Karameikans (general / mixed)
Karameikans of mixed Traladaran and Thyatian blood generally grow somewhat taller than the average Traladaran, with dark hair and blue or light brown eyes. They otherwise combine the features of their parental stock.
Karameikans in general: This section and those linked above discuss the general attitudes of the major human cultural groupings in Karameikos, and as such provide the basis for many role-playing opportunities. Keep in mind that these are the opinions Traladarans and Thyatians hold concerning one another. When confronting the rest of the world, Karameikans refer to themselves as Karameikans - citizens of the best nation in the land. Karameikan fighters consider themselves as tough as those of any nation, Karameikan wizards the most inventive, and so on. Karameikans of all heritages know their nation doesn’t have the sophistication of Glantri or Thyatis - and they’re glad. Too much sophistication, they
say, is just another term for decadence.
Karameikans of Traladaran descent know that they have
survived the worst trial ever thrown at them-the “Song of King Halav” tells them so and that, one day, they will build themselves again into the most prosperous and amazing nation in the world. This isn’t an arrogant, chip on-the-shoulder attitude, but the quiet assurance of a people who know their destiny and patiently wait and work to bring it about. And it isn’t just the Traladarans who feel this way anymore. Most citizens of Thyatian descent born in Karameikos have become infected with this philosophy,
too.
To be Karameikan is to belong to a nation destined for greatness. To he a Karameikan adventurer, you also must believe that you are part of what will bring this greatness about. Karameikan adventurers aren’t braggarts, constantly tooting their own horns and insulting or slandering other lands, but they do have a quiet, stubborn assurance that no one else is better than they are.
Naming Traditions
Other names
Names: Karameikan names are a hodgepodge of Traladaran and Thyatian root names, often with a descriptive surname or nickname. In fact, many names are appropriate for the New Karameikan, not just Traladaran or Thyatian ones.
Culture
Shared customary codes and values
Attitudes: In the last 40 years, since the arrival of Stefan Karameikos and his followers, many children of mixed Thyatian and Traladaran descent have been born. Early on, many of these were the children of Thyatian warriors who immigrated to the duchy, fought in the duke's army, then retired to take local wives and husbands. With the passage of time, young warriors and wizards have emerged who have both Thyatian and Traladaran grandparents.
A mixed-blood Karameikan's attitude depends upon upbringing. Those from Thyatian households tend to favor Thyatian traits, while those of Traladaran ancestry prefer that culture. In many cases, however, these mixed-blood Karameikans recognize that neighter Thyatians nor Traladarans have any great advantage over the other. This attitude is encouraged by King Stefan, who seeks new blood and new ideas in his government. He fosters attitudes that put aside the conflict of Thyatian versus Traladaran, and he willingly puts responsibility in the hands of these "New Karameikans" whose loyalty lies more with the nation (and the crown" than with cultural background.
Literacy is high among these young people, and they speak in a straightforward manner, without either Traladaran accent or Thyatian affectation. They frequently find themselves at odds with more traditional elders of both cultures.
Common Dress code
Dress: Formal styles of dress in Mirros began over 100 years ago with the original Thyatian invasion of Marilenev. Today, there is no distinct “Thyatian” or “Traladaran” formal wear-though formal clothing leans more toward Thyatian styles than Traladaran.
Men in formal dress wear dark boots, trousers with belts, and long-sleeved tunics with full sleeves (either pullover or with two rows of buttons, as a military uniform). Such tunics typically are crafted with rich materials and embroidery in fabrics of strong, rich colors.
Women in formal dress wear gowns with long, flowing sleeves and and full-length skirts; the gown usually laces up the back. Low shoes or slippers are typical, and accouterments include a narrow leather or cloth belt wrapped numerous times about the waist in interesting patterns, jewelry (worn in the style of the woman’s heritage), and a long cloak of rare animal fur.
Nobles of landed lord or higher status may wear a noble coronet (a narrow, undecorated crown) displaying their status. For barons and baronesses, it becomes a baronial coronet (a narrow
crown usually inlaid with gems or engraved with patterns). Only the king and queen may wear full crowns.
Adventurers, by and large, dress in commoners’ garb though the garments may be of expensive quality. Women who fight often dress in clothing like that of their male counterparts, as it is easier to strap armor around such garb. Other than formal clerical dress (see sidebar, page 33), character class dress does not exist in Karameikos. there are no special robes that every wizard wears; wearing leather armor without a shield doesn’t automatically indicate "thief."
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Shearing Ceremony: Native Traladarans have a custom that remains an important part of Karameikan national character. It is called the Shearing Ceremony, and many Thyatians have adopted it as well.
Residents of Mirros (known as Marilenev back when the tradition began) developed the Shearing Ceremony in the centuries before Thyatis conquered Traladara. Since that time, improved trade with the inland communities spread the Shearing Ceremony throughout the land. When Thyatian settlers came they became acquainted with the ceremony and adopted it. It is usually performed on the night of the Day of Adulthood (1 Flaurmont).
The Shearing Ceremony works generally like this: When a Karameikan youth approaches adulthood, either he or his parents decide to hold the Shearing. Soon after, at a dinner celebration that other family members and village leaders attend, the parents solemnly dress their child, who stands silently before them, in traveling gear. The bottom of the child’s cloak is sheared off and left ragged as a symbol that he is an impoverished traveler.
From that time, the sheared youth is considered a friend of the family but not a part of it. A child so sheared must go out into the world and survive until the family decides he has proved worthy of the clan. Usually, living apart from the clan for a few years and participating in acceptable adventures or trading ventures illustrates that the offspring can prosper unaided; when the youth’s parents reach that conclusion, they invite him to another dinner and present him with a garment bearing the clans markings or coat of arms. The youth, now considered an adult, is once again part of the family.
All young men between the ages of 14 and 19 (1d6+13) participate in the Shearing Ceremony. (Usually the lad approaches his parents first, because it's an embarrassment to wait until they must broach the subject.) Young women are not approached by their parents, but they may insist on being sheared. A young woman who is sheared and lives away from her family for a few years earns respect from them.
When the Thyatians came to Karameikos, they saw some value in the ceremony. By using it within their own families they could separate the worthwhile offspring from the parasitic and keep their lineage strong. The Thyatians adopted the custom, and those children who reformed their ways were invited back into the family, while those who never showed any signs of maturing were left to their own devices.
A sheared youth from a titled family is not considered to have any title until invited by the family to rejoin their ranks. Shearing is a strictly human custom that the demihumans of Karameikos do not observe.
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