Cerrany

The Cerranis are one of the most common culture of peasants around the center of Adália. Varying greatly in species, race, and religion, yet united by sets of values and methods that they live by summer after summer.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Much of the culinary of Adália has its origins on times where Cerrani either had plenty of resources or had to be creative. The recipes they use with grains and meat are so often popular, people on smaller towns may never have heard of dishes from other cultures, even though they share the same land.
What did mix frequently with several cultures is how the Cerranis in general adopt religion into their lifestyle. Adopting strongly many core knowledge of the Senzen on cultivating plants, along with tributes to pagan gods and respects to what they view as nature itself, while following separately the Aurae religion, where they pray to one god for personal blessings. It used to be a source of huge political conflict between the government and the Church of Aurae until both simply gave up trying.
While those aspects ingrained in several levels and in a variety of methods spread to each location, what frequently kept the Cerrani apart from other farmers around the world and cultures is the enormous variety of animals they keep at the same time.
While few practice falconry, many breed and train blue crows, called acaé to protect their grains. They use hounds for alarms and hunting rats alongside ferrets. Many that plant trees bred small monkey to eat insects that may ruin their harvest, and drop both sick fruits and plants in exchange for reward.
It was the Cerrany that begun breeding aadvark for digging and taking care of pests, although they have been too carried away with it ironically. Giant aardvarks proved to be useful mounts in the field, carrying not too much load on their backs and being great to pull charts, but especially on mines. While they're not good at digging up hard rock, they can deal with all the work on land if trained to. Many companies cultivate beetles and bury the larvae where they want the animal to dig on the following day, or play a long game after summer and set up ant and termite colonies on future plans.

Shared customary codes and values

The Cerrani have always been known as peasants from before the Early Kings took power. This meant the Barons and Counts would lend their land in exchange for 3/4 of their harvest. As customary, the Baron would still provide safety and supply their needs if asked and considered, an oath that remains true for centuries.
While the peasants are free to do as they please with their own share, many store it for the next year instead of selling it. There is little climbing in the social ladder for the Cerrani, so the bond of trust with their Lord means a lot to them. One peasant family might get control of more land and even employees, or be somewhat promoted if chosen by the Lord or a council.
Before Adália accommodated the Arasoul culture into their lands, life could be a little easier for the average peasant. A peasant could be in charge of a Lord's slaves or have their sons conscripted and eventually knighted. Neither of them became a possibility after the Arasouls protected the land, and while the army became more luring to some, many would argue it wouldn't pay off as it used to, especially when being worried about losing work to the slaves that became merchants and peasants.
The Dukes of Iron and Stars to counter the lack of opportunity, and fearing treason of resources to Ordeon during the War of Flames, established an unofficial nobility title that could be bought, have their land as their own as long as the family paid a decennial tribute, almost as some sort of rent. The Title of Don/Dona, or simply "Owner" of the land, established a goal to many farms, benefiting the economy greatly, although frequently, families entered in debt with banks and had to give up their title one decade later.
Unfortunately, or fortunately considering the massive hit of insurance given away during bankruptcy, guilds are non-existent to peasants. One can join a guild to offer a trade of goods or work, but they will not protect you or affect the oaths towards the Lords, in order not to compromise their authority.
After the fever of entrepreneur peasants, they came back for their values of a simpler life. However, many turned more to religion. The Aurae religion has their own land and their own trades towards the crown, giving the opportunity of many to lend money with less rigid schedules of payment as long as they did work for the church to make up for it.

Common Dress code

The peasants of Adália were never really fancy until the Yolande's Dukedom heavily invested in the economy. When the war was over and food was not an issue, people that would wear old sacks of rice and wheat years later were using fabrics from places they never heard of. Of course many don't wear clothes that are too expensive while working on the dirt and with animal excrements, but they certainly became more resilient.
What is traditional for Cerranis to work on the field, are woven straw hats, able to tie on the neck, and protecting all the shoulder area. The straw is not so thick, and is braided to keep them from dismantling, they usually display holes so air can circulate, forming a grid pattern of shadows. They are often with a colored fabric on the border, some put other ornaments, such as feathers or in Senzen's case, leaves and flowers.
Peasants also frequently use straw cloaks of similar fashion, but more malleable in nature. The Cloaks are layered, in two or three covers, as winds in summer are strong, often rocks are use on the bottom so they won't simply fly off. Said cloaks also can be attached with light fabrics that the Cerrani wet so it can help them cool in the hottest days.
Boots and gloves are usually of leather with fabric on the inside, and they prefer wide, light clothes with sepia and white tones. It is common to see both women and men wearing pants or dresses that may or not be tied to the end of the boots due to the winds.

Coming of Age Rites

It is tradition that at 14 years of age, boys to formally be considered adults by the peasants. They are allowed to assume responsibility such as having their own house, assuming contracts and applying themselves as squires to local Knights before getting a formal military education if they wish so at age of 16.
Depending on the Dukedom they are, some properties will still be in the name of one parent, until 21 or 22 years of age, unless the house is taken apart, as death of said family member or the young proves autonomy by marriage. If divorce or annulment occurs during that period, the rights return to the family member.
It is an obsolete law, that many wishing to make their own path simply overcome by being wed. However it is still heavily enforced as many simply build their own house on their parents' land.
While girls have the same right as boys, celebrations tend less to be about a specific date and more on the week a girl begins menstruating. As this may vary too much, many try to push for the 14th birthday as a celebration of independence, or simply their families delay it until then if bleeding begins at a very early age.
Usually, when celebrating the for girls, they walk through the Wed's road, a pagan rite where she runs and jumps through a path where friends and family throw seeds over them. Usually, many flowers are born from them, often the flowers are taken later by the bride for her bouquet. Another passing of age for them, is that, if, by chosen privilege or inheritance, the young one may be lend the Land Key from their Lord. The Baron or Baroness will formally lend, in front of everyone, an amulet representing their oath between each other. The item is usually hung on the neck or anywhere close to the chest or belt, showing he or her has a responsibility of the land. The Land Key is not a key on the literal sense, it is a small golden ball of pyrite, with a Baron or Count's crest marked on it, and completely covered in a fairly thick amount of Gold, hanging from a red rope.
Often the Key has something else to call attention or show pride, some peasants order jewelers to have their family name written in a second sphere, usually in copper, laying right bellow it. While they hand with pride, since the keys allows them to assembly and vote of city council run by the Ruler and his/her Baronets, the idea where not even their symbol is worth its weight in gold is mocked by many merchants that feel they know better. "The value of King's Gold on their peasants are just like their keys", "Peasants are impressed with something shiny, even if it is Fool's Gold".

Ideals

Gender Ideals

Different to other cultures, the Cerrani people are all about building up a family and subsistence. With an ideal that their harvest is not a profit, not only a necessity, but a duty with their Lord for their right to work. The honor of a house depends on it, no matter the hardship. As such, gender roles are held more strongly in their culture. Boys work from the age they can grab a shovel, and are taught to work under sun and rain. Girls do learn a few things to help their parents, and can inherit land, however their focus is on works on the household. Managing money, resources, knitting, cleaning, cooking.
The idea behind this is that boys are stronger, and women are on a more fragile state during pregnancy, which ideally are frequently in, the more people living in the family and not leaving to make their own houses, the less hard work needs to be done. Cerrani tend to have around six to eight children.
There is great pressure and prejudice over women that are unable to have children. With many claiming they are sick or unattractive for their husbands. Many give up caring, others are filed for divorce after 5 years without any signs of pregnancy. Often, those women run away from their villages and cities. Some becoming prostitutes elsewhere, some using the little money they have to survive on a trade, often being called "Virgin Merchants" until getting experience and respect on their work.

Related Locations

• Adália