Vadels - Visitors from Another Land

They came from across the ocean, seeking adventure on an untried continent. With fat purses and heavy silks, the Vadels live for the vogue of experience, and are happy to pay handsomely for the sheer story of traveling to what they consider to be a land of uncivilized barbarians. Proud, haughty and demanding, they have been accepted as minor nuisances provided they continue to pay for guides and supplies. Not to mention the reality of supply and demand. “Exotic” Verdant goods fetch a high price in the foreign homeland of their origin, and there is always profit to be made. The Vadel's have only begun to look to Verdant in the last ten years or so, and there is still a sense of suspicion when it comes to dealing with them.   
 
Rulers & Government  The land of Verdant is far from the only country in the world, and their continent is one of several across a seemingly endless sea. Hailing from Vadelia, they are the subjects of their King and pledge fealty, as well as hefty taxes, to him for the privilege of living under his rule. Beneath their king are the merchant lords, those who's money has allowed them to purchase vast quantities of land on which they keep villages who pay them taxes in turn. The wealthy of Vadelia enjoy a resplendent life, provided that they can effectively manage their tenants. So long as the crown receives it's due portion of the taxes, the King cares little for how those beneath the keepers of his land fare.    
 
Allies & Enemies  While their relationship with Verdant seems to be amicable for the time being, rumors drift about that there is some sort of discontent in their homeland of Vadelia. It would seem that the peasant class is in an uproar over their subjugation to their lords. While most of the rabble has been quelled and executed as an example to any others, the rumblings still bubble under the surface. With the lower classes outnumbering the lords a thousand to one, perhaps the wealthy visitors to Verdant have something beyond mere adventure intended by their exploration.    

Religion & Belief  The Vadel people do not seem to have much religion so much as superstition which has been cobbled together in a set of general beliefs held by the population. Strange things are said to happen in the glens and bogs of their homeland, and every one of them seems to have a story of the time they encountered something strange and unnatural coming home late at night. A new religion has cropped up there in the last few years, and some of the Vadel's wear a small symbol on their person to show their faith. If pressed, they will simply say they believe in the Speaker, and leave it at that.    
 
Adventurers, Merchants, Settlers  To the Vadel's, everything is an opportunity. Verdant is still largely unexplored territory as far as they are concerned, and there is the potential to make a sizable profit from it. The resources, the food, the unique crafts and for some who have very few scruples...it's people. Large parties of explorers have begun cropping up here and there, forking over huge purses of coin and goods in exchange for guides who will show them everything Verdant has to offer. While they seem to wonder at the splendor of this new world, they also seem eager to set up a base camp. More and more Vadel's arrive at the start of the planting season, and their little base within the old cliffhomes is quickly developing into an actual city. As it resides close to the borders between the Red Wastes, Verdant and the Dense Jungles, the development has been glossed over so far. But a sense of unease exists. Is this set up merely temporary or do they intend to stay? If they stay, are they subject to Verdant law? Allowances have been made for their trade as it made for good money and good taxation, but can they be permitted to trade if none of them are Citizens? With only a hundred or so remaining behind, and most returning to their own homelands before the sandstorms begin, the issue is not as pressing as others when it comes to the stability of Verdant. But perhaps that is just the advantage the Vadels are waiting for.  
 
Family & Marriage  The Vadels are a monogamous people, or at least they marry only once in their lives and are expected to keep that marriage. The husband must pay a substantial dowry to the father of their future wife, but a portion of that does go to his wife's own finances, ensuring her own stability. The husband is the head of the family, but the wife is the head of the household. He is expected to give her due consideration in this regard. Though it is not uncommon for a prosperous stag to have a mistress, it is consider very tacky to permit her to live within their own estate, as it disrespects his wife's position in the home. Most of them will keep her in an apartment or some cottage on their land, allocating funds for her upkeep.    
  
As the head of country is it's king, the head of the family is the stag, who holds titles to all the property, land and finances under his keeping. His wife is charged with the running of the household and the care of the children, and it is expected for her to do so with enthusiasm. Wives are considered subordinate to their husbands, though they expect to be consulted on all matters regarding how the estate and home are to be handled. Vadels consider their children to be the property of the father's, and as such if a weak or infirm child is born, the father may decide whether or not to keep the infant or to have it disposed of. It is not uncommon for a stag to choose his mistresses child to inherit everything if his wife proves unable to give him a suitable son.