Hællin Introduction

A quick breakdown of Hællin cultures.

Hællin

When considering Halliræn, most would first think of the massive Insodan Empire - after all, Insoda has conquered so much of the western landmass that any traveller would have trouble finding a place where word of Insoda's conquest hasn't reached. Surprisingly, though, the small country of Hællin is just as well-known. Hællin's fame comes from its battles with the Insodan Empire - how long it stood against the conquest and how it regained its freedom after almost two decades under their rule.

Due to its unique nature as an almost completely naturally isolated area, Hællin cultures are seen as strange by those outside of its enclosed borders. Although it is becoming more actively involved in international politics, Hællin is still remote, and little is know about it by the outside world. In its interactions with other nations, Hællin tends to be reserved and defensive, almost overly careful about every action and trade deal. Even though the government in Hællin is new and cautious, however, doesn't mean it's weak - Hællin has proved over and over again that despite its size and comparative youth as a nation, it is a force to be reckoned with.

Inside Hællin, there are four main cultural groups (though some who know Hællin would argue that there are many more). The dynamic between the groups has changed greatly from the past, and some would argue that Hællin has never been a unified country until now. There are still remnants of tension between some of the groups as well, despite the long Insodan occupation.

Something that is worth noting about Hællin is the high population of people bearing the genetic mutations giving them wings. Unlike other areas, where Wingers frequently make no more than ten percent of the population (higher outside of the Insodan Empire, much lower within it), Wingers make upwards of thirty percent of Hællin's population.

AKI - Plains-Desert or Flatlands

The Aki, or Plains-Desert people, dominate the flatlands at the center of Hællin, though their people also spread all the way to the desert that makes its eastern border. Some Desert people consider themselves their own group, but most accept being grouped with the Plains Aki. For the most part, the Desert and Plains don't differ in their belief systems or culture, though it is the Plains who are considered as more hostile.
Historically, the Aki have been a conquering people, though on a considerably small scale. Many of the other cultures in Hællin hate or distrust the Aki because of this - the Vae especially dislike them due to the way the Aki once tried to erase their entire culture. However, in more recent years, the Aki have come to be respected as their own group, and have been respectful towards the other cultures in Hællin.
Aki Wingers are more common than River, but less than Forest, making about twenty percent of the population. Having wings elevates someone's social standing, but not significantly, and the mutations of half-wings and the like are fairly low. The Aki consider their wingers good luck and frequently train them to lead in combat or diplomacy. Comparative to other wingers, Aki generally aren't the fastest or strongest over short distances, but they have remarkable endurance.
Individually, the Aki value honor and heritage. As a group, they are highly organized and efficient. They tend towards craftsmanship and arts when they aren't at war, partly because they have the resources to do so easily. They speak Aki, which is the second-most frequently spoken language in Hællin. There are several different dialects and accents, but for the most part, Aki is a single language.

BOSHANA - Forest

The Boshana are more frequently called Forest. Inhabitting the heavily forested regions in Northwest Hællin, they are one of the less unified groups in Hællin. To even call them 'Forest' is inaccurate - they may live in a region containing heavily forested sections, but plenty of Boshana live in unforested areas as well. When asked, however, any Boshana will say they are 'Forest' and see other Boshana clans as distant relatives.
The Boshana have little quarrel with those who don't fight them first, but that doesn't mean that they are a peaceful people. Interclan wars are fairly common, although they rarely result in significant deaths or even injuries. In areas where the Boshana interact more frequently with other cultures, they tend to get along peacefully, and in some areas, they even consider themselves a part of both. There has been past tension between the Boshana and the Aki, but once the Aki realized they couldn't effectively conquer the Boshana and left them alone, relations soon eased. In several regions, the Boshana coexist quite peacefully with the Vae and support them as if they were family themselves.
The Boshana are highest overall when it comes to winger population (though one of the Vae cultures is higher, Vae considered as a whole have a slightly lower percentage). The overall percentage is frequently counted as fourty-three, though this is not counting the frequent mutations of stunted or half-wings. None of these mutations, including full wings, change a person's social position, though they may change what that person is taught - wingers are frequently scouts or warriors. Boshana wingers tend to be fast and nimble, with a comparatively shorter wingspan for maneuvering between trees. They typically are not strong over long distances, and most cannot carry large loads when they fly.
Boshana put a special stress on family and found-family. Clans are often family-based groups, and lineage is traced through the mother, if at all. Interclan relationships quite frequently behave as familial relationships too, with clans bickering amongst eachother until one is threatened by an outside force, in which case they join together to crush the threat. The Boshana usually focus on preparing themselves rather than art, though they do have a strong artistic and oral tradition. Their language, Ishia, is considered almost musical, but is difficult to learn and isn't widespread.

RIVER - River

As the trading-folk of Hællin, the River people only have a name for themselves in their language. They are a rather nomadic people, each group travelling along the waterways and trading as they go. There are several factions in the River, but these are often downplayed. Many who are considered 'River' are not even River-born - they were adopted by a raft and raised as one of the raft's own children. The River are one of the least unified groups due to their nomadic nature.
Those of other cultural groups often look down on the River because of their transient ways, refusal to learn other languages, and seeming lack of a distinct culture. The River, for the most part, don't mind - the others still use them for trade, and since the others learn River, communication is rarely a problem. Some River regret that their culture hasn't spread like their language, but for the most part, the River are fine. They have a reputation for being nonconfrontational.
River have the lowest population of wingers of all, at only slightly over thirteen percent. River wingers are more often River-raised than River-born, and about an additional seven percent have half wings or similar mutations - a higher percentage than any other culture. Wings have no bearing on a person's social status, training, or job. River-born wingers are often most similar to Aki wingers in strength and endurance.
The River have a strict honor code about their dealings with other River and those they trade with. They place high priority on honesty and keeping these standards. Because of their nature as a trading people, their language, simply called River, is the most widely spoken language in Hællin. It is difficult to find anyone who doesn't at least understand it. Many Vae and Boshana take on 'River-names' when dealing with those of other cultural groups due to how difficult to pronounce their birth name is.

VAE - Highlands

To describe the Vae as a single cultural group would be a lie. There are at least three distinct cultures considered Vae, with debate over whether or not the areas where Vae and Boshana mingle as if they were one culture are Vae. The Vae are usually split into three main groups: the Per Sontenoki, or Mountain; the Vaeigajhia, Vaengu, or Valley; and the Korastatein, or Cliffs-Coastal. The Boshana areas are the Shanavae and the Boshtein.
In general, the Vae are regarded as children by the other cultures due to their smaller physical statures. It is more frequent to find a Vae who doesn't speak River than it is to find one of any other culture. However, the Vaeighajhia are respected for their healing skills and the Per Sontenoki are feared for their martial prowess. Each seperate Vae culture interacts with the others symbiotically, usually without much mixing. The Vae have a deep dislike of the Aki, who tried to wipe out their cultures entirely in the beginning of their occupation of the highlands, but they have a deeper dislike of the Insodan Empire.
Though the Vae overall has the second highest population of Wingers with fourty-one percent, they are in the unique position of having a large discrepancy in Winger populations between the three groups. The Per Sontenoki have the highest percentage at over fifty three percent, with high incidence of the half wings and stunted wings mutations, with an additional 'enclosed wings' mutation not seen anywhere else. The Vaeigajhia, however, have only just over a ten percent population of wingers, with extremally low percentages of half-wings and such mutations. Between them, the Korastatein have about a twenty-five percent population of Wingers with a low rate of the mutations. Other, smaller groups and the Boshtein/Shanavae areas are not counted in these populations. Vae wingers tend to be the strongest and fastest fliers overall, excelling at flying over short, long, and middle distances. They are, however, extremally awkward in land-based agility situations, with only a few exceptions. Their wingspan is the largest of any wingers inside or out of Hællin, too, though they are physically smaller.
The Vae cultures contrast greatly with each other, and as such, giving a breakdown here would take too long. Each culture speaks its own language, and many learn other Vae languages instead of River. There is a more standart 'Vae Composite' language spoken by most Vae, consisting of words and phrases from the three main languages and is considered fairly simple for non-Vae to learn.

Don't have time to read the whole article? ... :'(
That's fine...
Here's a basic rundown of the information I cover in the article. To get a fuller understanding, you should read the whole thing, but if you just want to fact-check yourself, this should be helpful.
This also might help clarify points from the article I mightn't have made clear.

Quick Breakdown

Basic facts for each culture.

Aki

River Name: Plains-Desert or Flatlands
Location: Central and South Plains, Eastern Desert
Winger Population: 20%, low mutation rate
Languages: Aki (primary), River, some Desert dialects

Boshana

River Name: Forest
Location: Northwest Forest and Foothills
Winger Population: 43%, medium-hugh mutation rate
Languages: Ishia (primary), River, Vae Composite (in the debated Boshana/Vae regions)

River

River Name: River
Location: Nomadic, usually found on waterways
Winger Population: 13%, 7% more with mutations (extremally high mutation rate)
Languages: River

Vae

Korastatein
River Name: Cliffs-Coastal
Location: Southwestern cliffs along the coast
Winger Population: 25%, low mutation rate Languages: Korastatein, Vae Composite, River

Per Sontenoki
River Name: Mountain
Location: Western Mountains
Winger Population: 53%, high mutation rate (with an additional mutation type)
Languages: Per Sontenoki, Vaeigajhia, Vae Composite, River

Vaeigajhia/Vaengu
River Name: Valley
Location: interspersed in the Western Mountains, Western Foothills
Winger Population: 10%, very low mutation rate
Languages: Vaeigajhia, Per Sontenoki, Vae Composite, River

Cross-cultural Areas

Boshtein
Cultures Present: Boshana, Per Sontenoki, Vaeigajhia
Location: Forested areas in the north of the Western Mountains
Languages: Boshana, Vae Composite, River, Vaeigajhia, Per Sontenoki

Shanavae
Cultures Present: Boshana, Vaeigajhia
Location: Forested areas in the Western Foothills
Languages: Boshana, Vaeigajhia, River