User:Apateus

The Hinterlanders
Pronunciation
Classification
Nicknames	Hitch, Hooghlanders, Highlanders
Languages	Hitch, Common
Average Height
Average Weight
Maximum Age
Stat Bonuses	+1 Strength +2 Defense +0 Agility +1 Intelligence

Introduction

People of the world and seamen, the Hinterlands have always stood out for their resourcefulness and their courage in facing the most arduous and ambitious challenges and the most difficult lifestyles, looking for adventurous explorations and luxury goods.

Dedicated to trade and the development of strong regional identities, the Hinterlanders have adapted to the most disparate climates and regions of Eden, thanks to their great tradition of navigators and their ability to survive and fend for themselves.

Among Hinterlanders, blood privilege often matters less than entrepreneurial success, battle prowess or individual resourcefulness. And it often happens that new nobles families appear from nowhere, enriched by less noble traditions such as trading or navigation, claiming the same importance as ancient combative noble Hinterlander families

Appearance

Hinterlanders are tall, standing half a foot taller than the average Attian Humans, that love to sustain with an highly proteic diet.

They often have darker hair and darker eye colors; blonde hair is seen as a rarity.

In their attire, the Hinterlanders are more often seen in sober colors and clothes, more suitable for action. Their traditional garment is mostly black or dark blue robes with large white collars.

They do experiment with newer styles, including hats and barrettes. The most common is the broadhead, which is a broad, thick black hat with a flat cap and a belt around the headpiece.

Women in the Hinterlands traditionally express themselves with their hairstyles and silver jewelry, far more common than gold in their place of origin.

It is not unusual for Northern Hinterlanders to add furs to their outfits, adapting to the colder climate. In addition, those individuals sympathetic to a specific noble Household may carry a colored scarf with the color of their banner.

Languages

The Hinterlands people speak in their traditional tongue, which is famous for its brutal pronunciation of the 'g' that often reminds people of demon sounds. The language known as Hitch does have some poetic phonations as it is often used in rhymes to explain fairy tales and morals. Other than Hitch, the people of the Hinterlands are also fluent in common, and some senior clergy members speak Ancient Attian when translating the Dictus.

(OOC: Hitch as a language closely resembles Dutch, some important words are explained below)

Greetings
Hitch	Common
Gegroet	Greetings
Vaarwel	Farewell
Vrienden	Friend(s)
Races
Elfen	Elf
Witte Elfen	High Elf
Groene Elfen	Wood Elf
Zwarte Elfen	Dark Elf
Dwerg	Denur
Mensen	Human(s)
Vieshuiden	Faulskins(s)
Gehoornden	Tiefling
Titles
Stadhouder	Stadtholder/ Steward
Staten Generaal	Estates General
Raadspensionaris	Prime Ministers
Gedelegeerden	Regents/ Attendees to the Estates General
Graf(in)	Count(ess)
Adel	Noble
Regent	Minister
Tovenaar	Mage
Commonly Used Words
Toveren	To Cast Magic
Handel	Trade
Verkiezingen	Elections
Student	(Older) Student
Leerling	(Young) Student
Vrijheid	Freedom
Dokter	Doctor/Medic
Pastor	Priest
Hooghland	Highland

Culture and Society

The Hinterlands are known throughout history for their seamanship and have long worked and operated trading posts all along the Alban Ocean coastline.

Although native to the Hinterlands, many of this species have moved widely, and developed unique regional identities.

An Hinterlander can fulfill many destinies, regardless of his place of origin.

Regional Specificities

Traditionally, the Hintish tradition developed in the Hinterlands has mostly favored a business culture, open to trade and of ancient republican tradition, due to the great influence of wealthy entrepreneurs and merchants in society. The rich merchant nobility of the Hinterlands have always extolled sobriety as a precious value, even if this often hides behind the merchants' natural propensity for stinginess.

Those who consider themselves the "Hinterlands natives" have a society focused on free association and the free flow of ideas.

This strategy has repeatedly made the Hinterlands the richest place on the continent, but also the most unstable and subject to multiple successive internal divisions, despite the Hintish natural propensity for organization and practicality.

The Dale Hinterlanders often challenge their Attian neighbors in funding works of art, especially portraiture of their wealthy merchant families.

The Hinterlanders have historically been great and glorious navigators and some of these known as Alban Hinterlanders do not have a true region of belonging: They are born, live and die on their brigs, calling at the various ports of the Alban Ocean.

These expert navigators and battle-hardened buccaneers transport goods, technologies and information between the various kingdoms of the Western continent, sometimes even attacking other ships while wielding letters of marque from various factions.

The Hinterlanders who chose to settle in Norlanden have adopted part of the traditional culture of the region, where the hostile environment has pushed the men who survived the catastrophe of Magna Attia towards a more militaristic and centralized order.

Hinterlander spirit in the Northern storms has remained intact, but in the snowy lands it has taken on a harsher and more militaristic tone.

Where the Dale Hinterlanders mint large gold coins and exploit the great trade routes that cross the Spine connecting elves and men at the center of the continent, in the north furs, weapons and the magical fangs and claws of the most ruthless creatures are exchanged for silver.

Hintish practicality and mercantile sobriety in the north is also a necessity, the only possible lifestyle: Hintish maritime capabilities make it possible for the Raeven ones to navigate the stormy Northern Seas, avoiding the dangers of the Attia Marshes.

Romance & Marriage

Marriages are more liberated in the Northlands and Hinterlands.

Usually a party is thrown, and the ceremony has to take place in a temple: the one that leads the temple is also the one who gives his blessing to the marriage.

Often the head of the family has to permit for the bride to be married, who commonly ponders marriage agreements on the business interest of the family.

But the bride can end the marriage on the altar at the clergyman’s final offer.

When married, the bride and groom make a holy vow on a Dictus to support each other in times of hardship and well-being. All in all, marriages are a very sober event for the Hinterlanders. Gifts exchanged at weddings are often practical.

It goes without saying that the so-called "Alban Hinterlanders" usually get married at sea, on board their ships, in a sober ceremony

Life & Reproduction

During their lifetime, a Hinterlander always pursues freedom and greedily values personal property.

They have capitalism in their blood and as soon as they manage to get a good sum of money, they try to make it work by investing or creating private businesses, which for them are sometimes even more important than the faction itself.

Even if in the Raeven Hinterlanders this ideal is more flexible, the Dale and Alban Hinterlanders have very great problems in accepting despotism and place great value on republicanism and the widest possible freedom for the individual. Be it your partner or your fellow citizen.

This also very often happens to the detriment of order and stability, so much so that a buccaneer brigantine without a mutiny is said to be unlucky.

Although Hinterlander society is incredibly open to social climbing, noble Hintish families of ancient history and military prestige exist and sometimes try to impose themselves on the newer and more innovative merchant families.

Death & Funerals

In the common Hinterlander culture, the deceased is to be given a proper burial. Graveyards are not considered scary or blighted places but a place of refuge to try and connect with the recently deceased.

Families pay and invest a lot in the decoration of tombstones.

This aspect of Hinterlander culture, however, is closely linked to the personal faith or faction in which one lives.