Olthiac Culture

Olthiac Culture is relatively unique amongst the world, as it evolved in a place with unique environmental pressures, which forced its people to evolve accordingly. Many of their traditions survive today, and they are considered to be one of the major cultures of the Westreach region, among the High and West Ryzani

Olthiac Cultural Values and Practices
The political climate of Olthiaca was an unstable one. Nations would rise and fall in a matter of decades, and there was never a great, ancient empire here for the states to look toward for inspiration. The constant infighting between nations and raids by monsters and bandits in the region had led to a climate where kingdoms can materialize from nothing or fall in but a few years, though now it is ruled as the Fiefdoms of County Remtal.

In the west, inheritance customs dictate that the land of a lord or king be divided amongst all his or her children. This leads to each kingdom and county becoming smaller and smaller as time goes on, and leads to conflict between siblings and cousins being quite common. This also enables new realms to rise and overtake the smaller kingdoms, though these also usually fall in a matter of a century. Those Olthiacs of the east have abandoned this practice in exchange for premogenture, for if they continued this practice it would weaken them to attacks from the south, as well as each other.

To the Olthiac peoples, one of the most valued things that a person can do is go on a quest. Usually this involves one to three people going to solve some problem for the sake of all the people. The upper classes saw adventurers as a great asset to their arsenal, as they needn’t train and arm these people to do tasks for them, and enabled them to keep their soldiers battling one another instead of these smaller threats, so they, in years long passed, encouraged this practice of questing. The population widely respects adventurers as people who can get things done for them, and many people wish to become adventurers for the wealth and renown acquire.

Another widely valued trait in their culture is that of education and the ability to read and write. This is done by parish schools taught by the local priest. In larger towns there are public and/or private schools operated by the local authority. Students are usually taught basic literacy and math lessons until they are of the age to be apprenticed to a craftsman or combat master. The upper classes are often tutored until the age of 17, in skills needed to do tasks such as administration and merchanting, as well as in the arts.

Although there are castles, and the region functions under a form of feudalism, the soldiers of the land are usually not commanded by the local lords, but rather by a separate official, who tends to work with the noble of the region, but works directly under the Count. Usually, the local administrator or lord is also under the same count, so the army will work with him. Castles are not always the homes of the local lord either, but rather serve as garrison forts and outposts.

The people of Olthiaca, at least in the large cities, are much more accepting of other races of humans than other peoples are, for they are at the far removed from the rest of the world, and rarely get visitors not of their own kind. On top of that, they are also accepting of other species as well, such as the Elves of Norfthorn, and the Dwarfs of Khuzdurin, whom they appreciate for their niche skills.

Olthiac Gods
In Olthiac culture, gods are worshipped in a manner strange to outsiders. In each church, temple, or shrine, there is a consecrated fire which is kept always burning a blue flame. This is called a Godfire, and the Olthiacs hold it that these fires are what keeps each god alive and in power. For each which is extinguished, that particular god loses some of their power, and for each which is started, they gain some. These fires may only be lit in consecrated places, and often only by a priest. In theory, if someone has enough Godfires lit for them, they will ascend to godhood.

Jatroa: Jatroa is the god of the mountains, the earth, and the forests. He is worshipped by travelers and adventurers, who wish for safe movement and protection from the unknown forces of the world.

Karilt: Karilt is the god of animals, and men. He is worshipped by adventurers, hunters, farmers, etc, and is generally considered as a god of luck.

Laroca: Laroca is the goddess of the seas, rivers, clouds, and storms. She is worshiped by sailors, farmers and fisherfolk, who wish for rain, safety on the seas, or a good catch

Saletey: Saletey is the goddess of knowledge, fertility, agriculture and war. She is worshiped by farmers, who wish for the luck she brings to to their fields, and warriors, who pray to her, seeking safety from the blades of the enemy.

Olthiac Building Style
Houses in Olthiaca are usually simple in design. Often one story, houses consist of one or two rooms, those being a main room, in which all cooking, sleeping, and socialising occurs and a pantry, where food is stored, and an occasional loft. Houses are often built from wood, or wattle and daub, with a foundation of stone. The houses are built up with two high walls (about 9 feet), and two low walls (about 3 feet), with the angled roof nearly touching the ground. They will usually have at least one window per wall, each of which is shuttered, and are usually paned. The roofs are either thatched or shingled, and are angled between 35* and 50* to keep off the heavy rains from the sea. The houses of the rich and poor are very similar in design and structure, differing in that the those of the wealthy are usually longer, have more rooms, and are painted, whereas the poor live in smaller whitewashed houses. In the cities, Olthiac houses are built long and narrow, with at least 2 stories jetteyed out over the front and rear of the house respectively.

Churches are built as large structures of stone, with a single, large hall and a small tower connected. The interior of the church contains a raised quarter of the main hall, where the priest stands during religious sermons, and where the Godfire burns. The tower is often of a circular shape, and ends in a crenelated top, where the population can retreat in the often-occurring event of a raid by enemy soldiers or monsters. In the west, churches are fortified, while in the east they are kept separate from buildings of military use. Cemeteries are kept outside the direct vicinity of the town, often in a sheltered section of forest, and are only disturbed during funerals. There are no undertakers, as the family of the deceased are to perform all the funerary rites.

Taverns and Inns in Olthiaca are found in nearly every settlement exceeding a population of 100. Inns are often the largest buildings in any given town, and are usually two storeys, with the lower floor being dedicated to socialisation and drinking, whilst the upper floors have rooms for rent. Taverns are always incorporated into the local inn, and the distinction is only made in cities. The lower floor of an inn will usually have several tables, a hearth, and a bar from which food and drink can be purchased. The upper floor will usually have at least 4 rooms, each with multiple beds. Larger inns usually have stables for wagons and horses, as well as a yard for storage, as well as smaller related buildings.

Olthiac societal organization:
On the top of the society lay the Count of Remtal, though in previous years this position would have been filled by the local king. There were many, and all would vie for power and territory amongst each other. They held the power of life and death over all their subjects, and would heavily tax them for their land.

The regional governors and lords lay beneath the kings, as their local regents. They live in castles surrounded by villages, and sometimes rule over large regencies, which may have several cities. They do not own the land outside their castle, nor the people, but rather collect taxes and make sure that the royal laws are followed.

The order of their rank follows below;

Counts ruled over large territories in each kingdom called Counties. They make the laws that entire counties follow, and are in charge of tax collection. The current ruler of Olthiaca is a Count, though this title is merely a historic one, for he has several counts vassalised under him

Viscounts rule over sub-sects of counties, usually from a large town.

Below the viscounts are the lords, who may rule over a few towns. They make local laws and enforce the laws directly, as well as solve problems that are too small for a higher Lord to take interest.

The knights are the lord’s personal soldiers, and are the best soldiers that one can field with their own funds. They usually live in the same household as their lord, but some are given villages to preside over by their lord. Unlike many other cultures, knighthood is not strictly hereditary, and most knights choose their squires out of the children who show the most skill or promise near their residence, although some do choose their own children.

The rich merchants are one step above the people, and they are more wealthy than the average person. They buy and sell goods in their shops, and some own ships and companies that bring in goods from far off lands to sell. These merchants may be on par with a knight or lord in terms of wealth and influence, and those who form new kingdoms usually come from this class.

The peasants are the bottom class, but many of them are afforded many rights and privileges more than the average person in a different region. They own the land on which they live and work, and are taxed a flat percent of their land’s worth. They are also guarded by the lords, who see it as their duty to defend their people.