Refugee Clans of Verchei
The nation of Verchei was the result of an amalgamation of separate Tiefling refugee cloisters that escaped during the initial enslavement of their race. The Tieflings fled to the cold northern landmass known as Verchei located north of the Dask Sea which was largely uninhabited due to the harsh climate. However, the Tieflings made it their home, and as a result, one of the more beautiful cultures in Abios was developed.
Culture
Verchein culture combines Geriland heritage with common Dwarf, Elf and Halfling culture. Because of its history and geographic location Verchei has been influenced by the adjacent areas, various Geri and Karbihr peoples as well as the Tiefling's former national cultures during their exodus centuries ago. Verchei culture may be seen to build upon the relatively ascetic environmental realities, traditional livelihoods and a heritage of egalitarianism and the traditionally widespread ideal of self-sufficiency.
People
Verchein society encourages equality and liberalism with a popular commitment to the ideals of the welfare state; discouraging disparity of wealth and division into social classes. Everyman's right is a predominant philosophy carried over from their initial settlements. All citizens have access to public and private lands for agrarian activities or leisure. Vercheins value being close to nature, the agricultural roots are ingrained in the rural lifestyle. Vercheins are also not nationalistic per se, as they more openly accept Tieflings still living on the mainland of Abios as their brothers and sisters in bondage.
The Vercheins worship the god Ilmater, seen as the only god of the Abian pantheon that has accepted them as one of his own. It is believed the god Ilmater led the Tieflings to the shore of Verchei during their exodus by guiding them with a distant lantern across the sea. They believe Ilmater teaches them how to endure in the harsh environment of Verchei during its harsh winters, and rewards them by providing them their bounty during the harvest and hunting months. They believe Ilmater shelters them from the gods of Humans that would seek to do them harm, and will endure in championing their cause for all time.
With the emergence and expansion of their new nation, the clans united and with it came several benefits. Vercheins made education a civil right and available to all citizens. The beliefs of the Vercheins are that in order to survive as a nation among other more powerful and wealthy nations necessitates each of their citizens be educated to the best of their ability.
Gender Equality
Verchei is considered to be one of the very best places in which a woman could live based on the health, educational, economic, and legal conditions that affect women's lives.
When compared with women of other nations, Verchein women, who accounted for just over 50 percent of the population, did have a privileged place. They routinely constitute about two-thirds of the membership of clan and temple leadership positions. 75 percent of adult women work outside the home; they make up about 48 percent of the work force. Verchein women are as well educated as their male counterparts, and, in some cases, the number of women studying forms of higher education, for example, are slightly ahead of the number of men. Their laws and customs put them on equal footing as men as well.
Family Structure
Verchein families can take on any form that is required in order to survive and care for their offspring. This can take the form of different or same sex parents, or communal living where the clan shares an equal responsibility in the raising of children. Bearing children is considered important in Verchein society, and though women share equal status with men they are still encouraged to produce large families. This has purpose in that larger populations can bolster areas in which the clan may be lacking such as farming, hunting, or fishing. A larger family tends to work and survive the harsh environment of Verchei.
Festivities and Traditions
Nesolis
Vercheins celebrate Nesolis, the Feast of Reflection. A majority of Vercheins retreat to the local shores on the 27th day of Woalk. A feast and games are held among the people, along with tales and stories of the trials and tribulations of the first settlers, and how Ilmater guided their people to the lands they now inhabit. At midnight, the people gather in small boats offshore while a bonfire is lit on land. The people all follow the light, remembering and paying homage to Ilmater and his guiding hand.
Saunas
Sauna is a type of dry steam bath practiced widely in Verchei. The sauna's purpose is to bathe, and the heat (either dry or steam) opens pores in the skin and thoroughly cleanses the body, which appeals to the Tiefling's infernal heritage. Cedar or birch branches can be tapped along the body to stimulate blood circulation. The sauna soothes sore and aching muscles. The Vercheins often use and have used the sauna to recover from hard physical labor. Sauna culture dictates subdued speech and time for thought to soothe the mind. Sauna is not to be rushed as it is essential to spiritual living. The structure of the sauna began as a small log building partially buried in the earth. A "smoke sauna" is used to cure meats as well as, to bathe or a sterile environment for childbirth. In Verchein saunas, temperatures reach to about 140 – 212 °F, and small amounts of water thrown on rocks atop the stove emit steam, which produces a heat sensation. Some Vercheins prefer the "dry sauna" using very little steam, if any. Traditional sauna consists of the process of perspiring and cooling several times. A part of the cooling process may be a swim in the local frigid lake before returning to the sauna for an additional sweat.
Fashion
Verchein fashion is considered pedestrian to the people of mainland Abios, though the Wood Elves, Halflings, and Gnomes find the fashion charming and somewhat desirable. Verchein fashion consists of woollen fabric intricately detailed with colorful decoration and patterns. Furs are worn to protect against cold, as well as fur-lined boots made of seal skin to resist moisture.
Pirates
A constant threat to the Verchein people comes from pirates occupying the islands in an area called the Marauding Coast. These pirates hunt the Tieflings of Verchei to sell to slavers, which in turn transport them to various points along the The Emerald Basin. This has had the unfortunate effect of reducing the Tiefling numbers on Verchei, and as such the Vercheins are limited in military response that would be required in order to protect their own borders and drive the pirates out. The pirates are also well-funded receiving large sums for the collection and transportation of slaves, and are typically outfitted with the latest in weapon technology and ships.
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