Droyma - Demography

Droyma is predominantly populated by bruni, a people known for their strong memory, controlled temperament, and a deep-rooted connection to the land. The bruni of Droyma have lived in the region for countless generations, developing a culture that values endurance, foresight, and careful planning, all essential traits for surviving the long, harsh winters that define the region. The bruni make up the majority of the population, from the simple farmers who work the fields during the summers to the nobles who preside over Droyma’s towns and villages. Among the bruni, there are some with traces of symni ancestry, though these traits have largely blended into the population over the years. The symni, originally a more prolific people due to their natural tendency to have twins or triplets, are now rare in Droyma. When a family in Droyma has multiple births, especially twins or triplets, it's common for others to jokingly suggest that the couple has symni blood in them. These jokes are mostly in good humor, as the symni traits are seen as a historical curiosity rather than something of deep importance. However, despite the general integration, a subtle sense of otherness lingers around those who have many children or who display particularly symni-like features, such as sharp, slightly elongated facial structures or a more energetic demeanor. Some families quietly take pride in these traits, considering them a sign of ancient vitality. Others are less pleased, fearing that their connection to the symni might mark them as different in a society that values uniformity and stability. Nonetheless, any visible symni characteristics rarely affect one’s social standing, as the bruni have fully embraced them into their communities. On the other hand, those with grön ancestry face a much harsher reality. Grön, with their distinctive greenish skin that allows them to absorb sunlight like plants, are rare in Droyma, as most reside beyond the Mara Mountains, mostly in the town of Kennis. Those few grön who do appear in Droyma are often the result of mixed unions far in the past, and while they carry only faint traces of their grön heritage, these traits make them stand out in an uncomfortable way. The grön are widely viewed as less intelligent by the bruni, who associate their plant-like biology with a perceived simplicity of mind. This belief is deeply ingrained in Droyma’s culture, and as a result, anyone who shows even the slightest hint of grön ancestry—whether through a greenish tint to their skin, an unusually slow speech pattern, or a perceived lack of common sense—is often the target of ridicule and exclusion. Such individuals, though rare, are subjected to humiliating jokes and harassment. Their neighbors may mock them openly, suggesting that they are "slow to grow," a cruel reference to their plant-like ability to take in sunlight. These jokes are not meant as playful teasing, as is the case with the symni, but are often intended to reinforce a sense of superiority among the bruni majority. The grön, when present in Droyma, live on the fringes of society, rarely achieving positions of power or influence, and are often viewed as burdens to the community. There are also grön outcasts, individuals with strong enough grön traits that they have felt forced to move beyond the Mara Mountains, where their people are accepted. These exiled individuals are said to live in small, secretive communities in the foothills of the mountains, waiting for a time when they might be able to return. This is nothing but a fairytale without substance, as the grön live openly in Gulhuva on the other side of Mara Mountains. The bruni, however, regard this possibility with disdain and fear, believing that the return of the grön would bring disorder and weaken the resilience of Droyma’s society. Interestingly, despite this prejudice, the grön’s ability to survive on minimal food—drawing energy from sunlight—occasionally inspires a certain degree of envy, especially during times of famine or harsh winters when food is scarce. Some whisper that this trait might be useful, but these sentiments rarely see the light of day, as the societal belief in the grön's inferiority is too deeply entrenched. In the end, Droyma’s population remains largely homogenous, dominated by the bruni who have built a culture on stability, survival, and long-term planning. While symni traits are absorbed into the population with little friction, the grön remain outsiders—either scorned for their perceived inferiority or quietly feared for their unique abilities. These tensions, while not overtly violent, simmer beneath the surface, shaping the way people interact and how they view outsiders within their own society.