The Sardons

The people of Sardon were a hard people, harder than the metal exteriors of their shining cities. Harder than the plating on their war engines. Harder than their cast iron shields. Instigators through thick and thin, you could always rely on a Sardon to start something. It would remain to be whether what they started would be good.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Zafia Elama Sinon Cinder

Masculine names

Alastair Edmund Dak Warren

Family names

Sardons typically have very hard sounding names that have to do with metal, stone, or safety.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Sardons spoke primarily common but with a noticeable, upright sounding accent. Especially among their nobility. (Imperial British)
To the Sardons there is a separate way of communicating, taught in school to the youngsters of the people, certain colors, hand signals, vocal cues, and light flashes are encoded messages to them. (Often creating confusion with other peoples)

Shared customary codes and values

Though no one was required to fight in the military, everyone was a part of the "Stalwart banner" and would thus take up arms to defend their country.

Common Etiquette rules

When meeting someone for the first time, you "Show no harm" by placing your right hand over your chest and bowing. This takes your hand away from your sword but doesn't leave you open to "attack" since your shield arm is still free.
Typically the women and children will walk on the right side of the path (especially in ceremonies like marriage) so that their sheildbearer can put the shield and entire body between them and danger. Symbolically of course.
Always salute a soldier. No rank nor retirement should change that.
Respect the house and it's house crest.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

When hands were shaken with someone you trusted you shook left hands. A symbol of allowing the shakee within your shield's defenses.
When relaxing (especially on duty) the most common stance you will see is "The full ready." Where the right arm is behind the small of the back and the Left crosses the belly at the belt line and the feet are a broad shoulder width apart. When equipped, the shield is in full display. However when unequipped the stance becomes a little more relaxed, with the left arm lazily hanging around or onto the belt due to how hard it is to hold a true "Full Ready" for long periods of time.

Coming of Age Rites

When a youth comes of age they are awarded two opportunities. The first involves the "family crest." Kept in the family home on an ornamental plate or shield, the family crest represents the family and what they have accomplished. Often revolving around a single symbol and adorned with feathers, ornamental jewelry, intentional chips, paints and pins, the Crest will grow as the family does. When a child comes of age, they get to add a notch onto the crest, above their "Birth Seal."
Secondly, they get to create their own Crest, using the family symbol and any others that they think will work for them, they decorate this crest and use it for the rest of their lives, to only be given up when marrying or dying.

Funerary and Memorial customs

When a Sardon dies, they are often buried in a family tomb, or cremated on the battlefield. In the first instance they are buried with a bracelet of metal and tempered leather upon their wrist, hammered into this metal tab is their name, so that they might remember their name when they go to meet the gods, and as an identification tool if their body is found by accident. At the base of each tomb or across the body is laid their personal crest, both as a memorial to them, but also as a beacon to their previously passed kin, who may find them by the crest and take them away to the realms above.
When dying far from home, or in too great numbers to bury they will burn their dead in a ceremonial rite. It is horrible to be left to the elements, if the ravens peck out your eyes and the wolves feast on your insides you are doomed to be a wraith forevermore. So the alternative is burning. The Sardons believe that when you are cremated you become a being of pure energy, capable of invigorating the living. And when your time on Sorenthis is done, you might reclaim your lost humanity by serving the gods, thereby returning to your body and family.