Droth
Heartland Humans
Hailing from central Sol, the Droth are an ethnicity of humans who value literature, art, industry, and trade. Their homeland is known as the Heartland of Sol, giving rise to the other name for this group: heartlanders or heartland humans. A fertile land of bountiful forests, lucrative coasts, and a charming countryside, this abundance of resources and people has made the Droth a productive, industrious race well known for their hardworking culture and pioneering attitude. However, due to this quality of land and history of disunity, the Droth have traditionally been a people who identify more with their city, village, or region than their wider people group. Droth cities are competitive and proud, vying for influence and dominance of industry. In times of peace, they may form trade unions for the common pursuit of development, while in war times, defensive pacts are not unheard of. In general, the Droth are also known for being a cosmopolitan people. They are more than willing to dip into several cultures as part of their own expression. It is a sign of a well-rounded individual from this culture to partake in elements of other cultures, therefore it is not uncommon to see a Drothic person sporting an Orcish blade, Dwarven jewelry, in garments of Shan silks.
From Many Peoples, One
Contrary to popular conception, the Droth are not necessarily a single unified people. Rather, Droth is better understood as an umbrella term for the humans of the heartlands in general. While these heartland humans have always understood themselves as being related, until quite recently, they maintained their own identities with their own cultural traditions and regions. The Veroese of the island of Veros are famous for their love of romance and tradition, the southern Saydans are known to be hardworking and honest, while the Caelic people of Portus Cale tend to be regarded as rowdy, and so on. Droth are all regarded as being humans, though their appearance can vary quite significantly across their various subcultures. Skin tones and ethnic features are not bound to a single typical appearance; rather, Droth are known by their culture, not their physical features. As such, many Droth may be descended from other humans from faraway lands such as Shan or Northmen. These disparate cultural backgrounds have been actively coming closer together into a more unified Droth identity due to the rise of the Dark Elves in the north, spurring the rise of the Kingdom of Ayrith, causing the various city states and fiefdoms of the heartland to unify into a kingdom powerful enough to fend off the northern threat.
Enterprising Spirit
Given the decentralized nature of Drothic statecraft and the focus on cities rather than feudal castles or devotional temples as the seats of power, this culture has given rise to a spirit of bold pioneers and entrepreneurs. Merchants, artisans, and other skilled folk band together in guilds and companies to pursue their crafts to the greatest quality. Cities, towns, and villages form trade leagues and promise mutual defense in times of crisis. Though the military and especially naval capabilities of the Droth are nothing to scoff at, many say their true strength is in their diplomatic aptitude. Throughout the continent, their people are prized as shrewd diplomats and merchants, using their silver tongue to accomplish more than a sword ever could. At the same time, the Droth remain quarrelsome in terms of jockeying for political power and influence, this is simply seen as being part of the game of life by their people. Nobles may be cutthroat, but the merchant class also commands significant influence in the cities. Whether through fair means such as mercantile and guild pursuits or less noble means including piracy and thieving, Drothic people tend to be ambitious and diligent.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Upper Class
Show spoiler
Ada, Adelaide, Adele, Adelina, Adelma, Adriana, Afra, Agata, Agnese, Agostina, Agrippina, Alba, Alberta, Albertina, Albina, Alda, Alessa, Alessandra, Alessia, Alexandra, Alfonsina, Alfreda, Alice, Alina, Allegra, Alma, Amalia, Amanda, Amaranta, Ambra, Amedea, Amelia, Amore, Anastasia, Andreina, Angela, Angelica, Angelina, Angiola, Anna, Annabella, Annachiara, Annalisa, Annamaria, Annetta, Annunciata, Annunziata, Anselma, Antonella, Antonia, Antonietta, Antonina, Apollonia, Arianna, Armida, Asia, Assunta, Augusta, Aura, Aurelia, Aureliana, Aurora, Ave, Azzurra, Balbina, Barbara, Bartolomea, Beatrice, Benedetta, Benigna, Berenice, Bernardetta, Bernardina, Berta, Bettina, Bianca, Biancamaria, Bibiana, Bice, Brigida, Bruna, Brunella, Brunilda, Calogera, Camilla, Carla, Carlotta, Carmela, Carmen, Carmina, Carola, Carolina, Caterina, Catia, Cecilia, Celeste, Celestina, Cesarina, Chiara, Chiarina, Cinzia, Clara, Claretta, Clarissa, Claudia, Clelia, Clementina, Clio, Cloe, Clotilde, Colomba, Colombina, Concetta, Concettina, Consolata, Corinna, Cornelia, Corona, Cosima, Costanza, Cristiana, Cristina, Crocetta, Crocifissa, Dafne, Dalila, Damiana, Dania, Daniela, Danila, Daria, Debora, Delfina, Felia, Demetra, Desideria, Diana, Diletta, Dina, Dionisia, Domenica, Domitilla, Donata, Donatella, Dora, Doretta, Dorotea, Edda, Edmonda, Edvige, Elda, Elena, Eleonora, Elettra, Eliana, Elisa, Elisabetta, Eloisa, Elsa, Elvia, Elvira, Emanuela, Emilia, Emiliana, Emma, Enrica, Enrichetta, Erica, Erika, Ermelinda, Ermenegilda, Erminia, Ernesta, Ernestina, Ersilia, Ester, Eufemia, Eugenia, Eulalia, Eva, Evelina, Fabia, Fabiana, Fabiola, Fabrizia, Fausta, Faustina, Febe, Federica, Fedora, Felicia, Feliciana, Felicita, Ferdinanda, Fernanda, Fiamma, Fiammetta, Filippa, Filomena, Fina, Fioralba, Fiore, Fiorella, Fiorenza, Flavia, Flaviana, Flora, Floriana, Flora, Floriana, Fortunata, Franca, Francesca, Fulvia, Gabriella, Gaetana, Gaia, Galiliea, Gelsomina, Geltrude, Gemma, Genoveffa, Gerarda, Germana, Gessica, Gia, Giacinta, Giacoma, Giacomina, Giada, Gianna, Giannina, Gilberta, Gilda, Gina, Ginevra, Giò, Gioconda, Gioia, Giorgia, Giorgina, Giosetta, Giovanna, Giovannetta, Gisella, Giuditta, Giuseppa, Giuseppina, Giusi, Giustina, Giusy, Gloria, Grazia, Graziana, Graziella, Gregoria, Greta, Ida, Ilaria, Ilary, Ilda, Ileana, Ilenia, Imelda, Imma, Immacolata, Ines, Iolanda, Ippolita, Irene, Iris, Irma, Isa, Isabella, Isidora, Isotta, Itala, Italia, Jessica, Jolanda, Katia, Katiuscia, Lara, Laura, Lauretta, Lavinia, Leandra, Leda, Lelia, Lena, Leonarda, Leonora, Leontina, Letizia, Lia, Liana, Liboria, Lidia, Lilia, Liliana, Lina, Linda, Lisa, Livia, Liviana, Loredana, Lorena, Lorenza, Loretta, Lorita, Luana, Luce, Lucetta, Lucia, Luciana, Lucilla, Lucrezia, Ludovica, Luigina, Luisa, Luisella, Luna, Maddalena, Mafalda, Malvina, Manuela, Mara, Marcella, Marcellina, Margherita, Maria, Mariangela, Marianna, Maria, Mariella, Marina, Marisa, Martina, Matilde, Mattea, Maura, Maurizia, Melania, Mia, Micaela, Michela, Michelangela, Michelina, Micol, Milena, Mirabella, Mirella, Miriam, Monica, Morena, Nadia, Narcisa, Natalia, Natalina, Nella, Nerina, Nicoletta, Nicolina, Nina, Ninfa, Nives, Noemi, Nora, Norina, Norma, Novella, Ofelia, Olimpia, Olivia, Ondina, Oria, Oriana, Orietta, Orlanda, Ornella, Orsina, Orsola, Osanna, Ottavia, Palmira, Paola, Paolina, Pasqualina, Patrizia, Perla, Petronilla, Pia, Piera, Pierina, Pietra, Pietrina, Pina, Placida, Polissena, Priscilla, Rachele, Raffaella, Raimonda, Rebecca, Regina, Renata, Renza, Riccarda, Rina, Rita, Roberta, Robertina, Romana, Romilda, Romina, Romola, Rosa, Rosalba, Rosalia, Rosalinda, Rosangela, Rosanna, Rosaria, Rosella, Rosetta, Rosina, Rossa, Rossana, Rossella, Rubina, Sabina, Sabrina, Salomè, Salvatrice, Samanta, Samantha, Samuela, Sandra, Santa, Santina, Santuzza, Sara, Saveria, Savina, Scilla, Sebastiana, Selvaggia, Serafina, Serena, Severina, Sibilla, Silvana, Silvestra, Silvia, Simona, Simonetta, Siria, Sofia, Sole, Sonia, Stefania, Stella, Susanna, Sveva, Taide, Tamara, Tania, Tatiana, Tecla, Teodora, Teofila, Teresa, Tina, Tiziana, Tonina, Tullia, Valentina, Valeria, Vanda, Vanessa, Vanna, Velia, Venera, Vera, Veronica, Vincenza, Viola, Violante, Violetta, Virginia, Virna, Vita, Vitalia, Vittoria, Viviana, Ylenia, Zaira, Zita, Zoe
Lower Class
Show spoiler
Abby, Abi, Abigail, Acacia, Ada, Adaline, Adalyn, Addison, Adela, Adelaide, Adele, Adeline, Adriana, Adrienne, Agatha, Agnes, Ainsley, Alaina, Alana, Alanis, Alannah, Alesia, Alex, Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexia, Alexis, Ali, Alice, Alicia, Alisha, Alison, Alissa, Alivia, Allana, Allegra, Ally, Alma, Alora, Alys, Alysha, Alyssa, Alyssia, Alyx, Amanda, Amber, Amelia, Amy, Anabella, Anabelle, Anastasia, Andrea, Angel, Angela, Angelica, Angelina, Anita, Ann, Anna, Annabel, Annabella, Annalise, Anne, Annette, Annie, Annmarie, Antonia, April, Arabella, Arden, Aria, Ariana, Arianna, Ariel, Ariella, Arin, Ashleigh, Ashley, Astrid, Athena, Aubrey, Audrey, Aura, Aurora, Autumn, Ava, Avery, Aviana, Ayla, Azalea, Bailey, Barbara, Beatrice, Beatrix, Beau, Beck, Belinda, Bella, Belle, Bernadette, Beth, Bethanie, Bethany, Betty, Beverley, Billie, Blair, Blossom, Breanna, Bree, Brianna, Bridget, Brielle, Britney, Brittany, Brittney, Bronwyn, Brook, Brooke, Brooklyn, Bryn, Cadence, Caitlin, Caitlyn, Calista, Cameron, Camilla, Camille, Candice, Caprice, Cara, Carina, Carla, Carley, Carly, Carmel, Carmen, Carol, Carolina, Caroline, Carrie, Cassandra, Cassidy, Cassie, Catherine, Cecilia, Cecily, Celeste, Celia, Chandler, Chanel, Chantal, Charity, Charleigh, Charlie, Charlotte, Charmaine, Chelsea, Cherie, Cherish, Cherry, Cheryl, Cheyanne, Chloe, Christiana, Christina, Christine, Cindy, Claire, Clara, Clare, Clarice, Clarissa, Claudia, Clementine, Cleo, Clover, Colleen, Connie, Constance, Cora, Coral, Cordelia, Corinne, Courtney, Crystal, Dahlia, Daisy, Dakota, Dana, Dani, Danica, Daniela, Danielle, Daphne, Darcy, Daria, Dawn, Deanna, Deborah, Delia, Delilah, Destiny, Diana, Diane, Dolly, Dorothea, Dorothy, Dulcie, Eden, Edie, Edith, Effie, Eileen, Elaina, Elaine, Eleanor, Elena, Elicia, Elinor, Elisa, Elisabeth, Elise, Elissa, Eliza, Elizabeth, Ella, Ellen, Eliana, Ellie, Ellis, Eloise, Elora, Elsa, Elyse, Ember, Emilia, Emily, Emma, Emmeline, Enid, Enola, Erica, Erika, Erin, Esmé, Estelle, Esther, Eva, Evalyn, Evangeline, Eve, Evelina, Evelyn, Everleigh, Everly, Faith, Fay, Faye, Felicity, Fern, Ferne, Fiona, Fleur, Flora, Florence, Frances, Francis, Gabriella, Gabrielle, Genevieve, Georgia, Georgiana, Georgina, Gina, Giselle, Gloria, Grace, Gray, Greta, Gwen, Hadley, Hailey, Haley, Hannah, Harley, Harlow, Harmony, Harper, Harriet, Hayley, Hazel, Heather, Heidi, Helen, Helena, Henrietta, Hester, Hilary, Hollie, Holly, Honey, Hope, Ida, Imogen, India, Indiana, Indigo, Iona, Iris, Isabel, Isabella, Isabelle, Isadora, Isla, Ivy, Izzy, Jacqueline, Jade, Jaime, Jemima, Jena, Jenna, Jennifer, Jessica, Joanna, Jocelyn, Joey, Johanna, Jolene, Jolie, Joni, Josephine, Joy, Joyce, Judith, Jules, Julia, Juliana, Julie, Juliet, June, Justine, Kate, Katharine, Katherine, Kayla, Kelly, Kelsey, Kendall, Kim, Kimberley, Kit, Kris, Kyla, Kylie, Kyra, Kyrie, Lacey, Lacy, Lainey, Lake, Lana, Lara, Larissa, Laura, Laurel, Lauren, Laurie, Leah, Leanna, Leanne, Leigh, Lesley, Leslie, Letitia, Lexi, Liana, Lillian, Lilliana, Lily, Lilyrose, Linda, Lindsay, Lindsey, Lisa, Lissa, Livia, Logan, Lois, Lorelai, Lorelei, Lorena, Loretta, Lori, Lorna, Lorraine, Lucia, Lucinda, Lucy, Luna, Lydia, Mabel, Macy, Maddie, Madelaine, Madeleine, Madeline, Madison, Mae, Magdalena, Marcia, Margaret, Maria, Mariah, Marianna, Marianne, Marie, Marine, Marnie, Martha, Martine, Mary, Matilda, May, Maya, Meadow, Megan, Meghan, Melanie, Melina, Melissa, Melody, Mercy, Meredith, Michelle, Millicent, Miranda, Miriam, Molly, Monica, Monroe, Morgan, Myra, Nancy, Naomi, Natalia, Natalie, Nicole, Nina, Noel, Noelle, Oakley, Ocean, Octavia, Olive, Olivia, Ophelia, Paige, Paisley, Pamela, Patience, Patricia, Paula, Paulina, Pearl, Penelope, Penny, Philippa, Phillipa, Phoebe, Piper, Polly, Portia, Primrose, Priscilla, Quinn, Rachael, Rachel, Raine, Raven, Rebecca, Rebekah, Rhianna, Rhiannon, Riley, Rita, River, Robin, Rochelle, Rosa, Rosabella, Rosalie, Rosalind, Rosanna, Rose, Roseanne, Rosemarie, Rosemary, Rowan, Rowena, Roxanne, Ruby, Ruth, Sabrina, Saffron, Sage, Sally, Sam, Samantha, Samara, Sandra, Sapphire, Sara, Sarah, Savannah, Scarlet, Scarlett, Scarlette, Selina, Seraphina, Serena, Serenity, Shannon, Sharon, Shauna, Shelby, Shelley, Sheridan, Siena, Sienna, Sierra, Simone, Sky, Skye, Skyla, Skylar, Skyler, Sommer, Sonia, Sonya, Sophia, Sophie, Stacey, Stacy, Star, Stella, Stephanie, Sunny, Susan, Susanna, Sylvia, Tabatha, Tabitha, Tamara, Tamika, Tammy, Tania, Tanya, Tara, Taryn, Tatiana, Taylor, Teresa, Theodora, Theresa, Tia, Tiana, Tianna, Tiffany, Tina, Tracy, Trinity, Tyra, Una, Ursula, Valerie, Vanessa, Vera, Verity, Veronica, Victoria, Vienna, Viola, Violet, Virginia, Vivian, Wendy, Whitney, Willow, Winifred, Winter, Wren, Yolanda, Yvette, Yvonne, Zelda, Zena, Zoe,
Masculine names
Upper Class
Show spoiler
Abbondio, Abele, Abramo, Adalberto, Adamo, Adelardo, Adelmo, Ademaro, Adolfo, Adriano, Agatino, Agostino, Albano, Alberico, Alberto, Alcide, Aldo, Alessandro, Alessio, Alex, Alfio, Alfonso, Aloysius, Amadeo, Amato, Ambrogino, Ambrogio, Amerigo, Amore, Anacleto, Anastasio, Andrea, Angelino, Angelo, Annibale, Annunziato, Ansaldo, Anselmo, Antelmo, Antioco, Antonio, Arcangelo, Arduino, Aristide, Armando, Aronne, Arrigo, Arsenio, Artemio, Arturo, Ascanio, Atanasio, Atilio, Augusto, Aureliano, Aurelio, Balbino, Baldassare, Baldo, Baldovino, Barnaba, Bartolo, Bartolomeo, Basilio, Battista, Benedetto, Beniamino, Benigno, Benito, Benvenuto, Berardo, Barnardino, Bernardo, Berto, Bertoldo, Bertrando, Bettino, Bonaccorso, Bonaventura, Bonifacio, Brunello, Bruno, Caio, Callisto, Calogero, Camillo, Candido, Carlo, Carmelo, Carmine, Casimiro, Celeste, Celestino, Celino, Celio, Celso, Cesare, Cesarino, Chimento, Cipriano, Ciriaco, Cirillo, Cirino, Ciro, Claudio, Clemente, Cleto, Concetto, Cansalvo, Cornelio, Corradino, Corrado, Cosimo, Cosma, Constantino, Costanzo, Crescenzo, Cristiano, Cristoforo, Damiano, Daniele, Danilo, Dante, Dario, Davide, Demetrio, Desiderio, Diego, Diodato, Dionisio, Domenico, Doriano, Duilio, Durante, Edgardo, Edmondo, Efisio, Egidio, Eleuterio, Elia, Elio, Eliodoro, Eliseo, Elpidio, Elvio, Emanuele, Emidio, Emiliano, Emilio, Emmanuele, Enea, Ennio, Enrico, Enzo, Epifanio, Eraldo, Erasmo, Ercole, Ermacora, Ermanno, Ermenegildo, Ermes, Ermete, Erminio, Ernesto, Ettore, Eugenio, Eusebio, Eustachio, Eustorgio, Eutimio, Evangelista, Evaristo, Fabiano, Fabio, Fabrizio, Faustino, Fausto, Fedele, Federico, Federigo, Felice, Feliciano, Ferdinando, Ferruccio, Filippo, Fiore, Fiorenzo, Fiorino, Firmino, Flaviano, Flavio, Floriano, Floro, Fortunato, Francesco, Franco, Frediano, Fulgenzio, Fulvio, Gabriele, Gaetano, Galeazzo, Galileo, Gallo, Gasparo, Gastone, Gavino, Genesio, Gennarino, Gennaro, Gerardo, Geremia, Germano, Gerolamo, Gervasio, Gherardo, Giacomo, Gigi, Gioacchino, Gioachino, Gioele, Giona, Gionata, Giordano, Giorgino, Giorgio, Giosuè, Giotto, Giovannia, Giraldo, Girolamo, Giuliano, Giulio, Giuseppe, Giustino, Giusto, Glauco, Goffredo, Graziano, Gregorio, Grimaldo, Gualberto, Gualtiero, Guerino, Guglielmo, Gustavo, Iacopo, Igino, Ignazio, Ilario, Innocenzo, Ippolito, Isacco, Isaia, Isidoro, Ismaele, Italo, Ivano, Jacopo, Joele, Ladislao, Lamberto, Lando, Lapo, Lauro, Lazzaro, Leandro, Lelio, Leoluca, Leonardo, Leone, Leonida, Leonzio, Leopoldo, Liberato, Liberatore, Liborio, Lino, Livio, Lodovico, Lorenzo, Loreto, Lotario, Luca, Luciano, Lucilioi, Lucio, Ludovico, Luigi, Manfredi, Manlio, Manuel, Marcellino, Marcello, Marciano, Marco, Mariano, Marino, Mario, Martino, Marzio, Massimiliano, Massimo, Matteo, Mattia, Maurizio, Mauro, Melchiorre, Mercurio, Michelangelo, Michele, Mirco, Mirko, Modesto, Moreno, Naldo, Nando, Napoleone, Narciso, Natale, Natalino, Natanaele, Nazario, Nazzareno, Nello, Nereo, Nerio, Nero, Nestore, Nevio, Niccolò, Nicodemo, Nicola, Nicolao, Nicolò, Nicomede, Nicostrato, Nilo, Noè, Norberto, Oddo, Odoacre, Olindo, Oliviero, Onofrio, Orazio, Oreste, Orfeo, Orlando, Orsino, Orso, Oscar, Osvaldo, Otello, Ottaviano, Ottavio, Ottone, Ottorino, Ovidio, Palmiro, Pancrazio, Panfilo, Pantaleone, Paolino, Paolo, Paride, Pasquale, Pasqualino, Patrizio, Pellegrino, Peppe, Peppi, Pier, Pietro, Placido, Plinio, Pompeo, Porifirio, Primo, Prospero, Prudenzio, Quintino, Quirino, Raffaele, Raffaello, Raimondo, Raniero, Raoul, Raul, Remigio, Remo, Renato, Renzo, Riccardo, Rinaldo, Rino, Roberto, Rocco, Rodolfo, Rodrigo, Rolando, Romano, Romeo, Romolo, Romualdo, Rosario, Ruben, Ruggero, Ruggiero, Sabino, Salvatore, Salvio, Salvo, Samuele, Sandro, Sansone, Sante, Santi, Santino, Santo, Saturnino, Saverio, Savino, Savio, Scevola, Sebastiano, Serafino, Sergio, Sesto, Settimio, Settimo, Severino, Severo, Sigfrido, Sigismondo, Silvano, Silverio, Silvestro, Silvino, Silvio, Simone, Sisto, Stanislao, Stefano, Tacito, Taddeo, Tammaro, Tancredi,Teo, Teobaldo, Teodoro, Teodosio, Teofilo, Terenzio, Terzo, Timoteo, Tino, Tito, Tiziano, Tobia, Tomaso, Tommaso, Tonino, Tonio, Tore, Tullio, Uberto, Ugo, Ulderico, Ulisse, Umberto, Urbano, Valente, Valentino, Valeriano, Valerio, Valter, Vanni, Vasco, Venceslao, Vespasiano, Vico, Vilfredo, Vincenzo, Vinicio, Virgilio, Virginio, Vitale, Vitaliano, Vittore, Vittorino, Vittorio, Viviano, Zaccaria, Zeno
Lower Class
Show spoiler
Aaron, Abel, Abraham, Adam, Addison, Aden, Adrian, Aidan, Aiden, Alan, Alban, Albert, Albie, Alec, Alex, Alexander, Alexis, Alfred, Allan, Alvin, Amos, Anderson, Andre, Andrew, Angus, Anthony, Anton, Antony, Archer, Archibald, Archie, Arden, Ariel, Arin, Arlen, Arlo, Arnold, Arthur, Asher, Ashley, Ashton, Aston, Aubrey, August, Austin, Avery, Axel, Bailey, Barnaby, Barry, Baxter, Bayley, Bear, Beau, Beck, Ben, Benedict, Benjamin, Benji, Bentley, Bernard, Bertram, Bevan, Bill, Blaine, Blair, Blake, Blythe, Bowen, Braden, Bradley, Brady, Brandon, Braxton, Brendan, Brennan, Brent, Brett, Brody, Brook, Brooklyn, Bruce, Bryan, Bryce, Bryn, Bryson, Byron, Cade, Caden, Caelan, Caleb, Callan, Calvin, Camden, Cameron, Campbell, Camron, Carl, Carlton, Carol, Carson, Carter, Casey, Cassidy, Chance, Chandler, Charles, Charlie, Charlton, Chase, Chester, Chris, Christian, Christopher, Clark, Claude, Clay, Clayton, Clement, Cleo, Clifford, Clive, Cody, Cole, Colin, Connor, Conrad, Cooper, Corbin, Corey, Cosmo, Courtney, Craig, Curtis, Cyrus, Dakota, Dalton, Damian, Damon, Daniel, Danny, Darcy, Darian, Darien, Darius, David, Deacon, Dean, Declan, Denis, Derek, Devin, Devon, Dexter, Digby, Dion, Donald, Douglas, Drake, Duke, Duncan, Dylan, Edgar, Edison, Edmund, Edward, Edwin, Eli, Elias, Elijah, Elliot, Elwood, Emerson, Emil, Emile, Emmanuel, Emmett, Eric, Erick, Erik, Ernest, Ethan, Eugene, Evan, Evelyn, Ezekiel, Ezra, Felix, Fenton, Finn, Fletcher, Florence, Flynn, Forest, Forrest, Fox, Francis, Frank, Franklin, Frederick, Gabriel, Gage, Gareth, Gary, Gavin, Geoffrey, George, Gerald, Gerard, Gideon, Gilbert, Giles, Glenn, Gordon, Graeme, Graham, Grant, Gray, Gregory, Griffin, Griffith, Guy, Hadley, Hallam, Harlan, Harlow, Harold, Harper, Harris, Harry, Harvey, Hayden, Heath, Hector, Henry, Herbert, Hilary, Howard, Hubert, Hudson, Huey, Hugh, Humphrey, Hunter, Huxley, Ian, Indigo, Inigo, Isaac, Isaiah, Jack, Jacob, Jake, James, Jared, Jason, Jasper, Jax, Jeremiah, Jeremy, Jerome, Jesse, Jocelyn, Joel, John, Jonah, Jonathan, Jordan, Joseph, Joshua, Joyce, Jude, Julian, Julius, Justin, Kelsey, Kelvin, Kendall, Kendrick, Kenneth, King, Kirk, Kyle, Lachlan, Lance, Landon, Laurence, Lawrence, Layton, Lee, Leighton, Leland, Leo, Leon, Leonard, Leopold, Leslie, Levi, Lewis, Liam, Lindsay, Logan, Louis, Lucas, Lucian, Luke, Lyle, Lyndon, Madison, Malachi, Malcolm, Marcus, Mark, Marley, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Matt, Matthew, Maurice, Maximilian,, Maxwell, Meredith, Merlin, Micah, Michael, Miles, Milo, Mitchell, Monroe, Montague, Morgan, Moses, Myron, Nate, Nathan, Neil, Nelson, Nicholas, Nigel, Noah, Noel, Nolan, Oakley, Oliver, Orson, Oscar, Patrick, Paul, Percival, Percy, Perry, Peter, Peyton, Philip, Pierce, Piers, Presley, Preston, Prince, Quentin, Quinn, Raine, Ralph, Raphael, Raven, Ray, Raymond, Reginald, Reign, Rex, Rhys, Richard, Riley, River, Robert, Robin, Roger, Roland, Roman, Ronald, Ross, Rowan, Roy, Rudy, Rupert, Russell, Ryan, Sage, Saint, Sam, Samson, Samuel, Saxon, Scott, Sean, Sebastian, Seth, Shane, Shannon, Shaun, Shawn, Shelby, Sheldon, Sheridan, Sid, Sidney, Silas, Simon, Sky, Skylar, Skyler, Solomon, Spencer, Stacy, Stanley, Stephen, Steven, Stewart, Stuart, Sullivan, Sunny, Sydney, Tate, Taylor, Terence, Theodore, Thomas, Timothy, Tobias, Tracy, Trafford, Travis, Trent, Trevor, Trey, Tristan, Troy, Tyler, Tyrone, Tyson, Vaughan, Victor, Vincent, Vivian, Wade, Walter, Warren, Warwick, Wesley, Whitney, Wil, Wilfred, Will, William, Wilson, Winston, Wolf, Wyatt, Xander, Xavier, Zachariah, Zachary, Zane
Family names
Upper Class
Show spoiler
Abano, Abatangelo, Abatantuono, Abate, Abategiovanni, Abatescianni, Abbà, Abbadelli, Abbandonato, Abbascia, Abbatangelo, Abbatantuono, Abbate, Abbatelli, Abbaticchio, Abbiati, Abelli, Abrami, Abramo, Acardi, Accardi, Accardo, Acciai, Acciaio, Acciaioli, Acconci, Acconcio, Accorsi, Accorso, Accursio, Acerbi, Acone, Acqua, Acquafredda, Acquarone, Acquati, Adami, Adamo, Adamoli, Addario, Adelardi, Adesso, Adimari, Adriatico, Affini, Africani, Africano, Agani, Aggio, Agli, Agnelli, Agnellini, Agnusdei, Agosti, Agostini, Agresta, Agricola, Aiello, Aiolfi, Airaldi, Airò, Aita, Ajello, Alagona, Alamanni, Albanesi, Albani, Albano, Alberghi, Alberghini, Alberici, Alberighi, Albero, Albini, Albricci, Albrici, Aldebrandi, Alderisi, Alduino, Alemagna, Alesci, Alescio, Alesi, Alesini, Alesio, Alessandri, Alessi, Alfero, Aliberti, Alinari, Aliprandi, Allegri, Allegro, Alò, Aloi, Aloia, Aloisi, Altamura, Altimari, Altoviti, Alunni, Amadei, Amadori, Amalberti, amantea, Amato, Amatore, Ambrogi, Ambrosi, Amerighi, Amoretto, Angioli, Ansaldi, Anselmetti, Anselmi, Anselmo, Antonelli, Antonini, Antonino, Aquila, Aquino, Arbore, Ardiccioni, Ardizzone, Ardovini, Arena, Arlotti, Armando, Armani, Armati, Arnolfi, Arnoni, Arrighetti, Arrighi, Arrigucci, Avellino, Azzarà, Baggi, Baggio, Baglio, Bagni, Bagnoli, Balboni, Baldi, Baldini, Baldinotti, Baldovini, Ballerini, Bandini, Bandoni, Barbieri, Barone, Barsotti, Bartalotti, Bartolomei, Bartolomeo, Barzetti, Basile, Bassanelli, Bassani, Bassi, Basso, Battaglia, Bazzoli, Bellandi, Bellandini, Bellincioni, Bellini, Bello, Bellomi, Bellomo, Belloni, Belluomo, Belmonte, Bencivenni, Benedetti, Benenati, Benetton, Benini, Benvenuti, , Berardi, Bergamaschi, Berlusconi, Bernardi, Berti, Bertolini, Biagi, Biancardi, Bianchi, Bianco, Bicchieri, Biondi, Biondo, Boerio, Gologna, Bonaccorsi, Bonaccorso, Bonaventura, Bondesan, Bonomo, Borghi, Borgia, Borgnino, Borgogni, Bosco, Bove, Boveri, Brambilla, Breda, Brioschi, Brivio, Brunetti, Bruno, Buffone, Bulgarelli, Bulgari, Buonarroti, Buono, Busto, Caiazzo, Caito, Caivano, Calabrese, Calligaris, Campana, Campo, Cantù, Capello, Capitani, Carbone, Carboni, Carideo, Carlevaro, Carnevale, Caro, Carrara, Caruso, Casale, Cassano, Catalano, Cattaneo, Cavalcante, Cavallo, Cingolani, Cino, Cipriani, Cisternino, Clemente, Coiro, Cola, Colombera, Colombo, Como, Confortola, Conti, Coppola, Corleone, Corna, Corrà, Corti, Corvi, Costa, Costantini, Costanzo, Cracchiolo, Cremaschi, Cremona, Cremonesi, Crespi, Crespo, Croce, Crocetti, Cucinotta, Cuocco, Cuoco, Drago, Durante, Elena, Episcopo, Ermacora, Esposito, Evangelista, Fabbri, Fabbro, Falco, Faraldo, Farina, Farro, Fattore, Fausti, Fava, Favero, Fermi, Fermi, Ferrara, Ferrari, Ferraro, Ferrero, Ferri, Ferro, Fierro, Filippi, Fini, Fiore, Fiscella, Fonda, Fontana, Fortunato, Franco, Franzese, Furlan, Fusco, Gabrielli, Gagliardi, Galli, Gallo, Ganza, Garbo, Garfagnini, Garofalo, Gaspari, Gatti, Genovese, Gentile, Germano, Giannino, Gimondi, Giordano, Gismondi, Giugovaz, Giuliani, Giunta, Goretti, Gori, Greco, Grillo, Grimaldi, Gronchi, Grossi, Grosso, Guarneri, Guerra, Guerriero, Guidi, Guttuso, Innocenti, Labriola, Laganà, Lagomarsino, Lagorio, Laguardia, Lama, Lamberti, Lamon, Landi, Lando, Landolfi, Laterza, Laurito, Lazzari, Lecce, Leccese, Leggièri, Lemmi, Leonardi, Leone, Leoni, Lippi, Locatelli, Lombardi, Lombardo, Longo, Lupo, Luzzatto, Maestri, Magro, Maiella, Mancini, Manco, Mancuso, Manfredi, Manfredonia, Mantovani, Marchegiano, Marchesi, Marchetti, Marchi, Marchioni, Marco, Marconi, Mari, Maria, Mariani, Marini, Marino, Marmo, Martelli, Martinelli, Martini, Masi, Masin, Mazza, Merlo, Messana, Messina, Micheli, Milani, Milano, Modugno, Mondadori, Mondo, Montagna, Montana, Montanari, Monte, Monti, Morandi, Morello, Moretti, Morra, Moschella, Mosconi, Motta, Muggia, Muraro, Naggi, Naggia, Naldi, Nana, Nani, Nanni, Nannini, Napoleoni, Napoletani, Napoli, Napoliello, Nardi, Nardo, Nardovino, Nasato, Nascimbene, Nascimbeni, Natale, Nave, Nazario, Necchi, Negri, Negrini, Nelli, Nenci, Nepi, Neri, Neroni, Nervetti, Nervi, Nespola, Nespoli, Nicastro, Nicchi, Nicodemo, Nicolai, Nicolosi, Nicosia, Nicotera, Nieddu, Nieri, Nigro, Nisi, Nizzola, Noschese, Notaro, Oberti, Oberto, Ongaro, Orlando, Orsini, Pace, Padovan, Padovano, Pagani, Pagano, Palazzo, Palladino, Palmisano, Palumbo, Panza, Parisi, Parma, Parodi, Parri, Parrino, Passerino, Pastore, Paternoster, Pavesi, Pavia, Pavone, Pavoni, Pecora, Pedrotti, Pellegrino, Perugia, Pesaresi, Pesaro, Pesce, Petri, Piazza, Picasso, Piccirillo, Piccoli, Pierno, Pini, Pinto, Piovene, Piraino, Pisani, Pittaluga, Poggi, Poggio, Poletti, Pontecorvo, Portelli, Porto, Portoghese, Potenza, Pozzi, Profeta, Prosdocimi, Provenza, Provenzano, Pugliese, Quranta, Quattrocchi, Ragno, Raimondi, Rais, Rana, Raneri, Rao, Rapallino, Ratti, Ravenna, Ré, Ricchetti, Ricci, Riggi, Righi, Rinaldi, Riva, Rizzo, Robustelli, Rocca, Rocchi, Rocco, Roma, Romagna, Romagnoli, Romano, Roncalli, Ronchi, Rosa, Rossi, Rossini, Rotolo, Rovigatti, Ruggeri, Ruggiero, Russo, Rustici, Ruzzier, Sabbadin, Sacco, Sala, Salucci, Salvaggi, Salvatici, Salvi, Sanna, Sansone, Santini, Santo, Santoro, Sapienti, Sarno, Sarti, Sartini, Sarto, Sartor, Sartore, Savona, Scarpa, Scarsi, Scavo, Sciacca, Scotti, Sebastiani, Segreti, Selvaggio, Serafin, Serafini, Serpico, Serra, Sessa, Sgro, Siena, Silvestri, Sinagra, Soldati, Somma, Sordi, Soriano, Sorrentino, Spada, Spanò, Sparacello, Speziale, Spini, Stabile, Stablum, Stilo, Tafani, Tamaro, Tamboia, Tanzi, Tarantino, Taverna, Tedesco, Terranova, Terzi, Tessaro, Testa, Tiraboschi, Tivoli, Todaro, Toloni, Tornincasa, Toselli, Tosetti, Tosi, Tosto, Trapani, Traversa, Traversi, Traversini, Traverso, Trucco, Tumicelli, Turati, Turchi, Uberti, Uccello, Uggeri, Ughi, Ungaretti, Ungaro, Vacca, Vaccaro, Valenti, Valentini, Valerio, Varano, Ventimiglia, Ventura, Verona, Veronesi, Vescovi, Vespa, Vestri, Vicario, Vico, Vigo, Villa, Vinci, Viola, Vitale, Vitali, Voltolini, Zanetti, Zangari, Zappa, Zeni, Zini, Zino, Zunino
Lower Class
Show spoiler
Aaron, Abbey, Abbott, Abel, Abney, Abraham, Acker, Ackerman, Adair, Adam, Adams, Adcock, Adamson, Addison, Adkins, Aiken, Ainsworth, Aitken, Akerman, Alan, Albert, Alden, Alexander, Alfredson, Alger, Allan, Allard, Allison, Allsopp, Alvey, Alvin, Anderson, Andrews, Ansel, Anson, Anthony, Appleby, Appleton, Apted, Archer, Arkwright, Armistead, Armstrong, Arnold, Arrington, Arterberry, Arthur, Ash, Ashley, Ashton, Ashworth, Aston, Atkins, Attaway, Atteberry, Attwater, Attwood, Atwater, Audley, Austin, Auteberry, Averill, Avery, Ayers, Aylmer, Ayton, Babcock, Backus, Bagley, Bailey, Bain, Baines, Baker, Baldwin, Ball, Ballard, Bancroft, Banks, Banner, Bannerman, Bannister, Barber, Barclay, Bardsley, Barker, Barlow, Barnes, Barnet, Barnett, Baron, Barr, Barrett, Bartlett, Barton, Bartram, Bass, Bates, Batts, Baxter, Beake, Bean, Beasley, Beaumont, Beck, Beckham, Belanger, Bell, Bellamy, Belmont, Benbow, Bennett, Bennington, Benson, Bentley, Beringer, Bernard, Berry, Beverly, Bishop, Bisset, Bissette, Black, Blackbourne, Blackburn, Blackwood, Blake, Blakesley, Blanchard, Bloodworth, Bloxam, Bloxham, Blue, Blythe, Boatwright, Bolton, Bond, Bone, Bonner, Booker, Boone, Booth, Botterill, Botwright, Bourke, Bourne, Bower, Bowers, Boyce, Braddock, Bradford, Bradley, Bradshaw, Brand, Brandon, Brant, Brasher, Brassington, Braxton, Bray, Breckenridge, Brent, Brett, Brewer, Brewster, Brice, Bridges, Brierley, Briggs, Brigham, Brinley, Bristow, Broadbent, Brock, Bronson, Brook, Brooke, Brown, Browne, Brownlow, Bryan, Bryce, Buckley, Bull, Bullard, Bullock, Bunker, Burgess, Burke, Burnett, Burnham, Burns, Burrell, Burroughs, Burrows, Burton, Bush, Butcher, Butler, Byrd, Caldwell, Cannon, Cantrell, Carl, Carlisle, Carlyle, Carman, Carpenter, Carr, Carter, Cartwright, Carver, Case, Cason, Castle, Caulfield, Causer, Causey, Chadwick, Chamberlain, Chambers, Chance, Chancellor, Chandler, Chaplin, Chapman, Chase, Cheshire, Clark, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clemens, Clement, Clifford, Clifton, Close, Cobb, Coburn, Cockburn, Colbert, Colby, Cole, Coleman, Collingwood, Collins, Colson, Colt, Colton, Combs, Comstock, Conner, Constable, Conway, Cook, Coombs, Cooper, Corey, Cornell, Cornett, Corwin, Cotterill, Coupe, Courtney, Cowden, Cox, Coy, Crawford, Crawley, Crewe, Croft, Cropper, Cross, Crowley, Cullen, Cummings, Curtis, Dabney, Dale, Dalton, Dane, Danell, Daniel, Darcy, Darling, Darnell, Darrell, Darwin, Daubney, David, Dawson, Day, Dayton, Deacon, Dean, Debenham, Dedrick, Deering, Deighton, Delaney, Denman, Dennell, Dennis, Denzil, Derby, Derrick, Devine, Dickens, Dobbs, Dobson [...]
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Drothic people speak Heartlandic Common, a variant of the common tongue spoken by most on Sol. There are variants and loanwords present in each regional variation around Ayrith. Western and northern Heartlandic is said to be softer and more melodic, while the further south and east one goes, the sounds get more stoic.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Droth are the descendants of the human settlers who arrived on Sol in waves from the continent of Elysium many millennia ago. They were part of many disparate groups before, far back enough in history that the Droth no longer remember their old distinctions and names, though they are aware they aren't natives. It is difficult to ascertain exactly how much modern Drothic culture retains from its origins, but one thing that certainly remained was its diversity. Throughout the Droth culture, one can find pale and dark folk, representing an array of original ethnic groups that formed this culture long ago. Its people have formed new identities over those old ones, now bound more by city and region of Ayrith than the kingdom or even the name 'Droth' themselves.
Common Etiquette rules
While the Droth can be less ceremonious than many other folks, their cultures do emphasize respect for elders, warm communication, and pleasantries and small talk before business. Heartlanders tend to be gregarious, confident, and warm. It's customary to compliment someone's clothes, house, or food when greeting them. As well, during such a meal, talking about business is considered bad form and fit for after the meal, during the wine period. Otherwise, heartlanders seem to have little regard for punctuality, showing up to arrangements up to an hour late without batting an eye.
When meeting someone new, they go for a handshake, usually a firm one between men. If meeting someone they have familiarity with, they'll often kiss once or twice on the cheek; the standard amount seems to differ from town to town. When spending time seated, they aren't overly worried about appearances, crossing their legs and lounging freely, though less so in business matters. Jokes and witty banter are common icebreakers, even among people meeting for the first time.
Wine permeates virtually every aspect of life, from family life to business to mediation between rivals. Offering a glass of wine during a familiar or formal meeting implies good faith. A meeting with no offer of wine, even from a dry host, is considered a sign of disrespect or at least a guarded attitude. When gift-giving, good wine or desserts are the standard fare. Gifts are expected to be opened when presented.
Beyond that, many heartlanders, especially those of the coastal lands, tend to exaggerate when telling stories for dramatic effect. In such cases, being a captivating storyteller is often seen as at least as important as communicating the exact truth of the matter. Those in the more inland, rural communities, such as Sayda tend to value honesty and straightness more.
In general, the Droth tend to be pragmatic and realistic. They are a diplomatic folk and will settle for compromises and amiable concessions, rather than all-or-nothing honor-bound ways of thinking.
Common Dress code
Dressing well is the mark of a serious person. Maintaining hygiene, good quality garments, and even at least decent style are all part of the dress etiquette for heartlanders. It is also considered a good sign to decorate oneself in one or more garments of another culture, especially if one gained it through a means beyond the market. In particular, Dwarven jewelry, Elven garments, and especially Shan silks bring an outfit together. Beyond this, there are minimal strict rules concerning dress.
Art & Architecture
The fine arts are the commanding visual expression of the cultures, particularly along the coast where wealth is more readily abundant. Oil paintings, watercolors, glasswork, books, calligraphy, cartography, and illustration are all expected to decorate the home and may even be acceptable gifts for those who can afford them. The romance and knightly poetry of Veros is seen as second to none by many. Art is seen as a worthy profession for any to take up. The struggle of the artist is glamorized and fetishized as a noble trial. Artists who 'make it' too early are seen as shallow. If a person has money, it's expected that they will patronize artists to display their commitment to the arts. As far as music, heartlanders prefer string and wood instruments over percussion.
In more rural, inland areas, Drothic art tends to take the form of wood carvings and decorated tools such as weapons and armor. Sayda boasts a well-known woodcarving competition annually, bringing in visitors from all over the kingdom.
Beyond the fine arts, architecture is deeply dependent on the city. As with most other things, the Droth tend to borrow artistically from nearby cultures. Elven domes, Shan arches, and Dwarven stonework often have a strong influence. Heartland architecture is also famous for its use of marble and stained glass, especially in the city of Veros. Grand buildings are also known to make expert use of light, sun cycles, and geometric patterns to evoke awe.
Foods & Cuisine
Given their reputation as competitive city keepers, cuisine is both highly influenced by other cuisines while also remaining dependent on the city or region and competitive with nearby settlements. As a general rule, food is well-balanced between bread, fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. Naturally, inland regions tend to hunt more while coastal cities may boast a greater diet of seafood. Spices imported from the east at great cost are essential and considered a luxury that the Droth can no longer go without. Olives are a staple and can be found in most dishes. While feasting is a significant part of the lifestyle, breakfast is often the biggest meal of the day, represented by a three-course feast and finished off with imported tea or coffee.
As mentioned, wine is an integral part of everyday life. Religious rituals, rites of birth and death, marriage ceremonies, and most meals feature wine. Heartlanders are famous for their wine production, with wineries, vineyards, and orchards able to be found throughout the central and southern lands of the region. Red, spiced, rosé, and white wine are the preferred drinks, though other alcohol may still be customary throughout taverns and restaurants. Wine remains the customary gift for most occasions.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Drothic worship is quite decentralized and individualistic. There is a central temple authority with clerics, monks, and vestals who guide the faithful towards devotion, but in practice, many Heartlanders prefer to venerate saints and celestial figures as intermediaries between them and the gods of The Celestial Order. That being said, many do prefer the traditional worship of the gods properly, especially Tathos, Veros, Seraphina, and Meniphanaea. Any Drothic settlement is likely to have a temple, often more than one. These act as gathering places where rituals and ceremonies of life, from birth to marriage to death, may be observed under the auspices of a cleric. Many wineries and breweries are operated by monks. And it is expected for each ruler, local and royal, to have a court priest to guide them in spiritual affairs. That being said, there is no mistaking it in Drothic culture—temporal authority trumps spiritual authority.
While Heartlanders are not particularly religious, temple services in their culture are quite widespread. Temples organize charitable ventures to help the less fortunate, an essential effort, seeing as how very little charitable work takes place in this culture outside the jurisdiction of faith. Clerics also offer healing services without charge. Priests often officiate major ceremonies as well, including monarchical ordination and coronations, legitimizing them. In return, temple lands are free from being taxed by manpower, instead paying a significantly higher than average tax by coin to the crown, gathered from tithes and the production of their bountiful lands. The relationship between the crown and temples should be thought of as mutually beneficial.
There are also many Drothic knightly orders born out of devotional orders. Perhaps most famous among them is the Order of Yuna, a holy order of paladins and knights devoted to the Twin of Dawn Yuna. The order operates out of Veros and upholds the virtues of truth, light, order, and justice associated with the Twin of Dawn while also serving the interests of the crown throughout the kingdom, securing peace along the roads and assisting the crown during wartime.
Knighthood is another tradition with deep roots among the Droth. Especially in Veros, knighthood plays a vital role in culture, art, and identity. Knights are heavily armored warriors, often mounted, sworn to service to a sovereign or noble cause. They are expected to abide by the tenets of chivalry, protecting the weak, upholding the crown's justice, and embodying the noble virtues of service, courage, and heroism. During conflicts, knights may distinguish themselves on the field of battle, earning land and titles. Though knights have also been known to break their oaths and scour the countryside, essentially falling into glorified banditry, giving them the name knight-errant.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Burial is the standard procedure of funerary custom among the Droth. When one dies, their nearest of kin will be tasked with making funeral arrangements, often sons if available. If not, brothers or other male family members will be expected to bear the burden, while women of their household are expected to be given space to grieve and mourn. Funerals tend to take place indoors. A casket, which is reasonable given the family's wealth, will contain the body and be visited by family, friends, loved ones, and colleagues, or perhaps more people if the deceased was prominent, out of respect. Afterwards, the casket will be lowered into the ground or placed in a hall or tomb if the family is wealthy enough to afford one. During this process, wine is sprinkled upon the container, and the deceased are often sent off with a bottle to offer ancestors in the world to come. There will usually be a priest of Tathos present to perform the burial rites and prayer services as well as to help the family through the grieving process.
Common Taboos
Unlike most of the continent, slavery is not present among the Droth, mostly. The trade is outlawed within the jurisdiction of Ayrith, though it can technically persist if one brings a slave to the kingdom, purchased or otherwise legally gained elsewhere. The trade itself is criminalized, not the possession. Nonetheless, slavery remains both an exotic curiosity and a feared threat among the Droth, especially with the growing threat of the Dark Elves in the north, ruling an empire feared throughout the continent for its slave raids.
Polygamy is another commonality throughout most of the continent that is relatively unheard of among the Droth. While it is not criminalized, it is otherwise not part of the legal system in Ayrith. Drothic men are known to be fascinated by the practice and may justify it when travelling elsewhere for tourism of a carnal nature. Closer to home, mistresses and secret affairs are actually quite common among the Droth, in both directions, though they're considered secrets to be guarded gravely, not done out in the open.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Drothic culture emphasizes grooming, wearing fine quality garments, and having a sense of style. In this sense, a wide variety of styles are socially present and are all valid, as long as the bearer is well-groomed and putting their best foot forward in their presentation. They tend to prefer a balance to different beauty ideals, neither strictly favoring overly muscular physiques like the Northmen or dainty lithe figures like that of the Elves. They often prefer tanned, darker features, and many will spend time in the sun to acquire such a tone.
Gender Ideals
The culture of the heartland is male-dominated and patriarchal. The heads of households are usually fathers, and it is often through them that money, land, and titles flow, chiefly to their sons. Women can still serve as priestesses, teachers, and rulers, but typically to a lesser degree than men. Queen Evelyn is a clear exception to this norm, though her rise to central authority came only after the death of her father and several male relatives, leaving the throne to her. Throughout society, some gender norms and preferences persist. Men are expected to be strong, shrewd, witty, wise, and protectors. Meanwhile, women are expected to be beautiful, thin, kindhearted, and somewhat modest and chaste, traditionally. Knights have traditionally only been men, though this was overturned in living memory after an unusually egalitarian law was passed allowing them to do so by King Edric, albeit he only did so to give a mistress of his technical noble status. Nonetheless, women may now be knighted and knight others. Women have always been able to serve as soldiers and sailors in the military, though they do so at a lower rate than their male counterparts.
Courtship Ideals
Traditionally, courtship among the Droth is known to be passionate, dramatic, and romantic. Poetry, duels of honor between potential male lovers, and eloping are all prominent features of Drothic storytelling and folk legends. Among everyday folk, they may not often duel each other for a lady's affection, but dramatic gestures and romantic poetry are part of the usual courtship experience. Heartlanders, especially in the cities, tend to court and marry for love rather than through elders and arrangements.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships in this culture are based on love, partnership, and devotion to each other. Women typically take the surname of their husbands, though not always. Divorce is allowed and quite common, especially among younger couples. It has traditionally been looked down upon, but few hold to those ideals anymore, beyond it being a cause for gossip. Relationships are expected, or at least hoped, to keep their luster, romance, and passion throughout, not just in the early stages. Gift-giving, retreats into the wilderness, and poetry are all ways of keeping a relationship kindled.
