Gondorian
The typical Gondorian is the urbane man of the main cities of Gondor and Arnor. Within the County of Herrir, the town councils tend to aspire to the Gondorian ideal - but generally don't have the city based outlook that comes from successful distancing of the day-to-day rural necessities.
Physical Character
Build
Average: Men average 11st 1lb while females average 8st 13lb
Colouring
Olive-Tan skin and various hair and eye colours
Height
Average: Males average 5'10" while Female average 5'4"
Endurance
Average
Lifespan
Moderate: Average 65-85 years barring plague and accident
Other
None
Culture
Clothing
Practical wool and linen garb (with leather acoutrements). The wool is generally locally produced, spun, woven or felted and tailoured. Dyes are generally local and based mostly on plants. Richer members of society are more likely to use silks and cottons when available.
The County has a number of traditional patterns used in its dying and tailouring - and enhances these with complex embroidery in colourful geometric patterns. The Gondorian part of the populace will often shun this in favour of the styles from the court of the King of Gondor.
Beliefs and Superstitions
The County of Herrir is constrained to the north and west by the White Mountains. Few venture far in those directions and "The Other Side of the Mountains" is generally seen as a dangerous place with commercial opportunities constrained by strange peoples living a poor and primative existence.
The region to the south of the County of Herrir and to the west of the River Lefnui is, south of the River Herrir, mostly inhabited by itinerant Dunlending herders - while these are seen as a useful trading group, they are seen as lucrative but uncreditworthy.
To the East (North East, East and South East), beyond the River Lefnui is the land of Anfalas in Gondor - a territory in which there is little royal authority away from the main settlements. Out in these wilds are the places where the Orcs and Bandits roam to prey on unwary travellers - and the Dunlendings are still wild and unpredictable.
The Valar are revered with Orome being especially important, but Varda and Manwe defining the core thesis of life.
The peoples of the County of Herrir are generally highly suspicious of Magic (and Magic users) but the Gondorians treat this as the perspective derived from their lack of education - and treat with such persons carefully.
Lifestyle
The Gondorians are the merchants and craftspersons of the County of Herrir. They often seek to distance themselves from their pastoral or agricultural ties, forming exclusive and mutually beneficial guilds to support this.
Marriage and Inheritance
The Gondorian tradition favours a male-line inheritance - which clashes in the County of Herrir with the the Dunlending tradition of female-line inheritance. This causes some friction.
Other factors
Language
The main language of the County of Herrir is Common Speech.
Additionally, those trading with the Dunlendings (or married to them) may learn Dunael and those working for the Count of Herrir's household or trading elsewhere may learn Adunaic. Those whose trades go as far as Annulond (or beyond) might learn some Haradaic and those trading at Saerthondost might be expected to understand Sindarin. Other languages are always useful for trade or personal interest.
A high proportion of the Gondorian group in the County culture are literate.
Money
The farming communities see little coinage - it is in use mainly for the paying of Taxes and the purchase of luxuries from outside the County. Silver is rarely used due to a lack of that metal locally. The Gondorian Merchants, however, are the main holders of such currency. Indeed, their access to coinage is their strong point.
The import of coin only occurs when the County's crops and manufactures can be sold at Annogwain or down the River Lefnui - a trade controlled by the Gondorians.
The County of Herrir has not seen Gold coinage for many years - that form of specie being reserved to major wholesale transactions or the occasional land-sale.
n.b. Many businesses in the County of Herrir will allow other locals to run slates for settlement in kind. This curtesy is never extended to strangers and Dunlendings.
Hobbies
The Gondorian part of the population has the wealth to develop more "refined" hobbies than those enjoyed by the Eriadoran part.
Comments