Waejiran (culture)

Cultural Overview

Waejiran society is caste based, from the high Nobility, down through the nobles, commoners and finally slaves.

Origins

Waejiran culture was formed from the separate culture of the Seven Cities conquered and united by the first emperor.

Language

Waejiran's speak Waejirwu, which has a common dialect (Waejirwu), and a elite dialect () used by the High Nobles

Castes

High Nobles

The Imperials of Waejir are seen as demi-gods, and believed to be divinely protecting and guiding the empire to glory.

Nobles

Noble land holders with title originally ruled in the Seven Cities, before the High Nobles took over ruling the empire. Presently a noble is acknowledged as such by the visit of a high noble shortly after their birth. This acknowledgement by the royalty cements their right to rule over the commoners within their lands. Many Nobles serve on the senate and effectively form a republic style government with little oversight from the high nobles. nobles can have their rank removed by declaration of the high nobles. Nobles also benefit from a social net taking the form of a guaranteed income should they not have sufficient lands and wealth.

Commoners

The everyday folk of Waejir range from rich merchants, through guildsmen, craftsmen, fishermen, and farmers to the urban poor. In rural areas many farmers are little more than peasants working the lands of some noble family in exchange for a small garden plot, a cottage, and a share of the produce they help grow.

Slavery

In Waejir slavery is an open and common practice, originating in the days of the seven cities when thralls were captured in war and forced into servitude. One can become a slave by choice, effectively selling themselves and gifting the profit from such sale to a person of their choosing. Every town large enough to support a regular market has a slaver's block where slaves are auctioned.

Being a slave in Waejir isn't as bad as it may seem on the outset. Many slaves are specialists and highly skilled or educated in their fields. While a slave lacks the rights of any common citizen there are still a few rights afforded to all Waejirans.

• Slaves must be allowed to attend temple services appropriate to their chosen patron deities.
• Slaves may marry (another slave) and have children, however the children are born slaves and are the property of the slaves mother's owner.
• Slaves may own property, with the permission of their owner, although this is often a contentious issue.

Slaves can be granted their freedom through a legal process by their owner, and a significant number of the lower ranks in the Waejiran military are slaves; whom can earn their freedom through service.

Vocanei

In Waejir there are beast-folk whom are highly intelligent bipeds. While they are sapient, they are bred and controlled like prize animals, and exclusive to the wealthy and elite. Vocanei are treated as less than slaves, but oft time better than simple beasts of burden and labour, in part due to their intelligence. Their breeding and training in tightly restricted by the Breeders Guild, and owning one is a sign of status, usually reserved for the nobility, or those favoured by a patron noble.

Family

Often the family stay in the same home. multiple generations living in one house, mutually supporting the entire lot. Moving out usually only happens when their either too many people, or work requires moving to another part of the city, or an even greater distance.

Orphans

Orphans are generally taken in by more distant family members when possible. Failing that, several of the temples will take in orphans to raise and train in the particular temple's faith. Some others will remain on the streets as homeless children, exploited or ignored as the dregs of society often are. criminal gangs will sometimes take in a few orphans who show talent in pick-pocketing, or burglary, even just using the kids as lookouts.

Ceremonial

Birth

New born children in Waejir are taken to the temple of Silat shortly after their birth, before they are named. The priests/priestesses will examine the child for defects or congenital deformities. Healthy babes go home with their parents, while the misshapen or deformed are given to the temple of Silat in Waejir, for polite and proper disposal in the eyes of the gods.

Age

There are a few significant birthday anniversaries in Waejiran culture:

• 5th: On a child's fifth birthday they are usually given a set of tools appropriate to their parent's profession. They are not at an age appropriate for full training as an apprentice, but are considered a child and no longer a baby. This is the age of education beginning for those who's parents can afford tutors or academies. The nobility will gift their children with their own companion Vocanei at this age.
• 10th: Upon reaching ten years of age, a child in Waejir is expected to begin training in earnest. Be that as an apprentice in a trade, or earning a living as a labourer. Nobility will foster their children out to cousins or political allies at this age; also formal education and tutoring takes on a more serious and directed approach.
• 15th: upon reaching fifteen years a waejiran is considered an adult, and begins to take on responsibilities appropriate to their new status. Formal educations may continues for another 5 or more years depending on the trade one is pursuing. It is also considered the age at which citizens of Waejir may be considered marriageable. Nobles may have betrothed their children prior to this age, but a formal marriage may not occur or be considered right in the eyes of the law and the gods before both spouses are at least fifteen years of age. Adults are expected to have families of their own, pay taxes, and be upstanding contributors to Waejiran society as a whole.

Adulthood

Puberty usually occurs between the 10th and 15th year. It isn't a cause for any public change in social status, and there isn't much of a stigma towards "late bloomers", other than possibly delaying marriage and childbirth for young women.

Death

Corpses are burnt on ceremonial pyre at the temple of Neithur. This releases their soul to be reclaimed by Silat who will find it a new body to be reborn in. In event of mass death the bodies may be burnt in less formal conditions and not brought to temple in order to ensure timely release of the soul. Family and relatives may perform a small rite in abstention for people for whom their corpse was never found or otherwise unrecoverable. There is also a ceremonial event where priests of Neithur collect any lost souls to assist their transition.

Fashion

Tatoos

Not generally used for fashion in Waejir. Membership in a guild or being a slave involves being tattooed with a mark on the nape of the neck designating one's affiliation to a Specific Guild or Noble House. As such, laws dictating socially acceptable hair length for various strata of society exist to easily spot a persons guildmark or slavemark. Only the nobility may wear their hair past their shoulders, but often wear it in a up style to avoid confusion.

Leisure Activities

Gossip

In Waejir there are designated walls for graffiti that serve as public notice boards. There is a layered double meaning of symbols and words which is readable by those trained in the secret language, this open sharing of veiled information is a curiosity utilized by the nobility to share information with others who they can't contact through more mundane or direct means for fear of causing a scandal.

Time

Timekeeping

The Waejiran Empire counts in WR (Waejiram Reckoning) from the date of the empire's founding 1257 years ago.

Timeline

The first emperor, Dractius Waejiros united the seven cities that were in the region under a single banner, and established the High Nobles as royalty above the Nobles which ruled in the cities