Unathi Honor

Overview

Traditional Unathi take honor very seriously, and following a strict code of honor is required by every individual as well as every clan and every nation. Most Unathi clans have different metrics for honor, but there are near-universal themes that have remained consistent throughout history.

Honor is considered to be a clan’s face, similar to the concept of decorum. To lose honor is to lose face, and it can lower a clan’s standing with its peers. A Unathi behaving dishonorably can also lose face, lowering their status, which makes honor as much of a political asset and liability as it is a personal code of conduct.

Honor is distinct from disgrace, in that one can exist outside of the standard system of honor, but still bring disgrace upon their clan due to their actions. For example, peasant women aren’t typically bound by the same honor rules as peasant men or noble women, but are still able to be disgraceful.

Universal Honor

Common, urban Unathi without feudal obligations aren’t necessarily required to follow the Warrior’s Code, but are still expected to obey their elders, conform to their clan’s wishes, and respect the ancestors.

Typically, male Unathi are incredibly blunt and honest with their business dealings, which makes Sinta-led guilds struggle when competing with more charismatic parties who have no qualms with presenting themselves through rose-tinted lenses. While this can be worked around with female (or even non-Unathi) PR staff, Unathi view guilds that heavily utilize such staff as this as shady or dishonest. This usually leads to the creation of separate positions for Sinta-facing and non-Sinta-facing public relations, with the latter typically (though not always) staffed by women; as non-Sinta are unlikely to know or care about the stigma associated with such, guilds can remain competitive while not tarnishing their image.

Honor for the Warrior

The romanticized Unathi warrior follows a strict Warrior’s Code. Passed down from master to apprentice, it has only recently been written down by Ouerean sociologists, drawing much ire from traditional warrior guilds. The tenets of the Warrior’s Code were severely stressed during the Contact War due to the realities of modern war, as many on both sides eschewed honor to simply fight for their own survival. Stemming from this, there is a slowly growing concern within the Hegemony that the Warrior’s Code has become antiquated, but it still remains important to Sinta who consider themselves warriors, or dream of becoming one.

Despite this, the Warrior’s Code and its tenets are societal expectations by and large, with many only following it out of obligation, or only in the public sphere. Many less-devoted individuals may ignore it entirely when it comes to private interactions, as long as they believe reprisal for such actions is unlikely. The Sinta rumor mill can be fierce and swift, however, so even those misdeeds which occur in private can often find their way to the forefront. In fact, it’s a common perception that many Sinta, especially after the Contact War, only care about honor insofar as it allows them to make a spectacle of shaming those they dislike.

The Warrior’s Code

Each tenet is subservient to the ones before it, with Righteousness being the most important and Loyalty being the least, though all of them should be followed to the best of a warrior’s ability.

A warrior must hold his words to the truth that exists in front of him; he displays Righteousness in his actions. He is fair and honest at all times in his dealings with others, and does not disguise his motives or obscure the facts.

A warrior must protect the weak from danger and spare the innocent; he shows Mercy to those in need, and does not abuse prisoners or kill an unarmed foe. Surrendering to an honorable warrior means receiving fair treatment, as if one were a guest; combined with the tenet of Courage, this means warriors have little difficulty with accepting or offering surrender when necessary. It is viewed as respectful, rather than cowardly, to surrender to an enemy.

A warrior’s word is his bond; he must have the Integrity to carry it through to fruition. As the partner to righteousness, instead of a warrior holding his word subject to the world, he makes the world subject to his own word.

A warrior must not hesitate in the face of opposition; he should have Courage in the face of hardship, in combat or elsewhere, meeting it with zeal and cunning, and commit his entire being to victory. However, that doesn’t mean a warrior refuses to accept defeat; instead, he accepts it as an inevitability of life. One fights to delay it, but recognises that no matter how hard he tries, he can never banish it entirely. Likewise, he faces defeat with honor and dignity, choosing to acknowledge his loss and the skill of the one who bested him even when confronted by death. A warrior doesn’t compromise his ideals when confronted with defeat or death, instead choosing to uphold them both in word and deed even when he alone supports what he feels is right.

The final duty of a warrior is Loyalty to his superior, most commonly his Lord or clan leader, and also his partner. A warrior would gladly lay down his life without hesitation in defense of his Lord or clan leader. However, a warrior isn’t expected to blindly obey all orders given to them; if obeying an order would cause them to break any of the other tenets, they are obligated to refuse in order to protect their own honor.

If a warrior finds their honor to be irrevocably tarnished, they must become Guwandi, pledging themselves to a righteous death through combat. A Guwandi’s goal is to die while fighting their hardest in combat because accepting the ultimate defeat of death in a fair battle absolves all past dishonor. One who dies as a result of throwing a fight, however, is permanently dishonored and separated from their ancestors.

Honor for the Healer

Traditionally, as women are never viewed as warriors, they have never been expected to follow the Warrior’s Code. As peasant women have relatively few obligations, they are bound primarily by avoiding disgrace instead of exhibiting honor. They have relatively few obligations, especially on Moghes where villages are seen as safe enough for children to explore on their own at an early age. Married peasant women in particular exist almost entirely outside the system of honor, though many outside of Moghes take on or emulate the practices of noblewomen in an attempt to raise their standing in society.

Noblewomen are known to hold to their own traditions, however. Historically, noblewomen once frequently met at gatherings where petty rivalry between clans would be set aside in favor of an atmosphere of levity and camaraderie. These eventually developed into formal meetings, and a standard of decorum was set, though usually shared via word of mouth or watching others rather than writing it down.

Much like with the Warrior’s Code, the Matriarch’s Code was recently written down in at least one form by Ouerean sociologists. However, the Matriarch’s Code differs from the Warrior’s Code in that it is often described in disparate ways by different researchers. This has led to the common outside perception of any sort of formal rules of decorum for noblewomen as, at best, simply playing at the more sophisticated concept of honor that warriors have; at worst, mere cash-grabs by Ouerean scholars willing to fabricate evidence to line their pockets through book sales.

The most common formulation of the Matriarch’s Code supposedly originates from the noblewoman meetings held by Queen Juztia Izweski, wife of a former Izweski Hegemon, which served a vital role in informing her vast network of female spies, known as the Guild of Shadows. In fact, it is believed that these meetings were initially started by her spies as a way to get information inconspicuously, and unsurprisingly enough noblewomen from all across the Hegemony were more than happy to air their grievances in similar company. Many noblewomen who believe this story idolize her as an exemplar of the ‘goal-driven noblewoman’ archetype.

The Matriarch’s Code

A noblewoman must be Loyal to her clan, Lord, and partner in that order. This tenet is the most important of all, as a woman’s duties are determined first and foremost by her loyalties.

A noblewoman must be Dutiful in all aspects of her life. While this often refers to simply keeping the household, children, and servants in check, for those with higher aspirations it means that they are held to a higher standard, both by themselves and others, in whatever they choose to do. A noblewoman who handles the house above all other things must be the best at maintaining the household, while one who chooses to be a diplomat must be the best at diplomacy. Moreso than for men or peasant women, inadequacy and mediocrity are not tolerated.

A noblewoman must be Graceful, representing her household and your husband well. Not only avoiding disgrace herself, she must actively serve as an example of gracious conduct. She must also ensure that those under her are presented in a positive light, usually in the form of controlling what information others hear. Servants learn gossip from the lady of the household, and they will often spread it far and wide; this is a strong boon if wielded by a cunning noblewoman.

A noblewoman must be Knowledgeable, understanding both the world and her role in it. Her knowledge need not be limited to a specific domain, as the more a noblewoman knows, the more she can leverage it to the advantage of her and her household.

A noblewoman must be Tactful, understanding the right time to keep or divulge secrets. Men are honor-bound to tell the truth, but women aren’t. This ability to lie without dishonor must not be abused, however, or one will develop a reputation as a liar and become useless. Many noblewomen therefore choose to reveal harmless secrets in order to temper their reputation, while others instead simply conceal their lies better (and often elaborately).

Dueling

Dueling is a time-honored tradition for Unathi, and Sinta from all walks of life have engaged in it. Typically, this matched combat is a way to settle disputes and matters of honor--though, the sight of blood is always satisfying to the average Unathi.

The procedure for duels on Moghes has historically been simple. An Unathi who would seek to challenge another to combat typically goes by the following procedure: First, the challenger points directly at the would-be duelist, staring into their eyes and lashing their tail against the ground; an inescapably offensive gesture. This is to signal the demand for a duel. The one who first made the challenge must announce their name and Clan, the reason for the duel, where it will be done, and the weapon they will use, all in a public and formal manner. Ranged weapons can only be brought if it is a duel exclusively using ranged weapons, and energy weapons can only be brought if both are using energy weapons. The challenged will respond with their name and Clan, and their weapon of choice. It is possible to apologize in a satisfying manner and the duel might be stopped, but often these manners of honor can only be satisfied with blood. Denying a duel must be done carefully; it can often result in serious accusations of cowardice, or being perceived as a further insult to the challenger. Participation can be honorably refused on account of major difference in age, difference in sex, severe social inferiority, or the challenger being inherently honorless. Duels may also be honorably declined if they are random, or if one has nothing to prove. It is also poor form for women to duel in public, but arenas are a legitimate place for this.

At the choice of the challenger, the duel can be brought to a number of conclusions; till the first drop of blood spilt, until one of them is too injured to continue, until surrender, or to the death. Requirements are typically requiring a witness and doctor per combatant. However, duels to the death require the knowledge and consent of each Unathi’s Clan Matriarch or a judge. Typically, the setting for a duel is either outside of a city or town, or in a designated dueling area. All cities are typically equipped with dueling arenas in the Duelists Guild’s Arena Hall; where witnesses, doctors, and refreshments can be found in good supply. After both combatants have discussed everything, and have both agreed to the duel, both must wait up to a week in order to train and steel themselves for the battle to come. If one party fails to appear, they are considered to be a coward and the party that appealed would win by default. The resulting reputation for their cowardice can easily affect the individual’s standing in society, perhaps even affecting their Clan.

While most duels are done between the lower classes, and Warriors, it is not unheard of for nobles to engage in a duel. While those of lower birth may enjoy the freedom to use their preferred weapon while dueling each other, and even battles between nobles have the same choice; if a noble chooses to agree to a duel challenge to one of a lower rank, it is the noble’s choice what weapon both combatants will use. This discourages many from even trying, as most of the nobility have been practicing with expensive equipment and expensive training for numerous years. Typically it is an extremely poor move to challenge the nobility without a serious grievance. Nobles also have the choice of sending a chosen Warrior as a champion, a tactic employed by very high Clans, such as the Izweski. While the chances to beat a noble with their chosen weapon are incredibly slim, history shows that the nobility is not unbeatable.