Bartel

Bartel is the name of a prehistoric civilization that existed in modern day Kepia, specifically in Bolto-Noro. It is considered a dead civilization, having been absorbed by the nation state of Daegoria prior to the Three Kings Era. During its height, it was known for being one of the strongest nations on the Kepian Continent alongside its historical ally of Nuria,

## History

The very first Bartel peoples lived in Kepia's forests, primarily in the Low Greens. They started off as nomadic hunter gatherers, and made a living through fishing, hunting, and gathering. Woodworking was an especially important art, as the early Bartel lived in homes made from the Triminon Sentinels of the Low Greens.

Though originally a forest people, the large number of useful ores found in the nearby lands of Mason's Heart lead to the Bartel gradually shifting into a hybrid culture between forest nomads and underground miners. In particular, the Bartel capital of Varco was notable for actually being two separate cities which considered itself to be one entity.

After coming into an alliance and eventually fusing with the neighboring nation of Nuria, the Bartel culture morphed into something that is largely unrecognizable compared to its early origins. As a result, the actual sovereign nation of Bartel is formally considered to have ceased existence after the defeat of the Kres Jah.

## Language

The Bartel and Nuria both spoke Rengrei, which is one of the two original native languages known to have been spoken in Southwestern Kepia, the other being Kreswellian. The number of fluent modern speakers is estimated to be around one hundred, with almost all of them residing in Crescent City. The language is generally passed on through master-apprentice teams, typically one on one, though larger classes do exist for those who are just beginning to learn the language.

Despite Bartel not having any knowledge of magic, the Rengrei language is notable for having been saved from dying off due to the interest of magicians. The language has a number of properties which make it interesting for spellcasting, and as a result is the foundation for Rengrei Style Casting.

## Culture

### Cuisine

The early Bartel's primary method for gathering food was fishing, primarily along the Hasgeo River, with berries, nuts, and occasional wild game supplementing their primary diet of fish. Later on, with the development of mining settlements along the coast of Mason's Heart, the Bartel also started to forage for seafood such as clams, sea fish, and seaweed. Pabilda Whales were particularly treasured by the coastal settlements, and hunting one was considered grounds for a festival.

Note that despite the high value of Pabilda Whales, the Bartel were not sailors, as they simply could not develop into one due to the dangerous conditions along the coast of Mason's Heart. Rather, they waited for whales to either wash ashore or get trapped by the unusual rock formations in the area, and would carry them back to town during low tide.

### Currency

The primary currency used by the Bartel was the shell. In particular, a majority of the currency consisted of Arappo Shells, which exist in plentiful numbers in the Hasgeo River. After the development of settlements in Mason's Heart, the currency slowly expanded to include a large number of shells from other creatures as well, though Arappo shells still had a majority (though not nearly as much as before).

## Society

### Villages

Bartel Villages of the Low Greens made their homes primarily out of the massive Triminon Sentinels. Rather than cutting wood and moving it, individuals would simply cut down a tree and carve their home into the fallen log right where it was felled. The size of the Triminon meant that most homes could fit entire families, often including unmarried relatives. More wealthy households often had Grezatz Huts.

Despite the development of settlements in Mason's Heart, the high fire resistance of Triminons allowed the Bartel to continue constructing buildings out of them. However, Stone and metal was often supplemented in as reinforcements, and the distance from the Low Greens meant that settlements in Mason's Heart looked more like traditional ones instead of the log buildings of the Low Greens.

### Social Organization

#### Peylinds

Bartel was a patriarchal society. Homes were owned by men, and generally only men were allowed in the Grezatz Huts for ceremonies. Upon the death of the head of a family, the land was passed down to the father's son. In the case where the head had no male descendent, the land would then be split amongst the remaining family. However, any females who did own land would have to give it to the husband upon marriage.

Early Bartel villages had no chiefs. The closest thing to a leader was the Peylind, who was typically the wealthiest individual of a given settlement. The Peylind was trained by the elders of a settlement, and would often go through a prolonged period of isolation and fasting at the end of training in order to become spiritually closer to nature and the local deities. However, despite their leadership position, Peylinds had no real power in the day to day management of a settlement, and could only influence things when problems arose.

During times of dispute between Bartel villages, the Peylinds of each village would come together to discuss said dispute. In such cases, in order to provide motivation to solve the problem, the Peylinds were expected to supply food, water, shelter, and entertainment for the people of their respective villages. Peylinds also gathered during ceremonies and festivals, during which they would cooperate to organize multi-village gatherings and events.

The Peylind of a given village always lives at the highest elevation. As a result, many Bartel villages were built around elevated geography such as hills or valleys. Later on, as Bartel moved out of its tribal phase, the Peylind became more akin to a traditional governor, but all the original traditions remained.

#### Social Class

The Bartel are socially stratified, with communities being divided between the rich, poor, and slaves. The rich generally lived at higher elevations, and were the only group allowed to perform religious duties.

Additionally, the classification of slave is not like the modern one. Rather then being born or captured into slavery, people typically entered into slavery in order to pay off debts, and would live as indentured servants. Upon being released, they would simply go back to being in the poor class. In some cases, members of the rich class may even be labeled as slaves as a form of punishment.

#### Doctors

Bartel doctors were usually women. During early tribal times, the term shaman would be more accurate. Shamans generally used a mix of plants, rituals, and prayer to heal their patients, and they often had a major role in ceremonies to ensure prosperity, plentiful harvests, and successful hunts. Although more modern Bartel doctors no longer had roles in such ceremonies, their heavy usage of rituals in medicine prevailed up to their merge with Nuria.

### Bentissa

The Bentissa was a yearly festival celebrated by both Bartel and Nuria, during which people would gather and perform mass ceremonies to renew the resources of the world. Ceremonies included song, dance, and ritualistic prayer. This holiday is still celebrated in modern day Bolto-Noro.

### Marriage

When daughters were married, the husband was generally expected to make a payment to the daughter's family. As a result of this, despite being patriarchal, daughters were still considered highly valued members of the family, especially for members of the lower class.

Unlike traditional societies however, the Bartel had an unusually large amount of social mobility. While one's social class was decided at birth, a newly married couple would have their social class be determined by the amount that the husband payed to the wife's family. As a result, a lower class man who amassed enough wealth could easily raise the rank of both his and his wife's families without the social backlash that would be present in other more socially rigid societies.

In the case that a man could not pay the required cost to marry, he could pay half the cost, and the couple would be considered half-married. In such cases, the man would live as a slave with the bride's family until the remaining debt was settled. Furthermore, in such cases the man would also take on the wife's last name instead of the other way around. If the man was still a slave by the time the couple had children, the children would also take the mother's name.

Divorce could be initiated by either member. In the case that the divorce was initiated by the woman, her family would have to refund the money paid during marriage.

## Notable People

* **Tuvya Roy Kolbina** - Notable painter and sculptor
* **Eliav Praksiya** - An early historian and writer who documented the history of the Bartel. Her works, although inferior compared to those of Jadrianna Torok, are still notable due to just how much earlier on Eliav lived.
* **Hugo Imarik** - Magician and graduate of The Shard who was the primary developer for Rengrei Style Casting.