>[!info|no-t] >Excerpts from *"An Anthropological View into the Settler Culture of Ibir"*, from Dr. Gillard fon Noyman, Professor of Colonial Studies in the University of Zulspire. Zulspire Press, 1047. A curious people, these settlers of Ibir. And a funny thing, the term "settler": we in academia have conventioned the use of "Settler" to designate the dominant culture of Ibir, comprised of the cultural descendants of those who came to establish settlements and expand the Empire of Light into the colonies. But to them, their culture has no name — it is simply the way things are. *They are just the people of Ibir.* To them, the quilombolas, the native tribes; these are the ones who possess a culture of their own! The settlers see themselves merely as the common folk of the Ibiri colonies, whether they work the land or in the cities. They readily acknowledge the influence of the Empire of Light, and many proudly exalt their Auroran heritage, speaking of great-grandfathers who arrived from Longmeadow to carve a farm from the wilderness, or parents who fled the Kingdom of Isles during the Reign of Terror. The Ibiri emulate a simulacrum of Auroran custom, a vision of nobility and order preserved in amber from the Age of Colonization, unaware that the heartland itself has evolved. While in Aurora, the influence of Saint Malcolm's religious doctrines of solidarity and social welfare molded the new generations of Aurorans ideals towards egalitarianism, the Ibiri settler is profoundly compelled by hierarchy. This is not merely social climbing; it is a deeply held performance of identity. With many having had their pasts erased or best left forgotten, many settlers cling to the imported structures of the Empire of Light as a lifeline to legitimacy. This performance manifests in a strict social code: even those with little will fiercely defend their station against those with less, while the minor gentry expect unwavering deference, demanding to be called "Sir" or "Lady" and expecting hats doffed and gazes lowered in their presence. To them, this rigid stratification isn't oppression—it is tradition. It is the closest they can come to claiming a heritage they feel was rightfully bestowed upon them by the Empire. Yet, for all their perceived cultural conservatism, the true soul of Ibiri life is one of breathtaking and unconscious synthesis. Their ancestry is a tapestry of forced migration from Jangalore, Thmert, Sha'atland, from within Ibir itself, and Aurora, of course. While the Lucian regime sought to strip away the old ways, it could not erase the underlying spirit, which bubbled up to transform the imposed Auroran customs into something entirely new. Nowhere is this more present than in their profound joy for life, expressed through music and food: a fusion of instruments and rhythms, of ingredients and techniques that would be unrecognizable in the modern salons of Aurora. They might fervently believe a festive dish is a "true Azurian recipe," utterly unaware its key ingredient is a native Ibiri root, prepared with a Sha'at technique. They sing what they call "old Islesian shanties" set to the complex polyrhythms of a Jangalori work song. This is the great irony of Ibir: they exalt their Auroran heritage, yet their greatest pride—their vibrant, unique, and resilient culture—is a product of the very diversity they often overlook. Like their Vesperite cousins[^1], they are fiercely industrious, having polished the odious inheritance of the Vile King's reign into the brightest jewels in the Imperial crown! The Ibiri interpretation of *the law and peace of the Empire* required... creative adaptation. The Jangalori diaspora brought their orixás, and to hide them from the agents of the Vile King, these spirits were given the names of saints and worshipped in silence, though not always evading persecution. The aspects of these orixás are now inseparable from the mythology of the saints in Ibir. It is, for example, the only place in the Empire where it is commonplace to leave offerings of food and cachaça at a crossroads to ask Saint Lavernia for protection and good luck. The oldest gnomes in Aurora would not recognize this ritual for their matron saint, but a native of Jangalore's Storm Coast would see it as a rite for the trickster god, Awosi[^2]. This 'charming adaptation' is, in fact, the key to understanding Ibiri culture: it is not an imperfect replica, but a perfect and thriving adaptation—one they themselves are often blind to, seeing only the Auroran saint where the academic sees the Jangalori orixá. Likewise, legendary creatures of uncertain origin are revered as if they were canonical Saints or Viles of the Church of Sol. In the Fortunan metropolis of Lake Hope, I visited a chapel dedicated to *Vile Anhanwera*. A tropical devil entirely absent from the Church's inquisitions[^3], but known by settlers and natives to prey upon the lost and the gullible. We were politely encouraged to light thirteen candles to keep the devil from following us on our travels—a most peculiar form of appeasement, yet very familiar to those that lit a candle when praying for a Saint's grace. [^1]: And unlike certain Vesperites I have met (who shall remain unnamed), the Ibiri do not express disdain for the heartland of the Empire. On the contrary! Well-off Ibiri treated this humble professor and my team as if we were members of the Emperor's court, simply because we hailed from Aurora. [^2]: See fon Noyman, 1041. *"The trickster and the dragonslayer: A look into the religions of West Jangalore."* [^3]: My last consultation to the archives in Zenithir was some years ago. A new request for vilification may have arrived. This will be reviewed in future editions should new evidence emerge. --- # [[Settler]] The dominant human culture in [[Ibir]] traces its roots to the first [[Auroran]] settlers, evolving through interactions with the locals and the enslaved brought to the land. ## Lifestyle Settlers are extremely varied and exert all sorts of functions in all sorts of roles in society. ### Subcultures Some segments of the Settler society led to the development of specific subcultures: * [[Troopers]] are nomadic merchants that travel from town-to-town in caravans with other troopers and beasts of burdens to buy and sell wares. * The [[Noble]] are settlers whose lives are directly shaped by the hierarchy of the [[Royal Court of Fortuna]]. %% ## Typical Foods and Drinks %% ## Religion Settlers, predominantly followers of the [[Church of Sol]], also pay respects to [[Ibiri legends]]. Those with [[Jangalori Religion|Jangalori]] or [[Native Ibiri Religion|native]] family backgrounds may secretly practice their respective traditional religions. ![[Church of Sol#List of Deities of the Church of Sol]] ![[Ibiri Legends#List of Ibiri Legends]] %% ## History %% %% ## Settlements %% %% ## Organization %% %% ## Architecture %%