Brasiite
Brasiites are citizens of the civilization of Brasi. The broad Brasiite ethnicity can be divided into two large categories: city Brasiites who live within the walls of one of the great city-states and dune Brasiites who live outside the walls.
Naming Traditions
Family names
Brasiite names vary widely depending on the history of the individual, but there are a few common patterns. Most family names originate from professions or roles in society as defined in Old Brasiite. This can include
- Draifurmp /ˈdɹaɪfɜːmp/
- Trabed /tɹæbd/
- Snanch /snɑːnʧ/
- Bloik /blɔɪk/
- Yethlertsadsed /jɛˈθlɛɹtsædst/ (Guardian)
- Veenaipmei /viːˈnaɪpmeɪ/ (Crafter)
- Toimdaipmei /tɔɪmˈdaɪpmeɪ/ (Seller)
Other names
Brasi uses the {personal names} {family names} name structure, usually derived from Old Brasiite. Most people have two personal names, one for family and one for everyone else.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Brasiites speak Common as a primary language. A particularly pious Brasiite might speak some liturgical Modern Celestial, but not enough for conversational fluency. Old Brasiite is taught to the highly educated so that they can study and understand the historical poetry and epics.
Culture and cultural heritage
According to On the Nature of Culture, Brasi is about a 6 or 7 on the scale of low to high context culture.
Shared customary codes and values
Piety is important across Brasi, so virtually all Brasiite are raised in a highly religious environment. The theological authorities of the Celestial pantheon, the most organized faith, reside in Brasi in the holy city-states. There are minor cults for the Cyclical pantheon. While tolerated, the Cyclical cults are looked down upon as a lesser faith.
Common Etiquette rules
Hospitality is very essential to Brasiites, so the rules of hospitality are central. There are numerous poems of heroes wandering the land in disguise, injured after defending the sacred cities, and taken in by a lowly family. This kindness to a stranger saved the heroes and, in turn, helped save the cities. The mentality of respecting strangers in need of safety is only reinforced by piety for Laetha, the moon of hospitality.
Priests, clerics, and shrine attendants are respected in society. Most high priests are considered spiritual community leaders and have almost as much influence as politicians in the cities. For most petty matters, it is considered uncouth to openly dissent against the church and its representatives. In proper environments, like a trafarsyults (/ˈtɹæfæɹzjuːlts/ , place of lessons in Old Brasiite) or a stoa, dissent and debate is encouraged. This is a recurring theme for a Brasiite -- expected behavior is heavily dependent on the environment around a person.
Art & Architecture
Brasiite architecture is tall, bold, and significant. Brasiite quarries have produced a predigious amount of pale yellow, orange, and pink marble, which was used in massive projects. Most grand temples are made with similar architecture -- large, sloped walls with stained glass and ornate murals carved on both the inner and outer layers.
Brasiite visual art features a stylized image of sentients featuring eyes that always point towards the audience, even when the body is turned to the side. Most long-term art projects are carved murals in marble brick, painted in bright color. The lammasu, a type of regal androsphinx, is a common symbol of protection and statues of the lammasu flank many entries and doorways. Most families have a small lammasu statue they keep to ward the dark gaze of a dæmon.
Brasiite oral traditions are centered around operatic recitations of grand epics passed down by generations in the traditional language of Old Brasiite. The epics, poems, and tales crucial to the oral tradition are frequently taught in depth, especially to women.
Coming of Age Rites
When a sentient enters adolescence (about 13 years old in a human's lifespan), they are encouraged to participate in a celebration of their maturity and moral independence. In a ceremony under a celestial priest, the young sentient shows their growing wisdom and moral education by reciting selected poems and reaffirming their piety to the Celestial pantheon.
When a sentient leaves adolescence and enters adulthood, they show their community the strength of their moral character. In a similar ritual as an adolescent, the adult sponsors a ceremony overseen by a celestial priest but also featuring a massive feast the adult patronizes. The party celebrating this adulthood concludes with a poem the adult selects that deeply reflects their spiritual journey so far or, more ideally, presents a poem the young adult wrote.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Brasiites treat funerals as a deeply religious event in the community. The grieving immediate family recite a dirge, cloaked in brilliant white fabric and wearing white veils. The body is wrapped in a simple white cotton sheet, then burned in a irm kifedyults (/ɪɹm kɪftjuːlts/ , pyre funeral site in Old Brasiite, which is a building maintained by cyclical priest who manage the funeral pyre and sanctify the remains). The community attends to show support to the family, who will then select a passage from an epic or a poem they feel represents or encapsulates the dead's memory. At the end of the funeral, the family will tear their white veils in grief, then begin a march back to their home. There, they will grieve for seven days (one for each of the Celestial gods and one for each of the Cyclical gods). On the seventh day, they reenter the community and begin to create a memorial statuette (usually about one flul tall) over the course of the following year. After the year is concluded, they reveal the statuette to the community and store it in the local temple so the memory of the dead persist as their soul completed the journey into a new life.
Common Taboos
Brasiites, being deeply observant to the Celestial pantheon (and, to a lesser extend, the Cyclical pantheon), hold the sanctity of life, death, and rebirth highly. Resurrection magic (beyond something as swift as revivify) are rarely performed. Much of arcane magic is poorly understood and mistrusted, so it can be seen as an embarrassment when a child pursues arcane studies without the framework of Corserei theology.
Necromancy is a significant taboo, as is trying to find the reborn soul of a loved one.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Brasiites have a slow-moving fashion culture. In general, painted eyes (of all genders) are attractive, as is lustrous and well-groomed hair in fine braids. Grooming is a staple of a "beautiful" person -- well kept nails, hair, eyes, and skin. Scars are considered unattractive, as are blemishes.
Since hair is tied to beauty, there is a strong culture of using wigs to have perfectly crafted hair.
Gender Ideals
In general, there are two primary genders in Brasi: male and female.
Men are associated with strength, determination, and patience. They are expected to have strong, healthy physiques and grow thick beards. The male ideal is reinforced with historical poetry related to religious heroes who were pious, strong, and virtuous.
Women are associated with intelligence, cleverness, and emotion. They are expected to be physically weaker than men and not work in a physically demanding job -- callouses are considered unfeminine in the upper class. Women are often educated higher than men are and are well taught on matters of history and ethics.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship is a long process for a Brasiite. Courtship begins with announcing interest to the prospective mate and their family, followed by feats of skill (construction, hunting, craft, cuisine, etc.) to prove worth. When the mate and their family heads (usually the parents) accept the courtier, the two exchange finely crafted rings worn on the left middle finger to show intent of betrothal. Once a wedding is completed, a second ring is added to the right middle finger.
Relationship Ideals
The ideal relationship is between a man and a woman and to have plenty of children. It is possible for there to be a same-sex relationship, but it is expected to be transient and for the two people to eventually form a relationship with the opposite sex.
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
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