Sefdaanian ethnography Ch. 9, Art

Art Forms

• In the Chronicle of Creation (p̒utás peṙļómos) it is narrated that with the creation of each of the Six Peoples, ȝúmus, to whom be all due reverence, sang a song into the ear of each of the first beings. This creative song has instilled in the Six Peoples a love of and ability for music. As each of the loquent peoples came into being, the Ethrans shared with them the instruments that would work best in that part of the world assigned to them. Each of the peoples would go on to develop its own style of music and instrumentation.
• The Ethrans, in the 156,000 years before the creation of the Pyrans, investigated the world into which they had been placed, and learned much about the music. Experimenting with the production of sound they classified their musical instruments into one of six categories, a system called sàšenóes (six-sounds). Each instrument was associated with one category primarily, though it might contain elements of several others.
  • The first category is that of voice (ȝéĸos), associated with winter (ȝ̇émas) and the north (ĸúðas).
  • The second category is that of clay (bénos) associated with spring (ṁésnas) and the east (ąúsas).
  • The third category is that of reed (þṙúsis) associated with early summer (néngas) and the zenith (éṙdas).
  • The fourth category is that of hide (ǧį́nos) associated with summer (lę́tas) and the south (lúṁas).
  • The fifth category is that of wood (mą́tos) associated with autumn (ósnas) and the west (ṁésas).
  • The sixth category is that of stone (óndos) associated with the early winter (télṁas) and the nadir (cálas).

Musical instruments

• Knowing their vocal skills, long before experimenting with instrumentation, the Ethrans forewent any musical instruments as special to them. They, instead, chose the voice as their primary instrument.
• The Pyrans, were given the rivers and their alluvial plains as their home. Once familiar with their home, they were presented with an array of musical instruments from which to choose. They choose two aerophones, the ocarina (benšéȝos), to be fashioned from the clay (bénos) of the riverbanks, and the horn (ȝ̇aðcų́ṙos), to be fashioned from the horns (cų́ṙos) of their domesticated goats (ȝ̇áðes).
• The Hydorans were given the lakes, ponds, and marshes as their home. Once familiar with their home, they were presented with an array of musical instruments from which to choose. They choose another aerophone, the syrinx (nédos), to be fashioned from the reeds (þṙúsis) of the marshes.
• The Humans were given the steppes as their home. Once familiar with their home, the Ethrans presented them with an array of musical instruments from which to choose. They choose the fiddle (duténtos), the strings and the bow to be fashioned from horsehair, and the drum (túmos) the membrane to be fashioned from horsehide.
• The Xylans were given the forests as their home. Once familiar with their home, the Ethrans presented them with an array of musical instruments from which to choose. They choose to carve flutes (čeȝóqlos) from the branches of trees. These flutes can be both fipple (tùlčeȝóqlos) and edge-blown (tùvčeȝóqlos). They also carve small whistles (čéȝos). Often the approach of a Xylan can be heard before they are seen.
• The Lithans were given the mountains as their home. Once familiar with their home, the Ethrans presented them with an array of musical instruments from which to choose. They choose to make a variety of percussion instruments from metal and stone. Most notable is the great lithophone (òndëĸumúṙos) which occupies a central position on the village green (ĸuntáṙƶos) of every ĸílos.

Plastic arts

• In the area of the plastic arts, each of the Six Peoples developed a skill consistent with the environment in which they live.
• Using the wool from their goats, the Pyrans have developed skill in weaving, making both woolen fabric and tapestries.
• With the same reeds used to make the syrinx they weave baskets and other artifacts.
• The Humans work in leather obtained from their horse and various animals of the steppes: aurochs, wisent, saiga, etc.
• The Xylans excel in wood carving.
• The Lithans make exquisite jewelry.
• Ethran, Pyran, Hydoran, and Lithan women embroider. The subject matter is beautiful things of nature, such as flowers, birds, and butterflies.
• The Ethrans excel in calligraphy.

Heraldry

• With the creation of each of the Peoples, they were assigned one of the six colors of the spectrum as a symbol. The Ethrans took for themselves the color yellow as symbolic of the atmosphere colored by a yellow sun.
• When they were created, the Pyrans were assigned the color red as symbolic of the fire from which they were crafted.
• When they were created, the Hydorans were assigned the color blue as symbolic of the water from which they were crafted.
• When they were created, the Humans were assigned the color orange as symbolic of the earth from which they were crafted.
• When they were created, the Xylans were assigned the color green as symbolic of the forest in which they live.
• When they were created, the Lithans were assigned the color violet as symbolic of the depths of the caves in which they work.
• One of the art forms of the Sefdaanian culture is the use of emblems to indicate from where an individual comes. These emblems are rather like heraldic devices but are not used for genealogy. These emblems can take any form, but are mostly displayed on a round emblem.
• It is the birthright of every individual to bear a sign (ǧétos) as well as a name that distinguishes him or her from other individuals.
• Upon the birth of the subject, the governing body of the pertinent Loquent People, in consultation with the parents, determines the charge (siþsérgos) to be assigned to the subject.
• In the Sefdaanian heraldry this sign pertains solely to the individual and does not proclaim descent.
• The following colors are permitted in Senjecan heraldry: red (ṙeúðis), orange (vlȩ́ṙis), yellow (bádis), green (ðális), blue (móðṙis), purple (vísĸis), black (šóṙdis) and white (álvis). The precise shade of the color is left to the discretion of the individual.
• The ǧétos is displayed upon a round form (compare the Japanese mon).
• The field is of the color with a white pale, fess, bend or bend sinister, upon which is placed the individual's charge centered in the ǧétos.
• This ǧétos may also be flown as a flag or banner.
• Each of the loquent peoples has a ǧétos which contains the symbol of that people:
  • The Children of Air: yellow, a kab white forcene, on a chief white a dog rose (Rosa canina) proper.
  • The Children of Fire: orange, between two sloe blossoms proper (Prunus spinosa) a goat statant proper.
  • The Children of Water: blue, a pony’s head white couped between two cattails (Typha latifolia) proper.
  • The Children of Wood: white, on a mound vert, an oaktree proper, fructed yellow.
  • The Children of Earth: red, a horse’s head couped proper; on a chief white a corn poppy proper.
  • The Children of Stone: purple, an argali’s head affronty proper; on a chief white

The Ethrans

• The six archimages place upon the yellow field a white pale.
• The thirty-six mages place upon the yellow field a white fess.
• The two hundred and sixteen archons place upon the yellow field a white bend.
• The one thousand two hundred and ninety-six adepts place upon the yellow field a white bend sinister.
• The seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-six guardians place upon the yellow field a white chevron.
• The elementals do not have a ǧétos.

The Pyrans

• The Pyrans place upon the orange field a white ordinary.
• A male places his individual charge upon a bend.
• A female places her individual charge upon a bend sinister.
• Upon assuming the rule of the Pyrans, the individual will change the bend to a pale.

The Hydorans

• The Hydorans place upon the blue field a white ordinary.
• A male places his individual charge upon a bend.
• A female places her individual charge upon a bend sinister.
• Upon assuming the rule of the Hydorans, the individual will change the bend to a pale.

The Humans

• The Humans place upon the red field a white ordinary.
• A male places his individual charge upon a bend.
• A female places her individual charge upon a bend sinister.
• Upon assuming the duties of headman, the individual will change the bend to a pale.

The Xylans

• The Xylans place upon the green field a white ordinary.
• The individual places his individual charge upon a fess.
• The eldest of the Xylans will change the fess to a pale.

The Lithans

• The Lithans place upon the purple field a white ordinary.
• A male places his individual charge upon a bend.
• A female places her individual charge upon a bend sinister.
• Upon assuming the duties of headman, the individual will change the bend to a pale.

Individualization

• The field color of the ǧétos denotes the People from which the individual comes.
• A charge is put on the ǧétos in the chief corner which denotes the region from which the individual comes.
  • mezdą́nia -
  • ṁesdą́nia -
  • bèðṙëdą́nia' -
  • lų̀ðmaṙdą́nia -
  • ą̀usdą́nia -
  • mòniȝdą́nia -
  • lųðdą́nia -
• A charge is put on the ǧétos in the base corner which denotes the community in which the individual lives.

The Lemans

• The color for the Lemans (lemúes) is black.
• ƶéļus places upon the black field a white pale. Her charge is a griffin rampant guardant.
• A male Leman places his individual charge upon a bend.
• A female Leman places her individual charge upon a bend sinister.
• The thirteen ravagers (ṁąstúes) place upon the black field a white fess.
• The one hundred and twenty-seven specters (spą̀ugúes) place upon the black field a white bend.
• The one thousand one hundred and five destroyers (olúes) place upon the black field a white bend sinister.
• The nine thousand thirty-one scavengers (ĸ̌ȩṙnúes') place upon the black field a white chevron.
• The shades (sĸotúes) do not have a ǧétos.

Body art

• Tattoos and body piercing are unknown to the Peoples. They have, however, been taken up by the Sundered Peoples.
• Ethran men do not have facial hair. The men of all the other Peoples have facial hair. In all cases, the beard is kept trimmed and not allowed to grow long.
• Cosmetics are unknown to the Peoples.