Samonight

The Kingdom of Samonight (sæ.moʊ.naɪt) is a human nation on the northeastern coast of Kalesten. It is north of Kosony and south of the Lands of Kaius, and bordered by the Green Sea to the west. It only has one major city, Atite, located in the southern point, at the mouth of the Vies River and along the coast of the Green Sea. Samonight is a moderately sized country, but much of the land they claim is timberland uninhabited by humans.

Samonight is known for a rigid, patriarchal culture, but are highly valued as a resource for timber around the Green Sea.

Geography

Samonight is a roughly triangular shaped nation. The western border is defined by the Lyteus River and the east by the Vies River. The northern border is loosely defined, but the region is mostly uninhabited by humans. A corner of their eastern edge is coastline, and the mouth of the Vies provides a port for fishing and trading.

The southern region of Samonight, from the sea coast, along the Vies River to the ocean coast, is mostly open, arable land at a relatively low elevation. The land rises into forested highlands to the north. Most of Samonight's human population is found in the south, with smaller settlements in the north.

Resources

Samonight is known best for its timber trade, and for many Kalesten nations that is the only redeeming quality they see in the oppressive state. Kosony and Kalestein rely heavily on Samonight wood for construction. Parcels of forestland are bought by lords, who then contract merchants in their domain to run logging operations. Other merchants, focused on international trade, buy contracts to sell to their buyers in other nations.

Samonight's crops are limited by a cold climate with harsh winters and mild summers but their soil is rich enough, particularly along the sea and rivers, to support many hardy cold-weather crops. With access to fresh and salt water, fishing is another strong industry, as well as whaling on the ocean. Cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, and fowl are kept as livestock. In northern regions, hunting is more common for subsistence but southern lords and the wealthy hunt for sport. Some food products are traded internationally--preserved meats & fish, cheeses, fermented drinks, and preserved fruits and vegetables. Wool and leather are also traded.

History

Samonight's roots trace back to the Sæmheim settlement of eastern Kalesten. Their ancestors integrated with the native population before the War of the Gods. Following the Cataclysm, survivors rebuilt society in near isolation, which resulted in a culture that was rigidly traditional and independent.

Samonight's joining of the Kalesten Union was reluctant, as they were opposed to the influence of outside cultures, but the benefits were hard to deny. While many former nations that made up the union dissolved into it, Samonight's physical isolation and culture obstinacy maintained a sense of cultural identity distinct from the rest of the Union. Gradually, the Kalestan tongue supplanted the common language spoken in Samonight and the Religion of Light was partially adopted.

When the Union began to crumble, however, Samonight was one of the first nations to withdraw and return to their independence.

Government

Like many Kalesten nations, Samonight is a monarchy, ruled by a strict male inheritance in the role of High Lord. There have been multiple dynasties, the current being the House of Reveigh for the last four generations. Unlike other Kalesten states, Samonight's leadership structure is rather straight-forward. Samonight's founding population was a collection of chiefdoms, later united under the leadership of a high chief. With the influence of other Kalesten nations and a growing population, chiefs became Lords of the Land and the high chief became the High Lord.

Considering the dense wilderness surrounding much of Samonight's settlements, their population is clustered around a handful of small cities, which are under the leadership of a Lord of the Land. This lord oversees the needs of his people directly, while the High Lord is a much more distant figure for them. Lords of the Land are also the support for the High Lord and vote on matters of the state. They can vote to remove a High Lord from his position and select his successor. In cases of failed dynasties, a new High Lord is chosen from the Lords of the Land by vote.

Lords of the Land are also beholden to their people, if they fail to do their duties, cause their people to suffer unduly, or otherwise been unjust to their people, they can be overthrown and replaced by someone else from amongst the populace. For Samonightans, there is nothing inherently great in their leaders by virtue of birth into rank, only greatness in their wisdom and leadership.

In centuries past, it was not uncommon for the Lords to war amongst each other, but after the influence of the Union, Samonightans bonded in their shared culture. Conflicts between lords now tends to be purely political and solved in mediation.

Women hold no political power. For the High Lord, he may marry one or multiple women, often from the houses of the Lords of the Lands. There have been instances of High Lords requesting brides from each of their lords as a show of loyalty, thus marrying multiple women. High Lords also frequently take concubines from any social class. This ensures a pool of potential sons to find an heir amongst.

Succession

The eldest living son, ideally born of the/a wife of the High Lord is typically considered the next in line for the throne, though a king can choose any son to succeed him. Sons born to wives are preferred as they often reinforce the support of influential Lords, but sons born of concubines can be selected if they prove worthy of the position. It is not uncommon for power struggles amongst brothers and half-brothers to "thin the herd" of potential heirs.

While the true-born sons of a High Lord are the preferred choice of successor, illegitimate sons are still given high favor and opportunities to prove themselves. In the end, a successor is selected by the king or by place in the line of succession, but approved by the council of Lords of the Land.

A High Lord who dies without an heir may mark the end of a dynasty, or one his brothers or close kin may take his place. Though rare, it has occurred in the cases of young High Lords killed before they could produce an heir, or a High Lord whose sons have died, or has never fathered a son. In cases of a High Lord's infertility, wives and concubines, as well as others in the monarchy, may conspire to become pregnant by another man--perhaps by a relative or someone who looks similar enough to the High Lord and maintain the secrecy of the child's true paternity.

While women have no power politically, they do have the ear of the High Lord and their own hierarchy based on his favor. It is expected that women who bear him sons are favored by their husband, while daughters or lost pregnancies may lose their favor. Even concubines who bear a son may find themselves in a position to influence the High Lord more than one of his own wives. The lack of a son born of a political union can strain that union as well, as the gender of the child is believed to be decided by the mother.

The mother of a High Lord also enjoys privileges as a dowager when her son ascends the throne, supporting her son from behind the throne, managing his household, selecting his brides, and caring for his children.

Military

Samonight culture has long valued skilled warriors, but nationally, they have more of a collection of militias, each one beholden to their local lord. In Atite, there is more of a formal military serving the High Lord. In the case of war, militias from across the country would be called upon to supplement the Atite forces.

Each city hold of Samonight has their own traditions. Some conscript young men across their hold to serve in the local militia for a time, while others recruit those who are interested. Lords are expected to be capable warriors in most holds, though they may give a younger, fitter son or brother control of the militia in their stead. Typically, militias serve as both as protection for a hold and law enforcement.

People

Samonightans have a rather uniform appearance. They are of fair skin with a warm cast, commonly with dark eyes and brown or black hair. Light colored eyes are rare and found to be highly attractive in their rarity. Hair texture is commonly straight or wavy.

Only humans are considered citizens of Samonight, but Ochae'nafod and Dra'nafod live in the deep forests within the nation's borders. Thus far, the Nafod populations have largely avoided contact, gradually moving further north to avoid timber harvesting. Kuzo can be found in the wilderness.

Culture

Samonight is united in a shared culture that maintains rigid, codified traditions for its population. Their culture was shaped in the aftermath of the Cataclysm, isolated from their neighbors by sea and wilderness for numerous generations, forgetting much of their own history in the struggle to survive. The rigid social structure that formed made order from chaos.

The Codes of Samonight were implemented over eight hundred years prior to the current era, and have changed little since. The Codes are drilled into Samonightans from an early age and for men, they offer three options for a lifepath that serves society; the Warrior, the Merchant, and the Scholar. Women, however, are only given rules that are enforced upon them.

The Code of the Warrior is a path to leadership based on martial prowess, honor, and duty. Followers of this code typically begin their journey by learning traditional combat techniques and joining the local militia in service to their Lord. In addition to acting as protectors for their hold, Warriors are also often laborers, lending their strength to civic projects, such as building fortifications, aiding their neighbors, or logging. Laboring is seen as an honorable duty for their community and a means of improving strength. However, labor on farms or in private households and enterprises is primarily done by the family.

The Codes of the Merchant and Scholar are similar in that they offer a means of success to men who either have no skill or taste for combat, but can offer other skills in support of their nation. Merchants seek to accumulate wealth, not only for their family, but for the benefit of their entire hold. Farmers belong to the Merchant class, as do actual traders.

Scholars are those whose pursuits are intellectual. They are often experts in the Codes, as well as pursuing their own curiosities. This class includes educators, advisors, religious leadership, and mages.

Gender Roles & Sexuality

The most well-known aspect of Samonight culture is their extremely oppressive culture towards women. Women are considered property of their husband or father, and lacking either, the state. Samonight maintains a tradition of giving a dowry along with a bride, which acts as a means of insurance for the husband and a fund to help establish the new bride in his home. For families of little wealth, girls are undesirable, to the point where female infanticide was common, but curbed in the modern era with women's boarding houses.

Women are allowed very little contact with men outside of their home. In public, they are accompanied by their father, brother, husband, or son. Women's dresses are modest, covering from neck to toe, and they are expected to wear a veil over their head.

After menopause, women gain more freedom. Much of the restrictions placed on women in Samonight are meant to enforce control of reproduction, so a woman cannot easily have an affair or be assaulted by a man outside of her household and bear a child that is not her husband's. Once a woman can no longer bear children, these concerns no longer apply--however, they are still expected to have a male escort mainly for their protection.

Samonight's view of same-sex relationships is not technically forbidding, but seen as more of a dalliance or a fling between men, but not an option for marriage. Men are expected to marry a woman and father as many sons as possible for the continuance of his family. Women, with their many restrictions, have little choice in who they marry, let alone defying convention and being in a committed relationship with a woman. While it socially isn't even discussed, relationships between women occur as they are allowed to freely fraternize. When discovered, it is often ignored or dismissed by husbands or other caretakers, but some husbands may take offense to it.

With the rigidity of roles for men and women in Samonight, there is very little room for deviation from expectations for transgender people.

Women's Boarding Houses

In the wake of a severe population imbalance between men and women due to female infanticide, a means of raising unwanted girls for marriage was established in Samonight by decree of the High Lord of the time. Since the inception, boarding houses have become a necessity for each hold. Families who cannot afford a girl child, whom they see as a burden, often leave them at their local boarding house where they are raised and prepared for marriage--or concubinage. Higher class families rarely leave their daughters in the care of boarding houses, but when they do, they either leave babies in secret or give the boarding house a donation.

Boarding houses do not provide a dowry for their brides, instead relying on donations from the local Lord of the Land, merchants, as well as requiring payment for brides. Boarding houses largely provide brides to men of lower economic classes for a small fee. Higher class clients rarely seek brides from the boarding houses, but they do seek concubines and are expected to make a much more expensive donation to the upkeep of the house.

Boarding houses are off-limits to men, aside from presentations of available brides or while leaving a child in their care. The boarding houses are run by older women, often widows and elder women. The complexes are often surrounded by high walls with limited ways inside and guarded by the elder women on the inside and militia on the outside.

Inside the complex, girls are sorted by age. Babies and children are raised by the caretakers, with help from older girls. Girls are educated in social and domestic skills, but given very little education otherwise. They are often illiterate and know very little of the world outside Samonight. At the age of sixteen, they are able to marry, and if a girl is not married by twenty, she cannot remain in the care of boarding house.

Marriage and Concubinage

Marriages are often arranged between families, or between a suitor and a bride's family. Rarely does a man seeking a bride have the opportunity to just meet and get to know a woman before marriage, and even more rarely does a bride have an opportunity to deny a match. Upon marriage, the bride will move into her husband's home--be it the family home or his personal home.

Concubines are a privilege of the wealthiest of Samonight, and the Lords. They are not true wives, but they are the legal responsibility of the man who claims them. Most concubines are chosen from boarding houses, though a Lord may select any woman he desires from his hold--even a man's wife if he compensates the husband financially. Often, concubines are selected from the lower classes and the boarding houses. To take a woman of the same economic class as a concubine would be considered an insult to her family.

Divorce is rare in Samonight, but typically initiated by a husband or a bride's family. Samonight law approves divorces for men on the grounds of infidelity, infertility, and a reasonable case for a dissatisfactory union. Unfortunately, divorced women considered to be at-fault for their divorce are often further punished by being sold into prostitution.

Women have little legal recourse to protect themselves from abuse by their husbands, but if a wife is able to contact her family and they are sympathetic to her needs, a father or brother or other male head of household may petition for the marriage to be dissolved and the return of her dowry. When these cases are made, they are often made by wealthy families for marriages of less than two years. In these cases, a divorcer is legally able to remarry two years after her divorce, but they are often considered less desirable. Such families willing to spare their daughters from an abusive marriage are more likely to keep her under their care if she cannot remarry.

Widows in Samonight society are often regarded with sympathy and given special accommodations. Typically, a young widow without children will be returned to her family, with her dowry. After a two year period of "mourning" she may remarry. A widow with young children is considered to be the responsibility of her husband's extended family. A widow with a teenage son who is old enough to escort his mother can collect a stipend to support her household while her son completes any education, training, or apprenticeship, or rely on her in-laws for support. With adult children, a widow will often be relegated to the care of a son or be allowed to go to a boarding house where she can care for the girls there.

Remarriage for a widow of childbearing age with children is tricky. It isn't uncommon for a brother or other male family member to propose marriage, but she has the right to refuse. The two-year waiting period between marriage is waived in such cases. To remarry outside of her in-laws, her children would be relinquished to their care. The two year waiting period applies in these cases, and she would have no contact with her children from her previous marriage.

Remarriage for men is easy, regardless if they were widowed or divorced, and any children born of previous marriages are his. The only detriment to remarriage maybe if his former wife's family initiated a divorce, or if his previous wife is suspected to have died of unnatural causes--giving a family pause in considering offering their daughters to him. However, such rumors are easily circumvented by taking a bride from a boarding house, a lower social class, or from another hold. Maternal mortality is high in Samonight, as there are no official midwives or other professionals to assist in birth, outside of female family members (often of the husband's family).

Magic

Understanding of the various forms of magic in Samonight are limited, but men following the Code of the Scholar are allowed to study magic. There is some traditional witchcraft along with herbalism and medical knowledge practiced in Samonight. These witch-doctors are often highly valued and respected by their local Lord, given a position of honor in their community.

There are some sorcerers, typically employed by the High Lord, but the resources to educate true sorcerers is limited by the availability of knowledge outside of Emkal. There is a small school of sorcery in Atite that teaches young men the knowledge passed down from a handful of Emkal educated court sorcerers that have served Samonight in the past. Samonight is reluctant to send students to Emkal, and Emkal is likewise reluctant to accommodate their rigid cultural mores. Young sorcerers to-be sent to Emkal rarely return to Samonight, often preferring to remain in a less oppressive nation that engages their curiosity and allows them to fraternize with women freely.

Religion

Samonight follows a heavily reinterpreted version of the Religion of Light that was introduced during their time in the Kalesten Union. Historically, Samonight had developed an animistic religion with shamanist magic, attributed to the religion of the indigenous population that merged with the Sæmdheimdan settlers. The land that became Samonight was far enough away from the conflict between the dragons Kaius and Shurra to not be influenced by the dragon-worship that defines their Kaian neighbors.

Following the Cataclysm, animism persisted, but the strongly-enforced gender roles made shamanism and any forms of magic a masculine practice. When the more egalitarian Religion of Light was introduced, Samonightans were opposed to the inclusion of goddesses or women in the service of the divine. Samonightan scholars rewrote the established mythology to enforce their cultural identity, and streamlined the roles of male gods. The Seasonal Goddesses, Erada, Luma, and Draia were cut from the pantheon or reduced to wives or mothers subservient to male gods. Acoassa was gender-swapped and the male gods were established in support of the Codes. Saeven became a god of the Warriors, Casril the god of Merchants, Essan the god of Scholars, and Acoassa as an enforcer of law and order.