Raven Tribe
The tribe of Northern Barbarians of Avenaria. This tribe venerates the Raven as its totem.
The Raven are a secretive group for the most part. Roaming through almost all of the lands including those that other tribes frequent, they often alert those tribes about game or prey, and take from the pickings of those tribes. Many times this ‘help’ comes with tricks or traps to help benefit the Raven clan. Given their nature and how they provide for themselves, the Raven clan is wary of trespassers on the lands they travel, both tribal and outsider.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The Raven see the lithe form as the most beautiful, often seeing the severely skinny as the most attractive. The Raven tend to pay particular attention to the eyes of potential suitors. This leads to facial tattoos that emphasize the persons eyes. The more striking the tattoos, and eyes, the more beautiful the person is perceived to be.
Gender Ideals
No great emphasis is placed on traditional gender roles. The Raven values gain above all else. Whether you are a woman or a man creating the extra value holds little sway.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship among the Ravens is mostly for show, with the suitor putting on lavish displays of wealth. This includes offering material wealth in the way of gems, jewelry and less often coin. Suitors will also offer elaborate clothing created using the tribes totem. Elaborate cloaks woven with raven feathers are seen as a prestigious courting gift, the more feathers involved in the crafting the more prestige garnered.
Marriages are most often agreed upon by the two people. Once an engagement is agreed upon, and announced the bride and groom to be are expected to perform an intricate courtship dance. If the two should fail to perform the dance correctly great shame is brought upon the party that failed the dance. Failure normally means that the marriage will be cancelled. If the potential bride and groom can use substitutes, as the dance also requires elaborate costumes and masks, and is able to fool their clan it is considered a great feat and great luck. If, however, the substitution is discovered, it's considered a bad omen, and the newlyweds will be forced to live outside the general encampment, until the next couple to be married performs the dance correctly. This often leads to a number of unions being announced at one time, and clever planners will attempt to adjust the schedule of the courtship dances to either cover for couples who may not be as talented, or to have those couples perform last, depending on who is planning the dances.
Marriages are most often agreed upon by the two people. Once an engagement is agreed upon, and announced the bride and groom to be are expected to perform an intricate courtship dance. If the two should fail to perform the dance correctly great shame is brought upon the party that failed the dance. Failure normally means that the marriage will be cancelled. If the potential bride and groom can use substitutes, as the dance also requires elaborate costumes and masks, and is able to fool their clan it is considered a great feat and great luck. If, however, the substitution is discovered, it's considered a bad omen, and the newlyweds will be forced to live outside the general encampment, until the next couple to be married performs the dance correctly. This often leads to a number of unions being announced at one time, and clever planners will attempt to adjust the schedule of the courtship dances to either cover for couples who may not be as talented, or to have those couples perform last, depending on who is planning the dances.
Relationship Ideals
The ideal relationship for the Raven is one that leads to mutual benefit both in fortune and status. This does not always lead to loving relationships.
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