Lymian

Lymian people are a mostly Tholian ethnic group living in most of modern day Lymia, they speak a dialect of the Silnarian language, and their current language is still mutually intelligible with their western variant. They mostly follow the Silnarian religion.

General Information

• Primary Faith: Silnarian
• Language: Silnarian
• Locations: Lymia
• Minority: Silnaria, Overseas
• Races: Mostly Tholian elves with a significant minority of Lathian elves.
• Inheritance Law: Gender-equal Primogeniture.
• Slavery: Lymian dislikes the idea of chattel slavery - with the idea of enslaving fellow Lymian elves being one of the chief cause for their rebellion. However, indentured servitude is fine - but expected to be generous for elves. As for beastkins and kuileis amongst their midst, treatment is much worse.
• Name Generation: Same as Silnarian

Cultural Traits

Lymian shares a lot of traits with the Silnarian as a former constituent of their Empire.

• Literate Culture: Literacy amongst the Lymian are very high and there’s a focus on studying - especially of magic even amongst the commoners, with it being seen as a good way to advance in society.
• Magocracy: Lymian love mage even more than the Silnarian, with the gravity of magic study shifting east to the rich mercantile cities of the east. Being a mage of some sort is a necessity to sit in the Parliament and hold most positions of significant power. When it comes to battle prowess though, spellblades are as respected as pure mage.
• Mercantile Pride: Lymian are very accepting of the merchant class and see it as a prestigious profession.
• Diverse Appropriation: Lymian are very accepting of appropriating other culture’s elements and incorporating it into their own.
• Seafarer: Lymian values seafaring and has a great mercantile culture, dominating the trade around most of the core region of Ramul Ta, and their ships can be seen sailing everywhere.
• Liberty for All: Liberty for everyone! But only the elves, but it is not explicitly written down. After winning their freedom, Lymian took pride in their newfound burghers led and relatively democratic country. There is a slight source of pride amongst most Lymian of their newfound civilized form of government, which they regard as superior.
• Inheritor of the Empire: Lymian generally believe the type of Lathian-led Silnari civilization is over, and it is their turn, and some of them believe it is their destiny to take their western brethren under their protection now. This is largely echoed amongst intellectual and nobles. Regular citizens don’t usually give that much of a shit.
• Kinship: Compared to the Silnarian, the Lymian don’t value familial ties as much, but extended family and clan is still very common and kinship is seen as very important.
• Citizen Army: There’s a great focus on militia and the duty of the city’s citizens to train in warfare and be mobilized at any time - however, mercenaries are largely preferred for smaller affairs and foreign war.

Cuisine

Lymian cuisine is based mostly on the cultivation of wheat and rice, with barley regulated to animal feed - but sometimes roasted and made into barley tea, which is considered to be a great summertime drink that is refreshing, and fights off the heat and humidity of the land. The Lymian diet incorporates both Silnarian and its own influence - with pasta variants just as varied as Silnaria, while southern dishes tend to incorporate rice as a primary grain, which are of the long-grain variety and fluffy in nature, similar to that commonly eaten by the Runran. High end Lymian rice and pasta based cuisine tends to be creamy in nature and incorporate various kinds of Silnarian creamy sauce. Rice noodles and vermicelli are also popular in the south, and often also fried.

Chicken, ducks, pork and mutton are the most common types of meat found in the Lymian diet, with beef being relatively rare. Lard is the primary type of fat used in Lymian diet, with expensive oil made from various kinds of nuts being prominent amongst upper class diet. Seafood is used extensively in the Lymian diet - mostly freshly caught and prepared, often fried and baked - sometimes with imported cheese. Garum - fermented fish sauce, is similarly popular in Silnaria as a type of flavoring, and in Lymia almost entirely replaces normal salt. Lymian mostly imports their cheese. Lymian cuisine incorporates some Runran dishes.

Like the Silnarian, Lymian make prominent usage of imported sugar in their diet, using it to flavor different kinds of drinks and decadent pastries.

Drinks wise, Lymian drinks a mixture of beer and wine. Rice alcohol is nearly unheard of. Distilled alcohol is not popular compared to the ubiquitous beer and wine.

Lymian cuisine are based on Italian cuisine with a significant cultural influence from Dim Sum

Famous regional dish includes:

• Fried Rice - Usually made with egg, fish sauce, and sometimes dried fish and shrimp for flavor, a distinctively Runran import
• Creamed Rice - A creamy and hearty dish similar to the risotto
• Tea Treats - Small pieces of pastries usually with thin skin wrapped around meat or vegetables or even potatoes that are fried or steamed, served together with tea and wine in a merchant house.

Warfare & Tactics

Lymian warfare largely inherits that of the Silnarian - but the relatively low amount of pasture land in Lymia lead to a different set of tactical priority. Composite bows are widely used, alongside foot archers, and there’s a greater focus on using larger shields to cover archers and foot maneuvering. Foot mages are used widely, while horse-drawn artillery tends to be used where possible - in even greater amounts than the Lymian. There is a great focus on siege warfare and fortification compared to the Silnarian, and the Lymian countryside is dotted with dozens and dozens of well maintained fortifications.