Stonelian Day-to-Day Life

## Clothing

Especially in the desert areas, the clothing is very thin, lightweight and very loose so that any breeze, even the one created by walking, creates a cooling layer underneath the clothes.

Because black is one of the best colours to wear into the desert, as it absorbs the heat from your body, it is a common colour seen in the garments of Stonelians. Lighter, tan and khaki colours are also common as they act as a sort of camouflage from desert-dwelling creatures. Some examples of such creatures native to Stonielian deserts are:

```
**Retvok** - A creature similar to that of a Jackal with the addition of a row of spines along its back.
The Retvok can shoot these at a distance of 10 - 20 feet.
While they are not poisonous they do splinter if not removed correctly.

```

In the desert areas, you are likely to see something covering arms, shoulders, and chest that is loose and very thin. A sort of cowl composed of more of the similar lightweight fabrics is also typical attire for those Stonelian’s who reside in the desert areas.

In the southern part of the kingdom that is near the sea, you will see similar clothing except it will be tighter and thicker providing more protection against harsh winds and the cold from rain.

## Home Life

Homelife in Stoniel is fairly standard. Typically in the smaller villages and towns where children are homeschooled one parent will stay home to teach the other will go to work. Who does which depends on the household but often it is the mother who stays home.

When it comes to larger, walled, cities where the children are subject to being taught in group settings both parents often work. Homelife is one of the main ways that the tenant of unity and the steadfast nature of the kingdom are shown.

## Labour

Labour in Stoniel is a group effort by the entire kingdom. Every man, woman and child do his or her share of the work. Whether this is operating the wind farms, keeping the irrigation system running smoothly, or sowing and ploughing the crops that are grown.

The kingdoms value of unity extends into the labour force in the best of ways.

## Home Affairs & Intelligence

Census taking and tracking of the education and employment of citizens is the responsibility of the **Department of Home Affairs** (**DHA**). They are responsible for ensuring that an accurate population count of each municipality is kept and for identifying magic users (particularly water conjurors).

In order to keep counts accurate, they have a representative in every municipality within Stoniel’s borders. This representative takes a census poll once every 6 months.

### Intelligence

The Stoniel Intelligence Network (SIN) is fairly rudimentary and based off its operatives travels, usually by boat, to other kingdoms on perceived “trade missions”. Stoniel has long been a kingdom that thinks about itself first and foremost and so any intelligence-gathering its operatives do (on order from the royal family) is in an effort to protect the kingdoms best interests.

In order to gather useful information SIN operatives will pose as traders and travel in caravans to the other kingdoms. Once there they will make excuses to go off on their own and gather the information required for their mission. As mentioned, these tactics are of the most rudimentary basis and based upon a keen eye and ear.

## Health

The greatest accomplishment in medical affairs revolves around treatment for exposure and dehydration since these are the most pressing medical issues to surface. Stonelian doctors have developed a special potion devised from the fluid and crushed spines of the **Yuga Tree** native to the region that is most effective in treating dehydration. The **Siccitatibus Conveniunt** potion works by stopping the body from excreting excess fluids and stimulating the production of electrolytes to bring the body back into equilibrium.

## Language

The Language of Stoniel is the classic **Atemnition** but with a particular formal inflexion to most words and phrases. There is also a little known, and semi-complicated form of sign language among the residents of Stoniel. This sign language was developed by farmers as a way to communicate when the sound of the winds got to high for normal speech to be understood. It moved from the farming folk and spread rapidly amongst those within the kingdom as a secret method of communicating intentions.

## Diet

The diet of Stonelian’s consists of wheat heavy dishes such as breads and pastas due to the heavy emphasis put on agriculture. Particularly in the south and generally near the various bodies of water, however, a seafood side is not uncommon. Food, in general, is more on the bland side of things with very few spices gracing the palette of a typical plate.

Due to the lack of rain, however, the pasta is generally drier than one might find where water is plentiful as water is usually reserved for drinking and watering crops.

## Arts & Culture

Much of the art in Stoniel is based in sculpture due to the abundance of stone and clay. Most art created within the kingdom revolve around function. That is, much of the art created has a secondary purpose of being functional in some way - even the irrigation system (where it rises above the ground) is designed in such a way that it looks artistic while retaining the function ascribed to it.

**Gargoyles**, while they are a living creature, have become as much a part of the art of the region as they have the fauna. Many artistic efforts have been inspired by Gargoyles decorating and protecting the walls of cities. And many of these artistic versions of the creature are enchanted with Harmony magic to make the statues serve as actual protectors of the dwelling in question (when the actual gargoyles are off doing other things that is).

Once of the most famous pieces of art was created by **Henric Sloane**, a famous sculptor that designed the designed the intricate bas relief sculptures that adorn the main gates of the royal palace in **Irragin**. It is said he was inspired by a gargoyle he saw in his youth. The figure of a strangely humanoid-shaped gargoyle with wings sprouting from its back seems to guard the gates to the palace.

Any art not created from stone is generally created using glass crafted within the kingdom. Some of the most magnificent stained glass windows throughout the world have come from Stonelian glass artists. In fact, the windows of many prominent buildings were created using specially made glass by one of the greatest artists in Stonelian history **Claudia Black**. By using a special type of quartz and sepharite mixed sand from a region of the great barren lands she was able to create windows that could repel Chaos magic.

### Music

In what some might call a twist of irony one of the biggest forms of music listened to and coming out of Stoniel is rock and roll and a sort of rock ballad. Particularly among the younger generations, rock music has become as much a part of the culture as anything.

Several rock groups have formed and come from some of the smallest villages.

For example: **Monolith Chaos** from **Penkarth** and **Satire’s Rage** from **Grimsby** are two of the most popular groups today.

As huge as rock and roll music is in Stoniel that isn’t to say that there isn’t a niche for a little jazz music now and again - particularly among the older generations.

## Religion

Most citizens of Stoniel are Animist’s - that is they believe in **Animism**. They believe wholeheartedly that when they die that their souls leave their body and become one with the winds that rip across the open desert and plains. They believe that these spirits of the departed are there to look after and guard them as their living counterparts did in life. It is the ultimate show of unity to believe that even in death they will remain united with their countrymen.

## Architechture

Houses in Stoniel tend to have steepled roofs and buildings, while built from stone to be sturdy, tend to be wider than tall. The reason behind this is because of the frequent sandstorms that plague the region - the wider housing, with very little gap between, tends to keep the wind from coalescing within the cities and creating dust-tornados which can be nearly as dangerous as a full-blown sandstorm if allowed to form.

Cities also tend to have high walls to protect them from said sandstorms. The steepled roofs tend to collect the rising heat in their points - this heat is then released back into the air through the use of a complicated venting system run on, you guessed it, wind. So even as the wind from a sandstorm strikes the building, it is also turning a series of fans that pull the heat from the building’s point.

## Transportation

Considering the vastness and harshness of the desert areas and the wide open plains - other than intercity portals (and the general portaling system of Atemnity) - the main method of transportation is **caravans**.

Many goods are delivered to the cities via caravan and trade among the kingdom’s cities and with other kingdoms is done via caravan as well.

## Sport & Recreation

Most sports or recreational activities in Stoniel have to be ones that the inhabitants could easily pick up and run for cover in the event of a sandstorm (particularly in the un-walled towns and villages). Because of this many of the recreational activities were ones that could be played indoors. The one exception to this rule is a game called **Episkyros** - a game that closely resembles football only hands are used. The point of the game, played between teams of 12-14 players, is to try to throw the ball over the heads of the other team and to generally play keep away with it. It is a game popular with children.

Other games that are popular are:

* **Chess** - often played with handmade pieces milled by the local stonemasons.
* **Go** - this game has also made an impact of the general population - particularly those who aspire to military careers.
* **Tic-Tac-Toe** - is a common children’s game, the “board” and “pieces” often drawn into the sand/ground with a stick. Sometimes the pieces are bits of stone in different colours.

**Home | Stoniel**