Aedwinian Culture

An Aedwinian market.

**Aedwinian** is the primary culture and ethnic group of the Kingdom of Aedwin.

## Appearance

Aedwinians are commonly tan, brown haired, and brown eyed, though it can vary widely from person to person. Aedwinians are generally of average height, shorter than the average Hallengardian but taller than the average Lauch. They are also commonly heavier than Hallengardians on account of their diet consisting primarily of cereal grains.

The southern climate is temperate, and as such most Aedwinians commonly wear garments made of wool and cloth. Such textiles are both natively cultivated and also traded for: Lauch cotton is thought to be of higher quality, and takes to dying easier. The abundance of dyes in the south lend to a high variety of color choices, though blue tends to predominate. Other notable colors include yellow, green, white (and creme), and tan.

## Arts and Literature

Painting, storytelling, and music-making are all ordinary in the South. Paintings and portraits are produced by talented artists mimicking the Latoran style. Music flourishes in all aspects of society, with a wide variety of moods expressed. The written word is the domain of the nobles and royalty, and the stories found in books (besides histories and biographies) cater to the highbrow taste of the aristocracy, though most works are found in Common. Knowledge in Old Latoran is closely guarded by members of the Church and as such most of its users are only found within the ranks of the clergy.

The smallfolk of Aedwin are not completely devoid of stories; however. The bard tradition is strong in Aedwin, and men and women larger than life are maintained in the cultural memory by their belted songs. Bards make use of any and all variety of woodwind and brass instruments, and sung and instrumental ballads both recognizable Aedwinian cultural artefacts.

## Cuisine

Much of the food in Aedwin is grown, primarily wheat and oats that are milled to make bread. Fruits, vegetables, and fungi are also grown and foraged. Meats are usually gathered from cattle and sheep which have ample grass to feed upon in the South. Meats such as goat and fish are imported from Hallengard, and exotic fruits such as sour oranges and bananas are imported from Lauchette.

Winemaking is a large part of Aedwin’s food production, with vineyards and wineries scattered all across the southern peninsula of the Hales. As such, wines and hoppy beers are the drinks of choice for most Aedwinians, though local and Latoran brandies and Latoran wines are also frequently imported. Tobacco is similarly important in the South; vast fields allow for far more production of the plant than in Latora or in Hallengard, though southern tobacco is harsher and less aromatic than its northern counterpart.

## Leisure

While most time is spent laboring in the fields, Aedwinians partake in numerous card and table games (All Fours and Hazard, and Three Men's Morris and Chess are the most popular games respectively). Gambling is also more common than in the North, usually with card games as well as games of dice. Children’s games usually are simplified versions of the card and table games common in taverns. A common game in the southern parts of Aedwin is gameball, where competing villages try to get a ball made of a pig’s bladder into the other team’s goal.

## Religion

Andophy’s grip on the South has resulted in a certain devoutness in most parts of the nation, with heretics and nonbelievers being persecuted, and in some cases even attacked. Very few pockets of Hedatism exist in Aedwin, with the only major exception being Ostar.

With this in mind, Andophists partake in feasts and festivals that celebrate the saints and the prophets. The Andophic organization has been one of the largest contributors to literacy in the realm. Cathedral schools located in large cities educate the nobles and elite of the land in subjects such as mathematics, music, and history.

## Common Characteristics

Aedwinians are a typically proud but friendly group of people. Aedwin as a nation has defeated threats larger than it, as well as having moments of cunning. Its position as an independent nation and a growing trade power are some of the many results of such. However, Aedwinians have been characterized as being traitors both by Hallengardians and the Lauch due to their history.

## Relations

**Hallengardians:**  Aedwinians stereotype Hallengardians as conniving and violent. Furthermore, the razing of Greenfields by Hallenic forces during the the War of Daggers remains in living memory, and is an ulcer on relations between the two kingdoms.

**Lauch:** Heavily entrenched in a common culture as well as a shared religion, Aedwinians feel somewhat more benevolent towards their neighbors across the sea, which is only assisted by their close trade relations.

**Winterlanders:** Aedwinians are ignorant with regard to the Winterlands, and it is common for them to simply lump them and the Hallengardians together as fossils of a past period.