Aurelariin

Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Shared Customary Codes and Values

Among the Aurelariin, culture is treated as an inheritance to be curated, not merely lived. Whether human, dragonborn, elf, felarid, halfling, half-elf, half-orc, gnome, or something else, anyone who grows up within Aurelon's colonnades lives by their laws, known as the Golden Virtues. These virtues shape how every refined person moves, speaks, and remembers their place within the empire. These virtues are not abstract philosophy—they guide everyday behavior, determine who is admired or shunned, and define what it means to be "civilized" in Aurelariin eyes. Different peoples express them in different ways, but the underly expectations remain the same. Together, these virtues form the unseen lattice of Aurelariin life. A person may be clever, attractive, or powerful, but without these virtues, they are considered unpolished—gold ore lacking refinement unlike a beautifully forged ornament. All peoples within Aurelon's boundaries are expected to adapt its heritage to these shared codes, finding ways to express them that honor both the empire's golden ideals and their own ancestral rhythms.

Dignitas - Dignity

Dignitas is the cornerstone of Aurelariin identity: the disciplined cultivation of presence, restrained, and moral weight. It is carried in an unhurried voice, in balanced posture, in the ability to endure both triumph and disaster without losing control. To have dignitas is to never grovel, never clamor, and never surrender composure in public. Joy must not become giddiness; grief must not become wailing; anger must not burst into visible frenzy. Every citizen is taught that their bearing reflects not only themselves, but their ancestors, patrons, and house. A human senator, a dragonborn captain, a felarid retainer, and a half-elven archivist are all judged first by whether they can maintain their quiet gravity.

Auctoritas - Earned Authority

Auctoritas is the gravity that causes others to listen. It is not imposed by rank alone, but accumulated through wise decisions, consistent self-mastery, and visible service to something greater than the self. Those with auctoritas do not demand obedience—they evoke it. They speak rarely, but when they do, rooms fall silent. A felarid bodyguard who calms a riot with a single gesture, a dragonborn judge whose restrained words stop a feud, a halfling matron whose quiet nod settles a dispute at a table—all are said to possess auctoritas. Loudness, boasting, and constant self-assertion are seen as signs that true authority is lacking.

Fama - Reputation and Echo

Fama is the echo is one's name in the minds of others—a reputation that outlives the flesh. It is not mere notoriety; it is the accumulated impression of refinement, achievement, and conduct across a lifetime. A person's fama is carved in stone, written in ledgers, and murmured in salons long after they're gone. A well-crafted speech, a patronage given at the right time, a single act of mercy in a crisis—these can burnish a name for generations. Conversely, scandal, public vulgarity, or visible desperation can stain a lineage. In Aurelon, everyone from gnome artificers to half-orc officers is expected to ask, before acting: What shadow will this cast behind my name?

Concordia - Harmony and Social Balance

Concordia is the art of keeping the empire's surface smooth. It is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to channel it into graceful forms. Open brawls, shouted arguments in forums, and public feuds are viewed as barbaric; the refined solve their problems behind doors, through negotiations, patronage, and carefully phrased compromises. Hostesses, mediators, household stewards, and certain priests specialize in this virtue, acting as living ligaments between families, races, and factions. A half-elves go-between who softens insults into questions, a dwarf factor who quietly restructures a failing contract, and a human officer who prevents a duel by offering a more honorable outlet—all embody concordia. The ideal is not to silence conflict, but to orchestrate it into something orderly.

Gravitas - Emotional Weight and Seriousness

Gravitas is the sense that one's words and silences matter. It is seriousness without joylessness, intention without haste. Those with gravitas do not waste breath; they consider before speaking, and they rarely repeat themselves. This virtue is especially prized in judges, generals, archivists, elder matrons, and anyone entrusted with oaths. A young Aurelariin is said to "have found gravitas" when his or her presence along causes others to pause and reconsider. Elves might express it in long, attentive silence; dragonborn in rigid, disciplined bearing; halflings in surprisingly firm, well-timed statements amid otherwise genial company. Without gravitas, even beauty, wealth, or brilliance are considered hollow.

Pietas - Duty to Blood, City, and Gods

Pietas is devotion—not only to the gods, but to ancestry, household, patron, legion, and Aurelon and Cetandar themselves. It is shown in maintaining shrines and geneatra, reciting names at festivals, observing funerary rites properly, and fulfilling civic obligations even when tedious or costly. To possess pietas is to bend personal desire to the needs of lineage and order when required. Felarids show it by fierce loyalty to their households, dragonborn by unwavering oath-keeping, humans by scrupulous observance of civic ritual, elves and half-elves by tireless preservation of memory and record. Those who mock tradition publicly, shirk sacred duties, or treat ancestral symbols as mere decoration are seen as lacking pietas—and by extension, unfit for lasting influence.

Common Etiquette Rules

Etiquette in Aurelon is not merely a system of polite behaviors—it is the visible grammar of civilization. To act without proper decorum is to appear untrained, untrustworthy, or worse, uncultured. These rules bind all peoples of Aurelon regardless of species, and anyone who wishes to be taken seriously in civic, mercantile, or noble life must master them. Though each race expresses the etiquette slightly differently, the meaning of each gesture remains constant.

Formal Speech and Conversational Conduct

Pacing and Rhythm

To act without proper decorum is to appear untrained, untrustworthy, or worse, uncultured. These rules bind all peoples of Aurelon regardless of species, and anyone who wishes to be taken seriously in civic, mercantile, or noble life must master them. Though each race expresses the etiquette slightly differently, the meaning of each gesture remains constant.

Interruptions are Forbidden

To interrupt another is a mild social crime. Even excited exclamations are frowned upon. One may only interject if the speaker formally yields the floor, a higher-ranking official grants permission, or a ritual setting calls for responses such as call-and-answer hymns or oaths. Violating this rule can result in formal censure from household elders or civic moderators.

Honor Titles Before Names

Regardless of species or stations, Aurelariin are expected to refer to each other first by title, then house name, then personal name. An individual's title is something they have personally worked for, while their house name shows the work of their forefathers, and their personal name is simply a gift or remembrance and not something earned. For example, one may say "Archivist Vel Damaris, Ser Calian requests an audience." Nicknames are strictly private and never spoken in mixed company, where it could be seen as besmirching not only the individual's honor, but their family's honor as well.

Tone and Volume

Loudness is considered barbaric. Even dragonborn—whose voices naturally carry—learn to modulate their volume to a quiet command rather than a roar. A person who must raise their voice to gain attention is seen to be lacking in dignitas, and thus not worthy of the attention to begin with.

Gestures and Bodily Conduct

The Right Hand Rules

Gestures made with the right hand are for respect, blessing, greeting, and acceptance. The left hand is reserved for personal tasks, symbolic rejection, or ritual impurity. Offering something with the left hand is an insult except in specific funerary rites.

Eye Contact

A brief meeting of eyes signals honesty, refinement, and attention. Holding the contact for too long is often perceived as a challenge or, in the case of opposite gendered individuals, can even be taken as flirting which has led many outsiders to trouble in formal situations when they sought to be respectful and attentive to a noble's wife, only to be seen as flirting with a married woman. Too little eye contact is often seen as a sign of deceitfulness, insecurity, or a lack of proper training. Elves are expected to adjust their naturally penetrating gaze to avoid unintended intimidation or beliefs of their motives.

Stillness Indicates Control

Fidgeting—tail-swishing, wing-flexing, shifting weight, tapping claws, or drumming fingers—is a sign of poor discipline and disrespect. Dragonborn and felarids are expected to restrain tail movement completely, and felarids must carefully ensure their ears do not twitch. Gnomes, in particular, are nigh-forbidden from having any sort of mechanical structure in public due to this rule as they can rarely help but to fidget with it, even mindlessly. Only children and soldiers on active duty but not in formation are granted leniency.

Rules of Greeting

The Inclined Greeting

Aurelon uses a dignified head-incline or decline rather than a bow. The angle reflects a relative station. Amongst equals, each will typically give a slight incline. To someone of lower rank to someone of higher rank, the head will inclined further, while someone of higher rank greeting someone of lower rank will instead decline their head, similar to a faint nod. Even with the stiffness of dragonborn necks, they are expected to follow this tradition. However, to help differentiate with them, they often touch the center of their chest with two claws for equals, or three for greeting someone of a higher rank. A felarid often places a flat paw over their heart when greeting someone of higher standing.

Physical Touch

Physical contact is heavily restricted. Handshakes are rare and reserved for military oaths, artisan guilds, and foreign diplomacy. The touching of anyone's hair or face, especially, is considered a grievous overstep, as well as the touching of a felarid or dragonborn's tail, a dragonborn's crest or horns, an elf or half-elf's ears, or even the tools of a gnome. Any of these touches are considered deeply inappropriate unless bonded by kinship, romance, or ritual. Even then, they should be reserved for behind closed doors.

Rules of Seating

The Rule of Three Distance

Aurelon social spacing is heavily formalized. In public and among strangers or superiors, you are expected to keep a distance of 6 feet or more. Amongst cordial company, equals, and guests, you are expected to keep at least 3 feet distance. Among intimate company—family, lovers, or sworn companions—a mere distance of 1 to 2 feet is expected. Violating this distance is tantamount to declaring dominance—or desperation. A superior may always invite another closer than 6 feet to speak, but the distance must be resumed immediately following whatever is stated. If the superior walks away, the inferior may not follow to close the gap unless again invited.

Sit Only when Invited

A superior must sit first. Entering a room and sitting unprompted is deeply rude. Even children are taught to remain standing until an elder gestures or verbal permission is granted. Children under the age of 5 as well as elders of at least 70 years are given leniency here, but among elders, many will still try to stand until given permission, and many superiors will often give them permission prior to everyone else to not hurt their pride by forcing them to overstep social bounds.

Dining Etiquette

Begin Only After the Host Eats

Eating prior to your host is a shameful act, and is often taken as desperation, or even that the guest is taking advantage of the host for free food. As such, it is avoided at all costs, even among the poor if invited to a banquet.

Use Silence as Appropriate

Conversations must be paced between courses. Speaking while eating is unthinkable, and amongst higher status families, it is even shameful to speak while food remains on the table at all. As such, there is typically a five to ten minute pause between each course, allowing conversation to be had during these gatherings without breaking social boundaries.

Bread is Broken, Never Cut

Cutting symbolizes hostility or severing ties; thus even dragonborn or felarids with claws must break their bread gently, never letting their claws penetrate the bread directly. Leniency is given to any who have not officially entered adulthood.

Dilute Wine in Public Settings

To drink unmixed wine in company suggests a lack of restraint. Only poets, widows, or war-heroes under ceremonial grief are exempt from this rule, and for all others it can result in the shunning of the community.

Emotional Etiquette

Never Display Unrefined Emotion

To weep loudly, shout, panic, giggle in shrill bursts, or display drunken joy violates dignitas. Approved emotional expressions in public often include a steadying breath, a bowed head, a hand over the heart, or a single word of agreement or disagreement. Even grief must be sculpted, but some leniency is given to war-heroes and widows in ceremonial grief. Amongst dragonborn specifically, they are trained from youth to control their elemental gifts. A dragonborn who unintentionally lets of sparks, steam, smoke, embers, or similar is a dragonborn not welcome in Aurelariin society.

Anger Must be Ritualized

Aurelon accepts anger only when conducted as a formal denunciation, a rhetorical challenge, or a lawful duel. Anything else is considered savage and wretched.

Rules of Silence

Certain moments require absolute silence, even of children. Such moments include when an elder first enters, when a judge raises his or her right hand, when a funerary mask is placed, or during the "Golden Pause" in oaths and negotiations. Breaking this silence is a grievous overstep and is remembered far longer than the words themselves.

Gift Etiquette

Refusing a Reasonable Gift is an Insult

If one truly cannot accept, they must instead offer a counter-gift or request deferral. Outright refusing a reasonable gift is perceived as an insult to the gift-giver. Unreasonable gifts, such as an animal the recipient cannot truly care for, are acceptable to refuse so long as the reason is given. If the giver has a solution to the problem and can make the gift reasonable, it must then be accepted.

Open Gifts only after the Giver Departs

Unless instructed otherwise, one must keep a gift closed and sealed until the giver has left. Doing otherwise suggests greed or distrust of the giver.

Common Dress Code

One must never appear disordered. Loose belts, askew clasps, muddied hems—these are marks of an undisciplined spirit. Even laborers maintain a minimum standard of neatness, even while working. The dress code of Aurelon is a visible declaration of refinement, position, ancestry, and self-mastery. Clothing is never merely practical; it is symbolic, ceremonial, and meticulously curated. Regardless of species, an Aurelariin citizen is expected to uphold a minimum standard of elegance, symmetry, and cleanliness—whether appearing in the marketplace or the imperial forum. Colors, fabrics, and patterns convey social role, lineage, and civic affiliation. Garments must be well-fitted, layered with intention, and free of excessive ornamentation unless appropriate to the wearer's station. Each race modifies the Aurelariin ideal to fit their individual physiology, but all follow the same hierarchy of presentation: form, symbol, legacy, then comfort, in that order. The clothing standards of people in Aurelon are typically reserved and must always be well-kempt. An exception is often made for well-known poets, musicians, or those who take up the arts as a calling. Such individuals are expected to show mark of this with more colorful imagery on their clothing, though even this must not be garish. Bards, being one of the highest callings due to their supreme skill in upholding all of the golden virtues and their refinement in numerous areas of personhood, are awarded an even higher honor. Upon being fully recognized as a bard by Inwold, the individual is given a golden laurel which may be worn in public and, for each grand piece of work created in whole by the bard and donated to the Empire to enrich it, is studded with a single diamond upon one of the leaves. A bard who has a diamond upon each of the leaves is granted the title of Master Bard or Mistress Bard. These individuals are granted free reign of their dress and are to never be reprimanded for it. However, if an individual is found to be wearing a falsified laurel, or found to have added diamonds personally, they can be locked away for years at a time, typically upwards of a decade per diamond added. A typical laurel crown contains twenty-five leaves that must have diamonds set in them to achieve the rank of Master or Mistress.

Human

Male

Human men favor structured garments that emphasize symmetry, discipline, and noble bearing. Common elements include an inner linen tunic bound with a braided sash in the house color, an out mantle or tabard stiffened at the shoulders to create a refined silhouette, fitted trousers tucked into calf-high polished leather boots, a house clasp or signifier brooch, and circlets or fillets for those of scholarly, noble, or civic distinction. Jewelry is minimum but but symbolic—signet rings, engraved chains, and polished arm-bands being the most common. Hair is kept short to medium length, often curled or neatly brushed back, and treated with scented oils.

Female

Human women in Aurelon wear garments designed for controlled grace and layered beauty. Typical attire includes a soft, floor-length base gown in silk or fine linen, layer over-robes with hanging sleeves and embroidered hems, patterned sashes that trail slightly and represent house lineage, and veils or decorative bands that frame the hair. Hair is arranged in coils, braids, or sculpted waves. Hair-combs, pendant chains, rings, and woven gold-thread cords are common, and neckpieces are ornate but never overwhelming.

Children

Human children are dressed simply until their Rite of the Seal approaches. They tend to wear sleeveless or short-sleeved tunics in neutral tones such as ivory, slate, or pale brown. They are allowed a single house-colored sash, and most wear soft boots or sandals. Children's attire emphasizes cleanliness and discipline. Excessive adornment is discouraged to avoid fostering vanity before maturity.

Dragonborn

Art and Architecture

Art and architecture in Aurelon are not mere decorations or craft—they are the physical scripture of civilization. Aurelariin philosophy views creation as an act of moral and historical responsibility: every statue, mosaic, fresco, or building must stand as a testament to order, ancestry, and civic refinement. To create without intention is to waste material; to build without symbolism is to court cultural decay. As such, bards are incredibly common within Aurelon. Aurelon's artistic tradition is unified by three core aesthetic doctrines:

Concordant Form - All beauty must reflect balance, symmetry, and emotional restraint. Excess is vulgar; imbalance is a flaw of character made visible in stone or paint.
Lineage Embodied - Art should speak of ancestry, collective memory, and civic duty. Anonymity is considered artistic cowardice.
Stillness as Power - Aurelon art avoids wild, chaotic motion. Instead, it favors poised figures whose calm conveys command and composure.

Shared Artistic Traditions

Sculpture

Sculpture is regarded as the highest artistic calling in Aurelon. Public statues line forums and thoroughfares, depicting heroes, judges, founders, and ancestors in idealized forms. Faces are serene; garments fall in controlled folds; gestures are minimal and symbolic. Signature forms include:

Memory-Busts - Marble busts of family ancestors, typically placed in household galleries.
Living Marble - Marble veined with gold, silver, or obsidian inlays representing virtue or divine favor.
The Quiet Pose - A stance with relaxed shoulders, a calm face, and one raised hand. This is the most common of poses for Aurelariin sculpture.

Race-specific symbolism appears in subtle ways:

Dragonborn crests are exaggerated slightly to emphasize lineage.
Felarids are depicted with closed-mouth expressions to prevent appearing feral.
Half-orcs are given softened jawlines, representing refinement and discipline.

Mosaics

Mosaics depict narratives that must be read in concentric or geometric patterns. Floors of civic buildings are covered in mythic scenes, astronomical diagrams, legal allegories, and genealogical webs. All mosaics follow Aurelariin principles:

Geometric borders represent societal order.
Color palettes favor deep blues, viridian, rust-red, alabaster, and gold.
Figures face forward or in profile—never in uncontrolled three-quarter perspectives or facing away.

Elves add astral patterns, gnomes often embed mathematical puzzles, halflings introduce a lot of agricultural symbolism, and dragonborn incorporate draconic knotwork stylized to avoid overwhelming the composition.

Frescoes

Frescoes cover walls and domed ceilings in villas, shrines, academies, and public halls. Common subjects include:

The founding of Aurelon.
The Concord of Houses.
Epic retellings of philosophical debates or wars.
Allegories of dignity, harmony, and restrained emotion.
Mythic creatures depicted in calm, controlled poses.

The style avoid chaotic action. Even battles are shown with deliberate, almost serene choreography, turning conflict into orderly spectacle.

Architecture

Aurelon architecture serves as the empire’s most enduring artistic statement. Buildings are constructed with harmonic ratios and mathematical precision modeled after Cavellan prototypes. Key architectural features include domes, colonnades, archways, courtyard villas, granite foundations, and shrines with skylights. Species influence is visible but always within Aurelariin constrains. Some of these examples include:

Dragonborn incorporate wide door frames and reinforced lintels.
Felarids prefer elevated walkways and open interiors.
Gnomes build subtle mechanisms into doors, fountains, or windows.
Halflings introduce terraced gardens and warm hearth-nooks.
Elves use lighter supports and more skylit structures.

Public Art as Civic Identity

Aurelon treats public art as a form of social governance. Statues must reinforce values. Murals must educate. Architecture must dignify the viewer. To commission art without moral purpose is considered wasteful. To create art without historical context is a form of cultural betrayal.

Race-Specific Contributions and Interpretations

Humans

Human artisans dominate civic and legal-artistic traditions. Their works embody stoic stillness, symmetry of gesture, strong jawlines and idealized musculature, and strict proportioning through the Rule of Sevens—a Cavellan inheritance. Human architecture is the backbone of Aurelon's great cities: villas, amphitheaters, basilicas, and senate halls follow their geometric sensibilities. Human frescoes often depict moments of moral choice rather than action.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn artistry blends draconic grandeur with Aurelariin constraint. Their contributions include stylized symbolic language based on head-crest shapes, motifs lining columns and lintels shaped like scale-patterns, massive sculptural guardians flanking major civic spaces, and metal-inlaid armor statues representing the discipline of breath, mind, and lineage. Dragonborn architecture favors arched ceilings that amplify voices, thick pillars etched with ancestral flame motifs, and ritual platforms for breath-controlled performances.

Elves

Elven art emphasizes timelessness and flowing form while maintaining Aurelariin stillness. Signature elements include thin-lined, ethereal frescoes, astronomy-based mosaics, delicate stone folds sculpted so finely they appear weightless, and architecture with open-air colonnades and skylit sanctuaries. Elven contributions elevate Aurelon's aesthetic toward grace, memory, and cosmic order.

Felarids

Felarids adapt Aurelariin aesthetics through sculptures emphasizing lithe forms and poised readiness, architectural preference for multi-level structures and perches, and decorative fabrics featuring sun-stripe motifs symbolizing the hunt, the pride, and the shared feast. Felarid public art often invokes their deities and Cetandari deities side-by-side, often looking down upon mortals from above.

Gnomes

Gnomish artistry celebrates intricacy and intellectual delight without breaking Aurelariin restrain. Their contributions include miniaturized relief carvings, geometric mosaics with hidden mathematical riddles, precision-engineered fountains with symbolic riddles, and architecture featuring subtle mechanical ventilation or acoustic enhancements. Gnomish art is never whimsical in public works; but it is always intricate, clever, and symbolically rigorous.

Halflings

Halfling art highlights domestic harmony within Aurelariin structure. Their work often features pastoral mosaics, reliefs showing agricultural abundance, warm interior frescoes depicting feats and festivals, and architecture that integrates hearth-nooks, terraced gardens, and rounded archways. Halflings soften the imposing grandeur of Aurelariin architecture with craftsmanship that emphasizes comfort and community.

Half-Elves

Half-elven art strives to unite human structure and elven fluidity. Their signature contributions include transitional fresco styles blending hard lines and soft illumination, mosaics showing dual-nature symbolism, and hybrid architectural elements such as stonework softened with fine wood inlays. Half-elves are especially prized as architects of bathhouses and public gardens.

Half-Orcs

Half-orcs introduce strength-within-restraint themes. Their works often emphasize broad, simplified shapes, architectural buttresses, statues with softened expressions and disciplined posture, and frescoes depicting loyalty, endurance, and communal defense. Half-orc architects are known for designing the most enduring civic structures.

Common Customs, Traditions, and Rituals

Aurelon’s customs form the living framework of Aurelariin-influenced society. They are the behavioral rituals through which dignity, legacy, and cultural unity are enacted daily. Though each race expresses these customs according to physiology and ancestral tradition, the underlying principles remain universal:

Order over Impulse.
Symbol over Spontaneity.
Legacy over Individual Preference.

Birth and Baptismal Rites

Humans

Human households in Aurelon treat childbirth as a moment in which lineage, civic duty, and ancestral presence intersect. As soon as labor begins, a household elder lights an oil lamp kept for this purpose alone, fueled by oil mixed with a single drop each of the mother's blood and the father's blood. Immediately after birth, the child is wrapped in a gold-threaded cloth, regardless of family wealth. Many poorer families borrow or rent one from the local temple. The wrapping is meant not to indicate literal nobility, but rather the Aurelariin belief that every child is born bearing the potential for refinement.

Dragonborn

When an egg is laid, the family begins to rotate responsibility for maintaining ideal heat using enchanted stones and carefully controlled breath, keeping it heated but not overheated. Upon hatching, the newborn's first breath is considered spiritually significant. Elders gather to witness whether the hatchling emits heat, sparks, smoke, something else, or nothing at all. These "First Signs" are not necessarily considered prophetic, but are seen as personal omens. The first time a dragonborn child begins shedding, the first shed scale is kept as a personal keepsake, carved with name and date, then held by the family until a future date.

Elves

Within Aurelon, elves retain their ancient traditions relating to the moons. A gentle hymn must be sung during the newborn's first night to invite ancestral memory in to the child's early dreams. Above many others, elves are allowed more freedom in their rites and rituals within Aurelon due to their integral aid in helping to take Inwold. As such, they are the only people who do not use the Baptism of Name. Instead, the child is given a temporary cradle-name, spoken only within the household. They are only given a true name when the infant first opens his or her eyes beneath natural sunlight or moonlight. The name must match the tone of the time, and thus children who open their eyes in the sunlight are given brighter names, while those under moonlight must receive more solemn names.

Felarids

Felarid birth rites are lively yet dignified, trying to remain within the laws of Aurelariin refinement. When a Felarid child is born, the household gathers for the First Purr, in which elders hum or murmur low sounds to encourage the infants' first responsive vibrations. This is believed to calm the child's spirit and bind them to their pride. The morning after the new felarids are born, they are brought outside to be warmed by the sun. This first touch of sunlight is seen as the gods smiling down upon them, and a felarid who does not receive this sunlight is supposedly in for a rough life.

Gnomes

Aurelariin gnomes approach birth as a moment requiring cleverness, careful documentation, and joyful observation. Immediately after birth, the attending relatives use numerous devices to record and document the infant's first cry, motions, facial expressions, and any other circumstances of the birth. This record is kept both as a sentimental object as a practical one, believed to help understand the child's inherent temperament and how best to raise them in the Aurelariin way. Six weeks later, the infant is presented with three objects—typically a spinning gear, a chirping bird or sound box, and a miniature lantern. Tradition dictates that the first toy the child grasps or reacts to becomes symbolic of his or her future curiosity.

Halflings

After birth, neighbors and extended family bring small gifts of food or cloth, up to three days after the actual event. Not bringing such a gift is seen as a slight against the family and is not recommended. Halflings perform an odd sort of baptism in which the newborn is carried before an active hearth while elders speak blessings of safety and abundance over them. A piece of bread that must be baked that day is gently brushed over the child's chest, and a small piece is to be consumed by the child and each of his or her parents, then the rest of the loaf must be thrown into the fire.

Half-Elves

Half-elves have little in the way of personal rituals for birth and baptism, though in mixed households—thus first generation half-elves—both human and elven rites are performed, carefully sequenced so as to not dishonor either lineage. The father's lineage's rite is performed first, and the mother's second.

Half-Orcs

Aurelariin half-orcs follow a culturally adapted version of the human rites, but put emphasis on strength and protection. Immediately after birth, a respected relative who is not either parent places a firm hand on the newborn's chest and offers a silent vow of guardianship. The individual is considered something akin to a third parent for the child, and must always protect them from harm. After, a warmed iron ring must be touched to the child's hands and feet, then dipped in water and repeated. This is done to respresent the endurance of their people being akin to the iron itself, as well as a vow to never again be locked in iron.

Shared

Regardless of race, all Aurelariin births share three universal principles:

Birth is a Continuation of Legacy. Every newborn represents an extension of lineage and civic identity. Whether through lamps, breath, oil, scent, or hymn, each race acknowledges that the newborn steps into a chain far older and far greater than themselves.
Naming is a Sacred Act. Names are spoken with weight. Across all races, naming includes public affirmation, family witnesses, symbolic gestures, ritual blessings, and formal recordkeeping. Names are chosen carefully to reflect cultural ideals. As such, besmirching an individual's name is seen as a grave misstep, and is reserved for the closest of individuals and only behind closed doors.
The Baptism of Name. The child is carried by two chosen relatives—typically one from each side of the family—to a civic shrine where his or her name is publicly announced. A scribe records the name in the local Hall of Lineage, ensuring the child is forever marked as the a part of the city's recognized human families. After, water infused with crushed laurel leaves is wiped across the child's brow—this is said to link the child's soul or spirit to Basileus, and thus forever make them a part of the eternal empire.

Coming of Age Rites

Humans

Humans emphasize the concept of refinement through responsibility. Upon reaching his or her fifteenth year, the adolescent undergoes three private challenges assigned by household elders. They must represent a challenge of mental discipline, a challenge of social grace, and a challenge of practical skill. Common tasks include assisting in negotiations, managing household accounting for a week, or completing a craft with no guidance. At the completion of all three, the youth kneels before the household shrine and is considered an adult in Aurelariin society, eligible for guild entry, military service, and civic petitioning. After this, a quiet feast is held, during which the new adult must give a short speech to demonstrate rhetorical poise.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn adulthood is marked less by age and more by control of the breath and body. When a dragonborn adolescent begins to display consistent command over their breath weapon—typically between the ages of 12 and 18—they must undergo a rite in which they must complete three things. The first is to exhale a controlled, symbolic breath—a thing of beauty and not destruction—into a brazier. Damaging the brazier in any way is ground for a failure and the adolescent must try again the following year. In the next, they must perfectly hold their posture without tail, crest, or—for those who possess them—wings twitching in the slightest. This is done for 4 hours, and movement results in failure. Finally, they must stand before the elders of their family and declare a personal ideal they vow to uphold. Upon success, the youth is given a metal torc incorporating their first shed scale. It is worn at the throat to mark the individual as an adult.

Elves

Elves coming-of-age is a slow and contemplative process. When an elf's voice, posture, and emotional rhythm reach the expected stability of adulthood—typically around 80 to 120 years of age, lining up with when the elf begins to forget their memories of the heavens and starts to only see their own memories and, during trance, those of their ancestors—the elf must stand beneath moonlight or sunlight, whichever is the opposite of that which they experienced as an infant, surrounded by family who sing in a low, resonant harmony. The youth then steps forward and speaks their chosen word, a single elven term encapsulating the cirtue they intend to embody in life. The word becomes part of the elf's formal name in Aurelariin records, hyphenated at the end of their name.

Felarids

Felarid youths come of age through the Trial of Three Hunts. While traditional felarid clans emphasize literal hunting, Aurelariin felarids adapt these trials to urban life. The three hunts typically include:

The Hunt of Skill - A test of dexterity and weapon training.
The Hunt of Wits - A test of intellect, solving posed riddles or civic problems.
The Hunt of Heart - A test including aiding a member of the community in meaningful service at no cost.

Upon completing all three, the youth has a path of their fur on each of their cheeks and on their forehead dyed through a special blend of oils and herbs, permanently changing the color of the fur there. Traditionally, these stripes must be golden or, in the case of a felarid with naturally golden fur, white. The final step is a deep, dignified vocalization performed with the felarid's pride or household. This must be held within closed doors, as it can be seen to break Aurelariin social conventions otherwise.

Gnomes

Gnomish adulthood cares more about intellectual independence and contribution to society rather than age. Thus, gnomes in Aurelon could be considered adults at a young age, or an older gnome may still be considered a child. When a gnome reaches adolescence, they must choose a craft and apprentice in it. When they believe they are ready, the individual must present a personal thesis, a practical demonstration, and a service ledger documenting what aid their craft will give to the Empire as a whole. If all three are accepted by the elders and the masters of their chosen craft, they are considered an adult. Similarly, a gnome is only considered to be a master of their craft when they complete a personal invention that furthers the field and society, and so few ever truly achieve this ranking.

Halflings

Halfling adulthood is marked by a warm, communal celebration, held at 25 years of age. Unlike many other races, they have no true trials to overcome. The youth and his or her family prepare a full meal for family, neighbors, and friends. The youth gives a toast during the meal the family, the hearth, and any individuals they wish to personally thank for their aid in their young years. To be named in such a toast is considered a high honor.

Half-Elves

Half-elven coming-of-age traditions vary depending on household culture, but all perform the Dew and Laurel Ceremony. On a morning chosen by the household—usually around 20 years of age—the adolescent washes their hands and face in a bowl of dew collected that morning. Then, an elder brushes crushes laurel across their brow while asking them which world they claim as their own. The youth must choose a single symbolic alignment between the Horizon, the Silverleaf, or Concord. Those who choose the horizon are tasked with mastering discipline, rhetoric, and civic unity, serving alongside humans and being considered one of them in official records. Those who choose the Silverleaf are tasked with contemplation, memory, and inner grace, and are considered elves in official records. Finally, those who choose Concord are tasked with bridging identities, versatility, and harmony among different peoples. These are the only individuals who are recorded as half-elven in official records.

Half-Orcs

Half-orcs reach adulthood through a rite that emphasizes their endurance and discipline, as well as moral clarity. Around age 13-15, the youth must undertake three symbolic acts. They must hammer a single iron ring which must be saved for their future child, they must maintain stillness and composure under scrutiny from other half-orcs, humans, and even other races. Some individuals specialize in this scrutinization, seeing it as their duty to weed out those who would give their people a bad look in Aurelon. Finally, they must offer an honest self-declaration before the household, with no fear or embellishment.

Funerary and Memorial Customs

Humans

Human funerary customs in Aurelon center on dignity, silence, and continuity for the family and lineage as a whole. Upon death, the family lights the same lamp used for births and places it beside the body for one full night, tending to it and ensuring it has enough oil to last the entire night. The lamp's flame is believed to illuminate the soul's final path to the embrace of Basileus and his celestial colonnades. The deceased is washed in laurel-infused water, dressed in his or her finest or most symbolic garments, and laid with hands folded right over left. A was mask is made of the face, not meant as a likeness but as a symbol of the individual's idealized self. This mask is kept in the household shrine. Burial used to be common amongst the Aurelariin, but for the past century, cremation has been mandatory. A family elder reads the names of ancestors until reaching the deceased, then a short speech follows. Even at this time, the speech must never be emotional or loud; and grief must be expressed through stillness and controlled breath for all but the widow herself. Widowers are not allowed the same level of public emotion, and must keep silence as well. A memorial feast is held afterward, quiet and restrained. Conversation is minimal, and wine must be diluted more than usual.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn treat death with a solemn respect and a focus on the honor of the individual. When one dies, the family gathers around them in a specialized chamber. Those with fire oriented breath weapons must burn the corpse, allowing it to return to the elements naturally. The childhood scale is to be burned with the dragonborn, and the sound of scales cracking from the heat is considered an omen of a strong spirit transitioning peacefully. Ashes are stored in decorated urns that display motifs symbolic of the dragonborn's life. These urns are kept in family vaults, arranged meticulously to reflect their lineage—both familial and draconic origin. Mourning among dragonborn is even quieter than that of other races. Displays of anguish or uncontrolled emotion are considered not only improper, but disrespectful to the deceased's strength.

Elves

When an elf dies, the body is washed with dew and wrapped in pale silk. The family sings a low, cyclical melody meant to guide the soul to Aewelondur's embrace. It is believed that elves denied this rite cannot join the ancestral sight, and will be forever lost to their family. The ashes of an elf are allowed to be buried in the soil or sprinkled upon the soil at the base of a sapling. These trees are branded sacred by the Aurelariin, and forests of ancestor trees stand as a testament to the enduring strength of the Empire and their people.

Felarids

Felarid funerals are deeply emotional, and thus almost strictly held inside away from prying eyes. When a felarid dies, members of the pride gather and produce a low, vibrating hum called the mourning purr, intended to comfort living kin and guide the departed spirit. The body is brushed, oiled, and arranged with paws crossed over the chest. The specially dyed fur from the forehead of the felarid are clipped off and burned in a small brazier to sever any mortal ties the individual may still hold. After the cremation, a priest grinds the ash and mixes it with water to create a paste. A dot of this paste is then applied to the forehead of each of the pridemates, marking them as grieving.

Gnomes

When a gnome dies, the first task is to secure their journals, diagrams, and inventions. A designated archivist organizes the deceased's intellectual legacy. The body is prepared with meticulous care. Gnomes lightly engrave the deceased's initials and a symbolic glyph onto the individual's heartstone and place the heartstone in a vault. The ashes of the gnome are then compressed and compacted, being formed into a tiny gem and sealed inside a glass sphere. This is often then made into jewelry that can be worn by the widow or widower. Once that individual also dies, their glass beads are also sealed in the family's vault. As such, long-lasting gnomish families have vaults with extremely valuable gems all throughout, making them prime targets for thieves.

Halflings

Halfling funerals are warm and intimate, always held in the home of the deceased. Family and close neighbors prepare the home with candles and woven cloths. The deceased's favorite meal is cooked by the surviving family members, and everyone celebrates the deceased's life and contributions. Before cremation, each family member places a piece of bread on the body's chest, offering the departing soul hospitality and a gift to bring to the eternal feast.

Half-Elves

Two lamps are lit for the deceased—one of silver and one of gold—to represent the life's dual heritage. The body is handled in the method befitting their chosen alignment, with those that chose Concord having a blended funeral. They are buried according to their alignment as well, and those of Concord are interred in a special communal cemetery specific to half-elves, their ashes kept in a mausoleum befitting their specific calling in life, such as a diplomat or an artist.

Half-Orcs

The deceased half-orc is washed and dressed simply, often in the same cloth or armor used during their adult coming-of-age ritual. A symbolic iron ring made by their child is placed in their hands. If the deceased has no children, then his or her spouse will instead forge this ring. Relatives and trusted friends gather to speak of the deceased. Praise is given, but so are honest assessments of failures, regrets, and struggles. Half-orcs value a memorial that reflects the whole person, not an idealized image. The ashes of the deceased are often buried in an iron box with the iron ring among the ashes.

Common Taboos

Humans

Among Aurelariin humans, taboos are inseparable from dignity, restraint, and order. The gravest violation specific to humans is tattooing, piercing, or scarring oneself intentionally. The human Aurelariin see the body as an inherited temple that brings them closer to Basileus. Modification of the natural body is desecration of the temple of Basileus

Dragonborn

Aurelariin dragonborn balance draconic pride with imperial refinement, and they have several taboos specific to them, to include:

Improper use of breath. Accidental breath discharge due to emotion is deeply shameful. Using breath in a disrespectful, frivolous, or undisciplined manner—especially indoors—is unacceptable.
Touching another dragonborn's scales without permission. Scales are sacred to the dragonborn, and are a physical connection to their draconic forefathers. Unwanted contact suggests an act of dominance or insult.
Breaking a vow in public. Dragonborn oaths are weighty, and breaking them tarnishes not only the speaker but their lineage and draconic heritage. Doing so in public is even more shameful, and the dragonborn believe a single broken oath by any of them reflects on all of them.
Allowing one's shedding to be seen by outsiders. Shedding is an intimate state of vulnerability, never meant for public display.

Elves

Elvish taboos primarily revolve around spiritual and aesthetic displays of memory, ancestry, and the moons, such as:

Interrupting an elf in the ancestral sight. To break another's communion with ancestral memory is considered both insult and injury on a spiritual level, and if one of the greatest wrongs one can do to an elf.
Speaking falsehoods in moonlight. This is tied to ancient beliefs that moonlight reveals inner truth and beauty. Lying beneath it is an affront to Eruwen herself, and is tantamount to lying to her directly.
Damaging an ancestral sapling or tree. These trees are living vessels of ancestral presence, and to harm them is the same as harming the ancestor that nourished it.
Mocking or misusing elven hymnody. The songs of the elves are both ritual and identity, and parody is deeply offensive to them. Elven hymns are never to be translated into another language either, for this is seen as lessening their value and is a form of mocking in and of itself.

Felarids

Felarid taboos mostly revolve around hiding base instincts and include:

Snarling or baring fangs in public. Among felarids, this is an intimate or aggressive behavior; within the Empire, it is completely unacceptable.
Touching another's tail without permission. The tail is a sensitive and expressive organ; to touch it casually is equivalent to touching a noble's signet ring without permission: an affront to the felarid personally as well as his or her family.
Failing to groom oneself. Unkempt fur is interpreted as moral laziness and disrespect to both pride and Empire.
Consuming raw meat in public. Even if palatable and culturally normal to the felarids, Aurelariin society demands refined preparation.

Gnomes

Aurelariin gnomish taboos revolve around their intellect and invention, and including things such as:

Destroying another gnome's device intentionally. This is tantamount to destroying a part of their mind, and is a severe personal offense.
Leaving tools or mechanisms in disarray. Disorganization suggests a disordered mind and is socially unacceptable.
Claiming credit for another's work. Invention is identity, and misattribution is considered a theft of lineage itself.
Interrupting during a moment of inspiration. To break concentration is taboo; some families even post "silent hour" markers, which despite the name can often last upwards of several days.
Mocking curiosity of any race. Gnomes see curiosity as a sacred engine; derision toward intellectual pursuit, no matter how poorly executed, is treated as cruelty.

Halflings

Halfling taboos are tied to community, hearth, and hospitality:

Refusing hospitality offered without a grave reason. Hospitality is sacred, unnecessary refusal is interpreted as insult.
Failing to offer food or drink to a guest. Even among Aurelariin halflings, the hearth is a holy sight, and to refuse sustenance from it to a guest is tantamount to a personal insult.
Raising one's voice in anger within the home. Domestic harmony is extremely important to the halflings, and shouting is seen as fracturing the heart of the household.
Speaking ill of neighbors. Disputes must be resolved quietly, lest social fabric unravel. Even in the privacy of one's own home, halflings are forbidden from speaking ill of neighbors unless speaking directly to the neighbor and in the hopes of working it out.
Withholding aid when asked in earnest. Denying assistance creates a spiritual stain in halfling belief, and they must aid another even at a detriment to themselves. Some halfling homes are even allowed to claim sanctuary for one who seeks it there, keeping them safe even from the law itself for a time.
Half-Elves
Half-elves blend human and elven taboos, but have some of their own as well:
- Rejecting one half of one's heritage publicly. Even choosing Horizon or Silverleaf does not permit denigrating the other side, and a half-elf is to never fully reject either side.
- Speaking falsely during the Dew and Laurel Ceremony. Dishonesty during this rite is considered a lifelong stain, and will almost inevitably lead to complete shunning by other half-elves.
- Attempting to avoid choosing an alignment during adulthood. To be without alignment is considered spiritually rootless, leading to a pitiful and pointless life.
Half-Orcs
Half-orc taboos reflect discipline, honesty, and the rejection of stereotypes:
- Rejecting one half of one's heritage publicly. Like half-elves, half-orcs are expected to recognize both halves of their lineage, even while tempering their orcish side.
- Feigned rage or staged aggression. Even playful performances risk reinforcing harmful prejudices. Even in stage-play, half-orcs are not permitted to play such parts.
- Dishonesty. Half-orc culture values stark truth; falsehood is seen as cowardice both physically and morally.
- Accepting unjust treatment silently. Unlike other races, half-orcs see unopposed humiliation as dishonoring one's strength, rather than proving one's dignitas.
- Becoming drunken. Half-orcs must actively counter the stereotypes of brutish drunkenness amongst their people, and drinking in excess is prohibited.
Shared
- Public desperation or emotional collapse. Aurelariin are expected to wear composure like armor; weeping, pleading, or raising one's voice in public is seen as tearing the golden fabric of society.
- Speaking ill of one's lineage. An insult against one's ancestors is an insult against the Empire itself. Even mild complains about family are forbidden in public.
- Eating before the host or stepping out of ritual sequence. To disrupt a structured event is to show contempt for centuries of refinement.
- Defacing ancestral masks, inscriptions, or memorials. Such acts are viewed as spiritual vandalism and often lead to social exile or, if the individual defaced is of great importance or respect, can even warrant execution.
- Speaking during a sanctioned silence. Ceremonial silences are sacred offerings, and breaking them is a profound insult.
- Interrupting a speaker in formal discourse. This disturbs the social hierarchy and violates Aurelariin rhetorical norms.
- Wearing improper dress in shrines or forums. Appearing without layered robes or appropriate seals shows contempt for civic order.
- Refusing reasonable gifts. Gifts indicate trust and connection; refusal implied rejection of relationship or alliance.
- Using sacred gestures out of context. Ritual hand-signs hold legal, spiritual, and ancestral authority, and must never be used in vain.
- Claiming false ancestry or forging sigils. This is both a crime and sacrilege, often punished with social erasure and exile.
- Public intoxication or uncontrolled emotion. Loss of composure is the antithesis of Aurelariin dignitas.
Common Myths and Legends

Humans
[h6]The Gilded Mirror[/h6] This tale centers on Velirra Domithra, a noblewoman obsessed with preserving her youth and status. She commissioned statues, mosaics, and frescoes all i her own image, and finally a mirror polished so perfectly it was said to show one’s soul. When she gazed into it seeking admiration, she instead saw the ruin of her household—clients abandoned, servants neglected, and ancestors turning away from her. In terror, she shattered the mirror. After her death, shards of mirror-like reflective glass were said to appear embedded in the marble of her tomb, catching light like accusing eyes. [h6]The Heart and the Sword[/h6] This tale tells of Saint Bathus, a paladin of Ardenia Tessaeron who was said to have two items blessed by the goddess to aid him in battle. The Sword of Righteousness
Dragonborn
[h6]The Dragonborn Who Burned His Own Name[/h6] This legend tells of Sarvith the Red, a young dragonborn who once lost his temper in the Senate Hall and unleashed his breath in rage, scorching pillars and nearly killing a scribe. Though no one died, the Senate decreed that his name be struck from the Hall of Lineage until he atoned. Sarvith left Aurelon to live in exile, mastering his temper through hardship. Years later, he returned to stand in perfect stillness before the Senate for an entire day and night, tail and crest unmoving, and offered a vow to never again let breath follow emotion. Only then was his name re-engraved—slightly lower on the wall, as a reminder. Dragonborn families tell this tale to their young as a stark example: unrestrained passion burns away one’s place in the Empire. [h6]The First Scale-Torc[/h6] According to tradition, the practice of setting a shed scale into an adulthood torc began with a dragonborn artisan named Vethra. When her son died in battle defending an Aurelariin procession, she took his first shed scale, forged it into a torc, and placed it upon the bust of Basileus in the local shrine, declaring, "Let his strength circle your throat as your law circled his." When priests sought to remove the torc at nightfall, they found that the metal had cooled into an unbreakable and unbendable ring. To this day, families tell the story to teach that honor given to the Empire is returned in the permanence of one’s legacy. [h6]The Brightjaw and the Vanishing City[/h6] Dragonborn recount the tale of The Brightjaw, the first of the Mithril Fangs, who helped secure elven alliance by demonstrating perfect discipline and unwavering resolve. His legend centers on the day he marched upon a Cavellan-held city only for its resident mage—unyielding in pride and principle—to erase the entire settlement rather than see it taken. Falling to the earth below, the Brightjaw rose once more. Standing within the crater, he uttered a vow to defend both the lost and the living with equal devotion, forging the Mithril Fangs into a lineage of dragonborn guardians bound by discipline stronger than fire.
Elves
[h6]The Tree That Remembered[/h6] An old tale tells of an elf who neglected the ancestor tree planted with his grandmother’s ashes. He moved away, abandoned rituals, and even spoke dismissively of "old roots" in a human salon. Years later he returned to see the tree withered and hollow, branches dry. In trance that night, he sought his grandmother’s memory—but found only silence. Desperate, he tried to water and nurture the tree back to life, but when new leaves finally sprouted, they were pale and scentless. The myth is told as a warning that ancestral connection, once severed by contempt, never returns in full bloom. [h6]The Moonlit Lie[/h6] This quiet story is about an elf who, to avoid shame, lied under moonlight about having completed a promised work. Eruwen, hearing the falsehood in her own pale light, withheld the ancestral sight from him. For a full cycle of the moons, he was unable to enter the ancestral sight or connect with those who came before him. He had to sleep as a human did, his songs grew hollow, and his beauty began to feel like a mask on an empty vessel. Only when he publicly confessed his lie beneath the same moonlight, speaking his failure in full, did the sight return. Elven parents retell this as a lesson that a single lie under the moons an cost an entire lifetime or more.
Felarids
[h6]The Pride that Roared in the Streets[/h6] One of the most famous cautionary tales among urban felarids speaks of a pride that once roared in grief through the marble avenues of Inwold after one of their hunters died. They clawed walls, howled at the sky, and frightened citizens and dignitaries. The Imperial Guard did not punish them, but the censors quietly banned that pride from ever serving in official roles. Their descendants found doors closed to them for generations. Felarids tell this story to their cubs to warn that even justified instinct, when displayed without restraint, can kill a pride’s place for a hundred years.
Gnomes
[h6]The Gear That Would Not Turn[/h6] This myth tells of a brilliant, lazy gnome who sketched countless inventions but never finished one. One day he built a small clockwork device to prepare tea—and it refused to move. No matter how he polished the metal or adjusted the springs, the gear remained frozen. In a dream, the gear spoke: "You teach me by example. Why should I turn when you never do?" Horrified, he rose, completed a real invention that helped irrigate a poor quarter of the city, and only then did the tea device begin working. [h6]The Stolen Design[/h6] A darker story recounts a gnome who stole a friend’s mechanism design and passed it off as his own before a guild. The invention worked, but every copy soon developed catastrophic faults—springs snapping, fluids leaking, sometimes injuring bystanders. Superstition maintains that ideas stolen without credit rebel against their thieves. Even rational gnomes repeat this tale to apprentices to cement the taboo: innovation divorced from honesty corrodes from the inside.
Halflings
[h6]The Guest at the Door[/h6] A beloved tale tells of a weary stranger who knocked on halfling doors on a stormy night. Many refused him, citing full houses or late hours, and later found their bread turning inexplicably stale for a season. Only one modest household opened its door, treated the stranger as kin, and gave him the warmest place by the fire. In the morning, they found the guest gone—but the hearth burned more brightly, and strangers from afar began bringing them trade and good fortune for years. [h6]The Loaf Unbroken[/h6] Another tale recounts two siblings who fought bitterly over inheritance and refused to eat together. Their mother, on her deathbed, baked a final loaf and commanded them to share it at her passing. They disobeyed, breaking it apart and eating in separate rooms. Afterward, their households suffered misfortune, failed crops, and loneliness. The story reinforces the belief that shared bread is more binding than inked contracts—and breaking that bond invites quiet ruin.
Half-Elves
[h6]The Thrice-Lit Path[/h6] This tale tells of a half-elf diplomat who chose Concord and was gifted three lamps: one gold, one silver, one of clear glass. In life, they learned to speak across divisions and soothe conflicts between humans and elves. Upon their death, all three lamps were lit together in the mausoleum. It is said that their light mingled so perfectly that none could say which lamp shone brighter. Half-elven families repeat this as proof that when Concord is chosen sincerely, it does not diminish either heritage—it completes them.
Half-Orcs
[h6]He Who Bowed Low[/h6] This story tells of a half-orc in Aurelon who believed that the only way to survive was to endure every insult in silence. He smiled when called names, bowed to those who spat near him, and laughed at jokes that tore at his dignity. When he died, his ring—the one he forged in his youth—was found cracked down the middle.
Shared
[h6]The Night of Seven Lamps[/h6] More than a ritual, this is also a mythic story. It is said that in the early days of Aurelon, seven great houses stood on the brink of civil war. On the darkest night, when no stars pierced the clouds, a wandering sage asked each house to bring a flame to the central forum. Reluctantly, they did—each flame small, each family suspicious. When the flames were brought together, the tale claims they merged into a single tall, steady fire that cast no shadows at all. In its light, each house saw not enemies, but reflections of themselves—proud, stubborn, afraid. They swore to bind their fortunes together, and the single flame was divided into seven lamps as a sign of unity-in-separation. Every race in Aurelon knows some version of this story as explanation and justification for the Night of the Seven Lamps procession. This tale is the foundation for why Cetandar today is made up of seven kingdoms. [h6]The Laurel and the Chain[/h6] This shared legend explains the twin ideals of Aurelariin rule: glory and duty. A young champion once asked Basileus in prayer, "Grant me a laurel and free me from burdens." That night, he dreamt of standing crowned, but with no chain around his shoulders—no weight of expectation, no responsibility. The people in the dream cheered briefly, then drifted away, their loyalty shallow and fleeting. In a second dream, he saw himself bearing a heavy golden chain of office with no laurel on his head; the people obeyed him, but none loved him or remembered his name. In the final vision, he bore both laurel and chain, head bowed by their combined weight, but the people followed willingly and spoke his name for generations. The myth is used in every race’s schooling to teach that true honor in Aurelon is never free of burden—and duty without honor is merely a yoke.
Historical Figures

Humans
[h6]Sirian Valarius, Hero of the White Jaw[/h6] Sirian Valarius began as a normal spearman in the imperial legions, rising through the ranks and achieving an officer rank. Eventually, his skill and loyalty was noticed by the Emperor, and he was granted nobility, allowing him to achieve greater rank in the military. He was notable for his skill in the War of the White Jaw, in which he helped to repel the Fahryte's draconic ally.
Dragonborn
[h6]Rhogar Brightjaw, First of the Mithril Fangs[/h6] Rhogar Brightjaw is revered as the paragon of dragonborn discipline and Aurelariin loyalty. He forged the Mithril Fangs—first as a personal vow in the crater of the Vanished City, and later as an elite defensive order whose oath binds its members into unity. His campaigns helped secure elven support in the Cetandari Rebellion, and statues depict him with a shining metal jaw, a gift from those very same elves and the inspiration behind the name if his order.
Elves
[h6]Lirael Moonguide, She Who Planted the White Grove[/h6] Lirael's innovations in funeral rites reshaped Aurelon's reverence for ancestral trees. By encouraging the planting of white-blooming saplings for the fallen, she united the dead closer to the living. These special trees always bear bright white leaves, which can be used by the elves to create special potions that improve the potency of the ancestral sight, drawing on the spirit tied to the individual tree. The White Grove still stands as a quiet sanctuary for the fallen elves of Aurelon.
Felarids

Gnomes

Halflings

Half-Elves

Half-Orcs
[h6]Varok Chainbreaker[/h6] A reformer known for his uncompromising honesty, Varok challenged the prejudices half-orcs faced in early Aurelon. His famous declaration before the Senate—"Strength is not noise. Strength is choosing the weight one will carry."—is still quoted in half-orc households. His efforts established the right of half-orcs to serve as civic guards and later as forum advocates.
Shared
[h6]Cassandros of the Seven Lamps[/h6] The wandering sage credited in myth and record with mediating the near-war that gave rise to the Night of Seven Lamps. Though his origins are unknown, all races claim his wisdom reflects their own values. Many races attribute a different name to him and depict him as numerous different races. Notably, the humans depict him as human, the halflings and the half-elves depict him as a half-elf, the felarids and the half-orcs depict him as human, the elves depict him as an elf, and the dragonborn depict him as a dragonborn.
Foods and Cuisines

Food

General Overview
Even Aurelon's cuisine is defined by a deliberate balance. Every meal, from a peasant's supper to a senatorial banquet, is structured around the Aurelariin triad of grain, protein, and prepared vegetable or fruit. Even the simplest foods must appear orderly and intentionally arranged. The table of an Aurelariin is a visual argument about refinement, and is a reflection of the host's own inner refinement. Stews are poured in controlled spirals, meats sliced carefully and always removed from the bone, and colors balanced as though for a fresco. Food is never merely sustenance but a demonstration of civic virtue.
Staples of Daily Life
Daily meals center around golden wheat loaves infused with laurel and honey. The Empire ensures that both honey and laurel are always available for cheap to the people, and thus these loaves have become a symbol of the Emperor's generosity, their slightly sweet taste a reminder of his care. Vegetables marinated in citrus and olive oils supplement nearly every meal, alongside river fish baked in clay. Barley porridges enriched with fruits such as dates, as well as cream and nuts, is especially common during the colder months. Stone-griddled flatcakes, originally a felarid practices, have spread widely due to their portability and warm, smoky flavor. Some regions enjoy cutting these flatbreads open and filling the pocket with a rich stew. Outside of this, salads served with a vinegar and olive oil blend are common at most meals, often served with a variety of vegetables taken from one's personal garden.
Proteins and Seasonal Fare[/hf] Meats are prepared with restraint and clarity of flavor. Herbed lamb or board is often roasted with citrus peel and light wine reductions, while stewed pigeon remains a dignified guest dish, originally taken from halfling recipes. Dragonborn communities contribute fiery and aromatic meals, often using breath-warmed stones, smoked salts, and peppers that lend their meals a distinct heat. Many consider these meals an acquired taste. Gnomes, meanwhile, are famed for saffron-infused peacock egg custards—savory versions served with herbs or sweet versions reserved for festivals.
Drink

Everyday Beverages
The Aurelariin expectation of refinement is heavily seen and felt in the consumption of drink. The most common beverage is a diluted wine—deep red in colder seasons, pale gold in summer. This dilution is legally mandated for public gatherings to encourage composure and rhetorical clarity. Few people are exempt from this law, though those suffering ceremonial grief, as well as poets are allowed undiluted wine. Citrus-herb tisanes serve as daily household drinks, typically drank warm or even heated in winter and chilled in summer. Honeyed barley drinks are a halfling favorite, while elves have introduced numerous different types of teas, some having ritualistic implications and thus restricted for such events. Dragonborn households have found a particular preference for a spiced ember-milk: goat's milk warmed over heated stones and mixed with aromatic spices until the taste is faintly smoky and sweet.
Ceremonial and Rare Drinks
Some beverages are reserved for ritual moments. The Seven-Lamp Cordial, a clear spirit infused with seven different herbs that some consider to be sacred, is served only during the Night of Seven Lamps and never at private meals. Felarid Sunbrew, an intensely potent and amber-colored drink, appears only behind closed doors among felarid families, its strength considered too primal for public Aurelariin spaces. Gnomish Sparkwine—a light, effervescent, and often different tasting drink due to being a result of creative fermentation techniques that are continuously evolving—is prized during their festivals. Despite its name, it's not technically a wine, and is instead a grain alcohol.
Etiquette of Drinking
Drink is tightly bound to decorum. No one may drink before the host, nor empty a cup in one swallow unless performing a ritual vow. Wine must be further diluted during funerary observances. Loud sipping, clinking cups, or allowing one’s drink-hand to drift above another’s plate are all considered breaches of Aurelariin propriety.
Special Occasions

Feasts of Civic Importance
Ceremonial meals are structured with symbolic precision. The Feast of Lineage includes seven dishes—wheat, lamb, riverfish, olives, honeyed apples, grapes, and laurel—representing the Seven Houses that form the foundation of modern Cetandar.
Marriage Feasts
Human and half-elven unions incorporate food as metaphor. Two braided loaves are presented—one white, one golden—to symbolize entwined lineages. Elven moonfruit compotes encourage "clarity of heart," while dragonborn fire-roasted meats bring strength into the new household. Halflings, more than anyone else, hold grand feasts for marriages, with the entire extended family of both individuals each bringing a single dish per person, coming together as a whole family and sharing in the festivities.
Sayings, Idioms, Expressions, and Everyday Speech

Metaphoric Expressions

Humans
Aurelariin humans favor metaphors grounded in their history, architecture, and civic order, believing themselves above petty squabbles. Some examples include:
- "A cracked Pillar beneath fine paint." - This is said of someone whose outward composure is brilliant, but inside they are greatly flawed or failing.
- "He carries a lamp with no oil." - This is used to describe someone struggling without preparation or lacking true conviction to their goal; seen as someone foolish who does things rashly.
- "His tongue weighs more than his chain." - This is said of someone whose words attempt to carry authority beyond their rank; such a saying is seen as a cutting insult to the individual, and can also be used to describe someone who the speaker believes should not have the authority they do.
- "The Forum hears even quiet stones." - Said as a warning that public actions, even when subtle, always echo around Aurelon.
- "He builds arches on sand." - This refers to someone who has great ambition, but lacks either or both the discipline or resources to see it to fruition.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn metaphors typically speak of heat, posture, lineage, and restraint. They seek to be tightly controlled, and thus reprimand those who do not control themselves.
- "His fire outruns his jaw." - Criticism of someone who speaks or acts before thinking or on impulse.
- "A spine set like forged iron." - This is said as high praise for someone who has unbending resolve, even under harsh criticism.
- "He stands as the cool stone before dawn." - Another compliment, this one being said of someone who remains perfectly composed under stress.
- "His scales ring hollow." - This saying signifies dishonor or a lack of substance behind proud words; said of someone who is boastful or makes wild claims.
- "A vow hammered thinner than gold leaf." - This refers to oaths weakened through overuse or insincerity.
Elves
Elven metaphors are often tied to their ancestry, gods, trees, and memory. Many of them carry subtle judgement, even if gentle in tone.
- "A branch without roots." - Said of someone who has severed or forgotten their heritage; seen as someone who has lost their way entirely in life.
- "Moonlight on clouded water." - This is said of something beautiful masking unrest or an unspoken truth. This can also be used to describe someone who lies with a smile on their face, as though sincere.
- "His song lacks a shadow." - This implies a person whose words hold no depth or ambition.
- "A sapling grown too fast bends in every wind." - A warning against premature pride or ambition, but also a literal saying to tend to the trees of your ancestors.
- "His ancestors do not walk with him." - Condemnation of someone acting against elven customs, memory, or dignity.
Felarids
Felarid metaphors center on pride posture, instinct, and social positioning within a group.
- "A tail held to still. - This implies someone concealing intent or discomfort.
- "He hunts with dull claws." - A critique of poor preparation or a general lack of foresight.
- "His roar is only breath." - This is said of someone whose threats carry no real power, or someone who is all talk.
- "A pride walking in three shadows." - This is a reference to divided loyalty or political entanglement.
- "He circles the meal but never pounces." - This is used to describe hesitation that borders on weakness or indecision.
Gnomes
Gnomish metaphors often revolve around mechanisms, precision, and the mind as a device.
- "A clock with misfitted gears." - This is said of someone whose habits or thoughts seem to lack coherence. It may look right on the outside, but nothing is working properly inside.
- "His spark outruns his wires." - This refers to someone whose ideas are faster than the execution of them—sometimes admiring, sometimes disapproving.
- "He works with borrowed tools." - This is a critique of someone who relies too heavily on others' ideas or authority.
- "A hinge that squeaks has not been tended to." - Used to talk about a person who neglects responsibilities or relationships, sometimes shorted to referring to someone as a squeaking hinge.
- "His thoughts click out of sync." - This is said to indicate someone is stressed, distracted, or otherwise unsettled.
Halflings
Halfling metaphors focus on hearth, food, family, and community above all else.
- "Cold bread on a warm table." - This is said of someone whose manners or hospitality feels insincere.
- "A cup passed but never filled." - This refers to a person who refuses to contribute to communal efforts, sometimes shorted to just referring to them as an empty cup.
- "His steps wander outside the garden." - This refers to someone who is reckless or inattentive to their duties most of the time, but can also be used affectionately to refer to a halfling who has hear the Call.
- "He speaks with an empty heart." - This implies emotional distance of a lack of warmth.
- "The stew boils before the fire is lit." - This is said of someone impatient or prematurely excited.
Half-Elves
Half-elven metaphors typically reflect duality and negotiation.
- "A lamp of two flames." - This is praise for someone who embraces both sides of his or her heritage or community.
- "His bridge is only half built." - This is said of someone who avoids committing to either stance or community.
- "A silver face with a gold back." - This describes a situation viewed differently by each cultural group.
- "Only one foot in the moonlight." - This implies an internal conflict, divided loyalty, or otherwise someone who does not properly commit to something."
- "His voice smooths the grain." - This refers to someone with great diplomatic skill.
Half-Orcs
Half-orcish metaphors favor honesty, strength, moral clarity, and the weight of choice.
- "A blade without a spine." - This describes a person who refuses to take a meaningful stand, especially when the individual has the strength to make meaningful change.
- "He carries rocks in his ribs." - This is said of someone who silently ears injustice or pain.
- "Truth strikes like an open hand." - This indicates a necessary but painful honesty, sometimes described as giving someone an open hand.
- "His feet remember chains." - This refers to someone acting from internalized prejudice or fear. This is sometimes wrongfully used by others to describe a half-orc who "knows his place" when the half-orc defers to another.
- "A fire kept low still burns hot." - This is praise for someone who exerts a quiet and disciplined strength.
Shared
- "Marble cracks from within." - A warning that internal disorder, whether of an individual or a family, destroys even the strongest facade.
- "Shadows lengthen when lamps stand apart." - A reference to the night of seven lamps, this is used as commentary on discord between households or factions.
- "A chain without weight teaches nothing." - This is a reminder that responsibility defines maturity, and that pointless tasks will not yield fruit.
- "Gold dulls when poorly carried." - This means that honor loses value when upheld without grace or discipline. It is also sometimes used as an insult about an individual, sometimes shortened to simply calling them dull. This does not refer to intellect, but rather a lack of proper Aurelariin virtue.
- "A tongue sharper than a senator's quill." - This is said in one of two ways. It can be said as an admiration of an individual, speaking of their wit, but it can also be said of someone who is crass or rude."
- "Your laurel tilts, friend." - This is given as a gentle warning that something an individual is doing is making him or her look foolish.
- "His shadow runs ahead of him." - This is said of someone who overestimates himself or herself.
- "Keep your shadow straight before Basileus." - This is often spoken as a warning, that regardless of outward appearance and reputation, your inner self will always be visible to the gods. Acts contrary to virtue will "bend your shadow", or make you less proper as a person.
Cultural Proverbs

Humans
Aurelariin human proverbs emphasize duty, legacy, hierarchy, and the maintenance of civic order. They tend to be terse and judgmental, meant to prune behavior like a sculptor shaping stone.
- "A house rises when its quietest servant stands straight." – Even the lowborn uphold the dignity of the whole; no one is excused from proper conduct.
- "An unguarded tongue builds a reckless lineage." – Words spoken without discipline stain not just a person, but the descendants who inherit their reputation.
- "When the laurel slips, the chain must steady it." – Honor and duty must support one another; if one fails, the other must hold firm.
- "Strength is marble, patience is mortar." – Power alone crumbles; endurance binds and preserves it.
- "The Forum forgets no oath." – A proverb warning that all promises made in public are remembered, judged, and echoed long after.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn proverbs reinforce discipline, honor, and unity of breath and spirit. Their sayings are heavy with gravitas and the expectation of personal mastery.
- "Hold your fire, and your fire will hold you." – Restraint strengthens the self; control is the root of all dragonborn virtue.
- "An oath untempered breaks before its speaker." – Oaths must be forged thoughtfully, or they will destroy the one who swore them.
- "Lineage is metal; deeds are the forge." – Ancestry gives raw strength, but one's actions refine or ruin it.
- "A steady jaw silences a restless heart." – External stillness disciplines internal turmoil.
- "Stand straight, even when ash falls." – Dignity is required even in loss or disaster.
Elves
Elven proverbs often address memory, ancestry, beauty, and moral continuity. They tend to be poetic but firm in their expectations.
- "To forget one ancestor is to dim a thousand stars." – Neglecting lineage weakens all who came before and all who come after.
- "Roots deepen only where truth is spoken." – Honesty is the foundation of both personal dignity and ancestral communion.
- "A life sung poorly echoes for centuries." – Foolish choices have long ripples, especially in long-lived lives.
- "Moonlight judges gently, but never falsely." – One may hide from people, but not from their gods or their own reflection.
- "Tend the sapling before the storm remembers it." – Care for what matters early, before consequences force your hand.
Felarids
Felarid proverbs focus on communal identity, instinct balanced by restraint, and the honor of the pride.
- "A pride stands taller than any single roar." – No individual matters more than the collective.
- "A quiet hunter brings home more meat." – Subtlety and preparation triumph over loud bravado.
- "Groom the fur, sharpen the mind." – Physical presentation and internal discipline reflect one another.
- "A tail that wanders leads the body to trouble." – Emotional impulsiveness endangers one’s household.
- "Share your strength, or lose it." – Hoarding skill or power weakens both the individual and the pride.
Gnomes
Gnomish proverbs reinforce cleverness, persistence, and the sacredness of craft. They are often half-humorous but always instructive.
- "A design forgotten is a duty undone." – Intellectual responsibility is moral responsibility.
- "Even a perfect cog rusts without care." – Complacency ruins even the best-made plans or relationships.
- "Measure twice, imagine thrice." – Creativity must accompany precision.
- "No mechanism works on pride alone." – Ego cannot substitute for craftsmanship or diligence.
- "A wheel turns only because every spoke remembers its place." – Collaboration requires humility and awareness.
Halflings
Halfling proverbs emphasize kindness, humility, and the hearth as the heart of moral order.
- "Warm hands bake warm bread." – Generosity creates more generosity; kindness begins cycles of good fortune.
- "A bitter tongue sours the stew." – One person’s cruelty can poison an entire household’s harmony.
- "Keep your neighbor close, and your kettle closer." – Good community is built through small, constant gestures.
- "A shared bowl never empties." – Mutual support sustains even in times of scarcity.
- "A hearth lit for one warms the whole road." – Hospitality influences far more than the immediate moment.
Half-Elves
Half-elven proverbs focus on duality, empathy, self-knowledge, and bridge-building between perspectives.
- "Two perspectives make a clearer horizon." – Embracing multiple viewpoints leads to better judgment.
- "Harmony begins where pride ends." – Cooperation requires humility from all parties.
- "A divided heart finds no path." – One must commit to purpose despite internal conflict.
- "Listen twice and speak once." – Diplomacy values silence before response.
- "Those who walk between must see further." – Half-elves are expected to rise above factionalism and anticipate consequences.
Half-Orcs
Half-orc proverbs stress integrity, endurance, courage, and rejecting shame. Their sayings are forthright, almost austere.
- "Strength wasted on silence serves no one." – Speak truth when truth is needed; quiet endurance is not always virtue.
- "A straight back shames the lash." – Holding dignity in adversity is its own triumph.
- "Walk the long road, not the loud one." – True power is proven over time, not through spectacle.
- "The hardest chains are the ones you forge yourself." – Internalized fear or guilt is more limiting than external circumstance.
- "A clean heart sharpens the blade." – Moral clarity strengthens action.
Shared
Shared Aurelariin proverbs reflect the Empire’s universal ideals: restraint, dignity, order, and unity.
- "Seven voices make one verdict." – Consensus among disparate groups is stronger than unilateral decision.
- "A chain breaks at its proudest link." – Arrogance endangers the whole.
- "Honor walks where the shadow does not sway." – Virtue requires consistency in public and private life.
- "An empire is built on quiet hands, not loud tongues." – Quiet labor, not rhetoric, sustains Aurelon.
- "The flame endures when all bear the oil." – Communal effort preserves stability and prosperity.
Idioms and Everyday Phrases

Humans
Aurelariin human idioms tend to reference civic life, architecture, lineage, and the theatrical polish of social order. They often sound polite even when pointed.
- "Walk with a straight shadow." – A reminder to behave properly; a gentle nudge to correct oneself.
- "Mind the marble." – "Watch your composure," especially in tense public settings.
- "Spare me the Senate flourish." – Said to someone being overly dramatic or rhetorical.
- "Polish your chain before you speak." – Prepare yourself properly before making a claim.
- "He’s quoting columns again." – Said when someone is repeating regulations or citing precedent unnecessarily.
- "I’ll carry the lamp." – "I’ll lead," or "I’ll take responsibility."
- "Keep your laurel level." – Stay humble; don’t embarrass yourself.
- "Your household shows." – "Your upbringing is showing"—positive or negative depending on tone.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn idioms emphasize posture, temperature, breath, and social discipline. They speak in short, weighty lines.
- "Ease your fire." – Calm down.
- "Your jaw wavers." – "You’re losing composure."
- "Hold the spine, not the breath." – Focus on discipline, not just restraint.
- "Your scales speak first." – "Your pride is showing before your thought."
- "A cool crest to you." – A polite daily greeting, wishing calm clarity.
- "Walk steady, tail low." – A reminder to stay dignified in unfamiliar spaces.
- "Heat without aim." – Someone acting with unfocused anger or passion.
- "Share the stone." – Offer your strength or stability to another.
Elves
Elven idioms are poetic but often gently critical, referencing light, memory, beauty, and timing.
- "Your light flickers." – "Your focus is slipping."
- "Let the roots settle." – Wait before acting; reflect.
- "Walk in the softer shadow." – Ease tension, choose grace.
- "The ancestor’s breath is near." – A reassurance of calm or clarity in difficult moments.
- "Hold the moon in your voice." – Speak truthfully and with beauty.
- "Your song is thinning." – Said when someone is becoming visibly stressed or unbalanced.
- "Take the long step." – Choose the wiser, patient path.
Felarids
Felarid idioms revolve around instinct, posture, pride, and subtle humor about their own animalistic traits.
- "Keep your tail honest." – Don’t hide your intentions; be forthright.
- "Soft steps, sharp ears." – Move subtly but stay alert.
- "Your whiskers are twitching." – "You’re nervous" or "You’re excited and hiding it poorly."
- "Hold your claws in." – Don’t reveal all your intentions or capabilities yet.
- "You’re chasing dust." – Pursuing something pointless.
- "Warm stones to you." – A common farewell meaning "comfort and safety."
Gnomes
Gnomish idioms are mechanical, clever, and often wry, used to subtly tease or encourage precision.
- "Give the gears a moment." – "Let me think," or "Slow down."
- "Your springs are wound tight." – "You’re nervous," "You’re overthinking."
- "Mind the clicking." – Check details; something small is about to go wrong.
- "Smooth the teeth." – Fix small interpersonal friction before it escalates.
- "Turn the wheel twice." – Double-check your plans.
- "Don’t chase the spark." – Don’t get distracted by flashy ideas.
Halflings
Halfling idioms revolve around food, hearth, steady temperaments, and communal warmth.
- "Warm the seat first." – Settle in before you judge or speak.
- "Mind your crumbs." – Be polite; don’t make a mess physically or socially.
- "Keep the pot turning." – Maintain conversation or keep people comfortable.
- "No need to salt it." – "Don’t exaggerate."
- "Your apron’s crooked." – You’re flustered or emotionally off-balance.
- "Leave a lantern in the window." – Stay hopeful; offer hospitality.
- "Share the ladle, not just the bowl." – Contribute effort, not just presence.
Half-Elves
Half-elven idioms revolve around perspective, balance, and social bridges.
- "Two lamps, one path." – Walk with clarity despite dual heritage.
- "Smooth the grain both ways." – Consider both sides before speaking or acting.
- "Your shadow splits." – You’re conflicted or hesitating.
- "Speak with both breaths." – Use both empathy and logic.
- "Hear the silence first." – Wait and assess before responding.
- "Let the bridge settle." – Give a tense situation time to resolve.
- "Your moons are misaligned." – You’re acting emotionally rather than thoughtfully.
Half-Orcs
Half-orc idioms emphasize moral clarity, emotional discipline, and the rejection of shame.
- "Stand where your truth stands." – Remain firm in your principles.
- "Your spine forgets itself." – You’re acting against your values or dignity.
- "Straight steps, strong breath." – A grounding phrase; stay centered.
- "Hammer the hinge." – Address the real problem directly.
- "A quiet fist holds more strength." – Control yourself; restraint is power.
- "Your chains rattle." – You’re slipping into old fears or bad habits.
- "Set your jaw to the horizon." – Look forward; don’t cling to shame.

GM Handbook

Monstrous Compendium

Player Handbook

Aurelariin

Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Shared Customary Codes and Values

Dignitas - Dignity

Auctoritas - Earned Authority

Fama - Reputation and Echo

Concordia - Harmony and Social Balance

Gravitas - Emotional Weight and Seriousness

Pietas - Duty to Blood, City, and Gods

Common Etiquette Rules

Formal Speech and Conversational Conduct

Pacing and Rhythm

Interruptions are Forbidden

Honor Titles Before Names

Tone and Volume

Gestures and Bodily Conduct

The Right Hand Rules

Eye Contact

Stillness Indicates Control

Rules of Greeting

The Inclined Greeting

Physical Touch

Rules of Seating

The Rule of Three Distance

Sit Only when Invited

Dining Etiquette

Begin Only After the Host Eats

Use Silence as Appropriate

Bread is Broken, Never Cut

Dilute Wine in Public Settings

Emotional Etiquette

Never Display Unrefined Emotion

Anger Must be Ritualized

Rules of Silence

Gift Etiquette

Refusing a Reasonable Gift is an Insult

Open Gifts only after the Giver Departs

Common Dress Code

Human

Male

Female

Children

Dragonborn

Male

Female

Children

Elves

Male

Female

Children

Gnomes

Male

Female

Children

Halflings

Male

Female

Children

Half-Elves

Male

Female

Children

Half-Orcs

Male

Female

Children

Art and Architecture

Shared Artistic Traditions

Sculpture

Mosaics

Frescoes

Architecture

Public Art as Civic Identity

Race-Specific Contributions and Interpretations

Humans

Dragonborn