dialect in character creation.
Common Dress code
Clothing among the Brekarian empire was decently regimented, with much clothing being made of linen, wool, silk, cotton, leather, and other similar fabrics. Common colors included blues, greens, whites, browns, and blacks, though other colors were also worn. Among men, common attire included suits, tunics, doublets, vests, britches, chausses, and coats or cloaks. Among women, common attire included gowns, dresses, petticoats, frocks, chemises, corsets, tunics, britches, and coats or cloaks.
Art & Architecture
Much of Brekarian architecture is similar to that of much of the architecture of Medieval europe, with many buildings constructed mostly of stone bricks, clay, various woods, hay, and glass. Many houses were only a handful of rooms, with rarer houses even having a second floor. Larger and grander buildings had many floors, were constructed of more solid materials, and even held stained glass windows.
Much of Brekarian art consist of canvas paintings, woven tapestries, sculptures, mosaics, metalwork, and the aforementioned stained glass, typically depicting items, people and events of cultural or religious importance to the Brekarians. Common figures depicted include any of the Brekarian emperors, the Sun God Pelor, and the City Goddess Erathis.
Much of Brekarian art consist of canvas paintings, woven tapestries, sculptures, mosaics, metalwork, and the aforementioned stained glass, typically depicting items, people and events of cultural or religious importance to the Brekarians. Common figures depicted include any of the Brekarian emperors, the Sun God Pelor, and the City Goddess Erathis.
Foods & Cuisine
Much of Brekarian cuisine is consistent of their agricultural feats, between the flora they were able to cultivate and the fauna they were able to domesticate. Such flora includes potatoes, carrots, beets, corn, wheat (commonly turned into bread and ale), onions, peas, turnips, and kohlrabi. Such fauna includes many of the local fish, boars & hogs, chickens & other fowl, and sometimes aurochs & cows. Staple foods included stews, gruel & porridge, various parts of the chicken, and more. Staple drinks included beer & ale, wine, as well as potable water.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Feast of Liberation, celebrated on the 19th of Zanhean, is a day of celebration and feasting in memory of Emperor Gratianus's conquest of Lanora, and the subsequent "liberation" of those peoples from their "barbaric" and "unsavory" cultures and practices in the face of his own. Regarded as a joyous celebration in its time, it has since been observed by scholars & historians as a somber day of memorial for the many lives lost in Brekarian conquest.
Common Taboos
Worship of the corrupted Deities (those being Asmodeus, Bane, Gruumsh, Lolth, Tharizdun, Tiamat, Torog, Vecna, & Zehir) was very much a cultural taboo among the Brekarian peoples. Additionally, those with negative views of emperors current or past as well as their practices were generally regarded as unfavorable in the society due to his elevated status among his people.
Historical figures
One of the major figures of the Brekarian people was Emperor Gratianus, the Empire's first emperor. Near the end of the Third Age, much of Lanora's Human population had settled into various settlements, clans, and countries. Gratianus, believing himself to be the strongest of all humankind, set out on a military campaign to conquer and subjugate Lanora's population and form what was known as the Brekarian Empire. Throughout the early Fourth Age, he set out on his quest, conquering human settlements and raising the Brekarian flag on their lands. Soon, much of Lanora was under his control, and Brekarian culture as we know it began.
Another of the major figures in the Brekarian people was Emperor Lysander, the Empire's last emperor, known as "The Exalted" due to his divine powers as an aasimar of Pelor, as well as his status as emperor of the largest empire in the world of Geloriel. He is also historically recognized as the Last Emperor, due to his lack of heirs, and his decision to give his empire to the strongest member of his court leading to the Time of Strife, the beginning of the Fifth Age, and the formation of its three subsequent empires.
Major organizations
The Brekarian people were the populace of the Brekarian Empire, a vast nation that stretched from Lanora's frozen north to the borders of the Principalities of Sharea. By 127 FI, the Brekarian Empire had officially fallen, dividing into the Empire of Kenereth, the Kingdom of Nealthys, and the Margraviate of Taria. Many people from these lands still consider themselves Brekarian if they descended from other Brekarian people, even long after the empire has fallen.
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