Ahtroni
The Ahtroni came from the ancient land of Ahtros which mysteriously disappeared around 450 BCE. There is a rumour that they escaped from an indistinguishable fire that raged with the arrival of the Torch bearers (kinda like White Walkers but fiery) it only stopped when Ahtros became The scorched glasslands. They became a sea faring race and landed at The Bear Isles after 50 years of drifting place to place where they settled and built their central colony as Sailstead. They were greeted by the great immortal master Gazza who taught them to fish extremely efficiently. In return for their service, they were the first to receive Gazzarite Steel. They also became the first to see and tame bears. They have no religion only great respect for powerful being such as Gazza. They also like to value intimacy and community so figures of authority are often referred to by a nickname by citizens, even the king, unless in formal situations. They are still the main race of The Bear Isles however there is still a population of others descended from Sandians called Bearians.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Sheisa, Doris, Chelsea (pronounced shellsea), Kendra, Marcelline, Avisa, Seandra, Ocean, Bearbara, Beartrice.
Masculine names
Denamo, Atoll, Finn, Derrick, Marion, Sadaf, Bearic, Seamon, Beartram, Seamas, Shit, Beart.
Unisex names
Dortitahh, River, Quest, Nettanahh, Concha, Grizzly, Polar, Black, Panda, Sun.
Family names
Marinerson, Depthstrider, Coralseed, Seltra, Ursidae, Bearis,
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Ahtrosi and Pentosi are the two official dialects but each island has a different dialect. Bear Island has generally no discernable accent in ahtrosi however the pentosi dialect is similar to that of irish.
Forest has a pirate accent for both languages, the reason for which you can probably guess.
Snow speaks with a more welsh accent and are usually quieter and raspier in tone.
Winter is similar to Snow with its raspiness and quietness though their voices are usually deeper and sound more like a Scandinavian accent.
Bolton are a lot more loud and have a northen english accent. Think two farmers shouting to each other from either end of a field and that's how they talk.
Karstark has many different accents and languages as the population is entirely prisoners mostly from other houses.
Forest has a pirate accent for both languages, the reason for which you can probably guess.
Snow speaks with a more welsh accent and are usually quieter and raspier in tone.
Winter is similar to Snow with its raspiness and quietness though their voices are usually deeper and sound more like a Scandinavian accent.
Bolton are a lot more loud and have a northen english accent. Think two farmers shouting to each other from either end of a field and that's how they talk.
Karstark has many different accents and languages as the population is entirely prisoners mostly from other houses.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Ahtroni culture has records dating to 500 BCE however it is widely known to date back far further. It is unknown how far back exactly as at 500 BCE there was a mass migration from their original home due to unknown circumstances. Everything is well recorded and kept in The Archives so not much has changed since people first settled. In these archives are observations and recordings of everything about almost every culture as well as scientific discoveries and experiments, inventions and patents, art and music. Everything you can think of is recorded and placed, organised, in these large and cavernous halls. They are meant to be kept so that future generations can look back on the past and learn from and spread the old stories, keeping true to past traditions and learning from past mistakes. It is seen as the most important building in all of The Bear Isles and is protected at all times via a special division in the military and is seen as the most respected position in all Ahtroni militia.
Average technological level
In the past The Ahtroni had far better technology than those around them as they were an ancient race from unknown lands and had probably existed very far back, even so much as being theorised to be the earliest civilisation ever though there is no proof as all history before the settling at The Bear Isles.
Common Etiquette rules
There isn't much of a focus on manners as being friendly with someone is seen as respect, however for formal situations it is usual to treat people with more manners than usual though this usually means not getting into fistfights or competitions with others. This general rule can be broken too if there's a good reason behind it.
The only place where manners seem to come into play are when in the presence of someone sacred like druids and the leader of the ruling family when they're on duty. these manners appear to come down to proper language, proper listening, good posture, and neat appearances. These manners also come into play when an important person comes from a different culture so as to not offend them and worsen relations.
The only place where manners seem to come into play are when in the presence of someone sacred like druids and the leader of the ruling family when they're on duty. these manners appear to come down to proper language, proper listening, good posture, and neat appearances. These manners also come into play when an important person comes from a different culture so as to not offend them and worsen relations.
Art & Architecture
The architecture is fairly open with large archways and windows. There are often stairways and ramps leading down to the water from houses for family boats. There is also a lot of painted walls mainly geometric patterns in all sorts of colours, the rich having gems and precious materials embedded too. There are many openings in each building with either glassless windows or stained glass windows imported from House Sand . There are many different rock and wood types used to build with, marble from House Stone ,cool toned basalt, laterite, slate, travertine, and a lot of granite. Domes are quite prevalent in the architecture as well as pillars and stairways, there are also a lot of wall alcoves made for seating, ornament displays, and generally anything that can be an alcove; for instance, entire kitchens are commonly just alcoves carved into the wall. There is also a lot of space for planters, pots, and allotments though there aren't many trees in the cities.
The oldest form of art they have is boat carving, each family has a unique boat with different carvings on the top of the hull, usually patterns and sometimes encrusted with pearls for the very successful fishers. Another art form is blacksmithing which is often done with intricate designs on the armour. Painters usually paint the geometric designs for walls or they paint depictions of historical events for the walls of the archives, portrait and landscape painting isn't all that common.
The oldest form of art they have is boat carving, each family has a unique boat with different carvings on the top of the hull, usually patterns and sometimes encrusted with pearls for the very successful fishers. Another art form is blacksmithing which is often done with intricate designs on the armour. Painters usually paint the geometric designs for walls or they paint depictions of historical events for the walls of the archives, portrait and landscape painting isn't all that common.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
There is a festival on each of the solstices, summer and winter, as well as an annual celebration for the capture of all evil on 1st January and the founding of the bear isles being settled on 13th March. Most celebrations involve large parades of fireworks and bears ending in a mass expedition into the calmer parts of the sea to party away on boats, lasting to the early hours of the next day and involving many alcohols and black market substances.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Women give birth on the shore in the water. Babies sometimes float away but this is part of the reason why, the ocean is sacred and respected and can take as it pleases. It is believed that the babies that float away become sea people like mermaids and sirens as they are altered by the oceans spirit. if a child is not born in the water is must be thrown into the sea as quickly as possible to make sure it has been seen by the ocean before its first week. It is seen as unlucky to not be seen by the water.
Funerary and Memorial customs
When someone dies they are given an ocean burial to be returned to the sea where they were born. They are often given a small parade by their family and friends on their boats and are gently lowered down via fishing nets. This tradition was also made to appease the many people-eating creatures' appetites surrounding the bear isles and decreases attacks on living people. If a person has no family or has been disowned an they do not have a boat, a small funeral is held by a minor druid in which they are lowered, as is usual, into the sea however there isn't a parade.
Common Taboos
It is fairly looked down upon to not have some sort of seafaring knowledge, or to never have caught a fish. It is also looked down upon to be stupid. There are many schools and it is part of the culture to encourage learning and if people don't go to any schools whatsoever they are basically outcast as it is very common to refuse people service based on their educational history. This can lead to major prejudice against people with learning disabilities or behavioural issues causing them to be often turned to working in the fighting pits.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
There are many different subcultures in The Bear Isles of many varying appearances, People are encouraged to find their own subgroups, however, there are a lot of similarities brought about by tradition.
One of these traditions is wearing armour mixed with regular clothing. For example a common combination is normal clothing with a breastplate, greaves, and/or lower vambraces. There are many combinations with many other armour parts; DJ Mormont likes to wear a single pauldron and poleynes, Meera Mormont is fond of wearing a breastplate and often times a helmet and gauntlets, and Vorchei Mormont likes wearing greaves and lower and upper vambraces. Whereas some people often mercenaries wear a near or fully complete set of armour like Nephthys Seltra.
Another traditional ideal is red or white hair. They are quite rare since the Ahtroni are fairly dark skinned and so people tend to stand out whenever they have these colours. This often leaves to dyeing hair however sometimes parents want their child to have naturally white hair so they put them under a lot of stress or restrict them to a strict vegan diet to deprive them of vitamin b-12 which can obviously be extremely bad for the child.
A last tradition is flowing clothes made from expertly woven linen, dyed and patterned, and bear fur cloaks for those of high status among the druids (only druids are allowed to wear bear fur, anyone else is disrespecting bears). These fabrics are generally more expensive so they're only worn during formal events unless from a noble family in which they usually wear them on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
One of these traditions is wearing armour mixed with regular clothing. For example a common combination is normal clothing with a breastplate, greaves, and/or lower vambraces. There are many combinations with many other armour parts; DJ Mormont likes to wear a single pauldron and poleynes, Meera Mormont is fond of wearing a breastplate and often times a helmet and gauntlets, and Vorchei Mormont likes wearing greaves and lower and upper vambraces. Whereas some people often mercenaries wear a near or fully complete set of armour like Nephthys Seltra.
Another traditional ideal is red or white hair. They are quite rare since the Ahtroni are fairly dark skinned and so people tend to stand out whenever they have these colours. This often leaves to dyeing hair however sometimes parents want their child to have naturally white hair so they put them under a lot of stress or restrict them to a strict vegan diet to deprive them of vitamin b-12 which can obviously be extremely bad for the child.
A last tradition is flowing clothes made from expertly woven linen, dyed and patterned, and bear fur cloaks for those of high status among the druids (only druids are allowed to wear bear fur, anyone else is disrespecting bears). These fabrics are generally more expensive so they're only worn during formal events unless from a noble family in which they usually wear them on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Gender Ideals
Men and women can interchange basic roles just fine but since men are warriors they usually are the fishermen too. Though a lot of men pick up many other career paths, most are taught to fish by their families and many often work as fishermen for easy part time jobs when they're teenagers.
Women can work as fishermen but not as many do. Usually women are taught to be good with their hands: so weaving, shucking oysters and other seafood, organising archives, cooking, and blacksmithing are all female dominated work forces. The main reason blacksmithing is female dominated is that when a war is going on, the men are training so the women work to make armour for them.
Scholars, druids, scientists, historians, and inventors are all around even in gender ratio. This is because everyone has equal opportunity to become them as many are led to by specialised schools that are of the persons choice to choose.
Usually women are expected to keep stories, advice and recipes as well as heirlooms to pass down as women tend to live longer than the men. This ensures that traditional stories and traditions are kept even if the archives are destroyed.
Women can work as fishermen but not as many do. Usually women are taught to be good with their hands: so weaving, shucking oysters and other seafood, organising archives, cooking, and blacksmithing are all female dominated work forces. The main reason blacksmithing is female dominated is that when a war is going on, the men are training so the women work to make armour for them.
Scholars, druids, scientists, historians, and inventors are all around even in gender ratio. This is because everyone has equal opportunity to become them as many are led to by specialised schools that are of the persons choice to choose.
Usually women are expected to keep stories, advice and recipes as well as heirlooms to pass down as women tend to live longer than the men. This ensures that traditional stories and traditions are kept even if the archives are destroyed.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships are expected to be monogamous once married however they do not need to be between a man and a woman like the rest of Pentos. Also usually only highborn people get married off young for political reasons rather than everyone getting married off when they're barely even adults. A usual marrying age is late twenties to late thirties though later marriages can occur. Orphans are usually gifted to same sex or infertile couples on their fifth wedding anniversary unless they opt out of the child repositioning program. When a spouse dies, the widower cannot remarry as marriage is believed to be a one time thing and it would not be appropriate to remarry as it would devalue the first.
Major organizations
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
Related Myths
Languages spoken
Related Locations
Comments