Cavea (Cav EE ah)

the Merchants of Cota

The Cavea are Humans, originally natives of the major continent of Dergonhad to the west, across the Cota Ocean. Their Dagmon ancestors, skilled sailors and shipwrights, traveled the oceans as raiders, invaders, adventurers, and traders. Many eventually settled along the west coast of Ethae, setting up ports as footholds on the new continent. The Cavea forefathers conquered settlements, and built strongholds along the Anbar coast, from which to raid and conquer. As time passed, a shift away from raiding into mercantile communities became more profitable and less risky. Their favorable location at the western edge of Ethae lead to the Cavea becoming the heart of the trade routes across Cota.

Aside from their seamanship, the Cavea are known for their riding skills. The flat grasslands of the Cavean Union territory is ideal for small mobile units of cavalry patrols being able to protect a large range around their cities. Skilled Cavea horseman are highly sought out as cavalry units by other armies, and the Cavean Riders Guild of Ranos was founded to capitalized on this.

Cavea have dark brown skin tones, though lighter tones are not uncommon, especially among the nobility that have long inner married with the Normon upper-class. Their hair is almost always black, though the Caveans, especially the women, tend to use elixirs of Dergonhad origin to bleach out and lighten their color. Their eyes colors range from brown to greys and black. The rare child with blue or green eyes is not unheard of, especially those with normon ancestry in their bloodline. Blue is considered a divine color, with wealthy nobles often paying rich dowries to claim the child with blue eyes as spouse for one of their own heirs. Green on the other hand is considered an ill omen, and the child is often abandoned or more commonly sold into slavery early in life. Clothing is well made, with the upper-class preferring pastel colors in their stylings. The hot coastal weather of their lands means thinner fabrics are popular. The Cavea do not hold the same conservative values, in regard to the female body, as the bulk of Ethae culture. Women will often wear much less in public, showing more skin comfortably. Men however are expected to be covered, wearing the finest garments to show their wealth and status. There is something of a cultural rivalry in this fashion, with men often wearing heavier clothing to show their strength and ability to endue the hotter weather fully clothed.

Name Samples:

(male) Ado, Amare, Bwerin, Ekon, Gwandim, Isabis, Khafar, Kwame, Nazim, Zane

(female) Abella, Bayo, Dani, Effa, Kai, Layla, Mazaa, Nyala, Serwa, Zala

Surnames:

Cavea nobles take their family names from the founding dagmon settlers of their city of origin. Usually, though not always the case, one that is a direct ancestor of the family. Families that can trace their lineage to one of these heroes hold prestige in their city, and raise their member's social status. Surnames such as, Ali, Barrasso, Benson, Emek, Usman. Commoners rarely have family names, but individuals do take on surnames, often derive from their profession, that they then pass on to their children.

Race: Human

Ethnicity: Dagmon

Homeland: Tinjir

Alignment: A merchantile people, the Cavea favor neutral alignments and stay out of the politics of nations around them when they can.

Age: The average lifespan of a Cavea is just over 80 years.

Size: (Medium) Caveans range in sizes common to humans, though they tend towards the higher side, with over 6 feet being common among both men and women.

Language: Nearly all Cavea, noble and commoner alike learn both Cavean Dergon and the Common Tongue from an early age.