Koryo

Koryo is a naval culture in the south-east, especially on the main island of Hampa. The culture is deeply affected by the fact that the oceans out there are often hostile and tsunamis sweep away entire villages at the coast. It is the dominant culture in the Hampyan Republic and the Duchy of Mun.

Law and Crime

Protection is the primary value of Koryo culture. Protection against the elements, the evil gods (almost all Koryo lands follow the Seogism religion), outsiders to the community and bad elements within the community. Crimes of all kinds are additional dangers to a community that is already fighting for survival - if not in reality then at least in the mindset of the Koryo people - and really does not need more threats.

The punishments for crimes are severe, and the investigations into them minimal. The difference between rural and city life is most visible in the handling of crimes. In a hamlet, village, monastery or other small, closed community, an alarm will go out once a crime has been detected, and the entire community will meet in a central space. This is true for all crimes, from murder to simple theft. Then everyone who has something to say will step forward and say what they saw or heard. Accusations are rare at this point because accusing someone of a crime is a very serious thing, so it will only be done if the accuser has witnessed the culprit directly. Since people spend most of their day in close proximity to other people, wrong accusations are almost always challenged immediately by those who were out in the fields or woods with the accused. If nobody has been identified as the criminal at this point, the community will begin to rule out those who were with others at the possible time of the crime, until only those who nobody can vouch for remain. If there are several, and none of them are prime suspects, a trial is conducted. A trial is rooted in the belief that crimes weigh heavily on the soul of the criminal, and he will thus be less capable of feats of strength or endurance. Trials vary from place to place, but common methods are to have each of the suspects carry a heavy load around the village until one of them falls behind or falls down - who then obviously is the culprit.

The punishment for all crimes is the same: Banishment from the community. In many places, banishment is a death sentence. Other communities know that a peasant wandering the lands and asking to join the community is most likely a criminal who was banished and will not let you in. Sometimes, the banished can hide among the refugees of a flood or other calamity, but most of the time they will perish in the wilds.

In the towns and cities, where people are more anonymous and more often work by themselves in a workshop, small store or as a messenger, runner or delivery boy on the streets, this method of justice does not work. It has therefore been replaced by a concept adapted from the Tallian culture: The posse. When a man begins to

Storm Law is rooted in Koryo culture as much as it is rooted in Hampy governance.

Traditions

It is common in Koryo culture to enter private houses or temples without shoes. There will always be a shoe rack or other place to put yours outside or, in larger dwellings, in the entrance hall. There is also commonly a large bowl with water to wash your feet. Among peasants, who sometimes walk barefoot, this is actually used. In higher social circles, it is retained as a small, symbolic bowl of water, and sometimes used for washing hands instead when entering the house.

This page is still incomplete and missing content or details that are planned, but have not been added yet.

Common Phrases

• "Calm winds" - I wish you a peaceful time, good wishes in general
• "Once in a red moon" - not very often, but it does happen

Architecture

Most buildings in Koryo lands are sturdy and relatively simple. Tough to knock down, quick to rebuild is the concept. Local materials are used, wood in most places, mud and straw outside the forests, stone when it is available.

Buildings also tend to be round in shape, with a central courtyard thus somewhat sheltered from strong winds and outside views. Many buildings house an extended family or in large villages an cities, multiple families who each occupy a section of the house. In some of the large cities, three-story round buildings can be found with space for a hundred people and a courtyard with its own well and small gardens or plots for chickens.

In the countryside, some large buildings are only one story high but wide enough to have inside and outside flats with a corridor circling around at the centerline. This corridor has no outside windows and will instead have rooflight domes for light, which is why it only very rarely will be found in multi-story buildings.

Many old castles are essentially large and fortified houses following the same building style, though they tend to have a corridor near the outside that can be use to quickly reach the battlements and is open towards those, allowing light to come in.

This page is still incomplete and missing content or details that are planned, but have not been added yet.

(TODO: illustrations)

Villages are also less evenly distributed than in other lands, and tend to be clustered together for mutual support and protection in times of crises.