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PEOPLE
Talking about the ethnicity of the people of Somery is futile. Over the centuries any people who has migrated here have soon found themselves assimilated to the native population. If you ask Somes about their ethnic background they will look at you, amused, and ask what on earth that has to do with anything. Maybe they will quote the old Somerish saying "Folks been o' tweyn kins, friends thu' knowst, an' friends thu'st yet ta meet".
Seriously, the Somerish culture is a mainly a mix of the Estron, being the legendary original people living on the peninsula, and the Summer Clan from Christiana, who first colonized the Somerish peninsula about 1,500 years ago, and whose language was taken over by the Estron, adding their own spice to it, intermarrying with the Christianan settlers, mixing their own culture with theirs, until out of that mixture came a new culture, which could be cathegorized as nothing else than Somerish.
MUSIC
Music is possibly the essential part of life for the Somerish. You could easily say that music is the glue that keeps the Somerish society together. The so called
kirthfairs, i.e. music festivals, are frequent and big events and during the
Whitfair holiday people from all over the country come to Sibury to
join in the biggest celebration of the year to music, The Allsomerish Whit Kirthfair.
Folk music is the core of the Somerish music. Virtually every kind of music written and performed in Somery has traces of the ancient musical tradition of the peninsula, going all the way back to before the first Christianan settlers arrived. The most popular instruments in Somerish folk music are flute, cithern (a lute-like instrument not to be confused with 'zither'), harp (also known as gammonwood), cruit (a
kind of violin, also called fithel) and olderd (double bass). The music is mainly pentatonic, often with a sadness woven
into the gaiety of the tune and the dance tunes can be very captivating. Both pop and classical music in Somery owe a lot to the music that has its roots deeply buried in the folk tradition.
Pop music of Somerish origin is wellknown and several groups and artists are working towards international breakthrough. Somery's currently biggest pop/rock act is The Mirth. This group, based in Melster, plays a wellcrafted
mix of electrified rock and folk music with classical influences, of which the latter can be clearly seen by the fact that the set includes two celli, a violin, and flute/oboe, beside the traditional guitar, keyboards, bass and drums. A couple of concerts have been given with the Melster Philharmonic.
A more traditional set is represented by Strawtonian group Derwent Dunyon
whose music is mainly guitarbased, with impressive singing in parts.
Among the solo artists of the singer/songwriter tradition the brightest star right now (301) is Annideigh Carra, born in Milltree, Morentwyshire, who had her big breakthrough at the Whit Kirthfair in Sibury 300. With an soft, quite intimate voice, backed by her own guitar, double bass and light drums, maybe a string quartet or a piano, her songs have a personal touch that apparently appeals to a lot of people in this country. Gray Slawke from Curwich near Sibury could be considered her male equivalent although his music is more electrified. His lyrics are more down to earth, and more about broken hearts and disappointments in life.
Men in Plaid from Eamouth represent the more humorous side of music, but with lots of talent and musicianship.
Here you can read about the latest CD releases by Somerish pop acts.
Classical music. Some of the most beautiful classical music in Vexillium originates in Somery. Of the most prominent Somerish composer the following could be worth mentioning, along with some of their most appreciated works:
Ennan Wildale (25 BC - 41 AP) (The Months Suite);
Shon Frewde (15 BC - 50 AP) (The Cairveryn Concertos);
Ennan Caurtner (141 - 204) (Avillion Suite; Overseas Symphony);
Shorill Stanwade (152 - 224) (Marrish Symphonies; Summer Rhapsodies);
Raeve Waugham (172 - 258) ('Roshyn Wyn' for orchestra and voices; 'Meadow Birdsong' for violin & orchestra)
There are several symphony orchestras in Somery, but the most respected ones are The Sibury Symphonia, currently led by the Hon. Erryl Osprey, and The Melster Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the Hon. Ean Gossish. Every Spring around the Evenlight Holiday there is a big festival of Classical music, Ver Musicae, alternatively taking place in Sibury and Melster.
Freeform or Cotshirt probably has nothing to do with cotton shirts, but more likely with the phrase "cut short", as in syncopate. It probably started developing at the turn of the last century in the late night music clubs in the Sibury region. It's the most complex music style performed in Somery. Popular intruments used include double bass, drums, guitar, piano, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and flute. There are several variations of the style.
 ARTS & CRAFTS
Another almost equally essential part of the Somerish society is art of all kinds. The most important art museum is the Ealin Gallery in Sibury, which has the biggest collection of Somerish and foreign art in the country. Other museums worth mentioning are the Calla Museum of Art in Melster, and Cairdry Hall in Strawton.
The most significant features of the folk handicraft are the "love keys", that young
men used to carve in wood and present to a possible life partner, as a token of their affection and will to pursue her. Nowadays these lovekeys are also given as gifts to close friends of both sexes, parents, children, or anyone else that you feel close to. The latest trend is to bring a lovekey and a small posy of flowers the first time you are invited into someone's home. They are also popular souvenirs among foreign tourists.
THEATRE
If there is such a thing as a national stage of Somery it would probably be the Quairdy Boards in Sibury, where many of the actors who have later gone on to work with TV and film have made their debut. This is the oldest theatre stage in the country, and it is the dream of many a playwright to get their work performed here, just like it is a dream come true for any actor to tread these boards. There is quite a number of other stages in Sibury, too, not to mention the Wieldsword Playhouse in Melster, which is considered almost as respectable as the Quairdy.
RELIGION IN MODERN SOMERY
Somery has a freedom of religion, but faith is very much a personal matter. There are buildings that were once built for religious purposes but many of these are now used as town halls, hundred courts, concert halls, museums or similar secular activities. The government is completely secular and in no way affected by religious beliefs, and groups with marked religious purposes are not as such allowed to form political parties. Marriage through religious ceremonies is a traditional custom only, with no legal binding, which has to be confirmed before witnesses by an authorized governmental official. Burial ceremonies are likewise performed by officials appointed by the government. There are no official statistics on religious affiliation. If music were a religion it would, without a doubt, have the largest number of followers in the country.
Cruistians in Somery. Since the Shires of Somery is a secular state, and the matter of personal beliefs is just that, personal, there are no official statistics as to who belongs to which religions. There is a Cruistian bishop in Sibury, though, independent of any foreign influence, being the leader of a group of Cruistians, most of them concentrated to the Siburyshire and Two Avonshires area.
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