Duilintinn

A crest featuring all five of the house symbols.

Most recent map of Duilintinn, unlabeled.

Duilintinn is a country in the continent of Tirónar.

## Name Origin

In the Feadhainn Language, "Duil" (pronounced similarly to “duel” or “tool”) translates roughly to hope, desire, want, or need, while "Intinn" (pronounced “in-chin” or sometimes “in-sen” apparently) translates roughly to mentality, will, spirit, or mind.

Therefore, The Kingdom of Duilintinn roughly translates to mean “The Kingdom of Hope Mentality” or “The Kingdom of Desiring Spirit,” which is the closest I could get to Positive Mental Attitude.

## History

### Feadhainn Era

> *See More: Feadhainn*
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### Occupation Era

Waldren first landed in Leyfel around 1000, where they immediately established its first of many colonies. From there, the imperialists traveled north, where they quickly and easily took over the forested regions of Lantraeth and the rocky coast of Halennor, both of which were almost completely empty and practically defenseless after the Dragon War. With a source of lumber, mining opportunities, and tropical produce, Waldren was drunk on success and decided to seek more profit further inland.

Around the same time, Waldren also claimed Duilintinn for its own, with next to no opposition. Almost immediately, the colonists began cutting down the smaller forests that dotted the landscape, causing massive deforestation that the region has never recovered from. In addition, it began setting along and imposing its own culture on the eastern coast of the region, effectively ensuring that the already-weakened civilization of Feadhainn would never rise again.

As Waldren depleted what they believed to be Duilintinn's valuable resources, the region was jokingly called “The Useless Arm of Waldren." By 1325, Duilintinn had become significantly less profitable than Waldren's other holdings in Tirónar. After exhausting the sparse forests of the region, Waldren found itself baffled by Duilintinn's strange climate and ecosystem. Duilintinn was rapidly becoming less profitable, and Waldren needed to fill the economic hole before they found themselves in debt after losing so much money in their war with Haneul and the Island League. This led to Waldren's failed attempt to take Borrike.

### Interim Years

By 1334, Waldren had stopped attempting to fight against Haneul and the Island League and was giving the northeastern coast a wide berth, even sailing around the opposite side of the continent to pick up their goods from Lantraeth and Halennor. In an attempt to make up for their losses in this war and the rapidly falling profitability of Duilintinn, Waldren's remaining colonies are aggressively exploited for goods and resources. As a result, revolutions would begin in Halennor and Tandeli, eventually forcing Waldren to abandon the continent in 1500.

During these revolutions, Duilintinn was among the first regions under Waldren's control to be left to its own devices. Waldren had long since cut down all the trees near the coast, and after decades of attempting to grow crops or otherwise profit over the region, they decided that Duilintinn's climate was too much of a hassle. Their tune might have changed if they recognized the magical potential of the region, but instead, Waldren abandoned Duilintinn in all but name, beginning the period known as the Interim Years in Duil history.

This is the period in Duil history where the land is populated by a variety of diverse and scattered people groups, mostly ignored by Waldren. It's a period defined by conflict, mostly due to the power vacuum left behind by the absentee imperialists that transplanted people from dozens of unfamiliar cultures into this region, somehow expecting them to get along. This is also a period of incredible cultural diffusion as alliances are made, broken, and remade in the Game-of-Thrones-esque power struggle that swept the valley.

This period also encompasses The Quest for Duilintinn, which began in 1565, and doesn't officially end until the kingdom is founded. However, it is important to note that, while the adventurers under the future king did spend over a decade in their endeavor, the political environment was also ripe for unification. The factions refusing to give up the age-old power struggle were growing increasingly brutal in their methods, while the common folk and less power-minded groups were really getting sick of all this war and fighting. The idea of unity was far more appealing than infighting to the vast majority of people in the region, but no one stepped up to face down the greedy, power-hungry aggressors who kept the conflict alive until Sean did. Without that underlying support, the quest would have been kinda... well, definitely impossible. Thankfully, the people had Sean's back, and Duilintinn's Interim Years ended with the founding of Duilintinn in 1577.

### Modern Duilintinn

insert history here. oh boy.

Over the course of several years after Duilintinn's founding, Fort Conchúr, Iolla Beacon, and other decrepit Feadhainn Era structures like them were repaired in a series of government-created civil projects. After the repairs had been completed, barely a few months passed before The Watch was founded and the structure was chosen for its use. To this day, the original reason why Fort Conchúr and Iolla Beacon were being repaired is unknown. Perhaps it was nothing more than a public works project to bring the kingdom together, or an attempt to preserve the land’s ancient heritage.

## Government

The National Government of Duilintinn is divided into two sections, both structurally and physically: The King’s Court in Cordoire Castle and the National Bureaucracy in the Administrator’s District of Cordoire.

The primary job of the national government is providing the necessary resources for the regional governments of the five Noble Houses, mediating between inter-house affairs, and managing foreign policy.

### Monarch

The Monarch of Duilintinn is the head of the entire kingdom, with a significant amount of law and policy-making authority. The current king is King Sean McLoughlin (Novel: King Sean Carthaigh).

There has been a plan for the succession of the throne ever since the initial attempts upon King Sean's life made the need for such contingencies incredibly clear. It is assumed that the people of Duilintinn are aware of this plan and have generally voiced their approval of it. However, so far, the lore has spoken very little about the specifics of this plan (something that will eventually be addressed). For the time being, all that's been said is that Samwise will likely play an important role in approving the new king thanks to his abilities as a King's Eye to judge one's character.

### King’s Court

In Duilintinn’s national government, not only is there a king and a governmental bureaucracy, but several different figures who act as advisors to the king as well. These advisors are considered part of the same “section” of the government that the king is a part of (as opposed to the bureaucracy’s section).

These roles originated as places for important members of the Quest for Duilintinn, such as the future Noble Lords, Mage Robin, and The Enemy prior to his betrayal. These roles continued to be filled after the Noble Lords took their current positions. Not all of the names of these advisors are public knowledge, for various reasons. However, a few are well-known, such as Mage Robin, who has served in this role since Duilintinn’s founding.

Advisors are chosen by the king and are not necessarily merit-based positions. Advisors only have power so much as the king takes their advice; they have no lawmaking or enforcement capacity on their own. These are the two main differences between the advisorship and the main bureaucracy.

### Politics

> *See More: Noble Houses*
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Duilintinn is ruled by a bureaucratic monarchy, with national, regional, and local spheres of jurisdiction.

The national government, featureing the King's Court and the national bureaucracy is based in the capital city of Cordoire. The primary job of the national government is providing the necessary resources for the regional governments of the five Noble Houses, mediating between inter-house affairs, and managing foreign policy.

Regionally, the kingdom is divided into five Noble Houses, which serve as both regional governments on the political level and cultural labels on the social level. Led by both a Noble Lord and a regional bureaucracy, Noble Houses handle Duilintinn’s domestic and economic policies and are responsible for maintaining the census data and records of their citizens. Each Noble House has an embassy in Cordoire and the capitals of the other noble houses, allowing them to provide resources to people who are a member of their house, but living in other houses.

There are five Noble Houses in total:

* House Jackie (Novel: House Will)
* House Marvin (Novel: House Mórail)
* House Schneeplestein (Novel: House Varras)
* House Brody (Novel: House Bromden)
* House Jameson (Novel: House Partch)

There is also a social state called Houselessness, where a person does not pledge to a Noble House.

Finally, local governments in towns, cities, and other settlements vary dramatically across Duilintinn. Most are variants of the local governments originally found in those locations prior to Duilintinn’s founding.

### Law

> *See More: Duil Legal System*
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Duilintinn's legal system is built upon the original traditions and laws of the communities that first joined the kingdom, with two additional levels of higher law led by the Noble Houses and Duilintinn's national government. Most law enforcement is carried out by members of the Guard Coalition in accordance with local, regional, and national law.

### National Bureaucracy

The bureaucracy is divided up into several sections, which manage different areas of the kingdom’s administration. These sections include, but are not limited to, the national courts, intra-house affairs, foreign policy, and kingdom defense.

The dynamic between the king of Duilintinn, his court, and the national bureaucracy has never been fully explored in canon. It’s generally understood that the national bureaucracy is in charge of enforcing and carrying out policies and addressing the needs brought before them by Duilintinn’s citizens and various groups.

However, the bureaucracy also has some policy-making authority, depending on the context. As a general rule, the monarch establishes broad, wide-sweeping policies and laws, while the bureaucracy creates smaller, more specific laws and policies that ensure those goals are carried out.

For example, if the monarch makes a law that a baseline education must be provided to children until the age of 15, the bureaucracy in charge of education will start drafting policies specifically addressing the nature of this education. They will then tweak these rules as needed based on the responses from representatives from Noble Houses, guilds, groups of citizens, etc.

In cases where the bureaucracy makes economic and domestic policies, which are primarily the jurisdiction of Duilintinn’s regional governments, the national bureaucracy takes a role more similar to that of the monarch, setting goals, but leaving their implementation and other details up to the Noble Houses.

In the example above, the national bureaucracy might make a policy stating that the education needs to be thorough, accurate, and organized so as not to cause strain or harm to families whose children help work, and then the Noble Houses would decide how this education will be sustained, paid for, and enforced. On the other hand, in areas where the national government has full jurisdiction, such as foreign policy, all of these elements are also decided by the national bureaucracy.

Unlike the monarch’s advisors, the bureaucracy is a merit-based job, with several required tests to earn a position. However, like most jobs in Duilintinn, an apprenticeship or internship-like program is available for anyone wishing to begin the process of learning how to govern Duilintinn.

#### Controversy

There is some debate among citizens, particularly members of The Watch, about how little the national government openly communicates with the people regarding The Enemy or the Missing Lords. On countless occasions, the king has dropped cryptic hints that he knows something, only to leave Duilintinn’s citizens in the dark.

The most widely-accepted explanation for this lack of information is that the king is trying to balance the practical benefits of sharing information with entities such as The Watch and the political advantages of keeping some information secret.

For example, if the King informed The Watch about the whereabouts of the Noble Lords, it would stand to reason that The Enemy could also use that information to track them down and cause them harm. Alternatively, perhaps the king wants to prevent mass panic, or to protect international trade or relations, which could cause additional hardships if severed. Maybe he has information that is uncertain or difficult to verify, and hesitates to share it for fear of distracting The Watch. While not everyone agrees with the way these details are prioritized, they at least explain why the king is often so cryptic.

### Local government

Unlike the national and regional governments of Duilintinn, which are consistently organized into a merit-based bureaucratic system, the local governments of towns and cities in Duilintinn vary wildly in scope, organization, and methodology.

#### History

During the founding quest, the future king and his companions realized that the lands were full of diverse cultures, people, communities, and experiences. Just because they believed their plan to unite the lands would help everyone didn’t mean that everyone would be on board, and even if they agreed to join the fledgling kingdom, what would happen to the pre-existing administrative structures in these communities?

Therefore, in the final stages of the quest (aka the boring part full of treaties and political nonsense), representatives of the future king went to every community in the land, asking if they would be willing to join the kingdom.

Those communities who declined would negotiate a different treaty with the representatives of Duilintinn, recognizing them as an independent state, owing nothing to the kingdom of Duilintinn and receiving nothing from the kingdom in return. It’s sorta like houselessness, but for a place instead of a person. Much like in the Noble House system, people who live in these independent communities can still apply to be a citizen of Duilintinn, receiving the same treatment as any other citizen of Duilintinn living abroad. In addition, a community that originally opted to remain independent can change its mind and request to join the kingdom at a later date.

On the other hand, communities that agreed to join the kingdom were allowed to keep most, if not all, of their local laws, administrative structures, and authorities. There were a few basic kingdom-wide laws that superseded local laws in the rare instance of a conflict, but in general, Duilintinn trusted these communities to police their own people.

#### Lawmaking

The original legal hierarchy established during Duilintinn’s founding has continued to dictate lawmaking policy to this day. So long as local governments abide by and enforce the laws of the national and regional governments that supersede them, they are free to create additional local laws as they wish.

Of course, this is sometimes abused. Therefore, if a citizen believes a local law to be unjust, they appeal to the justice systems of the regional and national governments, which may result in a regional or national law that counteracts and nullifies the local one.

## Geography

The area that Duilintinn sits in between the Northern and Southern Mountains, and the Edge Mountains and the Eastern Sea is called the Feadhainn Valley

### Landscape and Rivers

Geographically, Duilintinn includes the entire region of eastern Tirónar flanked by the Northern Mountains, Southern Mountains, Western Forest, and Eastern Sea. It is directly bordered to the north by Haneul, the south by Tandeli. While the Western Forest is technically unclaimed territory, the enigmatic nomadic groups of Fasithe wander the depths of the forest far beyond Duilintinn's borders. The uncharted and unclaimed territory between Duilintinn and Fasithe is currently occupied by The Enemy and his forces.

Duilintinn's landscape is extremely varied. Along the northern border are craggy, mineral-rich mountains mined for metals. In the south, the mountains rise more gradually, rising and falling in steep, grassy slopes before finally rising far above where any grass can grow.

Between these two mountain regions, Duilintinn has three distinct landscapes. From the east coast to the Beinnfaire Ridge, the chalky, low-elevation landscape is mostly flat and treeless, with the Cuartalan Wetlands in the north and Iolla Cliffs jutting out over the south. In the center of Duilintinn, the Beinnfaire Ridge rises into the arid Monaidh Plains. In the westmost region of Duilintinn, the elevation drops dramatically into the swampy Draoidh Valley, before rising slightly again into the Western Forest.

Duilintinn has five major rivers: The Guardian River, Pa'Gille River, Airceann River, Agrona River, Rúnach River, and Gáire River. The former three flow into the Eastern Sea, while the latter three flow into the large inland lake of Loch Glas. Duilintinn only has one major port city, Fionport, located on the large coastal bay of Loch Domhainn.

### Climate

Duilintinn has a continental climate, with varying levels of precipitation depending on the region. Precipitation is fairly consistent near the mountains, while the central plains are comparatively arid. Seasons vary between two extremes, with cold, stormy winters of heavy snow and hot summers that are either very dry or very humid, depending on the region. The mountain regions have slightly milder summers, but the humidity makes the weather feel equally oppressive.

## Economy

> *See More: Guilds*
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Duilintinn's economic system is a combination of inter-house trade, various national guilds, and a standardized currency system.

### Internal Trade

While there is a diversity of occupations in all regions of Duilintinn, each Noble House specializes in producing large amounts of specific goods and services, using guilds and government-sponsored programs to incentivize the pursuit of these occupations in the region.

Individuals who produce some sort of product have two options. Either they can sell their goods to the government of their Noble House at a reasonable price, or they can attempt to make more profits by selling their wares on their own. The benefit of selling to the government is consistency and convenience; they’ll pick it up for you and will always buy whatever you are willing to sell. The benefit of selling on your own is independence and the ability to haggle out your prices for a better profit.

A portion of the goods sold to the government of each Noble House is given to Cordoire as a form of taxation. After this, the five Noble Houses trade these goods between their governments. At the end of this process, each governing body (including that of Cordoire) has a large supply of goods from all corners of Duilintinn. With the help of the Merchants' Guild, the government then acts as a resupply warehouse, where people who run general stores will purchase these goods in bulk and sell them in their area of residence for a profit. This ensures that every area of the kingdom has a variety of goods necessary to function as a society.

### International Trade

Foreign traders are very commonly seen in Duilintinn. Since the winter storms and rocky coastline make it dangerous to enter or leave the country by sea during the winter months, most foreign trade happens during the summer Trade Season.

With such a high population density and an economy that relies more on exporting unique magical goods than natural resources, Duilintinn has a high need for goods imported from other kingdoms, such as crops from Tandeli, Leyfel, and Grancinco that don’t grow in Duilintinn’s climate and especially lumber from places like Lantraeth, Borrike, and Halennor. Haneulian textiles, armor, and weaponry are also popular, though such things are also easily found in Duilintinn, and most of Duilintinn’s ships were constructed in the Island League.

Meanwhile, there are absolutely traders who take advantage of the well-traveled roads of Duilintinn and settle down! Duilintinn’s economy is designed to promote internal and external trade, so these traders who live in Duilintinn can get their stock from their countrymen abroad or by selling general goods within Duilintinn. It’s mostly up to personal preference, as well as how much you’re willing to travel back and forth between Fionport.

### Agriculture

The vast majority of Duilintinn's agricultural output occurs in House Brody. However, small, self-sustaining farms (crops and livestock) exist in all parts of the kingdom, usually cultivated by farmers who, for whatever reason, decided they wanted to live in another Noble House. This allows the local towns to have a more immediate supply of food to supplement the supplies from House Brody. Root vegetables will grow almost anywhere and are the most common crop for farmers trying to grow a little extra food.

### Science and Technology

The scientific center of Duilintinn is Fionport, House Schneeplestein, home of the Scholars' College, Lifeworker Institute, and Keepers of Memory guild hubs. The technological center of Duilintinn is Monacoil, House Marvin, home of the Inventors' Guild hub.

Duil industry mostly uses hydraulic water wheels, livestock, or simple manpower to power the various tools and machines used to produce goods and services. Within the last three decades, steam power and clockwork have also risen in technological popularity among inventors, though these techniques have yet to enter mainstream use. Duilintinn is aware of the use of pólvora (i.e. gunpowder) in Tandeli, but it's considered too dangerous, uncontrollable, and generally redundant to use in a kingdom with so many mages.

Copper is by far the most commonly used metal in Duil industry. Not only is it durable and easy to work with, but copper is one of the two necessary ingredients for bronze, which of course is a major technological milestone for any civilization. In addition, it's antimicrobial properties are well known and applied by Duilintinn's medical community. While other metals such as bronze and steel are stronger, copper is still commonly used for everyday objects such as pots, tools, hinges, etc., largely due to how much of it has been in the mines of the Northern Mountains.

### Transportation

Duilintinn has fairly well-maintained roads, usually made of brick. Bricks are relatively easy to make, can pave roads and keep dust and mud from ending up in sidewalks, drain easily, and don’t wear down or get stuck in hooves. They do have to be maintained on wet areas, where dirt sweeps through the cracks and causes the road to cave, but that’s easy to fix.

However, certain areas have different materials for their roads. Cities and towns with well-preserved architecture from the Feadhain Era and Waldren Occupation have precise stonework for their roads. In rural regions of the dry Monaidh Plains, there are long stretches of roads simply made of firm, packed dirt. Cobblestone is sometimes used in towns close to rivers, which make rounded stones easy to find and eliminate the need to make bricks. And, of course, some extremely rural towns across Duilintinn still have mud roads.

Most travel throughout the interior of Duilintinn is done on horseback. However, aquatic travel is also used in specific places. The Loch Glas crossing between Monacoil and Athglen is one of the most commonly used ways to enter and exit the Draoidh Valley. Members of The Watch often travel between the Iolla Beacon Outpost and Domhainn Outlook Outpost by boat, rather than take the longer route by land. The Guardian River is sometimes used to transport goods across the Monaidh Plains, though the adjacent road is used far more often.

International travel for work is rare simply due to how geographically isolated Duilintinn is. Between the forest and the mountains, the only real way in or out of the kingdom is the Eastern Coast (which is incredibly dangerous during the winter). I’m sure that some diplomats and traders would go back and forth during the warmer months, but Duilintinn is otherwise remarkably self-sufficient.

## Demography

### Population

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Duilintinn has an incredibly large population for a country of its size. There were about 23 million people living in Duilintinn by the end of 1614, and that number is still growing due to high immigration rates. The population is very young, with the majority of citizens under 50 years old. The kingdom is very ethnically and culturally diverse due to immigration trends in the last century.

### Language

> *See More: Duil Colloquialisms*
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The most common language spoken in Duilintinn is the Common Tongue. There are three accents of this language spoken in Duilintinn: a Feadhainn accent, a Waldren accent, and a "default" accent that doesn't sound like either. The Feadhainn accent sounds vaguely Irish and mostly is found west of the Guardian River, while the Waldren accent sounds like a stereotypical "posh" British accent and is mostly found east of the Guardian River.

The Feadhainn Language, which originated in the Draoidh Valley and Monaidh Plains, has been mostly forgotten. Until recently, it has only been preserved through the names of locations and a few culturally significant phrases passed down through the generations. However, groups of historians have begun to uncover old texts that seem to be in Feadhainn and are attempting to revive the script and language through these discoveries.

Duilintinn has had a form of universal sign language since its founding. While it is used throughout the kingdom, it is extremely common among members of The Watch, who use it during their operations.

### Religion

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Duilintinn does not have a single official religion. To them, religion is just like any other institution where one might find their place in the world (i.e. guild, occupation, family, crew, etc.) and doesn't have any political weight beyond that fact.

Religious structures like temples, churches, mosques, etc. are community-led, not government built. If you have a large population of a certain religious/spiritual belief in your town, they will probably have built some sort of structure for their religious services/practices. A belief system with fewer followers will likely only have a small shrine, or perhaps meet in a place that is also used for other things (community center, someone’s home, etc). Sometimes, multiple religious groups will collaborate to build a shared space for people of any religion to use in peace. The Watch has applied this idea to its outposts and garrisons, which each feature a quiet, open space that anyone can use to practice their beliefs.

### Education

> *See Also: Duil Education*
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Duilintinn's education system features a semi-mandatory period of public schooling until age 15. Higher education is provided through apprenticeships and other opportunities through guilds and independent mentors.

### Healthcare

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The healthcare system in Duilintinn is run by the Noble Houses, which ensure that everyone has access to at least a doctor in their town. On a more intensive level, the Lifeworker Institute trains and creates hospitals across Duilintinn, most notably the Iolla Sanitariums.

## Communication

Duilintinn places significant cultural value upon the role of messengers in Duil society, similar to the way other cultures place significance on offering up one's home to those in need of shelter. Instead of offering a place to stay, Duil culture is adamant about ensuring that everyone can keep in communication with the people who are important to them. As a result, happily delivering the messages of others is a cultural aspect of hospitality you’ll find across the kingdom.

In addition, announcements and news reports are posted for everyone to read on public message boards, usually located near the center of town. The Wander Legacy compiles and delivers regular “kingdom-wide news” reports to every major city at the same time each day, which are then delivered to local downs by members of the guild stationed in each city. Depending on how far away from western House Jackie a city/town would receive their news at different times of the day from ones that are closer to Mulladún and Runner's Haven. There are also “local news reports" that don't rely on deliveries and are published at varying times in every town you visit, depending on their local custom.

### Tavern Drop-Off

Many local taverns have a place where you can leave anything you need to be delivered. Travelers passing through will collect any letters that they can deliver on their way to their destination. People who receive a letter from said travelers are expected to give them a few coins for their trouble. While there will always be people who can’t or won’t pay, the same aspect of cultural hospitality that pushes people to deliver these letters also pushes people to compensate them. Many who can’t afford to give a coin or two will give the traveler a meal or place to rest instead.

### Career Runners

While finding a traveler to deliver messages is convenient and simple, it’s not the most reliable system. For packages or urgent messages, you probably want to find someone who delivers messages for their job. "Career Runners," as these messengers are called, are usually members of the Wander Legacy guild. They are more expensive than sending a message with a passing traveler, but far more reliable.

When hiring a career runner, the usual practice is to place the payment inside of the package or message, sealed by a unique wax seal. All of this is done in front of the runner and another witness. The recipient will open the seal upon delivery and give the payment to the runner. If they find the seal broken, it’s considered theft. If the runner can give suitable evidence that the seal was broken by accident on the way, they won’t be convicted of a crime, but their reputation as a career runner will still be damaged.

Career Running has existed long before Duilintinn's founding, and in the past, it was considered a form of "unskilled labor." As a result, career runners are very concerned with their reputation to deliver things quickly and safely to this day. However, most people today respect career runners as an important part of Duilintinn's economy and culture, to the point where large population centers will often contract career runners to deliver large batches of letters and parcels.

### Watch Delivery

Since the creation of The Watch and its network of outposts, garrisons, and messengers, it's become common practice for citizens to leave messages at these outposts for delivery. While The Watch only delivers letters (packages will slow down the messengers), this is one of the cheapest delivery methods in Duilintinn to date. During their regular duties, messengers of The Watch will deliver these messages for free to whatever outpost or garrison is closest to the delivery location, at which point, as per usual, they're picked up from the local tavern for the last leg of their journey.

As this method of message delivery becomes more common, many towns have begun to send someone on a regular basis to check for any letters for them at the nearest outpost. As a result, The Watch has accidentally evolved into Duilintinn's closest thing to a post office.

### Raven Messages

The fastest way by far to send a message in Duilintinn is through a raven. While these birds can only carry extremely short messages, they are incredibly reliable if well trained and are perfect for sending emergency alerts. Every major city and Watch settlement in Duilintinn has a Messenger Tower with a rookery at the top for this exact purpose, with some smaller towns also following suit.

### Literacy Aids

Not everyone in Duilintinn is literate, but that doesn't stop them from participating in Duilintinn's interconnected culture. Town Criers are bards who, rather than travel, read the information and news reports on local message boards aloud to the public at specific times each day.

Similarly, messengers who want to settle down in a single town might offer their services as transcribers and private letter readers. Since most messengers (especially career runners) are extremely protective over their reputation and trustworthiness, most people can trust them to maintain confidentiality when reading/writing about their personal business. At times, a messenger who's simply passing through a town might offer similar services until their departure, but most people prefer the additional accountability that comes from recruiting someone local.

## Culture

### Naming Customs

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Children in Duilintinn are given a name once they are expected to survive the initial danger period immediately after birth. This date, called a Name Day, is celebrated instead of a birthday.

Couples hyphenate their last names into a single shared family name. For example, when Charles Paris married Mags Greenwood, their family name became "Greenwood-Paris." Some families will decide these extended surnames are too much of a mouthful, choosing one name for casual use and only using the hyphenated version for formal settings. Others will intentionally eschew their family name and formally take their partner's surname, though this is only done if they plan to distance themselves from relatives on that side of the family.

Children born to partners with a family name will have the same surname as their parents. As these surnames get progressively longer, the use of a "formal" and "informal" surname will likely become more common. Unlike intentionally removing a surname, choosing an informal surname is not a sign of rejection towards the rest of one's family. Instead, it's considered a unique honor for the family whose name was chosen, much like the honor of naming one's child after a close friend or relative.

Around the age of 15, citizens of Duilintinn can choose prefixes that reflect their occupations. Like surnames, most people have more than one prefix, only choosing one for casual use. For example, Bard Historian Evelien Keyes usually goes by "Bard" for the sake of simplicity.

However, people who are particular about the nature of their work might choose to include two prefixes. You'll find all sorts of people with dual prefixes, but they're most commonly used among mages. Mage is often considered too vague to be a proper prefix, yet most mages who use their magic in their work feel that the ordinary prefix seems inaccurate. Therefore, you'll often find people who use prefixes like "Mage Artisan" or "Mage Scholar" in casual settings, despite their length.

Citizens of Duilintinn introduce themselves to others by how they wish to be called. Most casual acquaintances refer to each other with "Casual Prefix - First Name" or with their last name without a prefix. "Casual Prefix - Last Name" is used for strangers, while "Full Prefix - Last Name" is considered formal and official-sounding. First names without a prefix are reserved for friends, though the definition of "friend" is up to individual preference. Casual prefix *only* is considered a very sharp and taciturn way of addressing someone, acceptable in harried, impersonal situations but very dismissive and rude in casual conversation.

### Adulthood

> *See more: Duil Early Life and Path to Adulthood*
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Generally the age of majority is 15, although the age of consent is generally up to local law. That said age of consent is no younger than 15. You could theroetically get married at 15, but it is not seen as a good idea, due to people thinking that you wouldn't have had time to find your place and find someone to be comfortable with.

That said, you're not generally treated as an adult until your early 20's, but that does also depend on an individual's maturity.After 15 you're more of an adult-in-training, when you're free to explore and make mistakes and see what fits.How quickly you seem to settle during that time is when you start to be seen as more adult. Some take a while, some seem to get it in about a year or so, but until they reach that point they still recieve help, but you can't be expected to improve without someone helping you.

Many folks don't find their Thing their early 20's, and people start to assume you've found it, and after mid 20's you have to specifically ask for guidence if you're unfamiliar with something, as people won't want to assume that you don't know. That said, no one is looked down upon asking, in fact they will be respected for continuing to pursue the cultural ideal of 'finding your place' after so much searching. The journey of 'finding your place' is somewhat romantisised, despite the blow it can take on one's self esteem if they're a late bloomer.

### Architecture

> *See More: Duil Architecture*
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Duilintinn features several distinct styles of architecture. White bricks of stone and red tile roofs are common in the east due to the influence of Waldren. The ancient grey stonework of Feadhainn is more often found in the west. In the Southern Mountains, architectural styles can range from cozy log cabins to bumpy walls of uneven, multicolored cobblestone.

### Attire

Duilintinn is such a culturally and geologically diverse kingdom that there is rarely any singular fashion trend that its people are known for. Depending on where you live or what you do for a living, you'd find certain materials and styles more practical. However, there are a few generalizations that can be made.

Wool is the most commonly used fabric, due to the ease of raising sheep in both the mountainous and flat regions of the kingdom. Materials such as cotton or silk would be more expensive, since they would need to be imported from regions with better ecosystems for cultivating those textiles.

Duil attire is often very colorful, thanks to the variety of herbs that thrive in the region and provide easy access to dying materials for both the rich and poor. Colorful tattoos are also common. Simple jewelry made from plain metals and embedded with colorful rocks is worn by all social classes, while jewelry crafted from precious metals and/or adorned with rare stones is considered a luxury. Copper is by far the most plentiful metal in Duilintinn.

While coloring or decorating enchantments are rarely used to enhance casual attire, they are in high demand for special events. Enchantments aren’t very practical for your everyday clothing, since the effect would eventually wear off, especially if you take the article of clothing somewhere further away from the mage who cast the enchantment. However, for special events like weddings, hiring a mage to enchant colors and decorations onto your clothing is often more affordable than getting a tailor,  especially if you probably won’t wear the outfit a second time. Usually, these enchantments are done the day of the event, which the mage will attend in order to ensure that the enchantments don’t fade too quickly. For simple jobs, some mages will consider the meal they receive at the event as payment enough, while others might ask for additional compensation for the time and effort it took up to cast the enchantment and remain nearby. Even so, it’ll still be far cheaper than buying a fancy outfit you only wear once or twice.

Certain groups will wear unique styles of clothing. Knights of the Guard Coalition have a very distinct uniform that is assigned to them each year. Mages often own traditional animal-shaped masks after they reach journeyman status, though few wear them on a daily basis. Members of The Watch are given a sturdy green cloak when they join, earning them the slightly derogative nickname "Green Cloaks." And, of course, many religions encourage their observers to wear specific articles of clothing for various reasons.

### Folklore

> *See More: Duil Legends and Folklore*
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Most of Duilintinn's folklore centers around Feadhainn oral tradition, which has been passed down through the centuries and evolved into countless variations of these ancient tales. Only the most dedicated scholars of Feadhainn culture can even attempt to distinguish which of these stories were once true accounts of ancient history from simple myths and legends. Common themes in these tales are the mysteries of magic, the inscrutable nature of the Fae Folk (often called "fairies"), the achievements of heroes, and the power of individuality and self-discovery.

More recently, tales and legends have begun to spread about The Quest for Duilintinn and the mysteriously absent Noble Lords. Since they are based on more recent events, most of these tales are fairly consistent across Duilintinn. However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the lords' current whereabouts in recent years, many stories have begun to evolve from historical accounts into attempts to fill in the gaps of our knowledge with new legends about these heroes.

### Cuisine

> *See More: Duil Cuisine*
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Duilintinn is well-known for its culinary tradition of taking relatively bland base ingredients and elevating them through the use of a wide variety of herbs. The most common staples are herb bread, hard cheeses, root vegetables, hunted game.

### The Arts

> *See More: Duil Music*
> *See More: Duil Art*
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There are a variety of different titles for those who practice the arts in Duilintinn. These titles either denote the goals of the creator or their medium of choice. Some have more than one such title, indicating multiple artistic specialties.

* **Bards** are those who use their preferred medium(s) to spread the tales, legends, and information.
* **Entertainers** are those who use their preferred medium(s) to spread joy and entertainment.
* **Authors** are those who almost exclusively use a written art form.
* **Artists** are those who almost exclusively use a visual art form.
* **Minstrels** are those who almost exclusively use a musical art form.
* **Performers** are those who almost exclusively use a theatrical art form.

The artistic center of Duilitinn's culture is located in Noefrach, House Jameson. There are also a variety of guilds pertaining to the creation and preservation of the arts, including the Artisans' Guild, Bards' Guild, Grand Troupe, and Keepers of Memory.

### Scholarship and Literature

There are a variety of different titles for those who pursue scholarly endeavors in Duilintinn.

* **Archivists** and **Researchers** seek to acquire new information and add it to their collection of existing knowledge.
	+ An Archivist does this by actively going out into the world, collecting, compiling, and transcribing all records and evidence they can find on their specific interest.
	+ A Researcher does this by conducting tests and experiments and recording the results. They do not seek to compile the scattered knowledge of others, but to make the discovery themselves.
* **Scholars** and **Historians** seek to study and understand the discoveries of Archivists and Researchers.
	+ A Historian is specifically focused on, well, history. Recent history, ancient history, world history, national history, etc.
	+ A Scholar usually studies multiple fields. A scholar with a specific interest is sometimes called a “Scholar of \_\_\_\_\_\_.”
* **Librarians** take all of the books, magical records, or other documents created by the others and share them with the rest of the world. They also ensure that these works are preserved and protected.

### Celebrations

> *See More: Duil Holidays*
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The majority of Duil celebrations emphasize the cultural value placed upon finding a community and a place in the world. In addition to personal religious holidays and cultural kingdom-wide holidays, Duilintinn celebrates a Trade Season, Hallows' Eve, Name Days, and a host of Marriage traditions.

### Death and Funerals

> *See More: Death*
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Duil tradition states that the deceased should be buried in an area they frequented and found comfortable during their life, in the hope that the soul will disperse itself into the nearby surroundings and choose to stay there. Prior to the burial, it's customary to have at least one person sitting with the body, offering company to the soul within until it disperses and passes on.

However, if the deceased was born before their Name Day, the infant is traditionally buried within a Fae Garden, in the hope that the soul, who never experienced finding their place in the world, will be given that sense of belonging by a member of the Fae.

Finally, mummification and other attempts to preserve a corpse for longer than needed to transport the body is extremely taboo in Duilintinn. Successful mummification prevents the soul from leaving the body, leaving it trapped and unable to pass on. In Duilintinn, this is considered a fate worse than death, nearly comparable to being turned into a Living Puppet of The Enemy.

### Toys (?)

(yeah this definitely needs to be somewhere else, but I have no idea where and right now i just need to get this info on the wiki somewhere. probs need a childhood page or something idk)

More than anything else, most home-grown forms of play in Duilintinn are games with rules and such that kids play together instead of activities with toys/props.

Wooden toys aren’t practical to produce in Duilintinn due to the deforestation in all but the westernmost regions of the kingdom. Instead, toys such as dolls, blocks, and small trinkets are made from resources produced in excesses, such as stone, tall grasses (either from the plains, valley marsh, or leftover grain stalks), wax, some textiles, and metals.

Wax toys are popular coming out of House Jameson. Kids peel away wax deposits leftover from the candles on the stone walls and shaping them into little creations or marbles or whatever. Beeswax toys being used for small children, young enough to be wanting to put everything in their mouths. However, wax toys are still kind of expensive because you'll be wanting to mostly use beeswax for candles. It'd probably be more of a reuse thing, with spare wax that isn't enough to make another candle out of. Unless some clever soul realized that there are entirely too many people making candles and found their niche making little wax shapes with the candles to set themselves apart.

Plaster and clay toys are also easy to make and commonly found in Duilintinn.

Metal trinkets would be a bit rarer than other toys and extremely simple. For example, a blacksmith might sell the small round metal deposits leftover from smelting to the kids to play with like marbles? They'd not be very complex, since forging toys is a whole other level of smithing, but small marbles or little metal shapes that kids collect might be a thing.

That being said, I'm willing to bet that toys are a very common purchase during the trade season for this same reason. Small wooden items like balls and hoops and figurines aren't too expensive to make (at least compared to metal toys) if you live somewhere with lots of trees and the proper skills, so I bet a lot of toys in Duilintinn are actually imported from other nations during the trade season. Small glass figurines and other high-quality toys would also be sold during this time, but likely at higher prices.

## Trivia

* The geography and climate of Duilintinn is largely based on Northern Italy