Riedran
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Masculine names
Family names
Family is downplayed in Riedra: loyalty to the nation is more important than any bond of blood. As such, Riedrans do not use surnames. If additional identification is required, a Riedran gives the name of his village or, if he lives in a bastion city, the ward he resides in.
The Inspired often choose to keep an aspect of their Chosen host's name; when Julaan is inspired by Gatesh, he might take the name Julgatesh. However, this practice varies from spirit to spirit, and is always the choice of the quori. Inspired attached to the Dreaming Dark sometimes adopt kalashtar names as a way of mocking their prey.
The use of double vowels is traditional in many parts of Riedra. In the Riedran language, it is typical for both vowels to be given a distinct sound; a Riedran pronounces "Lhazaar" as a three-syllable word. However, most of the people of Khorvaire are unfamiliar with this custom and simply extend the vowel sound.
Other names
Male Inspired:
Alharad, Duralan, Dulateth, Farashan, Jolorath, Laneth, Laramesk, Moshakel, Malukath, Murakhal, Orakhun, Shoralath, Surasek, Torakhun, Xuratesh, Zorashan.Female Inspired:
Adashara, Daralashtai, Halatavi, Joradhuna, Kashanshara, Morasha, Naldhuna, Olashtai, Sharadhuna, Sharaktavi, Tantashar, Tirashana, Torali, Tureya, Xushila.Culture
Shared customary codes and values
The common folk of Riedra live ascetic lives. A Riedran must focus every moment on mastering his assigned profession, giving no thought to luxury, vanity, or comfort. On the other hand, the Chosen and the Inspired live in a different world, a world touched by the alien aesthetics of Dal Quor.
The Inspired have sought to create a unified culture, but faint echoes of the old kingdoms remain. Accent and manner often provide hints to national origin. Furthermore, the varying climates of the provinces call for different clothing and have led to differences in style.
Common Dress code
The average Riedran dresses in black, white, or brown clothing. While simple and functional, these garments are often adorned with intricate altsen patterns. Colors carry social implications. Green cloth is reserved for agents of the Thousand Eyes. Orange and yellow are set aside for elite soldiers of the Harmonious Shield. Purple is reserved for the Chosen (or the Inspired). Blue and red are the colors of the Inspired.
Riedran commoners do not wear jewelry or use cosmetics; people are encouraged not to stand out from the crowd. Commoners often wear veils and head cloths, both to provide protection from the sun during long days in the fields and to de-emphasize the importance of personal appearance.
The Chosen and the Inspired are expected to dress in a manner that honors their elevation from the masses; they wear elaborate gowns and robes covered with colorful altsen patterns traced in shining thread. The Inspired often wear sentira accessories, especially armor and headdresses.These curved coverings and horned crowns of glass often add to the strange, alien beauty of the Inspired.
Art & Architecture
Art
The most wondrous works of art produced in Riedra are sentira sculptures. Sentira is a product of psychic magic—in essence, emotion given form. Shapers create mosaics of sentira shards; the patterns are often dizzying and strange, but each piece carries a powerful emotional charge. Sentira works are solely produced by the Inspired and the Chosen. All bastions have emotional parks, where people meditate around the sentira patterns to purge their own emotions.
Creativity is discouraged among the commoners, and crafts emphasize function over form. One exception is a practice known as altsen (spirit writing). This takes the form of embroidery or engraving, featuring complex patterns of lines similar to a maze or labyrinth. Altsen designs are often used as a focus for meditation or placed on the hem of clothing; common belief holds that evil spirits can be trapped in the patterns, protecting the wearer from temptation. Altsen carpets and tapestries are breathtaking, and merchants in Stormreach have been trading in Sarlonan textiles for centuries.
Another common artistic effort in Riedra is crystal and glassware. Although such creations are primarily functional, the smooth contours of Riedran glasswork are noteworthy. Many people appreciate the novelty of a crysteel glass that won't shatter when it is dropped.
Storytelling and song are an important part of the daily life of most Riedrans. However, both arts are formulaic and mired in tradition, and always revolve around tales of the Unification, the glory of the Inspired, or the Path of Inspiration. Foreigners usually find them tedious and repetitive.
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