Sorlig Islander
"Nowhere upon this world have I met a more grounded and unified people, the Sorligs of the Isle of Thanes all work together to survive on this island of dangers, both from the natural weather and from the beasts that still roam the lands. They may bicker from time to time and many different grudges and bitterness exist between the clans and even the smaller families and guilds of the isle, but when the fight is on and the island is threatened, these trivial rivalries are dropped like some childish scrap and they work together to repel the danger, together. One would have to scour the island for their entire life in order to find one islander who wouldn't give their life to save another's." - Thorn Wood
Naming Traditions
Family names
The surnames of the islanders are not the surnames one would expect if they lived upon the continents. Sorligs last names or family names are derived upon their parentage, and many family names simply mean "son of ", or "daughter of ", so any son of Ragnar can take the name Ragnarson , or Ragnadottir in terms of female descendants
Other names
Many Sorligs take on nick names, usually after they have achieved adulthood within the kingdom, these nicknames can range from simple glories won in battle such as Iron Side, Blood Letter, or even Eagle Eye. Or they could be ancient and respected nicknames or small glorious titles, such as Tordenskjold, Fjallhamir, and Mordubjorn. These titles are bestowed upon warriors and voyagers who have fully proved their metal and worth upon a ship and in the throws of fierce battle.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
All Sorligs speak Nord, it is a language of flowing consonants and sharp ending sounds. But each province has a different accent and dialect of this root language, it is understood by all Sorligs as a type of accent but to outsiders it sounds like a completely different language.
Culture and cultural heritage
The culture of the sorligs differs partially depending on the region they live in, those in the north value the land and their family above all else, while the central province is centered around the aspect of trade and voyaging, the men of the mountains and forest value the metal in the stone and the strength of their arms and backs, and the southerners value their children, and their animals above all. But the common similarity between all the regions is their love of exploration and of freedom, they believe that all men are free to be the men they wish to be, but they are charged by their gods to be decent men, and to up hold the traditions and honor of their forefathers. For at heart all Sorligs are warriors and they are all brothers and sisters of battle and of the sea, for much like their founder Erik Nordson, they are called to the sea, called to be free to plunder and trade with the wider world, free to explore the uncharted reaches of the world, to discover new lands or lands that have long been forgotten by time.
Shared customary codes and values
Sorligs believe in honor in battle and the visage of a glorious death at the hands of a horde of foes, while they do not seek out this fate, should it come to pass you will not see a warrior shed a tear for their fallen brother of battle. This honor makes the islanders some of the greatest hosts in the world, they treat even the strangest of outsiders like family until they give them reason to not trust them, the guest rights of the Sorligs are well known among the provinces, if one is a guest in the home of a sorlig they are to be treated like a member of the family, if not better. In terms of society the sorligs believe that all men no matter the age should feel the glory and freedom of the sea, the smell of the waves as they split across the bow of their mighty ships, and the sound of the war drums as they prepare a raid on an enemy settlement.
Average technological level
Sorligs are master ship builders and with help of their dwarven allies have been able to construct mighty shipyards out of shear rock, and sturdy keeps of hardened stone. In terms of metalworking the Sorlig blacksmiths are capable of producing quality folded steel weapons, of very high quality, but they cannot produce these on a tradeable scale. In means of agriculture and farm life, they have mastered methods of farming and irrigation that allows them to amass staggering amounts of crop each harvest, and they have discovered a way to make their livestock some of the biggest and fattest in the world, giving them some of the best goods for food trade.
Common Etiquette rules
Feasts in Sorlige tend to be loud and roaring, with many songs being sung of glories long past, poems and sagas of hero kings and legends that have left their mark upon the history of the isle. It is a time of revelry and celebration, the etiquette of these feasts is to remain quiet when the lord of the hall speaks, to lift your mug in a toast, and to respect the others enjoyment of the festivities, those who do not meet these guidelines are dishonorable swineherds and are unworthy of the company they are in, they are to be removed from the hall at once and punished for their insolence. Guest right and fest customs are sacred to Sorligs and to break them sheds a shameful light on the dignity of your family, it tarnishes the honor and memory of your ancestors and leads a wretched example for those who come after you, thusly the punishment for breaking these codes is a swift and unrelenting beating at the hands of those you have offended the most, usually the jarls themselves and if you are extremely unlucky, the High King himself.
Common Dress code
Most people of the isle dress in furs, leather and wool, as it is the most common and warmest of the clothing available to the islanders. The clothing of the island comes in predominantly natural colors, shades of brown and white, yellow, beige and some times green, more vibrant colors of clothing can be found at the upper levels of Sorlige society with nobility and merchants tending to wear, blacks, golds, blues, and shades of red. Sorlig men wear a woolen tunic sewn together with thick wool threads at the shoulder joints, the chest and top area of the tunic is tightly fitted but the sleeves and the skirt of the tunic are meant to be kept loose, the length of which can vary between owner, the cuffs and neckline of these tunics are braided and threaded with finer wool or even silk. An under tunic is also used this is made primarily of linen though in winter it may be made of wool as well. Pants in the far north and far southern regions the pants are baggy and in the more central regions the pants tend to be more tightly fit, in the winter some may even wrap strips of wool around their calves in order to secure and seal the boots. The shoes of the islanders are mostly ankle height and made entirely of leather, but some of the wealthier or warrior oriented islanders have boots that cover their entire calf, in addition to this many different accessories are worn by men, during bad weather, large wool cloaks are worn and some are even made or lined with hides and furs to protect from the cold, and some farmers and peasants wear small leather caps made of animal hides, and in the winter mittens can be used as well.
Sorlig women usually wear ankle length linen underdresses, atop of which goes a partially shorter woolen dress fastened with brooches, which are highly decorated by the women with different threaded patterns of runes and twisting braids and knots, beads would be hung from these brooches made of amber, small crystals, and even small smooth stones carved wit protection symbols. Shawls and cloaks are often used to protect from the cold and harsh weather, along with this are small head scarves and coverings that range from the simple to complex in weave and wrapping. Sorlig women wear the same ankle high shoes are Sorlig men, but some women dress like their male counter parts, these women are normally warriors, Living Valkyries as they are called by the male warriors of the kingdom, they are the primary defenders of the isle in times of war when all the men have left to fight.
Sorlig children dress the same as their parents just with a little less complexity.
Art & Architecture
Most original Sorlig arts are made of silver or steel, and is usually in the form of ornate blades, or jewelry for women. The buildings of the Sorligs are made of stone, timber, and mortar, with either thatch or ceramic tile roofing, the buildings run long with curved triangular rooves and long stone or mortar walls supported by large timbers wrapped with iron rings. All homes even the hovels of the peasant's in the country side have a hearth, usually made of a hardy lacquered wood or of piled stone, these hearths are decorated with many different ornaments and carvings usually depicting great epics of forefathers past, or the history of the family, or they may simply be engravings of the gods meant to bless the house and its inhabitants with good fortune.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
After the conclusion of every great expedition be it for trade, exploration, or raiding, the voyagers and warriors who participated are held before the Men of Rain, the Jarls and the High King. The lords and the druids will hear the stories and tales of these men, and they will bestow upon them glories and wisdom that will advance or regress them in the standing of the kingdom.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
All children are to be placed in a small woven basket and left to float upon the tides of the Lake of Kings or upon the calmer waters of the nearest water way, they should be left to float until they begin to cry. The crying or even wailing of the child signifies their voyager spirit awakening by means of feeling the churn of the sea, and it is said to engrain the call of the sea within their soul, turning them into a true Sorlig. This ritual is called the Rite of The Voyager, and is meant for children who are between the ages of 1-5 months in age, but it is usually performed between 3-5 months as that is seen as the time when they are past the weak stages of life, and their will to live has been solidified. After the Rite of The Voyager children are to undergo the Rite of Ancestors, where they are set upon a stone altar before a statue of the gods, they then will be surrounded by the Men of Rain, who will pray over the child and mark them with ochre and charcoal, gently tattooing the child with markings that the gods deem fit for the child to have and to grow into, they are charges for the child's life, the greater the charge the more glory they will have in life.
Coming of Age Rites
To become an adult within Sorlig society a youth must undergo a rite called the Great Hunt, in this the youth must find and kill a predatory creature of the island, this rite is observed by the Men of Rain and is done in an effort to read the fates of the youth who undertake this rite of passage. The Great Hunt lasts three weeks and in that time the youth is not allowed to make contact with civilization, they must brave the brutality of nature on their own and survive through their own ingenuity and skill. The youths mission is to not only slay the beast but to skin it and wear the skin back to the ritual site, where the Men of Rain are waiting, thee destiny of the youth is dependent on the type of beast that they slay and the condition of the pelt that they bring back. Those who bring the pristine pelt of a King Wolf, are destined to be great leaders and warriors and will either one day become a Jarl or even the High King, or they will give their lives directly protecting those men from certain death. Those who bring the pelt of a Fear-ithe bear are those with a fiery spirit that can rival even that of the mighty bear, they are fated to either become one with this animal spirit being able to take on the attributes of this mighty beast, or they are destined to be the keepers of the warrior spirit and become the next great heroes of the island, very few youths are able to accomplish this task. Those with the pelts of lesser predators or mangled pelts are those who are destined to be warriors, but they are not quite fit to be great leaders of fleets, they may one day become the shield brothers to thanes and jarls but they themselves are not capable of this feat. Those who cannot produce a pelt or have one of a non predator are those who are not capable of being anything but a foot solider and a farmers son, they are adults to the Sorligs, but they have a long road a head before they are fully respected by their peers.
Funerary and Memorial customs
When a Sorlig warrior dies his spirit is lifted from his body and carried by the Valkryies to the shores of Valhalla where he must wait for his body to sail there with Grimnir, the All Father. In order for the warriors body to reach Valhalla he must be placed upon a ship and have that ship be set ablaze so its embers can reach the golden shores of Valhalla. It is customary for warriors to dressed in their full armor and have their shield placed upon them and have their sword placed within their deathly grasp, it is also customary for the weapons of those who slew him to be placed upon the ship aswell, along with the weapons of those he slew, as proof of his honorable death. The warriors closest belongings and his clothes may be left behind unless he said he wished for them to remain with him in death. All Sorligs who die gloriously are given this rite, but those who die of old age, frailty, sickness, or from wounds suffered in battle, they are to be buried with all their belongings and with their weapons laid at their sides, they are transported to the realm of the dead, the realm of Heltra, where they must relive the moments that lead to their death in an eternal attempt to escape damnation and enter Valhalla. Their graves are to be marked with a small smooth stone with a small rune of reconcile carved into its face.
Historical figures
Erik Nordson is the founder and first High King of Sorlige, he is fabled to be the man who conquered the Isle, and who created the city of Skjoldsjo, and named The Lake of Kings. Clader Storm-Breaker is the High King who defeated the great king of the storm gods, giving the islands mountains their name, and creating the keep of the Iron Lords. And High King Sigrun Golden Spear, is legend to be a woman who was so respected by the warriors and jarls of the island that she was elected High King of the Isle the first and only to do so, it is said that in order to inspire and keep face with the warriors she would wear a beard made of blades during battle, and in meetings of state. She is credited with creating the trade partnership between Sorlige and the Ardathan kingdom of Estafoer.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Sorligs value being of able body, they loath fatness in youth, their belief is that fatness is for those who hide their face from the sight of blood and soil. Almost all men upon the island are in exceptional shape, with large burly beards and strong, battle hardened arms. This model is applied to women as well who as the protectors of hearth and home must be fighting fit in the even of a war, though they are not held to this standard quite as harshly as their male counter part, a common stereotype about the islanders in the continents is that the only way one can tell a islander man from a women is the length of their beard. Spiritual tattoos are also a staple of sorlig culture, men and women alike mark their bodies with runes and images of various significance, from familial symbols, to knots, to badges signifying past glories won on the battle field or in the halls of the jarls.
Gender Ideals
Men are the primary workforce of the island, as they are also the primary fighting force. Every man on the island is a warrior, they are responsible for their family and for raising their sons and daughters if they so choose, in the ways of the warrior. Women are the operators and protectors the home, in times of peace they manage the home and the children while the father is away, but upon his return they are to share the duties of the home, and a woman has the right under the law of the Isle to scold her husband for not abiding by these rules, for a poor husband makes for a poorer warrior. In times of war women are the primary defenders of the isle, they take on the work of the husband while he is away at war, they are the first line of defense against attackers in the absence of men, and in the presence of men they are permitted to stand right beside their male counter parts to defend their home.
Major organizations
The Clans of the island are the largest group that holds sway within the kingdom of Sorlige. They are immediately followed by the Men of Rain, an order of druids and holy men who are the keepers of the gods and are their word in the mortal world. In the background of the political and regional governing are the smaller warrior sororities and brotherhoods that have sprung up across the island, these brotherhoods transcend the boundaries of the clans and are a key complication in the organization of the military of the island.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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