Ansverrens

## Ansverren Ethnolinguistic Group

Young woman.

Characterized by extremely pale coloration and a heavily freckled complexion, Ansverrens are those of a wholly human ethnolinguistic group native to central-western Nomos. They primarily inhabit the Azurrei, but are common throughout Nomos as mercenaries, adventurers, poets, and combinations of all three. They are generally believed to be the most populous individual culture group of humans in Nomos.

### Visual Appearance

As aforementioned, ethnic Ansverrens are very pale in both hair, skin, and eye tone, and typically freckled. They generally have a wide variety of hair colors from brown to blonde to even maroon and burgundy, with a reddish strawberry blonde being most stereotypical (though not necessarily the most common). They are otherwise relatively average in height and typically lean and ectomorphic. Facial or body hair is sparse.

Culturally, hair is most often shoulder-length or longer in both genders; usually tied back, for practicality.

## Culture

Contemporary Ansverren culture is molded heavily on a longtime adherence to Western Ra'laabreism, a geographic position at the centre of Northern Nomos, and a typically divided and heavily militarized political situation which has only ceased relatively recently. They might be most characterized through heavy emphasis on chivalric values; reflecting Ra'laabreist virtues as well as an aforementioned militarism. But so too are they especially characterized for impressive craftsmanship (especially of fabrics), deeply colorful architecture and fashion, and individually, a certain coyness yet naïve kindness and acceptance to the unknown.

### Gallantry and Aristocracy

Though chivalric values were most commonly expected of, and applied by, the military elite, it has still had a deep impact on the wider populace - common Ansverrens often emulate and reflect these originally aristocratic values. This primarily comes in the form of heavy expectations of charity, kindness, and selflessness for others.

The Ansverren aristocracy have themselves historically been the foremost proprietors of intellectual and philosophical advancement up until only recently; they had been especially renowned for service as mercenaries and were typically referred to as "warrior-poets", seeking both pay for martial ability, as well as the experience of travelling abroad. This sense of adventurism still permeates heavily throughout all aspects of Ansverren society, to a point that Ansverren-born individuals have been some of the most prolific and widespread diasporas in Nomos for five centuries. Though none of these diasporas are really permanent; more so made up of young men on several-year-long campaigns under service of warlords, free cities, feuding states, and otherwise. Impressively, much of this wandering warrior class in the modern day, are primarily lowborn in background, and these campaigns in foreign service are often seen as a rite of passage for aspiring commoners to enter the halls of legend, bring home immense fortune, or just to advance their class.

For this, Ansverren adventurers have produced immense amounts of literature in songs, stories, poetry, and especially philosophy. Contemporary scholars take high interest in these literatures, as the huge span of time in which they have been made allows one to see the ebb and flow of societal and cultural change, peer into the impact of technological developments, and observe the ramifications of foreign thought on Ansverrens and really, the whole of Northern Nomos.

### Community

   As the vast majority of Ansverrens are rural and inhabit small communities, they are typically deeply communal and societally structured off expectations of mutual trust and exchange; but this is partially contrasted with individualist sentiment inspired by Ra'laabreist theology. Individualism is especially prevalent in larger urban centers where foreign ideas -and especially capital- flow more freely.

Though Ansverrens remain communal and rural when compared to the neighboring southern Otheiae, large urban centers remain both densely populated and developmentally, societally, economically, and technologically productive in all forms. Those serving as port cities on the Ansverdroite have been especially impacted by mercantilist thought and practice, impacting the Azurrei as a whole.

### Conditions and Landscape

Ansverrens are of course heavily affected by their geographic positioning and climactic conditions; almost the whole of the Ansverren-inhabited region is defined by a hyper-moderate, maritime climate bringing near-constant fog but warm conditions yearround. The mean temperature of the coldest months is typically above freezing, with the warmest months remaining cool throughout.

This near constant fog combined with cool weather and local flora and fauna, has further resulted in an indigenous family of several flowering grasses which almost wholly take up their niche in deforested grasslands. As huge amount of the Ansverren regions have been heavily deforested to make way for pastoralism and herding, these flowering grasses have exploded in commonality; they are now probably the most recognizable part of a stereotypically Ansverren landscape, their flower petals in bright, vibrant shades of blue to purple to yellow to red and pink, stretching out past the horizon and giving way to the immensity of the southernmost mountains. Easily disturbed by any amount of repeating and heavy motion; flower petals are often associated with the aftermath of battle in Ansverren literature, kicked up into the air by the frantic flight of men and horses, and combatants returning with flower petals stuck in every crevice of armor and every gash in flesh and cloth.

### Cuisine

As Ansverren culture is defined by long growing seasons, mild weather, and therefore abundant food, their culinary traditions are rich and diverse, employing the use of indigenous herbs and (relatively) abundant salt, and especially honey. Staple foods are usually grain and vegetable based, with stews and soups serving as important components of daily caloric intake. Protein is usually made up for in the form of slow-cooked mutton, with sheep serving as the most common domesticated animal.

The staple grains of Ansverren agriculture are of several varieties of primarily dry grains capable of the local conditions, but with a single staple wet grain which alone composes a huge part of Ansverren diets. This grain -called Paal- is most characterized for its purple coloration, and related food products are unsurprisingly also purple in coloration. It is typically served steamed and sticky, alongside vegetables and protein, but may also be processed into forms not too dissimilar from regular bread.

Generally, all food is cooked until tender or soft; this trend which has continued for over a millenia has resulted in an overtime contraction of jaws sizes, eventually necessitating the development of widespread dental hygiene and medical operation.

### Hygiene and Medicine

Of hygiene particularly, Ansverrens generally take seriously. Urban guilds throughout the Azurrei make it Nomos' largest producer and exporter of soap, manufactured in immense quantities as one of the country's few true "industries". These are typically scented through purpose cultivated flowering grasses, especially lavender.

As the endemic flowering grasses are generally edible, several have been purpose cultivated for more than just scent. Several varieties are commonly used for medicinal remedies for a wide range of ailments and purposes, including one used as a painkiller for surgeries without access to proper Otheiae anesthesia. This specific variety is compared to diluted opiates in effect, but preferred due to its endemic presence and especially, a significantly reduced addictive quality as compared to said opiates.

Connecting back to hygiene, these painkillers are used especially often in a surprisingly advanced understanding of dental health, primarily developed by urban universities over the past several centuries. Necessitated by an aforementioned trend of increasingly smaller jaws and compact teeth, even the most rural of Ansverrens typically take leave several times throughout their life to a nearby town, where specialized dentists conduct tooth pulling operations, most commonly of wisdom teeth. Widespread adoption of horsehair-bristled brushes have further helped in keeping their comparatively delicate oral health in check.