Eseris is a forgotten kingdom on the far western side of Kessix, unseen by other nations. The people of Eseris are refugees from the Iksandi empire long ago, shaped by the cultures they came from.

Geography

Eseris lies on the western island off of Kessix, and is quite temperate and wet for a majority of the year. It is covered in dense forests known as the Night Woods.

Government

Eseris is run mainly as a series of independently governed villages and towns, linked through messenger trails. This leads to postal workers being highly valued in society. Most Serians end up running messages and errands between towns at one point or another. In most villages, decisions are made by the entire population by a simple majority vote.

Culture

Serian culture is a blend of Riweni, Civielite, Iksandi, and Jehisi cultures, with more cultural developments added later in time. The refugee origin of Eseris means that many folk form small, tight-knit communities as opposed to larger, looser ones. Self-sufficiency and interdependence are prized, as are useful skills like carpentry, sewing, and farming. 

Relationships and Self

Peer groups are highly valued in Serian society, but the most important bond is seen as that between lovers or those who chose to live together, whether romantically or platonically. Elders are respected, and often move to live with their eldest child when they can no longer live alone. Children of a couple are seen as children of the entire village, and are often raised by three or four "mothers". This is a common enough practice that there is a term differentiating birth mother from practical mothers (Mame and Miti, respectively)

The self is seen as secondary in Serian society, and people nearly always describe themselves as part of a whole instead of as an individual. Family names come first when introductions are made, followed by location names (e.g. Smith By-the-sea Jack, or Johnson Tall-tree Jane)

Visual Culture

Clothing in Eseris, like most other parts of culture, is a cross-cultural development. Leather, hide, and wool are the main sources of textile, with cotton being a rare luxury among towns nearer to the river. The winter coats of the Jehisi are seen in the lightweight hide shirts, retaining the boxy hem and linear decorations. Many are worn without sleeves in the summertime. Most Serians wear loose, lightweight wool leggings and skirts, adding layers in the winter. The winter shirt is typically made of knitted wool, resembling a sweater, and worn over the hide shirts. Girdles are popular among Serians, shaping the clothing and adding a way for tools to be hung.

Serian architecture blends in well with the surrounding forests. Houses are constructed of a frame of wood, usually in a half-cylinder or vaulted shape. Wattle-and-daub is used to form the walls, and bark is placed over top of the roof. The entire frame is secured inside with clay and mud. A row of stones or mud-bricks are used to support the base of the structure. The doorframe has been compared to a tunnel, since it extends outward from the house and is covered in clay and bark. Each house usually holds one family.

Daily Life

Serians are traditionally plain in their rituals and daily lives, believing in a life of simple, hard work and a close-knit community. Agriculture and gathering food is a big part of a Serian's day, which begins at sunrise. All members of the family have a signature role they fill, though they learn the skills of their peers and family members as well. 

Most adults are involved in food production of some kind, whether it be hunting, gathering, or farming. Fish are a common source of food in the many lakes that dot the region, and are traded among villages. Along with food production, most adults learn another skill, such as carpentry, hide making or weaving. Adolescents are often messengers or learning their parent's trade, and are expected to be able to do basic crafts like rope making and basket weaving. Children from the ages of 7-12 are expected to look after their younger siblings, clean, tend to animals, and perform basic tasks like fetching water or carrying tools for their parents.

Trade within Eseris is primarily bartering or done with Empiric Iksandi coin, since that is when the nation was formed.

Demographics

The population of Eseris is dominated by Myra, mainly Dravic, Civielite, Jehisi, and Riweni. Some Mari magefolk, descendants of the initial refugees from the mage wars, live in the forests as well. The religious population is a blend of Avonistic, Kewenis, and Ervaju.