Novorosi Culture

Novorosi culture refers to the culture of the Principality of Novoros, stretching from the jungles of western Cymru to the islands and peninsula of eastern Sparwood minor.

Overview
As Novoros' geographical holdings are quite widespread, it becomes quickly clear to any historians, anthropologists, researchers, and visitors that it is extremely difficult to give a simple explanation of the ethnic and cultural identiies of the province. Most definitively there are three major groups: the various native Novorosi tribes that live scattered throughout the Cymrian jungles, the more metropolitan and culturally open non-native minority in cities such as Cadabia, and the isolationist Kemrian clans across the Nekkic sea.

Even when able to narrow the population into these thre groups, there are multiple subdivisions to each, which only serve to confuse and disorient an outside observer who may not understand the differences between one tribe and another, or other similar blunders. However, at least in the south, it seems as though the lines between the cultures of Cymrian Novoros are becoming increasingly blurred, with tradition and progress slowly intermingling as the wheels of time continue turning. Unfortunately it seems as though in the north, the Kemrian people still retain their pride in independence, and it has been quite difficult to slowly incorporate the region-- or at the very least ease up on the wariness towards outsiders...

Cymrian Novoros
The cuisine of Cymrian Novoros is as diverse as its people.

An eastern highland tribesman might break fast with bread baked from manioc flour, drinking a tea brewed from wild plants, gathered from the jungles of Cymru. He might celebrate a victory with a feast, serving beer brewed from millet, junglefowl, fried locusts or catfish caught from the many lakes and rivers. In stark contrast a coast-dwelling southerner might prefer a morning meal of a light fish broth or soup, served with rice noodles. He might well skip eating at noon entirely, spending the entire day on the sea, and instead eating a larger evening meal, including seafood such as oysters and lobsters or fish caught and gathered during the day.

In the cities of Novoros, such as Cadabia, among the non-native, mixed and integrated tribal city populations, more refined foods, such as sweet pastries, bread rolls, and grain breads are popular. Notable is that the population of the cities can be said to have a sweet tooth, from honey and chocolate to raisins and candied fruits. Meat is less of a staple of their diet, doubly in comparision with the hunting tribesmen, most of their protein stemming from fish or non-animal sources. For drinks, wine enjoys special popularity in the cities, often cultivated in the surrounding lands, though usually drunk watered down outside of festivities.

Overall Cymrian Novorosi cuisine is a result of two large factors, first its jungles and coasts, which provide ample ground for gathering, hunting and fishing, and secondly its climate, the year-round tropical climate allowing for cultivation of demanding and sensitive crops, from citrus to cocoa and sugarcane.

Kemrian Novoros
Kemria's food, like all aspects of its culture, is distinctly different from the rest of the province. Most, if not all, of Kemria's terrestrial holdings (excluding the island-city of Kumaur) are semi-arid, with many people living semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyles. Thus the agricultural productivity in terms of crop cultivation is not as high as Cyrmain Novoros. Because of this, the diets of the people are usually protein heavy, with fish and meat (depending on geographical location) being heavily featured, along with rice and wild greens. Food is usually rich, heavily spiced, and hot, and pickled or preserved foods are also popular, especially during the colder months where fresh ingredients may be harder to come by. The main food-related products of Kemria are reindeer milk and meat, seal meat, rice, wheat and barley, seafood, and other cold-hardy meats and plants.

Cymrian Novoros
As with all aspects of Cymrian Novorosi culture, its architecture is diverse, and hard to define, though that of the Cadabian kind is the most prominent.

It is notably marked by its use of native sandstone, quartz, bricks, terracotta and concrete, especially coloured ones, as well as native Novorosi red granite. This use of bright materials, especially for the outside of buildings, serves the same purposes as much of Novorosi architecture, keeping both people and buildings cooled in the tropical climate of Cymrian Novoros.

The same purpose fulfill the many roofed porches, galleries and overbearing roofs of Novorosi buildings, providing shade for both the building and the roads. Notably, glass windows are rare in Novoros, easily openable wooden windows being preffered by the population, since they both keep out the light, and allow for easier ventilation.

Another important aspect of its architecture and overall Cymrian Novorosi culture are gardens, which serve to both provide a place of relaxation, as well as meeting. Especially notably about their style is the prevalance of water features, from fountains to small canals, which beyond an aesthetic purpose, symbolically demonstrate the power of the builder, as control of water, symbolically is seen as control of life and nature. Another important feature is that Novorosi gardens are nearly always walled or raised, thus establishing both a safe sanctuary as well a private space.