Calling the Arcean Republic’s northernmost state home, Rostefians come from several nomadic woodland tribes. Rostefian culture extends from the modern day Cournagorms in Corinth down through into north central Syrdawn. Rostefians are most easily identified by their white or silver hair and pale skin (pale even compared to the Corinthians), a trait now known to be caused by a millennia of consuming Red-Eyed Rye and other plants unique to the White Forest region they first came from.

In the PR era, Rostefians wreaked havoc on the burgeoning early Corinthian and Syrdawnic civilizations. It would take the brilliance of Syerdawn’s King Aram to subdue the foresters, a feat he only achieved by marrying his son into the most powerful Rostefian tribes blood line, creating the Kingdom of Arcea-Rostef in 118 RT. The royal family became known for their tanned Syrdawnic skin and white Rostefian hair. In this time, Rostef’s tribal traditions were largely replaced by early forms of Syrdawnic Alteltarianism, which caused a major shift in Rostefian culture.

Rostef would experience a brief moment of independence in the Dark Era. From 745 to 970 RT Rostef fractured into hundreds of tiny kingdoms, with some of the north easternmost returning to hunter gatherer societies. Syrdawnic control wasn’t gone long, and Arthur Von Burough of Syrdawn soon annexed all of Rostef. His formations of Campaignmen easily brought the nomadic east back into the early Second Empire. In this time, Rostefians became deeply religious, a streak in their culture that remains to this day.

It would be during the Second Empire that Rostef and Rostefian culture would reach a peak. In approximately 1190, a Rostefian family gained the Skyward thrown, the seat of power in Nikea and throughout the early second empire. Using the technology found in ancient ruins, they used the power of the Empire to begin spreading their culture and faith to every corner of the western hemisphere of Unus Solum. Not a single western culture went unchanged. The effects can still be seen today in the form of Rostefian styled forts, temples and symbols everywhere from the roofing and finishing on the Emrallt Bryn in Corinta to the great statues dedicated to Nikea at the gates of Stendal, Hesse HR.  Under Rostefian rule, the Second Arcean Empire expanded rapidly and became increasingly religious.

When the Tri-State Revolutions, led by Elis Magnus (The Black Prince) brought down the Empire, Rostefians were put to blame. Rostefians had held most of the positions of power in the second empire, and when it was destroyed, the people of Corinth, North Ghurrka, Sudfell and Syrdawn blamed the Rostefian race for the havoc it had brought. Rostef fell into despair in the post Second Empire Kingdom of Arcea-Rostef; its roads eroding, its mighty monuments crumbling, its towns disappearing into forest as people left. The situation did not improve in the short lived Third Empire, as Rostefians were forced to work in mines and factories, powering the rapid economic growth of the Arcean Empire.

Poor living conditions in cramped, disease ridden urban areas led to civil unrest. In 1775, a paper written by infamous Rostefian communist and terrorist Horatio Brunswick sparked a series of riots in slums across Rostef and Syrdawn. By 1776 RT, this broke into open civil war with lines being drawn politically and ethnically. If it weren’t for the smart and decisive actions of the weakened but powerful Sudfellian aristocracy (Sudfell had been conquered  by Arcea-Rostef 20 years prior), the civil war may have broken the millennium old union between Rostef and Arcea, or even worse, led to genocide. Devran Von Lark of Sudfell helped create a “third way” alongside Horatio Brunswick’s former right hand woman Acard Charentes. Sudfell’s well drilled and loyal armies of veterans proved to be the only force capable of quelling the communist tide, and easily cleaned up what little remained of the Third Empire’s army along the way. Out of the ashes of civil war, Acard became the Republic’s first president and one of its best (albeit, many would say that she gave Sudfell too much extra attention). Her compassion allowed the people of Syrdawn and Rostef to heal. While some old scores have yet to be settled, at the very least, the  younger generations of both peoples seem to harbor no ill feelings for each other.

Rostefian culture can be divided into three areas. The Cournagorms Rostefians still face a degree of racism from Karelians. While the government doesn’t mandate any of this, they do nothing to stop this. Thus, Cournagorms Rostefians often end up in mines and factories throughout western Karelia. A lack of numbers and passable living conditions have barred civil unrest, albeit protests are common. Cournagorms Rostefians have very much become a mix of Northerner and Arcean. While one may say this means they lack a distinct culture, this could be seen a unique one, mixing progressive Northerner values with Arcean traditions. Because of this, Cournagorms Rostefians are often the most liberal of the Rostefian cultures.

White Forest Rostefians live in a small nation that is crushed between Arcea, Corinth and North Ghurrka. This is the only country where Rostefians are the majority, the forests being their ancestral homeland. Hence, they are very touchy about the Northerner population they have to share their country with, not to mention the North Ghurrkan and Mayayorian immigrants. They are often far more Conservative than any other Rostefian culture and do their best to reject outside ideas, even if they would help them significantly. They also follow their own unique branch of Alteltarianism that includes concepts from old Rostefian folklore and tradition.

Arcean Rostefians are the group generally considered when you say ‘Rostefian’ in modern day Unus Solum. While they aren’t as Conservative as their White Forest counterparts, Rostef is the most conservative Arcean state, ironic considering they are the birth place of Communism on Unus Solum. That being said, Rostef is home to some of the most beautiful architecture on the western side of the continent. Much of it is off the beaten path as only the the old imperial summer home in Kingshome and the odd castle or church are preserved. The rest are in the ghost towns dotted across the state. Sadly, many cathedrals and churches, many of which were well over a 1000 years old, have been lost to the ages due fires and other destructive acts in lawless often abandoned ghost towns.

On the bright side, modern Rostef is home to some of the most dominant sports clubs in Arcea or Karelia, and has a great music scene dominated by jazz and blues. While not as popular as it has been due to the rise of Enshawdiawn styled music on the continent over the last 20 years, Rostefian music is a staple in Arcea’s music halls. Rostef is also home to Unus Solums best architects and archaeologists, who’s works are know all across Unus Solum.