Niswander

The City of Nis is barely a city at all. It's the hub of several travelling peoples who pass through the Orrinian Plains at the heart of the Allowadh continent. Exactly how this started has been lost to time, but by now it is well enough established as a place to trade goods, ideas, and stories.
The wanderers who made Nis the place they always came back to became known as Niswanders. They are known throughout the continent as bringers of interesting objects to sell and even stranger tales to share with those who offer food and shelter. Scholars at major centres of learning have accused Niswander both of creating ridiculous myths and for spreading important truths.

Ideals

To the Niswander, everything has a story, and every story has another layer. Their clothing is embroidered with sights and symbols from all over the world. Their food and beverages are often strange mixes between different origins. That said, they wouldn't look down on someone who chooses something more simple. The biggest faux pas would be to not know the story behind all the attributes you surround yourself with.
The extreme value placed on curiosity has led to a culture of learned individuals that don't always rely on traditional education. Everyone is expected to seek new perspectives and everyone is expected to teach others with little or no notice. Those from other cultures are often surprised when what they thought was a simple question results in a half-hour lecture about the context of the answer.

Social Norms

As with everything else, Niswander social norms have picked up ideas from all over. As an example, they are shaped by how most of the Orrinian Plains recognises two genders and thus Niswanders mostly identify as female or male. However, the genders recognised elsewhere are incorporated without a second thought as soon as it becomes relevant. At most, there might be a question for clarification ("Ah, like the Sha'ree utze or more like in the Matsuni Empire?").
Since so many cultures meet at Nis and are then brought out to the world, care is placed on finding shared values. Of course, not every place welcomes outside meddling, but this is where the propensity for storytelling comes in. Niswander groups invite everyone for story-telling time as often as they can. This creates a bond between those who can invite others but also with all of those who attend. And when outsiders join them, Niswanders weave tales they believe will help the newcomers in life.

Parent ethnicities

• Aëdelan

Related Locations

• Orrinian Plains

Languages
Aelnan
Most are multilingual.