Saxen

Saxens are short fair skinned dark haired people that live in the islands surrounding the Adelian Isles, Saxens are known sailors and fishermen across the world. Saxen government is a form of elective monarchy, where clans elect a king (or Konung) to rule over the island from among the local hereditary Jarls.

## Culture

### Military Tradition

Saxian fighters are known for their shieldwall tactics favoring swords, mace and axes with large shields over heavy armor, save for the Huscarls that favor the use two-handed axes called Saxe Axes.

### Food

Saxens are primarily known across the isles as fishermen as land is fairly scarce, of somewhat poor quality and too cold for many crops to grow. Saxens grow hardy crops like oats, barley, rutabaga, turnips, beets, kale, carrots, parsnips, and green peas. Fish is an important part of the diet, but also are wild game birds, sheep, and chickens. Saxens don't limit themselves to only common animals and fish, but also hunt seals, whales, and walrus, bears. Cows and horse are very expensive within the Saxen Isles and are only eaten in special occasion by most. Saxens superstition see pigs as unlucky and so they are rarely kept or eaten.

Saxen cuisine tend to be simple and eschew the 'extravagance' of continental cuisine, favorite hearty porridges, soups, stews, and boiled or roast meats with mashed vegetables. Breads and batter puddings are a popular element of the cuisine, often dipped in animal fat or gravy. Beer is the drink of choice, while varieties of aged whisky are famous around the isles.

* Sleginn fiskur: fish in batter and then fried.
* Saxen pudding; Batter pudding cooked in a preheated mould, then doused with gravy and peas
* Krukväxter: Shrimps preserved in butter
* Köttbullar med sylt: Meatball and lingonberry jam
* Rökt lax: Smoked salmon and cream cheese on toast
* Lutefisk, fermented fish in alkali
* Karjalanpiirakka: Rye dough pastry filled with barley
* Sült: Head Cheese
* Koldskål: Buttermilk soup with biscuits
* Hákarl: A form of fermented shark
* Fiskeboller: fish balls made of egg, flour and fish.
* Fiskefrikadeller: pan-fried fish patties
* Inlagd sill: Pickled herring served with red onions and herbs
* Lohikeitto: Creamed salmon soup
* Gammeldags kylling: Pot-roasted whole chicken, usually served with parsley sauce
* Hakkebøf: Ground meat steak served with caramelized onions and mushroom sauce

### Entertainment

Because being at sea can be long and uneventful the Saxen are masters of entertaining themselves and have multiple form of games, one such known as hnefatafl in which two opponent control armies on a gridded board.

One form of entertainment known as Flytting consist of two individual drinking and taking turns swapping insults to one another, with the first to lose their temper being declared the loser.

Saxen theater is known for being an informal form folk-theater that is typically comedic. Saxen are somewhat known as expert storytellers, although the veracity of those stories tend to be questionable.

#### Sporting Events

* The Saxen people pride themselves with their relationship to the sea and water, and hold frequent swimming, sailing and surfing competitions.
* Another game typically played on ship or between ships at harbor is a form of tug of war.
* Saxens play a sport called Rocket using a flat-bat which they use to hit leather balls and running laps before the ball is caught by the opposing team, winning a point if they complete a lap or more without being caught.
* Axe throw is a common precision sport.
* In the winter the Saxen use bone skates in order to skate on frozen lakes and rivers.