The Salic

The Salic Peoples are group who live in the tribes and cities in The Doenvarus Expanse, previously known as The Tehnvir Expanse, and now referred to as the Salic Colonies. The Salic people have lived in the plateaus and plains for over two millenia and have recently been conquered by The Empire of Veret. The Salic Colonies were founded as a series of puppet states by Veret
The Stormcall Folk
A proud and fierce people who live in the plateaus of the expanse. They live in many various tribes sharing a similar language and various oral and religious traditions. Their language, Salic, takes a lot of it's root words and sentence structure from a mix of Levanian and ancient Malurian dialects, as well at taking their respective writing systems. However, despite their shared traditions and culture they are not united. In more recent decades, we have seen splits between the Northern and Southern Salic, each forming their own dialects. Despite this divide in the Salic groups. They still maintain more similarities between their tribes and culture. They are very warlike with strict militarized societies. Every person is expected to be able to fight in different degrees to protect the tribe and their family. Some are trained warriors who excell with great broadswords and massive longbows, while others are simple townsfolk who can disembowel an enemy with their carpentry axe. When war arrives on the doorstep of a Salic tribe, the attackers should expect fierce resistance from the defenders. Many youths are given chances to test their mettle. Older teens and young adults wishing to prove themselves have to prove themselves in battle. Some prove their worth in hunting, tracking great beasts or monsters and slaying them. Some prove themselves in duels, challenging the warriors of nearby tribes in feats of combat and winning. Many test their mettle in the fields of battle seeking glory and worth upon the battlefield. Many tribes find their battles among the other Salic peoples of the expanse, but another popular target is outlying kingdoms where they see the people as feeble and laden with riches. Salic raids have struck deep into the heart of Marceas and Veret with their riches being stolen away to a Salic chieftan's tribal hold.
Most tribes are fiercely independent, with each tribe having a chieftan or king. They declare war on each other for territory and resources, enter alliances with each other. Some form confederations, but they are usually only two or three tribes. Despite their tribal autonomy, they have always done things to help each other. The Salic Peoples have barter systems and trade frequently between the tribes. If a plague sweeps through one town or village, some resources are often sent by an ally to assist. Many tribes also come together for celebrations as they share a similar religion, with Nimbur, The Drumming Thunder of War as their prime deity. During the Ruination, their religious fervor reached it's zenith after demons began swarming into the Triaratua Expanse.  
Many tribes joined together to fight back against the hordes, creating walls of Lightning Warriors who would sever the heads of demons from their shoulders and leap in bolt of lightning across the battlefield. After years of bitter resistance, plague and attrition swept through the Salic Forces. Tribes had been slain and villages burnt. But Nimbur would interfere before they could get to far. His Salic high priests gathered in the southwestern reaches of the expanse, where the demonic portal stood. They combined their power to create a storm that would drown the region in holy rains and furious lightning. The Salic peoples died there, and the demons would drown over their bones.
The Salic Wars
After The Ruination, the Salic peoples had a hard time recuperating after the plagues swept through their lands and a stormy waste was created in their backyard, with several tribes being wiped out because of it. The Salic People were left in a weakened state surrounded on two front by enemies. Weakened with sickness and famine, and burying their dead. The Empire of Veret saw this as a golden opportunity to expand their domain twicefold and present their power onto Czerelan. The Vereti Invasion began on the 35th of Morneight, 4324 with the quick conquest of the Oraniti and Gratorian tribes. Several more tribes fell before the Vereti wave. After a great moot, the creation of the Salic Coalition was officiated on the 27th of Saumbreath 4325.
The Coaltion proved to be a worhty opponent to the Empire of Veret. After years of bitter fighting between the armies of the Salic and Vereti, defeat would fall upon the coalition with the cataclysmic Battle of Stormcaller Ridge. The Thunder Warriors of Cernurax were defeated by General Balthazar Tallstag, which led to the fall of the coalition as a whole. They would surrender under the Silverleaf Accord and the Salic Colonies would be formed. The entire expanse is now under the control of Veret and the reign of their Emperor and the Essistatum. However, tensions boil in the region as many tribes and bands of warriors still seek to resist their occupation. They wish to kick the Vereti out of their land and reclaim it for their kings, for Nimbur, and for their people. However, most of the rebels and warriors are disunited, as they have been for centuries. If they were to unite however, a fearsome foe could awaken in Vereti territory.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Adrecitia, Andatia, Cigemma, Ciria, Doelia, Eppaxtia, Gormall, Leitis, Liosa, Lirma, Margal, Perra, Sarcassia, Velacosta

Masculine names

Anghis, Banuir, Banuo, Beniat, Caridax, Durisuo, Danfeirn, Epetinus, Girren, Heirn, Lochan, Rohan, Totavali, Vlatugn

Family names

Accaunissa, Bannhris, Bouaderi, Dasrigni, Dolicani, Erfenterek, Gerfeighen, Rhydurk, Vlatugneri

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

The Salic are a people who believe in strength of the soul and strength of the tribe as a whole. They care for the community they share and will always care for their own. Honesty and loyalty are very important in Salic culture, with some of their greatest heroes being regarded for their loyalties, and greatest villains being traitors or those who turned their back on their tribe. They are also a very warlike people who live in militarized societies. Everyone knows how to fight and everyone either has a weapon, or something that can be used in a pinch. Due to the dangers that surround them, this nature is necessary. They have always been surrounded by potential enemies.

Art & Architecture

Salic architecture is simple and straightforward. Being built from wood, clay, and stone. Their fortresses are built upon mottes. Their homes and shops are built from wood with long curved rooves of thatch or wood and stone foundations. In the south and along the coastlines you can often find the use of clay bricks building their homes and walls. Plaster is spread across the exteriors to provide an extra layer of protection from the elements.
Some of the most prized forms of art among the Salic are their bronze sculptures and their wax paintings. Salic wax paintings are prized for their beauty and the mixes of color they can display Some ceramics like jugs and pots are painted with wax paint as decoration to create circular scenes. Bronzeworking is also a prized art of the Salic. Creating vases, scultpures, ceremonial armor, and furniture from bronze. One of the most famed Salic bronze sculptures sits in the Vereti Imperial Palace. A sculpture of a Salic warrior laying with his arms crossed in a rowboat made entirely from bronze. The piece if referred to by the Vereti as Ferried in Oath and is viewed by the essistats and courts of the emperor in the palace.

Foods & Cuisine

The Salic are excellent ranchers and excell in raising cattle and hogs. Much of their diet includes staples such as pork and cheese. Their cuisine also includes various fruits, seafood, grains, beef, milk, and temperate vegetables like onions, leeks, and spinach. They also love honey, mixing it into drinks or drizzling it over their food.
One of their famous dishes is known as Banwociros, where pork, and sometimes a whole pig is placed into a cauldron filled with honey and garlic. It is left to sit for hours and is finally removed and served at banquets.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

The Salic men are most often to hard laborers, designated warriors, hunters, and builders. They are expected to be strong and dependable in life. They are expected to be honorable, powerful, and helpful in Salic society.
The Salic women are most often the doctors, shamans, artisans, and smiths. Many women are taught the art of smithing in Salic society. Salic wives are expected to forge a shield during their teenage years. Women are expected to be polite, honest, and skilled with their hands.
Neither of these roles are unbreakable. With enough willpower and work anyone can be anything in Salic society. A man can be a doctor and successfully patch wounds or deliver children. A woman can build the best house in town and patch up the fortress with ease. These are just the most common and accepted examples. There are also a variety of roles that could be filled with both genders. Scholars, artisans, carpenters, and leaders could be filled by any gender.

Courtship Ideals

Some of the traditions of the Salic have been viewed and romaticized heavily by outsiders. Most women are taught how to smith and forge metal tools and weapons. When someone seeks courtship they often create a spearhead. A hopeful suitor will seek to provide a stick to finish the spear and create a weapon together. Upon the creation of the spear, a cloak must be made by the suitor. If a woman crafted the spearhead, she must make a shield that matches the one she uses. If it is not a woman, they must create a pair of shields, to show that they will stand together in struggles.
One exported tale of these courtship traditions follows the tale of a man named Polaniax. He created a beautiful spearhead of steel and awaited suitors to come and provide the shaft of the spear. However, every suitor was found to be lacking. Until the arrival of Aliantax, a fellow tribesman and hunter who had crafted another spearhead. When they tried to put them together, the hilts of the spearheads interlocked creating a double sided dagger. The tale of Poliniax's Dagger has been picked up by artists and bard in Valleon and has been heavily romanticized.