Symenestra Culture
The Symenestra people have a culture unlike any other within Mizahar. Their roots in Falyndor, followed by a depression during the Valterrian that acted as a sort of dark renascence creates a brutal mixture between plush arts and high society, as well as tribal ritual and practice. Everything about them is unique from their religion, to their history, music, food, dance, language, and even their clothing. Below is a slight fraction of Symenestra culture.
Food
The Symenestra moved to Kalea from Falyndar sometime before the Valterian. That being said, they were able to keep some of their food preperation traditions, but their diets were altered drastically by the sudden change in food sources to Kalean flora and fauna. Below are some traditional Symenestra dishes:
Brukka
A sort of blood soup containing about two parts blood and one part liquified vegitable. Brukka is made from various animal bloods including chickin cow dear and goat, garlic, onion, wild celery, and cabbage. The vegitables are mashed and left to liquify in corosive symenestra venom while the blood is heated in a pot along with salt pepper and lemon juice. After the vegitables have liquified they are mixed into the soup with a bit of flower to thicken the soup. Consumption of large quantities of blood upsets the human stomache, but symenestra have unique digestive tracts. The meal is hearty and filling, and usually taken in the evenening.
Kavol
A spicey dish made from liquified elk meat, kavol is a favorite pub meal in kalinor. It is made by grinding elk venison between two stones before mixing in symenestra venom and a splash of water. Spices are added once the meat is liquified, mainly salt, kayne pepper, and black pepper. The liquid is boiled and then served with onion juice srinkled on top. This food is safe for himans once the venom has been nullified through boiling.
Teis
a thick soup made from egg yolk and garlic, it is very high in protien and typically served in a cup for breakfast at room temperature.
Soccri
a thin soup made by boiling animal bones left over from previous meals alongside fat oils and egg whites. This light soup contains no venom and a thin flavor. It is usually served mid day and is rather affordable considering it is made from left overs. Most humans find it bland and its flavor subtle and prefer to add salt and pepper.
Vydni
A flavourful and often expensive dish made of duck, egg, tomato, and onion, this soup is very thick and rich. To prepare the dish, a duck must be plucked and roasted. After the duck is crisped, the oily drippings are collected in a pot. The meat is seperated from the bird and liquified seperately along with tomato, pepper, kale, and celery. Water is added to th e oil and the liquid is brought to a boil. The ducks bones are cracked and added to the water to extract the flavorfull marrow. Once the marrow is extracted the bones are removed and the liquified meat and veggies are introduced to the water. The end result is a thick brown soup served with pepper sprinkled on top.
Music
Symenestra are a race with an exstensive history. In the days of hiding following the Valterrian, history was recorded via beautiful silk tapastries, cave paintings, music, written history, and word of mouth stories. While residing in Falyndar, the symenestra specialized in playing rhythm on large animal skin drums, and added lyric via vocalization. In the caves of Kalinor however, animal skins where in short supply. Instead, new styles of string instraments were developed using moth silk strings, much resembling harps and cellos. Choirs of Symenestra sing along side these instraments, focusing on the endurance vocal range and flexibility of the Symenestra voice. Traders to Kalinor note that the vocalists display a unique combination of fragility, grace, and the eeirie vibration of sadness and vengeance in many traditional songs. While commonly outsiders are unsettleded by the music of Kalinor's residents, many are also pulled by its mystery, sadness, and seductive tune.
Nyn
An all female choir usually consisting of higher vocal ranges
Vyn
All male choir of deeper vocal ranges
Kyn
Mixed choir, most common, all vocal ranges
Bellyt
A harp that hangs from a caverns ceiling, strung between two stalactites. This instrument is played by a lone musician who hangs upside down from the cavern ceiling.
Kavrin
A large tapestry pulled tight over a wooden drum, the diameter of which is almost always 10-15 feet. The drum is laid on its side and beat by a solo musician.
Varn
A large cello like instrument made of wood and silk.
Kynkrun
A small fiddle like instrument, played in inns and at parties. Usually carries fast paced tunes, customary to dance to.
Niani
Several glass basins filled with various amounts of water. played by running a Symenestra talon along the outside rim of the basins, producing a steady vibrating sound of various pitch depending on which basin is used and how much water is in the basin. Typically played by two musicians, either alone or with other instruments.
Suphin
A large xylophone like instrument.
Language
Symenos, the language of the Symenestra, has been shifting since the beginning of the Valterrian. Before moving from Falyndar, The Symenestra spoke a more gluteal form of the language, which had many hacking sounds and deep emphisisms. Modern Symenos has evolved over the years to sound more gentle and intelligent, Hacking has changed to rolling, tone changes to soft emphasis, near growling sounds shifted into delicate 's' sounds.
Modern Symenos sounds much like a mixture of Latin, Mid German, and French. Below is a list of a few words spoken in old symenos, and their new Symenos pronunciation:
Acklavel (Ack-Lay-Vell) = Arlyveil (Arr-la-vail)
Bobach (Boo- Bock) = Vuvas (Vu-vas)
Zinxa (Zin-Ska) = Vinxa (Vin-saw)
Nixus (Nick-Sus) = Nynsis (Nien-sees)
Symenestra are unfailingly literate, and fluent in both the common tongue and their own language: Symenos. Their ability to charm and persuade verbally is a key tool in the hunt for surrogates, as they would rather coax than fight and risk damaging a healthy surrogate.
Symenos is a softly spoken language that creeps off the tongue. Some find the sound of it entrancing while others think it eerie.
The Symenos word "Symenestra" is unique in that it can be both an adjective or a noun, singular or plural. This is a purposeful use that demonstrates the Symenestra idea of the unifying power of blood and heritage. Common speakers tend to use Symenestran as an adjective and Symenestras as the plural form, adjusting it to their language patterns.
There are few formal rules for the naming of full Symenestran children or Half-Symenstra with a Symenestra father. Masculine names are usually denoted by their use of "D's" and "V's", while feminine names tend to use "S's" and "N's". Names are to be pleasant to the ear when spoken aloud and often have three syllables. This is a more recent trend, introduced with the rise of the "Harvest". Few women would be inclined to stop for Thrack, but Duvalis might have better luck.
Surnames are taken from the father's side and are derived from jungle flora, as they were once a tree-top dwelling people. The first Symenestra Webs were identified by their proximity to certain plants. As the culture was exposed to medicinal flowers from other climates, a few more names were integrated into their bloodlines. However, the common language's name for the plant is always used, as the Symenestra titles often had double meanings that might connote something undesirable.
Examples:
Daratur Balsam, Soraya Avenca, Valdyor Curare, Nalessa Erva, Avadon Scarlet, Enella Orchid etc.
Half-Symenestra with a Symenestra mother have the prefix of "Dra". The prefix literally means "little", and a demeaning connotation is often read into it. Their first names will usually have two syllables. They will have no surname.
Examples: Dra-Sosai, Dra-Lenev, Dra-Altha
Honorifics
Symenestra will sometimes employ honorifics to show levels of relation or affection. If the speaker is familiar with the audience's first name, he will add the last syllable of the name to the end of the title. For example, a friend of Daratur Balsam would call him Pryzatur. Or Soraya Avenca would be called Sibeaya by a complimentary young man. If the first name is not known, the title stands alone or precedes the family name for extra formality. "Dra" is the exception to these rules when relating to a half Symenestra. In this case, it is always used alone or preceding the full first name. This usage resembles human syntax, emphasizing the estrangement of a Dra to his race.
Mabda – a respectful term for an older or married woman, literally "good mother"
Dovna – a respectful term for a male, usually for a superior. Implies a position of command.
Sibea – An admiring term for a woman. Implies beauty and good breeding.
Enda - A common term for young, unmarried women.
Versda - A term for younger men. An abbreviation of "good brother".
Bitta - An endearing term for a little girl or baby.
Dra – "little" used on small children endearingly or adults and halves mockingly.
Pryza - A term good friends would use for one another. Literally "gift"
Krova - A catch-all term for any Symenestra. Usually used when in the presence of other races or for a peer in a professional capacity. Literally "of the blood".
Dress
Symenestra typically dress depending upon their jobs, income, and social status. That being said, most of their clothing is either entirely silk, silk adorned with fur, leather adorned with fur and silk, or any combination of the three. Symenestra with greater income will place gems or expensive metals upon their clothing, and most silks are purchased is extravagant jewel tones.
All Symenestra are silk wearers by nature, and most wear silk casually, with the exception of full time hunters, who tend to wear a combination of silk and leather. Weavers, dancers, doctors, and other such trades wear flowing silks in either white or jewel tones.
Leather is worn by most hunters, who have their hides tanned and sewn into clothing. Most will also wear a cloak or scarf of silk. Many Symenestra wear leather jackets to social gatherings or on other formal occasions.
Furs are worn by most in formal situations, or in times of winter. Fur tends to be easy to acquire but expensive to style into clothing.
Gems are most commonly worn by those with excessive income and social power, or by Symenestra skilled in mining.
Clothing materials come from the Rose Caverns, Traded by hunters, or the Mines.
Behavior and Body Language
Symenestra people interact with each other much like humans do, with few subtle exceptions, owed to their exodus, seductive tendencies, and social mannerisms.
Where humans make only two to five seconds of eye contact at a time, Symenestra tend to focus on each other's lips, assessing how poetic their conversation partner's speech patterns are. They make eye contact suddenly and intensely to emphasize speech, and often hold it for five to twelve seconds, a time frame that typically makes humans uncomfortable. When showing affection, they tend to close their eyes half way and shorten their replies.
It is also not uncommon to be touched by an affectionate Symenestra. Their social boundaries whilst interacting with each other are lessened, especially if two Symenestra show interest in each other. brief hand contact, or a light touch on the upper arm is very common between opposite sex.
