Aeillan (Ilosi) (/ ɪlosi /)
Ίλοςι
The Ilosi is an ethnic grouup of humans, belonging to the Aeillan family of ethnic groups. They hail from the Ilos River watershed, and in particular, the northern parts of the Ilos valley close to the Regnum Cyrenica. The Ilosi are, as a result, more heavily influenced by the Cyrenic dwarves than are other Aeillan ethnic groups, and indeed their trading with Cyrenica gave them an edge in the formation of their civilization that many believe allowed them to subdue the rest of the Aeillan region, and indeed become the most widely spread, if not the most populous of the Aeillan ethnicities.
The Ilosi are fairly significantly influenced by the culture of the Regnum Cyrenica borrowing a lot more loan words than other Aeillans from the Cyrenic language, as well as favoring a more Cyrenic system for naming their children than the traditional Aeillan naming system that has its roots in ancient Yulan-Tai period custom. They also have a reputation for being more stoic, cold, and prudish than other Aeillans, as well as being stricter in custom.
The Ilosi place a lot of value in education, good speaking, and civic virtue, and as a result developed many cultural and political institutions more early than other Aeillan states, which enabled them to rapidly conquer large swathes of territory, as well as a certain sense of justice allowing for a relatively peaceful transition of governance. This has resulted in them earning a reputation as empire builders, and kingly rulers, at least among other Aeillans. The cultural values of militarism, and willingness to enslave large populations have earned a somewhat different reputation in places attacked and raided for captives by the Ilosi.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Feminine and Masculine names are quite similar, though feminine names tend to end in vowel suffixes, mostly -a, sometimes -eo, and rarely -e Common feminine names include:
Gaia, Lucia, Marciana Publiana, Quintana, Titiana, Ilosia, Sparthica, Tyra, Sextana, Aula, Decimana, Gnaea, Spuriana, Maniana, Serviana, Appia Numeriana, Vibia
Masculine names
Feminine and Masculine names are quite similar, though masculine names tend to end in consonant suffixes, most commonly -an or -us . Common masculine names include:
Acilian, Valerian, Lucian, Marcus, Quintianus, Ilosian, Sparthacian, Tyrian, Sextanian, Vipsan, Aurelian, Decimanian, Ulpian, Publian, Licianian, Vibian, Hadrian, Caius, Pilatus, Domitian, Julian
Family names
The Ilosi have a tripartite naming structure, and two of these are familial. The first of a persons' names is their father's given name if a son, in the feminine form if a daughter. The second name is the person's given name. The third is also a familial name, often based on a traditional family profession, or a perceived trait when the family was formally founded, though certain extremely prestigious families had their names established through great events, or names of famous people in the family. Family names are passed down based on prestige with wives often coming from more prestigious families than husbands.
Common family names include:
Alba, Agricola, Bassa, Camillus, Dolabella, Flava, Maro, Piso, Vitula
In common usage, people will use the given name and the family name in that order, with the father's name either dropped, or abbreviated.
Other names
Ilosi lack conventionally unisex names, and as a result those who do not identify as, strictly speaking, being men or women, typically use a given name of the opposite gendered ending of the patrilineal name. In very recent times, such persons have adopted a unisex nominal suffix, -ax, or -ex, though this adoption is still relatively speaking rare outside the Ilos valley itself.
Exceptional individuals who achieve some great deed, or very rarely, reach some great rank in their lifetime often given a fourth name, often third after the given name. usually tied to the achievement or position that granted them their name in the first place, with the most noteworthy of these being the Imperial Dynasties of the Aeillan Empire which traditionally granted the fourth name Basil, or Basila for example: Sextana Hadriana Basila Rauros.
Culture
Shared customary codes and values
The Ilosi tend to be more obsessed with what they consider "honorable" than other Aeillans. Generally, behaviors that are considered honorable include marital fidelity (with certain exceptions), honesty, and civic responsibility. People are generally expected to do their duty, tell the truth (expect as a matter of military strategy), and maintain their relationships in good faith. Transgressions of these simple values are, at best considered gauche, with egregious or repeated violations being considered outright dishonorable The Ilosi place a great deal of import on familial honor, and those that engage in dishonorable behavior are considered to be dishonoring their entire family name. Those who repeatedly engage in such behaviors often find themselves disowned.
Common Etiquette rules
The Ilosi place a higher value than other Aeillan ethnic groups on good manners, and are, as a general rule careful speakers, cool headed, and slow to anger. They can come off as cold to peoples from other less stoic cultures. Ilosi peoples tend to bow fairly deeply when greeting each other formally, and slightly when greeting casually. It is common practice for Ilosi people to confirm that they have heard what another is saying by saying "as you say" if they have nothing to contribute on their own.
Common Dress code
Coming from cooler climates than their Spartharoi and Tyroi counterparts, Ilosi people tend to have stricter dress codes than the Aeillan norm. Clothing is expect to cover most of the body, and especially erogenous zones. The sexualized parts of the body (thighs, genitals, and chest for me, thighs, genitals, and lower neck for women) are expected to be covered at nearly all times with public exposure of those parts considered highly scandalous.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Traditional masculine Ilosi Beauty favors charm, pride, and strength. Lean, athletic body types being favored over others. Comparatively thick body hair, and thick, well groomed facial hair are favored for Ilosi men, along with a generally medium, olive skin complexion (typically on the ligher side of the olive spectrum), dark hair, and dark, or rarely grey eyes being seen as desirable. The most sexualized parts of Ilosi men include genitals, pectorals, and thighs. Ilosi men are expected to pair their athletic, well groomed bodies with wit and charm, are expected to be skilled conversationalists, and among the elite excellent rhetoricians.
Traditional feminine Ilosi beauty favors grace, intelligence, and glamour. Lean athletic body types are generally the most favored in Ilosi women. Soft, well managed body hair is favored over either no hair, or thicker coarser hair, with slightly paler skin than the masculine preferred, along with black hair, and dark, or rarely gray eyes. The most sexualized parts in Ilosi femininity are the genitals, neck, and thighs. Ilosi women, much like Ilosi men are ideally well educated, and skilled conversationalists exuding intelligence and wit to engage in intellectual sparring with other women, and their male counterparts.
Gender Ideals
Ilosi masculinity is ideally one of strength, intelligence, and wit. Ilosi men are expect to keep themselves in shape, generally with the expectation that they may sometimes be required to defend their nation from outside incursion. Feats of strength are to be simultaneously competitive and cooperative, with sporting competitions and mutual aid for the development of local communities. In the intellectual realm, Ilosi men are expected to be effective speakers, and particularly among the upper classes, capable of enaging in intellectual debate with other Ilosi men, as well as keeping a cool head in stressful situations, and quick thinking. Ilosi men are expected to be present fathers, actively helping with the education of older children,and being a firm yet fair hand in childrearing.
Ilosi femininity favors grace, intelligence, and charity. Ilosi women do engage in competitive sport, though not to the same extent as men, and among the lower classes, helping with construction and other physical activities is expected of women as well as men. Intelligence and charm are likewise important traits, with women being often being trained in, at least the basics of rhetoric and public speaking, and many take up music instruments as well. Ilosi women, though not quite the equals of men in traditional social circles, are generally allowed, and indeed encouraged to be capable, and at least, semi-independent members of the community in their own right. Ilosi women as mothers are expected to be active in raising children, at least after their infancy, though many wealthy Ilosi hire or have as slaves, wetnurses to raise the youngest children.
Those who are served by the strictures of neither traditional gender role often form their own fusion of gender ideals, to variable responses from more traditionally living members of Ilosi communities.
Relationship Ideals
Generally, relationships are long term affairs with pairs of men and women, and their own blood or adopted children forming the core of families. Upon reaching old age, grandparents will typically live with their eldest children, helping raise children. These heterosexual pairings are generally expected to be monogamous. Ilosi men are however allowed to take a male lover (or a ninbianary one). Women are generally discouraged from this, however, among the more permissive lower classes, married women are allowed to seek out the romantic partnership of other women or nonbianary persons.
Major organizations
Ilosi Aeillans are the dominant force in most of the central Aeillan region, with the Ilosi successor states tending to be the wealthiest and most powerful in Aeilla. The Ilosi are also traditionally over-represented in the ruling classes of the rest of the Aeilla. Outside of the Aeillan region, Ilosi peoples have migrated into the southernmost reaches of the Nabari Plateau, the Terruk Steppes, Cyrenica, Qua'Hadar, Gallaca, and Elleryca with many marrying into powerful foreign dynasties among the human nations they find themselves in due in large part to political alliancemaking.
Ilosi Man and Woman by Javak
Parent ethnicities
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Recommended DnD (5e) Traits:
Note: These are rough guidelines, and not strict rules for those wishing to roleplay as Ilosi Aeillans.If using Getninia Human
• +1 to Charisma, +1 to Dexterity• Proficiency in Deception, Insight, or Persuasion
• Recommended Feats: Blade Master, Diplomat, Empathic, Inspiring Leader, Martial Adept, Menacing, or Silver Tongued
