Physical Appearance: The Fisherfolk are generally of medium to short build, with men standing from 5' 7" to 5' 11" tall and women a few inches shorter. They are sturdy of frame, and tend to have medium olive brown skin that darkens easily with exposure to the elements. Their hair is straight and is found in a range of colors from light brown to black, with the darker colors somewhat more predominant. Eye color varies also, with hazel and brown the most common. The Fisherfolk are related to both the people of the plains and those of Gallacia.
Dress: The Fisherfolk dress practically. They wear linen undershirts beneath wool outer clothing. For men this outer clothing consists of a long-sleeved, belted, thigh-length tunic with key-hole necks and trousers tied at the waist and cross-gartered. Women wear similar clothes except that the tunic is lengthened into a knee-length dress for girls and a mid-calf-length dress for married women. The wool may be brightly died for special-occasion clothes, but even drab day-to-day wear will be embroidered with bright yarn around the hems. This embroidery will be in the form of sea-creatures, waves, flowers, winter wheat, and other naturalistic designs.
Language: The spoken language of the Fisherfolk is related to that of the plains people. It is very different form the languages spoken farther south, but has picked up many Gallacian loan words over the centuries. Before contact with other peoples, the Fisherfolk used a simple system of slashed symbols, easily carved in wood or other material. Now that paper-making technology has been imported, however, they use the written language of the Gallacians adapted to Fisher vocabulary sounds, and the older alphabet is generally reserved for tombstones, monuments, and religious writings.
Kinship/Family: Family is very important with several generations often sharing living quarters or at least living near. Society is matrifocal, with men coming to stay with their wives' families. Matriarchs are often very powerful, although male elders are equally respected. The folk believe that the sea, which seen as somewhat feminine, is the domain of Lir, and therefore a "men's place." The land is the domain of the Goddess, and is the "woman's place," thus women tend to have a lot of authority in a village, except perhaps where the fine, practical details of ship activity is concerned.
Government/Authority: Very little. Age and wisdom constitute the basis for authority. Village officials will be chosen by the elders and from the elders. Fisher laws encourage group survival. As long as an individual's activities are not detrimental to this, they are usually tolerated.
Religion/Philosophy: See above. Fisher religion is an interesting mix of animism and Gallacian-derivative polytheism.
Magick: The only magick still practiced is the magick of the Gods. Children who come to the attention of their elders will be brought into the priest/ess-hood at puberty. Priests and priestesses marry and a re fully apart of village life at most times (although their meditations may take them away from the village for extended periods. Much magickal practice consists of seasonal rituals to placate Lir, ask for a good fish-harvest, ensure the fertility of the fields and the women of the village, and ward off misfortune.
Arts: The folk greatly love complex multi-voice harmonies. Their traditional music may have twelve or more parts and also include musical accompaniment. They are also very fond of dancing, with complex partnered "folk-dances" not unlike our square-dances or pattern dances being the most popular. Men even dance at sea, an old legend saying that the sound of their furiously tapping feet acts as a charm to scare away the monsters of the deep. Visual arts include the carving of whale bone and wood, including larger carvings placed on the outside of homes and on furniture, embroidery and tapestry weaving.
Way of Life/Professions: Sailing, net-making, farming, timber-cutting, and trade are some of the main professions out side of the priest-hood. There are specialist craftsmen as well, of course: Smiths, shipwright, cobblers and a few others can make a full-time living at their professions, but many crafts practiced full-time in the southern lands (like tailor) are here skills which many people know and practice in their free time to supply themselves and their families with the finished product.
Cultural Background Skills: All members of society will know how to swim, make a net, row, recognize coming bad weather, and sail at least a small 10-15 foot skiff. Many know more about sailing, weather prediction, navigation, fishing, farming, trade with the Gaels and Plains people, and so forth, Most people, men and women alike, will be pretty self-sufficient, knowing how to sew clothes, raise a garden, cook food, treat simple injuries (cuts and scrapes), repair a timber house, etc.