Morphing to Folklore

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Language

Modern Americans often take the myriad of languages in the world for granted. As one of the largest nations, both geographically and population-wise, and bordered by a neighbor with largely the same mutual language, and as a very young nation who's population expanded as mass communication started, it often does not occur to them what a strange situation this is. However, in the new medieval society, this linguistic homogeneity broke down very fast. Even in industrial times, colloquialisms and slang would occur between regions that were not very far from one another. With most people not traveling more than 25 miles in a single lifetime, nor reading or writing, or even watching the same language being spoken on television every night, it was inevitable that communities would entrench further into their own idiosyncrasies. In fact, there was sometimes even an incentive as to be able to block outsiders from the conversation. Also, since most of the population was illiterate, people learned to speak their native tongue phonetically, which even accents saw the various languages drift further and further away.

However, it should be said most languages on the continent share a common root. Most of them in medieval American classify broadly under "germanic, of which American English is. In fact, English is still spoken as a lingua franca in many places, and is still, more or less, what is spoken amongst the citizens of the United States and the clergy of the non-demoninational Church. Still, various Non-English speakers have influenced dialects here and there. Between the Great Lakes and New England, the French-speaking Quebecois have left their mark on he surround regions. Likewise, the Portuguese and Brazillian minority of New England has seen much of Massachusetts influenced by the Portuguese language. And of course, the Cajun and Creole has had a hand in how the Gulf Coast is spoken. Areas with large Hispanic or African-American populations would also take their own course, linguistically

Usually the mutations in words would start with say, "th" sounds slowly fade and be replaced by "d" and solid "t" sounds in New Jersey. In Texas, unusual turns of phrases like "might could" would see synonyms, conjugation and pronunciation would turn "It's possible" into a whole other language.

It should also be said that the rhotic vs. non-rhotic accents of America have sort of split the American languages in an interesting way. "R"'s are less likely to be used in words found in the coastal areas, and more commonly seen in the mountain and inland tongues.

Folklore

Darth Vader: A fallen star warrior, Vader is both a fierce warlord and a powerful wizard, locked inside a suit of black armor. The wind is said to be his breath, the thunder his voice. He possesses a fiery sword and the ability to rob those of their breath from a distance. His daughter is Mara,mthe redheaded witch. In a case of great irony, his son is Luke Skywalker, one of the greatest heroes.

Green Giant: It is said those who are overcome with great rage become Hulks, large, angry beast men of great destruction and little reason. The best-known is the Green Giant, a protector of the forest who can be appeased by farmers who take care of the earth. Largely the most benevolent of the Hulks, he still a fearsome engine of destruction should his anger be roused.

Elvis: King of the Rock Elves, magical beings possessed of a great musical talent. Elvis is said to pass as a mortal minstrel, but those with a good ear will suspect that he walks among us. Elvis sightings are very common, but not always believed.

Jessica: Called the Queen of Rabbits, it's believed Jessica was a fertility goddess at some point. Jessica is a being composed of light and rainbow, and is said to be a being of such allure, no man can resist her. It's said she has many beasts in her thrall, and give them the gift of speech.

Joker: An evil, laughing clown, who is the embodiment of debauchery and irresponsibility. Those who succumb to manic fits are said to be possessed by him. It is said the best way to escape evil Joker madness is to read scripture and hold a spartan, modest lifestyle. Ballads tell of those who have experienced unbelievable tragedy, become dark knights, are impervious to his seductive madness.

Jabba: When people pass by the swamps, they wonder if that awful stench is Jabba, a corpulent disgusting creature, with an insatiable appetite for food, good, spices, and of course, women. Jabba is infamous for his whisking away of beautiful women to serve as his concubines. He made the mistake one day, though, of capturing Leia, the intended of Luke Skywalker.

Man of Steel: the greatest champion of all, the mysterious Man of Steel possesses a range of qualities that can only be described as...super. There is nobody faster, stronger, or possessed of keener senses--he can even see through walls. He wears a red cape that allows him to fly, or at least jump towers in a a single bound. His great power is matched only by his virtue, and he carries no weapons. Americans cite him as an example of superiority, as many tales tell of his besting pagan warriors like Hercules, Thor, and even the princess of the Amazons, who he took as a wife.

Spiderman: A young man explored an enchanted forest, where he was bitten by a spider, giving him t speed, the ability to scale walls, and the knowledge to spin webs. However, an act of selfishness cost him the life of his uncle, so the spiderman was forced to atone for his neglect. This dark, weird hero, travels through the shadows taking on goblins, wizards and reptiles, performing great heroic feats, but never to enjoy glory as penance.

Yoda: If you are in a swamp and see a tiny green man, heed what he has to say. He is the wisest of all beings, even though he speaks in riddles and a strange way of talking which is hard to interpret. But to listen to Yoda is to find the path of light. Many of the mightiest star warriors count his as their teacher, including the wizard Ben who himself is regarded as one the great mentors.

Texas

Though Texas was a burgeoning state, home to some of the largest population centers of the United States, the climate of Texas, often arid on one end, and impossibly muggy on the other, had populations slowly migrating to better areas. It did not help that the Texas always had an ambivalent relationship with the rest of the US, and was perfectly willing to be the lone wolf in the downfall of civilization. It didn't take took long for various tribes to pick the state apart, piece by piece. Now Texas is no longer a state with easily defined borders, but a region that is vaguely said to start somewhere afterRed River, and end somewhere on the Rio Grande.

Right now, it's a microcosm of America in general, splintered between the farmers, the herdsmen, and the irrigators. The farms of the coast, that reach from Corpus Christie to Dallas are subjugated by the Anderson clan. The cowboys believe the farmers are an inferior,  filthy people, but they serve their purpose as traders, and a large enough population for skilled laborers and artisans. Basically, the farmers serve as a pool of resources--more sophisticated weaponry, armor, wagons, as well as a surplus of calories to build up the Anderson army, building them up to have total domination of the southern plains.

Jews

The cornerstone of the Abrahamic faiths, Jews were not always well treated on the various continents of both ancient, medieval, and even modern times. Their history was often one of being displaced from one nation to each other. This led to mass emigration to America, which in the industrial age, had more Jewish people living in it than any other nation save for Israel. (Which probably has its own story right now) There's roughly a million or so living on the continent now, mostly concentrated around the the Hudson river and its mouth; The Berkshires, Catskills and Long Island generally provide a cultural base and isolation. Manhattan is a territory of the United States of America, but is largely a port town with a fluctuating political climate. Although the USA Army makes laws that make life hard for them just like anybody else, the Jewish residents of New York City managed to make a niche by serving as ambassadors up the Hudson, bridging the political gap between the port town and the state of New York.

The Holy Land is far too distant for many Jews to make a pilgrimage to, however many try to make the far more feasible visit to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, or in Charleston. Very few modifications have been made to the Torah, but "The Book of Clouds" exists as a quasi-apocryphal tome. Because of murky history, it's very mythologized, but it recounts the dark deeds of Adolph Hitler, and they hold a festival starting on roughly the last week of July.

There are a few settlements in Florida, as well. Because most of the Jewish people who lived in Florida in the 20th century tended to be older, and thus not create a great deal of lineages, the communities could provide a safety net and source of migrations as Jews, as usual, became scapegoats and targets when things went south. These communities also serve as a port stop for the United States Empire, helping pass along the goods in the long trade route that spans the Caribbean to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

They're also a sizeable minority in the Californias. Most of them have been driven out by the Scientologists, but live as Shepherds in the California desert, although Jews will sometimes be hired (or acquired) for servant positions, due to various restrictions by the Scientology faith. Due to the large Mexican-American population in the southwest, assimilation has created a new ethnic group, known as Shimishin. There are a few that have migrated the foothills, Northern Coastal Range, where they can exist as a buffer zone between the Scientologists and the Buddhists, the latter really not tending form schisms based on religious differences.

Entertainment in Medieval America

Tournaments
In times of peace, warlords will keep their skills sharpened with tournaments held in most major cities. Jousting is the largely the most popular, although melee will take a variety of forms. Around the Great Lakes, a common melee fight is is to try to grapple one's opponent with a guisarme, although these can get pretty rough and result in fisticuffs. The emphasis from melee to jousting gradients from east to west, as the flatter and more open lands give warlords plenty of practice with the horses. Although the port cities of the Northeast do not usually engage in mounted combat, as centers of trade they cannot pass up the opportunity to host events with such market potential. Their pool of nobles may often compete in fencing tournaments, and such homegrown heroes can be the crux of bitter rivalries. Suspected foul play in the battle between Michael Boniface of New York and Fred Connolly of Boston in 2823 was rumored to be the catalyst in a bloody war, and onlookers get nervous whenever fighters from those two cities compete with one another

The bluntness of technique also moves from north to south. In the more Northern regions, there's more of an emphasis on padding up and jumping straight in. Tournament fighting in the South is more about speed, since heavy armors can be uncomfortable in the hotter climate. It's for this reason the Southern nations will hold most of their major tournaments after the harvest season is over, in December and January. Although most of the competing knights are from below the Mason Dixon, everyone from Non-Denominational world is invited. Well-off knights from the north will gladly take a leave from their snow-ridden homes to test their skill in January's Super Bowl Tournament. (The at the behest of the Church, nobody performs on Sunday) The event is not only a big deal for competitors, but for merchants who can sample consumers from all over the continent. The tournament will even present theatrical shows.

Theater
The demands of labor, lack of wealth by most citizens, and religious concerns can often limit the performance arts in medieval society. However, the 20th and 21st centuries left people used to a steady diet of television and music, so performers were able to eke out livings here and there. In California, the major cities will have long-established theaters, paid for out of the government's coffers, as well as schools to train. Playwrights and actors even compete at bi-annual festivals in Hollywood. Because of this, the arts are more sophisticated, but also much more rigid. Playwrights often have to stick to long-established conventions, women are barred from acting, and only the most underground productions do not endorse current religious mores and established rulers.

In the forest zones of the east, performing is a much more amorphous, even sloppy trade. Only one out of two thousand people can make a living this way, and a single person is unable to create an entire retinue by oneself. The peasant class also rarely has the time, never mind the wealth, to be steady customers. Therefore, minstrels and theatrical troupes in medieval times often travel from place to place, which may contain a wide variety of jugglers, singers, dancer, actors and comedians--and very often these performers are jacks of all trades and masters of none. Because half the troupe may consist of people who aren't even very good actors, show have more of a broad and "variety" feel, and popular roles are familiar, cartoonish characters like Spiderman, Casper the Ghost or Mickey Mouse, so pratfalls and acrobatics can take the place of more heady, dramatic pieces. It also ensures they can have a paying audience. Larger cities can boast more specialized casts and bigger productions, but they still often have that caravan flavor.

Rodeos
Out on the plains, the cowboys are not one for dramatic representations. They find it a wasteful display of idolatry that breeds thievery and promiscuity. They also do not engage in the jousting style tournaments, as there is no noble class. What the herdsmen have rather, are rodeos. Here, cowboys can test their practical skills at herding, which include steer-wrestling, roping, bronc-riding and horse racing. Here, competing means more than just for riches or glory, but a very deep honor. Feats of being an excellent cowboy essentially mean one has the essential qualities of being a man. Leadership, livestock and women are awarded to rodeo champions. It can also be a somewhat less fatal means of issuing challenges for a slight. It's also sometimes tradition to have a prisoner of war dressed up in clownish outfits and facing the wrath or one or more angry bulls. For all the stakes and gruesomeness, however, rodeos are a festive affair, full of feasting, dancing and music.

Music is actually still an important part of cowboy culture, and the only art form one can portray religious and historical figures. Musicians are considered the guardians of history by the tribe, passing down lore and playing at wedding and funeral services. Because many instruments are made of wood and metal, they are invaluable family heirlooms

Lakes

The Great Lakes operate as a their own de facto sea. In fact, throughout America, it's often referred to as "the fourth coast", or the "drinking sea", or the "glass sea", due to the icing over at wintertime, and the light skin of its inhabitants. The Lake states are on good terms with each other largely due to the mutual partnerships influenced by the merchants of the shoreside cities like Buffalo, Chicago and Detroit. Winters are too harsh and enemies to fierce to want to throw away their advantage on war.

The premiere power is Michigan. It has the highest population, and it stands as the major water-gateway from east to west. As something of a peninsula, it overseas trade from Canada to much of the west. Its sister nation Wisconsin has claimed the the vestigial rump of Minnesota, where it now sits at the top (and much easier traveling point) of the Mississippi river.

The counties of the east are frequently embroiled in bitter warfare with New York, as they jealously yearn for eerie canal that connects the lakes to the Atlantic. Allegheny is currently the most powerful, with its all-but ownership of Lake Eerie, and the city of Pittsburgh at the mouth of the very busy Ohio River. The tough conditions and access to resources have made the Alleghenyians renown metalsmiths, and few wish to take its knights class head-on.

Though never part of the "United States" empire, Ontario has blended in with the rest of the Lakes culture it participates with, and as a result has largely "Americanized", or at least "Midwesternized". It even established a Non-Denom church in its capital of Toronto, in order to connect better with its southern neighbors. However, Canadian folk tradition still permeates from the rustics of Ocean Sound.

• System of Government: Feudalism
  • Head of State:
    • Michigan: President,chosen by and from the warriors of the ruling Bauer family
    • Allegheny: Count, chosen by and from the warriors of the ruling Strater family
    • Ontario: Governor, chosen by and from the warriors of the ruling Campbell family
    
    
• Population:
  • Michigan: 2,500,000
  • Allegheny: 1,230,000
  • Ontario: 740,000
  
  
• Religion: Non-Denominational