Novantae

The Novantae are a people who dwell upon hills and distinctive hammerhead peninsula of the southern reaches of the western shores of Caledonia. A powerful royal centre casts its rule over the novantae people, most of the clansfolk are subsistence farmers, they tend to their farms choosing to dwell in individual roundhouses defended by palisaded enclosures and pay a tithe to the royal household as tribute for their protection. Predominantly an agricultural community they busy themselves with the raising of crops and small flocks of sheep. There are a few notable fortified places of notoriety where the royal elite hold their court. A small number of hillforts represent the residence of nobility and a few families of artisans and metalworkers that they hold in their retinue. The other principal settlement is Locopibium, a place that the druids have used as a centre since times of yore, all around it can be found ancient stone precincts and graven images, here the druids have a settlement that they make use of as an outpost as they await transport vessels to take them to their power centre on the isle of man, although this is in Novantae territory the druids occupy this area as if it were their own having ordained the Novantae lords of this land many aeons ago, for this reason the Novantae royal line are tolerant and subordinate to the druids use of their land. Although the druids make use this territory the Novantae are warranted no special privileges.

Territory

Novantae lands comprises of the part of Caledonia facing southwards from the Southern Upland watershed and west of the River Nith. Made up of the valleys of three rivers, the Urr Water, the Water of Ken and River Dee, and the Cree, all running north–south, provide much of the good arable land, although there is also some arable land on the coast. Generally however the landscape is rugged and much of the soil is shallow. The generally south slope and southern coast make for mild and wet climate, and there is a great deal of good pasture. Novantae lands centre around two distinct areas. Firstly the greater part of the farming communities occupy the fertile plains on the foothills and valleys of the southern uplands, where they raise grains of rye and spelt and barley on the fields. The other territory of the Novantee is the peninsula that juts out into the dividing sea between Albion and Hibernia. This peninsula has a peculiar shape where it resembles an elongated hammer head that forms two long peninsulas one reaching north and the other to the south each is joined to the mainland in the centre with the ocean forming two natural harbours where merchant vessels take shelter from the rough waters of the dividing sea. On this peninsula are to be found a number of principal settlements. Rerigonium is the tribal centre situated upon the neck of land that connects the peninsula to the mainland. Here on this thin isthmus both harbours can be accessed and all travels to the peninsula must pass through this region before gaining access to the peninsula. along the coasts of this peninsula are found a number of sturdy promontory forts where notable farming families have set up their homes on easily defended promontories whereby in times of raiding or war they can herd their flocks onto the promontory and put up a stout defence at the neck of the promontory preventing raiders with making off with their flocks and preserving their livelihood.
To the east of Novantae lands dwell their adversaries the Selgovae, both clans frequently send raiding parties into each others territory with the lands along the river Dēoúa known as "the black dee" forming a natural border between the tribes, this area is often contested and is the site of many battles between the warring tribes. The Dēoúa takes its name from the river goddess deiueh, its snakes its way inland many miles until its source in the uplands. The selgovae are want to send raiding parties from their sandy shores in boats, in turn the Novantae raid on foot or horses supplied by the Epidi
To The north the Novantae share a border with the of the powerful Damnonii chiefs, with this tribal confederation they are on more friendly terms, partly due to the uplands that form a considerable natural border between their peoples. The river Girvan forms the boundary between their territory. It is on this spot that the romans set up their military base of operations to pacify the Epidi and Damnonii coastal communities, here they boasted of launching an invasion to Hibernia thinking that they could subdue the entire island with only a detachment in a single campaign. These remarks alone show their hubris and arrogance of the territory they hope to become masters of.
To the south lies the Isle of man, a druidic centre is situated on this island, being central to the people of Caledon, Hibernia and the rest of Albion the druids hold this place as the centre of their power in the south. The island is a sacred precinct, no man may go there unless he is called to sail to that place as a supplicant. on the peninsula of fertile lands that points towards the ilse of man can be found the Novantae fortified settlement of Locopibium From here the druids often sail to the peninsula that reaches towards their island, they use this place as a harbour and outpost often rounding up bands of acolytes and followers here to await transport to the island.
the land of the Novantae lies closer to Hibernia than anywhere else in Caledonia for this reason Hibernian merchants often seek safe harbour in these parts, so often that they are treated with hospitality and not as strangers, which is customary but as kith. This arrangement is mutually beneficial in that the Novantae often get a good price at Hibernian markets.

Caledonia

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Customs

Novantae customs are much the same as the traditions shared by the rest of the Caledonian tribes. They observe the seasonal festivals and elect their leaders by tanistry during the Aonach. Unique to them is the custom of building an effigy of a bull and burning it as an offering to the gods to ensure the protection of their flocks. It is a strange occurrence among their people that many are born androgynous, these sexless individuals often become seers and oracles, being handed over to the many druids that pass through these parts in search of these peculiar oddities. The Novatae say it is a curse visited upon them after the burning of a witch that was later found to be innocent, she shouted curses upon them as she burned and ever since that event these androgynous children have been born in the region, sometimes they exhibit both male and female genitals, for the most part they are born male or female but appear to be neither fair or masculine and prefer to take no partner. Initially these children were a source of embarrassment for the Novantae and were hidden away in households or sometimes the parents would commit infanticide to rid themselves of the shameful burden. It was these events that drew the attention of the druids who went from house to house to take these children away to become acolytes on the sacred isle of Mann. Those parents who would not give their children away noticed that as they grew older the had the Second sight . Some becoming oracles for the Novantae others being driven to madness.