New Anarlina Culture

[Kender Bard]

An In-Depth Look At New Anarlina

Temperament and Trending Traits

Anarlinans are widely considered some of the most kind-hearted people. The nation-wide religion heavily influences this, with the royal family--for many generations--enforcing the tenants of Love. Tolerance, compassion, and charity are all pressed upon the people. While of course no Anarlinan is a saint and there are plenty of nasty or even vile people within its borders, the vast collective of its populace strives towards kindness.

Honor is also important to its people, especially the upper classes. A person is only as good as their word, and Anarlinans strive to make sure their word is golden and strong. Because of this, challenges to one's honor is a grave insult. Amongst the nobility, it can be the cause of lasting feuds (although one of the tasks of the royal family is to diffuse things before it reaches this point.)


Jobs

New Anarlina once hailed from the continent of Contrasta, known then simply as Anarlina. The land to their name was as large as half of Naruta. Therefore, there was once every job imaginable. After losing Contrasta to cataclysm, Anarlina was forced to reside in the land gifted to them by Kingdom Caelium, sharply reducing what jobs were available. The shipping and sailing industry, for example, became completely defunct. As a result, most sailors, shipwrights, fishermen, etc settled in Ronduin and Khelek. Farmers had to learn to make do with the hilly and mountains terrain and considerably more condensed space to ply their trade, or else find another line of work. Not all was bad, however. Anarlina's mining, industry, once rather small on Contrasta, boomed rapidly in their new metal-rich environment.

Anarlina has done its best to both preserve old jobs and create new ones and has been mostly successful. Future generations follow the tradition of seeking apprenticeship, and as a result, any unnecessary or unavailable jobs are slowly being phased out as apprenticeship is denied where there is no future growth.

Soldiering is still considered a highly valued skill set and, as such, Anarlina boasts an impressive standing army. However, as conflict is considerably diminished in the land of Naruta than what they experienced in Contrasta, a new method of supporting soldiers without utterly draining the nation's coffers. Each individual who wishes to become a soldier is trained. If they have already existing skills in a trade or job, they're told to return to work with a few days set aside each month for drilling and practice to keep their skills sharp.

Any soldier who has no such skills are placed with a master to apprentice under (regardless of age) and supplied a modest stipend to support them (unless their master supplies this) until they are able to work on their own. Most of Anarlina's army, therefore, is self-supporting by being normal, hard-working peasants who receive regular training and are called upon in times of need. The Beloved Knights, made up of the nobility and the very skilled and patroned, are the exception to this. Being in the knighthood is a full job (save for any nobility, who will also work on their estates with the family and province they belong to.)


Education

Education is mandatory within Anarlina. Children are expected to begin schooling at 7 years of age or younger if particularly smart. This can manifest in four different ways:

1. The child is privately tutored. This is most common amongst the wealthy, being an expensive option. Some families with a special need for a tutor may work and scrape for this opportunity, but it is generally reserved for the upper classes.

2. The child is placed in a group school. This is generally a low-cost or free option. Some schools may offer considerably finer facilities or some other benefit and charge a fee, but these higher-cost schools are rare and generally privately run, with a very small class size. The low cost or free schools are set up by the church and royal family.

3. The child will enter the priesthood. This is a combination of education and future career. A child in this position will be taught proper education to begin with and, increasingly, spiritual study will be mixed into the curriculum as they grow older. These children are expected to room and board at the temple and almost always become priests of the faith they were placed with.

4. The child is home schooled. Usually this is the choice of parents who need to keep their children at home and cannot afford a tutor. It is also a popular choice of scholars who feel that their own educational instruction would be superior to other options. A parent must apply via petition to the court for this to occur. An appointed Thuothian will evaluate the aptitude of the parents and report back. Only then will permission be granted (or denied.) Once a family passes this inspection, any subsequent petitions for other children become merely a formality and the process is much swifter and smoother.


Food

Food found in Anarlina primarily derives from what's available and, as such, their dishes match strongly with what the Sulans and Maelstroms eat. Dishes from the old continent, primarily the kind of cuisine that's most popular in Humontis, can sometimes be charged for a higher price depending on the cost of the materials, which can fluctuate wildly with the market.

Anarlinans also have quite a sweet tooth. While dinners tend towards savory foods, desserts can be a gluttonous affair with baked goods ranking high on the list of desirable treats. Cakes are a big favorite as they allow a bit of artistic flair. Cooks worth their coppers can make an ostentatious display out of a big enough cake, and most special events feature at least one such piece. The nobility and high class of Anarlina also have a strong love of melted chocolate which they put on almost anything that can possibly be paired with chocolate.


Fashion

Anarlina's fashion is actually not too dissimilar, in ways, to Morilanta's--with some small changes. Anarlinan dresses do not have stiff bodices; they prefer a softer look, with material cut into V shape for the neck and bottom of the upper half of the dress. The sleeves around the shoulders are puffy, closing tightly to the arm past the shoulder and extending full length to the wrist (though in warmer seasons, this is cut off halfway down the forearm instead.)

Similar to Morilantan dresses, the skirt is layered. The first few layers are mostly ruffles to give the dress bounce and volume. Topping that is usually a very pale pastel or white material. Then, finally, over that is a split layer covering the hips and back of some bright color, often with embroidery along a lacy hem or something equally eye catching (beads, glass, even small gems.) Also unique to the Anarlinan dress is tailoring down to give the backside some lift, creating a 'puffy' behind that rides high. The overall affect can make movement cumbersome without experience; young girls generally wear a simple version of the dress with far fewer layers and without the rearside fluffing. Lower class and poorer women wear the same style into adulthood.

Noble men wear more covering clothing than Morilantan men. They prefer stiff doublets covered with velvet or something similarly soft, while the sleeves are made of a more flowing material, often silk or satin. The doublet usually has a fair amount of buttons on it and so what's worn beneath is not of great concern. Plain cotton undershirts of the norm, sometimes dyed to match the color of the outfit but not generally.

Matching the voluptuous theme of the ladies, Anarlinans wear long pants with a slight amount of tailored bagginess around the thighs, though it tightens at the knees. This is not intended to be overly exaggerated as it is with women's clothing; more of a slight accentuation of the body than full-blown ballooning. Knee-high boots finish the look, save for accessories.

Commoner men prefer a plain long tunic with square-cut necklines. The material is usually cotton or linen and those who can afford it will purchase the material dyed. These are also sewn with bands of a secondary colored cloth in strips going around the hems and sometimes around the sleeves as well, but usually nothing more complicated. Dark tunics will have light hems and vice-versa. Comfortable, loose trousers with only ankle to mid-calf high boots are worn with this. The outfit's primary accessory is a leather belt (studded or tooled often preferred) to break up the line of the tunic.

Jewelry is common amongst both sexes, though men tend towards rings and earrings while women prefer necklaces and bracelets. Some men also are fond of wearing thick metal chains or amulets as well, though overall men's styled jewelry is plain and basic. Women's jewelry is usually far more delicate and ornate.

Women favor very sheer, light capes (the richer the individual, the more sheer the material, with some of the royal ladies having light capes made of gossamer-looking material) as a highly fashionable accessory. These are often worn from just one shoulder rather than across both and held in place with a clasp or brooch of fanciful design. Long gloves are also popular in colder months.

Men's accessories, outside of the jewelry, tend to vary. Those who are martially inclined, part of the guard, army, or the beloved knights will often wear an ornamental scabbard. For most polite social functions, this may have a decorative sword of little practical use within it or even just an ornately designed hilt permanently affixed to the scabbard itself.

Those who are more inclined towards peaceful pursuits, such as scholarly learning, priestly devotion, merchants, or similar will wear a sash of bright color that compliments their outfit across the diagonal of their body. This sash is usually designed with an eye towards customization for the wearer, and will often incorporate designs that can, at a glance, tell you what their passionate hobby or their career entails. (For example, a scholar may have a sash embroidered in flourishing script various passages in Old Tongue.)

Lower class individuals generally eschew these fancy adornments and do not bother with accessories beyond a rare piece of jewelry.


Leisure

Anarlinans have a broad selection of means for entertainment. Lower classes are fond of engaging in cards, dice, tavern sing-a-rounds, and various sports (both old favorites from Contrasta and newer games adopted from Naruta.)

Higher classes have slightly more refined ways of passing time. Reading of poetry in social groups, debate, dances and balls, art viewing, and similar are all popular, as is sparring.

One thing all Anarlinans love, be them highborn or low, is gossip. Anarlinans are highly social and they adore trading news, from the genuinely true to pure rumor. The Anarlinan court thrives off this pastime. Unfortunately, this can give rise to malicious gossip. It is considered a hazard of the game, however.

Another favorite of Anarlinans are festivals. The royal family tries to put on at least one festival per year, sometimes more. The most popular is the winter festival that involves a variety of games and contests meant to allow each elemental to show off their skills and excel in their field, not to mention also including tournaments, feasting, and more.


Family

Family is precious and important to Anarlinans. The church enforces the idea that familial love is one of the strongest and longest lasting. If a family is having trouble remaining a functional whole, they are often encouraged to seek help with a priest of Love in reforging the weakened bonds. Divorce is frowned on and must have the blessing of a priest or the king to proceed. In most cases, the couple must first attend counsel with a priest to see if the relationship can be salvaged.

Unexpectedly, putting children up for adoption isn't quite as arduous of a process; temple would rather see unwanted children placed into new, loving homes early so that they can form strong bonds with their adoptive family.

As the religion of Love preaches all love is viable, there is a larger number of same-sex couples than can be found virtually anywhere else in Naruta. Because of this, adoption happens quite frequently.

Most families are modest in size--two parents and between one and three children is the norm. Farmer families and nobility tend towards having more than this number while lower class families in the city will try not to have more than one mouth to keep fed.

Neglect, abuse, and similar are treated extremely harshly. Spousal abuse is one of the primary ways to be granted a quick divorce instead of being forced to go through a long process. Abused children, if it is discovered and reported, will be taken away from the offending parent. If possible, they will be kept with a secondary parent or more distant relative rather than orphaned completely. Offenders will typically be given a range of punishments between unpaid servitude to the temple with requisite attendance to all sermons during that time all the way to exile depending on the severity of the case (the latter punishment being quite rare.)


Religion

Like with Humontis, religion is a major aspect of almost every Anarlinan's life--whether they are actively spiritual or not. And like Humontis, it is not an official theocracy though quite close to one. Anarlina, on the surface, may appear to be the same. In reality, the church and royal family have strong bonds with one another. Traditionally, the role of high priest or priestess is filled by a member of the royal family, a more distant relative, or a close friend of the family's. Even when this isn't the case, both temple and palace communicate with one another regularly and keep up a close camaraderie. This is the Love inspired mirror of the kind of relationship that the ruler of Morilanta has with their high priest. The temple has a great deal of influence on the laws and politics of Anarlina, while in turn, the royal family uses the strength of the church to bolster their own image and can even draw support from the high priest as a voice of concordance on issues that might otherwise be fairly controversial.

Most Anarlinans worship Love, but Efil is a strong second.

Their statues of the Forces are as follows:

Efil is shown as a young woman, holding a little girl in a warm embrace. Her face is full of joy and parental love. Her long flowing hair obscures much of the child, making it difficult to see her. If one stands in just the right spot within the room, Efil's expression becomes less exultant and more protective as her smile becomes harder to see but her eyes remain fixed upon you.

Taed is a young man in a sweeping, flowing cloak. One hand rests on the shoulder of a featureless humanoid who is walking away. The other hand is gently brushing away the tear off the cheek of a distraught young woman's face. The woman clutches to his cloak, face twisted in anguish and sorrow even as she looks up into Taed's face. Taed's expression is one of patience and compassion.

Etaf is shown as an ambiguously gendered individual. Most of his/her features are hidden beneath robes with a deep cowl obscuring the face. One hand holds the Sun of Anarlina up while the other hand, which was holding the Eclipse of Morilanta in the form of an obsidian sphere, has fallen to the side. The sphere is captured as falling to the ground, discarded, forgotten, and forsaken.

Thuoth is shown as a young woman, seated at a desk. One hand is penning away at a parchment composing a love poem that has devolved into doodling hearts. Nearby, laying open, is a book of more successful love poems. Her head is resting in her palm and her eyes have a faraway look familiar to anyone who's known someone to be completely and utterly lovestruck.

Worg is depicted as a man in full maturity, dressed in the armaments of an Anarlinan soldier. His helm is being held beneath one arm, the other holding up a sword towards the heavens. His foot is planted firmly atop a perfectly round sphere made of obsidian. His expression is grim but triumphant.

Soahc is shown as rather well endowed woman, leaned over into a provocative pose. She holds a wide, golden platter gingerly on her fingertips in offering. Resting on this platter are a pair of dice, a slice of cake, a rolled up piece of parchment, a pile of coins, a knife, a sprig of tobacco, and a miniature pillow.

Love is a very young girl, wearing little more than a plain and basic shift. She has her arms opened invitingly as she smiles lovingly at anyone who looks upon her. In contrast with her petite form, a massive Sun of Anarlina is constructed behind her out of gold, copper, and other reflective materials so that each day when the sun as at its highest, the lights are reflected upon her form.