Culture Corner: Awakened Little Valyrians/Essarians
Visitors to the Sorcerer's Deep will see many a new and strange thing not found in much of the world and so when they see monkeys climbing and jumping across rooftops it will seem at first a rather mundane, if still odd, quirk of the city. However, those that look closer will see these monkeys, though technically lemurs, have silver-white fur and violent eyes marking them as the somewhat famous Little Valyrians. While most lemurs live in the more tropical climates of the Summer Isles or Sothoryos Little Valyrians are unique in the fact they live and thrive in the northern forests of Essos around Qohor and Essaria.
Despite having moved a long distance from their original home the Stepstones have a similar climate so have adapted well to it and city life in general in their own way.
The most surprising thing however that many will not notice, unless told or interacting with them personally, is the fact that the Little Valyrians, or 'Essarians', that inhabit the Deep have the same level of wits as men. The origin of such an amazing transformation is the fact that long ago a group of mages seeking to survive the Doom ritually sacrificed their dragons to place themselves into magical slumber to outlast the centuries. One of these mages and later companion to King, Lord Malarys Vanor, awakened to find to his surprise that proximity to the crystals awakened the Essarians to be beyond beasts and as a result the descendants of the first Essarians hold a great deal of respect for the mage at the least and see him as a form of god at best, though he has discouraged the latter. Later the King would bring them to the Deep after being attacked and captured by the Golden Company and have now become another part of life in the Deep.
Originally hunters and gatherers in the ruins of Essaria they have been somewhat slow to adapt to modern ideals but have adapted well in their own ways while still maintaining the culture they have built for themselves in the centuries since the Doom.
While they are incapable of speaking in the tongue of men without magic they have become quite adept at getting their feelings across to others with sign language and different howls of their voices. In fact it is a common Deepmen jest that the Essarians speak more fluently then most of the human inhabitants.
Like how many of the flying fey can be seen buzzing above the busy streets of the Deep the Essarians are much more at home among the rooftops than walking below. Their graceful acrobatic skills making it so they can leap great distances, climb a great deal of surfaces with their hands and feet, and in general being as common as birds when one looks up. This seems to be for the best since their small size would make traveling the streets perilous for them when others don't watch their steps.
The Essarians are a simple people and do not want for much in their daily lives. Many are quite happy to nest in the many tall trees of the Deep like they did within their homeland, indeed it is quite common to see many family groups living in the branches of the Godswood. However, others have chosen to live in the attics of of the various homes and shops in the Deep, in exchange for shelter they act as in house exterminators for pests and even guards against the many sneak thieves that still inhabit the Deep. This has caused many to make their homes as comfortable as possible for the tiny beings since they help save them a fortune while also being quite friendly to said families in general.
Since they are a fraction of the size of men Essarians eat very little in comparison and in fact get by on very little by choice, some think this is because a fat Essarian would be incapable of jumping or climbing well. Most of the time they are quite happy to get by on fruits, leaves, flowers, tree bark, and sap of which a great many of which can be gathered freely from their surroundings. While they do not eat it often they are also capable of eating meat so will eat insects, spiders, and smaller creatures if needed. It is no surprise however that Essarians enjoy eating fermented fruit and even drinking fruity wines when able.
While they are a simple people in general it does not mean they dislike shows of wealth in their own way. A notable aspect of Essarian culture is that they enjoy braiding various items into their fur, usually said items are things of importance to the user which can extend from jewelry to some random piece of wood found by the docks. This also includes adding dyes to their furs in certain patterns and to appear as 'painted' to others. One can usually tell the age of an Essarian by the number of ornaments braided into their fur, symbolizing the number of important events in their lives.
The Essarians may not want for much but it does not mean they do not see the merit of work and wealth, in fact they can be seen working a number of jobs within the Deep and beyond. They are popular messages in Deep as they can easily deliver letters to others at great speeds by bypassing the streets entirely, some work as patrol men who quickly report signs of trouble to the guards, and some have even sought to learn magic or take up the way of the warrior within the Circle of Battle. Of course the Essarians living in Deep have become quick to learn that many visitors are quite to write them off as mere beasts and as a result it has made them very adept pickpockets. In fact it is common for Deepmen to play music for the dancing 'monkey' near the docks for foreigners and while they are distracted the Essarians can clean them out when climbing all over them while they have smiles on their faces.
Some of the most famous Essarians are those that have signed on to sail along with Lord Saan on his flagship, the
Valyrian, after a great deal of insistence on his part. The climb the rigging's of ships better than even the most experienced sailors can hope for and are much less at risk from falling to their deaths in the process.
As always the Deep is made greater for all the diverse pieces that make it up, and where elsewhere others might respond in fear or hate the Deepmen take it all in with a smile. The Essarians have come from their primitive past and as time goes on they will grow just as the tribal ancestors of man did long ago.