Aakaveid

The people of the Qau-len Mountains of Alpen, the Aakaveid (/ɑɑkɑvɛɪd/) are a people that, to much of the world, are shrouded in mystery and secrecy. While they do trade among the foreigners, they do so tentatively and are known to do so through servants of other ethnic groups. These people, the ruling class of the Cathcou Empire, are seclusive and snotty and hellbent on protecting themselves and their knowledge. Despite being one of the dominant powers in Alpen, the Aakavied people are of a non-native origin, which is plain to see based on their features. Aakaveid tend to be pale-skinned, generally peachy, with gracile, lean builds and long legs with powerful, large muscles, and long, wavy hair that is generally chocolate, dark brown, or honey blonde in color. The Aakaveidin face features high cheekbones, with full cheeks, a slender jawline, a straight or slightly upturned nose with short wings, small lips, and wide, almost circular eyes, ranging from various dark shards of brown.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The language of the Aakaveid is called Aakaveidin.

Shared customary codes and values

Learning

Aakaveidin society values the pursuit of knowledge and experimentation. Be it through reading or experience, something must be learned; any knowledge, be it a life lesson or factual information, is valued if it is learned. Just as important as gaining knowledge is understanding that knowledge: as an example, if one learns a proverb, they should study that proverb and the cultures that use it to understand what the proverb means to different people. Aakaveid believe that achieving knowledge will grant them some form of enlightenment, where they will achieve their ultimate goal, true apotheosis: that is, to become literal gods, or so much like gods the difference is irrelevant.

Teaching

As one finds knowledge, it is essential to share that knowledge with your fellow man. Aakaveid belief teaches that the sharing of knowledge is essential to civilization, and so to hide essential knowledge for yourself is not only greedy but potentially dooming your community to extinction. However, it is important to note that one's "fellow man" refers to other Aakaveid and not to those of other ethnicities. This does not mean that they see other ethnicities as less than human, but rather that they are essentially of a lower class than the Aakaveid, and thus should only have knowledge shared with them if it makes them more efficient, such as how to perform new method of farming or construction but not how or why it works.

Average technological level

The Aakaveid are respected for their advances beyond much of the modern world.

Common Dress code

Aakaveid people dress in long, flowing, layered robes, made of woven cloth. These articles of clothing tend to look heavy, and gigantic in comparison to the average person's body.

Common Taboos

Ignorance is considered to be the greatest of weaknesses, that is if it is willing and not for one's benefit. Those who do not receive an education of any kind are pitied, if they are just poor, and shamed otherwise.