Saltblood

A Human ethnicity originating in and around Arcadia, Atlantis, and southern Meropis, Saltbloods are an olive-skinned people of middling build. They normally have darker hair colors, though blondes and reds are not unheard of, and often have wavy or loosely curly hair, and frequently have brown eyes. They are often a hirsute people, particularly the men, with robust chest hair common. They form the backbone of the Deudekatheon's worship and are largely responsible for spreading the Holy Church abroad through their seafaring traditions. Saltbloods have always been drawn to the sea; their communities settled along coasts and on islands as small city-states with a variety of different governing models. They have always been a seafaring folk; great fishermen, merchants, traders, and mariners that were the product of seeking the bounty of the ocean and distant shores.

Saltbloods are among the most widely dispersed of all Human ethnicities; they can be found almost anywhere. In part for this reason, they are also one of the most aesthetically diverse peoples on Gaea. They've interacted with countless cultures over the centuries, bringing artifacts, treasures, and traditions back home from their voyages. Saltbloods tend towards an eclectic appearance that's tempered only by their devotion to the Holy Church. They love adornments of all kinds, from tattoos to jewelry to exotic hair styles, even as the attire they prefer to work and live in is usually practical. They're a people likely to compartmentalize their lives and adjust their appearance to suit the task at hand.

Like Midlanders and Lowlanders, they tend towards a patriarchal social system. Women are expected to do most of the work around the house while the men act as bread-winners and household decision-makers. This is especially prominent in rural communities, which often favor the herding of sheep and goats alongside growing crops. Young men of the household tend to the livestock while their fathers handle repairs around the household and tend to the more troublesome crops. Girls and wives are expected to cook, clean, launder, and other domestic chores.

Saltbloods have a reputation for their food culture, something that's derived in part from their culture's many foreign contacts, but the staples of their diet are found in domestic grains hammered into flat breads and pastas, olives and their oil, fish and shellfish, poultry, a number of local peppers and root vegetables, various fruits, and the meat and dairy of goats and sheep. They season these with a range of spices drawn from distant locales or grown locally. They are also well-known for their wines.

Saltbloods are known for a relatively jovial approach to life, likely due to the sudden and extreme changes that come with life on or near the sea. They take great joy in the moment and indulge when they can... while also trying to keep in line with the tenants of their faith. However, their ability to respond to sudden changes is legendary, especially changes in their environment. They are an adaptable people, and should the moment call for seriousness rather than levity, they'll provide it. They are also known for holding grudges, but these are more likely to play out in the form of snubs and insults than direct violence.

On their involvement with the Church; the Saltbloods were the original followers of the Olympian Pantheon, long before the current structure was established. They harken back to an older set of traditions and a looser interpretation of the scriptures than is preferred by the current Order. However, their role within the Church's history and their continued support of it has kept them in good graces despite cultural differences between them and the current mainstream. They continue to support the Order as a whole, providing it with invaluable trade and military opportunities, even as the teachings of the faith have diverged from those ingrained in their culture. This sometimes leads to friction between the two... but little comes of it.