Oseudan Cultural Traditions

Oseudan Cultural Traditions refer to a set of cultural traditions, beliefs and practices dating originating within the Oseuda Empire of Lamasery or engaged in by its people.

Overview
The Oseudan people, as the oldest civilization present within Lamasery, have developed a rich and varied tapestry of deeply meaningful traditions and belief sets. These range from the simple gestures of greeting common throughout the Empire to the extremely codified and ritualized observances of holiday found only within the Spectral Court.

Social Standing
Also referred to as Jata by natives to Oseuda or Caste by outsiders, social standing is a tradition as old as the Empire itself. It is this practice that separates nobility (Perun) from common-folk (Bie-bien) and common-folk from outsiders (Luar). Outside of this structure exist the 'non-people' (ma ngu).

Each standing of person is born into their station, though a practice known as sayo (which loosely translates to 'right action') it is theoretically possible to elevate one's standing. Sayo also more commonly allows one's descendants or retainers to ascend to a higher station upon the death of the practitioner.

While many outsiders coming in contact with Jata find the practice strange at best and abusive at worse, natives recognize that it is essential to the proper functionality of the Empire. Efforts throughout history by Luar crusaders to 'liberate the oppressed' have universally met with rejection by the very folk being 'liberated'.

The most common expression of proper understanding of Jata is the phrase: "The seasons know their place."

Rituals of Greeting
Throughout the Empire, greetings are arguably the most common ritual practiced by commoners and nobility alike. As a matter of course, greetings between members of one social strata are wildly at variance with those shared between members of different social strata.


 * Between Perun who are not directly related by blood, greeting involves a ritual clasping of hands proceeded by each person turning to face the opposite direction and genuflecting for the count of two heartbeats;
 * Between Perun who are directly related by blood, greeting involves a series of embraces of varying degrees of intimacy, depending highly upon the relationship.
 * Between Perun and Bie-bien, greeting ritual requires that the Bie-bien remain two steps beyond the aura of the Perun and genuflect for a set number of heartbeats before approaching further to clasp hands akimbo once invited to do so. If no invitation is made, interaction occurs at the proper distance.
 * Between Perun and Luar, greeting is never directly interactive. Perun wishing to greet a Luar do so through a proxy, who greets the Luar as appropriate to their own station. Once greeting has been completed, conversation may be held at a distance in a manner otherwise similar to that of Perun/Bie-bien interaction.
 * Greetings between Perun and Ma Ngu only occurs through a proxy similar to that used with Luar. Indirect conversation, with the proxy providing a medium for speech, can take place at any distance, so long as no eye contact is made by either the Ma Ngu or the Perun.
 * Between Bie-bien, greeting is a simple matter of a bow followed by a clasping of hands.
 * Between Bie-bien and Luar, greeting takes on slightly more formal overtones and is accomplished by a dip of the head in acknowledgement followed by both parties extending their hands one at a time, palm down and then palm up. If long sleeved garments are worn, it is expected that both individuals will roll their sleeves up to demonstrate a lack of concealed weaponry.
 * Bie-bien/Ma Ngu interaction, by tradition, is always done with at least one uninvolved witness to avoid any possibility of perceived impropriety. Bie-bien greet Ma Ngu in a manner similar to Luar, though at a slightly greater remove. In addition to the rolling of the sleeves, it is expected that the Ma Ngu will bare their arms completely and if any further interaction beyond conversation is to occur, that the Ma Ngu will bare themselves to the waist as a gesture of trust and to again demonstrate a lack of concealed weaponry.
 * Interactions between Luar follow no set tradition, given that neither involved party is considered to be an integral party of Oseudan society. As such, greetings can range from the simple shaking of hands to the more scandalous embrace with other displays of affection as fitting to the people greeting one another.
 * Luar or Ma Ngu greeting Ma Ngu, and vice versa, follow a similar disregard for formal greeting. This levity is provided without comment, given the considerable social onus they must bear.

Tattoos
Tattooing, while prominent in Oseudan culture, is an imported practice. Originally a tradition among the the now-extinct Tonveran people who once lived in far northern Nilankal, tattooing as an art form found its way into Oseudan lands by way of the First Horse War. During this decades long conflict, mingling of non-combatants on both sides led to a diffuse sharing of cultural touchstones and eventually to assimilation of many such traditions.

Since the Tonveran conquest, tattooing has become a diverse practice among nearly every station of Oseudan culture.

Rituals of Tea
Tea, being both a major export product of the Oseuda Empire and a touchstone of its culture, is also the foundation of one of its most sacrosanct rituals, Caya Ka - the Tea Serving Ritual.