Netherese

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Netherese and Loross.
Netherese was the established draconic script that was used by the majority of the Netherese Empire. It was the primary language of Low Netheril, but also spoken by the commoners of High Netheril. Being spoken by a majority of the Netherese Empire, each region had it's own dialect and patterns of speech.
Loross was the "refined language" spoken by members of the High Netherese elite and nobility. It was more fanciful of a script, with less harsh sounds than that of the Netherese language.

Average technological level

Peak of the ancient world, with magical technology still not rivaled thousands of years later.

Common Etiquette rules

Both

• After each meal, the Netherese would wash their hands and mouth with napkins and special cloth
• Toilets and bathhouses were popular social hang-out spots

Low Netheril

• One should speak with respect for someone of High Netheril as much as a local leader or commander
• Being a little less cleaned up was fine as long as you remained true to your word
• Clerics were to be respected, if not feared, much like other mages
• Rise at dawn, work, then sleep at dusk.

High Netheril

• One would interact with everyone at a feast that they hosted
• While fights could happen at a feast, no one was able to kill the host in their own home
• Leftovers of feasts were swept away to feed Low Netherese workers in the cities or for their slaves.

Common Dress code

High Netheril

• Fine garments
• Expensive jewelry
• Fine fabric headscarves for women of significant stature

Low Netheril

• No one really gave a damn, but put together enough to not seem like a barbarian

Art & Architecture

Highly respected in Ancient Netheril, with many sculptures and songs being produced. While most art was made in Low Netheril, prised works were often bought by High Netherese nobles and touted as their own. Some significant artisans were elevated from Low Netheril to High Netheril through their repeated successes.
Magic was still seen as the ultimate art and was respected and prized most of all. This led to the development of a magocracy that ruled High Netheril, and by extension, Low Netheril.

Common Taboos

• One must not kill the host, no matter how much one is slighted at a feast.
• Explicit worship of Moander was considered taboo and would lead to fear and persecution of said individuals by their community.
• One must never talk back to someone of greater societal position, this was very important for Low Netherese interacting with High Netherese.
• One must not use magic to distort value, the punishment is either loss of freedom or loss of life.
• One must respect one's family, familicide is heavily tabooed 

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Symmetry and harmony were idealized, with beautiful bodies being proportioned in shape, limbs, and face.
For women, this translated into a small, thin, but robust constitution with narrow shoulders, pronounced hips, wide thighs, and small breasts. Many in the High Netherese part of society often had large almond-shaped eyes, a sharp nose, medium-sized mouth and ears, oval cheeks and chin, with smooth pale skin being appreciated most of all. Women are expected to shave their bodies.
Men in Netheril would aspire for a tall, muscled, and toned frame with long, strong legs and a tanned tone of the skin. Members of the High Netheril elite would prize pale skin sometimes, especially if they were a mage. The ideal face would be a high and broad forehead with wide eyes, a strong nose, a powerful jaw, and asymmetric shape. All Netherese desired strong and thick hair, with curled black strands of hair considered very handsome. In Low Netheril, being blond was seen as having connections with the elves, and was sought after. Beards were held by the more rugged of men, but always kept propper to avoid looking like "barbarians."

Gender Ideals

The Netherese society was inherently patriarchal, with men occupying the high positions of society. While some women of High Netheril held political sway, few garnered this much respect.
Men had different gender ideals depending on the society they were part of. High Netherese men wanted to expand their political power, gain magical power, and use their superior charm and status to advance in society. Without these resources, men of Low Netheril sought to gain political influence as part of their legion of soldiers. Mages were highly respected in both societies, with battlemages occupying the position of general, garnering renown in both societies of Netheril.
Women had it a little different. While expected to be homemakers, women were truly endeared for using their charm to rise in social positions. This could mean marrying rich, becoming a well-known artisan, or even gaining magical power through deals. While men would push for the advancement of their sphere of influence, women were tasked with strengthening the sphere of influence from within, especially in High Netheril.

Courtship Ideals

Marriages were sometimes for love, mostly for political gain. While High Netheril followed this line of thought more than Low Netheril, it still applied to both areas.
Men wanted to use their societal position to marry a woman from a fine family. This could be for political, economic, or magical gain. Men from Low Netheril hoped to marry someone from High Netheril so that they could enter that society and embrace its privileges. Men from High Netheril used political marriages to advance their position past their rivals
With marriage came the influence of one's partner, and women of High Netheril would seek out mages, nobles, and other high-ranking officials to embrace the wealth and privileges that they would get in the society. Women of High Netheril would very rarely marry outside of their society for this reason. Although shunned from the society in comparison to men, they married for love less than men, even more so in High Netherese society.

Relationship Ideals

A relationship should be a partnership where both parties involved assisted each other in their respective goals and advanced as one.

Related Organizations

• Netheril