Post by Devius on Nov 2, 2014 22:19:45 GMT
The following letter is one of several in a bundle obtained from a lockbox found in the office of the late Lord Aurelius. Investigation has revealed it was written by his friend and scholar Sirion Fordain, who had embarked on a quest to visit all provinces of the Dominion to write a book on the various cultures therein.
I have finally arrived in Havsgard proper! Five days ago I crossed border separating Havsgard from Varantium in the company of a tradesman named Thomm, who offered to guide me to the nearest village. He was even kind enough to explain some of the local customs to me before leaving me at the edge of the village “Taulunn”.
Even calling it a village might be a stretch, as it consists only of three large longhouses facing a river in a semicircular fashion. On the river there’s a small dock housing several small riverboats and lots of sheep, goats, hens, and pigs freely ranging the surroundings. According to Thomm, this is a very typical example of a Vuosaar village.
As I approached the village, I spotted a young woman gathering water by the riverside. Her hair was braided into a thick ponytail, and her bright green tunic with matching dark green trousers made it easy to identify her as Havsgardian (yes, the women here normally wear trousers). I called out to her and began to introduce myself, however after staring wide-eyed at me for a moment, she briskly interrupted me and asked me to wait where I stood in the iconic melodic accent of the Vuosaar.
As she ran off to the nearest longhouse in the village I noticed that she carried a sizable knife in her belt, which Thomm had said all Vuosaar do. While the stories of member-cutting might be exaggerated I thereby vowed to make sure not to insult any of the Vuosaar women I might encounter.
After a few moments of waiting, she returned with an older man in tow. He was tall and broad-chested, with a neatly braided beard and the same green clothes. He introduced himself as Jeeron, head of house Telhni (the pronunciation of which I shamefully never mastered). He was apparently very excited to see a foreigner such as myself in these parts (most head straight to the city of Vaimar, skipping the small villages completely) and invited me to stay with his family for as long as I wished, which I happily accepted.
He laughed heartily at my reply, apparently finding my accent as amusing as I found his. Then he led me into the longhouse. Inside, I found long rows of beds. In the middle of the longhouse was a great hearth, surrounded by benches and cooking equipment. The straw roof had no chimney, instead there were holes in the wall on the top of each far side of the longhouse to let the smoke out. The walls themselves were made out of clay and straw, and though primitive, they were very effective at keeping the heat of the hearth inside and the chill of the winds outside.
If you had been wondering why only three houses could be considered a village, I found my answer here. The longhouse was filled with people. In the far corner, the elderly were sitting upright in their beds, telling stories to a dozen children. Around the hearth, several older women were preparing a great feast of bread, grilled fish, and goat’s cheese. Next to them, young women were tending to infants, some shamelessly letting them suckle their teats, paying no heed to the people surrounding and gossiping unhindered. All these people (save the infants) were wearing the same two shades of green, apparently the colours of house Telhni.
Jeeron got the attention of all inside with his booming voice, announcing that I was a guest to stay with them for the time being.He then told me to introduce myself, which I did, with some difficulty to raise my voice to the level necessary to address the entire house. After stating my name, they all welcomed me with the same voice, then immediately went back to their various work. Although I did notice the children were having difficulty listening to the elders’ stories, throwing me a glance whenever they could.
Only now did Jeeron ask me what brought me to his village. Once I’d told him, he said he would happily show me what Vuosaar life entails, provided I share my own stories of life outside Havsgard for all the family to hear. Stories are of utmost importance to the Havsgardians, I’ve learned. Their elders are greatly respected for the knowledge they can pass on to the next generation and strangers like me are oft invited to share tales of the world.
I did not wait another moment to indulge my curiosity. I asked what the occasion was, gesturing towards the food being prepared in front of us, what festivity could warrant such a feast? To this, Jeeron unleashed yet another of his iconic booming laughs. This was no festivity, he said. This was dinner.
I had not yet fathomed the sheer size of a Vuosaar family. The people I saw in the longhouse were but less than a third of house Telhni. The fit men and women were all out hunting, farming, or fishing, the elderly who could still walk were tending to the animals. The boys and girls who were soon to be men and women were out as well, learning the various crafts of the Vuosaar firsthand. A few family members were also away to trade in the nearby city, due to return in two days’ time with tools, fabric, and dyes.
All in all, the members of house Telhni numbered well over a hundred. All of them related by blood or marriage. During my stay, I found it very difficult to remember the names of all the people I met, let alone their relation to each other. What made matters even more difficult is how the Vuosaar have their own words for various family members, much more specific than in common tongue. The Vuosaar make a difference between cousins on one’s mother’s or father’s side, likewise for uncles, aunts, and grandparents. There’s a difference between nieces, and nephews, if they’re by brother or sister. They insist on using specific words for second, third, and even fourth cousins, as well as for great-grandparents and great-grandchildren.
I did my best to record all these new words, which I suspect are directly taken from the Vuosaar language of old. To think they have survived until this day, when Faloran took hold as the sole language of this region hundreds of years ago. Fascinating!
Not to forget, house Telhni was only one of three houses in the village of Taulunn. There was also house Voinat (dark green and and dark brown) and house Meluo (Dark red and light blue). Once word spread, members of their families quickly came to visit me, eager to invite me to their own houses. I nearly accepted their invitations before I remembered Thomm’s warning - it is a huge insult to be a guest in two families at once, even for just a meal, as it implies your first host was insufficient. House Telhni had “won” me as it were, simply by inviting me first. In retrospective, it explains why the girl I encountered was so quick to fetch Jeeron (only family heads may invite strangers to the longhouse. Without their leave, one cannot even take a single step inside).
At my request, Jeeron showed me around the village, which I described above. It was during this time that I noticed that the free-roaming cattle belonged to each of the three houses, and were marked for reference. House Telhni used small bronze rings to mark theirs, whether it be pierced in a goat’s ear or folded around a hen’s leg. House Meluo used iron rings for theirs, and house Voinat used rings out of carved wood instead.
Before long, the family members returned with the fruits of the day’s labour and it was time for dinner. A great amount of people gathered on the benches around the hearth, the beds of the elders were even moved closer so they could take part in the gathering. Generous amounts of food and drink were passed around. I soon received my own portion of dark, hard bread, unsalted fish, and odorous goat cheese. Truth be told, it was far from the best meal I’ve had, however the customs of a Vuosaar dinner itself made it a grand experience. I had heard from Thomm that once the first portions had been finished (for there were several) and the closest of kin had shared the day’s events, the greatest stories would be told. True enough, soon the noise of a hundred people chewing and chattering died down to quiet whispers of anticipation.
However, the silence was broken by Jeeron making a toast at the new guest, and inviting me to stand up and tell a story of my homeland. I should have realised that on the first night of my arrival, I would inevitably be the focus of interest. I quickly swallowed my disappointment, knowing that soon enough I would hear the elders’ tales, and began to tell them tales from the homeland. Caedric The Immortal, The Whispering Wall, Logain Luck-thief, and many more. All these tales I must have told at least thrice during my stay in Taulunn. I must confess to getting lost in the moment that first night. The deep attention I garnered from the entire audience, young and old, with their cheers and shouts for more made me tell tale after tale until I had completely forgotten what I had come for.
After a while, how long I cannot say, the crowd began to falter piece by piece. First the mothers put their babes to sleep in their cribs, then the elderly requested their beds be moved back to their corner. Soon all that remained was the children, sitting with their mouths agape at my feet. Only once their heads had begun to fall did Jeeron put his hand on my shoulder and tell me it was time to sleep, stifling another of his booming laughs which would doubtlessly have awakened the entire house had he let it out. He guided me to a bed of my own wherupon I fell asleep almost immediately. Although before sleep claimed me fully, I noticed that this was an exception, most beds were shared between spouses or children.
So ended my first day among the Vuosaar. Even though I had but scratched the surface of this fascinating culture, I was already enamored. I itch to tell you the events of the following days, but the light of day is running short and the fire of the hearth is not sufficient for writing.
I hope this letter reaches you, my friend. Maybe it can convince you to reconsider my invitation to this “grand waste of time” and join me in Vuolit once I reach it? I expect to be there one month from now, and I’ll be waiting a fortnight in case you accept my offer.
I have finally arrived in Havsgard proper! Five days ago I crossed border separating Havsgard from Varantium in the company of a tradesman named Thomm, who offered to guide me to the nearest village. He was even kind enough to explain some of the local customs to me before leaving me at the edge of the village “Taulunn”.
Even calling it a village might be a stretch, as it consists only of three large longhouses facing a river in a semicircular fashion. On the river there’s a small dock housing several small riverboats and lots of sheep, goats, hens, and pigs freely ranging the surroundings. According to Thomm, this is a very typical example of a Vuosaar village.
As I approached the village, I spotted a young woman gathering water by the riverside. Her hair was braided into a thick ponytail, and her bright green tunic with matching dark green trousers made it easy to identify her as Havsgardian (yes, the women here normally wear trousers). I called out to her and began to introduce myself, however after staring wide-eyed at me for a moment, she briskly interrupted me and asked me to wait where I stood in the iconic melodic accent of the Vuosaar.
As she ran off to the nearest longhouse in the village I noticed that she carried a sizable knife in her belt, which Thomm had said all Vuosaar do. While the stories of member-cutting might be exaggerated I thereby vowed to make sure not to insult any of the Vuosaar women I might encounter.
After a few moments of waiting, she returned with an older man in tow. He was tall and broad-chested, with a neatly braided beard and the same green clothes. He introduced himself as Jeeron, head of house Telhni (the pronunciation of which I shamefully never mastered). He was apparently very excited to see a foreigner such as myself in these parts (most head straight to the city of Vaimar, skipping the small villages completely) and invited me to stay with his family for as long as I wished, which I happily accepted.
He laughed heartily at my reply, apparently finding my accent as amusing as I found his. Then he led me into the longhouse. Inside, I found long rows of beds. In the middle of the longhouse was a great hearth, surrounded by benches and cooking equipment. The straw roof had no chimney, instead there were holes in the wall on the top of each far side of the longhouse to let the smoke out. The walls themselves were made out of clay and straw, and though primitive, they were very effective at keeping the heat of the hearth inside and the chill of the winds outside.
If you had been wondering why only three houses could be considered a village, I found my answer here. The longhouse was filled with people. In the far corner, the elderly were sitting upright in their beds, telling stories to a dozen children. Around the hearth, several older women were preparing a great feast of bread, grilled fish, and goat’s cheese. Next to them, young women were tending to infants, some shamelessly letting them suckle their teats, paying no heed to the people surrounding and gossiping unhindered. All these people (save the infants) were wearing the same two shades of green, apparently the colours of house Telhni.
Jeeron got the attention of all inside with his booming voice, announcing that I was a guest to stay with them for the time being.He then told me to introduce myself, which I did, with some difficulty to raise my voice to the level necessary to address the entire house. After stating my name, they all welcomed me with the same voice, then immediately went back to their various work. Although I did notice the children were having difficulty listening to the elders’ stories, throwing me a glance whenever they could.
Only now did Jeeron ask me what brought me to his village. Once I’d told him, he said he would happily show me what Vuosaar life entails, provided I share my own stories of life outside Havsgard for all the family to hear. Stories are of utmost importance to the Havsgardians, I’ve learned. Their elders are greatly respected for the knowledge they can pass on to the next generation and strangers like me are oft invited to share tales of the world.
I did not wait another moment to indulge my curiosity. I asked what the occasion was, gesturing towards the food being prepared in front of us, what festivity could warrant such a feast? To this, Jeeron unleashed yet another of his iconic booming laughs. This was no festivity, he said. This was dinner.
I had not yet fathomed the sheer size of a Vuosaar family. The people I saw in the longhouse were but less than a third of house Telhni. The fit men and women were all out hunting, farming, or fishing, the elderly who could still walk were tending to the animals. The boys and girls who were soon to be men and women were out as well, learning the various crafts of the Vuosaar firsthand. A few family members were also away to trade in the nearby city, due to return in two days’ time with tools, fabric, and dyes.
All in all, the members of house Telhni numbered well over a hundred. All of them related by blood or marriage. During my stay, I found it very difficult to remember the names of all the people I met, let alone their relation to each other. What made matters even more difficult is how the Vuosaar have their own words for various family members, much more specific than in common tongue. The Vuosaar make a difference between cousins on one’s mother’s or father’s side, likewise for uncles, aunts, and grandparents. There’s a difference between nieces, and nephews, if they’re by brother or sister. They insist on using specific words for second, third, and even fourth cousins, as well as for great-grandparents and great-grandchildren.
I did my best to record all these new words, which I suspect are directly taken from the Vuosaar language of old. To think they have survived until this day, when Faloran took hold as the sole language of this region hundreds of years ago. Fascinating!
Not to forget, house Telhni was only one of three houses in the village of Taulunn. There was also house Voinat (dark green and and dark brown) and house Meluo (Dark red and light blue). Once word spread, members of their families quickly came to visit me, eager to invite me to their own houses. I nearly accepted their invitations before I remembered Thomm’s warning - it is a huge insult to be a guest in two families at once, even for just a meal, as it implies your first host was insufficient. House Telhni had “won” me as it were, simply by inviting me first. In retrospective, it explains why the girl I encountered was so quick to fetch Jeeron (only family heads may invite strangers to the longhouse. Without their leave, one cannot even take a single step inside).
At my request, Jeeron showed me around the village, which I described above. It was during this time that I noticed that the free-roaming cattle belonged to each of the three houses, and were marked for reference. House Telhni used small bronze rings to mark theirs, whether it be pierced in a goat’s ear or folded around a hen’s leg. House Meluo used iron rings for theirs, and house Voinat used rings out of carved wood instead.
Before long, the family members returned with the fruits of the day’s labour and it was time for dinner. A great amount of people gathered on the benches around the hearth, the beds of the elders were even moved closer so they could take part in the gathering. Generous amounts of food and drink were passed around. I soon received my own portion of dark, hard bread, unsalted fish, and odorous goat cheese. Truth be told, it was far from the best meal I’ve had, however the customs of a Vuosaar dinner itself made it a grand experience. I had heard from Thomm that once the first portions had been finished (for there were several) and the closest of kin had shared the day’s events, the greatest stories would be told. True enough, soon the noise of a hundred people chewing and chattering died down to quiet whispers of anticipation.
However, the silence was broken by Jeeron making a toast at the new guest, and inviting me to stand up and tell a story of my homeland. I should have realised that on the first night of my arrival, I would inevitably be the focus of interest. I quickly swallowed my disappointment, knowing that soon enough I would hear the elders’ tales, and began to tell them tales from the homeland. Caedric The Immortal, The Whispering Wall, Logain Luck-thief, and many more. All these tales I must have told at least thrice during my stay in Taulunn. I must confess to getting lost in the moment that first night. The deep attention I garnered from the entire audience, young and old, with their cheers and shouts for more made me tell tale after tale until I had completely forgotten what I had come for.
After a while, how long I cannot say, the crowd began to falter piece by piece. First the mothers put their babes to sleep in their cribs, then the elderly requested their beds be moved back to their corner. Soon all that remained was the children, sitting with their mouths agape at my feet. Only once their heads had begun to fall did Jeeron put his hand on my shoulder and tell me it was time to sleep, stifling another of his booming laughs which would doubtlessly have awakened the entire house had he let it out. He guided me to a bed of my own wherupon I fell asleep almost immediately. Although before sleep claimed me fully, I noticed that this was an exception, most beds were shared between spouses or children.
So ended my first day among the Vuosaar. Even though I had but scratched the surface of this fascinating culture, I was already enamored. I itch to tell you the events of the following days, but the light of day is running short and the fire of the hearth is not sufficient for writing.
I hope this letter reaches you, my friend. Maybe it can convince you to reconsider my invitation to this “grand waste of time” and join me in Vuolit once I reach it? I expect to be there one month from now, and I’ll be waiting a fortnight in case you accept my offer.
SF
