Rossai

The Rossai use honorific titles to refer to each other. These titles show or emphasize the social relationship between the two Rossai, and to neglect the use of these titles implies a particularly close or familial relationship. Most Rossai will use Title + Last Name, though some who share a closer relationship might use Title + First Name.   The most common title is Lord or Lady. This title is used by most adults of equal status or to refer to strangers whose social status is unknown. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. In informal situations, a superior may be referred to by this title.    Some people prefer Lord or Lady over more prestigious titles, and these people are referred to as The Lord/Lady + First Name. The most famous of these individuals includes the Children of the King and his closest advisors.    Superiors are referred to as Honorable in formal settings or when a subordinate wishes to show excessive respect.    The title Excellent is reserved for senior members of the government. Few people are entitled to use this title, and usually the person is referred to as Honorable + First Name.

The Rossai are famous for their use of surcoats in both formal and informal situations. Most people have a casual and formal surcoat, and richer or higher-status Rossai are expected to have several for various affairs.    A surcoat is a usually sleeveless garment worn over the clothes of the individual. Traditional surcoats reach to just below the knee, while more modern ones tend to end at the knee or just above it. An outdoor surcoat tends to be made of more durable material and can have panels over the shoulders to serve as sleeves. There is little difference between a man and a woman's surcoat in terms of design.    Rossai surcoats often bear the coat of arms for an individual's hometown or profession on a special piece of fabric at the shoulder. A person with a personal or family coat of arms will wear that emblem on their surcoat, but these individuals are rare and usually found only in the capital or on official business. A person may choose to wear the coat of arms of another organization to show their alignment with that organization.

Almost all Rossai are cremated.    Following the death of a person, the body is prepared for cremation. The body is washed before being placed into a plain wooden coffin. The deceased will be dressed in a surcoat bearing the coat of arms of their hometown or a personal coat of arms if possible, and make-up may be applied.   A wake is held as soon after death as possible. It is held at the home of the deceased person, with the host being part of the immediate familly or closest acquantice should there be no family available. Guests wear black clothes when attending a wake, and many offer condolence gifts to the host. While a wake may only take a few hours, a vigil is traditionally held overnight.    After the wake, the body is cremated. Usually the bones are pulverized after the completion of the cremation, but some Rossai prefer to have the bone fragments gathered to be placed in the burial urn without being pulverized.    Burial urns are then placed under a statue of the deceased in the cemetery. Most Rossai have statues of themselves made upon becoming adults, while children who die young will have statues made quickly after their deaths.