Discord
Changelog
07-22-2011, 09:50 AM
Hey there. I've decided to write up a bit about the culture of the mulan people, who have their origin as slaves from another world brought to Faerun by the Imaskar Empire and are the people that makes up a minority in Chessenta and a majority of Mulhorandi, Unther and the ruling class of Thay (unlike rashemi, who make up the majority of the country Thay, but mostly middle or high-middle class). Most of what you will read here is specific to Thayan mulans, rather than mulans as a whole (of whom there are far more of in Mulhorandi and Unther than in Thay).
First things first, one of the most distinguished things about mulans, and especially Thayan mulans is their relationship with hair, of all things. It is common knowledge that most Red Wizards prefer to cut off all of their hair, sometimes even eyebrows, and that this style is emulated by many Thayan nobles as well as well-to-do middle class individuals, even rashemi. It is likewise well known that slaves are not allowed to cut their hair at all, which is why you can often know slaves from freemen by the long, dirty hair that they wear on their heads. This is due to the fact that in mulan culture, long hair equals barbarism (which has a counterpart in the real world, especially during much of the ancient age), and short hair therefore is a symbol of civilization and often seen as a thing of beauty. There is also a practical reason behind it, long hair is impractical in the Thayan climate, being very hot, and it makes it easy to distinguish freeman from slave at a glance.
Mulan are favored by the system in Thay, in many things. It is much easier to be a Thayan mulan than it is to be a Thayan nonhuman, or even a Thayan non-mulan human. The social ladder (aside from military rank, bureaucratic rank and all such things) usually go: mulan > other human > nonhuman > all slaves (at times being a free nonhuman can be just as bad as being a slave, though). If you are a Thayan-born mulan you are guaranteed to have a much easier life than most would have in Thay, and though the country is still a horrible place to live for all those not amidst the top, the chance for you being amidst the top is much greater than in any other situation. Officially, only mulan can ever become Red Wizards, most Red Wizards are mulan children from noble families trained from childhood, but some (such as most of the players) will have been made apprentices without having been trained from childhood. Of course, at times there have been non-mulan Red Wizards, but those are the big exception rather than the rule, and it is not something a great deal of the more conservative Red Wizards or even normal Thayans appreciate.
The mulan people are notoriously fond of slavery, it has a very important place in the organization of their nations. Unther, Mulhorandi and Thay are all slave nations, and it could be argued that without slavery the economy would not function. This ties in well with the general mulan cultural perception on the world and their place in it, that the gods and fortune itself favors not the soft, merciful or just, but the ruthless, powerful and decisive. Mulhorandi mulan as well as many mulan minorities in other countries primarily worship the Mulhorandi pantheon, who originally freed the people from the yoke of the Imaskar Empire. Untheric mulan worship the Untheric pantheon, or did before its destruction, owing now aligience mostly to Tiamat, the surviving member of the pantheon. The Thayan mulan shun the Mulhorandi pantheon, mostly because the country itself is very much opposed to Mulhorandi. Thayans have taken up worship of the Firelord Kossuth as their main national deity, and many Thayans, especially many Red Wizards, pay him some heed. It is naturally assumed that if no one else catches the attention of a Thayan during his or her lifetime, Kossuth will be his or her patron deity and end up with his or her soul, which is not the worst that can happen, seeing that Kossuth is not cruel, but mostly uncaring.
More to be added whenever there is more to add. Updates will be noted.
First things first, one of the most distinguished things about mulans, and especially Thayan mulans is their relationship with hair, of all things. It is common knowledge that most Red Wizards prefer to cut off all of their hair, sometimes even eyebrows, and that this style is emulated by many Thayan nobles as well as well-to-do middle class individuals, even rashemi. It is likewise well known that slaves are not allowed to cut their hair at all, which is why you can often know slaves from freemen by the long, dirty hair that they wear on their heads. This is due to the fact that in mulan culture, long hair equals barbarism (which has a counterpart in the real world, especially during much of the ancient age), and short hair therefore is a symbol of civilization and often seen as a thing of beauty. There is also a practical reason behind it, long hair is impractical in the Thayan climate, being very hot, and it makes it easy to distinguish freeman from slave at a glance.
Mulan are favored by the system in Thay, in many things. It is much easier to be a Thayan mulan than it is to be a Thayan nonhuman, or even a Thayan non-mulan human. The social ladder (aside from military rank, bureaucratic rank and all such things) usually go: mulan > other human > nonhuman > all slaves (at times being a free nonhuman can be just as bad as being a slave, though). If you are a Thayan-born mulan you are guaranteed to have a much easier life than most would have in Thay, and though the country is still a horrible place to live for all those not amidst the top, the chance for you being amidst the top is much greater than in any other situation. Officially, only mulan can ever become Red Wizards, most Red Wizards are mulan children from noble families trained from childhood, but some (such as most of the players) will have been made apprentices without having been trained from childhood. Of course, at times there have been non-mulan Red Wizards, but those are the big exception rather than the rule, and it is not something a great deal of the more conservative Red Wizards or even normal Thayans appreciate.
The mulan people are notoriously fond of slavery, it has a very important place in the organization of their nations. Unther, Mulhorandi and Thay are all slave nations, and it could be argued that without slavery the economy would not function. This ties in well with the general mulan cultural perception on the world and their place in it, that the gods and fortune itself favors not the soft, merciful or just, but the ruthless, powerful and decisive. Mulhorandi mulan as well as many mulan minorities in other countries primarily worship the Mulhorandi pantheon, who originally freed the people from the yoke of the Imaskar Empire. Untheric mulan worship the Untheric pantheon, or did before its destruction, owing now aligience mostly to Tiamat, the surviving member of the pantheon. The Thayan mulan shun the Mulhorandi pantheon, mostly because the country itself is very much opposed to Mulhorandi. Thayans have taken up worship of the Firelord Kossuth as their main national deity, and many Thayans, especially many Red Wizards, pay him some heed. It is naturally assumed that if no one else catches the attention of a Thayan during his or her lifetime, Kossuth will be his or her patron deity and end up with his or her soul, which is not the worst that can happen, seeing that Kossuth is not cruel, but mostly uncaring.
More to be added whenever there is more to add. Updates will be noted.