XIHE - TRADITIONS I

The Eastern Empire—playfully named the Kingdom in the Mountains—Xihe is governed by the absolute and divine right of the Emperor, and a table of councilmen he selects from the aristocracy. To deem himself fit to lead his nation, he must be chosen in a ritual of succession by large drakes that represent the will of the Summon Spirit Gnome. Empresses are less common historically, but are and have often been expected to undergo the same ritual should they rise to power.

This is a long-lived tradition of the culture, and involves the slaying of a dragon to demonstrate ability that rivals and embodies those of Gnome himself. In spite of its reality as a "ritualistic" or sacrificial killing, the imperial heir is encouraged and expected to end the dragon's life quickly and with mercy, and is only allowed to do so with specific weaponry. Styled, curved, and hook blades are historically considered important in Xihe culture, and they discourage the use of magic because the Emperors of Xihe are—and must be—endowed with Earth magic. Any imperial heir born outside the Empire's boundaries loses his right to the position of Emperor, and other elemental types or affinities have traditionally been thought of as lesser in Xihe culture.

As elemental magic is a blessing bestowed at birth as well as related to the complexities of nature in Xihe philosophy, no human or halfling can be arrogant enough to assume to surpass the Summon Spirits in magical prowess. They believe that the ritual of slaying the dragon would be tainted by such misuse, and that elemental magic cannot reflect the abilities of the royal family. Healing is permitted only if the Prince fails and demands immediate medical attention from the monks that observe his rite, but death has not been unheard of as a result of accidents along the mountain range.

Dragons, particularly those that resemble Gnome—long, serpentine, and colored in terracotta and earthy brown—have sacred and political power in Xihe, and are associated with the strength, fortitude, and dignity of the Great Mountains that loom throughout the whole of the country. The Emperors of Xihe are trained to embody these traits vigorously in their youth, both by the royal family and the monks that serve it in the temple of Huang Long, and many natives of Xihe aspire to the same end.

Other important cultural heirtages in Xihe include calligraphy and use of magical circles in their tattoo styles. Having been the pioneers of catalyst magic, many methods of channeling elemental magic can be traced to the Xihe Empire. Historically, they used their entire body as a "circle", and did this through the use of complicated calligraphy and geometric designs that acted as amplifiers. Today this is less practiced because of magitechnology, but is still fairly common out of respect for their cultural heritage. Considered an art style, some feature the use of ink alone or intricate designs and images, and are done through a painstakingly careful process. They can still be used to affect certain types of elemental magic.

- provided by samedi