Greenweald Hospitality
Hospitality in The Greenweald is about protection and life.
In a place so full of danger, malady and corruption, to enter a tavern, arrive at a campfire or return home is seen as the end of a journey. The end of a trial. It is place where people come together to look after each other, to protect each other against a hateful outside world and to celebrate. Built around the hearth, fire and light keep the Weald at bay, while our joy and faith keep our own flames alight. Hospitality becomes about living life in the light while standing together against the darkness.
A hearth is the point where Greenwealders are protected and free to live, without the fears and dangers of the Weald bearing down on them. As such they form the centre of and Greenwealder social space. Ranging from a simple campfire for travellers, to ornate iron fire firepits for camping or ostentatious fireplaces in roadside taverns, Greenwealders take their hearths very seriously, often competitively. Most Greenwealder social life is organised around meeting at the Hearth, often coinciding with the end of the day, evening meal and relaxation. It is not uncommon for Greenweald parents to tell their children “Stay safe, stay on the paths, Hearthlight at dusk.”
Welcoming
Newcomers to a home, hearth or place of gathering will find themselves blessed and then welcomed. It is the duty of those already present to provide the newcomer the blessings of a priest, holy symbol, local superstition or in dire times, a Wealdsage. It is thought that this process ensures not only that the newcomer is free of maladies but also to ensure that the newcomer is what they appear to be, warding off shapeshifters and curses.
Examples of a blessing could be a brief rite from a priest in attendance, direction towards a shrine to pray briefly, arcane examination by a Wealdsage or perhaps a small local superstition such as tasting salt, washing the face or reciting an oath.
The newcomer is then welcomed by the Head of the Hearth (likely the one who lit it, owns the building or the most senior person present). They will be given a physical demonstration of affection (likely a handshake, mutual bow, shoulder cross or something locally appropriate) and introduced to the people present, starting with the newcomer and then those present to the newcomer. This normally follows the Greenwealder protocol of FIRST NAME, SURNAME of HOMETOWN. If there are too many people present to be reasonably introduced the newcomer will be introduced and then groups would be introduced. This finishes with the Head of the Hearth telling the newcomer that “You are blessed and welcomed here.” The Head of Hearth can always rescind this status if the person makes themselves unwelcome. If someone notably senior (such as a General, Baron or Guildmaster) is blessed and welcomed, it is tradition for the Head of the Hearth to offer the Hearth to them, allowing them to take the title of Head of the Hearth if they require it. Finally, it is traditional the Head of the Hearth to select a Hearthchild if there are young people present. The Hearthchild acts as the voice of the Head, often performing introductions and even blessings. This calls back to the Greenwealder belief that young people are less corrupted, speaking and seeing more of the truth.
To be Blessed and Welcomed is to be sheltered within the light of the fire, to be welcome to eat, sleep, speak and live its life. It also carries with it the sacred responsibility to protect others who have been Blessed and Welcomed within that same light. Failure to uphold this responsibility is a grave sin within the Weald, such is its importance. The responsibility is not just a point of protection against harm, but also misfortune. Meaning those who are Blessed and Welcomed assist eachother with camp tasks, getting home and having enough food and drink.
It is common practice that being blessed and welcomed is an act completed each eve. So simply leaving a Greenwealder hearth and returning that same night does not require a re-blessing. However it also means that the responsibility of protection can continue away from the fire. It is also important to note that all of this is reserved for Hearths, not any fire or meeting. Greenwealders aren’t required to go through these motions at business meetings, chance encounters or moments of danger. Rather, Hearths and their traditions are based around the times when Greenwealders can stop, relax and live with each other, regardless of time or place.
Common Passtimes
Like most peoples, Greenwealders enjoy games, superstition and song.
Greenwealders particularly favour card games over games of chance such as dice. An old hold over from their devout origins, there is still superstition that fae and other forest spirits sway the tumbling of dice, while the intellect of the card player is free from outside influence. ‘Wealdworn Decks’ are particularly favoured decks of common playing cards, passed down within families or tournaments, often complete with gothic and intricate art on each face.
The superstition of Wealders is an odd one. Their devotion to the Spheres predisposes them against common parlour tricks and carnival seers which can be seen as corrupting. As such they often prefer the ministering of priests involving private conversations and blessings around the fire. However the allure of the arcane and the mysteries of the forest are always present. Non-religious superstitions that are present are often very old and treated with the utmost seriousness. Local traditions such as the casting of bones, tossing of sticks and reading of entrails are far more likely to be seen around a Greenweald hearth, rather than astrology, tarot readings or palm reading. To treat such rituals with levity and whimsy is to invite corruption and discard fate.
Greenweald music tends to fill the space without dominating it. To be calm and hopeful, with occasional forays into melancholy and fire. To tell stories of love among the flames, hope in the darkness and the evils just out of vision. Harps, lutes and flutes are common, where drums are not. Perfect Greenweald group involvement in music is a campfire full of people singing the same song that reminds them to hope and what they live for, rather than a tavern full of stomps and bellows.
Meals and Drinks
Greenweald cuisine is hearty and rich, drawing on flavours such as garlic, onion, rosemary and thyme. Meals such as roasts, stews and salads are common. It is not difficult to come across added flavours within the Weald, as the natural bounty of herbs, aromatics and fruits growing wild and in homesteads is immense. However certain staples found everywhere in other realms may be noticeably missing. Lack of vast cleared land makes raising crops such as wheat and other grains difficult, similarly with large cattle. As such, these tend to be seen as luxuries locally and are treated as such. This leads to fine Sweetbreads and cuts of steak being expensive and only found within the largest settlements such as Wolstad, although this has changed somewhat since the founding of The Concord. Farm more common are meats such as pork and chicken (easier to keep within the confines of the Weald), carbohydrates such as potatoes and goats milk and honeysweets rather than sugar ones.
Similarly, Greenwealder alcohols are heavily affected by their circumstances, favouring smaller operations rather than vast farms. This limitation on space has pressed Wealders into becoming adept distillers rather than brewers with the Weald being particularly well known for Vodka and Mead over any other alcohols. Outside of alcoholic beverages, traditional Wealder drinks include Herbal teas, fruit juices and eggnog.
Faux Pas
Common mistakes when socialising with Greenwealders often involve the avoidance of customs that provide safety to the group, complacency around your responsibilities to protect others and boisterous behaviour.
Avoiding, disrespecting or refusing a blessing or welcome is a grave misstep as it is used to differentiate allies from those who are bewitched or even flesh-eating shapeshifters. While it is normal to describe this process to newcomers, those that refuse it are rarely welcomed to a Hearth, which is why the welcome follows the Blessing.
Allowing another person who has been Blessed and Welcomed to your Hearth is always seen as poor behaviour. This can range from poor form if you allow some simply malady to befall someone (such as them going hungry or performing an onerous task alone), to serious dereliction (allowing someone drunk to find their way home in the dark alone or allowing someone sick to rest without being seen to be a healer) to grave beyond measure (slaying another Blessed and Welcomed to your fire or obscuring illness within the light of a flame).
Such is the welcoming and protecting nature of a Greenwealder hearth that they are designed to be spaces for all, or at least as many as can fit within its light and warmth. As such taking up too much space, acting boisterously or demanding attention is often seen as poor form. Surely, some hearths will be one large conversation or all pay attention to their bards, but in general Hearths allow space for all to relax in their own manner.
Greenweald Hospitality in Your Game
The Hearth is the centre of any Greenweald hospitality. Putting effort into your camp's Hearth (both in its presentation and function) is of the utmost importance, with ornate fireplaces and appreciation for them being very in line with Greenwealder attitudes.
Working out thematic and interesting blessings can be a great way to represent your characters local superstitions and history to other players, while also remainign core to the Blessing and Welcome process, which is intended to provide a welcoming and social place for visitors and locals alike.
Even if you are away from your home hearth, Greenwealders will often still follow these protocols. It is not uncommon to approach a Greenwealder table at a Concordian Tavern only to find yourself being Blessed and Welcomed. Although it is important to note that Greenwealders are aware that these are the traditions of the Weald and wouldn’t demand them in other peoples lands.