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Cultures

Being a primer on the cultures of the world of Leeland.

Thals:

Thal, Thals, Thallic, Thallically.

Common Appearance: Tall, strong, humanoid with olive [Swamp Thal] or greenish [Forest Thal] cast to the skin.

There are 2 basic groups: the Swamp Thals and the Forest Thals. Swamp Thal culture is different than forest Thal culture.   Thals have a polyglot culture, made up of parts of others. Their language is mostly common, but has additions from many languages along with some words of their own.

Thal Philosophy:  Innovation is not our strong point; imitation and adaptation is.

Swamp Thals:

Flexible, fast and fluid.  Strong swimmers. Smells funny to Humans. 

There is no honor among Thals?  Of course there is.  We just define it differently.  Kudos is the commonality. 

The Delta - River Bayou, similar to Louisiana.  Swamps, fog, water, reptiles, amphibians, fish, fish, and fish.  Slogging and punting are typical games on the Bayou. 

Of course each swamp island has its own principality, somewhat like Venice, so almost everyone is related to a royal family of one kind or another. Dukes, Counts, Princes, Principals, etc.  Come to think about it, almost everyone is related to everyone at least thru marriage. 

Treasure is the sign of Kudos for Swamp Thals. It is smarter to do this outside the normal area, rather than in the swamp region where everyone else is trying to get your treasure.  And you are all related. It’s called adventuring, not stealing when it is not your own family.

Common people live in stilt houses made of wood, swamp-grass thatch and soaked-wood shingles.  Noblemen sink enough piles into ground to be able to afford stone housing.  Giant round towers predominate, with multiple turrets and gingerbread on top.  Or giant towers with lots of corridors slung above-ground between them (to get above the swamp-floods).  As the families get larger they just keep adding towers and houses, and slinging corridors between each, to create complexes.  Same thing on a lower scale with the lower classes.  Like to decorate homes with mosaic--bits of pebble, glass when available, sand even.  Shells.

Land ownership is less important than fishing/hunting rights. Upstream land is very important because that’s where crops are.  Boats are the primary mode of travel.  Pirogues and canoes abound.  In Knothaven, the swamp Thals naturally gravitate toward Mud Flats.

Have to be strong, quick, and alert in the swamp or you’re dead.  So sleight of hand, playing tricks, and identification games all very important to young ones.  He’s very attentive to body language, and picking pockets is a game to teach nimble fingers.  Just natural thieves.  Within the clan, there is no kudos in removing another’s property, although challenge is possible for specific treasures.  These tend to be kept away and used only within the immediate family.  

Forest Thals

Forest Thals live in Amerind fashion, in small clans with a hunter/gatherer culture. They are migratory with the animals and roam the Forests from the Midlands down along the mountainous ridge that runs from the northlands down to the southern coast.

Money doesn’t mean much to Forest Thals. Thals challenge for presents. Winner takes the possession.  Why aren’t you wearing the necklace I gave you?  It is too precious.  I don’t want someone challenging me for it.

The Way - The people of town do not have a sense of [Thallic] honor or rightness.  They do not understand the Way. Kudos is part of the Way.  For most Forest Thals, the rest of the Way is defined as fighting and drinking, drinking and loving, loving and riding, riding and fighting. 

The forest Thals have powerful shamans, strong in the old ways of natural magic. 

Geography * History of the world, part 1 * Cultures * Seasons * Magie * Spare * Spare * Spare *