Imujin

"Magic bends the will of the world to those who are willing to practice but research can make a wizard of the common man and in their lies our power"

Taewang Hu Yujin

The Imujin are the people of Imūgi who live within the island continent of Renmin. The Imujin are a fair people who value science and study over other pursuits granting intelligence a high position in society. Despite the tensions between them the Imujin share many elements in common with the Wu who for periods of history imposed puppet rulers or demanded tribute of Imūgi.

Naming Traditions

Family names

Imujin family names tend to be short one syllable names that are placed before the first name when spoken.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

The Imujin are keenly scholastic people who enjoy a near 100% literacy and numeracy rate even amongst the peasants. This has created a society far more meritocratic than their neighbours where social mobility is closely tied to a families educational connections. The Imujin do not value one school of learning above others however and a farmer who uses their knowledge to enhance their crop yield is considered as valuable as an alchemist who creates a new cannon to defend against the Wu.
The Imujin also observe strong filial customs with families often living in the same compound leaving only on marriages to other families. Even amongst the commoners these 'compounds' can be found in clustered homes where the elderly care for the children and the adults bring home wealth shared amongst all. Elderly citizens are regarded with great respect within Imuji life and are called 'grandfather' or 'grandmother' by all residents of a village as a term of respect.
Many towns are run by gerontocracy whose wisdom is supported by statements and advice from those more academically trained. The elderly are also responsible for chronicling new discoveries and maintaining the town library from which they may continue their own education.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Imujin are noted for their youthful appearance and round soft faces. They tend to lack heavy muscular growth moving towards a more athletic and dexterous build which better supports their scholastic lifestyles. The Imujin are considered very beautiful by the other kingdoms of Renmin and women of noble households are often sought out as much for the technological dowries provided as the beauty and elegance of the partner.

Gender Ideals

The Imujin favour intelligence in male and female citizens offering them the same opportunities to develop themselves when promise is shown. Women are acknowledged as child bearers and actively discouraged from pursuing families if they show significant academic promise in fear of complications of childbirth. 
The Imujin also practice the use of Eunuch's who are most often those of little academic value sold into the role by their impoverished families. Eunuch's are considered agendered and referred to as they when spoken to acting as the primary source of early child rearing in most noble and academic courts. Eunuchs also fulfill the roles of domestic servants bound to a single owner after whose passing they are most often granted a swift execution.

Courtship Ideals

Imujin marriages are most often secured long before the meeting of those involved with love marriages being a rare occurrence and often frowned upon my society. 
The first step of courtship comes in the agreements of the patriarch or matriarch of a family, sometimes before the birth of children, other times at the child's coming of age. An early marriage contract consists of an agreement of a dowry, a place for the new couple to reside and the prospects they might enjoy from the union of the families. This early agreement will include provisional names, if born, or notes on who the contract will entail and for measures if one of the proposed becomes ineligible. 
Once agreed and when the two come of age a meeting ceremony is organised where the betrothed are able to spend time together under the purview of their families. If the betrothed are children they will often be placed in subsequent shared education paths with joint tutors and areas of study. This often includes one of the pair being taken as a ward by the family they marry into fostering a stronger union between the families. Where they are already of age the pair will usually work together for a period of up to a year to ensure the match is appropriate.
Once the time comes for their union a grand wedding ceremony is celebrated including a feast and often a rigorous debate over the pressing matters of Imūgi. The final step of the ceremony is the bedding where the couple engage in sexual reproduction for the first time. In noble households a eunuch is often present at the start of this to observe the process and grant confirmation to the parties that the wedding has been made official.

Related Organizations

• Joseon Order