Aradani
Aradani is the name given to the majority of humans who came from the Aradan Desert.
Table: Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base
Height |
Height Modifier | Base
Weight |
Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 4 ft. 9 in. | +2d10 in. | 115 lbs. | ×(2d4) lbs. |
| Female | 4 ft. 4 in. | +2d10 in. | 80 lbs. | ×(2d4) lbs. |
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Amaani, Ameera, Faraah, Hameeda, Izza, Mufliha, Raita, Sakeena, Safwa, Zakiyya
Masculine names
Aasim, Abdul Wahaab, Baasim, Faai, Fahd, Safar, Silmi, Yoosef, Zaid
Family names
al-Farah, al-Hashem, al-Jamail, al-Qazi, al-Sheikh, el-Aslam, el-Daoud, el-Galla, el-Mattar, el-Radwan, el-Sadek
Other names
Any Arabic, Persian, or Turkish name will fit an aradanic character.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
For the most part, the aradani speak aradanic, though they are all taught the common tongue in order to trade with foreigners. Each nation has its own dialect, but, for the most part, anyone speaking aradanic can understand one another.
Culture and cultural heritage
The aradani were once united under the Aradan Empire, but through infighting between the various groups as well as outside tensions, the empire splintered into the nations today. All that really remained of the empire is their adherence to Elys the Dawnfather, as, other than sand, the sun is the only thing they have in true abundance.
A few years prior, the nations of Moyya and Estrea were unified under Malik Khalid ibn Anas al Malisi, who ruled both nations under a personal union. Malik Khalid declared the new state "The Aradanic Sultanate" and has since been trying to peacefully incorporate the nations of Ashana and Nabahel in order to restore the Empire of Aradan.
A few years prior, the nations of Moyya and Estrea were unified under Malik Khalid ibn Anas al Malisi, who ruled both nations under a personal union. Malik Khalid declared the new state "The Aradanic Sultanate" and has since been trying to peacefully incorporate the nations of Ashana and Nabahel in order to restore the Empire of Aradan.
Shared customary codes and values
All of the aradani but a strong value of on communal living and survival, as the desert is a harsh place to live. Everyone must pull their weight in the community in order for it to survive. These bonds of community extend to a national level as everyone knows, the harder they work, the stronger their nation becomes, and the better it is able to protect them. Additionally, it is the community's job to ensure the survival of its members when they fall on tough times.
In addition to community, family is a strong value among the aradani. Extended families tend to live within a few minutes to each other, children are expected to ensure their parents' comfort in their later years, while the older parents, in turn, look after their grandchildren while their own children work.
In addition to community, family is a strong value among the aradani. Extended families tend to live within a few minutes to each other, children are expected to ensure their parents' comfort in their later years, while the older parents, in turn, look after their grandchildren while their own children work.
Common Etiquette rules
When introducing one's self for the first time, to anyone, it is common etiquette to incline your head to them. When one wishes to be truly respectful, typically when addressing someone of importance, in an introduction, one does a full bow, tucking their left hand into the arch of their back and doing an open-handed flourish in front of them with their right hand.
When welcoming someone into your home, the host presents them with a cup of water, takes a sip of it themselves, and then gives it to their guest. This is a demonstration of being a host willing to part with a vital resource in order to show respect to their guest. The host takes a sip to show that the water is pure and it is of a quality that they are willing to drink themselves. It is also customary among the more wealthy to ensure that food is brought to the guest being welcomed. This is traditionally bread with olive oil and date fruit.
When welcoming someone into your home, the host presents them with a cup of water, takes a sip of it themselves, and then gives it to their guest. This is a demonstration of being a host willing to part with a vital resource in order to show respect to their guest. The host takes a sip to show that the water is pure and it is of a quality that they are willing to drink themselves. It is also customary among the more wealthy to ensure that food is brought to the guest being welcomed. This is traditionally bread with olive oil and date fruit.
Common Dress code
Laborers of both genders tend to keep themselves covered completely, except for their eyes, to protect themselves from the sand and sun and only uncover their faces when they need to eat or drink, or when indoors. For the most part, everyone wears loose pants and shirts that cover the entire body, along with a headscarf, gloves, and boots. The loose clothing allows for sweat to evaporate and condense again near the body, keeping it cool. Robes and dresses are generally only worn during festivities, as it is too easy for them to get caught on things in a work site.
Among the artisan and merchant classes, as they tend to live in fixed settlements, they tend to not cover up so much, and they adorn themselves with fabrics and jewelry befitting their status. The same trend continues among the upper class and the gentry. Pants and robes or dresses are interchangeable in these classes, though artisans tend to favor pants as they are easier to move around in and won't get caught in looms or drape into furnaces. Karackan silk imported from beyond the Marendar Wastes is considered to be the richest of fabrics and only adorn those of the richest of the aradani. Even a shawl or a scarf made of karackan silk marks someone as being among the wealthy.
Among the artisan and merchant classes, as they tend to live in fixed settlements, they tend to not cover up so much, and they adorn themselves with fabrics and jewelry befitting their status. The same trend continues among the upper class and the gentry. Pants and robes or dresses are interchangeable in these classes, though artisans tend to favor pants as they are easier to move around in and won't get caught in looms or drape into furnaces. Karackan silk imported from beyond the Marendar Wastes is considered to be the richest of fabrics and only adorn those of the richest of the aradani. Even a shawl or a scarf made of karackan silk marks someone as being among the wealthy.
Art & Architecture
Due to the lack of rain in the Aradan Desert, most buildings are kept open though they all have shutters and doors to keep sand out during sandstorms. Buildings tend to be rectangular in shape with roof hatches to let out the heat and made of clay, do to the lack of lumber; this shape also allows for ease in expanding the house upward. Large buildings tend to have dome tops to create a high point for heat while it rises and openings on the dome to let heat out, this serves to keep the lower areas cool.
Another common feature of larger aradanic buildings are windcatchers or wind towers. These are tall, hollow towers that stick up above the building in order to catch the wind and direct it down into the building in order to cool it.
While there are canvas painters among the aradani, most artwork is done on earthenware or as murals as clay is abundant and the rectangular shape of the buildings, and the use of clay, allows for large, solid, blank walls. Shaped and colored glass is also a common art form as glass is largely made from sand, their most abundant resource. But one of the most sought after artworks from the aradani is their intricately-designed rugs and tapestries. Even the simplest of them can go for twenty gold pieces in Jalirûn while the most intricate and ornate can cost a hundred times that or more. Some Jalirûnian nobles even pay to host an aradani weaver while they make such works for them.
Another common feature of larger aradanic buildings are windcatchers or wind towers. These are tall, hollow towers that stick up above the building in order to catch the wind and direct it down into the building in order to cool it.
While there are canvas painters among the aradani, most artwork is done on earthenware or as murals as clay is abundant and the rectangular shape of the buildings, and the use of clay, allows for large, solid, blank walls. Shaped and colored glass is also a common art form as glass is largely made from sand, their most abundant resource. But one of the most sought after artworks from the aradani is their intricately-designed rugs and tapestries. Even the simplest of them can go for twenty gold pieces in Jalirûn while the most intricate and ornate can cost a hundred times that or more. Some Jalirûnian nobles even pay to host an aradani weaver while they make such works for them.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
The birth of a child is considered a great blessing. The birth is always aided by midwives in Eventa's service and once the child is born, they are then cleaned and blessed by a priest of Eventa. It is a very simple ceremony, but it is a special moment for the parents. A few days after the birth, once the parents have decided upon a name for the newborn, they bring the infant to the temple of Elys before dawn, where another ceremony is performed to bless the now named child as it is bathed in the dawn's light.
Coming of Age Rites
On an aradani youth's fifteenth birthday they are brought to the nearest body of fresh water before dawn and, at dawn, the youth and a priest of Elys stand knee deep in the water. The youth gets on his knees and faces the rising sun and the priest pulls a handful of water from the source and gently pours it over the youth's head. This ritual is to show before Elys that the youth is ready to work and, in His light, is named a full member of the community.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Funerals among the aradani tend to be a mournful ceremony that takes place at dusk the day after death. During the day preceding the funeral, a priest of Eventa cleans the body and prepares it for burial. The body is then brought to a family plot and close family members dig a hole in the sand. The priest of Eventa then says a prayer for the deceased to guide them into the afterlife and blesses the body so it may not rise as undead and the family members bury the body in the sand. Afterwards is a celebration of the life of the deceased; this tends to be a communal gathering hosted by close friends of the deceased. Immediate family are allowed a full week of mourning after the death of the deceased, and their widow is allowed two months. Depending on the age of the widow, they may be encouraged to remarry after four months.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Gender does not play a large part in aradani society, except in courtship. Both men and women are accepted in any position they can get themselves into. Among family units, both parents are expected to work while their parents are expected to look after the many children that are common in aradani families.
Courtship Ideals
In aradani culture, the people take example from other creatures in nature. Men are meant to impress women with their ability to provide for their mate and help her raise children that are well fed and will make upstanding and responsible members of society. In order to do so, a man must declare his intent to earn the right to court the woman, and the woman must give him an honest look. In this attempt at courtship, if a woman rejects the man, that is the last word, if she sees fit to give him another chance, then no one cares, but men fighting over a woman is considered very taboo. Women are expected to have selected their partner by the time they are twenty, since, in most places, the women have known who the eligible bachelors are since they were little as they were often raised together within the same community. Because of this, childhood friends getting married is not only common, but highly encouraged as friendship between the couple is considered a great boon to the strength of the relationship; in fact, a good number of couples have already decided to get married by the time they come of age.
After a courtship has begun, marriage follows soon after, as it is the of utmost importance for the aradani to have as many children as they can as fast as possible in order to ensure the survival of their culture. Courtships last between one and two months in order to ensure that the two can get along with one another for a significant span of time. If at any point problems arise, either of the two may go before a group of community leaders for guidance, if the issue is serious, the leaders will investigate and if they find evidence to back the claim, they will allow the plaintiff to annul the courtship.
Marriage ceremonies are public events that occur on the first day of a month and any couple that began courting at least a month prior to the ceremony may get married on that day. These ceremonies are celebrations for the whole community and is considered to be a day of rest for everyone. Festivities begin at dawn, the actual ceremonies take place at noon, and then until midnight, the festivities continue. Gifts are not given at weddings because there are numerous weddings on the same day, however, the community will always support those who struggle, despite their best efforts. Additionally, all classes get married alongside one another at these weddings and during the day of festivities, everyone partakes together from the wealthiest of merchants and nobles to the poorest of laborers. In fact, most nobles pay for the festivals themselves, even if they do not know they couples being wed.
Arranged marriages among the aradani are fairly uncommon, even amongst nobility and royalty.
After a courtship has begun, marriage follows soon after, as it is the of utmost importance for the aradani to have as many children as they can as fast as possible in order to ensure the survival of their culture. Courtships last between one and two months in order to ensure that the two can get along with one another for a significant span of time. If at any point problems arise, either of the two may go before a group of community leaders for guidance, if the issue is serious, the leaders will investigate and if they find evidence to back the claim, they will allow the plaintiff to annul the courtship.
Marriage ceremonies are public events that occur on the first day of a month and any couple that began courting at least a month prior to the ceremony may get married on that day. These ceremonies are celebrations for the whole community and is considered to be a day of rest for everyone. Festivities begin at dawn, the actual ceremonies take place at noon, and then until midnight, the festivities continue. Gifts are not given at weddings because there are numerous weddings on the same day, however, the community will always support those who struggle, despite their best efforts. Additionally, all classes get married alongside one another at these weddings and during the day of festivities, everyone partakes together from the wealthiest of merchants and nobles to the poorest of laborers. In fact, most nobles pay for the festivals themselves, even if they do not know they couples being wed.
Arranged marriages among the aradani are fairly uncommon, even amongst nobility and royalty.
Relationship Ideals
The family unit is everything to the aradani. They believe that a strong relationship between the parents serves as a good example to their children and helps them grow up into responsible adults. Because of the strong focus the aradani put on growth and family, most parents have four to seven children whom they raise with the aid of their extended family.
Because of the strong emphasis on having children, marriage between to people of the same sex just does not happen, although extra-marital relationships are not discouraged, so long as the community is not adversely affected by the affair. Because of this, most affairs between same-sex partners are out in the open and there is an agreement of some sort between the members of the affair and their spouses on boundaries. In general, no one cares about these affairs, in fact many marriages occur between a homosexual man and woman who are close friends, so they may satisfy their communal responsibilities and have children, but there is an already stated understanding of each of their actual sexual desires.
While homosexual affairs are understood and accepted, heterosexual affairs are still considered quite scandalous and can seriously hurt the reputation of those involved, especially because friendship is considered to be core foundation of a married couple.
Because of the strong emphasis on having children, marriage between to people of the same sex just does not happen, although extra-marital relationships are not discouraged, so long as the community is not adversely affected by the affair. Because of this, most affairs between same-sex partners are out in the open and there is an agreement of some sort between the members of the affair and their spouses on boundaries. In general, no one cares about these affairs, in fact many marriages occur between a homosexual man and woman who are close friends, so they may satisfy their communal responsibilities and have children, but there is an already stated understanding of each of their actual sexual desires.
While homosexual affairs are understood and accepted, heterosexual affairs are still considered quite scandalous and can seriously hurt the reputation of those involved, especially because friendship is considered to be core foundation of a married couple.
Major organizations
The aradani people are mostly from the nations of Aradanic Sultanate, Ashana, and Nabahel, and lands further east into the Aradan Desert.
Race Human
Demonym Aradanic
Regions Aradan Desert
Languages Aradanic
Hair color(s) Dark brown to black
Eye color(s) Brown
Typical build Short and slight
Average Weight 119 ‒ 275 lbs (54 ‒ 125 kg)
Average Weight 84 ‒ 240 lbs (38 ‒ 109 kg)
Demonym Aradanic
Regions Aradan Desert
Languages Aradanic
Appearance
Skin color(s) Dusky brown to tanHair color(s) Dark brown to black
Eye color(s) Brown
Typical build Short and slight
Males
Average Height 4'11" ‒ 6'5" (1.5 ‒ 2 m)Average Weight 119 ‒ 275 lbs (54 ‒ 125 kg)
Females
Average Height 4'6" ‒ 6'0" (1.4 ‒ 1.8 m)Average Weight 84 ‒ 240 lbs (38 ‒ 109 kg)
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