Questionable Questing

tattoos might not be widely available at first since this is a region that didn't have this tradition before magic, so it'll have to be imported over and that'll take some time to get established as a cultural norm. Same with really fancy jewelry or even certain dresses. This is the North and not just any part of it but a specifically very poor area.

But you do have the interesting mix of Riverlands culture, Northern ones, the Crannogmen men, and potentially even some Ironborn stuff depending on many of them survived when their brief little empire in the Riverlands was finally put down by the Targaryens. So you have a handy excuse to use a lot of stuff these groups have.

So from the Crannogmen you have poison, worship of the children, fashion and architecture that is very integrated with the forest and specifically designed to camouflage in. Plus pet alligators, or as they're called in books lion lizards. lol. From the Riverlands you have predominantly green colored clothing, emerald green not muddy green, building with water like bridges and water wheels.

I really like the cultural inspirations you are drawing on

Also stuff like a pretty devout relation with the Seven since they've face some pretty heavy wars and persecution over their religion from the North and the Ironborn, as well as a shockingly robust calvery tradition considering how muddy with rivers and hills their lands are. But really just used the geography and details from the books to form ideas for the culture you want.

The Ironborn, shockingly considering their religion of stealing, actually have some of the best iron and metal working in the Seven Kingdoms and they considering building something with your two hands as paying the Iron price and thus might have smithing competitions or trade shows where they exchange ideas. They also do a lot of fishing so their diets would include a lot of pickled stuff and brines.

That is canon?

Martin did something with Ironborn that wasn't rape and pillage?

The Ironborn probably consider calamari as a delicacy. Not just because Greyjoy house banner is a squid but also because hunting squids, with some species on earth without the magical bullshit of westeros can weigh up to a ton, can be incredibly dangerous. Plus calamari goes well with lemons which is something that would have to be entirely imported from places like Dorne.

Yeah, I know I was just as shocked as you. lol. They are named the Iron island specifically because the island is filled with iron, lead and tin. Of course most of the mining is done with slave labor since the ironborn view that as beneath them and thanks to volcanic activity on the island it's incredibly dangerous and kills of most of them after a couple years. But you can't win everything. lol

I sleep. Talk more Moat Calin later.

Plus apparently seven out of ten small folk on the islands are fishermen and that as well as a cod, sardines, and mackerel, the islands have natural kelp reefs filled with Lobsters and crabs that form most of their diets. Wouldn't be shocked if there was pearl producing oysters too, with pearl jewelry being a big export as well.

Sleep well.

How day. We talk more Moat Calin?

Holy crap I was tired. Are you still up? I literally woke up like fifteen minutes ago, I think? Lots more cleaning and even some moving of furniture, ended with hanging out with family for several hours and a huge feast of Chinese take out means I was passed out the minute my aunt and Uncle got check into their hotel and I was back home.

Dang dude you were asleep and I am editing for Jackal and can't talk right now.

We'll catch up soon. The family's heading out Wednesday morning, so pretty soon my schedule will be clear again.

And writing sir, where is the writing time? I am going to heat up Ziti and talk. More edits to do for Jackal later.

Image quest. Raped but learning to love it from her son or father mom or daughter

Ziti sounds good. But this past week has been stupidly busy. Aunt and uncle had some stuff they needed to get done while here we helped with. They've been helping us unpack and organize the house since my aunt Michelle is really good at interior design. Plus the boat ride today and the butterfly pavilion tomorrow.