Above: An example of the type of ceremonial clothes that would be worn by a Quorothi dancer. Open With the World The Quorothi culture is heavily based upon the Rhoynar’s beliefs and the aftermath of the pilgrimage into the interior. One of the most notable aspects of Rhoynish culture was its high degree of gender equality. Both men and women could rule in their own right; women served in their cities' armed forces and were said to fight as fiercely as the men. In the same way, the Quorothi’s social structure does not use gender as a factor. Those who are most skilled (whether in hunting, exploring, building, etc.) contribute the most to the greater good of the Quorothi. They are highly respected and act as leaders in order to efficiently fulfill tasks such as: organizing buildings, leading a hunt, or being trusted to return from the jungles with research from exploring. The highest social status is given to wiser and older members with the most experience; yet overall, most of the Quorothi are treated as equals.
Rhoynar religion was also very distinctive; it was based on the worship of Mother Rhoyne, the goddess personified by the river. Its pantheon included minor deities such as King Crab and the Old Man of the River, who took the form of a giant turtle. Large turtles actually did live in the river and were held sacred by the Rhoynar. After Nymeria brought her people to Sothoryos, the people of Yeen still worshipped gods, mainly animals and the river. Then, when the people were forced to flee Yeen, their faith was crushed from their near extinction. Yet, they continued the caravan into the interior and at last came to their home where the wyverns lived in peace. While the Quorothi originally worshipped the river and water, their focus shifted to the flying wyvern and the land animals that clothed and fed them. Now they have the deepest respect for the land; they worship the wyverns that appear as guardians as well as the grazing zorse whose body and strength have many diverse uses. The jungle and its more deadly inhabitants are feared, but respected. The Quorothi religion is centered around treating the land with respect in order to survive. The children of Quor are educated in the ways of the Quorothi throughout their young age. All skills are taught; children learn how to read, write, prepare food, sew, tend to the fields, etc. The history of Quor is taught as well; stories are passed down about the pilgrimage from Yeen to the Wyvern Plains and small pieces of Rhoynar history. When the children get older and can hold their own, they are taken hunting, taught to skin animals, survival skills, and weaponry use. Throughout this time, the elderly villagers tell stories about the dark, creeping jungle and its victims, that may or may not be true, to keep the children from wandering. At the age of around 15, all children eventually are taken into the jungle in order to learn about survival, learn the ways of mapping and exploring, and overcome the fear that was ingrained into them. The children who possess an ability to connect with animals, which is very rare, usually sneak away and discover their bond, while then returning safely on their own. This rite of passage marks the transition from a child to a full functioning villager of Quor. All of the Quorothi are taught these skills, but most stay dedicated to a couple different ones. As a result of the small population in Quor and the family culture, there is no distinct governmental body. Decisions that require a verdict, such as the isolation of those who have an incurable disease or determining large parties for exploration, are usually made by the population as one. While some can earn more respect and carry more weight in decisions, there are no official titles, no elections, and no elites. A similar mindset is ingrained into the economy of Quor: monopolies and currency do not exist. Wealth is evenly distributed and trade between peoples is how goods and services are consumed. Other than hunting and expanding, the Quorothi are left with an entire continent of resources and all the time to spend on other activities. Crafting is a significant part of Quorothi culture. Small statues of indigenous creatures are carved from the jungle’s rich red-brown wood which are then given as gifts and kept fondly. Furniture and other usable items are built in order to decorate the home. The wide variety of wildflowers and berries are used to make beautiful vibrant dyes of all shades. Hues of bright reds, violets, deep greens, and orange-yellows are more commonly used. These are incorporated into tapestries with illustrations and geometric patterns made of linen made from flax and other plants. These dyes are also used in special clothing made for ceremonies and other events, like the return of an exploration or a funeral. Yet most of the time, the people of Quor wear leather, pelts, and clothes made from leaves and neutral-colored cloth. Hunting and exploring require sturdy clothes and shoes, but they must also provide camouflage as to not attract attention from dangerous creatures or the prey being hunted. The people of Quor express themselves through movement. Elaborate dances are performed at ceremonies for the enjoyment of others; dances are also used in story telling of old tales of mythical creatures or battles long forgotten. Some more rugged dances use their blades while others use fire. Drums made of tree trunks and covered with skins are used for rhythmic music along with shakers filled with seeds and sands. The Quorothi also enjoy the sport of hunting for recreation. The mastery of the bow and arrow and other weapons is not only used as a means for survival, but has become an enjoyment to do with others. Every couple full moons, the Quorothi organize a large hunt where all who participate hunt for the freshest, plumpest fishes, fowl, and meats. Then, all varieties of spices, fruits, and vegetables that have been harvested are used to create a feast for the whole village. This has become a celebration of survival within the interior and for the resources of life that the land has provided them. The Quorothi respect the land and animals around them as well as strengthen the bonds between each other. The people of Quor used to live in isolated fear, but they have now developed a culture of appreciation and openness to the world.
0 Comments
"The Quorothi place value on their knowledge of the land and learning to coexist with its inhabitants." A Modest Economy In a land where the jungle creeps in during the night and creatures of all sizes and threats dwell in the undergrowth, survival is the utmost priority. The people of Quor live in a small cluster of villages in the center of Sothoryos, unbeknownst to the rest of the world. Mass production of goods, trade with foreign peoples, and even currency are unknown concepts. Despite the goldmine of resources to be discovered within the unexplored continent, the economy of Quor in the interior of Sothoryos is modest and self-sustaining. Production in Sothoryos is heavily defined by the natural resources available. The soils of the Wyvern Plains produce bountiful vegetation: tall grasses and wood for building, foodstuffs like mushrooms, fruits, and roots, and the occasional medicinal plant. As a result, the fauna in Sothoryos is just as abundant. While the more deadly animals pose threats, there is also an endless supply of herbivores to hunt and eat. Other than these renewable resources, the Quorothi rarely find nonrenewable ores and precious gems, such as ruby, gold, or topaz. These are usually found in alluvial deposits along the Wryn River that have been pushed to the surface over time. The majority of Quor consists of non-specialized labor. Certain villagers may hunt more or manage the building of huts and irrigation systems, but the majority of the Quorothi learn multiple skills. Most people do not do a single task; this would be inefficient as the population as a whole is relatively small. Furthermore, the non-labor population (the elderly who are too old to do physical labor or the children who are too young) must be fed and taken care of. The children and elderly help craft if they can, or help women in the village maintain the grounds, cook, or sew. Capital takes the form of buildings, domesticated animals, and weapons. Those who are the best hunters or explorers, receive the best weaponry in order to protect both themselves and the rest of the population. Those who do the most work building will in turn, have more help building a bigger and stable house for their family. Those who are good-hearted and have a natural connection with animals, are chosen and given the privilege to meet with the wyverns. These are the only people in the villages who have a specialized labor: they spend their time strengthening their relationship with the wildlife and exploring deep in the jungles of Sothoryos. Entrepreneurship is not a part of the Sothoryi culture. One will not benefit from business; prosperity as defined in Quor will only come to the ones actively engaging in the overall prosperity of the people. Consumption is simple when there are no nearby groups of people to trade with. The Quorothi build shelters for every family in the grasslands away from the jungles; each village is surrounded with short fencing to keep the larger wild animals out. Once the people of Quor determined which produce was non-poisonous, they have a large supply almost year-round due to their fields along the Wryn. Wildlife is also a constant source of food and clothing. Pelts from herding animals are used to make leather or warmer fur clothes for the colder savanna climate at night. The necessities of life are taken care of by the surrounding land, this allows the Quorothi to have specific wants as well. As Sothoryos jungles are filled with potential disease, medicine is highly sought after. Fear of plague is ongoing; abandoning those who are ill is disheartening for all members of the village. Even when no one has caught a disease, the people of Quor search the jungles for herbs and plants that can cure the different sicknesses they encounter. Maps are made to designate what areas have been searched and what location plants have been found. This has caused an ongoing interest in exploring what lies beyond the Green Haven, despite the fear of death. The Quorothi also seek to one day, coexist with all of the wildlife of Sothoryos. There are some younger Quorothi who are able to develop an unexplainable bond with certain species found in Sothoryos. They are free-spirited and are usually the explorers of Quor. The bond is a mysterious phenomenon, but the Quorothi believe that the longer they preside in the Wyvern Plains, the jungle is slowly accepting its people. A few are chosen to represent the villages with the top of the food chain, the wyverns, in order to gain the trust of their protectors; they travel to where the wyverns reside and leave gifts of food or gems. Only a few have gained their trust, enough to touch the steel-hard scales without losing a limb in the process. Surviving is a top priority, but knowledge of the land and coexisting with its inhabitants are also significant to the people of Quor and have affected their daily lives. The interior of Sothoryos has a traditional economy. With no one to export with and no interest in moving outside of the Wyvern Plains, barter and trade take the place of currency. The surplus of natural resources is only limited by the work put into harvesting and hunting for the food and the amount of people who are able to do so. Smaller crafts such as furniture, cooking, weapons, or clothes are traded between people, while more significant items like maps or books are shared with all. The most respected hunters, crafters, explorers, etc. are given gifts and ceremonies from all of the tribes in order to display appreciation and bring the Quorothi closer. Feasts including sparse fish, delectable fruits, and various meats occur on special occasions. Everyone is fed, clothed, and given shelter. Skill beyond the basics are sometimes a specialty and shared in return for other goods or services. As a group of people who escaped from near extinction in Yeen, it is of no surprise that the people of Quor are similar to one family with an economy of generosity. "Medicinal herbs are highly sought after. The Quorothi search non-stop for rare cures of the many diseases that live with them in Sothoryos."
Pictured above: Nymeria, warrior queen and Princess of the Rhoynar Tales of War The Old Empire of Ghis was one of the oldest known nations and cultures in the world that reigned over most of Essos. The Ghiscari Empire established the outposts on the northern shores of Sothoryos; it raised the walled city of Zamettar at the mouth of the Zamoyos and the grim penal colony of Gorosh on Wyvern Point. After the Valyrians discovered dragons and quickly rose to power, the Ghiscari wanted dragons for their own. Five great wars were fought between Ghiscar and the Freehold. During the Fourth Ghiscari War, the dragonlords of the Valyrian Freehold captured the colony of Zamettar, the only major city on the coast of Sothoryos. The Valyrians destroyed Ghis with their dragons. With the empire collapsing, the original Ghiscari bloodline was nearly wiped out, along with its religion, culture and language. However, the Valyrian Freehold's expansion from the east threatened to overtake one of the three major ethnic groups from which the humans of Westeros descend, the Rhoynar. For around two and a half centuries, the Rhoynish Wars were fought between the Valyrians and the Rhoynar. In the last of the Rhoynish Wars, Prince Garin led two hundred and fifty thousand Rhoynar to their deaths in battle against the 300 dragons commanded by Valyrian dragonlords. The warrior-queen Nymeria led the surviving Rhoynar in fleeing Essos in ten thousand ships. During their migration, the Rhoynar settled on Sothoryos, mainly on Zamettar, which had been abandoned already for a thousand years. Nymeria remained there with the ships while some of her people made their way upriver to Yeen. Despite the riches to be found on Sothoryos, many Rhoynar fell to disease, parasites, predators, and struggled to survive for that year. A boat sent from Zamettar to Yeen found that all of its inhabitants - men, women, and children - had vanished overnight. Afterwards, Nymeria abandoned Zamettar and returned to the sea where she led the surviving Rhoynar to Dorne in southern Westeros. From this point, the Quorothi people being their history as a colony that narrowly escaped extinction in Yeen, but had also been left behind by Nymeria and the rest of the Rhoynar. Many of Quor’s customs and values are drawn from their culture as Rhoynar. The Rhoynar lived in city-states along the vast network of the river Rhoyne; The Quorothi people live in small camps along the river Wryn. The Rhoynar taught the Andals how to work iron, and some of the survivors from Nymeria’s voyage in Yeen were able to teach the ways of the blacksmith and building weapons to others. Historically, the Rhoynar practiced a number of customs that differ from mainstream Andal culture. They practiced equal primogeniture, granting inheritances to the eldest child regardless of gender. Due to their origin in city-states, the Rhoynar titled their rulers Princes and Princesses. Similarly, the people of Quor value age and experience and have a deep respect for those who have survived in Sothoryos the longest, treating both women and men equally. The Quorothi do not title their leaders as Princes or Princesses; the people of Quor had to adapt to a new way of life that is heavily centered on survival and teamwork. There is no one ruler in Quor, but rather several leaders who are proficient in their skill: hunting, exploring, organizing, building, etc. For only when all of the small population of Quor work together, are they able to survive and continue growing. The Rhoynar originally worshipped a number of river-themed nature gods. Their primary god was Mother Rhoyne, or Mother River, the personification of the river Rhoyne itself. In a similar way, the people of Quor almost worship the Wryn river. The Wryn is the only source of fresh water all the way from Lake Nyw, and its water sustains the edible foods they grow and wildlife that live nearby. The people respect the river and attempt to keep its water as clean as possible. The Quorothi also worship the wyverns that reside in the Green Haven. The wyverns hunt the most dangerous animals that live in the nearby jungles, and yet ignore the people living in their territory as well as the weaker herd animals. Some people in Quor, when disarmed, are even able to approach the wyverns and give offerings such as food to them. The relationship between the people of Quor and the wyverns suggest that the wyverns are the protectors of the Wyvern Plains and all that reside in it. Genealogy is not as important as in Westeros; the people of Quor have many teachers who teach the children the Quorothi way. Almost everyone becomes a brother or family to each other, and therefore ancestry is not as significant when the all of the old takes care of all of the new. The history of Quor is passed down through oral tradition, but people still attempt to keep track of the years and events on paper made from blended leaf pulp that is then poured and pressed. Those who write history are the older villagers who have experienced the most and have the time and capability to write. For the most part, tales of war and thousands of soldiers and ships are told to the children who listen in disbelief. When Yeen was under attack from the "brindled ghouls" in the jungle, the Quorothi followed the river upstream in order to escape the jungle crawling in, the aggressive animals, and the festering diseases. Now, the history of that voyage upstream is imbedded in everyday life; the people of Quor avoid the jungle at all costs except for exploring. They keep to themselves as a group in the same way their ancestors traveled to Sothoryos before them. They have learned to isolate those who are diseased in fear of another epidemic, for the greater good of them all. In this way, the Quorothi have been able to survive and thrive in the grasslands of the Wyvern Plains deep in the middle of Sothoryos, and longer than any other colony in Sothoryos history. Pictured above: The Ghiscari Wars, the Valyrian Freehold clashed with the ancient Ghiscari Empire to determine which would be the dominant power in the continent of Essos
|
AuthorMy name is Jenna and I am currently a full time undergraduate college student and dreamer. Archives
April 2017
Categories |