Arts of Tosgiv

Art
The art throughout Tosgiv is a collection of various styles. One tradition that is popular throughout the 3 regions is weaving. Palms and tall grasses are dried out and then used to create spectacular baskets. In Abfall, these baskets are often brightly colored and used for storage of important goods. In the island chain of Feroz, the weaving takes on other practical means. They use weaving to create fishing nets, floor mats, and use similar ideas for how they construct their homes in some areas. When they use weaving in a more decorative way, they will often weave small shells in amongst their pieces. Belar tends to use their weaving for purely practical reasons, and use it for food storage and then transport to Abfall. In Abfall, they will also weave large tapestries depicting various important scenes. Many Emperors will have a unique tapestry made for them after they assume their position.

Abfall is also known for other art forms, especially painting. Paints are usually made from shells imported from Feroz, and the paintings are almost always holy portraits of the current Emperor. These pieces are often stylized, more geometric renderings of the people they are meant to portray. Any painting of the Emperor is seen as a holy object and it’s immoral to deface it in any way. Artists that choose not to paint will often focus on wood carving. Like their paintings, most of these carvings are icons of the current Emperor.

Mosaic artists mostly come from Feroz, where they use shells and small bits of glass to create beautiful geometric art forms. These mosaics are often embedded into streets or the side of clay buildings and the symbols are representative of nature around them while still being almost abstract in nature. Iconic symbols are rarely used in mosaics, often only depicting the Emperor or their family ancestors. The later of these only exist in outlying islands, as the Empire were quick to destroy any icons that were not of the Emperor. More recently symbols important to their ancestors are hidden amongst the geometric forms of their artwork. They also use shells to create jewelry, decorative additions to clothing, and mobiles or chimes that they hang outside their homes.

In Belar, function is always emphasized over form. Besides the weavings they create, in parts of the soil in Belar there are red clay deposits. They use this clay to make sturdy pots and bowls. These objects will be then decorated with simple pigments, usually black and white, that are geometric in nature. These geometric patterns are very intricate, interlocking shapes. Sometimes they are created by being carved into the pottery, other times they are painted on with pigments after the product is fired. Rarely, their objects will be decorated with iconography that depicts the Emperor and their gods. They try to create art that is both beautiful to look at, but also incredibly functional. However, some people in Belar use rare artifacts of “Green Glass”, which is a thin green glass formed of sand that is struck by lightning during a dry thunderstorm, to create simplistic depictions of things found in nature and are then sold in markets or traded to Abfall. Some nobles have a high interest in these objects and display them in collections.

Music and dance
Throughout Tosgiv, music is enjoyed. Their styles are often fast-paced with an emphasis on drums, shakers, and early guitars. These shakers are usually made from strings of shells wrapped around a wooden handle, creating sound when shook so the shells run against each other. Guitars originated from Abfall, and a smaller four-stringed instrument that has quickly grown popular in the region. Along with drums, these instruments emphasize a more acoustic sound and make a beat easy to follow.

In Abfall, dances are common after a new Emperor is chosen. These dances are more like festivals, and streets will be decorated with brightly colored fabrics and vendors will set up to sell different treats. The dancers themselves wear colorful outfits and adorn themselves with jewelry made of shells. Women will wear dresses where the skirts flow outwards and stop just below the knees, so the movement of their feet are emphasized. Men wear outfits that are colored to match their partner, often wearing slimmer pants so as to not get in the way of their partner’s movements. Their dances are almost always done with a partner or a group making coordination and teamwork incredibly important.

Dances in Feroz are very similar to Abfall, as they have recently started to adopt to use of the guitar as well. However, their costumes are more extravagant, often including head-pieces that are woven out of palms and decorated with shells and flowers. Both men and women wear two-piece outfits consisting of a skirt and a top piece. For women, this top piece usually wraps around their chest, while for men it is worn more like a shawl over their shoulders. Both often leave their midriff and arms exposed. They usually dance barefoot with shells tied around their wrists and ankles that add to the song as they dance. Most often these dances are used as a form of celebration, so most weddings involve a dance afterward.

In Belar, dances are a smaller affair. They will sometimes through small celebrations in communities to honor a good year of harvest and have adopted similar musical styles to both Abfall and Feroz. They often do not spend the time making elaborate costumes, however, and will wear more traditional clothes for their celebration.