Mos Maiorum: The Traditions of the People
Imperial behavior codes

Imperials follow an ancient code of behavior designed to differentiate them from the Elves/Proto-Elves, their once-masters and from "uncivilized" men - those tribes who did not follow them into rebellion and exodus, or those who were never subjugated by the Elves to begin with. Imperials believe that to violate these guidelines would shame the family and insult its ancestors. At each house's annual ceremony honoring its founding and founders, the ancestors are asked for forgiveness for any unintentional or unavoidable violations of Mos Maiorum.

The Five Disciplines

This is the core of Imperial demeanor. They define acceptable behavior, action, thought, etc. Of course, being some of the oldest attempts at Imperial self-definition, they can also be interpreted in complex ways, and whole books exist to debate the proper solution to this social situation or that political one...

• Tectas - reserve, modesty, control, self-discipline, implications of secrecy, things being kept covered, hidden...
• Gravitas - dignity, seriousness
• Dignitas - honor, worthiness, following the Mos Maiorum, not disgracing self, family, state...
• Pietas - duty to family, country, ancestors... fillial love. Some implications in ancient sources of a duty to mankind or the spirit of man....
• Subtilitas - acuteness, exactness, precision, discriminating judgement, caution, prudence.

Body:

• Males are to be circumcised before age 7, generally at weaning (or when the child is first determined strong enough to survive). Females often may also have a very small token patch of skin removed. Note: this is not the female circumcision of Earth, designed to remove most external genitalia, but a symbolic act that leaves only a small scar near the clitoris.
• Elves have little body hair by nature (only very fine, pale, nearly invisible hair on arms, legs, and torsos). Humans in general have fairly corse hair in these areas, as well as on the face in men (unheard of in Elves). Imperials do not which to be seen as either, however they were long ago bred by the Elves to have less body hair than most men, and so they now consider this natural. Facial hair, even a small beard or moustache, is considered a sign of savagery and animalism (as is long hair in men). Men are to keep their faces shaven when possible, and hair should not touch the shoulders. Women sometimes cut their hair short as well, but more often keep it off their shoulders by using fancy braids, weaving, and twists (such as what earth people would call French braids). Rumor has it that men in the distant past also followed this practice of keeping their hair long, but restraining it through such braids... [GM note: in Valmara, this is still done, sometimes magic is worked in].
• Elves most often have pale hair (light brown to white, sometimes in shades of red). Unbeknownst to most, this is because the kindreds still in Praedia are descended from the houses of Air and Fire (Earth and Sea proto-Elves more often had hair of deep blue-black or rich dark reds and browns). In order to visually differentiate themselves from the elves and other men with their middle-tones of hair, the Imperials have selected for dark browns and blacks. Those in society born with light hair are considered mildly aberrant (unattractive, unlucky, or common) and often dye their hair dark.
• Tattoos, ritual scars, and brands such as "savage" men use are considered a sign of degeneracy in the Empire. No civilized man would consider having such a thing. The Power Sign is different, of course. It does not mar the skin and is visible only magically.
• To be clean is to be civilized. There are no rules on how often one should bathe, but one should not allow ones self or ones clothes to be dirty or smell of the body. One should bathe before any important endeavor [marriage, the swearing of an oath, battle, ritual magic, the breaking of ground on a new house, child birth, both before and after funerals, etc.] In most day-to-day cases magical cleansing (pinging) would be good enough, but not in these ritualized circumstances as it does not allow for the proper contemplation of the meaning of clean-ness. For ritual bathing there are a number of texts that suggest appropriate procedures to follow - herbs used, duration, etc.

Food:

• The Imperials eat nothing raw, not even fruits and vegetables. Fruit is acceptable if it has been prepared (cut, de-seeded, etc) and is dipped in something warm such as heated honey or chocolate. It may also be baked. You would never see an imperial pluck an apple from a tree and just eat it - that would offend his ancestors. Even if he were desperate for food, he would at least cut the apple up thinly, perhaps peeling it, so that it could be eaten with proper delicacy. Even salads are not eaten raw in the Empire - the greens are seasoned and very lightly wilted over steam.
• Meat is not to be eaten on the bone. It too must be noticeably cooked (rare is acceptable, there just has to be symbolic cooking) and served in "civilized" portions.

Clothing:

• Clothing is to be of "sober" colors, and if possible something of house colors (or with house symbol) must always be worn (your patron's house if you are a commoner).
• Generally the majority of the body should be modestly covered, but it is more about maintaining dignity and differentiating one's self from the animals than covering skin per se.  It isn't about shame of the body but rather when and where it is appropriate to show the body.

Death, Illness and Injury:

• It is considered impure and corrupting to touch a body after it is truly dead. The point at which this stage is reached is debated even in Imperials society but it is generally acknowledged to occur when rigor mortis sets in, if not earlier. Imperials try to bury their dead very quickly and a house where someone has died must be ritually cleansed to restore its proper harmonies. The dead must always be carried from the house towards the west (from a west entrance). In the past it was common to brick up a door that a corpse had been carried out from, especially if it was the Pater Familias' body. Now that is generally not done and the door is only closed and locked for the number of days equal to the age in years of the deceases. This is done out of respect for the spirit of the ancestor and to discourage it from returning via that door and becoming a ghost.
• Bodies are to be removed from a domicile feet first, so that the spirit, if angered, cannot find its way back to the dwelling of the living.
• Ghosts are considered to be very dangerous and powerful. If the spirit of the ancestor stays rather than going on to the astral realm thence to be reincarnated into the family, it is because it is angry. A ghost is believed to have the power to destroy a family through its curses, and a house that is haunted is generally vacated immediately. It will not be destroyed, but will be left untouched to avoid further angering the ancestor in question.
• The fastest way to bring down the curses of the dead upon yourself and your house is to try to raise the dead. This disturbs the natural order of the universe, causing Fortune herself to look unfavorably upon the caller (as well as the disturbed spirit). Even calling the name of the dead is considered a way to draw their attention and prevent them from moving on. Thus they are generally referred to only as "honored ancestor" or "honored parent" until such time as it can be determined that they are likely to be reincarnated (another child has been conceived and born in the family, for example). After that time it is no longer forbidden to call them by name.
• The Aciei Solii (the Eyes of the Throne) are commonly called the Necropolis precisely because it is this name that evokes the most fear. They are believed to live in a city of the dead with no fear of its inhabitants, and to be able to call and control the dead without harm.
• Illnesses and injuries are divided into two categories: Facti Adversi and Probationis Sanguinis.
• Probationis sanguinis translates as "trials of the blood." These are considered to be the natural hardships that one must face in life (disease and childbirth being the main ones). Needing magical healing in these cases is considered a sign of weakness in the blood. A person from a noble or gentry house is unlikely to be able to make a marriage if he or she has magical healing to recover from a Probatio Sanguinis. Magical healing may be provided if the person is past their child-bearing years and age and infirmity can be considered to have weakened the strength of their blood. This is not injurious to family reputation, but many stubborn nobles will still refuse medical care into their "silver years" out of pride and custom.
• Facti Adversi translates as "Contrary Events," meaning those events contrary to nature or not occurring naturally. Accidents such as falling from a horse and breaking one's arm fit into this category. So do injures in war, and poisonings. It is understood that these events may be of such severity that the healthy person of good blood couldn't survive them, so magical healing to save a life (or to get someone back on his feet faster) is not forbidden. Clearly some things will be ambiguous. What about poisoning from bad food? Is that "unnatural" or not? Most imperial families will err on the side of caution and not call for aid if at all possible.

Interpersonal Relations:

• Tectas and Gravitas govern these aspects of Imperial life. While Imperial marriages are generally arranged, and for purposes of family alliances, affection often grows between spouses, and is considered an admirable goal. But even where husband and wife have grown fond of each other, this affection should be restrained in public. Likewise, affection towards children in public, and even in front of servants, is often restrained. In private, however, Imperials are just as affectionate as any other people. They are somewhat more private, however. Most cultures don't think much of performing bodily functions in public (or at least behind thin walls) - elimination, sex, etc. The Imperials prefer privacy for these things, and privacy needs to be more than a bed with curtains.



• Sex: begetting unwanted/illegitimate children among the nobility is a serious legal offense as well as a social one. The only unwanted children are illegitimate, of course, since children are rather rare. Sex outside of marriage is tolerated IF it is kept private and results in no children. Same-sex relationships are also tolerated, as that's a safe way to engage in sex without producing bastards. Rules governing sexual behavior include...... ???



• Family is defined in a number of ways. The Father-son relationship in specific and familia relationships in general are THE crucial relationships on which all else in the Empire is founded. Even the Emperor is viewed as the Father of his people....
• There are two types of family: Family "of the Heart" and "of the Hand." "Of the Heart (ab corde (ablative form))" means simply that the people in question share the same blood - i.e. are biologically related. "Of the Hand (ab manu)" means that they wrote, with their hands, a contract of adoption.
• In addition, according to the Mos Maiorum, kin are supposed to show "concern" for one another and for the shared family members, living and dead. Note this is not love. Concern means something a little more communal than that - you want your son to succeed because you are emotionally fond of him, but also because you want to honor your family by producing and training the best possible offspring. Fondness is ideal, but not absolutely necessary for the definition of family. Some general concern for prosperity, skill, achievement, health, etc. is, while not part of the legal definition, a socially accepted requirement.
• Technically the Pater Familias, either proximal or ultimate, has the power of life and death over all children (but not the spouse, in fact in the absence of a male head of family, the female has the same powers). In reality, this power is not exercised and would be considered beyond plebeian. Think of it like the 22 yr old West Virginian marrying his pregnant 13 year old lover, and the state can't act on this because her parents approved.... it's still VERY disapproved of in 21^st c. society.
• The Imperials still symbolically set each child on the ground in front of its father. It is not acknowledged or considered a part of the family until he picks it up.