Suthermen

## Basic Information

### Anatomy

The Sutherman are a race of humans. They are fair skinned and of average height. Their hair is generally either brown or blonde, but sometimes they have red hair, likely because of crossbreeding with the Jorns. Their eyes can be brown, blue, or green.

## Civilization and Culture

### Naming Traditions

**Male:** Alfrid, Grigor, Wilhelm, Osweald **Female:** Athelflaed, Rosemary, Godwyn, Aldreda

### Beauty Ideals

Suthermen place high importance on hygiene, for both aesthetic and religious reasons. Personal, private bathing is a common practice as it is believed to cleanse both the body and soul. Beauty ideals differ somewhat between higher and lower classes. Fair skin is typically preferred in urban, upper-class circles as it signifies that a person is of high status and does not engage in peasant labor. The exception is if a man of high status has joined the military, in which case tanned skin and calloused hands show that he was a hard-working soldier. In rural areas, tan skin and calloused hands are actually more desirable as they show that a person is a hard worker and doesn't shirk responsibilities. Many Sutherlandic women wear their hair in braids, and it is not uncommon for men to have moderately long, shoulder-length hair. Facial hair is moderately common, but in the form of moustaches, goatees, and short, trimmed, well-kept beards. Long wild beards are uncommon, and are associated mostly with monks and hermits in remote locations.

### Gender Ideals

Traditional gender roles are highly valued in Sutherland. Despite this, Sutherland is fairly gender-equal. Women can own property and serve in government. Women are also not barred from working most jobs. For example, women can legally be blacksmiths in Sutherland, despite it being considered a masculine job. While it is legal, that does not mean that they will be treated with some degree of contempt because of their job. Sutherland's gender equality is likely influenced by the angels, who have a matriarchal society. Women cannot serve in the military except as cooks and nurses, and they cannot serve as clergy in the church. Gender roles are more highly regarded and held to among the upper classes, whereas it is more necessary among peasants to allow women to work alongside men in the same jobs.

### Courtship Ideals

The ideals of courtship in Sutherland differ greatly between social classes. Among peasants and the lower middle class, marriages are most often expressly out of love. This is partly because of the value the Suthermen place on true love, but it is more because arranged marriage between non-nobles is illegal, as a precaution put in place by the upper class. Among the nobility, marriage ideals vary quite a bit based on region and noble status. Royal princes, for instance, are usually allowed to marry for love, while a minor baron's son may have his marriage arranged at a young age. For male members of the royal family, marriage is not only encouraged, it is the law. A king who makes no attempt to marry will eventually be deposed

### Relationship Ideals

Open and polyamorous relationships are illegal in Sutherland, on pain of imprisonment. Other "deviant" relationships are barred by religious statute. Incest and infidelity are punishable by death, due to the Suthermen believing infidelity and incest among their gods was the source of most tragedy in the world. Sexual relationships outside the confines of marriage are frowned upon, but are mostly tolerated as the passion of young people in love. Prostitution, and the solicitation thereof, is a capital crime in Sutherland. Relationships and marriages with non-Suthermen are generally accepted without prejudice with the exception of the Nikaru, who are held with some degree of racial contempt.

### Common Etiquette Rules

Sutherland behaves according to a code of chivalry. Public drunkeness and violence are looked down upon heavily. Bars are legal and are valued community hubs as long as they are not hotspots of drunken decadence. Dueling culture is strong among nobles. Suthermen value politeness and kindness. Honesty is greatly appreciated in Sutherland, and they are not known to sugarcoat anything. Rudeness is however frowned upon.

### Common Dress Code

Upper class Suthermen are known to wear richly colored, elaborate, highly decorated clothing, sometimes adorned with gemstones. Jewelry is common among all classes, as even peasants often have heirloom jewelry that is passed from generation to generation.

### Culture and Cultural Heritage

The Suthermen are a people known for their great stone castles, steel plate-clad knights, and tales of valor, honor, and heroism. Theirs is a feudal system of land-owning lords presiding over a peasant class and answering to their superiors, all the way up to the High King of Sutherland. Their culture puts emphasis on courage and honor, and no other group in the nation exemplifies this as much as the Knights of the Fry, who follow the path laid out before them by Oren, central among the Sutherlandic gods. It is believed that the Sutherlandic gods are actually amalgamations of the personas and spheres of deities from the more widely-accepted pantheon, perhaps due to some unique circumstance of a melded together psyche certain gods may share.

### Common Myths and Legends

The Suthermen are deeply religious, and have a unique religion among the cultures of Forgosia. Their faith is the Church of Oren, Oren being the central god of the pantheon. There are much fewer deities within the Church of Oren, numbering only eight. Each of these gods presides over a very general sphere of influence, representing both the positive and negative aspects of their domains. The Church itself is very important, and holds a great deal of power within the nation. Even the king must first be blessed by the church before being granted the right to rule. Outside of the Church, their are many monastic groups who dedicate themselves to the practice of worshiping one or more of the gods, such as the Knights of the Fry, who devote themselves to the service of Oren.

### Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Other peoples of Forgosia see the Suthermen in a generally positive way. Historically, they have not done much to garner a negative reputation among other civilizations. With the exception of their unique religious beliefs, foreign peoples can find little to have issue with. Their relations with the Nikaru, however sometimes rocky, due to a history of conflict and mistreatment.

Genetic Ancestor(s)
* Aefyldyn

Genetic Descendants
* Nikaru

Origin/Ancestry
Human
Lifespan
70 years
Average Height
5'5"-6'
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Fair skinned

## Magic

Suthermen have a complex relationship with magic. The Church of Oren would like to regulate the practice of magic in Sutherland, but has so far been unsuccessful. Clerics and paladins sworn to the gods are almost universally respected in Sutherland as holy figures who do the will of the gods and church. Bards are also revered as historians, storytellers, and even as national heroes. Sutherland has a proud bardic heritage, and many Suthermen believe that those who dislike music are simply bad people. Academically trained, secular wizards are respected and valued among the wealthier, more educated middle and upper classes, but are often viewed with suspicion by the peasantry. Naturally-born sorcerers, while uncommon, are treated as potential dangers by most Suthermen. Those born into the upper class are often sent off to learn how to harness and control their powers, while lower-class sorcerers become outcasts. Some may form pacts with dark spirits, becoming fearsome warlocks. Druids are considered barbaric by the noble classes, but they are not openly persecuted beyond their rural status. Among the peasantry, views on druids vary widely. In communities which have no church presence, they are generally well accepted and treated with a great deal of respect, while villages with a church are typically less hospitable. Warlocks are highly persecuted by most in Sutherland. Despite a fairly sizable black market in the services of warlocks, mostly controlled by the vampire crime lords of the House of Maggots, the practice of black magic is a capital crime in Sutherland. Lycanthropy is a crime in Sutherland. For those who are unable to control their transformations, a way to relieve them of their curse is often sought, and execution is only carried out if no other solution arises. Lycanthropes who are known to be able to control themselves and actively hunt humans are immediately exectued, as are those who perform illegal work as bounty hunters and hitmen. Lycanthropes who are able to control their transformations but do not pursue human prey generally go undiscovered. In some rural backwaters, these lycanthropes may even become local heroes, offering their village protection in exchange for the village protecting them. Vampires are executed on sight. The Sapphrian House of Serpents are the exception, although they are treated with suspicion.