The Old and the New

Throughout northeastern Wilderland (the area encompassing Esgaroth, Erebor, and the general surrounding area) there is a conflict of culture. Primarily this is between the "old ways" and the new, which merits some explanation. 

The old ways encompass the traditions of the people of Dale before its fall. These are traditions that emphasize honor, loyalty, fidelity, and glorious combat, and are codified in the Rites of the Free People, which your character may or may not be familiar with, and may no doubt have an opinion on. 

With the fall of Dale, however, the old ways died out from common usage. This was because of the cultural vacuum left by the fall, and the rise of Esgaroth. It was the cosmopolitan and mercantile Dorwinion traders who came north after the fall of Dale to take advantage of the trade in the region, plying their wine with the Elves and such. What you see in the bureaucracy of the Artisan Union, the laws of the Lodge, and the numerous licensing and other requirements is perhaps indicative of that new culture that has begun to dominate the region. 

Now, when reading the Hobbit, one can clearly see this conflict between Bard and the Master. Bard represents, of course, the old ways, and the Master is in power because of the new. The same can be seen in Utterby, where Gararic rules not as a lord of merit but as essentially a manager of merchants and coin. 

So would your character follow the old or the new ways? 

• Does your character have Ancestors from the Dale? Are they a "traditional" Northman? Then likely they would at least know of the Rites, and perhaps follow some of them. 
• Is your character from a wealthy merchant family from Laketown? No doubt they like the rules and bureaucracy and order of the new way. 
• Is your character from the south, or from Gondor? Then likely the new ways would appeal to them. 
• Does your character like the idea of money and moneylending? These are anathema to the old ways, as they believe to be in debt is to be a thrall. 

You get the idea. The point is, the conflict between these two cultures is not resolved, and an issue people throughout the Wilderland have to struggle with. The new ways have clearly dominated in the cities, but there are no doubt families and individuals who settle their differences in the old ways. Would the Master tolerate Anwig in the middle of the square of a town? Probably not, but would a Guard Sergeant who is sympathetic to the old ways turn a blind eye to a weregild being extracted? Certainly. The point is, there is fluid and dynamic conflict between these ways of life, and there are still groups out there, such as the Sons of Girion who hold to the old ways strongly. So where does your character stand?