Koris

Koris people have long been identified by matronyms, but during the Harataran Empire familial names were required for administrative purposes, meaning in adition to their personal matronym, most people have the matronym of a prominent family member from that time or the name of a famous ancestor as a family name. Artistocratic families follow a similar format, but the families of some rulers used the name of the region their family ruled as a family name.

Koris is the primary language spoken by the Koris People, part of the Pasatian language family, but with a high number of Old Saeluva loanwords. Other languages are not absent, but are generally more minor in presence, with Aduratan, Palosi, Muhara, and Saeluva all having some presence.

The classic unisex Koris outfit is a long shirt reaching to about the knees with puffed sleeves, worn with sandals and either a turban or a large floppy cap. Of course many other outfits exist- most manual laborers wear a short loincloth and a simple sleeveless shirt, while middle-class women often wear a plainer version of the outfit without puffed sleeves and with a tunic draped over the top of it.   Jewelry is quite popular among all classes, with bracelets and necklaces made from clay beads common among commoners, while nobles and the upper middle class often wear wide collars made with beads of precious stones.   Though most clothing is simple in weave, it is often brightly-colored, with warm hues being especially favored. Ceremonial and theatrical clothing can be incredibly elaborate however, often integrating wide headdresses.

The arts are perhaps what the Koris are best known for, and their art can be incredibly elaborate. Intricate geometric painting is especially popular in north Korisgana, though not absent in the south. Metalworking is also well developed, with the intricately inlaid and decorated 'Kijarware' being popular throughout the world. Of the visual arts though, the Koris are most known for sculpture, producing detailed (if mildly stylized) statues of deities, important figures, and animals in both stone and bronze.   As prominant a tradition of visual arts as there is, the preforming arts are perhaps even more developed. There are dozens of traditional dance and theater forms, with most major settlements in Korisgana having one or two of their own, both for sacred purposes and entertainment. Many of these also have music to acompany them, with the most prominent instrument being the lute, though the focus of music is generally on singing. Sun Magic is also commonly used for visual displays, whether captured in Suntraps or momentarily conjured.   The majority of Koris architecture is simple, blocky plaster buildings with flat roofs, though they may be adorned with some painted patterning, with more elite buildings being made of stone but otherwise similar. The artistic tendancy for elaborateness though perhaps is best expressed in the Koris-style temple; temples often have numerous tiers to their roofs, stacked on top of each other until the building resembles a tower. These tiers are brightly painted, and usually adorned with numerous figures of deities in their various aspects.

Koris-majority lands are split into a political patchwork, and whether any given area is independant or part of a larger state can be very difficult to determine. The most politically important states however are Haratara in the south, Kijar in the southwest, Katra in the northwest, and Natapali in the northeast. Though not majority-Koris, the state of Volos in the southeast is often treated as part of this grouping as well.   Due to the patchwork lack of centralization, local groups, even those of a largely non-political purpose, can be very influential. Craft guilds and merchant networks form some of this unnofficial political influence, but a distinctive local type of organization are the 'Rock Rangers', formal but only loosely government-tied bands of warriors sworn to the protection of a particular area.