Vieran Biology & Culture

Fanon, Overarching FF Lore & Official FFXIV Lore, Amalgamated by Ludda

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Author Ludda | Editors Adenine, Kildaroy

History

Thousands of years ago, there existed a peculiar breed of bestial spoken known as ‘the Viera’ or ‘The People of the Wood’ as the name defines. While history has faded memories of a once open, consolidated empire existing amongst their people, these became myths to many historians; tales all but lost to the annals of time, a fate for many other fallen empires. These rabbit-like men and women were later rediscovered on the southern tip of Othard within the Golmore jungle amongst highly secluded villages – secretive not only from outsiders, but even that of other neighboring Viera. These locations were hidden by a special powder known as Vision Dust, created by each clan’s designated Salve-Maker. To create this unique dust, these shamans are tasked with catching the Vorpal Bunny, a creature who only appears once every seven turns – considered also a rite of passage into the practice itself. From its tail came the reagents to create the concealing Vision Dust.The Green Word – known primarily as the long-time overarching law presiding over Golmore – is in direct ties to the Viera’s connection to the Wood. The Wood is an unseen force that holds authority over these people and their livelihoods. It is not entirely discernable what the nature of the Wood and its Green Word are, as the nature of Viera being so secretive lends to little known knowledge over their most highly revered divine entity. Outside scholars have suggested it is potentially comparable to Elementals from the Black Shroud or even a force as powerful as a primal. Exiled Viera spoke of once hearing the Wood’s voice speak to them, but once leaving the confines of Her shrouding canopies, became all but deaf to Her voice forever. What the Wood does for them, outside of speaking wisdom primarily to their Elders and protecting them with their laws is unknown, though some believe it to be a divine feminine force keen on non-interference.

As time progressed, some of these Golmoran beastfolk grew dissatisfied with their isolationist society within the Wood. Choosing to go against the almost monastic lifestyle they were accustomed to, some northern tribes migrated into the mountainous taiga regions of Skatay, outside of the Green Words safety. Unlike their predecessors, these migrants were more open to the other races of Hydaelyn. Chief among them were their western neighbors, where the kingdom of Ivalice once resided. This acceptance and intermingling of peoples resulted in mixed Viera children, dubbed Feol. This name came as a homage to the Ivalician myth of Feolthanos, an elder god who conceived with a full-blooded Viera to make the first mixed-race of their kind. Despite the dilution of their bestial heritage, Feol would always be born with Vieran features, while potentially taking some secondary features from their non-Vieran parent – such as hair colour, skin colour, and eye colour.

As the years came and went, the Viera who left the jungles became drastically different from their sisters who remained in Golmore, thus causing the distinctive divide in racial clan: the Veena of Skatay and the Rava of Golmore. As the Veena expanded northward in efforts to claim resources, they sought to reunite with their ancestral home. Seeking to create amicable relations with the Rava, they reached out to trade with their native kin. Devoutly strict to their solitary traditions in concert with the Green Word, the Rava villages received their offers apprehensively, but did not wish to outright abandon their sisters in the north. In a desire to come to agreeable terms, it was decided upon by both clans that further mixed-breeding be forbidden if they wished to stay in connection. Fran of the Eryut stated that the Feol became "the Exiled" as they are seen as abominations by their full-blooded kin. It was also stated their particular kind didn't obey the rules of the Green Word, perhaps as a result of being born outside the Wood’s domain. As time passed, the Veena bloodlines thickened once more with Vieran blood, but the distinctive traits of varying eye colours, hair colours and fair skin was a lingering mark of their ancestors straying from the blessed silver tresses and umber skin of their Rava roots. Many Veena to this day freely come and go from their villages²ᵃ, either as a result of their Feol heritage or war having touched the southwestern caps of the Skatay foothills displacing them. While it is uncommon, Veena and Rava are known to mate with each other. That being said, the differing cultures, tainted hereditary line and strict divide on beliefs typically causes this to be undesirable – primarily from the Rava side. Veena ancestry within Rava clans can be noted by some kits having somewhat fairer skin than the average pureblooded Rava. This is usually the extent of recessive traits passed down through any extensively distant bloodlines (indirect parenthood).

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Author Ludda | Editors Adenine, Kildaroy

Biology, Reproduction
& Sexual Culture

It is estimated that around 80% of Viera are born female, with males and females being identical at birth until they leave adolescence and reach adulthood around the age of 13. Males thereon become distinguishable from females as they begin to display sexual dimorphism¹ and are identified as either a ‘jack’¹ᵃ or ‘doe’ respective to their gender. The average pureblooded Viera are notably born with digitigrade feet – often times with three toes – that incline them toward heeled shoes; as well do they have long, strong claws that have helped them in the wilderness for thousands of years. While observed to be sporadic through lineages, many are also noted to have short, tufted tails. Through the period of evolving bloodlines as a result of mixed breeding, many Vieran tribes have gone through convergent evolution, which saw the introduction of flat feet, the loss of their tails, more toes and as noted – a change of hair and skin tone.

While the females take up the mantle of protecting their young and the surrounding premise of their villages, much of the region's protection comes from the overprotective male Viera and their constant watch over Golmore’s vast floors. It is presumed jacks are treated much the same in Skatay, although their departure from Rava tradition could have some clans going against this in theory – there are no known clans documented that do so.A post-pubescent jack differs from a doe in a number of ways, without including his primary sexual characteristics. A more shallow slope from his foot to his ankle coupled with an overall stouter figure leads to the average male being two to three ilms shorter than the average female. This lowered foot posture is thought to offer a slight increase in the man’s ability to grip and scale trees, at the cost of a slower sprinting speed compared to women – a trait which would prove advantageous to a jack’s lifestyle of stealth.

Wood-warders

Despite being excluded from female villages, male Viera still play an important role in Viera society by taking on the mantle of Wood-warders, serving as protectors of the forest. The duty of a Wood-warder is to ensure that the domain of their tribe is untouched by outsiders, whether those outsiders are of another race or are Viera from another tribe.Male Viera return to their village every three to five years not only to mate but to claim any young males that have entered adulthood yet still live within the village, as their wards, to teach them how to survive in the wilderness on their own and without the crutch of companionship.Only after many seasons of training and strict adherence to the Word of the Wood [Green Word] will the students earn the title of master and be allowed to seek solitude.The training required to become a Wood-warder often leaves more than a few to perish during the brutal rite of passage, further thinning the number of males in the tribe.It is standard that Wood-warders attack from the shadows, often shooting first and not even bothering with asking questions.-Wandering Dramaturge, Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood

Upon being distinguished as a male soon after coming of age, a young jack is taken in as a ward by a sole Wood-warder, who is then considered his master.² (Elaborated further in Social Culture) Vieran males are notorious for their often excessively defensive antics — to the point of being known for hostility — even amongst their own kin. Within Vieran society, they are kept entirely separated from the females and only meet for an arrangement of breeding every three to five years, after brutal ritualistic training to overcome the trials of the perilous jungle. Whether this behaviour is learned or in their nature has yet to be put into full study, as many young Vieran boys show signs of aggression once developing their sexual organs and therefore are as a result then immediately segregated from the women until they are retrieved by a Vieran male Wood-warder. If arranged with a female mating partner, the Vieran male will return for only one moon each year until their end of the agreed upon courtship and then leave again in full once the set amount of litters has been met. While it is uncommon to have the same male partner for more more than one litter, some females choose to conceive with the same male if they feel particularly attracted to their partner of choice.The act of having sex between males and females of the Vieran race is considered very brusque and primitive. The males – generally disinclined toward sensuality due to isolation – conduct in intercourse premeditatively and intensely. As a result of this, over time leporine biology has allowed for the female Viera to achieve an oestrus-like state during coitus – making their fertility rates unnaturally high by most spoken standards. This period of receptivity is largely an evolutionary reaction, as similarly to Mist-Frenzies brought upon by oversaturations in aether, the female will become overly receptive in an attempt to dilute discomfort and equalize with an aggressive male. This particular event makes them almost equally as excessive, but can only be achieved mid-intercourse.While not overly understood amongst the Viera due to their somewhat archaic ways of living, sterility rates amongst the males is high – with infertility amongst the females being almost non-existent. This unfortunate lack of knowledge often has the females put to blame for lack of conception in their societies, due to ignorance over the technicalities behind the failure.

Female Viera who dedicate their lives full time to becoming Mothers typically do so in increments of ten years in order to have a full “litter” as they are described. A Mother is expected to have four kits within a ten turn timespan; preferably five years, so that they may be raised alongside one another. Depending on the length of time in which a Mother partakes in this arrangement, the doe might find herself becoming both physically and mentally exhausted. Many young Vieran women are often left to care for their inevitably unwell mother – this leading to later litters being more sporadic in age-gap as conception can often become more difficult, due to undesired engagement from the female.Within Vieran culture it is known to never speak of the tribulations that come about from the breeding process. Doing so is perceived as minimizing an enduring act of service for reproduction to a level of victimhood that the participants do not generally vocally accept. Males are infrequently acknowledged within female society, however upon the Wandering Dramaturge asking a Vieran woman if she did not find her tribe's ways awkward, inquiring over whether or not it was within the natural order for males and females of a species to coexist, her response was:

"The value of coexistence will not be found 'neath a loincloth. Long has our kind endured understanding that the distance 'twixt two bodies does not dictate the distance 'twixt two souls."- Anonymous Female Viera

The culture around reproduction is received with mixed feelings amongst all clans – north or south – despite this, there is no prevailing animosity from the females directly toward males or vice versa. Their feelings – if any – directed more so toward their traditions as a whole, than those affected by it.The choice to partake in this particularly aged Rava tradition is entirely up to the woman and not forced upon any of them. That being said, some young women are not wholly aware of what they are getting themselves into and volunteer primarily based on chauvinism. While some find enjoyment in the act – there are just as many who quietly find it detrimental and degrading – the acceptance of such varies greatly from Viera to Viera. Not as commonly documented, males have been said to experience some of the same distress, although these cases are unsubstantiated. Much as this practice is common amongst traditional Rava, some Veena tribes stray from archaic Vieran traditions as a result of outsider influence – the notion of Mothers being one of many; its acceptance varies per tribe.

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Author Ludda | Editors Adenine, Kildaroy

Government

The governing systems and politics surrounding Vieran culture are perhaps one of its lesser known subjects to outsiders. While archives of Vieran society existing under a monarchy eons ago are recorded, the subject of this past is kept highly secretive. A somewhat unknown turning point came from within Vieran culture that caused a shift inward from a once expansive open empire into outright isolationism. In the wake of this ethical shift, governing systems changed from a once unified empire into fractured independent villages, until eventually the two known factions surfaced – upon the forming of the Veena and their acceptance by the Rava. There on, the authority of a singular, all-powerful queen had become a thing of the past as villages began to feel their voices were largely ignored amongst the chaos.It was during this period of change that a notoriously outspoken elder, Alys the Ensorceled, petitioned for the introduction of a new form of legislation. Finding compromise amongst all major clans that agreed to participate, the adoption of the Golmoran Alþingi (all-thin-gy | Althingi) was born, in Common translating directly to “General Thing” – a perhaps somewhat pertinent nomenclature. The Alþingi of Golmore was structured as a governing assembly, made up of the free people of the community to be presided over by law speakers and an elected Ráðskona (rauth-scowne-ah | Rauthskona) – an overarching chieftain. These law speakers were voted into power by each respective village’s population that participated in the Alþingi; they were dubbed the village’s Elder. Ráðskonas are equally voted into power, however only previously and currently elected Elders are eligible, and votes were tallied by a village electoral vote rather than a popular vote. Once elected into the position of Ráðskona, the leader maintains the position for life – until either battle, illness or age takes them – and is expected to primarily organize the assembly of all village Elders to discuss political climate and domestic welfare. Once becoming a Ráðskona, their previous clan association is overwritten in favour of faction association in an effort to combat village nepotism. The position of Elder is a one-hundred year term – these rules having been agreed upon in the initial compromise between all participating villages.The village of Eryut, having held the position of Ráðskona for many years, has a representing Elder that focuses on the village’s agenda, rather than the agenda of the entire region. The Golmoran assembly location was decided to be Eryut as it is the largest, oldest standing village of Vieran culture and a primary location for the archiving of history, as well the previous location of the former governing system. These factors made it simply the most conducive option.

This shift in government came during the infancy of the Veena faction and for it, they found simplicity in adopting the legislation as well – it also made trade and communication with Golmore far simpler and more amicable. However, over time the Veena wished to separate into their own individual governing body. It was from this that the Skatayan Løgþing (leu-g-thing | Leugthing) came to fruition – its name translating to “Law Thing”. From there – following in the steps their Ravan sister’s had paved – they elected their own Ráðskona from existing Elders within the Skatayan region. Unlike Golmore, Skatay and its villages were far newer and the deciding assembly location was that of Muscadet. Named after the first Rava tribe to migrate north from Golmore and relocate their village, it became the general area of political meeting and historical archiving. Not nearly as large as Eryut, those elected Ráðskona are often moved to the village upon receiving the title, as well as many other Veena politicians – making it less a domestic town, but far more government focused. Unlike Eryut, Muscadet does not have an Elder, as it was decided to primarily be a village dedicated to the løgþing, rather than being a village chosen to host it. It should be stated that Muscadet of Golmore still exists today, focusing heavily on trade with Skatay.

The Ráðskona and Elders meet at their respective þing once every two moons – this time frame was to allow clans farther away from the þing ample time to make it to the assembly. Emergency meetings can be summoned under dire circumstances (war, famine, etc), but such occasions are uncommon. This is the case between both Golmore and Skatay. Every six moons, the Ráðskonas of Golmore and Skatay meet to discuss matters between the factions and any pressing conflicts. Most regional issues are handled on a clan by clan basis by their Elders, even when conducting meetings with Skatayan leadership. Not all clans are a part of their respective faction's þing, as inclusion is typically determined by population size. Those a part of their faction’s respective þing will have special inter-regional routes built in order to connect allied villages. For Golmore, these are sturdy bridges that create a line through the jungle to connect villages; for Skatay, they are tunnels. Those not included within the þing’s are considered either neutral or hostile. Approaches to these villages outside of designated routes will be met with aggression by Wood-warders. Veena are more open to negotiations with neutral villages, although maintain a high level of apprehension when dealing with unregistered clans.

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The culture of the Viera varies vastly across clans and the different genders; even from village to village, customs can be completely different from north to south. As such, it is no easy task to pin-point several standing traditions that are universal between all Viera. Despite this, there comes to mind only one such unifying value: that being the importance of Vieran ears. While not revered by the Viera as symbolizing anything more than ears meant for hearing, their ability to hear and communicate with the Wood is extremely important to them. It is for this reason that a customary punishment for the most egregious of crimes committed within their societies, male and female alike, is that of the cutting of one's ears and exile. While typically only the pinna is severed – just above the ear canal, thus not inflicting total deafness due to their leporine nature – it does stunt their hearing enough to make hearing the Wood’s voice impossible, along with the casting them out of their society. As a result of this tradition, it can be a point of contention for some Viera to have their ears touched by someone not yet trusted, malicious or not. While the feelings over this display can vary on an individual level, a great many will often express disdain at the concept of their ears being disturbed.Aside from such, there are a handful of social culture behaviours and traditions notable between females and males that many villages and warrens may at the very least recognize, if not practice.

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Author Ludda | Editor Adenine

Language

The language of the Viera finds its roots within Golmore, initially within that of the Rava. The Golmoran dialect, also known as ‘Ravanese’ (Icelandic) is nearly entirely the same across all Rava clans as their culture is extremely ethnocentric. It is within the Veena cultures that varying dialects rose as outsiders came and affected their culture. While still holding a true base of the Rava language, some Skatayan dialects have been known to be similar – the primary one being Veenska (Faroese) – but just different enough to still be considered its own language altogether. The written forms of the two languages are very similar, but their spoken forms are not mutually intelligible. Some tribes have been known to speak greatly varying dialects that to some are almost their own language entirely, with differing writing practice to accompany it. Veenska shows similarities to the once Ivalician alphabet that eventually evolved into Old Dalmascan – alluding to some influence.Rava writing mediums consist primarily of papyrus and dried palm leaves from the southern shores, lending to a more fluid form of calligraphy. Veena mediums reside primarily in birch bark manuscripts, stone and sometimes sheepskin, which contribute to a more rigid and austere writing practice.

Yes, I made this and yes it was a lot of effort. Usable fonts of both exist for your pleasure.

Ivalician Alphabet for Comparison:

It is of worthy mention to many that these written alphabets are missing the common letters ‘C’, ‘Q’, ‘W’, and ‘Z’ for Ravanese and ‘C’, ‘Q’, ‘W’, ‘X’, ’Z’ for Veenska. The reasoning behind many of these absent letters is simply a lack of overall usage. This might come as strange to many as certain Vieran names and tribes in Common have spellings that reflect these missing letters – one such being that of the Rava ‘Wolt’ tribe. Many of the Vieran runes represent numerous different sounds, although this delves into quite a lengthy lesson on phonetics and grammar. For any missing letters, you can see below the commonly used runes from these tribes when writing these words:

Over time, the pronunciation of certain Vieran words and names has changed, but through the Viera’s notably conservative culture, the ancient alphabet was preserved. Therefore, certain sounds present in modern Vieran vernacular, like the 'W' in 'Wolt,' are represented with archaic spelling — in this case, 'Volt' or 'Bolt.’

With all jacks within living memory having been removed from their villages at such a young age, the level of education among them remains low. Their vocabulary is generally consistent in being uninspiring at best; they lack the complex verbiage and concepts that their more well-educated counterparts do, though this does not mean they are unintelligent – rather, male Viera often grow to be surprisingly intuitive given their harsh lifestyle, and will often develop unique methods of making their day-to-day existence easier, or will have such methods passed down to them via their master.As the act of reading and writing typically holds little practical value for them, this too is a practice that atrophies over time. Many male Wood-warders have only an elementary grasp of written text; with this lack of usage comes a lack of recorded history, leaving much of their past conveyed through word of mouth alone – from master to ward, or from peer to peer. Unfortunately, this almost always results in gross exaggerations over the decades, as the original story begins to lose meaning in favour of ever-needed entertainment.

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Author Ludda | Editor Adenine

Vieran Cuisine

Food in Southern Othard expectedly varies by location and climate. As such, different vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc, are found between that of Skatay and Golmore.The food listed here covers a broad range of the sub-races and their overarching cuisine culture. Many of the autonomous tribes however, have their own personal dishes and their crops vary depending on location/altitude. While these dishes are popularized amongst the Rava and Veena cultures all together, they are far from the only ones made.

Jacks often rely on caches of hunted and gathered food, methods of drying for preservation from within the hollows of trees to avoid pests and birds, and the brewing of alcohol. Commonly, this can include wine or ákavíti – the formermost when berries are abundant, and the lattermost when grains and herbs can be harvested.

• Rava
• Veena

Author Ludda | Editor Adenine

Vieran Architect

Life for the Viera has been molded greatly around how their civilizations cultivated and expanded during their thousands of years on the star. A guarantee for consistency, the Rava have lived amongst the trees for most of this time, whereas Veena in their migration shifted to differing methods of housing. If there is one thing consistent amongst the Vieran people, it’s a love for colours. Their homes are typically ornate in design, festively decorated and filled with all sorts of vibrant hues.

• Rava
• Veena

Vieran Villages

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The Viera, despite all their similarities, are a diverse group of people. From the southern shores to the northern tips, their ways of life can vary greatly from one another. These many villages scattered across eastern Dalmasca shrouded in their own means of secrecy are thriving cultures, no matter how small.

• Rava
• Veena

Credits ◈ Resources ◈ Disclaimer

Disclaimer: None of the fanon portions of this project are official or even considered so, please, don’t take them as such – or that I am attempting to do so. I simply enjoy worldbuilding and wished to expand on Viera as a race. You’re welcome to adopt the lore or disregard it.I do not own the Viera or any of their pre-existing lore. All rights are reserved to Square Enix. This Viera fanon is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Square Enix. It offers no suggestion that the work in its entirety presented on this carrd is "official" or produced or sanctioned by the owner of the aforementioned trademarks. I will take all steps necessary to ensure that any usage of trademarked items in no way confuses the audience of this site as to its origin. I makes no claim to own Viera, Final Fantasy or any of the names related to it. Images that are displayed on this site are copyrighted to Square Enix (in the case of concept art and similar pictures) or to the creator of the image (for fan-made artwork, photography, etc.). Credits for such are listed below.

The idea behind this project was simply to be a fun creation of lore for the Viera, who – quite frankly – are in dire need of it. Contributions and suggestions are welcomed, but please visit the discord below for more inquiry into that. Nothing in this document is meant to be taken as official lore unless noted as, nor is anything meant to be offensive, or insensitive. It's based off no one culture, but rather just a mash-up of many different ones that suited different aspects of their lives.

Authors

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• Discord

This server does have a member screening prompt that will ask for your email verification. This is not something I, nor anyone else in the server can see, it's exclusively done through Discord. This is implemented to keep the public server a safe place from things like bot raids. I apologize for the inconvinience and appreciate your understanding.

Special thanks to:

◈ Adenine | The Koi for being the realest of ones. You’ve supported my fanon so much and have been such an unwaveringly good friend to me. I don’t think I have the way to express how thankful I am to have you in my life. I appreciate you picking up an editorial/contributor position for this, your input means the world.◈ Kildaroy | Denz Bayle for him taking up being an editor and contributor of ideas for the fanon. Love you brother, thanks for always directly supporting my whacky ideas!◈Naja Vile for the housing section idea. It was kind of an off-handed comment, but I wouldn’t have even thought to do it without it!◈ Rjna Eryut for reading all this crazy stuff I write all the time and being so supportive. If it weren’t for your hype, I probably wouldn’t be as enthused.

Author Commentary:

❖ REGARDING OFFICIAL CONTENT
↪ All written material on Viera is subject to change in accordance to updates in lore.

❖ BIOLOGY, REPRODUCTION & SEXUAL CULTURE
↪ This particular section was made in an effort to give reason to Vieran segregation and how it's handled. Most of it is based on real life rabbit breeding biology, due in part to the Viera's knowingly calling their children 'kits'. I want to emphasize that the concepts written here for females and males are meant to be taken broadly and not as an absolute for any male or female characters. The idea behind this section is also not meant to imply sexual assault, but rather a highly depicted level of dismissiveness to partake in sex with socially inept people you have no connection with once so ever. A lot of this comes about from my own views on how this might go, which is why I've left it open to be either recieved or disregarded by tribes, as well optional.

❖ REGARDING FERTILIY/STERILITY AMONGST VIERA
↪ It was stated by a Fanow Viis
Lanille: “We were never a particularly fecund people. Now it is nigh impossible to sustain our numbers.”
This implication of a struggle to reproduce correlated to me with real life rabbit biology and an often prevailing observation of male rabbits being sterile for any number of reasons. While much of the lack in reproduction for Viis can be contributed to culture, I used this as a perspective on biology that links back to real rabbits as well.
Source 1 Source 2

❖ GOVERNMENT
↪ While a lot of inspiration was taken from nordic legislation – mostly in terminology – I primarily made up the Vieran governing body. Using obvious references from FFXII as points of inclusion (such as the use of "Elders" for leadership). While Jote is directly from FFXII with some minor modification, Elin is a homage to Ellen of Final Fantasy Advance Tactics – the only named NPC in Muscadet, the first named Vieran location. I similary used this for the Veena's assembly locale. I acknowledge the naming convention exists for Rava. Elin's quote is a reference to Alys the Ensorceled's (another FFTA Viera) quote "The clime is gentle... the Mist calm." I tried to tie it back to pre-existing Vieran NPC's as much as possible.

❖ FRAN ERYUT VS ERUYT
↪ I'd like to state that I am aware Fran in FFXIV is named "Eruyt" instead of "Eryut". However, given there is no "Eruyt" village that we know of and the name is way too similar to Eryut, I'm going to go ahead and claim this is the village she's from and list her surname as the former.

Resource Links:

❖ Encyclopedia Eorzea Edition 1 & 2❖ https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Viera..... ↳ ENW Questlines: Sage Job Quests | It was interpreted on our end from the Sage questline the
.........implication that Veena are closer to their villages than Rava were said to be, as
.........well, is there the implication they can return without being exiled.²ᵃ..... ↳ SHB Questline: Top of the Tree | Vieran age determined by Viis dialogue. This was decided
......... due to there being no notable biological differences between spoken of the Source and the First.²ᵇ❖ https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Wandering_Dramaturge ¹
..... ↳ Example of a male Viera being referred to as a "jack" ¹ᵃ❖ https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Viera_(Final_Fantasy_XIV) ²❖ https://mirkemenagerie.tumblr.com/post/181850817699/the-viera Thank you, Sounsyy!❖ http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/4h_rabbit_RG.pdf❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazonian_cuisine❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_cuisine❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroese_cuisine❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Brazil❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Iceland❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_language❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroese_language❖ http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/literature/text/literature.htm❖ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_(assembly)❖ http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/Stars/Titles/Scandinavian_Titles.htm

Image Links:

❖ Background Image a Combination of Jungle and Piedras V02 Blog by JordiGart.
❖ Viera Picture
❖ The original map can be found here, although it has been edited to include Dalmasca by me, the original Dalmascan map can be found on the same page.
❖ Veena and Rava pictures created by Ryōma Itō for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. You can find the originals here with the WHM Viera & Base Viera respectively. I heavily polished and edited both, adding a sheep from FFXIV to the Veena and flowers to the Rava that were adjusted to fit the style here.
❖ Male Viera Picture by FrischeNq mashed up with S-E viera concept art Edited by yours truly.
❖ Eryut Village art by Akihiko Yoshida
❖ Images of Jote and random Vieran NPC come from Final Fantasy XII. Edits done by me.
❖ Brazilian maniçoba
❖ Filipino Escabeche
❖ Peruvian Jaune
❖ Brazilian Creme de Cupuaçu
❖ Icelandic Kjötsúpa
❖ Icelandic Svið
❖ Faroe Island Ræst kjøt.
↪ The original image owner is said to be Mortan í Hamrabyrgi, but no social media with the picture was located.
❖ Danish Ris à la Malta
❖ Fantasy Tree House by Miguel Coimbra
❖ Bohemian Tree House Interior.
↪ Was unable to find the original owner of the image or their social media.
❖ Ancient Thai Traditional Kitchen Interior
❖ Wooden Bedroom
❖ Asmali Cave House
❖ Pictures of Balearic Cave Home

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All established lore and characters belong to © SQUARE ENIX LTD. All Rights Reserved. Final Fantasy XIV.

Rava Cuisine

Primarily consuming saltwater and freshwater fish – with lambs meat also traded from Skatay in return for tropical herbs and spices from Golmore – indigenous Rava have an aptitude toward seafood, pork, starchy root vegetables (cassava, popotoes, sugar beets and onions), and grains and fruits (lemons, limes, papaya, oranges, avocado, tomato, sugar-apple, coconut, kupuaku, plantain, banana) as a result of the climate of Golmore. Low in altitude, high in humidity with lots of rainfall, the Golmoran soil is rich with nutrients and prime for cultivating crops of many different varieties.

Notable Dishes:

Manikoba - Cassava Soup

Made with leaves of the cassava plant that have been finely ground and boiled for a week. To this mixture, salted pork, dried meat, and smoked ingredients, such as bacon and sausage, are added. The dish is typically served with rice.

Eskabege - Sweet & Sour Fish

A fish dish that is marinated and/or cooked in vinegar and some spices. Choosing a large, flat and wide fish is the most preferable option when preparing this dish.

Jón (Joan) - Leaf Wrap

A festive and very common Ravan dish. The nomenclature comes off the recounting of a young male Wood-warder that single-handedly defended the borders of Golmore during an attempted siege by Ivalice thousands of years ago. Having caused enough damage to their forces to prevent a forward march, the young man died and became one of the few male martyrs of Golmore – an example to all male Viera of the duty they are expected to uphold. The Jón is prepared on the basis of rice, meat, olives, a hard-boiled egg and spices among others, which is wrapped with heliconia leaves and then put to boil for about a bell and a half. Before being wrapped in the leaves, the preparation is bathed with a mixture of beaten eggs to get the "pickup" of food and not fall off. This dish has many different variations that exist across Rava clans. The Jón is typically made for travelers, workers and Wood-warders, as they can be stored for long periods without spoiling.

Kupuakurjóma (Kupuakurjoama) - Cupuacu Cream Dessert

Native to Golmore, the "Kupuaku" tree, also known to westerners as a "Cupuacu" tree, produces the Kupuaku fruit which is known for many uses amounts the Rava, including but not limited to ingestion, cosmetic, medicinal, etc. One popularized use is in that of the Kupukurjóma, which takes the fruit and prepares it into a smooth consumable cream. It is often eaten alongside other fruits.

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Veena Cuisine

Far away from any salt water sources, Veena Viera are known to enjoy freshwater fish from the Zeirchele River, but more often consume lamb as their primary dietary protein. While the Skatayan southwestern foothills maintain a fairly temperate taiga climate, villages located farther north are subjected to Skatay’s high altitudes, low rainfall and bitter winters; as a result of these climes, growth of fruits and vegetables can prove difficult. Veena villages see a range of agriculture depending on local vegetables (carrots, rhubarb, rutabaga, cabbage, leeks, popotoes, cauliflower, turnips and kale) with fruits rarely produced due to the cold temperatures, them only known to be grown at the very southern borders of the foothills aside some exceptions (cloudberry, blackberries, rolanberries, blueberries, cherries).

Notable Dishes:

Kjøtsúpa (Kjeutsoopa) – Lamb Soup

This soup is made from the tougher bits of the lamb (including bone) and a variety of vegetables and Golmoran herbs.

Svið (Svith) - Sheep's Head

A traditional sheep's head cut in half, singed to remove the fur, and boiled with the brain removed. It is often served with mashed popotoes and mashed turnips. The tradition of eating the sheep's head came about during harsh winters when throwing away any food source was not an option.

Skerpikjøt (Skerpikjeut) - Wind Dried Mutton

A popular Veena dish. The lamb mutton, usually in the form of kjógv or bógv (shanks or legs), is allowed to hang in a so-called hjallur – a drying shed ventilated by the wind – for five to nine moons. It has a very strong smell, which may upset those who are not accustomed to it. The hanging process covers three stages – or hjeldene – each causing the meat to have different consistencies, smells and tastes. The first, visnaður, occurs after just a few suns, but lamb and mutton are not eaten after such a short period. The second stage, ræstur, is of less predictable length, and provides dried meat suitable for eating without cooking. In reaching the final stage, turrur, cold weather can on occasion virtually eliminate the typical smell with a resulting weakening of taste.

Risalamande - Rice Pudding

A dessert popularized in the more northeastern parts of Skatay. It is made out of rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, vanilla, and chopped almonds; and is usually served cold with kirsebærsovs (warm cherry sauce).

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Rava Architect

With humidity not for the faint of heart and an abundance of poisonous reptiles, insects and dangerous animals — the Rava looked to the trees for sanctuary from the often difficult conditions of Golmore. High altitudes provided cooler conditions, as well keeping most safe from the dangers that lurk along the jungle floor. The most common hazard the Rava find themselves dealing with is that of children falling from their treetop homes – an unfortunately frequent occurrence. Homes created out of the very trees that connect their paths, many Rava villages are tied together through bridges that lead from tree to tree, including neighboring villages that have agreed to trading. The homes of the Rava are by far the most difficult for an outsider to try and scale or find – even without the hidden nature of their Vision Dust.While the days are typically hot and humid, the night of the Golmore Jungle can prove to be quite frigid, especially at a higher altitude. It is for this that many Viera choose to “nestle” with one another – also more known by its more colloquial term, snuggle. This provides body heat and comfort amongst them that often lends to strong bonds. The often limited space of Ravan homes also promotes the sharing of rooms.

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Veena Architect

Unsurprisingly, the Veena preference for homes varies from that of their southern sisters. While some may still choose to live amongst the trees if closer to Golmore, many farther north simply don't have that luxury. Sporadic in distance, smaller and more difficult to properly create functioning homes out of, the evergreens of Skatay were quick to be foregone for housing. Rather, the Veena instead opted to build their homes within the ground and along the sides of the mountains themselves. Providing better protection from the harsh winds and bitter cold, the natural warmth of the star’s crust helps to isolate the homes for Skatay's harsh climate. Far safer than tree houses, the drawbacks of homes built within the ground itself only lie in that of the fairly uncommon avalanche or earthquake. The collapsing of houses isn't very common, but it is known to happen, with precautions made to help lessen the damage and save the lives of the families within.Due to this housing style, many rooms are possible for Veena households. This way of living greatly encouraged Veena reproduction and was a large contributor to the initial boom of new Skatay's residents in the early stages of migration. Despite this, many litters of siblings are still known to sleep in the same rooms together to help provide body heat to one another, much like their Golmoran counterparts.

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Much of what they choose to recover will often be useless or decorative in nature. These collected trinkets often form the basis of the Vieran tradition of gift-giving – in many villages, it is expected that visiting jacks provide an offering of one or more gifts to their prospective partner, each inscribed with his name. To the women, these are generally considered nothing more than a token formality and a method of tracking fatherhood in offspring, but the men often put more stock into the process than can otherwise be seen. As one of the only aesthetic and creative outlets at the Wood-warders’ disposal, many will put effort into choosing something appropriately ‘appealing’ – jewelry, lockets, books, weapons, or even crafts made by the jacks themselves. They can be quite particular with their choices, and understand that the gifts themselves should be long-lasting and durable, so as to serve as adequate markers of ancestry. Along with this, it is expected that they will provide the raw material for a stjarna (Greater elaboration on this will come from the female section on social culture. Please look forward to it.) on their first visit, in order to mark the beginning of a litter. If they are chosen for a second (or later) litter, a second crystal must also be provided. Occasionally, however, a jack with no interest in reproducing for any particular reason might choose instead to offer a deliberately poor choice of a gift – a dead animal, a sheaf of bark, or something equally uninspiring. While infrequent, such instances often stand out to the women as examples of the mens’ poor social ability.Male Wood-warders generally consider their duty to be indispensable to the protection of their village and as a result, have a tendency to hold a belief that this sentiment is shared by the women of the region. Jacks can be of the opinion they are afforded the same respect and admiration similar to that which many hold for the women. Typically, this faith comes from necessity – as it would likely be far too demoralizing to consider this untrue. As a result, the aforementioned gift-giving (while done primarily out of tradition) does carry some level of affection from the gift-giver. Unfortunately, a lack of socialization and a cultural pressure to keep their interactions as minimal as possible leads to this sentiment seldom being reciprocated.

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In Regards to Villages

Out of everything in this fanon this will be by far the most extraneous part of it. I acknowledge the imposed limitations that comes with applying an overarching theme to existing villages and that not everyone will want to accommodate to this. If someone has a headcanon already in mind for a village, they may disagree with following this section. So I’ll make it clear now, this is not considered a mandatory part of this fanon's adherence. I already don’t want people to feel like they are trapped within set ideas that conform only to what I or others want for viera, this is just something for fun and if you like the idea of uniformed and explained villages with already existing purposes behind them, then great! I’m happy we are able to provide something fun for you to enjoy in tandem with the fanon as it is.If you wish to only follow the core parts of the fanon and not acknowledge the village section, that’s also completely fine.╺ Ludda

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Rava Villages

Updated 4|7|2023

Map created by Adenine

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Atoel

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Bysnoe

Author Phyrra Zher

Primary Industry: Smithing, Glassblowing, Architecture

About
One of the larger villages to rival Eryut, Bysnoe sits near the border of Valnain, and was one of the first of the Golmoran to retaliate during the Bozjan war. Scholars suspect Bysnoe started with modest roots, the village during this period being a second host for vieran relics and ancient written history. This responsibility created an increased need for greater defense, leading to the creation of a wall around the village. Over the many years of Bysone’s existence, this wall became sacred to those within the village, especially after they transitioned out of being a host of history due to their proximity to Valnain. This incessant desire to defend their village at all costs against outside threats has been chronicled as the start of Bysnoe's militaristic prowess and their ‘obsession’ with war; what solidified this in time was the Garlean Empire’s invasion of Dalmasca. Because of this, other Rava were known to have adopted patience for those of Bysnoe with the understanding that their sisters and brothers' aggression was a natural course that was born out of a fervent desire to protect their people.Prideful. Aggressive. Hive Minded. The viera of Bysnoe Village are considered Intensely passionate, yet caring people. The day-to-day lifestyle of the Bysone people can be described as “simplistic yet fulfilling” by many, though some few who’ve left confide in whispers of its rigid, stressful and often depressing social structure. The Bysnoe are as well known for their guerilla warfare tactics and tendency to train Wood Warders to behave more as intelligence agents, counterintelligence, or ruthless assassins, rather than protectors alone. This militaristic leaning has those deemed weak ridiculed or outcasted, likely the contributor to the sentiment prior. It was thought to be necessary, given their location near outside spoken; this in turn often led to more cooperation between men and women compared to other Ravan villages. At times, military figures from within Bysone were summoned to nearby villages in order to direct defense upgrades. Their ferocity became a fear that swept the jungle, foe to ally, young kits who slept in their beds at night were told about the Bysone in stories by their mothers to keep them in line.Despite the trepidation Bysone could cause others, as an ally, Elders of other vieran villages considered them a great asset, even with their antics often being deemed a ‘headache’ by those who worked with them. The Bysnoe’s headstrong beliefs lend to them being stubborn and uncompromising in decisions that involve them if it doesn't suit their ideals, however, they always remained loyal to the Ravan cause and actively worked toward agreeable compromises. Years of the Bysone structure contributed to them appearing callous, aloof, and disinclined toward forgiveness, especially toward that of their enemies. That said, they did not express outward aggression toward other villages a part of the Alþingi, and showed great restraint when faced with opposition over their ideals. This said, there is still a history of flippancy when provoked far enough. Despite this, their hostility was always directed more toward outsiders than their own, and those of the Bysone were known to actively hunt those within the vicinity of the Golmore, especially those not a part of the Alþingi.Bysnoe’s centuries of strict training regimes resulted in the evolutionary production of 'stockier' viera. This included jacks as well, though, they’re still predominantly smaller than most doesIndustry
Bysnoe had a deep affinity to craftsmanship in the form of detailed armors and weapons. They were known to deliver and supply other villages en masse, within a short time, and take custom commissions for magic attuned weapons. Using smithing techniques that had been passed down from legendary artisans, the craft of blacksmithing was common there, something not often seen in Ravan villages. Many as well busied themselves with hobbies such as glassblowing, or the careful construction of lavishly designed homes amongst the trees.
Dancing was also frequently seen, a stark juxtaposition to their stringent lifestyles. Considered a form of stress relief, these performances after victories echoed through the woods for days at times. To the Bysone, balance between battle and leisure was a core element in maintaining proper mental fortitude.

Known deserters:

Camoa

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No Prompt
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Dei-ijla

Author Sam/Sammiches

Primary Industry: Mercantile establishments, fishing, pottery

About
Dei-ijla is among the bigger of the largest villages, well-known for both its fertile position betwixt a split in the river and its bustling bazaars. While the Wood-warders fiercely guard the territories outside the clearings for the village's mighty kilns, travelers will follow alongside the river with hopes to vend and buy wares in Dei-ijla. Upon the wooden platform and suspended bridges, a rainbow of cloth canopies hangs overhead, though they are not visible to those who have not gained clearance by the Wood; the village is shrouded in a powerful vision dust.Industry
Those fortunate enough to gain passage are welcome under Dei-ijla's boughs. Huts and stalls are decorated with colorful pottery, made with clay from the riverbanks. Unique to their marketplace, items can either by traded for other goods or the currency krækill, of which are the shells of freshwater gastropods with designs of pearlwort etched upon them.In all, Dei-ijla is a hub of activity for Viera looking for spectacular ceramics as well as many other crafted goods. Given their location, many rare plants and freshwater creatures also thrive. Though a peaceful village, Dei-ijlans ensure these gems of the wild are harvested safely and protected.If a Viera is looking for something rare, beautiful, and exotic, this village has got it.

Known deserters:

❈Eryut

Author Ludda

Primary Industry: Location of Golmoran Alþingi, Historical Record Archives

About
By far the largest of all the Golmoran villages, Eryut holds its place as capital of the Dalmascan Inferior. Once located more in-land where Iryut now resides, Eryut moved southward closer to the sea for greater resources in feeding their ever growing population. As a result, the people are known for their seafood heavy diets as they rely on the Glass Ocean for sustenance.Due to its size and purpose, it is also the most immigrated to village; having a mixed population of Rava not necessarily Eryut by birth. The immigration draw to Eryut has led to it also having a wide array of cultures from across Golmore, it therefore lending to many different traditions within Ravan society.Industry
Home of the Golmoran Alþingi, it is deeply rooted in a rich, expansive history for the Viera. Many famous deserters are known to come from the capital village, one such being General Fran of the Dalmascan Resistance. Education within Eryut is higher than most other villages, known to draw in Vieran scholars from across the jungle who wish to indulge in its vast hordes of knowledge and many available instructors who migrate there.

Known deserters:

Fyth

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | Once contentious with Golmarr, now friendly rivals
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Golmarr

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | Once contentious with Fyth, now friendly rivals
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Hyskaris

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No Prompt
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Iryut

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | Previous location of Eryut before it moved south (homage to Eryut being landlocked in FFXII)
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Muscadet of Golmore

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | Trading hub with Skatay. Original Muscadet.
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Ljanta

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Miret-moor

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Miret-njer

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Otoel

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Qoet

Author Adenine

Work-in-Progress

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Rysto

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Sjasaris

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Tym

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Viras

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Voras

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Wolt

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Yascaret

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Vile (Eternal)

Creator Vaia Vile | Crystal Data Center NA

Primary Industry: Unknown. Possibly chocobo Husbandry.
I heard the mighty clamouring of wings, so many chocobo that I knew these could not be mere wild birds, else they would often darken the skies with mighty murmurations like starling flocks [...], a great flock of chocobos fluttering out from between cracks in the extant trunk (CB: 291)

Alþingi Affiliation: None, Neutral to Hostile

Customs: The Day of Considered Taking. Purpose unknown.
A great parade of the Vile clad in yellow feathers and white fabrics, carrying a great many goods as they passed through our village. "It is the Day of Considered Taking!" I heard one young Rava blurt out. [...]One [Vile] was in fierce negotiations with a Camoa child who had apparently broken a whole bag of biscuits. "You have ruined them, they are worthless now! Go, go and discard these in the depths of the forest where none see what you have done of our beautiful work!" It was harsh words to a young Viera. I was quietly delighted to see instead of obeying the crass outsider, she set her back to the nearest tree, just out of sight, and started to eat those broken biscuits. (CB: 289)

Alliances and Politics: Unfriendly, consider hostile, and possibly incompetent.
Of all the proud tribes dwelling within Golmore, the Vile should not count among them in many respects. Not proud, standing part from (and beneath) noble clans as Tehp and Eryut, so sly and deceitful their word is mud. Neighbouring tribe the Atoel have especial cause for wariness, reporting that many a wanderer washes ashore near them and trails downriver to Vile lands, oft never to be seen again, or even to be co-opted into the tribe. These are an expansionist, warlike people, of that I have no doubt [see Camoa Botanica page 290 for details].

(Sisterhoods: 655)
[...] of their yellow fletched feathers from the sky, or turn aside their massive war chocobos as its pair of riders prepare to skewer me with spear or bludgeon with shield. (CB: 290)
[...] a soldier, in bronze, feather patterned armour, a shield slung on her shoulder but none of those vicious spears in sight. (CB: 292)

References:
Ambitious Botanist, ca.6th AE. Camoa Botanica. 4th ed. Camoa.
Irritable Envoy, 1458. Sisterhoods of Golmore: 1001 Tribes Large and Small: A Treatise on Interclan Relations. 8th ed. Eryut.

Known Members:

Veena Villages

Updated 4|10|2023

Map created by Adenine

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Arda

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Bosco

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Gucuma

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Kisne

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Lesrekta

Author Phrog

Primary Industry: Mercantile, TradeLesrekta is a village with heavy immigrant traffic. It is most popular for trade among artisans, and those looking for a taste of the culture of other villages. One of the largest villages in the Skatay Range, Lesrekta was founded among the ruins of an ancient culture, likely the same responsible for the Orbonne Monastery. In the center of the village, surrounded by closely packed housing, is a remarkable tower built by the previous inhabitants and reinforced by the Veena that use it today. This tower serves as a headquarters for the Verja (the town guard, literal translation: "to guard"), and is directly connected to the only surviving stone road. The road ends at a magnificent arch known as The Dyr (the door) which stands out among the otherwise standard Veena architecture, looking unlike anything else in the village. Lesrekta is a walled village with The Dyr serving as the only direct entrance. Trees felled from the surrounding woods serve to fortify ancient stonework to keep its citizens.Leskrekta is known for many things, chief among them its Verja and their Captain's zealous enforcement of their many strict rules. No discussion of Verja's rules could be made of course without mentioning the Træ Heingja (the hanging tree), a massive gnarled tree as ugly as it's purpose. It served as a place of execution for serious offenders. As many innocents as guilty hung from its branches and it's said that it's still haunted to this day. The Træ Heingja was eventually retired from its grisly purpose via a compromise between Lesrekta's village elder and the Captain of the Verja. The base of the tree repurposed and turned into a outpost for the Verjid (the outer guard, literal translation: "guards")The Verjid, sometimes known as the the outer guard, are a unit of wood warders that serve as a volunteer group that defends Marknaður (the markets.) They act as a sort of police force that patrols Marknaður in exchange for food and gear. While technically not a part of Verja they are willing to work with the women of the village, and more surprisingly, the women with them. With numerous extensions of Marknaður existing on all sides of the outer village, often built right up against the walls itself, the predominantly male Verjid can be a shocking sight to behold to those visiting Lesrekta.Marknaður are often viewed as the single most important draw of Lesrekta. They started out as a place for the wood warders to trade goods. A simple market for a simple people, but due to a generally amicable nature towards outsiders combined with a perfect location lead to the natural popularity of the village. A population boom soon followed and Marknaður grew ever more popular. It's no surprise then that their open acceptance of immigrants has had an influence on other Veena, helping to normalize the concept of immigration on the Veena as a whole.

Known deserters:

Muruc

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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❈Muscadet of Skatay

Author Ludda

Work-in-Progress | Governing village for the Leuþing

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Paharo

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Roda

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Tehp

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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Ymir

Work-in-Progress | In need of author | No prompt
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⇮

Cahuac

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Cebe

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Gugoza

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Guguerro

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Huin

Author Origin

Primary Industry: Juniper berries, Perfume, Candles, Leather, BoneThe village of Huin is sequestered away into an elaborate system of natural tunnels and caves found in the northernmost mountains, easily defended and kept warm. Children are often born in threes, although they tend towards dying young and infirmity while being multiples. Albinism is common among them, and poor eyesight even more. To compensate, their senses of smell and hearing are even stronger than most Viera, and once they have a person's scent they never forget it. Whether the poor eyesight came first or living in the caves came first, no one can say.However, their unusually keen noses make them excellent at making perfumes, and the villagers grow many fragrant herbs to make them with and sell and even making scented candles for sale; although their own eyesight is often bad enough that they rely purely on smell and hearing and don't bother lighting the caves much. Their next biggest export is juniper berries, sold as they are, as preserves, as dye, or as wine. Huin also sells the excess of their hunting, making sturdy leather goods and carving the bones as art and tools.With the poor health of so many children and the problems remaining as they grew, the gender roles between man and woman grew less strict as some stronger women took up the role of Wood Warder while some of the frailer men remained in the village. For the most part, the roles are the same as in the other villages, but exceptions are made, and intermingling is frequent.Similarly, due to how fiercely the Veena of Huin cling together for life every day, members of the village who wish to leave are often permitted to return. If there is an individual that has committed crimes or made it impossible to live with them in some other way, death is often used instead of exile.Many of the villagers are terrible gossips, encouraged by the frequent mixing of the two genders and the returned members of the village with news of the outside world. Secrets are rarely kept for long, but they are better educated and informed than most Viera. If someone from another village was curious about the outside world, but too frightened of the consequences of exile, Huin was often visited for a small taste of what they had heard.

Known deserters:

Isshu

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Oghu

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Tormelados

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
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Tswarra

Author Ruru

Primary Industry: Snowberries, mist-infused rune stones, cloud fishing, percussion sticks, drums, sheep, wool, and wind chimes.An isolated tundra village situated to the furthest North-West of Skatay, encircled by a rending gale and wending snow. The weather of the region is often attributed as a consequence to the presence of the village's mages known simply as the vefara (plural) or vefari (singular); or naturally given the astral polarity of the ice aspected mist in the locale. The Tswarra however would have you belief that it is the vefara shamans that are responsible, as a means of protection and to instil a sense of underlying suspicion to the surrounding villages and travellers alike.In Tswarra, it is believed that the presence of the green word manifests it's physical presence in the form of the howl of the wind. As such, the Tswarra took to creating chimes fashioned from ore and bone to bring beauty to the word's presence. During the harshest blizzards when the families of Tswarra are hunkered down within the warmth of their hearths, it is said by travellers that've made it to the village that the most pronounced sound to be heard is the singing of chimes in the wind. Whilst considered sacred and revered, the Tswarra in recent years have come to trade the production of the chimes, much to the dismay of the older, fundamentalist women of the village.The progressive outlook of the younger generation in Tswarra stems from the village's necessity to provide for it's large families and growing populous. Once priding themselves on their self sufficiency, Tswarra has shifted slowly towards posing itself as hub of trade in the north, exporting traditional creations such as the chimes, and more mystical creations such as the mist-stones created by the vefara in exchange for grain and less hardy vegetables and fruit unsuitable for the mountain clime. The only thing preventing a schism between young and old is the presence of the chimes during the þorpsmót, or 'village meet' during the debate to open up more to the world. It is said that their song was so pronounced and beautiful that it swung the vote in favour of trade.Veena hailing from the village are known for their shorter svelte stature, pallid complexion (a result of the cloudy climate, and the need for the body to absorb more vitamin D from the sun), their scruffy/tufty ears, and their digitigrade feet which is a result of the village's isolation up until recently. Tswarra veena are also known for having a chilly touch, which can potentially be attributed to their body's natural store of aether being aspected toward ice due to the climate they're born in.Gender roles within Tswarra are based on the idea of survival because of the village's remote locale. The women of Tswarra are expected to produce as many children as possible, whilst also tending to the spiritual and domestic needs of the village itself. Men are raised as áhorfendur or 'watchers', and live as hunters and defenders of the village. In spite of this, a strict sense of being self sufficient is instilled in every child of Tswarra, leading to women taking up bow and blade. Both women and men may become vefara, though male vefari often travel between multiple bands of áhorfendur.Sólsteinn or 'sun stone' in basic Eorzean are small mist infused stones that emit a nurturing warmth and a bright orange or blue light that can be spotted during harsher blizzards. Provided to every child of Tswarra when they reach the age of six or seven by vefara, they are considered sacred and no Tswarra would willingly theirs up. A severe punishment for crime in Tswarra was the crushing of a villager's sólsteinn and their banishment during a blizzard, so that the rage of the land could swallow them whole. If they were to survive, there was no returning to Tswarra.
Lesrekta is a village with heavy immigrant traffic. It is most popular for trade among artisans, and those looking for a taste of the culture of other villages. One of the largest villages in the Skatay Range, Lesrekta was founded among the ruins of an ancient culture, likely the same responsible for the Orbonne Monastery. In the center of the village, surrounded by closely packed housing, is a remarkable tower built by the previous inhabitants and reinforced by the Veena that use it today. This tower serves as a headquarters for the Verja (the town guard, literal translation: "to guard"), and is directly connected to the only surviving stone road. The road ends at a magnificent arch known as The Dyr (the door) which stands out among the otherwise standard Veena architecture, looking unlike anything else in the village. Lesrekta is a walled village with The Dyr serving as the only direct entrance. Trees felled from the surrounding woods serve to fortify ancient stonework to keep its citizens.Leskrekta is known for many things, chief among them its Verja and their Captain's zealous enforcement of their many strict rules. No discussion of Verja's rules could be made of course without mentioning the Træ Heingja (the hanging tree), a massive gnarled tree as ugly as it's purpose. It served as a place of execution for serious offenders. As many innocents as guilty hung from its branches and it's said that it's still haunted to this day. The Træ Heingja was eventually retired from its grisly purpose via a compromise between Lesrekta's village elder and the Captain of the Verja. The base of the tree repurposed and turned into a outpost for the Verjid (the outer guard, literal translation: "guards")The Verjid, sometimes known as the the outer guard, are a unit of wood warders that serve as a volunteer group that defends Marknaður (the markets.) They act as a sort of police force that patrols Marknaður in exchange for food and gear. While technically not a part of Verja they are willing to work with the women of the village, and more surprisingly, the women with them. With numerous extensions of Marknaður existing on all sides of the outer village, often built right up against the walls itself, the predominantly male Verjid can be a shocking sight to behold to those visiting Lesrekta.Marknaður are often viewed as the single most important draw of Lesrekta. They started out as a place for the wood warders to trade goods. A simple market for a simple people, but due to a generally amicable nature towards outsiders combined with a perfect location lead to the natural popularity of the village. A population boom soon followed and Marknaður grew ever more popular. It's no surprise then that their open acceptance of immigrants has had an influence on other Veena, helping to normalize the concept of immigration on the Veena as a whole.

Known deserters:

Yapih

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
Click here to access the discord if you're interested in applying.

Known deserters:

Yaxin

Work-in-Progress | In need of author
Click here to access the discord if you're interested in applying.

Known deserters:

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Angora

Creator Ludda| Chaos Center EU

Primary Industry: Angoran Fur, Mythril Mining, Megalotragus Rearing

Løgþing Affiliation: Neutral to Positive

ABOUT - —
One of the older clans of Veena that established itself officially after the conceding agreement between Golmore and Skatay on trade, some few daring viera chose to venture up the treacherous snow capped mountain tops of the Range, to locations most would deem normally uninhabitable. With air pressure not for the faint of heart, Angora is considered to be one of the highest altitude settlements on Hydaelyn, only rivaled by the Sea of Clouds. It is for this reason the village has maintained a small population even after centuries of settlement; few found purpose in joining their kin on this perilous journey north, and even fewer who stayed lived long enough to fully settle and create a legacy.INDUSTRY - —
Despite the grave risks, there was incentive to remain in Angora. Through very early excursions along the range, it was discovered this portion of the mountain held not only one reliable hot spring in which the eventually constructed village was carefully carved around, but a tremendous amount of the rare metal, mythril. An extremely useful material—especially in cold environments—for its weight, strength, and durability, it was highly sought after. In the many hundreds of years following, mythril has grown exceedingly more rare throughout most regions across the realms due to over-mining. It is as a result of this that the desire for Angora’s prospects grew considerably with time, their low population and slow production making their part of the mountain’s stock of ore still plentiful. Despite this, many unprepared spoken lacked the endurance to travel to the settlement and acquire the ore themselves, without preconditioned acclimation to the cold and air pressure that the citizens of the village have long adjusted to. It is for this reason, the Angora as a people are—while albeit small in number—highly valued by other villages for this exclusive contribution they are able to provide.Outside the Angora’s ability to readily provide such a useful material to surrounding villages and travelers near and far, they as well are able to procure an even more unique production: Angoran Fur. Over many years of acclimation and evolution, those fully native to Angora became visually distinctive. Skin tone noticeably lacking in red tones, their flesh often a desaturated, ghoulish grey that rarely deviates outside of shade (light to dark), most noticeable above this is the amount of body hair they’re seen to maintain compared to other viera, be it Veena or Rava. Their time spent in one of the harshest natural environments lent to the evolutionary development of denser fur along their bodies, especially on their feet and head, which see the most growth. It is of worthy mention that the Angora lineage strayed considerably less from its Ravan roots, mostly maintaining their digitigrade feet and fluffy tails. This fur of theirs helped their acclimation process significantly, making it easier for them to preside within freezing environments with minimized discomfort and potential consequence. Growing in abundance, the Veena of the Angora eventually saw their “fur” as a potential product they could profit from, to help with importing more necessary materials to their village through bartering. It was with this that the cutting, cleaning, and development of Angoran Fur products became one of the easiest and most popular trade of the village. Relying on little labour outside what the viera themselves are able to provide, the production became a household vocation for the village and their products (wool, scarves, hats, etc.) considered contemporary in fashion and useful commodities. It is as a result of this that many Angoran are seen donning either short or very grown out hairstyles. It is uncommon for them culturally to maintain medium hair lengths for presentation alone, as their hair is seen more as a product than a form of cosmetic expression. Most traditional Angora seen with medium length hair are in the middle stages of growing it back out in order to cut again. Those who choose not to participate in this market often maintain an exceedingly long hairstyle, only cutting what is considered unmanageable, as the hair serves the purpose of keeping them warm. Those who have acquired Angoran Fur note that the hair cut from their kits are often the most soft and valuable. This is not something the village frequently exports due to laws put in place to avoid the exploitation of children over the practice, as well the need for them to remain warm and survive the acclimation process into adulthood. Any fur acquired from kits is cut of their volition when it grows too long to manage, and sold by the parents exclusively. This law is perhaps their most upheld, the children regularly checked on by authorities within the village to ensure there is no negligence being committed. Angoran fur grows faster than the average spokens hair, allowing it to be lucrative to market, but not excessively so.Outside minerals and fur, the final primary industry the Angora survive on is that of rearing megalotragus. To say living and growable produce is far and few as far up as they preside would be an understatement. Original settlers of the village struggled to survive as a result of failing crops and dying livestock, many of the viera passing due to the grueling process of conditioning their yields for the bitter frost taking far too long for them to live off of. Most starved to death. Those who did survive, managed through the assistance of one such discovery: the megalotragus. Originating in the west on Abalathia’s Spine, some of the large, magic-infused herbivores migrated east during the Calamity of Ice, finding a home as well in the icy ranges of Skatay. Far rarer than their Abalathian counterparts as a result of this, they were infrequently seen along the range. This said, some early exploring residents of the Angora found a surprisingly large herd of the animals on a secluded part of the snowy tundra, bringing them north to the village and beginning the process of conditioning them to the altitude and temperature. Already able to handle frost relatively well, most of the megalotragus survived the migration and acclimation and were further bred for domestication, production, and consumption. Used to traverse the surrounding area's hazardous terrain, the Angora used their beast to travel to nearby settlements and procure imports to feed their new livestock and help manage their dying population. This significantly cut travel times and helped to prevent death due to travel conditions, lending to the growth of Angora and improving life quality marginally. The introduction of the megalotragus allowed for easier transpiration of seeds as well, easing the process of preconditioning new produce to the frigid Skatayan air. In current times, the megalotragus is a domestic trade exclusive to Angora, its wool, milk, and meat relied on significantly. Nearly every resident of Angora has a domesticated megalotragus used for travel and produce, it such a commonplace amongst their people that most children are given their own to rear between the ages of thirteen to sixteen. Those that are domesticated live long lives as a result of their magic-inclined nature, remaining personal companions to many Angoran Veenas until passing of old age, this can be up to approximately two hundred years, depending on their health and living conditions. It has been noted through years of breeding that domesticated megalotragus are visually larger, stronger, healthier and live longer than those raised for consumption. This is likely due to those showing the most promising traits being favored and bred for long-term companionship, while the weakest of the beasts were regularly bred exclusively for meat consumption. While this may be thought of as a potentially depressing concept to other cultures, it is simply the way life is and has been for native Angorans. Survival beating morality out of necessity. Despite how it may appear, there is great reverence toward the creatures, and it is highly discouraged and looked down upon to mistreat them. Angoran beliefs claim to get the most of their already limited meat by giving the animal a fulfilling life. Rarely do the Angorans export their beasts to other villages for use, as they are their only livestock.DIET - —
It is with the goat-like beast as well that they are also able to more easily make journeys to the southeastern river Zeirchele for marine protein. The Angoran diet presently is primarily made of megalotragus product, fish, radishes, beets, carrots, black lentils, kale, chard, and Brussels sprouts. There are no naturally growing spices or fruits found in the frigid locale, so any found within the village are imported and considered an expensive commodity. The most commonly and perhaps even exclusively used condiment is salt, as well, an import that is thankfully common along the range. Native Angorans are traditionally known for their laughably low spice tolerance, as a result of this. Outside the hot spring their village is built around, there are no readily available water sources. Most drinkable water is made through the boiling of freshly fallen snow. With unique contaminants lingering natively in the water despite the process of boiling away unwanted pathogens, many Angoran viera can find themselves growing ill the first time they try water from a different region. While many natives of the village favour their water for its smooth and velvety texture, what few visitors they’ve had described the water as is “strangely unsatisfying” as it lacks any minerals other water sources contain that often give them a unique flavor.SOCIETY - —
The people of the Angora are described by what few outsiders interact with them as generally unapproachable. While not for lack of trying nor necessarily outright hostile, the inevitable isolation of their settlement has lent to them being naturally distrusting of those who would make the trek to their village as it is the norm to presume such arrivals are usually done out of motivation for profit. This isn’t to claim them unfriendly per se, at least by vieran standards. Receptive enough to neighboring villages, their social standing with the Skatayan Løgþing is generally positive, though rarely do the Elders of Angora bother to make the journey to Muscadet due to the distance for congregations, making them at worse a nuisance to work together with. Ultimately, the worst those of Angora are referred to as is “aloof and apathetic”. It is important to keep in mind that while a generalization, this is not reflective of every individual within the village. The men and women of Angora live separately, similarly to most vieran villages. However, an instance of historical significance years prior lead to greater reverence of the males amongst the female population, who, without the swift reinforcement of the jacks, would surely have seen the complete destruction of Angora entirely. It is as a result of this that men are allowed to freely enter the village to converse and trade with the women directly, but they are still not permitted to live together unless petitioned for. This process has a high rejection rate amongst governing officials, with tradition reigning strong amongst even the more progressive of Veena. While there has grown to be an acceptance of the men's presence amongst the female members of the village, there is an unspoken understanding that there shouldn’t be an overstaying of their welcome. Most jacks remain no longer than a few short bells at a time before leaving to their duties.The variety of hobbies provided within Angora are sparse, but this hardly dissuades the population from trying to find the means to entertain themselves. Whether it be from the making of Angoran Fur clothing, playing games, or creating ice sculptures, the Veena of the Angora have founds ways to keep life within their cold, isolated village fulfilling enough. Even still, the conditions of the locale mixed with the often dull lifestyle lead to many venturing off to explore the realms. That said, full well knowing that without their members they will surely die out, Angora does not exile those who leave and happily welcomes them back—insisting on it, even. Reproduction is another subject that can prove difficult to navigate for the common Angoran household. Functioning the same as most vieran tribes, the women and men both need hands to provide for the village’s upkeep, however, struggle to feed the mouths they come with. This has led to most Angoran families having no more than five children at most per household. While there are exceptions to this, they are not considered the norm for this tribe. It is from this that the Angora are considered to have one of the lowest birthrates of all known vieran settlements—including both Skatay and Golmore. By nature of this statistic, it is uncommon to come across Angoran Veena, for as few that reside within the settlement itself, there are even less wandering the star at large.Occupations within Angora are few, though there are those known to practice magic in what could fall into the “mage” category by other cultures. Shamans, as they are referred to within the village, are committed to the practice of mist (aether) manipulation, primarily focusing on the use of ice, water, and air as their main elements of choice. All others are generally impossible or difficult to tap into from their location. Many of these magic users hone these skills to attempt to assist in crop growing, temperature regulation, and the acquisition of materials. Those who are avid wielders of magic are rarely seen without their megalotragus, whose magic infused affinity is tapped into and used as an amplifier where the environment might otherwise not provide. There are no requisites to being a shaman, anyone with a desire to practice magic and the ability to do so, is considered one by default, no matter how rudimentary their skills may be. The art of magic is also not considered nearly as revered a profession within Angora as commonly seen in other societies around the star.Outside what has been explicitly described here as their outlying qualities, the Angora generally abide by the known understanding of viera. The need to reiterate broadly known biological, sociobiological, and anthropological facts about the race, then, is deemed unnecessary. Unless directly countered through this documentation, presuming they behave much the way viera as a whole are understood to would be more accurate than not—even if this is a generalization.

Known Members:

Ljrre-Mor

Creator Amadán | Crystal Data Center NA

Primary Industry: Subsistence hunting & sheep-herding, lumber & earthworks, raiding

Løgþing Affiliation: None, Tenuously Neutral

In a mist-shrouded forest at the base of five peaks, the fortress village of Ljrre-Mor secludes itself. Built to stand as a haven for the spurned, it traces a founding lineage to a band of Lesrekta deserters; those who had fled fated death at the Træ Heingja. They and their outcast kinsfolk, red-hued of hair and disposition, retreated into the Skatayan interior, forming a community in wholehearted and eternal rejection of the Løgþing.Populated by wayward exiles and the scattered remnants of destroyed tribes, the village swiftly developed into a cultural oddity significantly removed from their origins, stepping away from many of the time-honoured traditions that once defined them. The Wood is said to speak only through an intermediary — A Rij, appointed through an elective succession to become the ruling chieftain for life. It is believed that each previous ruler emboldens and strengthens the next in spirit, that in time a descendant might bring all of Skatay under heel.Owing to an originally limited population of suitable males, the burden of warding was reluctantly shared between brothers and sisters both -- While expected of all males born to the tribe, any woman may volunteer to renounce her sisterhood and join the Warders, to fight for the embattled village's territory. Theirs is a defensive concern; great wooden stakes are driven into the earth to ward away great beasts and marauding Warders. This necessity extends to the construction of the village proper -- a web of manned palisades connects the trunks of ancient, giant trees, providing layers of protection to the settlements hidden within.Behind these fortifications, a novel society flourishes. While still recognisably Veena in nature, unique religious practices, funerary rites and lifestyles have oft been observed due to their circumstances. Though nominally shunned within the bounds of the village itself, males and females often travel to commingle by a Gjallan, or standing stone, dotted throughout clearings in the woodland. These sacred locations serve a multifaceted purpose -- Places for trade, the formation of raiding bands and distributing spoils, and general cavorting.For centuries, the Viera of the Ljrre-Mor and their neighbours have been functionally embroiled in war, though its intensity has waxed and waned with the passing ambitions of Rijs. Territory has been lost and gained, with alliances secured until petty grievances see them dissolved swiftly after. Smaller communities have been incorporated into the tribe, swelling their numbers and confidence until a stronger foe reduces them back into hiding. They have justly earned a local reputation as opportunistic raiders, biding time until the Word-blessed fire of a conquering Rij can right all past wrongs.

Known Members:

Isninur

Creator Owls | Crystal Data Center NA

Primary Industry: Sheep-herding, wool production, fishing, amber, ivory, furs. Piracy and raiding have been prevalent recently, as Garlean destabilization has led to unsafe trade routes

Løgþing Affiliation: None, Neutral to Hostile

This tundra village is a remote and relatively poor settlement in comparison to others, with rocky lands garnering struggling yields for crops and the coastlines being plagued by raiders. Male Viera are raised as excellent warriors with a harsh regimen for discipline, with emphasis on frenetic, furious fighting in a berserk state. The elders of the village pride themselves for their fierceness in battle and their unrelenting courage in defending their home. Snowfall is frequent and agriculture is scarce, leading to a mostly carnivorous diet and frequent hunting trips across enormous ice flats.The Viera families of the village are known for having a tendency towards being unusually pale, with shorter ears, smaller noses, and having a tendency towards stockier frames. This has proven useful when hunting larger game, such as whales or enormous ovibos, and surviving long amounts of time without food or stable shelter in the freezing wilderness. Owing to the legitimate threat of wild beasts and foreign raiders on the coasts (as well as ominous sightings of Garlean soldiers), the village holds a strict code of honor and law.Because survival is so precarious, gender roles are simultaneously lessened and enforced; men are expected to be warriors, women are expected to produce as many children as possible. It is not uncommon for birthing exhaustion, nor is it uncommon for subsequently stress-filled shorter lifespans.
However, both men and women are trained extensively in defense and in domestic duties, as every contribution is necessary. Men and women intermingle more frequently than most villages, as gendered separation simply isn’t as practical with such a remote and treacherous climate.Isolated from their southern cousins, the ancestors of these northern Viera brought their religious reverence for the Green Word to their new homeland. The tribe's religious conception of the Word extends not only to the memories of ancestral Golmore, but the whispers of their northern forests, the unforgiving mountains, and the churning sea, harsh and unyielding to the uninitiated.Within this interpretation, the Word encompasses the will of the frozen north. This can be seen within the tribe's differentiating understanding of nature itself. The Knowing Sea itself is seen as a force to be respected, a masculine counterpart to the feminine forests; as the primordial forest is referred to with feminine pronouns, as ‘She/Her’, the sea is referred to with masculine pronouns, as ‘He/His’. Subsequently, the forests are associated with bountiful prosperity and production, while the sea is considered unyielding and associated with guarded protection.While little is understood about this deviation from the orthodoxy of the Green Word in Golmore, some scholars have speculated that this evolution came about with outside contact from nearby Xaela tribes or perhaps an evolution of ideas influenced by the Elementals of the region. Whatever the shift, the northern Viera hold their faith to a devout degree and have conducted elaborate rituals affirming such.

Known Members: