One of Forest’s greatest strengths is its sense of shared identity – the idea that each of us not only values the company of other Forestians but also relishes the opportunity to discover and engage with the unique cultures of those around us. The entries below are a testament to that ideal and, as such, they are not only a source of inspiration and creativity but also of regional pride. Each entry listed here is irreplaceable; each represents a piece of Forest’s collective heritage, and each is worthy of regional recognition and celebration. The Forest Cultural Heritage Register, then, is a place where we can come together to learn about and enjoy the distinctive cultures of our fellow Forestians. A handy guide for Forest nations wishing to write a submission to the Register can be found here.

Yours forestly,
Middle barael and Kawastyselir

The Cothon of Cothon City
Nation: Middle barael
Category: Material
Description:
The Cothon is the main harbor of Cothon City, the largest and oldest major city in Middle Barael. A Cothon was a type of artificial harbor built by the ancient Phoenicians. They consisted of a rectangular passageway leading into a large, round harbor lined with buildings and stalls. The Cothon was the center of commerce and trade within the Phoenician colonies. The most famous Cothon was located in Carthage, and even today you can easily make out the round harbor in its ruins.

The Cothon of Cothon City, however, is different for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is the only Cothon in the world still in use today, and it is the main port of Cothon City even today. Secondly, the “round part” of the Cothon is not actually shaped like a circle; it is shaped like an onion, which some theorize has led to the abundance of onion-shaped arches and onion domes in parts of the city.

The Cothon is the center of life in Cothon City, even giving the city its name. The Cothon was built by the Phoenicians, the first settlers on the island, around 2,950 years ago, and it has continued to exist throughout the Greek, Ottoman, and Modern eras. These three communities, the Phoenicians, Greeks and Ottomans, each made their mark on both the city and its Cothon, and all are heavily influential in the city. At the front of the Cothon is the Grand Pavilion, a palatial gateway built roughly 140 years ago to honor the history of Cothon City. The Cothon is surrounded by ancient buildings that are still used today, as well as business, market stalls, homes, and shipping businesses. The Cothon is a living testament to the history of Cothon City, as it is ancient yet still lively today.

The Dual Castle, Lunaja-Solare
Nation: Lura
Category: Material
Description:
The Dual Castle is the residence of the Luran royal family and has been since the first Luran royals made it the official royal residence shortly after the unification of the predecessor monarchies of Rijenȷ́a and Tajela. The Dual Castle is located in the Luran capital city Lunaja-Solare on an island in the River Alane. The river at one time formed the border between the two nations and, as such, the island was heavily disputed. The dispute encouraged both nations to build opulent forts to exert their claim over the island, and each was constructed with the respective nation’s signature architectural style and national colour: white stone for Rijenȷ́a and black stone for Tajela. When Lura was formed from the union of Rijenȷ́a and Tajela it was decided that the royal residency be built on the now formerly disputed island, not far from the new capital cities Lunaja and Solare, to encourage them to grow into one another. The castle design would involve renovating the forts into buildings fit for royals and connecting them with a neutral, grey stone building segment to avoid clashing with either the white, art nouveau-like Rijenȷ́an fort or the black, gothic-like Tajelan fort.

Over the next few hundred years, the new castle, known as the Dual Castle, gained notability for the asymmetry of its architecture and colour, as well as the beautiful, well-maintained garden outside. The equilibrium between the two architectural styles and complimentary garden has made the Dual Castle highly recognisable and it is often thought of as the perfect representation of Luran culture, beyond merely housing the Head of State.

The Festival of Ir’aedimikeda
Nation: Kawastyselir
Category: Intangible
Description:
Born as an idea of political and cultural inspiration, Ir’aedimikeda is nationally celebrated each year on the anniversary of the Great Peace Accord. The word derives from the ancient Jükerg language and native to the oldest surviving people of Kawastyselir, the Jüka hunter-gatherers. It translates literally to mean “the celebration of equality and life.”

The idea of Ir’aedimikeda as the premier democratic value in Kawan life was essential to each of the eight tribe’s relationship with one another. It was long-fought to achieve and hard-fought to maintain. But after a short civil war between seven of the tribes and the Intasians, the victorious tribes assembled to establish The Great Peace Accord. This pledge would later form the modern confederacy now known as Kawastyselir. Thus, to honor this momentous period in Kawan history, a nationwide festival is organized annually to celebrate the diversity, equality, and life of each tribe and their people.

The festival starts at midnight on the anniversary of the GPA and continues for ten days. The first day, known as “Discord,” is a day of retrospection on past wrongs, where fireworks competitions and theater reenactments of the civil war endure into the night. The next eight days exhibit celebrations for the eight tribes (one on each day); Sargoa, Jüka, Tai, Rereä, Dusia, Keduca, Jiofo and Intasia; and include a nationwide assortment of gatherings for dances, music, rituals, and feasts. The final day, known as “Accord,” is the conclusive celebration for the union of Kawastyselir. A pilgrimage is made by most Kawans to the capital city of Waysir, where a day-long civilian procession is lead up to the Capitol Yurt and motivational speeches are given by each of the tribal leaders.

Otter's Head Caves
Nation: Garbelia
Category: Natural
Description:
Located in the heart of the Garbelery countryside, the Otter's Head Caves are a series of twenty-five caverns, twelve of which are underwater and thirteen of which are dry, connected by underground rivers. Accessible only by swimming to the bottom of a lagoon, the caves are famous in Garbelia for the way that an ethereal green light from an unknown source illuminates them, creating a mystery that scientists ponder to this day.

The Otter’s Head Caves were largely unknown for most of the island nation's past, but they were brought to prominence when Garbelia was “colonised” by the Dutch. Most otters and natives were killed by the colonisers; however, a small band of surviving natives, led by an otter who lived in the lagoon and was one of a select few who knew of the caves’ existence, were led to the caves to escape the brutal massacre. They lived there for several centuries, developing a way of sailing the narrow waters and slowly rekindling the native Garbelery population, before emerging around eight generations later to reclaim the country which had since become a peaceful Dutch colony.

In modern times, the cave system has been used as the model for standard-issue nuclear bunkers and is frequently visited by patriotic Garbeli wishing to learn of the country's formative years.

Piscado, Katani
Nation: The arxipelag de les olives
Category: Material
Description:
The Olive Archipelago has always kept its people well-fed; the national government carefully monitors the agricultural and food service sectors, frequently granting tax credits and subsidies for restaurant growth. In general, the restaurant industry fares very well with 80% of small business restaurants across the nation keeping their doors open and being able to feed their customers. One restaurant, in particular, is often frequented by members of the government and specifically the Monarchy themselves. That restaurant is Piscado, in the capital city Katani.

Piscado, a Catalan-Sicilian fusion restaurant, opened its doors sixty years ago with Francesco Cutò as the head chef and his wife Marina as sous chef. The two of them originally served street food a few steps away from their home and on one unusual occasion were in the right place at the right time. A hungry King Umberto, who happened to be passing by, asked the two to cook him a meal, so they prepared a fish stew with saffron couscous. After waiting an hour, all the while gorging on garlic bread, the King devoured the delicious and quickly-prepared dish. He enjoyed it so much that he spontaneously offered the couple ownership of a restaurant in one of the city’s finest locations, overlooking the lake and the urban skyline. The Cutòs eventually passed ownership of the restaurant down to their grandchildren who continue running it to this day and have perfected their grandparents’ iconic recipes.

Citizens flock from all over the kingdom to try that same fish stew on the anniversary of Piscado’s founding; the restaurant even calls the dish Umberto in honour of the King’s generosity. Aside from the unique story of the restaurant’s founding, Piscado is famous for bringing together dishes from all over the nation and creating a unifying atmosphere that attracts customers from across the kingdom. The wine list is also not something to pass up as waitstaff are highly trained to advise on all kinds of pairings that complement the variety of food served.