Lore

Dovenost

An aloof land that settled happily into isolation and built a rich culture of its own.

Even before the Lattice broke, the ancestors of the Dovenosti tended to hold themselves aloof from the rest of the world, and when Threshold travel was completely cut off, Dovenost settled in happily in its isolation. Over the centuries, they built a rich culture bound by a strong sense of personal honor and autonomy and dedicated to attaining mastery in any number of crafts and trades, most notably carpentry, weaving, and smithing. When international contact was reestablished sixty years ago, Dovenosti goods caught the attention of the world, leading to a high demand for trade. This has caused mixed reactions among the populace, with some feeling invigorated by new ideas, and others concerned about what traditions may be lost. Dovenosti who choose to leave their home country often find themselves feeling like fish out of water as outsiders seem to see them as pathologically self-sufficient and rigidly honorable. In reality, the Dovenosti have strong communal bonds and a desire to improve the world around them by using their skills to the utmost.

Geography, History, and Climate

A large island far to the south, further south than even the Myos Islands, Dovenost tends to have mild summers and snowy winters, with snowfall accounting for the majority of the island’s precipitation. The topography has very few mountains, including a few mostly dormant volcanoes in the southwest. The land is covered with a blend of forests and plains and is mostly devoid of lakes and rivers. However, most of the land is suitable for farming, owing to multiple aquifers across the island that allow for good irrigation. In places where the aquifers do not run deep, the Dovenosti have built reservoirs and aqueducts to hold and move rain and snowmelt.

There is only one true city in Dovenost, the capital: Glavni, which sits on the southeast tip of the island’s one large lake. Glavni is small, only about six square miles, but it hosts a population of nearly 10,000 people. Most Dovenosti live in rural villages of about five square miles, with populations of fewer than 2,500.

Dovenost is a country with a long history, so long that most of its citizens do not bother with trying to establish when their ancestors arrived on its shores - whether by Gate, ship, or some other means - preferring to say, “we have always been here.” For some families, this may be literal truth; for others, only a small exaggeration, as Dovenost was isolated from the rest of the world for centuries after the breaking of the Lattice. Generations of Dovenosti lived and died with only tales of other places.

The country’s history is marked by long stretches of Metioch and Istarum-pleasing stability, punctuated by brief (but often intense) periods of chaos and civil strife, as the Dovenosti believe that all Purposed beings are equal, and being born to wealth or privilege does not entitle one to any perquisites of birth. Therefore, the Dovenosti head of state, known as the Arbiter, can come from any walk of life, and ascends to the throne as the victor in a multi-factioned civil war. There have been sixty four Wars of Ascension in Dovenost’s history; the longest - also among the earliest and bloodiest - lasting nearly twenty years, and the shortest being decided within a month. The most recent War of Ascension lasted fifteen months.

The eighteenth War of Ascension ended after seven months when one of the western volcanoes erupted, killing or incapacitating over half of the faction leaders and prompting the survivors to rally behind Leyla Maral, a civil engineer who had quickly distinguished herself among the combatants for her cool head and logistical aptitude, trusting her to deal fairly with all parties during the state of emergency.

The forty second War of Ascension marked the last time when the winner was decided by single combat. In the final duel, Martin Henrik had clearly bested opponent Ivan Goran, but Goran refused to yield, until Henrik finally had to take his head. Since then, being dangerously stubborn has been referred to as being Goranesque.

The only truly bloodless war was the forty ninth War of Ascension, which occurred in the middle of one of the worst famines to ever strike Dovenost. Most of the citizenry was too weak or weary to fight, and so the few who wished to vie for the throne did so through diplomatic means. The chosen winner, Tomasz Bosko, is viewed as one of the worst Arbiters Dovenost has ever had.

Contact with the rest of the world was established sixty years ago when a young mage, Sona Zoric, after reading about the Lattice, Gates, and Thresholds in an ancient text, decided to attempt opening a Gate between her house and her paramour’s. Instead, she opened a Gate to a spice shop in Myos Cori, which immediately closed behind her. Once she had found her way to a Myosian mage and sorted out what had happened, that mage, Claudia Corlevaro, returned with her to Dovenost, bringing along a delegation to discuss trade with the Arbiter at the time, Aleksandra Fiala. Those early overtures were received with a great deal of hesitation, but Arbiter Fiala eventually granted the Myosians permission to create Gates within Dovenost and to negotiate directly with Dovenosti individuals living in the few coastal fishing ports for docking rights.

The flag of Dovenost is three wide horizontal bands of dark green, light green, and gold for the forests, fields, and pastures of the Island, with a stylized aqueduct in dark red and gray across the middle band.

Politics, Government, and Economy

While the wars to select an Arbiter form the most notable portions of Dovenost’s history, most Arbiters have relatively sedate reigns. The primary role of Arbiter is not really to rule, but to adjudicate conflicts that arise within the populace. Even then, most conflicts are resolved by the parties themselves, or with the assistance of Circuit Magistrates who travel from village to village. Circuit Magistrates are nominated by their home villages, confirmed by the Arbiter, and sent to travel a route that does not include the Magistrate’s home territory. In the event that parties dispute a Magistrate’s ruling, or the Magistrate does not feel they can fairly make a decision, they appeal to the Arbiter whose ruling is final and absolute.

The secondary role of the Arbiter is to administrate projects that will benefit the country as a whole. This is the legacy of Leyla Maral, who, in the later years of her reign, saw to the expansion of roads and aqueducts and helped pioneer a system of sewers and waste removal. To assist the Arbiter in this aspect, Magistrates are also tasked with reporting any expansions or repairs needed to the national infrastructure that local Dovenosti craftmasters and engineers either do not have the expertise to handle or that are far enough outside any local jurisdiction that the Arbiter must appoint someone to the task.

As Dovenost broadens its associations with other countries, the Arbiter’s role has expanded to encompass international diplomacy, although both Arbiter Fiala and her eventual successor, current Arbiter Ilia Stolarz, have shown little interest in the task, passing most trade negotiations off to the craftmasters whose goods will be traded and otherwise doing only what is demanded of them.

The Arbiter holds their seat for life, though many Arbiters abdicate as a matter of honor when they feel they can no longer manage the job. When the death or abdication of an Arbiter is announced, any citizen over fifteen years of age may declare their intention to try for the throne. Those who choose not to declare are then bound by honor to remain completely neutral in the conflict for as long as it lasts. There is then a short period during which those vying for the throne duel or negotiate with their neighboring fellow contenders to form local factions. Once a contender has a faction of at least one hundred behind them, the real battles begin. Each time a faction wins, the loser - if alive - must either join the winner or declare their complete neutrality. Whatever a living faction leader does, the members of their side must follow suit; to do otherwise is a grave dishonor. In the event that a faction leader dies in battle, their coterie must likewise join the winner or commit to being neutral.

When the most recent War of Ascension twenty-two years ago brought with it the possibility of seeking international allies, the few contenders who attempted to obtain foreign aid quickly found other factions immediately halting their own conflicts to stand in opposition to anyone who would so dishonorably bring in outsiders. It is rumored that Arbiter Stolarz won the right to head their faction in a game of chance, their rivals being unable to decide who was best suited to lead, but absolutely unified in the conviction that Donatas Wincenty, a wainwright who had sought the backing of several Myosian merchants and a handful of Ophralian nobles must not ascend to the throne.

Outside of the Arbiter and their Magistrates, there is very little active Government in Dovenost. The people keep to their villages and handle their business as honorably as they can. When an individual is found to be in the wrong in a conflict, the most common punishment is that they must correct their wrongdoing. If that is not possible, a period of ostracism is enforced. Egregious transgressions may result in banishment from society or, rarely, death, but these sentences can only be handed down by the Arbiter. Banishment is enforced by a magical sigil placed on the perpetrator.

As to the economy, within Dovenost, most goods are obtained through barter. The early days of outside trade were marked with Dovenosti crafters often feeling cheated in transactions involving coin. Those craftmasters quickly added a year abroad to the responsibilities of their apprentices, and the current generation of craftmasters are far more conversant in the worth of their wares.

Everyday Life

Dovenosti life is centered on providing for oneself through one’s chosen craft, and in the perfection of skill within that vocation.

Young people in Dovenost do not marry until all parties are able to earn a living for themselves and provide for at least one child. Children from birth to three years of age are reared by their parents. From three to five years of age, they spend most of their days with the village creche, where they are allowed to play under the watch of a rotating handful of teacher-apprentices and retirees. From five to ten, they attend school in the mornings to master basic literacy and mathematics and spend the afternoons visiting the various craftmasters at work to begin recognizing where their interests and talents lie. From ten to twelve, they are fostered for a week to a month at a time with the local craftmasters, furthering their ability to make an informed decision about what path they would like to take. For the next two years, adolescents narrow their choices and spend longer periods fostering with the different masters that they hope will choose them as apprentices.

Every year, villagers gather to celebrate Calling Day, when the craftmasters publicly select the fourteen-year-olds that they have chosen to apprentice them. In smaller villages, there have been years without a Calling Day. Rarely, especially in larger villages, a youth may not be selected. When this happens, that young person goes on a journey-year seeking a master elsewhere. Usually, they are either successful, or return home having gathered enough additional maturity to be selected in their hometown.

It is also during the term of one’s apprenticeship that a Dovenosti serves in the local militia. For one day a week, apprentices receive martial training to defend their villages in the unlikely event of invasion. Unspoken is the understanding that this training is to equip every Dovenosti to participate in an Ascension War if they so choose.

Apprenticeships officially end at the master’s discretion, usually within ten years. It is not unheard of for a Dovenosti to remain an apprentice while still supporting themselves with their work. One of the most common cases for a Magistrate to hear is that of an apprentice who feels their master is holding them back. However, often, when the Magistrate finds in favor of the apprentice, it is determined that the master did not hold them back maliciously, but rather in hopes that their apprentice could first demonstrate ability beyond themselves. The two highest compliments in Dovenosti society are “I have nothing more to teach you” and “today you have taught me something.”

The various crafts that one might apprentice to include - but are not limited to - alchemist, apothecary, baker, blacksmith, carpenter, cabinet-maker, farmer, healer, herder, mage, mason, printer, tailor, teacher, thatcher, wainwright, weaver, wheelwright, etc.

All Dovenosti crafters build first for strength and permanence and then for beauty and detail. They place great value on how well something is made, and plain but solid work is esteemed far above craftsmanship that is ornate but slipshod. A small cottage made without a hint of draft or leak is deemed superior to a mansion with corners that aren’t quite square or floors that aren’t quite level. An unadorned shirt, perfectly tailored with even stitching is thought to be of greater worth than one with lace and ribbons that catch and fray. Certainly, if one has the means for a large home or adorned garb, these flourishes can reflect status, provided they are well-made.

While most masters are relentless perfectionists in their chosen crafts, there are vocations where one cannot completely control one’s outcomes through skill alone. Farmers, fisherfolk, trappers, teachers - these individuals still excel at what they do, but they accept that there will always be times when circumstances mean they are less successful. If ever a Dovenosti complains about a perceived failure due to elements that were not their fault, the common sympathetic response is, “You cannot force the sun.”

A large part of the Dovenosti code of honor is that one does not owe one’s neighbor. This means that in bartering negotiations, one does not take or offer goods on the promise of future bounty. It also means that their family structures are exceedingly egalitarian. As mentioned above, all adults within a family are expected to be able to provide for themselves through the goods or services they create; therefore domestic tasks must be divided fairly to allow everyone to practice their craft. Lastly, the Dovenosti have a strong sense of “the common good,” but a limited sense of charity. They will not allow a neighbor to freeze or starve, but help is somewhat predicated on a circumstance - an accident of birth or nature - wherein an individual is truly unable to help themselves.

The idea of not being beholden to anyone extends to their customs of inheritance. Dovenosti tend to write lengthy wills, leaving one only one heirloom apiece to as many people as they can name. Should any of their personal possessions remain after the disbursement of the will, any of the deceased’s neighbors omitted from the will may request an item for remembrance, and a Magistrate is brought in to oversee the claims. Any items remaining after this process are burned.

The Dovenosti express their humorous side with the annual celebration of “Shoddy Day” in which masters and apprentices of one skill set attempt to complete challenges set by masters of another skill set. Elaborate cakes attempted by tailors and shepherds, horseshoes smithed by teachers and weavers, and shirts sewn by bakers and apothecaries and the like are subjected to good-natured criticism from those who actually know how to accomplish the tasks they set, and general merriment is had by all.

Beyond “shoddy day,” it is accepted that one does not need to strive for perfection in one’s hobbies. Through their years fostering with different masters, the Dovenosti pick up a wide variety of skills, most of which will not inform their lives, but which they otherwise enjoy. In a similar vein, while the Arts are too impractical for the Dovenosti to devote themselves in the pursuit of art, music, or theatre, they deeply enjoy music and will sing along lustily to any tune they know, paying little heed to how well they sing.

Current Events

The civil improvement project of the last three Arbiters has been to pipe the country’s supplies of natural gas into every Dovenosti home for better, reliable lighting and cooking. The project is nearly complete, and all Dovenosti agree that it is a vast improvement over wood fires, candles and torches.

More interestingly, there is a growing call for Arbiter Stolarz to either take a larger role on the international stage or create a council that will. This has met with pushback from many of the populace who feel that too many Gates and ports were opened too quickly and that Dovenost should instead cut back on its dealings with the continent. The busiest port of Zaljev has seen small outbursts of violence on its docks as isolationist bands have attempted to disrupt trade. The perpetrators were quickly stopped and shamed by others in the port who reminded them that they were interfering unbidden in the honorable business of Craftsmasters who were willingly engaging in the international market. The largest concern is that while Arbiter Stolarz is relatively young and healthy, when they die or abdicate, the growing divide on international trade could make the next Ascension War an intense and drawn out affair.

Cultural Plot and Themes

Notes for Players

Names for Dovenosti characters will tend to have an Eastern European/Slavic flavor. Most people have a first and up to three middle names followed by a family name, which may come from either the maternal or paternal side. The Dovenosti tend to use whichever family name sounds better with their first and middle names. Children are addressed by their first names (unless they’re in trouble). Once one is apprenticed, during formal interactions, one is addressed as Apprentice [Last Name]. Masters are formally referred to by their craft and their last name: Smith Broz, Miller Pavlovic, Weaver Novak, etc.

Dovenosti characters may find themselves being drawn into trade negotiations or diplomatic dealings. Their experiences with the world beyond Dovenost means they could be of service to Arbiter Stolarz should they choose to be of use.

While common sense suggests that there could be twenty or more years until the next Ascension War, there is always the possibility that one could occur sooner.

Costume and RP Themes

Dovenosti clothing is well-made; both practical and comfortable to move and work in. Garments tend towards clean lines and simple styles more in keeping with medieval-fantasy than renaissance-fantasy. Leather and fabric are equally prominent depending on how practical it is for one’s vocation [character class]. Trim, embroidery, and adornments are rare, but not unheard of.

How one chooses to play their character may be informed by how happy their character was in Dovenost and how long they have been outside the country. A character who found their village too small and too hidebound, who left as soon as they could, and who has been adventuring in other places for a decade will behave very differently from the happy apprentice who has just been sent out on their year abroad.

Consider the following questions when choosing to play a Dovenosti: How long have they been abroad? How excited are they about Dovenost being part of the international community? Do they share the Dovenosti propensity to value plain quality over detail and decoration? Do they struggle with the emphasis on honesty and honor? Are they of an age where they participated in the last War of Ascension, and if so, how did that experience shape them?