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The Terb inhabit the deep valleys around the Whistling Lake (Nízdíkstál), which is fed by several mountain streams and leads to the White River (Bëkmëls) and the Plains (Gwâmmu). The area around the Lake and a few dozen kilometres beyond is densely populated. Southward along the borders of the River there live more of the Terb, sharing this land with their neighbours, the Ondu and the Kpassoi.
The Homeland around the Lake comprises about 40000 km², including the surface of the Lake (8000 km²). This is inhabited by around 180 thousand people, of which about half live in three large cities, Némirit, Ráhy and Kwanarit (pop. 120, 40 and 20 thousand, respectively), and the rest in villages no larger than three thousand inhabitants. The settlements along the River are more abundant in the western border, extending for about 250 km and comprising around 100 thousand people. The Terbian population around the east border is some 40-45 thousand. The total area of the settlements is larger than that of the Homeland, about 64000 km².
The Terb are mostly a people of farmers and fishermen, but they are also experienced merchants and traders. They fish several species of the Lake and harvest algae; they grow several kinds of crops akin to rice, wheat and soy; and they keep cattle and sheep for meat, hides, wool and milk. They also breed excellent horses.
A typical Terb household is the living space for an extended family that includes a couple with children, the man's parents, and his unmarried brothers and sisters. While there is any room left, married men stay with their parents, so a house may easily harbor three generations, with grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, siblings and cousins. The maximum authority on the household belongs to the elders. While women are clearly subject to their husbands, grandmothers and old aunts exert an important measure of authority over the younger members of the household.
The fertility rate is moderately high, compensated by a high rate of infant death. An average woman marries at 17 and reaches 30 with three surviving children. Men stay unmarried a bit more, since social restraints on sex out of wedlock are easier on the males, but both them and the females are subject to their parents' decission as to the moment of marriage and even the person to marry, if they choose to stay single for too long. Once the wedding ceremony ends, the marriage cannot be dissolved except with grave causes and only with agreement of the witnesses (typically the parents of each member of the couple). A couple divorced in this manner cannot be united again in marriage, even if they want to, until three years have passed; a divorced person may marry anyone he or she wants in the usual manner.
When a married person dies, the surviving spouse is guaranteed to keep at least half his or her possessions. Under some circumstances and with a certified will, the remaining half will be divided among his or her children. An unmarried person (including widows and widowers) automatically inherits his or her children, or the nearest relatives. Again, the law leaves some room for exceptions if a will was written beforehand.
Besides some special treatment for members of the ruling class, in theory and practice all citizens are considered equal. Good manners, ritual obligations and tradition impose de facto hierarchies among them, but there are no special rights awarded to anyone. Men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds are free; the concept of slavery (owning people) is unknown. A person is considered 'whole' from the seven month of pregnancy onwards, and 'free' (able and responsible) from his or her sixteenth birthday. In practice, this clashes with traditions regarding the obligations of children towards their parents, but the law is mostly applied only to cases of public conflict, not within the household.
The structures of government differ markedly between the villages and the great cities, which are in some respects quite independent from each other and from the central rule. In the villages, an assembly of Elders takes most decissions, sometimes asking for a general assembly to gather in cases of extreme importance. The general assemblies are open for all adults, men and women, though it is quite common that only the most influential people (rich merchants, guild chiefs, family elders, etc.) are allowed to speak and decide. In the cities, the assembly of Elders is composed of family elders only, and the ones who decide and execute the resolutions are often also members of the nobility, direct or indirect descendants of the royal family, or rich people who have bought the privilege (a perfectly legal operation that consists in cooperating with the royal house). Besides the Elders there are several royal overseers and apointees, with varying powers and influence. Above all there is the King (or Queen), who is hereditary but must be ratified by the Elders. The King is surrounded (sometimes literally) by ministers and servants of high status, who serve as a connexion between the royal house and the local assemblies.
Feudalistic tendencies are not well tolerated by the population. Primitive forms of feudalism have failed repeatedly in the past. The nobles are only nominally more significant than the commoners, and there are no fixed hierarchical lines. Titles are not inherited, many of the so-called noblemen are in fact only people of noble ascent.
Freedom of speech is not a recognized right, but in practice any person can say whatever he or she wants about anybody else, as long as it does not qualify as libel, blasphemy or incitation to criminal activities. The assemblies in the villages and the public fora in the larger cities are always full of lively discussion and debate.
Freedom of religion is not codified in law either, but it is intuitively perceived as a right by most citizens. The major religion being polytheistic, quite open and tolerant, religion issues of public interest are of rare occurrence. Denying the existence of a well-known god or publicly mocking the rites or beliefs of others is blasphemy, punished by a monetary fine (usually followed by apologies). Perjury, when an oath was sworn by a god, as well as destroying or defiling statues or places of worship, are much more serious crimes, punished by whipping and jail. This reflects the view of religion as a matter of public concern only: if a man blasphemes, it is his problem, but swearing in public or destroying a temple may bring the anger of the gods on the whole of society.
Besides fines, forced labor, imprisonment and/or whipping, there are no other lawful punishments for crime. The death penalty has sometimes been used with very dangerous criminals, especially mentally disturbed ones that cannot be contained safely in prison, but this requires a special royal grant. This is valid for native residents and members of the friendly peoples; hostile foreigners, including prisoners of war, can be executed summarily with agreement of the local Elders or on the King's command.