al Briena Kadire: The Lore of Alder

Credeite

Appearance:

     Credetites are generally of a medium brown skin and most have darker freckles on their face and sometimes their body. Their hair is similarly brown, but with reddish undertones and occasionally dark blonde highlights, leftover genetic qualities from their ancestors. Bright green eyes are a trademark quality of the Credeite, but they are also known to have blue eyes, courtesy of some Tarusc blood. Few Credeites have brown eyes. They are tall, only the Mekkites are taller, lean, with broad shoulders, and are generally fair or sharp featured, fae-like, but their bones are hard and they do not easily fatigue under the sun. 

Height:

     Women are generally 5' 8" to 6' 1"

     Men are 5' 11 to 6' 4" and occasionally taller. 

Lifespan:

     70-80 years

Religion:

     Worshipers of Dia and other minor deities. They have no central churches, rather small shrines placed in areas of historic, or sentimental value. Most of the few permanent homes have a small shrine dedicated to Dia. It is rumored that no shrine ever built in honor of Dia has been destroyed, even when houses are demolished or burned, the shrines are said to have remained untouched. 

Common Occupation(s):

     A vast majority of Credeites live and work in the salt mines. Men and women over the age of fifteen years are considered old enough to work alongside their parents until their twentieth birthday. Many Credeites are also salt traders, taking salt from the mines, transporting it, and trading or selling it to other countries. Some Credeites are also fishers, fishing along the eastern portion of the Sraps Sea. No Credeite owns land, instead they say they are simply borrowing the land that their home is on. Families may live in one area for a year to a few generations, mining salt, or cultivating Yucca plants, which are used widely to treat many ailments and are resistant to the salty Crede soil. 

Families:

     While men are generally head of the family, women are also held in high regard and respected equally. In the family, it is the daughters who will carry on the family name. Families are generally small, no more than two or three children, and close knit. Tribes consist of the matriarch and patriarch, the eldest husband and wife, their unmarried sons, married and unmarried daughters, spouses of the married daughters, and the children. Each tribe works in their own area in the salt mines and sells their harvested salt to salt traders. Sons are married to other tribes as peace agreements or it is a mutual choice between the son and his to-be bride. Marriages are never forced. 

Further Notes:

- Credeites are a compassionate, peaceful people, preferring to keep to themselves and their families. They generally leave other tribes alone as well, but in recent years have rallied together in large groups to fight against the encroaching Allusus slavers. They serve as a barrier between the Allusus and their destination to sell slaves; Sasserine. Allusus caravans unfortunate enough to be caught by Credeite tribes are ransacked and destroyed. The captured slaves are given the option to join a family, or return home. Most return home and are given enough supplies to get out of Crede. Those that decide to stay are given a welcoming home among their adopted family. Although they accept the freed slaves, they are not so welcoming of other people into their families. 

- While some Credeites live in homes, generally they live in large tents that house up to eight people comfortably.

- Women carry the family name

- Worshippers of Dia, the high goddess; Cann, lord of the land; and Frea, mistress of the sky

     
Pictured Above: a Credeite Woman