Galatians

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Early Kith Kanaan was inhabited by three cultures during the period known as the Age of Dreams. During this time, the north was occupied by the Galatian, the central region was home to the Lepontian, and the south was occupied by the Hellanine. These cultures have been studied by the scholars of Tarantis, who have scoured the ruins and relics of the past to reconstruct the history of Kith Kanaan.

The Galatians

The Galatian tribes lived along the western region of northern Kith Kanaan, covering the edges of what would eventually become the Northern Wilds. Most of the records on these people have been lost, but it is known that they were a patriarchal society. They were a coastal community, relying on boats for trade along the western coastline, and had the basic structures appropriate for a farming community. They bred cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, and had domesticated dogs to serve them in herding their livestock. They composed heroic poems and songs, using stock phrases for recitation. Names were constructed using two symbols or ideas and putting them together to identify someone as a single word.

Society

While the majority of information has been lost, there is much evidence of a sacral kingship, suggesting that the chief of each tribe assumed the role of a high priest. The tribes were often divided into a clerical class, a warrior class, and a farming class. The warrior class consisted primarily of young men, most likely single, following a warrior code which was not adopted by the other classes, involving initiation rites. Each tribe was divided into settlements (weiks), each with their own chief. These settlements were then divided into a number of houses (domos), each headed by the patriarch (dems-potis) of that house.

The weapons of choice were the dagger, the spear, and the axe, usually made of bronze. They Galatian tribes used ox-drawn carts and were only just beginning to develop the chariot. Techniques such as weaving, plaiting, and knot-tying were well-developed, and the textiles were used to produce baskets, fences, and walls. Weaving and binding had a strong magical connotation, and magic used in the legends often involved the use of knots and threads. To prevent the dead rising, the living would tie them to their graves.

The Galatians depended on animal husbandry, and considered cattle to be necessary for their survival. A house’s wealth was determined by how much cattle they were able to keep, and stealing cattle back and forth between houses or tribes was a popular pass-time to show one’s cunning. Sheep and goats were kept by the less wealthy, and diets were supplemented by catching fish or farming. The domestication of the horse played a significant role in the expansion of the tribes through the northern reaches of Kith Kanaan, though the culture did not live long enough to take full advantage of the discovery.

Religion

The religion practised by the Galatians bears some parallels to the historical Arin pantheon, though there are a number of divinities which do not seem to have modern parallels. It is thought the religion was wiped out with the coming of the Dragons, and that the surviving faithful carried their stories until the end of the Age, transforming it into a new religion.

  • Aeun Pater
The sky father, the creator who breathed life into the first man and first woman. Often connected to Arawn in Aregon, and Arion in the Shire Lands, this god was often depicted as distant, but there were a number of legends involving him walking among the people in disguise. Interestingly, Aeun is not described as a solar god, but is instead depicted as the sky.
  • Perikalia
The goddess of combat, who divided the perfect union of heaven and earth. While most would expect her to be connected to Moira, within Aregon, she is more closely connected to Sanguine of the Arin pantheon. Her strikes were described as thunderous blows which split the air itself when they landed. Among the Galatian Tribes, her symbol was the spear, for it is said she was the first goddess to slay another god by driving a spear into his heart. She is not related to Morgana, The Raven.
  • �Meusia
The goddess of the twilight, representing the balance between day and night. She was depicted as the keeper of secrets, who held the knowledge of the mysteries in her eyes – the morning star and the evening star. She is often compared to Mana in the Arin pantheon, or Ceridwen in the Aregon faith.
  • Mitawia
The goddess of the plenty, keeper of the hearth. The legends say that no man can be declared leader of the tribe until she had accepted them into her bed. If she was pleased, they held the divine right to rule and the land under their rule would flourish. If she was displeased, their rule would be met with famine. She was also the goddess of judgement, the voice that settled all disputes. Those who would oppose her judgements often found she was a ferocious (some said mad) warrior. She is often compared to the immortal Moira the Raven.
  • Cei-Deos
The goddess of fertility, mother of immortals. It is said that she allowed any into her bed, drawing out the pains and needs of her lovers, and crafting them into the immortals and heroes of legend. She is thought to be the mother of both Mitawia and Pri-Erea. There is no goddess currently worshipped that matches the history of this goddess, though she could be the mother of both Moira the Raven and Eros the Sartan.
  • Pri-Erea
The god of love, father of the choosers of the slain. It is said that Erea is the brother of Mitawia and the son of Cei-Deos. While he was not a fighter by choice, the legends often had him visited by the daughter of the local chief, which would usually create conflict. His stories were often told with humour, though his daughters were seen as terrifying women who would scour the battlefield, selecting which of the slain were worthy. He is sometimes compared with Eros the Sartan, the immortal of Chey Sart.
  • Tempos
The god of shadows as well as the underworld, it is said that Tempos holds the Book of Endings, which held all futures. The stories of Tempos often described him as a quiet figure who the hero would come visit, and who would have just the right information for them to fulfil their destinies. The information given was often cryptic, or not necessarily the information the hero had come for, but always proved useful. He is often compared to Tamper, the founder of the Oracles.
  • Tereat
The god of the sun, twin brother of Taleas, the moon. It is said that Tereat is the son of Meusia, and was a playful figure, and that when he was pleased his light would warm the world, but when he was displeased he would retreat behind his father, Aeun Pater, allowing the clouds to gather and conceal him. Children were often seen as blessed by Tereat, and blond hair was a sign of his blessing. He is strangely compared to Taleis, the first magician of Aregon, and with Tarot, the god of the Sinti.
  • Taleas
The goddess of the moon, twin sister of Tereat, the sun. It is said that Taleas is the daughter of Meusia, and is a caring figure, often willing to break the rules to protect the heroes of the old legends. She is often punished for her transgressions, and forced to turn her back away when her champions need her most. She is sometimes compared to Taleis, the first magician, when he is in the guise of a woman, and with Talis, the goddess of the Sinti.
  • Ceauson
The god of the hunt and guardian of the fields. It is said that Ceauson required a woman to be chosen as his bride once each generation, to ensure the people were not plagued by wild beasts, and to allow the farmers to work in peace. His domain was the deep forests, and his bride was often gifted with wisdom. He is compared often with the Horned Lord of Rath Sliabh Dorca, who is the husband of the May Queen, and is thought to be the son of Dis.
  • Dis
The goddess of the woods and of the wild beasts. It is said that Dis is the mother of Ceauson and that she was betrayed by a hero, who turned her from a beautiful maiden into a hideous crone. In most legends, the hero must slip into her home and steal some of her wisdom without being caught, or he is turned into one of her many pets. Compared often to Jaga Baba, the crone of the Northern Wilds.