Raskan

Rasakan is a frozen wasteland ruled over by despotic magi lords. Once it was the heart of a mighty empire, but now its power has waned. Folk of Rasakan are used to enduring bleak winters and poor harvests, as well as the depredations of their sinister rulers. Magic flows in these peoples blood, and their knowledge of the occult and of conjuration is reinforced on a daily basis by the creatures that serve as guards and enforcers for the Magi. Detractors of the Raskan cast their peasantry as spineless and oppressed, and their rulers as sinister and depotic, in league with demonic agents.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Raskan

Average technological level

Dark ages

Common Etiquette rules

If your are a peasant, don't look the higher orders in the eye

Common Dress code

For the lower classes, simple smocks made of wool and sackcloth are the most common. For the upper classes, mages typically wear long and heavy robes, while non mages wear heavy outfits of fur or leather.

Art & Architecture

Peasant buildings are little more than piles of sticks, but the cities feature better constructed buildings of wood and stone. The towers of the magi are particularly grand and elabourate, with tall spires and leering gargoyles. Often such buildings have been constructed using magic and defy the confines of normal architecture. At one point it was not uncommon for magi to have their dfeated enemies turned to stone and incorporated into their towers. Art is a privelige enjoyed only by the magi, and more than any other nation they have taken to painting as an impressive and often frigtening way of expresseing themselves.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

The Plots of the Magi is the name given to the everlasting intrigue between the Magi of Raskan. There are always plans and cschemes underway for the magi to garner more power, respect or territory. All the lower classes can do is huddle by their fires with the doors shut, hope the plans do not involve them, and ignore the screams.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

There is no official religion of Raskan but peasants and nobles alike tend to turn to the Old Gods for blessings and favour. In the case of the magi though it is less an appeal and more a bargain, or even a command.

Coming of Age Rites

For the upper classes a man or woman comes of age when they demostate command of magic. Failure is not indicative of a happy future.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Burn the bodies. Burn them well.