Fakharbalé
The Fakharbalé claim that their ancestry is roughly half Balean and half Fakhari. Considering that many Scarterrans doubt the Fakhari every truly existed at all and others say that the Fakhari were wiped out to the last man, woman, and child. Nevermind that the Fakhari of legend represented the pinnacle of human civilization and , this claim is disputed by many outsiders but the Fakharbalé are very stubborn, so there is no point arguing this with them. They are the descendants of the (in)famous Fakhari. On top of all that, the Fakhari of legend were supposedly the pinnacle of human civilization with grand towers and majestic cities and the Fakharbalé are rustic swamp dwellers.
Despite all the evidence casting doubt on their supposed heritage the Fakharbalé are very stubborn, so there is no point arguing this with them. They are the descendants of the mighty Fakhari and they'll punch anyone in the nose who says otherwise.
Approximately 60% of the coalition of "Marshlandia" claims this history. Maybe about 5% of Mooringsland Moorings and about 15% Musseland claim this heritage with very tiny pockets found out through the rest of East Colassia.
Physical Characteristics
In terms of elemental ethnicity , Fakharbalé have a roughly even mix of watery, fiery, and earthy traits. There are exceptions in a wide variety direction with regards to hair, but slightly wavy, slightly curly auburn hair is the most prevalent. Men and women alike tend to have long hair bound in pony tails. Shaving is not popular, Men to tend to keep long beards that any dwarf would be proud of. Body types tend to lean slightly towards the earthy sides with solid stocky being the most common descriptor, but almost every varation is possible except perhaps "tall and thin." Almost all Fakharbalé have light brown skin. About 30% are a reddish brown, 30% are a bluish brown, 10% have a hint of purplish brown. Skin tends to darken with age. Young Fakharbalé have very smooth skin but this does not last very long. Rough skin and wrinkles come with the ravages of age, but most Fakharbalé are likely to keep most of their hair and muscle mass until the day they die. Like most Scarterrans, when it comes to eyes there are lots of outliers but the norm for Fakharbalé is to have dark eyes, either brown, black, or dark grey. Fakhari noses tend towards what in real world Earth we call "Roman noses."Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Fakharbalé technically speak Common as their native tongue like 99% of Scarterra's humans, but of all the human ethnic groups in East Colassia, their dialect is the most distinct.
Joked to be another language altogether, outsiders consider the Fakharbalé crude and somewhat vulgar (like the Fakharbalé themselves). More than any other human group in all of Scarterra, Fakharbalé are about the only group that regularly parley's with goblins, and scandlously to outsiders some goblin vernacular has cropped into their dialect.
Shared customary codes and values
Not especially literate, the Fakharbalé have a rich oral tradition and value clan ties, family loyalty and have a deep rustic sense of honor.
Average technological level
By civilized human standards, the Fakharbalé are a bit backwards. Their metalwork is a bit crude. They sort of live a lifestyle that straddles the line between agriculture and hunter-gatherer. They are usually astute fishermen.
Common Etiquette rules
Fakharbalé are informal on the whole and are not very literate, but they have a lot of etiquette around hospitality and the sharing of food. Proper treatment of guests is very important but guests have expectations too. On the second day a guest is expected to entertain their hosts with story and song. On the third and subsequent days, a guest is expected to join the daily work if they want to stay.
Common Dress code
Simple and functional all the way though it's not uncommon to adorn oneself in a good luck charm or two.
In battle, warriors often like to collect and wear trophies from defeated foes, or they might sew or paint a marker for each defeated foe or memorable battle.
Art & Architecture
Most Fakharbalé live in shacks floating on swamps. A culture of physical art and architecture is nigh impossible, but Fakharbalé value storytelling and music greatly.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Family and clan ties are strong in life, and they are strong in death. Funerals are usually two-day affairs with a day of fasting, formal religious ceremonies and quiet morning followed by a racccous party to celebrate the deceased the next day.
Oral histories of ancestor's deeds are important to nearly all Fakharbalé families. Family shrines are common but fairly spartan and simple, often with a simple glyph for each deceased family member. The glyphs are hard to distinguish from each other and that is sort of the point. Family identity trumps individual identity, especially in death.
Common Taboos
Family and clan ties are big. Insulting any family member is a big deal, but insulting one's mother is a huge insult.
Personal insults on the other hand, are not a big deal. Good natured ribbing is encouraged.
Common Myths and Legends
Supposedly when the ancient Fakhari civilization fell, the only survivors were the ones who managed to hide in swamplands, their ancestors.
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