Dionian

An unusual and clever people, the Dionians are the master of engineering and sciences that help shape much of civilization. Just give them a few raw materials so they can create things that no one can ever imagine. Many live in other lands to live and peace and do their research, with only logic and knowledge seeming to be their only concerns. What homeland they once had is long gone now, with many living as nomads in caravans with only the roads to guide them across the west. Often trying to find work and make some money to keep the caravan moving.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Salvia, Alberta, Monica, Minerva, Minda, Sophia, Abbey, Belle

Masculine names

Hugo, Reginald, Conrad, Nester, Mika, Rainier, Redmond, Cassidy

Family names

Maillard, Saintirelli, Gairiou, Polivau, Ramtal, Brogner, Abochade, Larmamtal

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Dionese: An native tongue only spoken by Dionians as a means to communicate with one another in secret to protect important information, as very few people know how to speak it as they are the only ones who can.

Culture and cultural heritage

Children of Knowledge: Dionians have claimed that their people were granted the boon of knowledge from their god, Dion, by drinking his blood. It is common for Dionians to have higher intelligence and understand things that are difficult for others to understand. Allowing them to hold positions in occupations where skill and learning of specific subjects are required.
Genius Inventors: Many of the wonders of science and engineering are the accomplishment of Dionians whole dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge and advancement of civilization. Many of these inventors are often defiant as they seek to change the world for the better rather than for self-profit, as their minds are working on a different degree of genius and madness.
Silver Eyes: All Dionians are born with silvery eyes to distinguish them from others, being an effect of drinking the blood of their god. These eyes will always appear as long as a bloodline with this bloodline is found in it.
Nomadic: Often found across the Western Lands, Dionian caravans can be found in many places as they have no homeland to call their own for a long time. This has led to adopting a culture of traveling where they gather knowledge and set employment in jobs that need their skillset, along with having no allegiances to any state or group but to their people as they wander the land.

Average technological level

Though living in only wagons, the Dionians often have access to scientific equipment and tools that very few have access to. This has allowed them to delve deep into the fields of science and engineering. In doing so they have made achievements to better the lives of everyone, and some of their inventions and ideas have been used for centuries due to their effectiveness.

Common Etiquette rules

Greeting: The standard greeting for a Dionian is a firm shake and saying, "In peace we find clarity." as a sign of goodwill. Both genders do this no matter their status in their society.
Cleanliness: Organization is highly valued to a lengthened degree, from research equipment to dining wear; a mess is often chaotic and disrespectful to them.
Conversational Respect: When in conversation, one should never interrupt someone until they are done talking and wait patiently for their turn. To interrupt a conversation is considered an insult and is only allowed unless the topic is meaningless or false information.

Common Dress code

Men: Leather clothing is a common thing for men to wear. However, it is designed to be protective and is supposed to grant them some safety when repairing or experimenting with something. Often having pockets and intricate designs to make them as effective as possible often being skin-tight. Gloves are added to protect them from injury and sickness as well. A cowl represents their culture and faith and protects them from the elements and fumes.
Women: A mix of robes and leather clothing are given to women making them more breathable. They do not wear dresses as they can easily get caught on things while working, and they wear gloves to protect themselves and a cowl. Their clothing is designed to help them do lighter, less hazardous duties but makes them more nimble as their clothes do not restrict their movement.

Art & Architecture

Art has never been a part of their culture, and instead, their creation is more efficient and dull instead of ineffective and flashy. The wagons they live in are designed to hold multiple people and accommodate several functions to accommodate themselves. They build things, such as building and machinery, sustainably with unique shapes. The only art they do make is often shapes and symbols with mathematical patterns in them.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Debates: A common way to resolve problems with a caravan is through a debate between both sides to gain support for their opinion from those present. The side that has more support for them is the victor and has a claim to whatever they were arguing about.
Astrology: Dionin has a solid connection to the stars as their god; Dion holds his domain over them. Making them learn everything about them to be used to guide them while traveling, predict events, and have a better understanding of the cosmos.
Experimentation: Inventors are taught to seek out knowledge where ever they can find it, and the only way to create something new is to experiment with it what they know to discover it. This can be done through chemicals or mathematics to make a discovery.
Charity: It common to aid the unfortunate as the Dionians seek to improve them world around them. They will often use their knowledge to help those around them to ensure that the people they help grow long after they are gone.
Congregation of Stars: Every month, a caravan stop to observe the stars that they see in the night sky to understand their meanings and the constellations that they create. This allows them to prepare for events that may happen in the future.
Competition for Knowledge: The only way to rise in Dionian society is to prove one's intellect through tests to prove one's intelligence and the amount of knowledge that will aid them in earning status or demote them.
Time Keeping: Time is very important to them, and they must always be on time for an efficient day. Each individual has a timesheet to allow them to carry out their tasks throughout the day.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

A child born in a Dionian caravan is based on logic and effectiveness, as newborns are born in a medical tent and quickly cleaned and sanitized to prevent diseases. They are often monitored and examined to see if they have physical defects or poor health to be able to fix them as they are given medicines and treatment to help the Child's survival rate increase. Once that is done, they return to the mother and several days later are told the Texts of Dion to accept them into their society officially. After that, the child will be given a book and a quill to write their future research when they reach adulthood.

Coming of Age Rites

All Dionian children must leave their homes at the age of sixteen to participate in the Journey of Knowledge, Where they must travel the land to obtain knowledge to help better and wisdom to understand the conditions of the world and help others prosper along the way. It also helps them with what type of research they would like to work on when they finally return home, with a book written with all they have learned while traveling. This can take some time, some a few months or years, before returning home. When they return and present the book to their leaders, and if they agree with it, they give their official mark of adulthood, being the cowl of their culture. They then got to work right away with their research after finding the right tools.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Death is often considered a significant loss to thought who are taken by it. Dionians often greave with the loss of one of their own since a great mind has been lost in the process, and it never can be used again. The dead are covered with a cloth covered with flammable material and is left on the ground. Speeches are given out by those who knew the deceased, often about their achievement and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. The body is then burned, and its ashes are gathered and stored until the Congregation of Stars where they will be spread and allow their soul to ascend to the cosmos to be with their god, Dion.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Intelligence matters to a Dionian; it does not matter what form it takes. Often those that show skill in their field and other traits such as a good memory and quick thinking are also valued. But as for physical needs they often prefer to be clean at all times and prefer to have short hair at a particular length or be braided to have some semblance of civilization without looking like barbarians while traveling from place to place.

Gender Ideals

Due to their nomadic lifestyle, both genders pitch in to maintain the caravan, whether to find food or replace used materials. But men have more responsibility by bringing home money to trade and find work in the cities. While women often are the ones in charge of making sure that everything is working correctly in the caravan while the men are away. They also can take up apprentices to teach them their trade and pass down their knowledge. Both have leadership roles since the wisest and the smartest are often chosen to lead a caravan.

Courtship Ideals

Every Dionian knows they must have children to keep their people alive; they often do it out of necessity rather than love. But they at least try to show some emotion to their potential spouse to have it run smoothly. Surprisingly they are pretty good poets in a logical sense of the view that often leaves tears for all who listen to them. In contrast, others make something for them as a gift for their future companionship, like a music box or a book on something they might be researching to get their attention. Then there's just the direct method and telling them how they feel, exposing weakness to them as an act of humility which very few do. If they accept the proposal, they often have a marriage tattoo since materialistic items such as rings are meaningless to a relationship. A man or a woman can propose should they be seeking a spouse.

Relationship Ideals

The basis of a Dionian marriage is supporting one another as an equal partnership. But they also give space to one another when they need it the most. Often left to their own devices for long periods if they are working on research or a project they are working on. As for teaching children, they often try to do it together to help support them and spend some time together. Both do what they must to care for the family, with the husband working and the wife ensuring everything is in order and discipline is achieved in the home. But alone, they often talk about their research or philosophy. Sexual interaction is only done when necessary.

Major organizations

Alchemist Association: A group of collective minds that have banded together to unlock the secrets of alchemy to understand it better and create breakthroughs to better society.
Observers of Cosmos: A order dedicated to studying and observing the stars and cosmos to predict and record events to better prepare for them later.

Encompassed species

• Humans

Related Organizations

• Alchemist’s Association

Languages spoken

• Dionese
• Vasili

Values

Intelligence: Dionians hold the intellect of a person in high regard, seeing them as an equal, whether it is one of their people or an outsider to them. In their society, a keen mind can share knowledge to benefit others and acquire much more to advance themselves.
Knowledge: Due to their inquisitive nature, Dionions have devoted themselves to the realms of science and engineering to study, experiment and invent. This has led to many advances in the world because of their studies, which they would share with others to mass produce. Only for them to continue to search for a greater understanding of the world around them with whatever they can learn and create with their minds.
Logic: Rather than following their emotions, Dionians have given themselves to the ideals of logic to get through life. Often using it to get things done and improve their work, logic has allowed them to get through life without the need for doubt and negativity to get in the way. Leaving them to be more stoic when interacting with each other and outsiders of their culture.
Community: Dionian society is often made up of tight-knit communities that work with one another to survive and create friendships with one another. Allowing great amounts of trust to be created to cooperate in projects and deal with problems more effectively with multiple people coming together to solve them.
Charity: While it may not look it, Dionions has a deep compassion to help the less fortunate that they come across them. The many reasons they dedicate themselves to their studies are to improve the lives around them by making their lives easier and longer through science.
Hygiene: Cleanliness is something that all Dionians do, most of all, as they constantly travel, and their work can often lead to sickness if they are not too careful. They often thoroughly clean themselves whenever they work and create certain methods to remain healthy.

Taboos

Disorganization: Leaving things messy is something that not Dionian can tolerate as it can cause the loss of important items and notes that they may need. It can also lead to accidents that could injure or kill someone if one is not too careful, making it all the more reason to be organized.
Violence: To Dionians, violence is an ignorant act that refuses to use reason and logic to get things done. It is why they do not participate in wars, let alone fights, as it is nothing more than an unnecessary action that leads to destruction.
Lying: When living the life of a Dionian, one must dedicate themselves to the truth to advance one's self and lying will only halt that process. which is why Dionians devote themselves to the truth and only the truth, both good and bad to ensure that no lie can poison their thoughts.
Power Lusting: Seeking power was never the Dionian way, even more so to seek it for personal gain for a single individual. All that do so a forever blind to the truth and blind from the destruction and suffering of their actions.
Domination: To take advantage of others only leads to suffering for all those involved in it. To Dioninians, it goes against everything they stand for, and to do so is a betrayal of oneself.
Emotions: History has shown that being emotional can lead to mistakes and events that bring more harm than good. Nothing can be done without a clear mind, which is the Dionian way.