Zhani

The dominant race of the branch Teviin, the zhani were born of the union of humans and true dragons in their fire aspect. Zhani possess skin tones that can be any color of the rainbow, but are most often the colors of common fire: red, yellow, orange, and blue. However, zhani skin is not a singular shade. Their pigment is dappled and wavy across their body, appearing, in some angles, to be flame frozen in motion. Their hair is often black, gray, or a smoky mixture of the two. Zhani skin is always comfortingly warm to the touch and their inner heat allows them to resist the chill of snow better than most other races on Vasahldey. However, this same inner flame burns strong and makes it difficult for a zhani to hold their breath for long periods of time.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Selsi, Zana, Fari, Affra, Ella, Heleni

Masculine names

Yor, Seffan, Heiss, Fazil, Jalim, Ali

Family names

Nobility: Oos, Suth, Fyur, Affen Commoners: Ban, Othen, Eshu, Zund

Culture

Common Etiquette rules

Zhani generally touch palms by way of greeting in order that "we may know each other's flame." This has developed into a more casual form in many places or amongst friends, often times resembling a high-five.

Common Dress code

Clothing among the zhani cultures must show at least some skin to "release one's inner flame." However, some obscure tribes cover themselves as much as possible in fear that they may actually cause a fire that damages their homes. On the flip-side, many towns do not see nudity as illegal, just rude. A curious trend that has arisen from contact with more reserved cultures is the adoption of half-shirt/crop-tops into everyday fashion. Shoes are a must everywhere except the home to prevent bringing unwanted fires.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Cremation is almost universally accepted as the proper way of making sure a zhani's soul passes on.

Common Taboos

Men zhani should never court or accept courtship from a woman with "free" hair.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Rarer skin tones are seen as more beautiful and higher class. Black hair is seen as having a clear and smokeless inner flame, which means a purer soul and thus more desirable. A well proportioned body is held as the standard of beauty, too large and your inner flame isn't strong enough, too thin and your inner flame is too greedy.

Gender Ideals

Men and women are held as equals in power but belonging to different parts of society, interpreted differently by different zhani cultures. The man is seen as holding the spark and the woman the tinder, together they make a flame of life. Some superstitions hold that if one or both partners is covered in water while engaged in creating new life, they will either be sterile or give birth to a malformed child. From this comes the insult of being "Formed wet."

Courtship Ideals

A zhani woman will signal her openness to courtship by tying an arrangement of sticks into her hair. For a zhani man to make advances on a woman with "free" hair is a social taboo. Though arranged marriages do happen, it is seen as proper to allow the woman zhani to have the final say in who she marries.

Relationship Ideals

Though monogamous, heterosexual marriages are the norm, polygamous marriages are acceptable. Homosexual relationships are treated differently depending on the zhani culture, but same-sex marriage is widely frowned upon due to being seen as incapable of "spreading the flame."

Major organizations

Kiln of the Birthing Flame: the dominant religion among the zhani.
Greater Teviin Alliance: An alliance of kingdoms and city-states under a high king, the largest governmental body on Teviin.