HC Empire

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Scripts, Languages & Texts

Scripts

• Alayan - The administrative script used by bureaucrats and for formal documents. In truth, it is a Hugaar script and was a gift from the former Saurian masters, but has come to be known as Alayan over the years. Most churches have a copy of A Life of Truth written in Old Rendish with the Alayan script.

• Rend - Block writing used in the carvings of A Life of Truth, in the Stone Library. During attempts at unifying the Sturian Curch, this script was widely disseminated in copies made of A Life of Truth. This move was later regretted and these texts are now forbidden.

Languages

• Alayan - Although ostensibly an offshoot of Sird, Alayan is heavily influenced by the their former masters, the Saurians.

• Goblin tongues - Within the Empire, goblins usually speak Sirdish and the local human language. They have largely abandoned their original tongues, although they have ported many terms into their Sirdish speech. Beyond the Empire, who knows was they speak.

• Old Rendish - the language of A Life of Truth, in the Stone Library. Spoken in ancient times and usually used in religious proceedings. Most copies of A Life of Truth are in Old Rendish, which few understand.

• Potoman - spoken in Potomanchu.

• Sirdish - The modern descendant of Old Rendish, and the lingua franca of the Empire. Although there are many regional dialects, people will usually switch to Sird when in the company of foreigners. Some priests conduct their ceremonies in Sirdish, although this is forbidden.

• Vister languages - There are several broad groups of Vister tongues. The Quartz Ridge speak a dialect of Gerlug.

Texts

• Administrative texts and communications - written in Alayan, using the Alayan script.
• Book of Hours - small, portable books carried by priests. Written in Old Rendish using the Alayan script.
• The Heartstone Codex - is written in Sirdish using the Alayan script. If widely known, this would be considered heretical.

Symbols

• The predominant holy symbol of the Sturian Church is the top of a mountain, with Huth's feet planted upon it. This is stylised in various ways. This finds more complexity in fuller designs, in iconic paintings in churches or in tapestries. Here, Huth is usually portrayed in full, as a victorious god clutching the Sun in his right hand. The other hand can be employed in various ways. At St. Alcuin's, for example, it is open and pointed towards the giant Sturt, who is sat at the god's feet engraving A Life of Truth.

• The insignia of the Empire is a hand holding a glowing orb, to demonstrate mastery.

Customs

Gender

The Vister is a male-dominated society, with polygamy being the norm.

In Sirdehaar, women tend to hold much more power than in Hugaar. There are many more Hathari here and the presence and power of the Hathari witches in particular keeps women to the fore. Many tribes are ruled by Queens.

Traditionally, the Hugaar Empire is meant to be based upon a marriage of the two genders, with Emperor and Empress ruling side by side. However, Pasin was traditionally male-dominated. Meanwhile, temporal and religious power does concentrate in the hands of the Emperor so with time, he has taken on a dominant role.

The Emperor, like other mortals, may only ever have one wife. But if he puts his wife to one side and marry again, who is to naysay him?

The explanations of religion and history presented on the site are from the Hugaar perspective. The religion has the males competing for the females attention but seemingly ruling the roost thereafter. The females use typical 'female' tricks to catch their attention or to put off suitors. In Sirdehaar, for example, these tales are likely different.

Family politics often reflect the mythological background, in particular the union between the Sons of Lorn and the Daughters of Hatha and that between the Giants marrying Nymphs. The most important implication of this is that, even though one is a child of both parents, girls are automatically considered to be of the wife's lineage and boys are of the father's. (Note that lineages are complicated by reincarnation!)

On inheritance... If a man marries a rich woman it is their daughters who will receive the bulk of the estate. In the event of a person dying without same sex issue then the estate is held in trust for the first born grandchild. Thus, gender politics are "interesting" and marriages tend to keep within certain circles. People are often touchy about marrying someone too far out of their social circle because of the stigma that might be attached to their children. It is not usual for the woman to receive the almost automatic stigmatisation she might in other societies, such as among the Vister, for example.

The ceremony of marriage is considered to be a symbol of Unity; Sons of Lorn and Hathari are specifically mentioned in the ceremony. Bigamy or polygamy are usually seen as heretical.

When the Empire of the Twinned Stars came to be, apart from the marriage of the Emperor and the Princess, there were many marriages at all levels of society.

Common Customs

Everyone in the Empire knows that the Gods, the Giants and Nymphs of legend, and the Saints, reincarnate and walk among us in various guises. Some of the customs derive from this.

• Buildings and Lornsons. As Lornsons are accorded great respect in the Empire, most of the more notable buildings are constructed with large portals and high ceilings. The reverse is true in service quarters of a building - it would be quite bizarre to construct high doors as a Lornson would never be expected to enter.

• Giftstones. It is customary, when meeting a stranger for the first time, to exchange Giftstones or Godstones. A stranger could be a reincarnated god, and it would be unwise to cross a god. Therefore, citizens carry with them stones, usually of varying worth, to be exchanged according to the stranger met. In some circles, semi-precious or even gem stones are used. In others, carved and smoothed wooden 'pebbles' may be gifted, as a sign of the gifter's humility.

• Hathari, Lornsons and Priests are universally accorded great respect.

• Hospitality. Again, a stranger knocking at your door may be a god, so it is customary to give hospitality to anyone who comes seeking it.