Roltons, Wools, and Cheese of the Land

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Roltons, Wools, and Cheeses of the Land

Tending to gather in flocks, the rolton is a majestic beast that has flourished throughout most of Elanthia. Whether roaming free or domesticated, the ruminant mammal has a distinct personality that every Elanthian is familiar with, from child to elder. These even-toed ungulates number in the thousands, with the domestic rolton being prevalent in all societies throughout the greater continental mass of Jontara, encompassing Elanith, Atan Irith, and the Shattered Continent.

Our docile friend the rolton was not always so, and it wasn't until the Second Age when races were picking up their lives and starting anew that the rolton became domesticated. Ornery and combative, the ancient roltons moved more in packs than flocks and would attack anything on sight. It wasn't until a farmer began removing his guard dog from his sheep pens that the mighty rolton finally succumbed to the alluring call of domestication. Indeed, we largely owe our friendship with these amazing animals to the ancient domesticated sheep.

Because of the blending of bloodlines between these original domesticated sheep and the wild roltons, many of the names historically utilized to describe sheep are also used to describe roltons. For example, a female rolton is a ewe, a young rolton is a lamb, and a male rolton is a ram or tup. Often, in the modern era, laymen have difficulty distinguishing between the various rolton and sheep species, as there are numerous wild and domesticated species.

While wild roltons may be less common now than in the Second Age, one has but to wander down by Old Mine Road or the Outlands of Vornavis to get a taste of the ferocity of the wild rolton and be reminded of their bullying, brutish attitudes.

Nearly every race has their favorite species -- rolton breeds that they have domesticated and call their own. Below are but a few of them, as well as some of the more common cheese, wool, and hide names.

Roltons Around the World

Bighorn Rams

Roaming the great mountainous region of Dragach are the bighorn rams. One such beast, Krinklehorn, occupies great tales in the Barony that has led to the birth of a main city taking its name. While the legend of Krinklehorn has been embellished over the years, its lesser cousin, the bighorn ram, is still very much alive and a favorite of both hunters and storytellers alike. Said to be twice the size of other rams or sheep elsewhere in the Empire, Dragach's bighorn rams have a lustrous red, almost copper-like sheen to their thick fur. With age, the rams' horns can grow as sharp and as long as a short sword, making them incredibly deadly in the wild. Some horns can even take on a golden hue, or "gilt" as locals call it, and those horns are often said by nobles to then gift for special occasions.

Wool made from these bighorn rams is called krinklevelt in honor of its most famous representative. Krinklevelt is a densely woven, almost felt-like material. In its natural state, it is a lustrous ecru with a copper red sheen, and while it takes a dye well, many choose to leave it undyed.

Milk Product: Bighorn Blue
Wool Product: Krinklevelt

Bresnahanini Rolton (ram)

Bresnahanini Roltons

Sometimes called the curly-horned rolton, these creatures are primarily located in Vornavis and their original birthplace, Jantalar. They stand over four feet tall with huge, curled horns that are more often than not stained red and black with the blood of some victim, be it animal or man. Larger than their standard cousin, it is rumored that ages ago they were bred and trained for battle within the pens of Jantalarian warlords. They are not friendly, even sometimes turning against their own, but are often hunted still within some northern provinces for their hides. While their fur is knotted and coarse, it is spun into bresuna, often used for winterweight cloaks and outerwear. The hide holds a natural ruddy hue, and its toughness makes it ideal for tents and other materials when trying to shield against the bitterness of cold weather, as the thickness is known to retain heat as well as repel the clumping snows.

Milk Product: Bresnahanini Bold
Wool Product: Bresuna

Cavelta Rolton

The cavelta rolton (or simply cavelta) is a sylvan breed known for its fine, white wool used in crafting a specialized type of silk known as ataela or cloudsilk. They get their name from the cavelta's propensity to break into spontaneous cavorting at little to no provocation; these "dancing" roltons are a sylvan farmer's delight, as they are docile, easily domesticated, and delicious. While predominantly white, the cavelta rolton often has darker markings. When its wool is not used for ataela, it is spun into a lovely yarn and used in myriad other ways.

The hide of the cavelta rolton produces cavela, a thin and supple leather popular for clothing and containers.

A Note on Ataela: Ataela, or cloudsilk, is a sylvan textile made from raw silk (typically silk from silkworms, but sylvans also enjoy using bee silk and spider silk) and the ultra-fine wool of the cavelta rolton. Next, it is dyed using a wax-resist dyeing application process. The process is an ancient technique kept alive both by the Lassaran who brought it from Yuriqen, but also the older sylvan settlements dotted throughout the forests of Elanthia. The dyes are all derived from local flora, and the patterns are unique. The most common pattern gives ataela its name -- a simple, wavy, cloud-like pattern. Other patterns may have specific uses (such as for weddings), while others are intricate artisitic endeavors.

Wool Product: Ataela (and cavelta yarn)
Pelt Product: Cavela

Darkling Wood Sheep

While most commonly found roaming through the Darkling Wood, darkling wood sheep are often transplanted to other areas of the realm by the Ardenai elves, the mammals easily adapting to the northern foothills and pastured valleys. This larger breed of sheep is known for their hardiness and ability to thrive in sparse grazing conditions. They have narrow, dark brown faces with matching legs, while their coat remains white. Both males and females have rough curling horns that have been used for small instruments as well as drinking vessels. Most of all, they are prized by the Ardenai for their wool. Woven into a soft, yet sturdy fabric known as ruhani wool, the wool provides natural protection from the elements and outdoor environment. The strong fibers are dyed and woven into shades and patterns and used in the creation of the traditional elven ruhan.

Milk Product: Vencaryn
Wool Product: Ruhani wool

Dorper

Dorpers

Known for their creamy cheese, or "sweet" as referred to throughout all the bloodlines, the dorper is a versatile creature with an ability to adapt to both extremes of hot and cold temperatures. Their undercoat sheds once a year and requires no shearing, but their fleece is not suitable for spinning. Greengairs don't want the shed to go to waste, so they collect it for use in bedding and natural insulation. The dorper's body is most commonly white, but other variants have appeared over the years as the dorper adapts to different regions. On rare occasions, caramel-colored markings come into a litter, though it's unknown when or how this deviation began. Wendwillow are more fond of the black and white dorpers, as their coats have some similar markings to those of the albatross that led them to safety following the cataclysmic flood. Angstholm prefer caramel colors as they are more environmentally disguised, akin to the plumage of tawny owls, which aid in their more reclusive lifestyle. Elders in the Basingstoke bloodline claim that the "golden" sheep are gifts from Imaera. Glyphs claimed by each bloodline are often branded onto the creature's back to help differentiate them from others when gathering in large crowds.

A Note on Sweet: Sweet cheese (dubbed solely as sweet by the forest gnomes) is a creamy cheese with an abundantly sweet flavor, similar to that of honey. In some cases, children beg for small rolled balls of sweet for desserts rather than cakes or pies, and are always willing to do their chores for a reward of sweet!

Milk Product: Dorper Sweet

Flatfoot Rolton

Flatfoot Roltons

Raised and grazed primarily along the quiet farmlands of Oire, the flatfoot roltons got their name from the smooth, almost unnaturally even finish along the bottom of their hooves. Because of this, many Oirean nobles use flocks of flatfoots to help them with grape treading in their massive vineyards. While Oire enjoys peaceful towns and beautiful landscapes, their coastal rains can cause entire weeks of muddy lands which can cause contagious hoof rot among their roltons. As a result, shepherds tend to lead herds to higher, warmer grounds during the fall and spring to eliminate any unnecessary culling. The flatfoot roltons are at times playful creatures, and it is not uncommon for some families to raise some more as pets than livestock. Their fur is more roughened by the salt of the sea and is often used as garments beneath armor for several knightly orders. Oiremere wool is popular for being both lightweight, yet dense enough to cushion the body from heavier full plates and suits of chainmail, its properties a boon for knights on foot as well as horseback. Their meat, however, is in more demand, being both tender and savory.

Milk Product: Flatfoot Farms Gouda
Wool Product: Oiremere

Ixacikta

The ixacikta, more colloquially known as cikta, are mountain valley roltons typically raised by small Inyexat groups in northern Atan Irith and some erithi farmers, especially those from the Surath Dai. Cikta are typically white-woolled and serve as an important source of meat and wool. Rams have curled horns that frame their face; after a ram's death, Inyexat take the horns for a variety of uses. While hornless, ewes are valued for their thick coat and flavorful milk which produces a tangy cheese known as ciktat.

The Wooly Cikyas
Coming in a variety of colors, wooly cikyas are large members of the butterfly and moth family. Originally discovered in Atan Irith and named by the Inyexat, cikyas are drawn to rolton wool and can be found alighting on the native ikacikta as well as other roltons (and wooly creatures) throughout Elanthia.

A red-spotted ebon cikya is the most commonly found of these, with fluffy black feelers and bright red spots on the wings. Rarest is the gold-veined jade cikya that is only found at night. Along with its rare daytime counterpart, a silver-veined lavender-grey cikya, these two creatures are the highlight of any insect collection.

Milk Product: ciktat

Kish'dal

Also sometimes known as dune nippers or ash goats, the kish'dal roltons are said to have originated in the Southron Wastes, where they gained their nickname for often feeding along the ashen barrens, nibbling up seeds and grains carried along the hot southern winds. The natural instinct to survive has found the creatures moving further to the north, some argue even purposely displacing nearby citizens of Elstreth, due to their increased presence within the Valley of Hourouth. Their horns are curved outward and look like grooved obsidian, making them desirable by traders to create drinking horns or sword pommels. Their fur is a mottled grey and white, like marble splattered with ash, and is surprisingly popular in some of the northern regions for the thickness of their wool. It is suspected that kish'dal wool is what is often used to swindle townsfolk when they are believed to be purchasing yierka wool.

Milk Product: Dune's Cut
Wool Product: Yierkale or yierka wool
Pelt Product: Kish'dal hide or leather

Maeltijd

The maeltijd, sometimes nicknamed the "sacrificial lamb," is one of the smaller breeds of rolton, with a ram's shoulder height being roughly half as high as an adult Burghal gnome. Both the wool and mutton of the maeltijd rolton is of average quality, though a ewe's milk does produce an above-average cheese. What sets the maeltijd aside from other rolton breeds is not just their small size. Some members of the flock will seize up and appear to faint, their limbs locking up and falling over on their side, typically occurring when overly excited in the presence of a predator. By inserting the maeltijd rolton amongst the flocks of other rolton breeds, the gnomes would create their own natural alarm system, the fainting rolton protecting the flocks by warning herders of danger whilst living comfortably amongst the other creatures.

Milk Product: Fainting Gnome

Rakka

Rakka

Rakka, pronounced ruh-kah, are a breed of rolton that originated around Mount Aenatumgana and rapidly expanded within the migratory clans of the Kindred. Docile and gentle, the rakka are unique in that both the male and the female of the species produce horns that jut from their head in a “v” formation. The spiraling horns can grow approximately 20 inches long on the males, while the females produce slightly shorter horns at 12 – 15 inches. Common coloration is a brown-faced and limbed animal with an almost ivory, shaggy fleece. Pure black rakka have been growing in dominance in the river-riddled flatlands outside of Ta'Nalfein where the southern slopes of the Dragonspine are dominated by the Grishknel Clan.

While the horns are impressive and decorative, they are not able to be used as drinking vessels due to their extreme length and relatively narrow structure. However, the corkscrew spiraling and long length do allow them to be used as practice weapons for the young of the clans and are frequently used instead of wooden swords. Their wool, also known as rackhal, is spun to create soft, breathable fabrics suitable for scorching heat and cooler climes (although for the latter, the garments are often layered to retain warmth).

Milk Product: Rakkanil
Wool Product: Rackhal
Pelt Product: Rakkein

Risthil

Risthil

Bred more for their excellent milk-producing ability and seldom used for slaughtering, the risthil is a breed of rolton favored by dark elves who engage in animal husbandry. Tall and appearing stocky due to their long, fringed coats that vary from shades of pale beige to dark brown, their complementary, elongated sloping faces can be mottled with white, grey, dark brown, and black spots. The males have down-curling horns that circle at the temples, whereas females are generally polled (hornless). They exude a calm demeanor, making them extremely suitable for dairy farming, and can be sustained either in a confined space or allowed to graze. Originally bred for their suitability for nomadic tribes, risthil herds can acclimate to roving and habituating in differing locations.

Milk Product: Risth'iel

Steelhorn Roltons

The steelhorn originated on the windswept volcanic island of Glaoveln, off the southwestern coast of Icemule Trace. They are surly and aggressive by nature and have never been seen in significant numbers on Elanith, though half-krolvin enclaves have successfully domesticated them on several independent islands. Their wool is scratchy and coarse, making it largely useless for the crafting of garment textiles, but the krolvin have used it in the making of sailcloth when better alternatives are unavailable. Though steelhorn meat is sparse and stringy on account of their light diets, krolvin prepare a raw dish called kanapazh that involves curing the meat in cider vinegar and then seasoning it with heavily spiced vodka. The mineral content of their typical grazing land results in the species possessing dark, strong horns with similar color to forged steel. As a result, many krolvin and half-krolvin make use of steelhorn for handles, hafts, hilts, and ornamentation when crafting weapons or other tools.

Milk Product: So'enoorkra
Wool Product: Sailcloth
Pelt Product: Steelhorn

Stoutfoot Roltons

Truefolk farmers appreciate stoutfoots, a small but hardy breed of rolton that thrives in cold temperatures. Their smaller size makes them ideal for halfling herds, and their natural docile temperament lends itself to easy domestication. Stoutfoots gorge themselves when food is readily available, and their meat and milk have a high-fat content. The latter also has a high sugar content that facilitates its fermentation into the halfling delicacy kumys. Children adore stoutfoots as well, as they are patient, pleasant animals that do not mind being climbed or ridden. In looks, they resemble a wide-bodied buffalo with small, with a fluffy fringe over their short, blunt horns. Stoutfoot wool is thick, plentiful, and naturally soft. It takes a dye well. Their hides are sturdy and warm, and they run in colors from snowy white to pitch black. So-called blue stoutfoots, which have lustrous wool the color of a grey winter sky, are some of the most coveted. Stoutfoot wool is also called fraelhan, as the breed is believed to have originated in Fraelshire.

A Note on Plurality: Many a drunken pub argument over stoutfeet vs stoutfoots has ensued across the ages, but current trends lean toward stoutfoots for plurality. Those wishing to avoid the debate entirely call them stoutfoot roltons.

Milk Product: Stoutfoot blue
Wool Product: Fraelhan or stoutfoot wool
Pelt Product: Stouthide

Vaslavia Roltons

The Vaslavia rolton is named after the Vaslavia Meadows where it was discovered by dwarves of the Krethuum Clan. The rams of this breed can have 2 to 6 horns that are white, black, or striped and are used to create knife handles, hair and beard combs, and cornetts. The coat of the animals ranges from pure white to gold to rust red, can come in various patterns and points, and even in distinctive marks such as crowns or chests. Their fleece is admired for its luster, silkiness, color, and durability. The Krethuum prefer the natural golds and reds for their own wool clothing and rugs, but the white fleece takes dyes made from the local flora exceptionally well to make a variety of colors used in trade. Their meat is tender and only mildly gamey making Vaslavia rolton chops a prized item on any chef's table, and their milk is used to make a soft, creamy cheese that can be aged for long periods.
Milk Product: Vaslavian Brie
Wool Product: Vaslavilen

Other Domesticated Animals

Though not a rolton or sheep, we would be remiss if we did not mention some other domesticated animals that serve a similar purpose or domesticated need within their community. Many of these animals are kept for mounts, their milk, and/or their wool.

Goats

Maedat

Found in the coastal hills of Ta'Nalfein, maedats are a type of goat popular with the elves as they produce a unique-tasting milk. Maedat cheeses, especially a maedat gouda, feature prominently in several dishes. Left to their own devices, maedats fight amongst themselves. Males and females alike sport a pair of hard, gently spiraled horns, and headbutting one another until the loser wanders away in a daze is a common pastime. Some smaller villages pass the time betting on favorites.

Domesticated maedats grow a thicker coat than their wild cousins, and they are frequently (and humanely) shorn for the production of maedatha -- the Nalfein term for the soft wool.

Milk Product: Maedat gouda
Wool Product: Maedatha

Myssarian Goats

These regal creatures can be found along the crags and cliffs of Oire, nestled between the regions of Torre and Seareach. The goat's neck is slightly bent, causing its head to angle more toward the sky, giving it an almost comical appearance of superiority. Their horns are small, often not growing more than an inch or two, which some locals attribute to the serenity of Oire bringing even peace to their flocks and a life free of political strife and maneuvering. Their wool ranges from black to brown, and while many of them roam the coastal edges, there are entire farmlands established with hundreds of them to produce smooth milk and cheese to be paired with the infamous Oirean wines. Myssamere is a blend of blackish-brown wool, often collected from the thorny brambles along the coastline and woven to create soft, durable garments.
Milk Product: Myssarian Cheddar
Wool Product: Myssamere

Paeladri Goat w. Maeltijd in background

Paeladri Goats

Cultivated by a small group of aelotoi in the Mrae'ni clan since their arrival from Bre'Naere, paeladri goats are very compact and stocky in structure and produce high quality fibers that can be spun or woven into the fabric known as paeline. Paeladri is a compound name originating from the Aelotian words, "paeli," meaning, "tufted," and the suffix, "-adri," indicating the animals' fairly diminutive size. Nevertheless, these goats are quite wide-stanced and have broad, thickset bodies, allowing them to carry a much greater amount of weight than their smaller bodies would indicate. The breeders view these goats as domesticated working animals and also part of their family units, but it also would be considered a waste of resources to slaughter them for meat. It should be noted, however, that anecdotally their flesh is atrociously gamey and unpleasant to taste, even for those with stronger hunting sensibilities.

Wool Product: Paeline

Piebald Kozas

Bred for its long hair and hardy constitution, the piebald koza is a mid-sized goat with a shaggy coat streaked with light and dark colors, usually a base of white or cream striped with grey and black or shades of brown. Its ears are long and floppy and its nose convex, and its horns grow long and lyre-shaped with a twist. The koza is oft seen in the company of small caravans of half-elf traders and entertainers that call themselves the Vanadre Chiras, where it can be found pulling their carts in addition to providing fleece for spinning a fine and durable yarn.

Milk Product: Tiralza or "traveler's cheese"

Sea-horned Goats

Considered endangered and possibly extinct for over a hundred years, the sea-horned goat has recently made a reappearance in the last decade, quickly becoming one of the most populated creatures within the Gattrof Mountains. It acquired its name by herders because of its gnarled, knobby horns that resemble both the configuration and color of seashells, making them almost out of place in the land-locked, hot hills of Aldora. They are aggressive and have been known to attack travelers who move about alone. Their coat ranges from light to dark browns and has become popular throughout the Turamzzyrian Empire for producing a light, airy wool that holds dye well. In addition, their skin, often shortened to seagoat hide (or seagoat leather/suede), is used frequently in the southern regions for creating all manner of gloves, boots, and rugs.

Milk Product: Sea-horned goat cheese, also known as Gattrofian cheese
Wool Product: Aldoran wool
Pelt Product: Seagoat hide

Other

Long-haired Capybaras

Capybaras can be found mostly near Inye'vexl. In addition to breeding for strength and stamina for mounts, some capybaras are bred for wool. These long-haired capybaras are routinely shorn for the soft wool that is then woven into a fabric known as captiql. Captiql is a luxuriously soft, light brown wool that dyes well and is sturdy enough for everyday use.

Wool Product: Captiql

Mhoragian Muskox

Found in the tundras of the northern steppes, these creatures feature a long, hair-like coat with a mix of black, grey, and brown hues. They measure between four and five feet tall in height, and four to six feet long. The tail is short, measuring only four inches in length, and is often hidden beneath the creature's thick coat. Both males and females feature horns that curve outward from a thick skull plate. Despite sharing the cultural name of the halflings who harvest their undercoat, the muskox cannot survive in captivity. Attempts to do so have resulted in the herd's untimely death. Because of this, the muskox herds roam free, however, the Mhoragian herders are able to harvest the undercoat by setting up fences with special brushes on the posts along the herds' migration routes. The muskox will rub themselves against the posts, and the brushes collect the undercoat fibers which are then collected and spun into qiviut by the Mhoragian halflings. The process of the collection takes a lot of time and patience, and as a result, the cost of qiviut is much higher than many other similar wools.

Milk Product: Mhoragian Munch
Wool Product: Qiviut

Color Patterning & Descriptions

Believed to have been created and compiled by Kannalan farmers, the below terms are often used to describe the various markings found on roltons and sheep. The terms were almost universally adopted, and it is rare to hear a farmer anywhere, regardless of native tongue, use any but these terms. Indeed, some have even adapted these terms to describe other domesticated animals (and occasionally their wild equivalents).

Term	Description
Bersugget	Irregular patches of different colors splotched across the body and/or face
Bielset	A circular band of contrasting color around the creature's neck
Bioget	A creature with either a white back and dark sides/belly or vice versa
Blaeget	Dark wool tipped with lighter shades, especially common in dark brown sheep and roltons
Blaget	A primarily white creature with irregular dark patches. This pattern resembles ground partly covered by snow
Blettet	White patches across the nose and top of the head
Bleset/Sneedled	Being dark colored with a white stripe (or blaze) down the forehead
Brandet	Back-striped across the body in a contrasting color to the primary
Bronget	A dark-colored creature with a light-colored breast (or vice versa)
Flecket	A primarily white rolton with large black or brown patches
Fronet	A white-headed rolton with black or brown spots on the head and around the eyes
Gulmoget	Reverse of katmoget. Dark-colored body, light underbelly, and white inside the ears and under the jaw
Ilget	Primarily white but with spots (typically grey, black, or brown)
Iset	Primarily black but with several white fibers. From a distance, this blending gives a bluish hue
Katmoget	Reverse of gulmoget. A light-colored body with dark belly and legs. Also has a moget face (dark inside the ears and under the jaw)
Katmollet	Reverse of mullit. Light-colored nose and jaws
Kraiget	When the neck is a different color from the rest of the body
Kranset	White around the eyes and head while the rest is dark-colored
Krunet	A white patch on the top of the head while the rest is dark-colored
Marlit	A mottled rolton (various shades of different colors across the entire body)
Mirkface	Dark facial patches, primarily white elsewhere
Moget-faced	Dark inside the ears and under the jaw. Used when a creature has these face markings but no other katmoget characteristics.
Mullit	Reverse of katmollet. Primarily white with a dark nose and jaws
Sholmet	A creature of any color other than white that has a fully white face
Skeget	Striped on the sides, but the stripes do not cross over the back
Smirslet	White around the mouth, head, or neck
Snaelit	Having a light-colored body and a snow white face
Sokket	A creature with legs of a different color than the body, giving the appearance of wearing socks
Sponget	A dark-colored creature covered with small, white spots
Yuglet	When the color around the eyes differs from the remainder of the body

Various Other Types of Wools

• Cameline: Often called camel hair, cameline is lightweight and typically tends towards beige and tans.
• Lambilen: Also known as lamb's wool, this wool is taken from very young lambs before their first fall. Incredibly soft and pristine, lambilen has a delicateness to it that is highly sought after.
• Wylten: Naturally waterproof, this wool is obtained by sheep outside of Temple Wyneb
• Oxilen: Obtained by taking the downy soft underwool of arctic oxen, oxilen in its natural form is fluffy, light, and almost has a lint-like quality to it. Once woven into string, its hue is very dark and added dyes typically produce deep, rich colors but never light ones.
• Roltalen: Obtained from the common rolton, roltalen is versatile and is able to hold color very well.
• Vicuna: Obtained from alpacas, this wool-like fiber is luxurious and also expensive as very few alpacas can be found outside of a few elven families in the northeast of Elanith.
• Wynelen: Thick, durable, and often described as being difficult to work with, this wool is obtained from mountain goats outside of Temple Wyneb.

A Deeper Dive Into Cheese

Here are but a few descriptions of some of the more popular cheeses from the creatures above.

Bighorn Blue
Bighorn Blue is a semi-soft cheese, the distinctively salty flavors usually balanced by the mushrooms and walnuts commonly added to each wheel, adding a faint earthy aftertaste across the palate. Often considered too strong flavor-wise to be consumed alone, Bighorn Blue is a lovely accompaniment to sweeter fruits such as grapes and apples.

Common flavorings: mushrooms and walnuts

Bresnahanini Bold
Bresnahanini Bold is a crumbly and salty variety of cheese, the milkiness making it ideal for the addition of more prominent flavors such as cracked black pepper and herbs. The cheese is often used to enhance the flavors of roasted vegetables, particularly the potato.

Common flavorings: cilantro and lime

Ciktat
Soft and buttery, ciktat is often enhanced by the addition of fragrant herbs and sea salts, the flavors complementing the tartness of the cheese. Commonly served alongside slices of fruit, the ciktat is often offered as an appetizer or dessert, depending on the accoutrements.

Common flavorings: rosemary and garlic

Dorper Sweet
Dorper sweet is smooth, creamy cheese, its flavor often compared to that of wildflower honey. Spheres of Dorper sweet are a preferred dessert for many Greengair children, and more mature palates often incorporate other flavors such as coffee and brown sugar to balance the faint tartness across the palate.

Common flavorings: coffee and brown sugar

Dune's Cut
Named for the kish'dal "dune rippers" who feed upon the barrens, Dune's Cut is a gritty, hard cheese often complemented by the addition of cracked pepper, giving the bold flavor of the cheese an added complexity. Thin loaves of seeded bread often accompany a wheel of Dune's Cut, the hearty combination able to withstand the heat of the Southron Wastes.

Common flavorings: pepper and truffle

Fainting Gnome
Many will debate if the name of the cheese originated with the seizing roltons themselves or the pungent, almost overwhelming aromatics of a ripe wheel, but most agree that Fainting Gnome is a variety that must be tried at least once. Earthy and tangy, the sharp crumbles of cheese are often consumed in salads alongside sweet vinaigrettes, melding the flavors together harmoniously.

Common flavorings: grass and hay

Flatfoot Farms Gouda
Smooth and smoky, Flatfoot Farms gouda is prized for the underlying sweetness that pervades throughout the creamy marbling. The buttery cheese is commonly served alongside full-bodied red wines popular in the region, with vintners often requesting custom blends to complement their releases.

Common flavorings: coffee and honey

Mhoragian Munch
Mhoragian Munch is named for the diminutive muskox, the thick and mild cheese often consumed between meals across the northern steppes, alongside tiny rounds of multi-grained bread. Subtly grainy, Mhoragian Munch is often infused with fresh herbs or citrus, highlighting the inherent sweetness in the muskox milk.

Common flavorings: mint and lemon

Myssarian Cheddar
Myssarian cheddar is a smooth and semi-hard variety, the subtle flavors allowing a broad range of additional tastes to be incorporated alongside the earthy cheese. Often consumed alongside dried fruits and nuts, the cheese is always center stage in presentation and flavor.

Common flavorings: hazelnut and brown butter

Rakkanil
Hearty and flavorful, rakkanil is considered a staple for some of the migratory clans, the mild cheese often simply flavored with the local mushrooms found on travels alongside the bite of freshly cracked pepper. Kindred often pack provisions with strips of rakka jerky, loaves of thick bread, and a wheel of rakkanil, honoring the life of the animal by allowing it to aid in sustaining their own.

Common flavorings: mushroom and pepper

Sea-horned Goat Cheese
Crumbly and briny, the feta-like goat cheese has a sharp flavor with a faintly oceanic aftertaste across the palate. The slightly creamy cheese is often balanced with the addition of citrus and herbs and served alongside several pieces of crusty bread.

Common flavorings: lemon and pepper

Risth'iel
Rishth'iel is a mild-flavored cheese, the subtle nuances of rishti milk often infused with foraged ingredients found through nomadic excursions, giving each wheel of rishth'iel its own unique tastes. Served alongside fresh figs and aged meats, rishth'iel often enhances each meal with complementary flavors.

Common flavorings: garlic and parsley

So'enoorkra
So'enoorkra, or Little Female in Krolgeh, refers to the cheese produced by the female steelhorn roltons of the arctic islands, though the mammals themselves often find their own grasses and foliage to consume, giving the cheese its distinct earthy and grassy flavor. Freshness is tantamount in producing and consuming so'enoorkra, though the freezing air allows half-krolvin cheesemongers to create and stow the cheese without fear of spoilage. Soft and milky, so'enoorkra finishes with a slightly sour aftertaste across the palate.

Common flavorings: garlic and basil

Tiralza
Tiralza (or traveler's cheese) is a tangy combination of fresh cream and soft, crumbly cheese, the mild flavors often mixed with garlic, wild onions, and/or herbs, then finished with a dusting of cinnamon. The herbs infused into tiralza vary by preference, although bird's foot and fennel are common. A staple among the Vanadre Chiras caravans, tiralza is served alongside leavened flatbreads and spice-heavy sauces.

Common flavorings: garlic and wild onion

Vaslavian Brie
Vaslavian brie is a creamy, almost runny cheese encased in a thin rind. The earthy, grass-like flavors of the cheese fade with aging, bringing forth more pronounced notes of fruits and nuts. A popular way to consume Vaslavian brie is spread it thickly over a slice of toasted ale bread.

Common flavorings: fruit and grass

Vencaryn
Mild and creamy, vencaryn is a popular cheese often consumed midday by rolton herders across the foothills of Ta'Ardenai. Given its mellowness and earthy notes, vencaryn has recently gained popularity in smaller, more refined finger sandwiches often served in cafes across the Elven Nations.

Common flavorings: rosemary and mint

OOC Notes

Quick Cheese Reference Guide

Bighorn Blue - Blue cheese
Vaslavian Brie - Brie
Myssarian Cheddar - Cheddar
Beshnahanini Bold - Cotija
Sea-horned Goat - Feta
Ciktat - Goat Cheese
Fainting Gnome - Gorgonzola
Flatfoot Farms Gouda - Gouda
Rakkanil - Gruyere
Risth'iel - Emmental
Dorper Sweet - Mascarpone
So'enoorkra - Mozzarella
Dune's Cut - Parmesan
Tiralza - Boursin
Vencaryn - Havarti
Mhoragian Munch - Ricotta

Credits

• Created by GM Elysani and GM Thandiwe, with encouragement and input from GM Auchand, GM Caconym, GM Casil, GM Gyres, GM Haliste, GM Kenstrom, GM Mariath, GM Netz, GM Valyrka, GM Vanah, GM Xeraphina, and GM Xynwen.

Material Availability

• Restricted Use:
  • Ataela - fodder required, noun can be ataela or cloudsilk
  • Qiviut - fodder required
• Open Use:
  • All others