Michael Morris
First Post
"How is as important as why, and often more so." - Telsindria.
One of the pervasive threads which binds the whole human population of Telzoa together are their customs. While most of these are religious in nature, all of them are highly important to the people of Telzoa. Players are alike are asked to sit up and take not - some of these quirky behaviors are what truly sets the Telzoans apart from us and they help to define their world. Here are a few, in no particular order.
One of the pervasive threads which binds the whole human population of Telzoa together are their customs. While most of these are religious in nature, all of them are highly important to the people of Telzoa. Players are alike are asked to sit up and take not - some of these quirky behaviors are what truly sets the Telzoans apart from us and they help to define their world. Here are a few, in no particular order.
- Bowing / Curtseying: A full bow or curtsey is performed when entering or leaving the presence of a king, further all present bow or curtsey as the king rises or sits. The degree of severity of the move reduces as the nobles' rank decreases - by the time one is dealing with a knight or esquire a simple nod of the head will suffice. One also bows and curtseys to their dance partners.
- Sitting: No one may sit in the presence of a king in his throne room. In other social situations involving nobles no one sits until the highest noble present sits down. Commoners may not sit at a noble table unless invited, further this invitation must come from the highest ranking noble present. Not surprisingly this individual is seated at the head of the table.
- Temples: A full bow or curtsey is done to the center of the main worship chamber, or the idol therein before entering it or leaving it. Higher-ranking priests are to be treated as nobility, being bowed to. One does not rise after bowing to a high priest until commanded to do so.
- On Guard!: This is to be shouted before a chamber pot is to be emptied into the street (so duck for cover when you hear it or risk being drenched by unspeakable materials).
- Weapons: Only nobles and those they designate have the right to bear arms - and in any event blades cannot be showing. Fines and the confiscation of the weapon are the usual punishment for breaking this code. Within cities the penalty can be more severe.
- Dress: In Hone Rae women working in the fields and orchids can go topless without incident. On extremely hot days elsewhere in Telzoa this will occasionally occur, but this is a rural - by no means an urban - custom.
- Prostitution is not only legal, but a somewhat accepted vocation within most of Telzoa, depending on the attendant clientele. This is a primary point of contention between the two most popular branches of the Telzoan religion, Aurnon and Rizaldi.
- Five is a significant number to Telzoans. Things that occur in groups of five are considered lucky. If suitor seeks to please the courted he'd be advised to give five roses.
- Nine, on the other hand, is an unlucky number in Telzoa. Part of this might stem from the number being one short of ten, although one Creanian priest argued that the number signified treachery and corruption of the highest order since it could always reappear after being multiplied (i.e. 3x9=27, the digits of which 2+7=9)
- Left Handed: Being left handed is something of a minor curse in Telzoa as one must be careful not to fall into a number of superstitions held by Telzoans related to left hands - like offering to shake hands with the left - which signifies treachery or ill will for the host. Curiously, some 85% of elves are left handed - and this has more than a few superstitions attached to it as well.
