City of the Winged Men

## The City of the Winged Men

The City of the Winged Men is a location on the southern border of the Grey Wastes, laying at the Hidden Sea. It borders with the Shadow Lands and is home to the Winged Men tribe. Hunters said to aspire to become birds.

### Geography and Climate

The City of the Winged men is located in a very mountainous area, the city itself is built on the side of the tallest mountain in the area that the locals call “Beak”. Due to the proximity to the Grey Wastes the climate is rather chilly for most of the year, but thanks to the waters of the Hidden Sea some mild vegetation has managed to survive in these conditions. This vegetation serves as food for some species of mountain animals, such as hares and goats. A large part of the animal population is taken up by various species of birds. For unknown reasons these birds, that are also known in other parts of the world, grow much bigger and a lot more aggressive in these mountains. Another, even larger species of bird, said to be able to carry a man with its talons, is home only to these mountains. The locals call it Orrn after their highest deity.

As a result of the location, most of the spaces in the city are carved directly into the mountain, or made from stone.

### Religion and Culture

The winged men worship all kinds of birds, as they are all said to be relatives of their highest deity. The hunt and consumption of birds is not forbidden though, and during some of the festivals it is even encouraged. Even the largest and holiest species of bird, named Orrn, is being hunted during the Festival of Chiefs. The people believe that through consumption of bird meat or eggs, or wearing of bird feathers and bones, they are pleasing the will of Orrn, that some even call the creator of the world.

The Winged Men believe that a bird, larger than anyone could ever imagine, one day began building a nest. But since his eyesight was poor he could never properly judge the size of it so he just kept building and building until he died of old age. By then the nest had become so large that life formed on it. Orrn supported this life even in death, his blood turned into rivers and oceans, his feathers turned into the forests, and his bones turned to dust and became snow. The people believe that this nest that Orrn built is Planetos, and that the “Beak” mountain is Orrn´s beak that didn´t turn to dust.

Men are said to come from birds, and depending on the looks of each person, the Winged Men judge which bird his bloodline stems from. Therefore, the different families in the City all represent a different species of bird.

The people aspire to resemble the birds of their families as closely as possible. The most common way it is done, is by making armor or clothing out of the feathers of said bird, for armor the bones are used as well. Such armor is not very effective, but it is light and mostly cosmetic. Another, a bit more extreme way of showing their devotion, is used by the hunters of the tribe. In their attempts to resemble birds more, they have constructed gliders they use to travel distances through the air. Using these gliders, they drop themselves onto potential prey. This method of hunting is highly respected, albeit very dangerous and only few hunters survive their first glider hunt.

Women are heavily oppressed by the Winged Men. Their religion states that Orrn´s mate never left the nest, therefore the Winged Men have decided that their mates also should never leave the nest, the home. From the age of eleven, any girl is forbidden from ever leaving her parent´s house until she gets bought by the future husband. Then the ordeal continues at the husband´s house. Not too long ago it was a woman in disguise that managed to become war chief and tried to improve the situation for other women in the tribe, but as she is outnumbered by men in the council, her actions take little effect.

### Festivals

There are some famous festivals in the Winged Men culture. Most of the smaller festivals are celebrated with a hunt, or by climbing the “Beak”.

Festival of Times to Come

With a rather complicated name, this festival is all about marriage in the Winged Men culture. Each year every unmarried man, old enough to marry, is to scale the mountains in a search for bird eggs. Their main task is to steal an egg from a bird’s nest, these are then used to “purchase” their brides for marriage. Only men who bring back an egg are allowed to marry, and more powerful families frequently demand specific eggs for the hands of their daughters. Marriage is only done for the name, because the tribal law forbids women from leaving their homes, the men never know what the woman they marry is even like.

Women´s March

A few days after the end of the Festival of Times to Come, is the Women´s March. While it has a rather powerful sounding name, the reality of this festival is grim. It is the first and often also the last day that a grown woman is allowed to leave the house, see the sun. Each family is given time to prepare for the marriage, then, on the same day, all women that are about to be married march to the city center, pray in unison, and then are picked up by their husbands and led to their future homes where they are expected to spend the rest of their lives.

The Election

On the day a chief dies, an ancient horn is blown alerting everyone in the City. On the following day, every hunter gathers in the city center and travels into the mountains with one goal: slaying an Orrn bird. The first one to do so is then appointed chief of the tribe. This usually led to people with no real experience with leading positions becoming chiefs simply because they were good hunters.

During the last Election an unknown and masked contender was the first one to bring down an Orrn in a spectacular fashion. After being appointed chief by the other two chiefs, the contender removed the mask to reveal that he was in fact a woman. Asara of the Grey Owl family. Because she had already been appointed chief, nobody was allowed to take that title from her anymore. This position she is using to improve the situation of women in the tribe, but as she is outnumbered by two other chiefs change is hard to achieve.

### The People

The Winged Men are usually rather slim and tall. The women are usually very pale, while the men have tan skin doe to the amount of time they spend out in the sun. The most frequent hair color is brown in many shades, followed by black. Few families in the tribe are known for either red or blonde hair, some even paint it to closer resemble the bird their family stands for.

Their choice of clothing also brings out the bird in them. Regular clothing is decorated by feathers, each family using the feather of the bird they stand for. Hunting attire and armor also adds pieces of bird bone and leather to appear more threatening. Hunters also carry two carved pieces of bone on their backs representing the wings of the birds, and wear crowns out of bone made to look like a beak on their foreheads.

In the surrounding lands, the Winged Men are known mostly for their gliders, but also as exceptional archers and good spearmen. Both skills they use on the hunt. They are also good crafters and stoneworkers. As they live on a mountain, the Winged Men are also great climbers.

### Government

The Winged Men are ruled by a council of three chiefs. Each of their decisions has to be supported by at least two of them to take effect. Chiefs are elected during the Election festival, where the first contender to slay an Orrn bird is appointed the position of chief, after one of the previous chiefs has died.

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