Airans

The Airans are one of the peoples indigenous to Aira and have inhabited the region since at least the Iron Age. Airans primarily speak Airan to each other but most outside of the most rural areas are also fluent in Ereban Common, like most of Ereba. Despite being nominally under the leadership of the High Kings, Airans still exist in kin groups and clans.

History
The Airans have a very long history on the island of Aira. For centuries, they have had to fight off invading forces, often successfully, and would often invade nearby lands themselves. During the 109th century, Airan scholars would often travel inland and learn and educate at different courts and universities and were renowned for their learning.

Culture
The Airans have a distinct and vibrant culture.

Farming and Traveling Tradition
Farming and travel have both been part of Airan life since the Neolithic period. For thousands of years, farming has been an important part of Airan life and culture. Cows have historically represented wealth and status in Airan society, with a major tactic of war being to steal or slaughter the enemy's cattle. Despite this seemingly settled lifestyle however, it was also very common for families to travel and migrate throughout the year to different sites and regions with the seasons. The annual movement from the low valley winter pastures to the higher summer pastures is a large part of many seasonal celebrations in Aira and the preparation for each move is almost inextricable from Airan society. It is very common for Airan families to share land, as land ownership is a relatively new concept introduced by Airan's neighbors.

Religion
Most Airans follow an animistic religion with polytheistic features. While there are a handful of gods found all over the nation, each region has their own pantheon of powerful spirits and gods who have a strong influence in day to day life. Daily acts of purification, protection, prayer, and song are very popular. It is common for families to leave offerings on windowsills or on altars for the spirits and gods. Rituals are often structured to acknowledge the land, sea, and sky with fire as the central inspiration and force that unites the realms. While there is no central text for the Airan religion, there is a rich body of stories and myths featuring spirits, gods, fairies, magical creatures, human heroes and more. The gods of Aira as a whole tends towards being intellectual and versed in poetry, prophecy, story-telling, crafting, magic, healing, war, and were often admirable, if capricious and hard to read.

Worship of various features of the land is extremely common and most every clan and region has certain trees, rocks, and mountains that are sacred. It is not uncommon for young Airan clansfolk to travel to these places and engage in spirit quests and coming of age ceremonies. Trees are of special importance and in order to cut down trees, Airans must perform certain rituals and prayers. Certain animals are believed to be messengers of spirits or gods. Much of this stems from the belief that all aspects of the natural world contains spirits and that communication is possible between mortal humans and the spirits.

Spirits of watery places are considered givers of life and seen as the links between the other realm and the physical realm. Natural springs are often considered healing and it is not uncommon to find healers nearby a spring. Similarly, meteorological patterns and phenomena are also considered to have their own spirits with thunder being the most potent.

The most sacred trees are the bíle trees - old, sacred trees that stood in a central area and were often the social and ceremonial meeting place for a tribe or village.

One important aspect of Airan religious beliefs are the practice of maintaining and protecting sacred spaces called sanctuaries. These could often by found by springs, in sacred groves, or lakes.

Divination is frequently practiced using ogham and omen reading, such as from clouds or behavior of animals and birds. Unlike most of Ereba, which considers divination to be a low-brow talent that one must be born with, Airan diviners are revered and greatly respected. While an innate skill is helpful, most diviners are not required to also be seers, such as in Alba, allowing anyone with the interest to pick up the skill.

In order to hunt, the gods' blessing must be secured and an offering must be given. Prayers over the slain animals must be performed in order to respectfully release the animal's soul as well as ensure it does not act in vengeance against the hunter.

Funerals and Burial Practices
All clocks are to be stopped at the time of death and left stopped until the dead is buried. Windows are to be opened so the spirit of the deceased can leave and mirrors are to be covered to prevent trapping the spirit. It is important to not cry until the body is prepared as it is believed that crying too early can attract evil spirits that would capture the deceased's soul. Once the preparation is complete, a lead keener would begin by weeping over the body and reciting poetry. Other women would then join in.

Before the wake, the body is washed and dressed in their finest clothing before being wrapped in a shroud, tied, and decorated with ribbons, flowers, and plants. The body is placed on a large table in the middle of the house with candles placed around it. For three days and nights, the body is watched over and never left alone. Neighbors and family would visit the home of the deceased. It is encouraged to touch the body but not required. Stories are shared, food and drink consumed, and it is common to sing songs. For richer families, it is not uncommon to hire a bard to compose a ballad in the deceased's honor and to remember them by. Men would smoke tobacco with other men to socialize and to ward off evil spirits and can usually be found in the kitchen or outside if the weather is good. Each male visitor was expected to take a puff of tobacco from a pipe left near or sometimes on the body. Wakes are rarely solemn and seen more as a celebration of the life that happened. However, it also was not uncommon for emotions to swing from tears to laughter at a wake. Most often it is the women who sit beside the body the whole time, though rarely nonbinary people and men will take that position. Upon entrance to the wake, a mourner makes their way to the side of the body, kneels, and says a prayer before gently touching the deceased and are welcomed by the family. Most visitors leave at midnight at the latest but close family and neighbors may remain until morning.

After the wake, the body is removed from the house and transferred to the location for burial. The body is carried in a procession to the burial place where there is often a ritual and song before the body is buried in the land or in the waters.

Airans often bury their dead with grave goods consisting of food, weapons, and ornaments. It is believed that the soul lingers for some time before being reincarnated. While in-ground burial is the most common, it is also not uncommon to perform water burials. The land and waters that receive the dead are imbued with sanctity and revered by their living descendants. Caretakers of these areas are considered with great respect and honor.

Judicial
Compared to many places in Ereba, Airans have a very standardized and uniform code of law throughout their country. These laws are known as Fenechas, or law of the Feni, the freemen. Aira is notable compared to many of its surrounding neighbors in their code of law being civil, rather than criminal in nature. Payment of compensation, regulation of property, retribution, and restorative justice are important aspects of Fenechas.

Fenechas consisted of the accumulated decisions of brithem, or judges, who are guided by oral tradition. People of any gender can be brithem.

Women and Marriage
Marriage laws are rather complex under Fenechas law. Called handfastings, while fine are patrilineal, a man could choose to be adopted into his partner’s fine and take their name. There are dozens of ways to combine households and properties upon a handfasting, as well as ways to divide the estate should the partners choose to divorce. No-fault divorces were officially allowed about sixty years before the start of the story, but it was rather easy to divorce if wanted. If a spouse struck a partner, the injured partner was entitled to the equivalent of a dára, which is similar to a dowry and could choose to divorce. All partners needed to consent to dispose of any property of the household. Polyamory is both legal and widely accepted.

Women hold a comparatively progressive position in Airan society as compared to many other nations in its region of the world, with many rights such as abortion enshrined in law.

Kingship
The king was not to be above the law, with some stipulations applied directly to him. While enforcing the law could be difficult, especially in the case of the provincial kings (rí ruirech), it is not uncommon to enforce the law against a dependent of the king (aithech fortha), which would then result in the king having to repay the aithech fortha. Much of the king’s position is laid out in Fenechas.

The king cannot issue permanent law codes. While they can collaborate on a law and often serve as jurists and judges, they, unlike the kings of other Ereban nations, were not able to create their own laws.