Heshians

The Heshian people^listen are a dwarven-majority cultural group native to the Azuran region of Siornal. Since the discovery of soraflight on Siornal, the Heshians have spread far beyond their original homeland, making up the primary population of the eponymous Heshian Syndicate, accounting for nearly 45% of the population. Heshians are also one of the most widespread cultures in the Sora, having large expatriate populations in the Daren Hegemony, Bláthaofa Kingdom, and Koganusân Kingdom. The majority of Heshians are part of the guilder class in the Syndicate; the majority of this article discusses Heshian identity from a guilder perspective.

Contents

Heshian dwarves by Denis Khusainov

A pair of Heshians, wearing fashionable clothing typical of their preferred gender expressions

History

The Heshian identity is descended from a melting pot of different cultural identities which mixed and mingled during the early centuries of the Resen Viogor, including the Rigepilans, Galians, and Melianos. Following the fall of the Galian-dominated Greater Azuran Empire, many of the largest cities situated along important trade routes entered into trade and mutual defense pacts, though they remained demographically and politically separated. However, as their cooperation began bringing them all increased prosperity, the movement of people between the cities increased, leading to a blending of their cultural identities. While regional variation persisted for several centuries, by 150 PC the Heshian cultural identity had solidified.
Once the Heshian Syndicate began venturing into the Sora in 162 PC, the Heshian people began to spread fairly rapidly through the Sora, starting with the colony on Genorath that would eventually become the new Syndicate capital. Many settled on new, previously uninhabited realms, allowing their culture to grow relatively unimpeded by contact with others. Additionally, the Syndicate's mercantile bent meant that traders, merchants, and diplomats established enclaves on multiple realms, further extending the influence of the Heshian people. The wealth and prestige brought by these enclaves meant that many native dwarves married Heshian families and adopted their culture, eventually spreading the culture further across a variety of worlds.

Language

The majority of Heshians speak the Heshian language as their native tongue, though a small number speak other Azuran languages like Galian and Melian. Heshians who still live in their ancestral cities on Siornal frequently speak their original language in day-to-day affairs, though most are fluent in Heshian as well due to the wide utility it provides in the rest of the Sora. Many Heshians are multilingual as trade and travel are common activities in most Heshian communities.

Names

Heshians typically have a personal name and a family name, with the personal name coming first. Family names are typically passed down matrilineally, though this is largely considered a matter for the parents to discuss; there have been many cases where the name comes from the father or even neither parent. The exception is with patrician families, where the identification of family is much more important. In these cases, the child inherits their family name based on which parental line is considered more prestigious.
Personal names are given to the child at birth by the parents. Most Heshian personal names are gender neutral, though a small number of older names are traditionally used only for a single gender.

Example Personal Names

Botalo, Bagli, Carnad, Ciyo, Donalo, Ermali, Gabani, Genoa, Ilmani, Lemalini, Movalo, Nikil, Olcoregno, Oddone, Renolde, Santerif, Stoncuel, Stonu, Uriste, Urvio

Example Family Names

Alessazof, Andrekur, Dulriste, Niurdaniul, Ochalineto, Petolorono, Dsa Rinceri, Salvatorist, Stotciobaba, Zasalizel

Arts

The arts are given an exceptionally high esteem in Heshian society, particularly those requiring work related to the earth such as sculpture, metalsmithing, and stone cutting. In the Syndicate, artists of various stripes belong to guilds which specialize in their areas, where they receive training and support as they study their craft. The guild situation does lead to a degree of anonymity among most artists, as it is rare for individuals to create pieces that aren't commissioned and rarer still for a commissioner to request a specific artist. Despite this, some exceptional individuals have gained recognition across the Syndicate during their lives, such as the sculptor Benanyo Dolchitagno and the metalsmith Goncu Dsa Strei.
The most popular modern art style eschews strict realism for more abstract styles that intend to invoke specific moods or emotions about the subject. For example, in pieces intended to show strength or conviction people tend to be stylized, with blocky features and exaggerated, stark coloration such as dark gray skin contrasted with fiery orange hair or eyes. Conversely, pieces which try to evoke calm or compassion will have soft, naturalistic colors, where people almost seem to be fading into the background, their edges soft and indistinct.
Regardless of the style or medium, a large amount of Heshian art is geared toward the celebration of labor and workers. Even Syndicate patricians commission artists to produce pro-worker pieces as a way to prove their dedication to the guilds. Of course, patricians are also quite fond of commissioning work dedicated to themselves as well and some of the most famous pieces are busts, statues, and paintings of long-deceased patricians. Dolchitagno's most famous works are a series of statues depicting a patrician named Coliogo, about whom little else is known.

Community

Heshian communities, particularly among the working class, are very tight knit and friendly with one another. Often times, everyone in the same guild live in fairly close proximity to each other, so one's neighbors tend to be one's coworkers as well. Even when this isn't the case, everyone tends to know their neighbors and spends a good portion of time interacting with them. It is common for Heshian neighborhoods to emerge from their homes after dinner to come together for shared activities. This serves as time to socialize, exercise, and build mutual respect for one another. Team games such as glierca sioria, grolor, and cieaoia are popular physical pastimes undertaken by Heshian communities, often with neighborhoods playing well into the night as individuals rotate in and out of the game. Most of the time, play is casual and scored barely tracked, though some communities are known to be hypercompetitive. Famously, the stoneworker district of Timonigefo on Genorath has had an ongoing series of grolor matches between the mason and stonecarver neighborhoods, with three or four games being played a week for the past century. The masons currently hold the lead in the all time series, 9656 to 8527.
This communal spirit leads to neighborhoods being extremely helpful and caring for one another. While the guilds protect individuals from being unable to find work, sickness, injury, and other calamities can befall people which the guilds do not traditionally assist with. In these cases, neighborhoods come together to support the ones in need, inviting them to share meals, helping with chores, and otherwise providing whatever assistance they can.

Entertainment

Leisure time is a rare and greatly appreciated part of Heshian life. Most Heshians spend a good part of their day working, preparing or cooking food, and caring for their families. This leaves only a few hours for recreation, so Heshian culture emphasizes spending that limited time to the fullest. Somewhat oxymoronically, Heshians approach their leisure time with an intensity that many others can find off putting. They devote their entire attention to their relaxation time and interrupting it is only to be done in the most dire circumstances. Indeed, asking a Heshian to give up some or all of their leisure time is a more serious request than asking to borrow large sums of money.
Heshians enjoy a wide variety of pastimes, but the most popular are sports, arts and crafts, games, and drinking. Heshians enjoy both playing and spectating sports, the most popular being glierca sioria, grolor, and cieaoia. Glierca sioria and grolor are both professionally played, with leagues playing throughout the Syndicate. Both are capable of filling stadiums full of fans when teams are playing and many amateur facilities for people to play. Cieaoia is not as popular as a spectator sport, but many Heshians play it recreationally. Due to the somewhat violent nature of cieaoia, minor injuries are commonplace, so it is most popular among those who don't have physically demanding jobs.
Many Heshians, even if they do not make a profession of creating art, do so recreationally. Stone carving is the most popular medium, as a hammer and chisel are fairly cheap and durable, while stones are basically free. Less popular, but still widespread, are pottery and metalworking, both of which require more expensive tools and less readily available materials. One of the most common things to make is small figurines, which can then be painte or adorned with other decorations such as glass or stone settings. Most often, these figurines are used purely for decorative purposes, but a number of games exist which can make use of them.
Many types of board and card games are popular among Heshians as well, both for group and solo play. The game of latcio ("fort") is an old Heshian game, originating nearly six hundred years ago, which sees the player(s) attempting to manuever their pieces into a position which keeps their opponents from being able to make further moves. The four player variant is most popular, as it is considered to have the deepest strategy without becoming unwieldy as large games become.
Finally, drinking alcohol is the main activity Heshians partake in when they don't want to do anything which requires too much mental or physical exertion. Because dwarves do not suffer from hangovers or risk alcohol poisoning, they are free to partake in as much drinking as they care to. Many Heshians, after a long, hard day of work, head to their local tavern before going home for dinner, particularly those without families. Others will head to the tavern after dinner, drinking away the rest of the night. Heshian taverns often offer live music or other entertainment which can be enjoyed passively.

Family

Heshian families are typically small and quite close knit. Most families consist of one or more parent and their children. In many families, the parents are married, but this is not a necessity or even expected, though in most cases the parents will live in close proximity to each other so that the children are able to spend time with all of them. Heshians are not, by rule, strictly monogamous. Marriages between three or more individuals of all genders are uncommon, but not particularly rare. For the most part, marriages are seen purely as a romantic expression, unnecessary for becoming a family. Spouses only rarely adopt the family names of one of the partners; in the vast majority of cases all individuals involved keep their original family name.
The concept of a single-parent family is somewhat foreign to Heshians as blood ties are considered only a trivial aspect of family bonds. It is expected that, even the event of a falling out between parents, the children will still spend fairly equal amounts of time with them and often split their time between different homes. If a parent dies, the relationships of the surviving parent(s) are considered to be equally the parent as the deceased. As most parents spend their days laboring, children are typically left to their own devices when they are out of school. It is common for a child to only see their parents for an hour or two a day, thus elder siblings are often expected to contribute to rearing their younger siblings. The time parents do have with their children is considered precious, often spent in family activities such as physical play, crafting, and reading. These intense periods of bonding are considered extremely important to the proper development of a child.
Children typically live with their parents until they complete their vocational training and join a guild. Most children will then move out, either into their own homes if they can afford them or into guild dormitories if they cannot. Seeking one's own place in the world is considered virtuous, so adult children rarely stay in the same city they grew up in. If a child decides to start their own family, they tend to devote most of their time and attention to their own children. People often meet their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, but they rarely play large roles in the individual's lives due to the distances involved.

Patrician Families

Patrician families differ from those of guilders in a few important ways. The largest is their connectivity; patrician families typically maintain contact with even distant relatives due to the need to pool influence and resources. Patrician children also stay with their parents for much longer periods than guilder children do, often remaining a part of the household well into mid-adulthood until they have established a successful business venture they can independently maintain with minimal parental involvement. Finally, marriage plays a much larger role in patrician families, as determining which family a child officially belongs to is very important. At times, this need is obviated by marriages between distant branches of the same family. While marriages between 1st cousins is extremely rare, more distant relationships are considered acceptable pairings. Marriages between two different patrician families usually establish in the marriage contract which family name will be inherited by children of the pairing. Children born outside a marriage can be the cause of consternation at times, though usually it is obvious which family is more advantageous for the child to be a part of.

Fashion

Heshian clothing has long been led by the patricians, who have historically had the wealth to purchase the most elaborate and fashionable styles. Even guilders wear clothing heavily influenced by the patricians, though they tend to be somewhat plainer, more functional in design, and a few years behind the curve in general trends.
All genders tend to wear earthy tones such as browns, oranges, reds, and greens. These colors tend to be mixed and matched; monochrome outfits are associated with work clothing and tend to be limited to functional clothing rather than fashionable. Accentuating these colors is often elaborate embroidery using metallic colors, most often gold, though silver is a close second and is often paired with darker colors. This embroidering usually employs geometric patterns, though natural imagery is popular in some circles. Pastels are rarely worn, being viewed as needlessly flashy and occasionally gaudy. Light blues and yellows are particularly associated with the sky something that Heshians, as part of a subterranean species, often find disturbing or unsettling.
Beards are considered a near-must for Heshians who can grow them and the longer the better. Longer, fuller beards are considered a sign of virility and sexual prowess, so most Heshians give extra care to theirs. Beard fashion can often change rapidly; one year's trends give way to the next suddenly and seemingly arbitrarily. Regardless of the trend, however, beards are to be groomed with the utmost care and, much like feminine hair, should not be worn loose. Instead, they are braided and decorated with ribbons, clips, rings, and a variety of other ornamentation. At times, it can be popular to dye beard segments a variety of colors, though this has fallen out of popularity in recent years. A mustache is worn with most styles of beard, though it tends to be trimmed and shaped more than the beard itself.
Jewelry, including bracelets, armlets, rings, and earrings are worn by all genders. Gold is the metal of choice for the truly fashion conscious Heshian, though silver, steel, and even brass or bronze jewelry sees wide use. Most pieces lack gemstones, with most of the elaboration accomplished through engraving or etchings done on the metal itself. Gemstones are generally seen as ostentacious by current fashion standards, with exceptions made for antique pieces made from when jewels were more popular.
Footwear is fairly consistent for all genders as well. Contrary to most other aspects of Heshian fashion, footwear tends toward simple, comfortable, and functional. For the most part, shoes are simple and fastened with clasps or buttons, made to be secure and snug on the foot. There is usually a slight heel and the soles are made for gripping the often slippery and uneven floors of the caverns in which many Heshians live.

Masculine Fashions

The doublet and mantle are the most central pieces of masculine Heshian fashion. Doublets are worn snug against the torso with baggier sleeves that tend to end around the middle of the forearm. The doublet is usually a solid, muted color, though some styles may have a segment which is a second color. Complimenting the doublet is the mantle, which usually covers just the shoulders. The mantle is often one of the more elaborate garments a masculine Heshian owns, featuring elaborate embroidery, more vibrant colors that stands out against the plainer doublet. They generally have colorful linings, fur fringes, and other embellishments to make them stand out as unique. While not considered a necessary part of the outfit, sashes are commonly worn across the chest, usually in colors which match the cape. The sash is another place for a masculine Heshian to show off.
Trousers, like the doublet, are usually a solid color with a somewhat simple design. Modern Heshian fashion favors a solid, dark color for the trousers. They usually end mid-calf to show off the sock and stirrup worn on the lower legs. The main area of elaboration on the lower body is the belt, which often have colorful or elaborate buckles. It's currently fashionable to wear a coin purse hanging from the belt and many belts are made with a purse hook which allows the wearer to fasten their purse to the belt without any visible binding.
Short hair styles are in fashion for masculine presenting Heshians, with many shaving their heads entirely. This is partly attributable to the popularity of hats among masculine Heshians. A variety of berets and bonnets are amongst the most popular hats and, much like other accessories, tend to be one of the more colorful articles of clothing. Most hats are worn high on the head, with a loose, soft cap that is frequently wider than the brim.
Cosmetics are worn sparingly among masculine Heshians, usually being limited to concealing powder on the face or countouring around the beard or (if they do not have a beard) the jawline to create the appearance of a wider, more square head.

Feminine Fashions

Dresses are the most popular article of clothing for the fashionable, feminine Heshian. The most popular fashion is a long dress with medium to long sleeves that has a long-waisted silhouette. Modest necklines are currently the most trendy style, particularly with a ruffled lining or added scarf. The dress typically features three or more colors; a darker base color, a brighter secondary color which usually appears as one or more stripes or bands, and a metallic color used for embroidery. The most common areas for embroidery are the sleeves, hem, and neckline. Shirts and trousers are worn by feminine Heshians, though they are not nearly as common when trying to be fashionable. When worn, they tend to follow the same rules as their dresses, though feminine trousers typically have their color schemes reversed from those of their shirts.
Longer hair is common for feminine Heshians, with some growing hair that, if loose, would be nearly the length of their bodies. Wearing hair loose is considered a fashion faux pas, however. Instead, the hair is put into extremely elaborate braids and loops or worn piled high on the head, creating large buns. Generally, the more elaborate a feminine Heshian can keep their hair, the more fashionable it is considered. Because of the elaborate nature of their hairstyles, headwear is uncommon among feminine Heshians. If they do wear some, it tends to be small and closer to a headband than a hat.
Makeup is somewhat more common among feminine Heshians than masculine ones, though it is still not prevalent. Concealing powder is used to eliminate blemishes, while contouring is done to create a more pointed and sharper look to the face. Lipstick and rouge are worn on occasion, usually in colors which match the secondary color of their dress or shirt.

Friendships

Due to the custom of moving far from their parents and lack of connection to extended family, friendships are incredibly important to adult Heshians. In many ways, a person's closest friends serve as a surrogate family, especially for those who have not started their own family. A common saying among Heshians is "Lasc be i peno fiiompi; recua be i barcin fiiompi", indicating that while family is something inherent to you, it says much less about you than who you choose as your friends.
Most Heshians have a close knit circle of friends who will see each other on a daily basis. Many younger Heshians and those without families often live with these friends, engaging in many of the same activities they would with their siblings when they were children. Casual friendships tend to be defined between friend groups rather than between individuals in those groups; either everyone in a group is friendly with everyone in another group or no one is. Exceptions are rare and can be the source of incredible tension within a friend group.
Physical affection between friends is commonplace and expected; hugging and hand holding are both considered commonplace displays of friendship, even among casual friends. Acts of service are a common way of expressing friendship, with the time and effort involved in the act proportionate to the closeness of the friendship. Gift giving, on the other hand, tends to be considered rather impersonal and done with the expectation of a return gift.

Food

Heshian cuisine utilizes a great number of ingredients, but root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and beets are considered the staples upon which many recipes are based. These staples are most commonly roasted in Heshian meals, though frying and poaching are both relatively commonplace as well. Popular complements to these staples include both summer and winter squash, onions, garlic, leeks, and succulents, many of which are turned into thick, creamy sauces through blending with butter, eggs, or marrow. Lighter sauces tend to be based around wine, beer, and spirits, being made through a reduction with some other ingredient, including the aforementioned vegetables.
Most meals include some meat component. As many subterranean animals have tough, dense meat, they require significant tenderizing to be palatable. Pounding with a mallet is used to tenderize meat for many common dishes, while fancier recipies will use marinades made from wine, buttermilk, or vinegar. Cave lizard, bat, and chalco meat are the most commonly eaten meat, while giant spider is considered a subterranean delicacy. The meat from surface dwelling animals, such as beef, mutton, and venison, are rarely used in traditional Heshian cooking. Seafood is also rather limited due to the lack of large cave fish on Sigornal. Eggs are eaten regularly, though they tend to be from reptiles rather than poultry. Cheese is also made in a variety of types, though this is a rather recent innovation to Heshian cuisine as they have gained wider access to surface animals.
Heshians traditionally eat five meals a day, starting with breakfast upon waking. Breakfast is considered a time for family bonding and tends to be quite large, with meals typically consisting of filling, heavy foods such as sausage in gravy, cheesy mashed potatoes, creamed beets, and omelettes, and with a stout beer to drink. Families can spend an hour or more at the breakfast table, discussing their plans for the day and playing simple games as they eat. After eating, most Heshians spend around a half hour taking a rest to digest food before heading off for their days.
After breakfast comes lunch, usually eaten four to five hours later. Lunch is usually fairly light and consists of food that is easy to eat on the go or while working. Sandwiches and soup are popular meals with a light cider or mulled wine to drink depending on the weather. Lunch tends to be quick and eaten alone, with many Heshians getting their meals from food carts and street vendors near their schools or places of work.
Supper is eaten once a Heshian returns home after their day. Much like lunch, it is a light meal, though somewhat heavier than lunch. It often consists of leftovers from breakfast or other similar food, though sweet food like small cakes, waffles, and sweet biscuits. It tends to be eaten quickly, providing just enough to tide a person over until the whole family has returned home and a proper meal can be cooked. Most Heshians take a nap after eating supper, up to an hour, to recover after the day's work and ready oneself for evening activities.
Dinner is the largest meal of the day and, much like breakfast, is considered a family activity. While a single individual in the family tends to be responsible for cooking breakfast, the entire family works together to prepare dinner. Young children are typically given simple tasks like peeling potatoes or mashing vegetables, while the adults handle more complex tasks. During the entire preparation time, families exchange details of their days, traditionally complaining about all the things that bothered, annoyed, or upset them. This catharsis is often joked as being the traditional Heshian dinner spice, allowing the family to unburden and put aside their hardships for the rest of the evening.
Common dinner foods include large portions of meat (often covered in a rich sauce), sharp cheese, dense bread, and heavy stew. A heavy beer or fortified wine is the most common drink to consume during dinner, though special occasions may merit a whiskey or scotch. During the meal, families will play more intensive games than they do at breakfast. Many families get incredibly competitive during these games, though even the most tense competition is always done for the sake of bonding. Depending on the game being played, dinner can sometimes take most of the rest of the evening, though it usually lasts for two or three hours.
Once people return home from their evening activities, they usually have a light meal they call a strestrei, so named because it tops off the stomach. This may be leftovers from dinner, but it is commonly a sweet dish, similar to a dessert but larger and more formal. There are usually three parts to the topper; a baked good of some sort, like a piece of pie or cake, something creamy and soft like custard or ice cream, and something salty like hard cheese or crackers. This meal is usually eaten right before bedtime so as to tide one over until breakfast.

Gender

Heshians have an egalitarian view on gender, with individuals of all gender identities having nearly identical roles in society. Both masculine and feminine presenting people work in every field, including those that require physical strength or exposure to danger. A feminine presenting Heshian is as likely to be found working as a blacksmith as a masculine identifying one and few Heshians consider this strange or unusual. This is partly due to the similarities in physical builds between the sexes and due to Heshian's fluid understanding of gender identity.
Heshians view gender as essentially an unmeasurable trait, akin to a person's sense of humor or compassion. There are general conceptions of what is masculine and what is feminine, but it is mostly focused on appearance rather than personality, emotions, or other mental aspects. Even then, the feminine and masculine aspects of appearance can be mixed and matched as an individual chooses, allowing them to dress and present themselves in the manner they are most comfortable with. In many senses, gender identity does not play a large part in the thinking of most Heshians; indeed, the Heshian language lacks most gendered words (including pronouns) and those that exist are typically only used in a biological sense (i.e., using mother only when discussing who gave birth to a child, rather than in general discussions about parenting).
Because of this dynamic conception of gender, Heshian sexuality and romantic relationships are virtually ungendered as well. People define their attraction based on specific traits, some of which may be more typically masculine or feminine, but generally do not weigh a nebulous gender in their thinking. Despite this, most Heshians do display what most outsiders from cultures with binary conceptions of gender to be heterosexual relationships. Mostly this is due to most wishing to have children, something which requires either a male and a female or powerful magical involvement. However, the male and female in such pairings need not have their gender expression match their sex. Family names are traditionally passed down through the mother, simply because it is much more obvious who that person is for a child due to giving birth.

Homes

The traditional homeland of the Heshian people is a hilly land without much in the way of underlying cavern networks. As such, they did not live completely subterranean lives as many other dwarves do. Instead, they built small, squat stone buildings on the side of hills then dug down into them, essentially building down rather than up. The upper floors of their homes are typically where the home's kitchen is kept, with the food cellar beneath it connected by a steep stairway. The rest of the upper level tends to be dedicated to storage and typically has a smaller footprint than the floors beneath. The lower floors contain the living areas, typically with one room for the children, one for the parents, a common room for relaxation, and a dining room for eating. Larger homes may contain additional rooms, allowing each child to have their own room. The lowest floor typically has rooms for personal hygiene and other biological needs.

Magic

Heshians have a rather practical view of magic, looking at it as akin to any other craft or skill. Mages belong to a variety of guilds largely separated by what they do with their magic rather than the type of magic they use. For instance, a geomancer may be part of the stonecrafter's guild if they use their magic to create objects or part of the miner's guild if they use it to move the earth. As such, they have few compunctions against particular types of magic, allowing that virtually any magic can be put to both moral and immoral reasons.
In addition to magic which causes harm, Heshians have little tolerance for the use of magic for two goals. The first is any magic which disturbs the dead. Heshians strongly believe that once a person dies, they pass on to a place of rest free of toil. This means any magic which summons spirits, creates undead, contacts the afterlife, or otherwise deals with the soul is taboo. For almost the opposite reason, any magic which creates mindless workers is also forbidden. Part of this is practical, for magic which could create golems or other mindless automata would necessarily rob Heshians of work and the ability to provide for themselves. A larger aspect, however, is spiritual, as Heshians consider the act of work to be important to the development of a person's soul. Thus trivializing work is to trivialize the very souls of the Heshian people.

Religion

Heshians as a whole are relatively non-religious and fervent worship of the gods is generally regarded as quaint or eccentric by most. That is not to say that Heshians are apostates or blasphemous, however. Faith in the gods of Siornal is commonplace, but organized worship is rare. Most Heshians respect their gods and invoke them regularly, doing things like carrying a smooth stone in their pockets when ill (a tradition related to Fesca, the goddess of water and healing) or praying to Rilano for success in romantic endeavors. Faith is a personal matter and individual piety supersedes religious dogma. As such, Heshians tend to be accepting of other pantheons, particularly when there is overlap in rituals and portfolios. When living on a realm with their own native gods, it is common for Heshians to invoke the local dieties alongside their own. Doing so is considered both a sign of respect and a practical matter, as insulting the locals (both mortal and divine) is rarely good for business.
Religious festivals are the major exception to the organized worship, though even these tend to be focused less on dogma and more on aspects of community, family, and celebration. Two of the most popular festivals are Prario Prel and the Baio Nuegruca. Prario Prel is a festival dedicated to Dozusc, the god of crafts and the arts, traditionally held at the start of autumn on Siornal. As the name implies, it is a day where all Heshians spend resting and relaxing, doing no work of any kind. Instead, they hold large feasts, often involving the entire community. People will gather outside their homes, cooking food outdoors either on grills or over open fire pits. Others will set up booths with a number of simple games, such as darts or sioriatasc (where the players try to throw a ball into a ring of cups). Members of the family will take turns watching the food while others walk the neighborhood talking others, eating food, and playing games.
The Baio Nuegruca is a festival dedicated to all of the gods in general, though it places focus on Feneci, the Siornese creator god. Each god is given their own delegation in the parade, with people volunteering to march in it, dressed as representations of the god, their servants, and figures from their most important legends. On Heshian-majority realms, it usually encompasses entire cities, with people coming from nearby communities and towns to join in. The parade is a festive affair, with fireworks, music, dancing, and plenty of drinking. People write things they are thankful to the gods for on slips of paper and, when a delegation passes, rip them up and throw them like confetti over the passing people, often shouting out their hopes for the coming year.