Swords, sands, and stoners: The culture of Hammerfell

Hello, again! Here's another part of my Hammerfell series. I've realized now that my shorter, more original texts are more popular than these, so I'll finish these rather quickly so I can get to work on other ideas of mine. Cheers.

The culture of Hammerfell is predominantly Yokudan in origin. The Ra Gada that arrived here in the First Era brought with them their culture that they spread in the lands they settled. Over time, however, the Redguards have adopted and modified various aspects of other cultures, specifically the Nords, Orcs and Bretons, who used to live in Hammerfell before the invasion. It should also be noticed that the Redguards held other traditions in the past that have since been abandoned, but those will not be covered.

The Redguards are primarily warriors. Most Redguard associate themselves as Forebears (not to be confused with the political party of the same name); descendants of the warriors that first conquered Hammerfell. Every Redguard, male and female, is expected to master swordsmanship at age 16, after which they are conscripted into one of the many knightly orders of Hammerfell. Conscripts serve for two years before they are allowed to join other ventures or continue rising in the ranks.

During the Third Era, thanks to the presence of the Imperial Legion, conscription laws were softened as the Legion was volunteer-based, but Redguards were still expected to learn swordsmanship. Following the Great War, Hammerfell became independent, and in order to withstand outside pressure, the knightly orders were reorganized into the Resolute Guard. The Resolute Guard is essentially the same as the knightly orders, except united under a single banner and serving a single authority - the Lord Commander.

Beside their warrior ways, Redguards are also famous for their naval expertise. Before their arrival, ships were propelled with oars, and many Tamrielic engineers were amazed by the Redguards' invention of wind-catchers - sails. After that, the majority of Imperial, Altmer and even Nord ships have been based on Redguard designs. In modern times, Redguards have been experimenting with lightweight armor plating, creating the first ironclad warships.

While normally distrusftul of magic, the practice is not outlawed in Hammerfell. The Mages' Guild, before their dissolution, had a presence in Hammerfell, and afterwards, the Synod operated a major observatory near Dragonstar. As of today, the Redguards don't have an order dedicated to magic, but healers usually form the ranks among regular soldiers in the Resolute Guard.

Another interesting fact is that Redguards take pride in tailoring and dressmaking. Even the most average Redguard outfit was more elaborate than the most extraordinary of Breton nobility suits. Tailors are highly respected among Redguards, and there are many, but becoming famous and successfull is a more difficult task.

Redguards also enjoy various day-to-day activies. Cricket is a famous sport. Hunting is also considered an important part of Redguard culture - they say a Redguard that cannot hunt is like a Nord that doesn't like mead.

When it comes to cuisine, Redguards usually hunt and cook the natural fauna of their provinces. To the south, grilled scorpions are a common snack, and drytail bushes are ground up into a powder consumed with alcohol. To the north, standard meat from deers, cows and pigs are cooked and eaten, a cuisine carried over from the Nords. On Stros M'kai and other islands, fishing is a big part of the local economy.

As a final note, Redguards enjoy a specific plant that's found all over the coast. The plant is put inside a bottle, where it is set on fire, and the fumes are smoked through pipes. This plant is called mere-jana - commonly Tamrielicizied to "marijuana".

Thanks for reading. If you notice any inconsistencies or stuff that just doesn't make sense, please say so.