Bel'Sidhe
Part of the 100 Day project Day #3
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Typically named after flowers or virtues the Bel'Sidhe find appealing.
Masculine names
Named after valiant people, aspects they find honourable. Names they've found and liked. Sometimes named as part of nature.
Unisex names
Very few names are unisex for the Bel'Sidhe they're very strict on how names work and names are either masculine or feminine.
Family names
Family names are the last name of the father's line. Sometimes that name is a profession like Crofter or Farrier. Sometimes the last name is after a particularly interesting family member.
Culture
Common Myths and Legends
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Well dressed, properly mannered. Appropriate. Women wear dresses with the correct amount of lace and the proper hem. Light rouging and clear skin is considered ideal. The colour of one's skin is not something the Bel'Sidhe take into consideration as skin comes in all colours. But blemishes and poor hygiene are considered moral failings. Men are expected to be clean shaven and well kept, even if they work the fields they should maintain order once their jobs are complete.
Gender Ideals
Women are to be well mannered, soft spoken, and kind. They are nurturers and caregivers and always have a ready smile and kind word.
Men are polite and confident in their speech but they do not use their power or privilege to speak over others. It is rude and ill-mannered to be loud and raucous. Men have as many rules to follow as women but have more mobility depending on their class.
Courtship Ideals
If a man wishes to court a woman, he is to be formally introduced to the family. After they are introduced, he must seek permission from her father to begin a courtship. If he agrees, the gentlemen will then set about crafting a courting bouquet. A courting bouquet is a set of flowers and items that hold very specific meanings of what kind of courtship the gentlemen wish to pursue, what he fancies about her, and what he wishes to say about himself.
If she agrees, she accepts the bouquet and the two begin a year-long courting in which they are chaperoned to various parties and social gatherings. It is customary that any marriage proposals will happen at the yearly harvest festival that takes place in the middle of the village or city. There the gentlemen will propose with a gift of some kind, some proof that he is able to provide for her and their children. If she accepts the planning phase begins and the engagement happens over the winter months so that a spring wedding will take place.
Relationship Ideals
Although the Bel'Sidhe are very divided in many respects the most ideal relationship is a partnership between a husband and wife. She is to care for the home and he is to provide for her. While there are class distinctions that offer more restrictions, relationships work best when there is common ground.
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