Chapter 15: DAILY LIFE IN KARA-TUR

The Black Leopard Cult

Dress	Food	Buildings	Law & Justice	Manners
Names	-	-	-	Oriental Adventures

The world of Kara-Tur and the real lands that provide its inspiration are not necessarily those familiar to
most DMs and players. There are many differences in dress, food, customs, and behavior-differences that are
small in themselves, but when added together make a culture and style of life foreign to most players. This
section of OA describes some of these differences, aiding the DM and players in capturing the
feel and color of the world. DMs especially should note that this section does not and cannot describe all of the
variety and richness of a land so different from those of the west. It is strongly suggested that further reading be
done. The bibliography at the back of this book lists many titles that give more information and detail. The DM
is strongly encouraged to read one or more of these titles.

The customs and ways of life described in this section are not absolutes. Just because it is stated here
does not mean this is the only choice. The Orient covers a vast number of different types of cultures, even more
so when the different time periods are considered. What may be true in one part of the Orient may be entirely
different in another part. Also, since this is a fantasy world, the DM should freely change or alter aspects of the
world as he wishes.

For convenience, this section is divided into general sections dealing with different parts of daily life.
Covered here are dress, food, buildings, religion, justice, manners, and names. Each section describes some (but
not all) of the tastes, customs, and habits particular to the Orient.

Dress

In Kara-Tur, as in nearly all lands, men and women wear clothing. For the most part this is a matter of
practicality, a necessary device to keep warm and dry. Clothing also provides a second and almost as important
service-identifying the rank or status of the wearer. Nearly all clothing is decorated in dyed patterns or
embroidery, but the type of clothing, the quality of the decoration, and the materials used all indicate status.
The most common materials used in making clothing are cotton and silk. However, other materials are
also used, generally confined to a specific region and to the lower classes. These materials include pounded tree
bark, flax, wool, woven horse-hair, furs, paper, and hemp. Heavy leathers would be used for durability, while
soft leathers like deerskin would be used for items requiring flexibility or lavish decoration. Primitive tribesmen
and poor commoners would use the cheapest and most available materials for their clothing. White is typically
the color of mourning, so nearly all cloth is dyed. Common colors are browns, ochres, yellows, grays, and
blues. The brighter colors of green, pinks, and reds are rarer and are commonly worn by those of higher station.
Dyes are made from flowers, nuts, barks, woods, and certain minerals.

The main articles of clothing vary from land to land and climate to climate. Most common is a set of
short trousers, normally made of cotton. These wrap around the waist and tie with strings. They can be left loose
at the bottom or tied to fit snugly around the leg. They are normally loose fitting so that they can be pulled up
for wading through rice paddies or streams. They are often dyed in stripes or other patterns. Such pants are
typically worn by peasants of both sexes. Commoners normally wear a short robe over the trousers, tied with a
belt. Wealthier and more important persons often omit the trousers, wearing one or more long robes instead.
Among the nobility, wearing layers of robes is standard. Each layer is of a different color and peeks through at
the ends of the sleeves and around the collar. Arranging the color and order of the layers is an art for many of
the ladies of a noble's court. Robes have wide, open sleeves, both for artistic and practical effect. In cold
weather, the sleeves serve as muffs, since gloves are not normally worn. They are also used as pockets where a
handkerchief or string of cash can be kept safely tucked away. Robes are often lavishly decorated with dyes,
brocade, and embroidery and may be quite valuable. During colder seasons, warmth is achieved by adding more
and heavier layers of robes. An outer coat of quilted cotton is worn to protect from cold winds. As the day
grows warmer, layers are removed to maintain comfort. In rain, peasants wear a simple rain cloak made from
layers of straw (mino).

The choice of footwear also depends on the land and the climate. The simplest and most common is a
sandal of woven straw. These are cheap, durable, and easy to make. Sandals made of woven straw or wooden
blocks are worn throughout Kozakura. In Shou Lung and T'u Lung, slippers of soft leather or cloth are worn by
refined people while soldiers normally wear a short soft-leather boot. Sandals are worn by the common people,
who cannot afford to ruin good shoes in muddy fields. In the cold north lands, the common shoe is a leather
boot wrapped in fur leggings to protect from snow and ice.

Hats are a clear sign of a person's status. Nearly everyone has or wears a hat. Peasant hats are
practical-round and broad-rimmed of woven straw or bamboo. These keep the sun off the field hand and double
as baskets when needed. Wandering shukenja and monks may wear hats like these or ones that are baskets that
cover the entire head. Hats of nobles are often small, the style indicating the position of the wearer. Huge
rimmed hats of horsehair are worn by gentlemen in some parts of Kara-Tur. A simple scarf or piece of cloth can
be used to provide protection from the rain.

Personal beauty is different in Kara-Tur, too. Men, especially those of rank, pride themselves on their
grace and beauty. A pale complexion is considered best and some men have even been known to pluck their
eyebrows. It is common to use perfumes and fragrances and those of worth are often quite skilled at mixing
these. However, the majority of men fall short of this ideal, being hardened by the weather and the accidents of
life. For women, personal beauty is also quite different. It is standard practice for a woman to blacken her teeth.
Indeed a pearly white smile is considered an unfortunate flaw, not the attractive feature of the west. In addition,
women pluck their eyebrows and then repaint them in a delicate thin line. Again a pale complexion is most
attractive and many women powder their faces to give the best and palest color possible.

Food

Rice is the one constant throughout the civilized lands of Kara-Tur. Everyone eats rice and rice, in one
form or another, is served with virtually every meal. In Shou Lung and T'u Lung, people do not greet each other
with the friendly "Hello" of the west, instead saying, "Have you eaten rice today?" The intention is the same,
but the importance of rice in daily life is clear. Rice is used in a multitude of ways. It is boiled and served as a
main course. It is cooked into a paste-like gruel. Leftover rice is mixed with meats and vegetables. It is
vinegared, shaped, and served cold. It is pounded and crushed and made into rice-cakes. It is ground into flour
and formed into buns or noodles. It is mashed, fermented, and made into sake, a strong drink. Like wheat in the
west, rice is the stuff of life in Kara-Tur.

When rice is not available or too valuable to serve at the common table, yellow millet, sorghum, or
barley is often substituted. This is the poor man's food. These are normally pounded into cakes or cooked into a
thick gruel. Beans of various sizes, shapes, and colors are also used in addition to or in place of rice. Soybeans,
red beans, black beans, and brown beans may all be stewed or mashed into a paste. This paste may be
fermented, flavored, dried, or sweetened. It is used as a dip, stuffed into buns, formed into candies, or used as a
sauce. From soybeans comes the unusual prepared foods soy sauce and tofu. Tofu is prepared from the juice or
"milk" of mashed soybeans. This is curdled and pressed into semi-soft cakes. It may be stewed, dried,
deep-fried, or prepared in a variety of other ways. Soy sauce is prepared through a complicated process of
mashing, fermenting, soaking, and rinsing. The end result is a thin, salty sauce used as a flavoring for nearly
anything.

Next to rice in importance come vegetables of many different types and flavors. These, grown in family
garden plots, are stewed, fried, pickled, and steamed. They are almost never eaten raw, except as garnishes.
Along with the huge variety of vegetables are an assortment of fruits, nuts, grasses, and flowers. Plant products
that are eaten include the shoots of bamboo plants, the roots of water chestnuts, melons, giant radishes,
mushrooms in great variety, bean sprouts, pumpkins, squash, chestnuts, potatoes, cucumbers, turnips, cabbage,
onions, leeks, peaches, pears, persimmons, sweet potatoes, carrots, walnuts, almonds, lychees, lotus root, plums,
cherries, bananas, peanuts, and many, many others. -Some of the more unusual preparations include pickled
greens or radishes (often with chilies), pickled plums (indeed virtually anything will be pickled), dried flower
buds, dried chestnuts, and pastes.

Also important to the Oriental diet are the products of the water. Obviously, only those living near the
sea, a river, or lake consume these things. Hundreds of varieties of fish are eaten, taken fresh from the water,
ranging from the commonplace to the exotic. A few of the desired delicacies include pufferfish (which is deadly
poisonous if incorrectly prepared), sea cucumber, jellyfish, octopus, eels, shrimp, and fish maw. Various types
of kelp are harvested from the ocean to be dried and used in soups and as flavorings. Virtually anything that
comes from the sea is used in some way.

Fish is the main source of meat; however, other meats are eaten too. Chicken and pork are most
common. These are prepared in a variety of ways. Game is also eaten when available. Beef is seldom eaten as
cattle are very rare and are specially regarded. Barbarians are known to eat mutton and horsemeat, especially at
feasts.

Tea is clearly the most common drink. It comes in many different varieties. The majority of people drink
it plain. Among the nomads, however, it is mixed with milk and sugar and even served as a soup. In addition to
tea, rice wines (sake and the like) are also drunk. These are served heated in small cups. Beers are also made
and drunk with meals. The people of the steppes make a drink of fermented mare's milk, which they claim is a
refreshing tonic. On special occasions this is mixed with mare's blood, especially for warriors before or after a
battle. While the steppes warriors drink and use a great deal of milk, it is rare elsewhere.

A typical day's meals for a group of adventurers might be something like this: In a town, the morning
meal might be steamed buns, dumplings, rice or rice gruel, and several types of pickles. The mid-day meal is
likely to be the largest with rice, vegetables, maybe fish or chicken, more pickles, and tea. Late in the day, the
characters may indulge in some tea and rice candies or sweet buns. Finally, in the evening, a light meal is
served of rice and a few simple delicacies. When traveling, the meals will be somewhat different. The morning
meal, before breaking camp, may be rice gruel, plain boiled rice, millet, or barley. At midway, there may or
may not be time for a meal. If there is a meal, it is likely to be ricecake, cold rice, or a packet of rice, fish, nuts,
and dried seaweed or pickles wrapped and tied in banana leaves. If available, fruit will round out the lunch. In
the evening dinner will be more rice and dried fish and vegetables, fresh or dried. If the day's hunting has gone
well, fresh game may be eaten instead of fish.
 

Buildings

There are three main building types in Kara-Tur--the homes of commoners, the palaces of the wealthy
and powerful, and temples. Each has distinctive methods and materials used in building. Several floorplans are
provided in this section for the DM to use in designing his adventures and to provide him with some idea of the
typical arrangement of buildings.

The peasant homes are customarily built of wood or clay brick. In its simplest form, the wood house is a
single large room with a bare-earth floor and an open framework of ratters overhead. The roof is made of a
thick layer of thatch and is steeply angled to shed snow and water. The roof has broad eaves that extend well
over the sides of the house, shading from the hot summer sun and winter snow. Several windows are built into
the walls for light, covered with a simple wood lattice, removable shutters, bamboo shades, or glazed paper.
Surrounding the outer walls of the house is a small veranda-a raised deck as wide as the eaves and often covered
with woven straw mats. Inside the house, the central room is dominated by an earthen hearth, normally a
stone-lined pit dug into the floor. Above this is a hook used for hanging cooking pots when preparing meals,
especially rice. The smoke from the fire escapes through a smoke hole in the roof. Since there is no type of
central heating or fireplaces for warmth, much of the family life centers around this hearth, especially in winter.
Not all houses consist of a single room. Sometimes the house is divided into separate sections by raised
platforms. The central area of the house is still the earth-floored hearth area, but adjoining it are raised wooden
platforms. These are used for sleeping and other activities. They are separated from the main room by
removable screens of paper or permanent wooden walls. Storage spaces are built into the walls and under the
platforms. Sometimes an attic is built and used as a storage area and sleeping space for the younger family
members. The attic is reached by a broad-stepped ladder.

The thatched roof of such a house requires regular care and repair. In wealthier homes this thatch is
replaced by layers of glazed tile. Although more expensive, these have the advantage of durability and have
quickly become a sign of the status of the homeowner. In addition, the ridge of the roof and the edges of the
eaves are often decorated with wooden forms and carvings.

In the cities and large towns, such houses would be built tightly packed together on narrow twisting
streets. Since thatch is not readily available, most of the houses are tile-roofed and a thatched roof is the sign of
a truly poor man. Most of the shops and businesses are in the same building as the family home. During the day,
large front shutters are opened to form a table for holding goods offered for sale. Behind the row of houses may
be a common courtyard with a well for use by all the families in that block. Larger and wealthier homes are set
off from the street by walled gardens or form a square around a central courtyard. Houses are seldom more than
one story high.

In addition to the main building providing the family living quarters, there may be other buildings
owned by the family-workshops, stables, and granaries. Most of these are built in a similar style to the main
house. Granaries, however, are almost always built of plaster and stone. This is due to the great risk of fire.
While the family home can be rebuilt, should the granary burn down, the loss of wealth in the form of rice could
never be replaced.

Obviously, buildings making such great use of wood, thatch, and paper are very susceptible to fire.
Building fires are greatly feared, especially in large cities. In such densely packed areas, winds quickly carry
sparks from a blaze to nearby buildings, touching off devastating fires that sweep through entire sections of the
city. Every ward of the city has organized teams of fire-fighters (normally under the control of a noble).
Practices are primitive, consisting of bucket gangs and pulling down nearby buildings to haft the spread of the
blaze.

The other type of peasant home is made from pressed clay brick. This is commonly used in areas where
good building wood is scarce. Such buildings are normally two stories tall. They are often built around a central
courtyard or have a walled garden attached. The cooking is done in a kitchen area which is dominated by a clay
or brick stove. Like other houses, there is no central heating or fireplaces for warmth. Charcoal braziers are
placed in rooms when the weather is cold. The roofs are often flat, used as decks, or slightly canted and covered
with glazed tile. Windows are built into nearly all the rooms and are covered with wooden lattices or heavy,
removable shutters. The houses are often decorated with red-painted ornaments (red being considered a lucky
color). Such houses, being mostly plaster, clay and stone, are far less susceptible to fire.

The houses of nobles and the wealthy are in many ways identical to their peasant counterparts, except
larger and more lavish. Nearly all include extensive garden grounds and large numbers of rooms. These are
necessary to maintain the proper image of wealth and status and to house the retainers, servants, and wives of
the lord. The garden grounds are carefully landscaped and often include a man-made pond or stream. Such
homes are always surrounded by walls. These ensure privacy and, from a more practical side, protection from
wars and revolts. All have solid wooden floors and chambers divided by movable screens.

Temple buildings are quite lavish in their construction. Generally, a group of buildings are organized
within a single walled compound. The most common building material is wood, although magnificent towers
(pagodas) are often built of stone. The temple usually rests on a raised foundation and is surrounded by terraces
of stone. Around the outside of the building, under the broad-tiled eaves, is a broad veranda. The inside has a
large main hall dominated by a statue or artifacts of the deity, quite imposing in size. Attached to the main hall
are several smaller chambers for the use of the priests of the temple. The grounds of the compound are normally
landscaped and planted with different types of flowering and decorative trees.

In addition to the main types of architecture, there is the special class of military buildings-castles,
watchtowers, and the like. Although the styles of architecture are different, these castles have many similarities
to those of the west. The castle is usually located on the most commanding or strategic point of ground. The
compound centers around the main building many stories tall-the equivalent of the donjon or keep of the
western world. Like the keep, this building forms the last point of defense. The foundation is made of heavy
blocks of stone rising higher than a man. The entrance to this tower is reached by a series of ramps and
staircases. Attached to and surrounding this tower are a series of lesser towers and walls. These have only a few
gates that lead to narrow winding avenues. The walls are pierced with loopholes and openings, allowing the
defenders to fire upon the attackers as they advance. Surrounding the castle is a series of ditches or moats,
smaller walls, and more towers. Sieging a castle is a formidable undertaking!
 

Religion

The average man of Kara-Tur does not attend a church or temple on a regular basis, indeed the concept
of a church as a separate entity clearly identified from all others is somewhat strange to him. For him, religion
organized on such a scale does not exist. However, this does not mean the average man is not pious and
respectful of religion, nor that the temples and monasteries are in total anarchy. It is just that the attitude toward
religion is vastly different.

There are several different religions in Kara-Tur, each with its own set of beliefs and practices-The Way,
The Path of Enlightenment, The Eight Million Gods, ancestor worship, the cult of the state, and more. Each is
distinct, teaching enlightenment, perfection, and salvation according to its own methods. Each believes it is the
correct path. However, in practice, few common people follow the beliefs of strictly one religion. Instead, they
take no chances, not wishing to offend one deity or another. As a result, commoners make offerings, listen to
sermons, celebrate holy days, and pray at temples of many different religions. Nor is this considered unusual or
incorrect.

The various religions, when compared to those of the west, are extremely tolerant of one another.
Several religions will be practiced in the same area, their temples often side by side. It is not unknown for a sect
to adopt some of the practices or outward forms of another religion. These adoptions are re-explained according
to the beliefs of the religion. Thus minor gods may be adopted and identified as different forms of a deity
already worshiped by the religion. The clergy are faithful to their particular religion, not practicing any other.
Although they would like the peasants to follow only their teachings and strive for this, they know that the
common folk follow many different beliefs at once.

In addition, religions are often divided into sects. The various sects of a religion all have the same
overall goal and beliefs, but disagree as to what is the best method to pursue these beliefs. Some may hold to
chanting a phrase over and over again, another thinking a different phrase is required, and a third foregoing
chanting for breathing and physical exercises. Each believes its methods are the correct way. Often fierce
rivalries develop between different sects, leading to feuds and violent clashes. Indeed, sects of the same religion
are often more hostile to each other than they are to entirely different religions!

Law and Justice

Most of the lands of Kara-Tur are quite civilized and organized. Law and order is an important part of
this civilizing influence and a great deal of effort is devoted to maintaining order and harmony throughout the
lands of Kara-Tur. Therefore, regular systems of laws, courts and punishments exist. Although the exact laws
and punishments may vary from country to country, the machinery of justice is remarkably the same throughout
Kara-Tur.

The center of the legal system is the law court. These courts are found throughout the land, generally
one to every province and major city. The head of the court is the magistrate, who has broad powers. He may be
a scholar who earned his post by passing the examinations, a noble appointed to the position by the emperor, the
daimyo of the province, a learned sage, or the village headman. His official assistants are the bailiff and the
constables. These in turn may hire outcasts as assistants. In addition, the magistrate may have one or more
secretaries to assist in his work.

When a case first comes to the attention of the court, it is the responsibility of the bailiff and constables
to gather the evidence required. Physical evidence is brought to the court and held until the trial. Witnesses and
those involved in the case can be arrested and held by the constables or ordered to appear at the time of the trial.
There is no protection from arrest, save the possible displeasure of the magistrate or higher authorities.
Obviously, this can make it very difficult to arrest important or powerful people. Once all the evidence and
witnesses have been gathered, the trial date is set, usually with little delay.

At the trial, the accused and the accuser are each allowed to state their case. There are no lawyers and
the magistrate asks all necessary questions. If the accused or the accuser is reluctant to speak, the magistrate can
order the person beaten or tortured to aid their memory. Similar punishments await them if they are out of order.
Witnesses are also brought in front of the magistrate for questioning and the magistrate can order force used to
extract their testimony. The bailiff oversees the courtroom, maintaining order, producing the witnesses, and
administering beatings as necessary.

If the case involves murder, a spellcaster may be summoned to use his spells to speak with the dead
person. Such testimony is accepted as fact. Spells may also be used to determine the truth of statements from
the various testifiers. After all evidence has been heard and examined, the judge arrives at a decision. In this his
secretaries aid him, stating the existing laws and previous cases.

Persons of higher rank, because their responsibilities are greater, often receive special considerations.
Actions which are crimes for the commoner are often not if committed by one of a warrior class. Thus, in lands
such as Kozakura, a samurai has the right to cut down a commoner he deems to be insulting or truculent without
being charged with murder. Likewise, if he receives the proper approvals, he can undertake a vendetta to avenge
the death of a family member. On the other hand, these same classes are often punished more severely for
actions which are not as criminal for the commoner. Gambling and drunkenness are much more severe crimes
for the samurai than for the common people. In these cases, their crime is greater by having broken their trust.
Punishments are fixed by law, but the magistrate has some power to interpret the law and alter the fixed
punishment to one of lesser or greater severity. For commoners, typical punishments include execution,
branding, loss of the hands, payment of fines, imprisonment, banishment, slavery, the wearing of a heavy yoke,
and public announcements of their crimes. For those of the higher classes the punishments include house arrest,
banishment, loss of position, and honorable death. For particularly vile crimes (such as treason), the samurai
may be forced to undergo public humiliation in the form of execution.

The magistrate hears both civil and criminal cases. However, given the harsh treatment of even the
innocent by the courts, most people attempt to settle civil complaints without resorting to the courts. This is
often done by having a mediator arrange a settlement between the two parties. This mediator, a priest or village
headman, decides the appropriate terms of the settlement. However, t is up to both parties to agree to this.
Should this fail, the case may well come before the court.

To discourage crone and treachery, many of the governments of Kara-Tur practice a policy of collective
responsibility. Collective responsibility holds the entire family, village, or group responsible for the actions of
the criminal, not just the criminal himself. Thus, if a samurai is banished for a crime, his entire family may be
banished with him. If a murderer hides in a village, the entire village may be punished for the crime, not just the
murderer. Given such severe penalties, people, especially commoners, are loathe to give aid or comfort to a
criminal, lest they be held responsible for his actions. While this policy may seem unduly harsh, it has proven to
be an effective way of dealing with crime.

Finally, there is the practice of the vendetta, an act officially sanctioned in some lands (such as
Kozakura). The vendetta is a required part of the samurai's honor. When a family relation is murdered or slain
in a duel, it is the responsibility of the surviving family members to track down and kill the perpetrator of the
crime.

Special rules govern the vendetta. Those engaging in a vendetta cannot be of higher rank than the person
slain. Thus, the eldest son of a samurai family cannot undertake a vendetta to avenge a younger brother (since
the eldest son is of higher rank). Likewise the direct retainer of a daimyo cannot legally avenge the death of a
lesser retainer. Next, the avenger must be released from the service of his lord. This is done by applying to the
lord, requesting permission to undertake the vendetta. If the lord deems the cause to be just and does not require
the services of the samurai at that time, he releases the samurai from service. When the vendetta is over, the
samurai can reenter the service of his lord with no penalties (indeed he may have gained renown and approval
for his honorable actions). Finally, upon locating his man, the avenger must receive the approval of the local
government to engage in the vendetta. Normally this is given with little question. However, if the person hunted
is valuable to or a friend of the local lord, this permission may be denied. Should the avenger act without
approval, he can be arrested for murder. However, if all the approvals are given, the avenger can challenge the
hunted to a duel to the death at any time. Since everything is legally done, the winner of the duel is not charged

with murder. Either side can have any number of seconds to assist him in the duel-it need not be a one-on-one
fight.

Manners

The people of Kara-Tur, it is noticed by gajin, are extraordinarily polite as a rule. They often go to
meticulous pains to behave in the correct manner. Indeed, among the higher classes, incorrect or poor manners
is virtually as great a crime as murder and severe punishments can be levied upon those who knowingly or
unknowingly commit some social faux pas. Correct manners mark clearly the differences between various
social classes and, perhaps more importantly, help prevent the possibility of embarrassing oneself in public.
This latter is of great importance, since there is perhaps no greater sin than to be laughed at by others.
The bow is the most obvious expression of manners. It is not just a way of saying "Hello:" It measures
the respect one has for the person bowed to. Those of lower status bow lower to their superiors than their
superiors do to them. Indeed, a high ranking official may barely nod to those under him. The greatest deference
one can make is to kowtow-kneel and touch one's head to the floor. This is normally done only in the presence
of emperors and extremely powerful lords, but is sometimes necessary when apologizing to or begging
forgiveness from another. Except in the presence of a powerful lord, kowtowing is an extreme act, since it
represents the debasement and surrender of the person to another.

Manners also extend to what one says to another person. Statements, even when spoken in jest, can be
insulting and offensive. Comments about another person's honor, courage, dislikes, fears, family, dress,
behavior, friends, and even his possessions can be cause for insult. Insults are seldom taken lightly. Truly
generous people might be able to ignore one or two spoken in jest, but even they would surely not be able to
abide more. Therefore, to prevent these insults, conversations are often stilted or phrased in extremely polite
terms to avoid offence.

It is the great concern over insults to honor and the risk of public ridicule that prompts so much of the
politeness. Thus, the DM is allowed to cause player characters to lose honor when they do things that would
bring them ridicule or make them look foolish. Player characters cannot be cavalier in their attitude, they must
be careful of all they do and say.
 

Names

In the western world, once a man is given a name, it stays with him for the rest of his life. He may
acquire nicknames and aliases, but he can always be identified by his given name. Indeed, the process of
changing a name could be a complicated legal matter, since it implies a change of family and identity. However,
in the Oriental world, the situation is much different. Throughout the life of an Oriental character, he can expect
to use at least two different names, quite often more. Each name would be valid for the person, depending on
his age and situation. To further add to the confusion, aliases would also be used when the person wished to
keep his identity secret.

The different types of names and their uses are listed below. Players need not have names for all these
instances and many names are dropped (such as a childhood name) when a new name is given.
A secret name given at birth which is never revealed, but is supposedly known only to the gods.
Superstition holds that learning the secret name of a person gives magical power over that person.
A childhood name given the person at birth that is used in daily life. Childhood names are distinctly
different from adult names making it easy to tell if a person has come of age.
An adult name given at coming of age that shows the person is now considered a full adult with all the
inherent rights and responsibilities. Once the adult name is given, the childhood name is seldom, if ever, used.
A hereditary family name used in conjunction with the person's personal name. These are by no means
universal, generally reserved for the upper classes and nobles. For the lower classes to attach a family name to
the personal name is considered insulting and above their station.

A clan or tribe name used to identity the person by the group he belongs to. These are used by barbarian
groups where tribal affiliation is extremely important.

A place name that acts in many ways like a hereditary family name. These are common among the
common people and identify the village, district, province, or etc. the person is from.

A nickname used for much the same reasons as in the west-to tell two people with the same name apart,
as an honor, or to ridicule them.

A substitute name for people of quality, craftsmen, or those working at unseemly or improper
occupations. This is the closest name to an alias. However, it does not disguise the identity of the person (everyone
knows who he is and what his station is). It only protects the true name of the person from connection with
the undesired activity.

A substitute name chosen by an artist (writer, craftsman, etc.) either because it would be improper to use
one's real name since it might have associations to some powerful person or family, or to create a poetic allusion
about the artist (a poet choosing a name that is derived from that of a great poet of the past).
A substitute name chosen by an artist, craftsman or warrior that shows his connection to some school or
master.

A religious name taken upon entering the ranks of the priesthood. This name shows the person has
severed his ties with his past life and become a new person. Religious names normally have some special
significance in the religion.

Event names, chosen by the person or given by another, to tell of that person's deeds and exploits. Such
names can come and go, depending on the whims and deeds of the person.
A posthumous name, given shortly after burial, to protect and assist the departed person from evil
influences.