Vongchii

The dominant centaurian ethnic group of The Empire of the Silver Sun, the Vongchii derive their name from the empire’s capital city, Vongchou, even if they are not genuine residents of that city. Known for their slender upper body and squat lower body compared to other centaurs, they can sometimes be mistaken for swamptaurs by a drunken sailor, though this is not the case. They have no webbings on their hands nor broad feet, and they build ships to sail the waters, not rafts. The Vongchii hold some of the greatest minds in the world, building mighty forts, cities, dams and weapons the likes of which are unheard of elsewhere. These secrets, especially those of the weapons and spices more valuable than gold, are guarded heavily though from the nations to their west.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Brea, Sae, Boni, Jae, Yisow

Masculine names

Son, Kuk, Bagan, Doran, Ken, Jing

Family names

Kyung (reigning dynasty), Jaegwon, Hjan, Bok, Irga, Nyon

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

As huge as the empire is, even excluding highly divergent centaur peoples like the Solashites of Mayukai, a number of dialects and subdivisions of the Silver Sun’s language exist, with the capital of Vongchou having the most dominant dialect naturally. Hadu and Sungria, the ancestral homeland of the Xu people, have their own distinct languages under legal protection, though other regions are less lucky with cultural autonomy such as Lindong and Buz-No, where local dialects, especially of the latter’s human inhabitants are heavily suppressed.

Shared customary codes and values

Centaurs in the Empire are seen as a supreme race compared to the ‘bird-breeders’ of the human and Yamachai, a slur originating from their bipedal locomotion. Even among the centaurian race, Vongchou citizens are regarded as the pinnacle of their species, with all other centaurs paying tribute to them by default. They are not aggressively expansionist, already controlling an immense empire for themselves, but prefer cultural and economic influence outside their borders. Slavery is allowed under the faith of the Skyfathers, as long as it is not of centaurs themselves, though the empire’s own treatment of the Solashite people makes one debate where this distinction lies. Humans living in their borders are not innately subject to slavery, but many human slaves are owned by the upper classes to carry out jobs seen as too nimble or ‘beneath’ centaurs, both figuratively and literally. As with the human Svotz Republic to their north, the Vongchii also employ Thul and Colossataurs for more intense physical labour or as soldiers, a price to pay for their grandiose architecture.

Common Etiquette rules

Etiquette in the Silver Sun is never direct as in the Forbidden Isles or Yamachai, but an air of courtesy is inherent to conversation, with even threats of death and painful execution veiled behind seemingly pleasant courtesies. It is for this reason that Vongchou spymasters are sought after across the world.

Coming of Age Rites

For the royal family, a prince must prove his manhood by going out into the great open woodlands further north and slaying a Taug or Hellmouth, bringing back a toe as proof of his valour. In the general population, military service is mandatory for males in the population.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Emperors, as semi-divine figures, are expected to shave their heads of non-fur except for two tufts just above the ears, which are forbidden to be cut. From birth, their ears are unnaturally stretched through a process of attaching increasing weights to the lower side, leading to lobes almost like those of humans. Male centaurs are forbidden from piercing their flesh or hooves, while females are encouraged to do so.