Physical Appearance: The men and woman of this descent are generally tall and slender of build. Though they would never admit to this, much of their appearance is still dictated by standards dating beck from when they were servants and second class citizens living under Sidhe rule. They are built more like the slender fey lords than the other races of man because their now-vanished masters selected for those who most resembled them. These traits are most predominant in the royal and noble houses of the Empire and her lost colony, Valmara. Imperials tend to have darker hair -- brown or black, very occasionally dark red. Fair hair, such as the Gaels and Sea-raider descended peoples sport, is a sign of being "common." Eye color varies from brown to hazel, blue, or green. Though very pale eyes are rare in the Empire proper, they are much more common in Valmara. Imperials admire a porcelain complexion, and nobles not naturally born with such often go to great lengths to appear so by using bleaching concoctions or powder. Their faces are narrow and sculpted, having a fine and prominent bone structure.
Dress: Clothes are more tight-fitting and tailored in the Empire than elsewhere. While shirts remain loose, jackets are snug and narrow in profile. They are longer than in Sienova or other places the "New Mode" is popular. Trowsers are knee length and also close cut. Long, close-cut vests are also popular and are generally heavily embroidered. Valmarans dress differently, having adopted versions of the local Aito dress centuries past out of necessity. We would call their style of dress "Slavic." It is also less well tailored, reflecting the lower tech level that is due to their long isolation. Both cultures generally favor dark, rich, jewel-like colors when possible. Both cultures also share a form of ancient court dress. At court, men and women representing their houses wear long, loose, Byzantine tunics, very heavily embroidered and be-jeweled and weighing many pounds. These bear the house's colors and heraldry and can cost a substantial fortune. Men generally cut their hair short and often curl it while women wear theirs long and fastened up. Loose strands will also be curled. jewelry is popular, especially jewelry set with cut gemstones. Men and women powder their faces when necessary, but only the women wear further cosmetics (except in the more decadent parts of society, where men will wear liner and eye shadow as well).
Language: The Imperial language is inflected and has no innate word order. Practically speaking, it is only the upper classes that speak this formal language, and only then on special occasions. The Imperial of common usage has established word order and some of the rarer cases are not used. In Valmara, this common tongue has mixed much with the local language. Written Imperial is the basis for all other written language in the known regions of Mithraea, except for Elven and Dwarven writing. Written Imperial is itself distantly related to Elven pictograms, but the similarity is one only a scholar can perceive. Spoken Imperial forms the basis for the Sienovese and Mithraean languages, which have evolved away from it since the Old Empire collapsed nearly a millennium ago.
Kinship/Family: Family is crucially important in Imperial society. The head of the family, the Pater Familias, still holds the power of life and death over his progeny, according to millennia old laws (though they are no longer enforced). Due to centuries of eugenics and inbreeding, the Imperial nobility are not particularly fertile. the narrow build of the race makes child-birth very hard on women, and a (relatively) high percentage of children are born sickly or with birth defects. The latter often simply "vanish" before anyone knows of their existence, and the birth is recorded as being still-born. Still more children die of traditional child-hood diseases. While magick is common in the Empire and magickal healing exists, it is not generally used for any of the above problems. That would be considered a sign of weakness a sign that the individual could not survive without help and that their blood was weak. Such a child would not make a good marriage. Many parents agonized over the decision of calling a healer for their deathly- ill child, knowing that if they did so the child's future was ruined, and if they did not he might well die. Inheritance is bi-lateral. Neither the father's nor the mother's family takes precedence, rather it is the weaker house which joins and gives way to the greater. Thus a child takes as his or her main "patronymic" the name of the higher- ranking family. Marriages are extremely important as alliances between powerful families. Any provable adultery is grounds for immediate annulment and a guaranteed levied by the victimized party against the other family. While, with the use of magick, adultery can be detected in men as well as women, it is pregnancy which is the real crime. If there are no outward signs of adultery, individuals are not usually investigated by their families. The family is less important in Valmara, as they have bread to some extent with the native peoples, decreasing the traditional problems of there cousins to the south, and also as the government is stronger and more centralized, rendering the family less of a political unit.
Government/Authority: The Empire and Valmara are both ruled by hereditary "absolute" monarchies. By our modern standards these monarchs would not be particularly totalitarian. They do, however, manage to monopolize taxes (not having a church or similar structure to share authority with), weights and measures, tariffs and the like. In Valmara, houses are very restricted in the number of troops the can have at hand, and the country's standing army and navy are their main defense against any outside aggression. In the imperium, the traditions of the houses to maintain private armies is too strong, and the Emperor needs these men in times of war. Still, he commands a loyalty oath from each of his servants, and such is the reputation and power of the Obsidian Throne (not to mention the Necropolis) that few will dare to disobey.
Religion/Philosophy: The Imperials feel only disdain for the gods. They believe, like the Achaeans, that man is the measure of all things. The closest they come to religion is a strong cult of ancestor worship. There are two life-philosophies that dominate in the Empire. On is a version of stoicism rather different from the Elven version. It focuses on duty to family and Empire as the main means of fulfillment and self discipline as the main characteristic to be admired. There is at the same time a very different extreme of belief and behavior in the Empire that life is for pleasure and anything goes. Often expressed by the younger members of houses, this philosophy produces a hedonistic way of life complete with endless parties, extravagant dress, the use of various mind- altering substances, and experiments in sexual practices.
Magick: Imperials have the most ancient tradition of non-religious magick in Praedia. They learned ancient spells and rituals at the feet of their fey masters thousands of years past, and took much of it with them when they escaped that servitude. Much of the knowlege has since been lost due to the chaos of war and interregnum, but the Empire (and Valmara even more so) still have more ancient knowlege than the other races. The exception is channelling or religious magic (thaumaturgy), which they do not indulge in. To quote:
"To channel power from one of the so-called "divine" beings or, even worse, from one of the exiled and dangerous creatures men call demons is something like crawling into a lions den, barring your throat to it and asking the hungry beast to give you a bone to gnaw rather than gnawing on your own. Not only is it degrading, it is supremely stupid."
-C. Valarian
The Imperials have a national college of magick unlike that found in any other land. It is competitive and much admired. All children of the upper classes are tested for magickal potential at the age when they are deemed likely to survive to adulthood (usually between 4-6 yrs of age). The results of this test the potential which the have to learn the arcane arts, is inscribed in a complex rune on their right hands. This rune is only visible when a mage energizes it with a small amount of power. To those who know, however, it is one certain way of identifying an Imperial aristocrat. To tamper with this rune in any way is a serious felony. The Valmarans practice a very similar tradition, occasionally openly taking talented children away form their parents to be rased by the state. While this is rumored to be done by the Necropolis in the Empire proper, there is no definite proof.
Arts: Professional artisans such as sculptors and painters are considered "common" in the Empire and in Valmara. None the less they are much in demand, particularly to produce portraits either as paintings or sculptures. The Imperials favor an extremely realistic art that evolved from funerary busts made to honor dead ancestors. They are not overly fond of other sorts of visual art . Their architecture is far less open than that of Achaea, and less colorful. It is elegant and makes extensive use of marble and exotic woods from the southern colonies. On the Imperial islands many buildings date back to before the Great War and the Interregnum. Built with magic, some of these buildings may have partially succumbed to the forces they endured nearly a thousand years ago, yet still stand and are stable. These buildings have bee built on-to since, and the often odd miss-matches in space and style between new and old have become a style in and of itself, imitated in buildings of completely new construction. Imperial music is generally somber and instrumental. They favor the harpsichord, viol, and flute as their main instruments. While professional artists are generally looked down on somewhat, all noble children are expected to become proficient in one or more arts, in order to have an genteel and entertaining hobby. It is only being forced to make one's living by the arts that is looked down upon.
Way of Life/Professions: The imperial nobleman does not suffer from the continental feeling that it is dirty to engage in trade. Most nobles oversee the management of their own estates and cultivate vast networks of merchant and craftsmen clients. An individual of the middle classes can hope to become quite wealthy and esteemed through trade or the manufacture of fine finished goods. The lower classes, of course, labor to produce those goods, to farm the fields, craft the furniture, weave the cloth. Even artisans and laborers may, if devoted and skilled enough, acquire a patron who makes them famous and wealthy. This is particularly true of artists and builders, but loyalty and devotion to duty are rewarded regardless, and being attached to a noble house is always desired.
Cultural Background Skills: A nobleman or woman will know how to read and write Imperial and at least one other language. They may have some general magickal skills such as the ability to read magick and use magickal devices. They will know how to ride and play and instrument or sing. They will also know how to manage and estate and household, how to survive in the elaborate and artificial environment at court, how to dance, and how to play aristocratic card games such as Whist. They will know the history of their house and the Empire. Both men and women of particularly important houses will be trained to defend themselves with magickal devices and combat. This is mostly to defend against assassination. They will also be able to recognize by sent or taste all the common poisons used in the empire and will generally carry the antidotes with them at court. There is a common saying that the "Imperial Disease" is paranoia, and not nearly so much fun to acquire as the "Achaean Disease."