Tallish
The Tallish speaking peoples, often just called 'The Tallish' are the predominate human ethnic group of the The Far Islands .
These strange Isles have influenced a people suffused with magic, and grown nearer the elves than any other. This has made them strange in the eyes of many, a blending of many cultures at odds elsewhere.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Alice, Ebba, Alfgif, Alfwith, Adelflad, Adelthryd, Blair, Hild, Mildgyd, Regan,
Masculine names
Alfgar, Alfnod, Alfred, Alfestan, Ceadda, Cuthbert, Cynemar, Dunstan, Edgar, Eadwulf, Eastmund, Leofric, Osmund, Wybert
Family names
Surnames are very uncommon save among the nobility. Noble families usually take a name from the location of their principal seat of power. The House of Il, or the House of Faemund for example. Common people might have a patronym such as 'Of[fathers name]'. In some towns where particular trades are generational, certain professions have become functional Surnames, such as Smith, Tanner, Cooper or Fletcher.
Other names
nicknames are incredibly common, as names tend to repeat generation to generation. Common nicknames include physical characteristics such as 'The Tall' or 'The Red', sometimes generational qualities 'The Old' or 'The Younger' and sometimes professions or renowned traits "The Butcher" or "The Patient"
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Shared customary codes and values
The Tallish have eclectic beliefs and modes, but there are some broad shared values; Reverence for Nature and the Natural world is very common, as is a respect for all supernatural forces. This is less fear than reverence and 'giving what is due'. The Tallish may just as like other people, strike at a Monster that attacks them, but they view that as a natural struggle. A persons Word of Honour is also highly important, as is an Oath. What an Oath is sworn on tells you alot about the Tallish you are dealing with.
Common Etiquette rules
The Clasping of hands is a common custom, done with the right hand among friends(to show they are unarmed) or the left among enemies.
Common Dress code
For women dresses are near universal, even among those whose profession requires them to wear armour. There are noted exceptions, but they tend to stand out socially.
Men favour a long tunic, hose and a belt, with quality varying from the simple smock of the lowest peasants to the costumes of the nobility which start to ape the luxuries of the Southern kingdoms.
Cloaks are ubiquitous for both sexes, and their make and colour can inform one about a users class, as can the customary clasps that are one of their cultures most prominent art objects.
Art & Architecture
Their architecture borrows much from the continent, and both the Veld and the Southern lands, as well as some elements of Elvish architecture. Wooden builds are the most common, but stone buildings are becoming more prominent; lower floors of stone overlaped by higher buildings of stones can be seen in larger towns.
The Motte and Bailey Castle design is the near universal, with Wooden Palisades and similar defenses marking the hill-fort or hill-castle as a central element to most major settlements.
Their art tends to emulate Elven trends; and thus asymatry is common, as are nature motifs such as leaves, flowers, and flocks of birds.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
While the specifis of the rites may be different depending on the religious tradition of the family, common to all is to burn sacred herbs to bless a house and chase off evil spirits. A child will be washed, usually in a nearby stream or body of water held as sacred, and is named Seven days after it's birth, usually by the head of the family, though sometimes by some-one else respected by the family.
Coming of Age Rites
All children, when they reach around Eleven to Thirteen, are given a small gift by their parents, or if they are apprenticed to another, their Master. This gift is usually symbolic of their trade; For Peasant Farmers it is typically food, but sometimes a sickle or similar. For craftsmen it is usually the first set of tools they will ever own. Among the nobility
Funerary and Memorial customs
These vary deeply by religion, though traditionally the Tallish intern their dead in the ground, often with grave-goods.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The Tallish are heavily influenced by their long proximity to the Elves and the influence of the Alfheim . They tend to idealize length and agile bodies. Men prefer to have short bears and long hair, and many shave off their beards entirely. Women tend towards long free-flowing hair or simple designs of braids. A willowy body shape is considered ideal. Red Hair is considered a positive quality in a man or a woman, and unusual eye colours such as yellow or purple are also considered attractive.
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