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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Idabrius" data-source="post: 4288422" data-attributes="member: 67832">Halflings; Pried. The very words invoke the rigid societies of these people. Looking upon one of them in a robe or tunic that has silver, gold, wood plates sewn into it we are constantly reminded of their station in life--as are they. Unlike most of us, the pried are dominated not by their males but by their females. The Priesthood Council of Demat is composed singularly of female halflings. Most of their great thinkers, artisans, and leaders were female. A man is expected to learn and take on the caste-roll of his spouse and his children will follow his wife's caste-roll as well.They were once slaves to the Cyclops, that much is commonly known. They lived on the Cyclopian Isles before the great city of Ker'yis was drowned; some still do. Their religion has been carried with them from those days, and they speak to their gods through intermediaries known as the Drowned Ones--their ancestors who did not escape the Drowning. Halfling worship is divided up into two camps or "courts". Some nations primarily worship the Sunwarden and her allies, who are a warlike tribe of gods that live on an island and some primarily worship the Reed Queen and her followers, who live in the Reedland. Both courts dwell in the Duat, receiving prayers and granting them from time to time. Collectively, these deities are known as the Masters of Salt and Wave.The largest halfling nation this close to the coast is Demat, settled when they first landed after the Drowning. Its hero and founder was called Ysabell Calla Deathcaller and it was under her leadership that the nation was founded. Demat, like the other nearby halfling nation of Stêr, is a forest of tiered stone buildings and vast canals. The halflings know the secrets of drawing water from a low place to a high one, and of using it to open heavy doors and even to raise slabs of stone.The halfling castes are divided into three general categories in Demat: The High Castes, which include priests and the sages, the House Castes which include the high artisans and engineers, and the Minor Castes which are the workers and lesser artisans. Farmers have a category of their own, considered socially equal to the House Castes for a family-head (matriarch) but all others are within the Minor Castes.Halflings from any nation name themselves as a personal and then family name (which is inherited through the matriarch) followed lastly by their caste-title. Some important Caste Titles from Demat include...Religious Castes:Deathspeaker; the highest religious caste, the Mistcaller is a High Priestess, usually someone on the Priesthood Council.Lorekeeper; a slightly lesser religious caste, Lorekeepers are religious historians, and may also be on the Priesthood Council.Sunkeeper or Reedward; the clerics who oversee temples or religious ceremonies of importance, usually tasked with teaching apprentice clerics.Mistcaller; a cleric with no standing who has passed her Trials.Acolyte; a novice cleric who has not yet passed her Trials.Scholarly Castes:Seaholder; engineers trained in working with water.Wordmason; scribes and other professional writers.Willworker; wizards and other arcane spellcasters.Most of the House and Minor castes are named after their professions; ie, "Highmason" and "Mason" for master and minor masons.The political structure of Demat, the closest halfling nation, is based upon the Priesthood Council, established by Ysabell Calla Deathspeaker. The Council is composed of twenty seven clerics who are voted to serve for life by the High and House castes. The Council debates all courses of legislation whereas a specific caste of Wordmasons, the Truthseekers, run the court systems. Council debates require a majority vote for most normal actions.The court systems of Demat are complex and sometimes convoluted. Truthseekers oversee them and make inquiries into the allegations (which may be brought forth by any caste, though Minor castes must have patronage from a House or High cast halfling before they may accuse High caste members) while each side is given the council of Lawknowers (whose caste-profession is dedicated to contemplating the laws of Demat).Halflings are normally 36-38’ in stature. They normally do not wear beards or facial hair of any kind, though they do grow it and have to keep it trimmed.Halflings of Demat (and Ster) tend to wear longer clothes with more layers; robes are the norm for higher castes. Lower castes wear fewer layers or even tunics. Members of every caste sew plates of gold, silver, ivory, chased wood, and other materials into their clothing in order to display their places in society and their pride in their heritage. These are often carved with small scenes from Pried history or long passages from the Kevrin Levr.Sample Halfling Names (Female): Beladore, Berthild, Driserys, Metlia, Prostlon, Rozen, Ysabell, Alaiett, Armelle, Benac, (Male): Adiuni, Belado, Conbrit, Disideri, Heranal, Lagu, Maeldoi, Kanan, Maonirn, Mihael</blockquote>

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