SIMH Society and Culture
Society
The society of the Sovereign Imperium can at times seem eclectic to outside observers and visitors, with numerous languages, religious and philosophical belief systems, and species phenotypes seeming to exist within its borders and carrying the overall title of "Haru".
Similar amounts of government control and involvement extend into the cultural space as well, where works of art, literature, and other media are considered integral to the national interest as unifying forces and ought to in some way serve the interests of the state, either through the improvement of morale, patriotism, the furtherance of accepted morality or general pacification of the population. During the earlier years when the Imperium was known as the Principality, media that was critical of the state was entirely banned, however, these restrictions were gradually lifted over time. Regardless of restrictions, clever artists have utilized a number of methods to bypass state censorship.
Such as with the rest of the Sovereign Imperium, restrictions on speech and expression are affected by the tier system. Part of the benefits granted to the higher tier of citizens is a relaxation of restrictions regarding political speech, expressions, and even access to art and literature. The idea being that by gaining higher tiers, a citizen has shown the necessary qualifications to both understand the nuances of the imperial government and society, and understand how to express their opinions on such matters in a way that would not threaten state stability. This has led over time to a level of cultural stratification, where certain forms of art and literature are accessible to citizens of higher tiers while lower-tier citizens must content themselves with the standard mass-produced media and books censored of anything that might approach questionable thinking.
The society of the Sovereign Imperium itself is organized upon a pessimistic outlook on the nature of the universe and humanity in general. The Sovereign Imperium, being the product of several long wars that nearly led to the extinction of it and its people, will, in general, assume the worst out of anyone's intentions. Collectively humanity is a force for greatness and a towering achievement unparalleled in history. Individual citizenry, on the other hand, can be prone to decadence, immorality, and rebellion. By contrast, foreigners (with exceptions; Tagmatium, Suverina, Ateenia) are treated as a potentially existential threat to the survival of the imperial domain until pacified.
As a consequence, the Sovereign Imperium draws much more upon the political theory of Thomas Hobbes rather than John Locke. Instead of trusting in everyone's better nature, it trusts more in the sword of the state to keep everyone in line. The Sovereign Imperium draws greater inspiration from Robert A. Heinlein and Frank Herbert rather than Gene Roddenberry. Citizen participation in the functioning of the state is mandatory and children are raised from an early age to view their responsibilities to the social whole as more important than what they may individually desire.
There are many incentives offered for those willing to assume greater responsibility in the betterment of the Haru, while those who work against society face ever-increasing penalties. This is exemplified in the water rationing that limits, among other things, how long a citizen can take a shower. Many nations are bemused at this practice considering the massive overabundance of water in the Occidental. To the Sovereign Imperium however, the purpose is to instill personal discipline in the population. Political theorists in the Union caution strongly against the dangers inherent in technology's ability to "do everything and anything" for citizenry, turning a people into a weaker form of their existence and a coddled nation too focused on immediate pleasures and an overabundance of luxury. Such post-scarcity economies would, it was feared, render the Haru people incapable of fending for themselves when that technology inevitably fails either due to war or disaster.
This mindset was pivotal to the Sovereign Imperium's victory in the Second Contact War. Though the Sovereign Imperium endured massive damage and calamitous losses of life, the population was able to continue to function and fight even as the basics such as food and water became nearly impossible to find and casualties rates spiraled into the hundreds of thousands.
This extends even to programs such as truth detectors for use in court trials, which are almost universally adopted in every other nation in the wurld. The lack of such devices forces judges, lawyers, and police to rely upon their own efforts and instincts to prosecute crimes in a rather roundabout way that means the legal system of the Sovereign Imperium is often more fair and flexible to those found in more egalitarian societies. Though in scientific circles it is considered a bad form to use them unless its to double check calculations already done without it.
Haru Youth Services
Culture
The erratic and often at times confusing southern neighbor the GHET, has placed a bit of stress upon the Haru citizenry over the years. Both nations have endured an immense amount of adversity during the long period of their proximity to one another, and the Haru have been significantly toughened by years of saber rattling and so on. Their experiences introduced new values into Haru culture. The need for adaptability, tenacity and education increased, and nationalism was revived. These contemporary attitudes have intermingled with older traditions. The new cultural combination has worked in favour of the country’s development, seeing the nation rebound and thrive economically, and begin to heal psychologically.
Haru have come to understand the longstanding agony, hardship and oppression they have experienced as ‘Daync uv dra seht’. Daync uv dra seht is the collective feeling of frustration that has built up in the Haru psyche from the stress over the long periods of time. The release of this energy (or manifestation of Daync uv dra seht) is seen in the rise of extreme nationalism, an incredible work ethic and an intense focus on prosperity. However, some have argued that daync uv dra seht has also made Haru less generous and more resistant to compromise. Indeed, Haru sociologists believe daync uv dra seht has been a source behind much of the resentment and divisions within society. Nevertheless – tensions aside – the Haru sense of national belonging and pride remains strong. The country is overwhelmingly ethnically homogenous with over 92% of all Haru sharing the same ethnicity. This common identity provides societal unity and also supports the collectivist orientations of the culture.
Haru Foodstuffs
Festivals & Holidays
Oimadeta
The two best Oimadeta Syngadc (Yuletide markets) are on the long slope of Khatai Square. The markets' brightly decorated stalls sell wooden toys, Cussian crystal, handmade jewelry, classic Haru marionettes, and plenty of potential for tooth decay: honeyed gingerbread, Pnyetat Bycdno (a braided pastry studded with raisins), and kumtah hacdc' ("golden nests," nutty cookies heavy with rum).
Wash it all down with mead and cfaadfeha simmat (a sweet mulled wine). Dinner consists of wine sausages and carp—you'll see barrels of the fish everywhere. Slip a carp scale into your wallet to ensure an adequate cash flow for the upcoming year.
Yhlacdunc' Vacdejym
Yhlacdunc' Vacdejym (Pronounced: "AE-ha-luah-ku-deoon-ku' FUah-ku-deeay-jaeaem"; "Ancestors' Festival") is a twenty-day Haru religious festival, culminating in celebrations on the 4th day of the first month in the Haru calendar, at the end of Yule.
The first ten days is a time when many citizenry will pay their respects to deceased relatives of up to seven generations. Monks chant the suttas in the old Dakat language overnight (continuously, without sleeping) in prelude to the gates of Ghe'Tor (closest translation is a form of Hell) opening, an event that is presumed to occur once a year, and is linked to the cosmology of Yanji Ki'Ra, First Priest of Nidaba. During this period, the gates of Ghe'Tor are opened and manes (spirits) of the ancestors are presumed to be especially active. In order to combat this, food-offerings are made to benefit them, some of them having the opportunity to end their period of dishonor, whereas others are imagined to leave Ghe'Tor temporarily, to then return to endure more suffering; without much explanation, relatives who are not in Ghe'Tor (who are in Rymmc uv Mekrd (Halls of Light) or otherwise reincarnated) are also generally imagined to benefit from the ceremonies.
In temples adhering to canonical protocol, the offering of food itself is made from the laypeople to the (living) monks, thus generating "merit" that indirectly benefits the dead. However, in many temples, this is either accompanied by or superseded by food offerings that are imagined to directly transfer from the living to the dead.
One the eleventh day of the festival, it will become the Time of the Crows. The ebony winged ones are thought to help guide the deceased into the afterlife, so families with a recently departed loved one will guide a crow (or a child dressed as a crow) through the streets to both honor and aid their deceased to the Rymmc uv Mekrd.
On the last day of the festival, it is the Rite of Passage. It is here that Emperor/ress who believes in the old ways, will ascend to several thousand steps to the summit of the Tyng Sudran temple within Prathen. Here, he or she will accept the deaths of those who've chosen to die as sacrifices to the Goddess Nidaba, Lady of writing, learning and the harvest. As the ruler of the land collects the hearts of those who've chosen to give their lives so that the land may grow, the hearts will be placed within urns and laid before the great statue of Nidaba, daughter of Tyng Sudran, as an offering of daughters and sons, for the next hundred years.