Misiunea-spirituala-a-Wallahilor.MyForum.ro :: Eastern Humans - Vallachia

Eduard · Administrator

Society:
The humans of Vallachia are scattered loosely across the Vallachian plains. There is only one major town, Eckleton, which is located on the shores of the Tirian Sea. This town is autonomous, as are most of the other small settlements. Some of these are little more than isolated farmsteads, others are clustered together to form a small village or hamlet. These are particularly prevalent along the coastal regions and around the Vallachian Mountains. The society in this region is based upon agriculture, hunting and trade with other peoples. They have particularly strong connections with the residents of the Allsvall, on the Western Continent, with whom they share a seafaring tradition. They also trade with the agricultural communities of the Three Duchies and Amar'a for produce such as grain that is not native to the plains.
They live in long houses built of stone. These are generally warm and comfortable with benches for sitting or sleeping on around the walls. These are covered with furs, skins or cloths for warmth and comfort. Beds are only used in the wealthier houses. A central fire is the main source of light and heat in the hall. Wooden chests are used to store furs blankets and other household goods. A bath house or sauna near the farm is used for the weekly bath.
Despite being viewed by some as barbarians, the natives of Vallachia are renowned warriors. They place great emphasis on the concept of honour both in combat and in the criminal justice system. To the Vallachians The Law has always been the same right from the beginning of time. The Law represents the balance between good and evil and has to be upheld. An imbalance could mean disaster. A crime creates an unbalance and has to be corrected by making the lawbreaker pay or be put outside the law. Changes in society make changes to the laws necessary, but are regarded as adjustments to keep up the balance in the eternal Law.
They are also competent sailors, adept in land warfare as well as at sea. Their ships are comparable to the Viking longships of Terra, being long, narrow, light boats with a shallow draft. They are fitted with oars along almost the entire length of the boat, but also sport a rectangular sail on a single mast which is used to augment the efforts of rowers, particularly during unusually long journeys. In combat, the variability of wind power makes rowers the chief means of propulsion. These ships are clinker-built and waterproofed by moss drenched in tar. The ship's low shallow draft allows navigation in waters measuring as little as one metre deep, iute beach landings, and its light weight allows for portage.
Their society is tribal, being headed by a chieftain known as the Zired. These are both political and religious leaders, tasked to use their luck to secure the people daos (translated "good times" - nowadays actually the word for peace). Luck is considered to be the sign of the leader. He is the appointed leader, who possessed a great luck., but the luck could also abandon its bearer, and choose someone else as carrier. Under such circumstances the chieftancy of the tribe might be challenged by the new bearer. The Zired presides over a Council of Elders who are responsible for administering the Law.
Their culture is primarily oral rather than literary with storytellers being the repository of the history and legends of their people. It is far less common for anything to be written down. It is common in the harsh northern winter for Vallachians to gather in the Zired's long house to sit about the fire, share food and drink, and listen to legends and sagas as told by the tribe's storyteller. This is a position of significant importance, as is that of the tribe's shaman, and both command great respect, although neither are part of the Council of Elders.
There are no mages amongst the Vallachians as magic is not native to this race. However, they do not perceive all magic as inherently evil. Some arts are forbidden nonetheless, particularly necromancy.
Vallachian Funerals
The ancestral funerary tradition of the Vallachian tribes is that of burying chieftains and renowned warriors beneath burial mounds, accompanied by grave goods such as weapons, food and other useful or valuable items. However, this tradition died out many centuries ago and has been replaced with that of the ship burial. This is one in which a ship is used as the container for the deceased and any grave goods. The deceased is placed in the centre of the longship, surrounded by his possessions and a number of barrels of flammable material. The ship is then set afloat as the sun sets and allowed to drift from shore before fire arrows are used to set the ship alight. It is believed that a Vallachian can achieve immortality if he dies upon a longship, his ashes becoming part of the sea that is such a vital part of their culture whilst the flames and smoke carried him to the Gods. It is said that if the colour of the fire matches the colour of the sunset they had led a good life and they had gone to their home amongst the Gods.
Vallachian Runes
Comparable to the Elder Futhark of Terra, the Vallachian Rune system is used both as an alphabet and with greater mystical meaning. Each rune has a different meaning, which are set out below, and these meanings can be used in shamanistic rituals and divination by inscribing them upon runestones.

Feoh - Vitality, Power, Personal Wealth
Ur - Fără întârziere Change, Shouldering new responsibilities, ability to sweep away obstructions
Thorn - Protective, Helping hand of Fate
Ansur - Communication, Learning
Rad - Travel, Inner journeying, Change
Ken - Gentle acts of creation eg. writing, music, Protective, Creative warmth
Geofu - Gifts (giving and receiving), Harmony, Personal relationships
Wynn - Happiness, Affairs of the heart
Hagall - Primal forces of the universe
Nied - Need, Long term aims
Is - 'time out', Rest, Winter
Jara - Cyclical return, Harvest, Litigation, Birth
Yr - Mystical, Spirit world, Protective, Removes obstacles
Peorth - Hidden things, Gambling, Investment, Finding lost items
Eolh - Protection
Sigel - Life force, Sun
Tir - Battle, Confrontation
Beorc - Woman, Mother Nature, Nurturing, Fertility
Eoh - Change
Mann - Relationships, Rational mind
Lagu - Female, Creative, Imagination
Ing - Male, Partner to Lagu, Fertility, Conclusions
Daeg - Daylight, See from all angles, Positive change
Othel - Earthy, Pragmatic, Domestic arena, Responsibility
In addition to these, there is one more, represented by a blank runestone:
Wyrd - Mystery, Fate
(For more information about the Vallachian language see HERE)
Vallachian Sweat Lodges
Sweat baths or lodges are favoured over bathing by Vallachians, a trend that becomes more pronounced the farther north you go. These are generally a circular building with a domed roof whose roof and walls are covered with turf and clay in order to insulate them. Animals skins are hung inside the door to block any light penetrating from the outside. Slotted benches ring the walls of the lodge with a shallow pit in the centre of the chamber. This is filled with hot rocks onto which water is poured to produse steam. Dirt is removed using an implement similar to a strigil, that is a curved tool made of wood or metal that is scraped over heated skin. At the end of the session the individual rinses outside in cold water.
Sessions are generally communal as most Vallachians 'bathe' once a week. Sometimes males and females share a lodge, on other occasions a session will be single sex only. Participants are generally entirely nude and would not view this as extraordinary.
Sweat lodges are also used for healing and other rituals. Herbs can be scattered over the hot rocks, adding their scent to the steamy atmosphere. This can also be accompanied by chanting.