Ajair (A jar)

the People of Ajar

The Ajair people, as their name may imply are the native Human from the kingdom of Ajar, of the Sruo Hayden peninsula, on the major continent of Ethae. Traditionally they are categorized as Novya, under the Normon ethnic group. They descended from generations of colonist and migrants from the mainland of Novyum. Realistically they are of a mix of normon and Ismon descendants. Their lands have long been considered part of Novyum politically, even while its location is technically on the Anbar reach of Ethae.

These people's nation stands on the thin strip of land between the Satyricon Range and the Cony Sea. Ajar is a wet region, with the moist sea air of Cony pushing into the Satyricons creating light showers throughout the year, especially in the cool nights of spring and fall. Couple this moisture with the rocky soil, and you find a boggy land poor for farming. This makes the Ajair dependent of foreign trade for wheat, barley and other crops from the Heartlands. The same poor soil conditions, however, have made for thriving forests of hearty tree species, and Ajar is famous for the lumber industry. Their shipwrights are renowned for sturdy ships that can take punishment that would sink other ships and still make it back to port.

The Ajair culture, while a patriarchy like many nations throughout Novyum, holds the family unit in a high social standing. Men out of their teen years, who are unmarried are seen as lesser than married men. The arranged marriages of nobility in Novyum are seen as a backwards practice to the Ajair. A boy is not a man if he cannot win a girl's heart of his own accord. In turn, a girl has full consent of who she choices to marry. Marriage should happen by the age of twenty. Older, unmarried men and women are often shunned in society. It is these outcasts than often venture beyond their kingdom into the world to find their own way. Marriage to foreigners is also looked down upon. In marriage, women are considered equal to their spouse. This goes for outside the household as well, with women owning an equal share of the property and business of her family. It is only in national politics that women cannot hold office. Though there are movements among the population to change this tradition, little progress has been made.

Ajar has been a kingdom of peace throughout its long history, never joining or fighting in any major wars. The Satyricon mountains to their west have been a wall to prevent any possible invading army from attacking by land in mass. The Cony Sea has not seen a naval battle since the ancient world saw the fall of the Umaybbad Orc of the Craddle Valley. A voluntary militia of men and women guard the mountain passes into Ajar that sometimes see act from raiders and bandits, but this militia is often seen more as a political step for the men looking to enter the political. For unmarried woman it is a way to find a place in her homeland. This often ends up a lifelong role for the women, who are only shunned more for their choice of fighting and living among men that are not her husbands. For the men of the militia, they often only spend a year or two as border guards before returning home to their wives and political careers. Most of the border post, while technically lead by a male offer, are unofficially run by the experienced women that have lived at the post for years or decades.

Though a people of mixed heritage, the Ajair more frequently show the pale physical resemblance of their normon bloodlines. The people, by far, are born with blonde and light brown hair. Women's hair is often the lighter shades of blonde, while men are darker. Regional styles vary, but long hair is cultural norm for the women. Men keep their hair short and groomed, beards are more common in the south than the north of the kingdom. Both men and women will more often than not be born with brown eyes, as well as dark shades of blue. As few Ajair marry outside their culture other eye colors are almost unheard of.