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| =Introduction=
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| *In Sefdaania there are six Peoples. In order of creation, these Peoples are the Ethrans (Children of Air), the Pyrans (Children of Fire), the Hydorans (Children of Water), the Humans (Children of Earth), the Xylans (Children of Wood), and the Lithans (Children of Stone). These are known as the Loquent Peoples to distinguish them from other sapient beings. In describing their customs, anatomy, etc., the many things they have in common will be treated together, followed by individual notes.
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| =Geography=
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| *Sefdaania (<font color=blue>sefdą́ņa</font>) is that part of Europe bounded on the north by the receding or advancing glacier; on the east by the Ural Mountains (<font color=blue>v̌ę̀tëspínos</font>, earth spine) and the Ural River; on the south by the Danube River, the Black Sea (<font color=blue>ṁesmáṙes</font>, western sea), the Caucasus Mountains (<font color=blue>entèṙmaṙménȝos</font>, intersea mountains), and the Caspian Sea (<font color=blue>ą̀usmáṙes</font>, eastern sea); and on the west by the forests of Central Europe. Thus much of the homeland is covered by the Great Steppe and, to a lesser extent, the Pannonian Basin.
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| *Sefdaania means “seven rivers” and refers to the seven major rivers that flow through the land and empty into the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. These rivers are the Danube (<font color=blue>ṁesdą́es</font>, western river), the Dnieper (<font color=blue>bèðṙëdą́es</font>, center river), the Southern Bug (<font color=blue>lųðdą́es</font>, little river), the Dniester (<font color=blue>mòniȝdą́es</font>, mountain river), the Don (<font color=blue>lų̀ðmaṙdą́es</font>, small sea river), the Volga (<font color=blue>mezdą́es</font>, great river), and the Ural (<font color=blue>ą̀usdą́es</font>, eastern river). The land is divided into seven regions (<font color=blue>ṙéṁos</font>) which correspond to the watersheds of these seven rivers. The chart below lists the regions in order of size, from largest to smallest, although the relative sizes may vary depending on the activity of the glaciers.
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| Rank Name Km2 Mi2
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| 1 mezdą́nia 138,000,000 533,000
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| 2 ṁesdą́nia 817,000 315,000
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| 3 bèðṙëdą́nia 504,000 195,000
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| 4 lų̀ðmaṙdą́nia 422,000 163,000
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| 5 ą̀usdą́nia 237,000 91,500
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| 6 mòniȝdą́nia 72,000 28,000
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| 7 lųðdą́nia 63,740 24,610
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| *Each of the regions is inhabited by more than one of the Peoples, although they live only in the ecosystem to which they have been assigned. When personal identification is needed, the name of the region is stated before the personal name, e.g., <font color=blue>mezdą́ṁus</font>, from Mezdaania.
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| =Climate=
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| *Covered as it is by the [[wikipedia:Eurasian Steppe|Great Steppe]] (<font color=blue>mèzĸebáṙos</font>), most of Sefdaania experiences a humid continental climate, which is marked by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Again there will be variations depending upon the extent of the glaciers (<font color=blue>ȝeqdą́os</font>).
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| *Precipitation is relatively well-distributed year-round in many areas with this climate. Snowfall, regardless of average seasonal totals, is more common than rain during the height of winter and the snow cover is often deep. Most summer rainfall occurs during thunderstorms and the occasional tropical system.
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| =Natural disasters=
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| *Snow is common in the winter and the Peoples have adjusted to the reduced activity caused by the snow. But the occasional really severe blizzard (<font color=blue>qǫsíģos</font>) can cause more severe privation.
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| *In a year of low precipitation there is the possibility of steppe wildfires (<font color=blue>ĸèbaṙp̌ónes</font>).
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| *When the spring temperature is unusually high, the quick thawing of snow and glacier may cause flooding in some of the watercourses.
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| =Most common domesticated plants=
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| *Onions (<font color=blue>ĸǫ́ṙmis</font>), garlic (<font color=blue>ģángis</font>), ramsons (<font color=blue>lęną́lis</font>) and leeks (<font color=blue>péṙsis</font>) are used by all the Peoples. Shallots were not part of the original food of the Peoples.
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| *Root crops such as carrots (<font color=blue>meą́cis</font>), parsnips (<font color=blue>nípis</font>), beets (<font color=blue>ṁṙą́dis</font>), radishes (<font color=blue>tóṙbis</font>), greater burdock (<font color=blue>lápis</font>) and turnips (<font color=blue>túṙmis</font>) are used by all the Peoples.
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| *Other common vegetables are celery (<font color=blue>selínis</font>), rhubarb (<font color=blue>vṙìsĸëvą́lis</font>), cabbage (<font color=blue>ĸaṙámbis</font>) and cucumbers (<font color=blue>ĸíĸis</font>).
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| *The following herbs and spices are available to all the Peoples: celery seed (<font color=blue>sèlinsę́is</font>), black mustard (<font color=blue>ṙángis</font>), white mustard (<font color=blue>sinápis</font>), capers (), caraway (<font color=blue>vraqsę́is</font>), cumin (<font color=blue>gamúnis</font>), carrot (<font color=blue>meą́cis</font>), wild rosemary (), dittander (), lovage (), lemon balm (), bayberry (), oregano (<font color=blue>ǧòṙluqsámis</font>), Swiss stone pine (), sage (), sweet violet (<font color=blue>şúmes</font>), thyme (), red clover (<font color=blue>dóbis</font>), and fenugreek (<font color=blue>meþícis</font>).
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| *The following greens (<font color=blue>vąlóes</font>) are available for salads: bracken (<font color=blue>ĸaqpáṙtis</font>), angelica (<font color=blue>čénðis</font>), chervil (<font color=blue>nųvą́lis</font>), caraway (<font color=blue>vraqsę́is</font>), celery (<font color=blue>selínis</font>), cardoon (), dandelion (<font color=blue>núnis</font>), turnip (<font color=blue>túṙmis</font>), black mustard (<font color=blue>ṙángis</font>), white mustard (<font color=blue>sinápis</font>), cucumber (<font color=blue>ĸíĸis</font>), poppy (<font color=blue>mą́ĸis</font>), sorrel (<font color=blue>súǧis</font>) and beet (<font color=blue>ṁṙą́dis</font>).
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| #The Ethrans chose a grain, oats (<font color=blue>aṁíĸis</font>) (''Avena sativa''), as the staple of their diet. They cultivate the dog rose (<font color=blue>ṁṙódis</font>) (''Rosa canina'') for its beauty, its fragrance, and its taste. Crocuses (''Crocus sativus'') are grown for their saffron (àṙisánis</font>).
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| #The Pyrans chose a legume, the chickpea (<font color=blue>ȝ̇áṙlis</font>) (''Cicer arietinum'') as the staple of their diet. They cultivate the sloe berry (<font color=blue>slí̧ṁĸis</font>) (''Prunus spinosa'') as their fruit of choice. Fennel (<font color=blue>maðúṙĸis</font>) (''Foeniculum vulgare'') is the sweet spice. Horseradish (<font color=blue>ĸàvṙëṁę́ṙdis</font>) (''Armoracia rusticana'') is the characteristic savory spice.
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| #The Hydorans chose a reed, the cattail (<font color=blue>ĸúṙðis</font>) (reedmace) (''Typha latifolia'') that grows so abundantly in their ecosystem, as the staple of their diet. Because of the many uses of the cattail, it figures prominently in their culture and is known as "the gift of Neerus (nęṙdǫ́os). The cranberry (<font color=blue>ĸitém̧is</font>) (''Vaccinium oxycoccos'') is the favorite fruit of the Hydorans. Water mint (<font color=blue>ṁèfluqsámis</font>) (''Mentha aquatica''), which grows profusely in water environments, is the characteristic sweet spice of the Hydorans. Water cress (<font color=blue>ṁefðémnis</font>) (''Nasturium officinale'') is used as a savory spice.
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| #Humans chose a seed, the lentil (<font color=blue>edą́ĸis</font>) (''Lens culinaris''), the planting and harvesting of which is the work of the women, as the staple of their diet. The springtime proliferation of poppies (<font color=blue>mąĸénis</font>) (''Papaver rhoeas'') enables the Humans to harvest the seeds. The cherry plum (<font color=blue>slí̧ṁis</font>) (''Prunus cerasifera'') is the fruit of choice of the Humans. Wild basil () (''Ocimum basilicum'') is the savory spice that flavors their meat dishes.
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| #The Xylans chose a nut, the acorn (<font color=blue>méðtos</font>), the fruit of the ubiquitous oak trees, especially of ''Quercus robur'', as the primary staple of their diet. The tannins present in acorns do not affect the Xylans and they seldom leach the acorns. Other nuts are also used. These various nutmeats constitute their primary source of protein. The Xylans enjoy the wild cherry (<font color=blue>ĸɔ́nis</font>) (''Prunus avium'') as their favorite fruit. Wild angelica (<font color=blue>cunðónis</font>) (''Angelica sylvestris''), with its licorice-like flavor, is their favorite sweet spice.
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| #The Lithans chose a seed, buckwheat (<font color=blue>ȝ̇ólis</font>) (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), as the staple of their diet. In the caves of their ecosystem they discovered that mushrooms would flourish in their caves and mines and they developed varieties of many sizes, colors and flavors. They are the main source of protein in their diet. They grow flax (<font color=blue>lį́nis</font>) (''Linum usitatissimum'') to make linen. The Lithans enjoy the elderberry (<font color=blue>tóṙ̌is</font>) (''Sambucus nigra'') as their favorite fruit. Lemon balm () (''Melissa officinalis'') is the sweet spice and parsley is the characteristic savory spice. Parsley root, a favorite vegetable, is grown in the home gardens.
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| =Most commonly-eaten meats=
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| # The Ethrans’ special protein source is geese (<font color=blue>ȝ̇ánses</font>), raised domestically, and game birds, caught by their gyrfalcons (<font color=blue>aṙgípes</font>) (''Falco rusticolus'') for sport.
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| # Although they occasionally eat cheviot, the Pyrans utilize their goats primarily for the production of cheese (<font color=blue>séṙḑos</font>) which constitutes a large part of their protein intake.
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| # Their environment has determined the protein source of the Hydorans, various water animals, mainly fish and frogs. Fish are preserved by drying (<font color=blue>mímços</font>).
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| # Game taken ahorseback is the main source of the Humans' protein, although horse flesh is eaten as needed to keep the herds manageable.
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| # The Xylans are vegetarians.
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| # Although the many varieties of mushrooms that they grow are the main protein source for the Lithans, they do enjoy mountain hare (<font color=blue>b̧éṁnes</font>) (''Lepus timidus''), which they hunt with their foxes.
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| =Alcoholic beverages=
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| *Honey is available to all the Peoples and each of them makes a variety of mead (<font color=blue>méð̬os</font>). All the Peoples, except the Xylans, have bee hives in their settlements. The Xylans gather wild honey.
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| # The Ethrans use it to make rhodemel (<font color=blue>ṁroðméð̬os</font>), a mead flavored with rose hips. They also make a brandy from the rose hips. Their beer is made from oats.
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| # The Pyrans flavor their mead with the sloe berry and brew a fermented beverage from whey and a liqueur from sloe berries.
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| # The Hydorans flavor their mead with mint and make a fruit wine and a brandy from cranberries.
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| # The Humans flavor their mead with poppy seed. They make a fermented beverage from mare's milk and a brandy from cherry plums.
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| # The Xylans flavor their mead with spruce and enjoy their wild cherry wine and brandy. They make a beer from the needles of evergreens, especially of the spruce.
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| # The Lithans flavor their mead with elderberry. Their beer is made from buckwheat. The Lithans also make an elderberry brandy, an elderberry wine, and a buckwheat distilled liquor.
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| =Travel=
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| Because of the great distances involved and the scattered populations, travel is not frequent. There are some Lithans who have become traders, bartering their metal products and jewelry for items they need. Any necessary travel is done on the Peoples’ steeds (described in the section on domesticated animals). The Peoples have the wheel and the Pyrans and Humans have wheeled vehicles. Peoples that live close to each other will travel to barter what they have produced or caught.
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| =Population count=
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| Because of the great distances involved, there is no count of the population.
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| =Domesticated animals=
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| The primary domesticated animals are in two broad groups, known as steeds (<font color=blue>mímes</font>) and companions (<font color=blue>súnes</font>).
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| ==The Ethrans==
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| *Because of their need to travel to and from their mountain citadels (<font color=blue>ðúnos</font>) in a timely fashion, the Ethrans need a winged steed. They have found this in the animal later known as a Pegasus, pterippus, or flying horse (<font color=blue>кábes</font>) (''Megadorcas volans''). In reality it is not an equid, but a member of the family Bovidae, subfamily Antilopinae, having a cloven hoof and chewing a cud, but lacking horns or antlers.
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| *The ancestor (related to [[wikipedia:Tibetan antelope|''Pantholops hodgsonii'']]) was a much smaller animal that lived in the mountains. A mutation for wings gave it an advantage in escaping from predators. A descendant settled on the steppes, became a grazer instead of a browzer, and increased in size.
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| *The general body conformation does resemble that of a horse but, unlike the wild equids, it possesses a flowing mane. The tail also marks it as bovine rather than equine. The kab is hollow-boned for lightness. The wing humerus is attached to the upper side of an enlarged scapula, the foreleg humerus being attached to the lower side. The chest is rather massive containing as it does the muscles for both the wing and the foreleg. As with the larger birds, a running start is necessary to become airborne. The early ancestor merely jumped off the side of the mountain! The descendant still retains the musculature in the hindquarters for leaping. Surprisingly, the wings are covered with feathers and not hair.
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| *Five color variants have been bred, one for each of the orders of Ethrans (the elementals do not use steeds): white for the archimages, gray for the mages, sorrel for the archons, chestnut for the adepts, and brown for the guardians. Of course, breeding registers are maintained. Specimens of undesirable coloration are not bred (the bucks are gelded), but they are cared for until they die which could be as long as 30 years. The males are known as bucks, the females as does.
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| *As companions, the Ethrans have the gyrfalcon ([[wikipedia:gyrfalcon|''Falco rusticolus'']]) (<font color=blue>aṙgípes</font>) which they use for [[wikipedia:Falconry#falcons_(Falco)|hunting]]. They also breed carrier pigeons (<font color=blue>mìþĸolómbes</font>) ([[wikipedia:rock pigeon|''Columba livia'']]), for sending messages from citadel to citadel. Each of the Ethran citadels contains a dovecote (<font color=blue>pèlonvéðlos</font>) for the breeding of these pigeons.
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| ==The Pyrans==
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| *The Pyran steed is the unicorn (<font color=blue>íƶes</font>) (''Alcelaphus monoceros''). From one of the wild species, they bred a domestic variety which they use as both a steed and a pack animal. The males are known as stallions, the females as mares. Astride these steeds, they herd their flocks of goats.
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| *Their companion is a breed of herding dog (<font color=blue>ȝ̇aðčénes</font>) similar to the [[wikipedia:Šarplaninac|Šarplaninac]] or Sharr Mountain dog.
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| *The Pyrans herd a breed of goats (<font color=blue>ȝ̇ádes</font>) (''Capra aegagrus donensis'') a breed that they developed from the West Caucasian tur (<font color=blue>ĸítes</font>) ([[wikipedia:West Caucasian tur|''Capra caucasica'']]) to produce large quantities of milk and wool. Goats are supremely important to the Pyrans and they have built their culture around them. The males are known as bucks, the females as does. The wethers are used as pack and draft animals and to turn mills.
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| ==The Hydorans==
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| *The Hydorans also ride a unicorn, a dwarf variety (<font color=blue>dúṙqíƶes</font>) (''Alcelaphus monoceros nanus'') with water-repellent hair and splayed hooves for better traction in the marshy environment.
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| *The protein staple of the Hydorans is, quite logically, fish. To help them catch fish they enjoy the companionship of the river otter (<font color=blue>aṙdóṙes</font>) ([[wikipedia:European otter|''L. lutra'']]).
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| ==The Humans==
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| *Humans ride the horse (<font color=blue>éčes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Przewalski’s horse|''Equus przewalskii'']]) as a steed.
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| *The wolf (<font color=blue>lúpes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Gray wolf|''Canis lupus'']]), later turned dog, (<font color=blue>čénes</font>), is their companion.
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| *Much of their protein comes from game, especially the saiga antelope (<font color=blue>díqes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Saiga Antelope|''Saiga tartarica'']]), which they [[wikipedia:Falconry#Booted_eagles_(Aquila)|hunt]] with golden eagles (<font color=blue>múȝṙes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Golden Eagle|''Aquila c. chrysaëtos'']]).
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| ==The Xylans==
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| *As swift as they are, Xylans have no need of a steed, but they have been seen riding a steppe mammoth (<font color=blue>ǧíȝes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Mammoth|''Mammuthus trogontherii'']]), or an aurochs (<font color=blue>taúṙes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Aurochs|''Bos primigenius'']]).
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| *As forest dwellers, the Xylans have discovered the squirrel, specifically the Eurasian red squirrel (<font color=blue>oṁéṙes) </font> ([[wikipedia:Red squirrel|''Sciurus vulgaris'']]) to be a fun companion. The diets are very similar!
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| ==The Lithans==
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| *The Lithans in their mountain strongholds have need of a steed that is at home on the crags. They decided upon one of the mountain sheep known as an argali (<font color=blue>óṁes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Argali|''Ovis a. ammon'']]). With their magnificent curled horns they make a fine war steed, putting the horns to use as both battering ram and shield.
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| *They also domesticated the kulan (<font color=blue>lémṙes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Onager|''Equus hemionus kulan'']]) and from it bred a smaller [[wikipedia:Donkey|donkey]] (<font color=blue>ĸúnges</font>), more suitable for their small stature. This donkey is used as a beast of burden in the mines and in the trade caravans and is ridden by the female Lithans.
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| *The Lithans have domesticated the Corsac fox (<font color=blue>púĸes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Corsac fox|''Vulpes praecorsac'']]), a social fox. The bond between a Lithan and his or her fox is fully as strong as that between a human and his or her dog. A Lithan will often go hunting with his fox for his favorite protein, mountain hare (<font color=blue>b̧éṁnes</font>) ([[wikipedia:Mountain hare|''Lepus timidus'']])!
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| =The Dragon=
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| *There, indeed, be dragons. There are two different genera. each containing one species, but not much is known of their natural history. They seem to stand outside natural history. They are not mentioned in any of the creation stories. In Senjecas they are called <font color=blue>numáŗ̇us</font>, sky-lord. They are capable of speech and speak Senjecas fluently. The larynx is large and located deeper in the throat than it is in humans, resulting in a deep booming voice. The lips and tongue are as flexible as those of humans. There is a tale that says it was a dragon who taught the Children of Air to speak. Large scales cover all but the belly and were impervious to any human weapon prior to the invention of firearms. However, the covering on the underside has no scales and, though the skin is leathery tough, it may be penetrated by a sharp weapon. Dragons are usually a phosphorescent green, but mutations can occur giving other colors which are, unfortunately, always accompanied by a gene for sterility. The skin of the throat becomes a bright red when in estrus or must. The bones are hollow which decreases their weight. They are homoiothermous.
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| *One genus (''Draco atrox''), <font color=blue>qùṙnumáŗ̇us</font>, lives to the west of the Ural Mountains. This species corresponds in many ways to the dragon of western myth. They "breathe" fire. They are predatory in nature, stealing from flocks and herds, and seizing unwary travelers. They prefer to live in caves, which has caused some unpleasant encounters for the Lithans. This species has five clawed toes on the front feet, with four forward and one backward, and four clawed toes on the hind feet, three forward and one backward. In this species, the male is flightless, and it is the female that searches for a mate. The eggs are brooded and protected by the male.
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| *The other genus (''Ouranokyrios benevolus''), <font color=blue>ànsënumáŗ̇us</font>, lives to the east of the Ural Moutains. It is a peaceable creature which does not "breathe" fire. It is piscivorous, snatching fish from the water with a front foot as it skims across the surface of the water. Each foot has four clawed toes, two forward and two backward, and the underside of the toes is scaled, like those of an osprey, for ease in grasping a fish. They have been known to come to the aid of travelers and others in trouble. In this species, both sexes are flighted and share the task of brooding and protecting.
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