The cultures of the Hegemony are united by one driving force: an intricate and formalized understanding of property. The Aven of the Hegemony evolved from nest-dwelling species, and their brains are particularly suited for tracking many, many small things and where those things came from. Fast forward a few millennia, and their culture is built around the tracking of things. In the Hegemony, it is common to bring a gift when you are invited to someone's home for a meal. An example gift might be the intellectual property rights to a particular vase your grandmother owns you stand to inherit should your older brother die before she does. Or a candlestick set that you own until your sister dies or divorces, at which point it reverts to your aunt. The Cog Dwarves of the Hegemony were found in the first days of the empire, and their culture was well suited for assimilation into the Hegemony. They had a deep appreciation for the subtleties of ownership as well, and have become prominent members of the aven empire.