They call us savages, they look down us, and they beat us to the ground. But Rauhir is the home of all of humanity, and it will be the end of all humanity. We are a proud people and nothing will change the way we are. You may not understand us, you may not like us, but it matters not. United, we stand stronger than the desert wind.
Naming Traditions
Hakridostalok, Tlikanamaka, Satarinrali, Namnolaten
Mikrasentalen, Nmeritolderi, Patkilanras, Sorintokalsan
Tkanmirakaj, Alanmada, Sratalitan, Kanatil'kanse, Rtakedonmarhe
Culture
Rauhi is the main language, but there are a myriad of dialects and variations. Each Northern tribe in the
Republic of Rauhir has its own dialect of
Rauhiri. The Southern dialect spoken by the large land owners is usually what foreigners consider
Rauhi.
Technology and innovation is prized among Rauhiri people. Knowledge is considered sacred, and so the technological levels among the Rauhiri people are some of the highest in all of the Haela.
It is considered very rude to wear shoes inside so they are removed before entering a house, tent or structure. Hospitality is extremely important. Even if someone is one's archenemy, they are required to serve them and take care of any needs if that enemy enters one's house. Privacy is also extremely important; spying is a grave crime. Direct questions are generally considered very rude. If someone is inquiring, they say something of their self to coax out a response from the other person.
Long robes are ubiquitous. Garments are usually are without patterns, very plain to an
Aelgari eye, but dyed in vibrant colors. Heads are often covered with wrappings or hood like garments. It is not unusual to see veils as well. Everything is designed to keep the sand out and the sun from scorching skin.
In the mostly nomadic lifestyle of the Rauhiri people, a lot of architecture is temporary or moveable. However, in the trade cities and rest spots that pop up along the road, the architecture is stunning. Carved sandstone dominates the buildings, with beautiful domed roofs and brightly colored tiled walls.
When someone comes of age, their hair is braided. These braids are a sign of adulthood and of maturity. They are a source of outward facing pride.
When someone dies, a cloth is woven in the color of their family. According to tradition, the weaving of the cloth must start with a ritual blessing on the day of the death, which leads to very specialized places of worship and weaving. While the cloth is being woven, the body is entombed beneath the ground and it is considered that it is in a stage in between life and death. If it is left there, it is believed that it wanders lost, a ghost. The cloth must be finished within a week for this to be prevented.
The cloth is then soaked in oil and put on a funeral pyre. This is when the official funeral occurs. A parade carries the wrapped body from the tomb to the pyre and the family is expected to sit vigil until the funeral pyre is reduced to ashes. The rest of the funeral-goers are supposed to dance and party, to remind the family that life goes on.
This is an ancient custom, that has now become incorporated into the main Rauhiri religions such as Rauism and Spiritism, although the customs and rituals differ between the two. For instance, Rauist funeral pyres are held within the center of a Temple and each person attending is supposed to give something to the Temple for the person's soul to carry into the afterlife. Spiritist bodies are burned by rivers, and the family paints itself white in the ash.
Rauhiri people generally live in the
Republic of Rauhir. As it is a very mercantile state, however, one can find Rauhiri all across the Haela. Yet it is rare to find Rauhiri in the Eastern reaches of the
Aelgari Empire because of the extreme prejudice they face. The Rauist Temple is one of the largest organized religions among Rauhiri people. Spiritualism is not uncommon, but it is generally less of an organization and more of a personal faith. As with any other, there is also a presence of the
Black Ember Guild, operating secretly in the shadows. The parliament's many political factions generally are split by region, with fierce loyalties among their supporters.
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