Jasua's Apples

The land of Jasua is a small one compared to many in the Golden Circle but it is rich and diverse. It grows many things and exports them as well. But it is the apples for which its famous.

Geography

The geography of Jasua is difficult to detail. First off its a shadow astride several different other realms. It is incomplete in nature. It is landmass in the midst of an ocean that itself borders onto shadow. The oceans are dark and thick and as they go out from the shore they fade off into unknown shadows. Sailors of Jasua learn how to hug the shoreline yet some are lost to the shadowwaters every year.

The northern area of the main landmass is a vast region over 5000 miles long that is cool winters and warm summers. These areas are filled with apple trees of a wide variety. It also has many cultivated ground vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli,carrots and many types of tubers. The natives adore artichokes and grow them in vast quantities.

History

Jusua was discovered by Prince Eric of Amber in his youth. On one of his first trips to lay down travel trails into Amber he found Jasua. He claimed he was thinking of apples but was specifically looking for a shadow with a large amount of produce to feed the growing Amber populace. The oddities of the farming people of Jasua can be explained by the way the shadow was discovered.

Eric's youth and imprecision led to finding a shadow that was not a full realm or universe but a farming shadow with a lot missing to make it unable to become a viable nation to develop into a Golden Circle kingdom, no matter how he tried. He made many attempts to convince someone to develop into a royal line but the degree of arrogance needed was not there. Pride in their produce was the closest they came.

In time the concept of mass production did hook into the mentality of many families and they began growing orchards larger then for their personal use.

The problem Prince Eric found then was what did they need in trade? As it turned out there were few meat animals on Jasua. Birds mostly. Chickens, geese, ducks, turkey, doves, partridges, and pigeons were found. These are common meat for them. The Chicken, goose, turkey, and dove were domesticated. They had river fish but no ocean fish. Fishing is a common pastime.

There were almost no large meat animals. The largest animals on Jasua are cows and dottles. Prince Eric found they liked pork in almost any form. They disliked red meats. So trade with Jasua became largely a matter of pork in to Jasua and a large number of things for export. Eric tried importing pigs directly but they found that pigs destroyed home gardens and the practice stopped. However some wild boars escaped and have become a dangerous and threatening animal that is frequently hunted.

Geography

The geography of Jasua is difficult to detail. First off its a shadow astride several different other realms. It is incomplete in nature. It is landmass in the midst of an ocean that itself borders onto shadow. The oceans are dark and thick and as they go out from the shore they fade off into unknown shadows. Sailors of Jasua learn how to hug the shoreline yet some ore lost to the shadowwaters every years.

The northern area of the main landmass is a vast region over 5000 miles long that is cool winters and warm summers. These areas are filled with apple trees of a wide variety. It also has many cultivated ground vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli,carrots and many types of tubers. The natives adore artichokes and grow them in vast quantities.

Animals

Canines

There are a variety of dogs. Mostly farming dogs. They were domesticated early and were never a source of meat. Dogs are a common farm animal used to keeping cows from straying. They are common pets and are allowed indoors.

Felines

Cats are common and are usually used as hunters of pests and vermin like mice and rats and insects. Cats are common pets and are often allowed inddoors as are dogs.

Fowls

Chickens, geese, ducks, turkey, doves, partridges, and pigeons were commonly found. These are a common meat for them. Chicken, goose, turkey, and dove are domesticated. Early every home has a dove cote.

Fish and shellfish

Fish

They have river fish but no ocean fish. The ocean waters cause river fish to mutate like shadow creatures and it scares the natives. Offworlders have found the mutated meat edible but the natives can not be convinced.

Fishing is a almost daily practice for some people and fish are a very common food stuff. Nearly anyone can be convinced to make a snack and go fish for an hour.

Geologically they are rivers crisscrossing the shadows so they are not far to walk to.

Shellfish

Fresh water river shellfish are plentiful. Oysters, abalone, crab, lobsters crawdads, clams, can all be found throughout the rivers of Jasua. They are almost never found in ocean waters.

Cows

Cows are one of the exceptions to the rule of large meat animals. However they are odd. Both female cows can be milked with normal results. However half of male cows may be milked as well. They produce a milk identical to cow milk. The other half of cows are castrated and used as oxen.

Milk was such a common drink that they never considered killing them for meat till Prince Eric suggested it. When it was tried the people universally disliked the taste of red meat. After that it was not done again. Cows eat local grasses and the leavings of vegetables in a manner similar to goats. Nearly every home farm has two to 6 cows. Male and female cows are similar in appearance with the exception that male cows have horns that fall off every few years and are used in many ways.

Oxen

Half the male population of cows become oxen and are used as beasts of burden. Families also treated them as pets.

Dottles

Another large meat animal on Jasua are dottles. There is some evidence that in ancient history dottles were eaten but by the time Prince Eric discovered the realm this practice was long forgotten. Dottles were domesticated. They were used for plowing gardens and fields that were not rocky. They were used as riding animals and to pull small carriages for four people or less. Mostly two person carriages. Dottles are a very protective animal and often bonded with one family member.

Dottles are frequently raced and seem to enjoy the sport being competitive against each other.

Dottles can be bossy toward cows and oxen.

Honey & Bees

As might be expected bees are a common insect and ad revered by the Jasuans. Killing one is not just bad luck but if witnessed is considered sacrilegious.

Nearly every home has some beehives. They prepare honey and use it as one of their main sweeteners. It is an export for large bee keepers but most communities dislike the honey export business. Beehives have many uses as well as producing honey and the Jasuans are experts at it and often export such items.

Beeswax

Bees wax candles are a ubiquitous item in every Jasuan home. Olive Oil and Beeswax candles are the two most common sources of light.

Produce

The most common tree fruit is the apple tree and it comes in many types depending on the region. However there are many other types of fruit bearing trees including pears, apricots, plums, cherries, coconuts, dates, olives, blackberries, mangos, raspberries, nectarines, peaches.

There are no citris trees. Maybe Eric didn't like lemons. Importation of citrus trees has not gone well.

It is a common planting processes on Jasua to plant ground produce beneath the trees.

Harvesting Trees

While trees are an object of veneration they are also a plant and are maintained as such. The Jasuans have extensive methods for when a tree is harvested for wood. Some trees live very long lives. Others do not.

Pine trees on Jasua grows very fast compared to other shadows and are considered a building material tree despite the pine nuts. Walnut, oak, hickory, and even apple trees are regularly harvested for furniture and cooking.

Harvesting trees is done reverentially and with care and consideration. A tree that is cut down is almost always replaced with two saplings of the same kind of tree. Some trees are harvested ceremonially. Cheery trees are harvested only during the first day of the 5 day winter Solstice celebration.

Apples

By far the most plentiful produce of the realm. They ship whole apples, apple sauces, jams, jellies, breads, and candies. They produce fine apple juices as well as extraordinary cysers and apple alcohols.

The topic of apples would fill a library. There are many uses and many types and it is by far the most common export product from Jasua.

Other Trees

Other trees are grown regionally other then Apples. Other types of fruit bearing trees including pears, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, mangos and nectarines are common and are often grown among the apple orchards or in their own orchards.

Coconuts and dates are common in the warm southern coastal regions. They are exported but are a rare sight on northern tables.

Blackberries, raspberries, and similar plants are stone fruits and are grown on bushes. They play a common part in home gardens and home exterior decor. Nearly all Jasuan homes have some form of them. Many desserts feature them..

Olives

Olives are a special product for Jasuans. They are used normally but are also treated as an art since they must be cured to be eaten. So many preparations are used and olives feature prominently in local produce fairs.

They are a common food stuff for Jasuan homes. Jars of them curing are found everywhere.

Olive Oil: A great portion of the olive production planet wide is for producing olive oil. It is used as a cooking oil as well as lamp oil. Olive Oil and Beeswax are the two most common Jasuan natural light sources.

Pepper

Pepper trees are common but are not often grown in large orchards. They are a tree used decoratively in home and community spaces.

Nut Trees

There are many nut trees producing pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, Brazil nut, pine nuts, almonds, and others.

Artichokes

A plentiful crop of Artichokes is produced each year but it is a staple of Jasua natives. The Jasua Artichoke produces meaty inner petals about 4 to 5 times as lush as normal artichokes. The artichoke heart can be two to three times the size of of normal artichokes.

The dry outer petals and the thistles are often mixed and mashed into a pulp and used to make paper. Wood is almost never used to make paper.

Artichokes are exported in tiny quantities.

Ground Vegetables

The list of common root vegetables exported include Onions, turnips, carrots, potatoes, ginger, tumeric, sweet potatoes, garlic, fennel, celeriac, rutabaga and many more. Some require commentary.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a nearly daily part of a meal for Jasuans. Plain, cooking with cheese, fried, grilled, in soups. It is a found in every home garden and is cultivated on huge farms for export. It is traded locally and shipped regionally and while it is exported offworld there is a lot of controversy about exporting such a important home vegetable. .

Broccoli

Another common vegetable is broccoli which is often paired with cauliflower. It is a common export.

Asparagus

Asparagus is another common vegetable found usually in bigger gardens and in large farms. It is eaten raw and cooked.

Carrots and other root vegetables.

Carrots are a common vegetable found in nearly all gardens. It is grown for export. Carrots are just one of many tubers or root vegetables available on Jasua.

Turnips

Turnips are exported by the natives use them mostly as holiday meals and for celebrations.

Onions

Onions are common in the diet of Jasuans. There are many varieties and many preparations.

Potatoes

The number of types of potatoes found on Jasua is extraordinary. They are a common food. They are grown for home use and export.

Beets

Beets have a unusual place in Jasua's food palate. They are deeply loved or detested. There are few people who do not have a strong opinion of them.

They are cooked and eaten hot or cold. They are used in salads or slaws. There are many different uses of beets in dips. It is made into hearty drinks.

Beets can make sugar. They can also make a neutral alcohol of great potency. Jasua beets are low in salts unlike beets elsewhere. Beet Alcohol can be used to make other alcohols. However most beets for export are shipped whole. Beet alcohols are mostly drunk by natives.

Radishes

Jasua radish grow in huge quantities. It is a common native food but is also exported in huge quantities. The number of recipes the Jasuans have made using radishes is staggering.

Agave

Agave is grown in huge fields. It is harvested and eaten as a vegitable as well as used to brew booth a grain neutral alcohol and various types of tequilas.

Milk & Cheeses

While milk is a common product it is rarely exported unless it is done magically.

Cheese however is a craft and art at which the Jasuans excel and are famous for. The many types of cheeses would fill volumes. Safe to say both fine cheese shops and common food marts across the Golden Circle all carry Jasuan cheeses.

Magic on Jasua

Low Order and High Order

Both Low and High Order magic work on Jasua but they were not practiced before the arrival of Prine Eric. They are not practiced often still. There are perhaps 100 native pratitioners of Low Order magic and less then a dozen practitioners of high order magic. Both groups would have traveled off shadow to learn their craft.

Cantrip

Cantrips are not exactly common yet most people know one or two. Rarely do they study them enough to gain the full amount a person can learn. Humans can learn 4 cantrips. People with Chaos Psyche can learn 12. Amber psyche can learn 20. Most people can learn 4 but with practice might go as high as 8. Still. Most people leans only one or two.

Werelight, Firefinger, Stitch, Purify Water, and sober are the most common cantrips learned.

For many wagoneers or people loading wagons Knot, Tie, & Mend cantrips are common and useful.

Hexery

Unlike Cantrips knacks can not be learned. They come naturally to and individual. Hexes can be taught and a person can learn a lot of them. They are tiny rituals.

Many hexes involve creating a charm of some kind that is either place to protect an area or is destroyed when the hex is used. As such some hexes can be created then given to others for them to use.

While mages using Low or High Order magic are extremely rare. nearly all communities have or know of a Hedge Witch or a Midwife or one of many types of low power magic uses either using cantrips or hexery.

Families

These families run massive farms with a great many exportable items.