Holy Imperial

Naming Traditions

Family names

By race; for humans and goblinoids, these tend to honor a god or ancestor of note, or mention important natural phenomena (Sunchild, Starblessed, etc.)

Other names

Unique in the empires is the use of a familiar earned name; every citizen has a given and family name (these correspond to race names), but the given name is typically for close friends and family. Familiar names are usually derived from a character's features, accomplishments, or personality, and these can often take the form of ribbing. An elf with a short temper might be called Bull by others in his unit, or a woman with a wine-colored birthmark on her face might be called Stains. Most accept this with good humor, and bestowing such a name carries with it a connotation of respect for their stoicism. Others might just be called Fifth (for being the fifth son, fifth in their unit, whatever) or something else simple. A person may have two or three of these names, each depending on their environment at the time.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

High Goblin is the language of the land, and serves as a more refined version of the goblin spoken outside the Empire. Scholars have codified the rules of grammar and spelling to create a simple, uniform tongue that's easy to learn. Every Imperial citizen speaks it, and most people near the Empire learn it as well.
Magic and lots of scholarly works are written in Draconic, and the intellectual elite of the Empire learn this as well.

Shared customary codes and values

Imperial citizens value honor and forthrightness. Tales of their battles against the high elven Free Cities paint the latter as duplicitous and cowardly, hiding behind magic and illusion instead of meeting armies head on. One shouldn't take this to mean that Imperials are naive, however; plenty of cultural myths warn Imperial citizens that such disgraceful tactics can even come from within the Empire itself, and any citizen must remain vigilant against being made a fool.
Imperials are also religious, and this is by mandate. State holidays are mandatory but also provide feasts for citizens, and may be the only reliable source of protein for the poorer members of society. So long as citizens say a prayer to the emperor (in the True Empire) or the deity of the pontifex (Holy Empire), they are permitted to worship whomever they wish, and most citizens still celebrate local holidays. Mystery cults are also quite common, and provide the spiritually curious citizenry with a path of exploring the mystical

Average technological level

Both empires maintain sophisticated magical technology, with goblins from Needles augmenting their own goblin populations and resulting in some truly ingenious devices. Non-magical machinery can be pretty sophisticated as well, and both empires make liberal use of concrete.

Common Etiquette rules

Imperials commonly greet each other by raising their right hand, as this shows they are not holding a weapon (despite the codes of honor here, assassination is somewhat common).

Common Dress code

There are few restrictions or customs (other than the mercurial fashions of the season), though deep purple cloth is reserved for Senators, Praetorians, and the Emperor or Pontifex, due to the expense of the original dye used to acquire this color (and official clothing is made with this dye, not magic). Otherwise, clothing varies by climate; the Empire is a large place.

Art & Architecture

Goblinoids are largely imitative in their artwork, but have proven to be geniuses where architecture is concerned. Their bridges, aqueducts, and domed palaces draw admirers from around the world, even dwarves. Columns are common and are frequently decorated; though their painting and sculpture is largely derivative, goblins do compose wondrous epics, and these often get chiseled into grand columns when one can afford it.
Post-schism with the True Empire, the Holy Empire is undergoing a renaissance regarding religious artwork, and though most devout artists are still mastering or inventing techniques, the dearth of inspiring paintings and sculptures is beginning to change.
Flying buttresses have gained popularity in new buildings, the better to allow massive stained glass depictions of cultural and religious stories in this edifices.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Holidays have taken on a new importance for the Holy Empire. The Emperor's preferred trinity of deities (currently Gwyn, Ala, and Hermes, though this occasionally changes with the Emperor) receives most of the prayers and blessings in the empire, though every hamlet of more than twenty people has at least a shrine set up to a local ancestor or deity. Imperials tend to be very open about their religion and the religion of others, and not only discuss it often and freely, but derive most of their colorful epithets from religion.
On holidays, people around the empire bake Godbread, a rather unpalatable (by mortal standards) loaf containing ground bones and strong tasting flowers. Local priests or acolytes conduct a ritual to convey the bread to the gods, and the gods return a sumptuous repast for those who contributed, bonding communities to their deities more tightly. (Treat this meal as a Heroes' Feast, with dishes unique to each deity.)

Funerary and Memorial customs

One popular myth among Holy Imperials is that their gods will call upon them to awaken in this world and battle the remaining primordials and evil deities in one last struggle. When this time comes, the rising sun will raise their remains and imbue new life into them, so nearly every Imperial is buried with their feet toward the east, that they'll witness the sun first thing as they're restored to life.

Ideals

Relationship Ideals

Most marriages in the cities are arranged, and romantic love takes a backseat to respecting and honoring one's partner. Goblins are as fecund as they are irresponsible, and as a result, goblin lineages are all traced matrilinearly by necessity. A husband is expected to help care for his wife's children (and may well be the father of some) in exchange for their help in the household; for goblins, raising is more a sign of parentage than begetting. Other races don't share this particular habit (with the exception of some urban humans).