If you were raised Heteri…
Heteri are increasingly being raised or living in urban environments, but even large towns are seen as places of activity, not residence.
Home & Food
- Your largest meal is the evening.
- You don’t consider dogs or horses to be food. Goats, swine, eggs, fowl, and a variety of root vegetables are common ingredients.
- Killing your own food is not uncommon, and if you’re male, you’ve certainly killed your share on the hunt.
- You eat around a fire pit, sitting on the floor or a blanket.
- Wines and ales are common beverages.
- Smoking pipes during a meal is common, and it is considered impolite not to offer your smoking herbs to others. Large “barreled” pipes are used, wrapping around the neck to keep arms free while easting.
- You have an outhouse of some variety. Soil inside your hut/house/tent? Yuck.
Work & Travel
- You’ve been riding a horse since you could stand. Unless you’re a member of a farming clan, it’s rare that you’ve not been a day or two’s away from home in any given month.
- A couple times a year you travel a week’s ride for clan gathering. You may have been even farther once or twice for larger tribe meets.
- You’ve probably inherited the skills and job of the father, and his clan.
Weather
- In Ghikarn’gai, the winters are wet and the summers hot and dry.
- Cold is the temperature when you wear gloves. Hot is when you don’t need a fire at night.
Entertainment
- Stories and songs are sung about the fire. Adults play drinking games to see how can recite their lineage the furthest back. You know tales of your tribe and can name a few Heteri Kings.
- Everyone sings. Most adolescents can strum a tune on a stringed instrument.
- Animal fights are held, but only attended by elder males.
Weapons and Warfare
- You know how to use a bow, even if you’re a city boy. You’re probably a decent shot from a horse.
- If your from a migratory clan, you own a sword or an axe, and can use it. You dream of having a proper Heteri Broadsword like the Vuhwul (or other leader)
- You may have killed a man, especially if you live along the border counties.
- Before battle, Heteri will bathe the hooves of their horses in blood for luck.
Social Interaction
- To seal a deal, a Heteri will spit into the dirt and grind or stamp his foot at the spot.
- The traditional Heteri challenge is to spit at the feet of your foe. This is a serious offense, and doing so is cause for drawing steel, except by the closest of friends. Note the similarity to above.
- Friends and family will great each other with great bear hugs
- Toasts:
- “A feast to my enemies!”, reply “Hail Utan”
- “Blessing upon your horse”, reply “And upon yours”
- “May Utan guide your knife” (generically used for all weapons or deadly conflicts)
- In Heteri towns, the sounds of arrhythmic drumming means a funeral procession has started.
Aging and Death
- Funerals are quiet occasions. The dead are commonly burned on pyres with gifts or offerings.
Birth and Childhood
Wealth and Luxury