#propaganda essentially... the lowly beafts of the field and so on

[wispstalk]

How smelly do you think mercenaries and travelers or laborers get in Tamriel?

Don't get me wrong I love making jokes about medieval serfs that wash their ass once a year but historical hygiene practices aren't as bad as popularly believed. Granted, the average person is going to smell more "human" than we're accustomed to...

Fixed campsites are not just an in-game convenience. Over time camps become established along roadways and, like settlements, usually near a water source. At the very least there will be a spring to refill canteens and do a quick bird bath before hitting the road again.

Workers at labor settlements (mines, logging operations etc) and frequent travelers will carry a compact kit. Here's Tanis's:

Wooden comb. Porous materials like wood, bone, ivory, or horn remove excess dirt and oils from the hair without the hassle of water washing

Troll fat and beeswax salve with redwort and dragon's tongue extracts for cracked skin, cuts and stings, and some minor sun protection

Cedarwood perfume oil for deodorizing and keeping bugs away. Also antimicrobial though it's not described in those terms

Iron nail file and pick

Cloth made from rough and scratchy plant fibers, which exfoliate and remove dirt from the skin

Chewing stick for cleaning teeth. Often taken from olive or orange trees in Cyrodiil and tossed when the end becomes too frayed

Small pouch of fennel seeds for freshening breath (also a good digestive in the mornings)

A little cake of shaving soap stored in a burlap wrap. Shaving is done with his game knife but I ran out of drawing room

#can't remember where i read this but the idea that peasants were all filthy largely comes from clerical tracts #propaganda essentially... the lowly beafts of the field and so on #headcanons #worldbuilding #ray draws