Goths

The Goths (Gothic: 𐍃𐍉 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, romanized: so Gutþiuda, IPA: [soː ˈɡutˌθiu̯ða]) are a people with no singular territorial claim, but whose fleet captain Bloma resides in the headship Bauhtibeita, located in Gabeinos Bauhts on the west-northwest coast of Airþ’unsara.

History

Settlement

The presence of the Goths was first made known when Bloma built Waiwabrika within the wide meander of the Seqana in Bauhts Aiƕatundjo. Bloma proceeded to build ships in eastern and western Airþ’unsara.

Ships

Southwest view of Waiwabrika from Greenhill dock

𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰𐌱𐍂𐌹𐌺𐌰 • Waiwabrika

Waiwabrika (IPA: [ˈwɛːwaˌbrika]), anglicized as «Woebreaker», is the first Gothic ship built in Airþ’unsara. It is located in the Bauhts Aiƕatundjo, and served as the primary home of Bloma until the completion of Bauhtibeita.

Northwest view of Woebreaker as part of the vista of Bauhts Aiƕatundjo

𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷𐍄𐌰𐍄𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌰 • Bairhtatruda

Northeast view of Bairhtatruda in Eilaupauleis Marei

Bairhtatruda (IPA: [ˈbɛrxtaˌtruða]), anglicized as «Brighttreader», is a smaller Gothic ship built the bay due south of Eilaupauleis where the Aiþeinzaƕa meets Eilaupauleis Marei.

Northwest view of Swumfsletja in southern Kasnaland

𐍃𐍅𐌿𐌼𐍆𐍃𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌾𐌰 • Swumfsletja

Swumfsletja (‘pool-eater’, IPA: [ˈswum(ɸ)ˌsleːtja]), anglicized as «Sumseleater», is a ship located in the pond that acts as a source to the Seine tributary which flows through southern Kasnaland.

𐌱𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌰 • Bauhtibeita

A southeast approaching view of Bauhtibeita

Bauhtibeita (‘bay-biter’, IPA: [ˈbɔxtiˌbiːta]), anglicized as «Bightbiter», is the largest ship of the Goths and became the main home of Bloma after its construction. It is a key feature of Gabeinos Bauhts and Skeimane Marei as a whole.

Interior view of Bightbiter’s lower decks

𐌳𐌹𐌲𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰 • Digragaida

Northeastern view of Digragaida from Miaohulms

Digragaida (‘thick spear-point’, IPA: [ˈdiɣraˌɡɛːða]), anglicized as «Diregoad», is the smallest ship in the Gothic fleet. It is located in the northern mouth of the Seqana, with the Mikilai Naurþralaisteis to its east and the Grabarinno to its west.

Other constructions

𐍆𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 𐌺𐌰𐌸𐌰𐌹𐌳𐍂𐌰 • Fiuhtjons Kaþaidra

North-northeast view of the cathedral

Fiuhtjons Kaþaidra (‘spruce cathedral’, IPA: [ˈɸiu̯xtjoːns ˈkaθɛːðra]), commonly known to non-Goths simply as “the Gothic cathedral,” is a large cathedral located in the south of Kasnaland, just north of Swumfsletja. It serves as the primary place of Gothic Christian worship in Terra Nostra, as well as a way-station for anyone looking to find comfort from traveling in the vicinity of south Kasnaland.

Cathedral interior

Entrance to the cathedral

𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍃 • Baurdagaggs

View of the Baurdagaggs from the west

Baurdagaggs (IPA: [ˈbɔrdaˌɡaŋɡs]), anglicized as the «Boardgang», is a spruce boardwalk that serves as dock, storage, and way-station for the Goths and any other travelers wanting to venture from Gabeinos Bauhts into or around Skeimane Marei. It is also home to a highly productive sugarcane farm, and is connected to the western road to Aiƕatundjos by a series of two small spruce bridges. To its north is an estuary that leads directly into the Grabarinno and thence to the Seqana.

View from the northern (above) and southern (below) ends of the Baurdaggs

𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌲𐌿𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌻𐌷𐍃 • Fairguneizalhs

View of Firensel from the southeast

Fairguneizalhs (‘temple of Fairguneis’ IPA: [ˈɸɛrɡuniːˌzalxs]), anglicized to «Firensel», is a small temple dedicated to the god Fairguneis, associated with mountains, evergreen woods, and storms. The temple was built in the northern icy region of Skeimane Marei, and there is a lodging directly southeast of it to house anyone who wishes to visit the temple.

𐌲𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌽𐍉 • Grabarinno

Western entrance to the Graverun from Skeimane Marei

Grabarinno (‘trench-stream’ IPA: [ˈɡraβaˌrinnoː]), anglicized as the «Graverun», is an artificial canal built by the Goths to connect the northern mouth of the Seqana with Skeimane Marei. The construction of Grabarinno made it possible for uninterrupted boat-travel spanning the Friuswidus and beyond in the west, and Eilaupauleis Marei in the east.

Eastern entrance to Grabarinno from the Seqana

East-northeast view of Haizakelikn

𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌺𐌴𐌻𐌹𐌺𐌽 • Haizakelikn

Haizakelikn (‘torch-tower’ IPA: [ˈhɛːzaˌkeːlikn]), anglicized as the «Heathechen», is a small lighthouse and the islet whereupon it was built located in the center north of Skeimane Marei, as well as the source of its name.

𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌳𐌾𐍉𐍃 𐌺𐌰𐍃𐌽𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌹𐍃 • Bruddjos Kasnalandis

East-southeast view of Fiuhtjons Ufarstaiga (𐍆𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌲𐌰, IPA: [ˈɸiu̯xtjoːns ˈuɸarˌstɛːɣa], ‘Spruce Overpath’), with the Fiuhtjons Kaþaidra in the background

Bruddjos Kasnalandis (IPA: [ˈbruɟɟoːs ˈkasnaˌlandis]) is the collective name for bridges across the Seqana constructed by the Goths in the south and east of Kasnaland. The first bridge was built immediately after the completion of Fjuhtjons Kaþaidra, and served as the inspiration for the later project to build more bridges across the Seqana.

Eastern view of Mikila Trimpastaiga (𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌰 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌼𐍀𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌲𐌰, IPA: [ˈmikila ˈtrimpaˌstɛːɣa], ‘Great Stepway’), a large oakwood bridge

Southwestern view of Bairkabruddi (𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌺𐌰𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌳𐌹, IPA: [ˈbɛrkaˌbruɟɟi], ‘Birchbridge’) which leads to the Marhahulms overseas territory southeast of Kasnaland

Northern view of Ufargaggs Hallaus (𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍃, IPA: [ˈuɸarˌɡaŋɡs ˈhallɔːs], ‘Overway of Stone’)

Northwest view of Minnizei Triweinabruddi (𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌹𐌶𐌴𐌹 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌳𐌹, IPA: [ˈminniˌziː ˈtriwiːnaˌbruɟɟi] , ‘Lesser Woodenbridge’), a small oakwood bridge

𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌰𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌻𐍃 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐍄𐌴𐌹𐍅𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌻𐌷𐍃 • Stauastols jah Teiwizalhs

Southeast view of Stauastols jah Teiwizalhs

Stauastols jah Teiwizalhs (‘judgment seat and Teiws’ temple’, IPA: [ˈstɔːastoːls jax ˈtiːwiˌzalxs]), anglicized to «Stowstool and Tuesel», is a large structure in the middle of Friuswidus. The ground-floor houses the þeihasals (‘assembly hall’) where Goths make collective decisions and judgments. In the center of the hall still grows a tall spruce tree surrounded by a spiral staircase which leads up to the open air Teiwizalhs, a temple to Teiws (god of justice and war).

The Teiwizalhs bears an alliterative verse poem dedicated to the god Teiws, which reads:

𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌲𐌻𐌹𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌳𐌴𐌹𐍃 𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸	Tugglis hairdeis ana himina wisiþ	“A herdsman of the firmament resides in heaven,
𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌻𐌰 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌽𐍉𐌽𐍉 𐍃𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃	ana staineinamma stola stairnono sitands	sitting on a stone seat of stars;
𐍄𐌴𐌹𐍅𐍃 𐌹𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌳𐌰 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽𐌴 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽𐍃	Teiws is haitada hailagane þiudans	Teiws he is called, king of the holy ones,
𐌽𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌸𐍂𐌰 𐌻𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌸 𐌰𐌹𐍅	naurþra libands galiuhteiþ aiw	living in the north, ever illuminating,
𐌽𐌹 𐌰𐍆𐍅𐌰𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 𐌰𐌹𐍅 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌼 𐍅𐌹𐍄𐌿𐌱𐌽𐌾𐌰 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌴·	ni afwagjands aiw fram witubnja manne.	never departing from the knowledge of men.”

View from the southeastern corner of the Stauastols

Looking up at the tree in the center of the Teiwizalhs

𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃𐌰𐌻𐍃 • Gamainsals

Northeast view of the Gamainsals

Gutþiudos Gamainsals (‘Gothic community-hall’, IPA: [ˈɡutˌθiuðoːs ɡaˈmɛːnsals]), anglicized as the «Meansall», is a substantial construction that serves as an inn, library, and dance hall for Goths and anyone with whom they have friendly relations. It is located far to the southwest of Aiƕatundjos, and connected to it via Eisarnaweihs along the Eisarnalaists.

Meansall view from the north

Interior view of the Gamainsals dance hall

Gamainsals 𐌱𐍉𐌺𐍉𐍂𐌿𐌼𐍃 bokorums (‘book-room’, IPA: [ˈboːkoːˌrums])

𐍂𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌶𐌹𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌳𐌹 • Riqizibruddi

Northwestern view of Riqizibruddi

Riqizibruddi (‘dark-bridge’, IPA: [ˈrikwiziˌbruɟɟi]) is a spruce bridge that traverses the Undaurnirinno as part of the Eisarnalaists connecting Sunþradal and Eisarnaweihs.

Governance

Politics

The Goths of Airþ’unsara are a loosely associated foraging band. It is generally egalitarian, though the fleet captain and construction foreman Bloma serves as the de facto representative of the Goths to other political entities.

Law

As a band society, the Goths make collective decisions based on consensus and customary precedent. Far-reaching decisions are made in assembly at Stauastols jah Teiwizalhs.

Culture

Language

Gutrazda is the de facto language of the Goths. In representing the Goths, Bloma has also needed to use Aggliskrazda, Taukipaunarazda, Kasnalandis Frankarumrazda, and Eilaupauleis Frankrumrazda.

Religion

Gothic Heathenry

Gothic heathenry is the polytheistic religion of the Goths. It can be practiced anywhere, although there are some alhs (‘temples’) in specific locations throughout Airþ’unsara which are dedicated to Gothic deities.

Gothic Christianity

Gothic Christianity is a form of early Arianist Christianity. The seat of the Gothic church is Fiuhtjons Kaþaidra in south Kasnaland.