This is based upon the American Culture Test, and its imitators. The categories include two entries: "F" for "Formour," a large and influential nation of Midian. The "D" entries are for "Drackonia," a post-modern nation created more as a thought-experiment than a serious rpg country. I'm too lazy to separate them out...
Based on the grid at
http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1906/culture.htmlOriginal culture test idea at
http://www.zompist.com/amercult.htmlARTSAttitude toward opera, ballet, theatre, etc.F: These are the entertainments of the urban wealthy. You are much more likely to get your entertainment from a local storyteller or a travelling minstrel.
D: You've certainly been exposed to the arts: it's part of the education process. There are local performers--some quite good--but there's a community theatre aspect that the local stuff just can't seem to shake. You really wish that some of the more internationally reknowned acts would come by, but you aren't going to complain about this... especially around the local performers.
AT HOMEThings in your houseF: You own your own home, and the land it rests upon, in all likelihood. Chances are it's a one-room structure, with everything oriented towards the hearth, and the whole family living in close quarters. All of your possessions are simple, but sturdy & functional. The floor is likely dirt, but this just means that you don't mind so much when you track dirt & mud in from the fields.
D: No one owns their own home; all land is leased from the government. The peculiar arrangements of living quarters in an arcology are unusual to a visitor at first, but you can't understand how they could be comfortable living with a bizzare mix of cramped & wasted space.
BathroomF: You've heard that some people in the big cities have special rooms for this, but it just seems a bit odd. Wouldn't it smell terrible in such a closed-in space? In winter or during a storm, chamber pots are used, and dumped in the compost heap at first opportunity. Bathing is done either at a local stream or river, or done via sponge and basin.
D: You have your own bathroom with shower &/or tub. Bathrooms in public areas aren't segregated by gender, & are large communal affairs (no shower/tub in these).
Both cultures are rather blunt about such things, and use no euphamisms.
TelephoneD: Your home has a telephone, if you want one, but unless you want to talk to someone in a different city you can just walk to them in a few minutes.
ClimateF: Summers are hot, winters are cold, and storms of all sorts happen at any time during the year, and are sometimes quite violent. The older one gets, the more likely he or she is to pick "weather" as a favourite conversation starter. The environment is of primary concern to the peasantry, not only does it affect your income by how well the crops fare, but it can rapidly turn lethal.
D: Winters are lethally cold, summers only slightly less so. That doesn't matter much to you, though; you are quite comfortably happy in your enclosed city. If the artificial climate "outside" isn't to your liking, you have personal climate control inside your apartment.
COMICSFormatF: While the visual nature of comics would help alleviate the semi-literacy somewhat, there aren't any mass-produced serialised literature of any sort. Graphic novels do exist, but these are always one-of-a-kind books, so you probably have never seen any.
D: The word "comic" means something you read on the 'net. Other than that, it's almost exclusively the magazine or graphic novel format. Imported comics from all over the globe are available to you--if you don't mind the extra wait while it's in transit--and are all rather popular among bilingual & polylingual folks. There isn't an age bias for any sort of comics in general, but many are certainly geared to certain age brackets.
Famliar characters, artistsD: Artists & characters famous for their newspaper strips are unknown. Familiarity with foreign artists & characters depends much more on what languages you read than your age. Local comic artists and writers (typically the same) are received with a certain degree of national pride--it's not unknown for the forums/guestbooks of an online comic from Drackonia to be filled with praise by local fans... even if they only visited the site for that reason.
ECONOMICSUtilities & companies: public or privateD: Public utilities--power, communications, and transportation--are all state owned, through a corporation that is a part of the Empire. This isn't exclusive, and the government will readily allow privately owned businesses to compete, but it's hard to show a profit when your chief competion gives the stuff away for free. You don't really care either way, as long as it's reliable & you don't have to pay for any of it.
Inflation & unemploymentF: These are foreign concepts to you. While the Crown uses a dual gold/silver based economy (though you've personally never seen the yellow stuff), the prices of everything will adjust to the price of bread. Good or bad harvests will thus adjust the prices of even non-food goods & services, even imports. Unemployment is a non-issue. You're familiar with the concept--those odd and violent rogues who trample your potatoes on their "adventures" don't seem to have a source of income--but for you it's much simpler: if you don't work, your family doesn't eat, and you die.
D: You feel secure in the knowledge that your nation is the only one left with a non-fiat based money. In theory, this protects you against inflation; in practice you still see the costs of things slowly increasing, especially imports. You would consider a 10% unemployment rate high. Unemployment isn't currently a problem, but is slowly rising, and you sometimes worry about this. After all, why can't those lazy layabouts do some good for the community?
TaxesF: A tax rate of about 30% would seem right to you, if you were taxed on a percentage of income, and had the requisite math skills. Nearly all of the taxes you pay are regressive--everyone pays the same amount, so it's a bigger chunk of a peasant's income than a noble's. The nobility are also immune to paying land and inheritance taxes. You see this as incentive to make more & improve your lot in life, rather than a means to keep the lower classes down.
D:: You pitty the poor fools in other lands that have to acutally
pay taxes. Imports are assigned a tarrif, but this isn't passed on to you as a separate payment, rather it's incorporated into the listed price.
Variety of items for sale, hagglingF: "Variety" means choosing between the turnips one neighbour grows and the carrots another grows.
D: You thought you had a large variety to choose from, the best from all over the world... until you visited in the U.S. Haggling isn't done, except when you are doing a service-for-service exchange with someone (e.g. "You fix my computer & I'll babysit your kids for three nights. No? OK, five nights.").
Credit cardsF: Haggling & barter are the norm. Unless you are travelling, you really don't need coins. The idea of a credit card would be so foreign to you as to be almost inexplicable. If someone tried to explain it, it would likely sound like evil magic to you.
D: Everyone has one; they're the same as your ID. It's possible to have a separate card for your bank account, store cards, etc. but it's so much easier to just have them connect that to your ident code. Credit is a well established concept; to you it's synonymous with money. Even your currency is called "credits."
InheritanceF: The surviving spouse inherits the property when their partner dies. When both die, the estate is divided among their children, but real property (land) is inherited by the eldest child. This is a very old and common custom, and is generally done without legal hassles. "Spouse" here means the long-term partner who was living with the deceased--Fomourian law doesn't distinguish between married or not.
D: The surviving spouse inherits the property when their partner dies. When both die, the estate is divided equally among their children. "Spouse" here means the long-term partner who was living with the deceased--Drackonian law doesn't distinguish between married or not.
EDUCATIONHistory you learnedF: Everybody knows that the Old Empire was defeated about 800 years ago, and the Kingdom was unified about 200 years ago, but you couldn't really be more precise than that. If you wanted to learn more about the history of the rest of the world, you'd ask a loremaster... but you probably don't know enough to know what questions to ask.
D: You learned a great deal about world history. It's considered a very important subject in school. National history is also covered-- even if native-born if you don't pass your citizenship test--covering civics, language, and history--you aren't a full citizen. History is presented as an exiting and vital subjet--it's more "story time" then memorizing dates of battles. However, what you are taught in school about history should be taken rather lightly ("with a grain of salt") with respect to what other people around the world learn. For example, the Piri Reis map is considered an important and factual pre-national historic document, rather than an oddity.
Cost of schoolF: Unless your parents had money, you learned at home & from the others in your village. You were apprenticed, if you didn't take up your parents' occupation or stay to work the farm.
D: School is free, throughout all grade levels. School lasts all year, and doesn't have long summer or winter breaks--which would be meaningless in Drackonia anyway ("day" and "night" would make more sense). Attendance isn't compulsory, but there's a strong bias towards education--you're some kind of malcontent (or just really stupid) if you don't go to school. Progression is through scholastic aptitude, rather than age, and class sizes are kept as small as possible.
CollegeF: College requires money, and lots of it. This is far outside the income range of most peasant farmers. There are provisions for talented students to be sponsored by a noble, a wealthy person/company, or even the Crown, with recompensation made by working for them afterwards, which can take decades, and non-repayment is a crime. Most higher education is focused into a small scope. For example, a necropolitan doesn't learn anything outside of that (admittedly broad) subject in college. The term "university" always refers to a specific institution in the singular; "college" is always used in the generic sense.
D: For upper level classes, you attend university in Dante, but you have to qualify for them. You can however, continue to take preperatory classes until you qualify for university. Whether you are going for a liberal arts degree or a trade-school type vocation, the same school is attended, and "university" is used interchangeably. A large selection of rather esoteric courses are offered. Students are encouraged to take a variety of classes for their own sake, not just to focus on one vocational field, or just because you need one more science/math/language/etc. credit.
EMPLOYMENTAre you a farmer?F: Of course you are a farmer. Everybody knows that without people tilling the soil & raising crops, not only would the nation (and many around the world) starve, but the entire economy would collapse. You don't have much, but you know your lot in life is important.
D: It's highly doubtful that you are a farmer, or have even met one. The closest your country even has to farmers are those who work the hydroponic units or tend the plants out in the common areas & parks--and those are called "groundskeepers."
Can you be fired?F: No, you cannot be fired. It's your land, you can grow whatever you want on it. Of course, this also means that if you quit, you and your family will starve to death, and your neighbours won't be able to trade for your crops for them to eat.
D: Companies can fire anyone, anytime, for any reason. There aren't many laws regulating the hiring/firing process. However, quality employees are seen as valuable, and there aren't many firings--many companies would rather correct a problem than replace an experienced worker.
Misc conditionsF: There aren't many royal edicts protecting you from abuse by the peerage. They cannot actually commit a crime against you, but they aren't required to treat you nicely or use your tax money to improve conditions. Many do, but too many don't. The "oil industry" means whaling ships.
D: Unless you are a veteran or a knight, you cannot hold a judicial or administrative position in the government. There sure are a lot of people working with computers. Oil is something that other people have to worry about--your power needs are met through hydrogen.
Appointments, punctuality, negotiatingF: It's unforgivably rude to not show up for a planned meeting of any sort. This is something that a person may hold as a grudge for a long time. Punctuality is a factor of distance, i.e. if you have to walk quite a few miles, the acceptible time window may be "in a few days." It isn't considered rude to simply walk away from a negotiation if the communication isn't progressing smoothly; "playing hardball" is often counterproductive in Formour. You are a simple folk, and if someone isn't bargaining honestly or politely there's no need for you to stay. Better a completely failed negotiation than a bad one.
D: You have two time-settings: exactly this certain time, and eventually. If puntuality is a factor, you are expected to be to the minute, or fairly close. Five minutes late is boorish, and no excuses are offered unless asked. If time isn't a real factor, then you'll get to it when you get to it. "The day before tomorrow" means that sometimes within the next year you'll do that given task (due to the 6 months of day & night in Drackonia). In negotiations you are notoriously blunt. You aren't necessarily rude, but there's no sense in playing games with each other.
FOODBiggest meal of the dayF: The evening meal is the largest of the day, and is a family affair. If relatives live nearby, they may join. It is called "supper" in the south and west, and "dinner" in the east, central, and north.
D: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day... or so you tell yourself as you get a second plate. "Breakfast time" is defined as whenever you get up, as restaurants operate 24-hours.
What you won't eat (and odd things you will)F: If you didn't grow it, catch it, or identify it, you probably won't eat it. However, necessity has taught you that there are many things available to eat, and parts of a plant or animal that someone else would throw away is just an excuse for you to find a new recipe. Generally, domestic animals are kept as useful pets or raised as food, but very rarely both--an occasional favoured pig or rabbit being the rare few exceptions--and then it's still one or the other, you don't eat Fluffy, even if her siblings tasted delicious.
D: You never kill your own food, and probably wouldn't want to know exactly what is in the food you do eat. Other than fruits & vegetables (and sometimes not even then), your food is mostly processed & unrecognisable from its original form. You see this is a good thing, as much of your diet is krill & algae. You don't eat animals that you would consider pets, and this is by species, e.g. if you had a pet bunny you probably won't ever eat one. You do eat insects & reptiles, but they are never referred to as such--it's listed as "protein" or some such on the ingredients list.
How you eat & local cuisineF: Breakfast is eaten at the table, in the dark, while mumbling cursewords over coffee. Lunch is eaten out of doors, & during a quick break from labour. The evening meal is eaten with family, with everyone sitting at the table & talking (read: arguing). You never sit directly across from someone while eating or drinking. It's very rude. What you eat is determined by what you grow, and what you can trade. Meals are rather bland ("subtle" is how you would describe it), and lack strong seasonings. Meals are almost always eaten with bread & alcohol. The legal drinking age is 2 florins (silver coins).
D: You don't think of your country as having a national cuisine. You tend to describe meals based on their traditional origin, instead of what exactly you are eating. What a visitor would call "local meals," you term "oceanna meals." These consist of algal mats, et al. in a wide variety of forms, colours, and textures, with an equally large variety of spices used. Meals at home are eaten either on the floor in front of the television or in front of the computer. Some homes have low tables, so that you can sit on the floor infront of the television
and the computer at the same time. You might not eat much meat, not by virtue of being a vegetarian, but because "real" meat (read: steak) is an expensive import.
Fast food & restaurantsF: There are no chain establishments or fast food places. You might have an occasional bite at your local tavern, if your village has one, but mostly you just go there to drink. If you are ever in a foreign land & forced to eat at an uncouth, unartistic, and perfectly rectangular table, make sure to sit at an angle or at least turn your head away from them when putting food or drink in your mouth. Who want's to look directly at someone's mouth when they eat? That's disgusting.
D: Meals in restaurants are eaten sitting at a table, often on benches. Eating out is quite common. American cuisine in particular is becoming quite popular. Even krill can look tasty when it's deep fried & covered in salt & ketchup.
PackagingF: Packaging is throwing a cloth over your sandwiches & beer for lunch to keept them cool & keep some of the bugs off.
D: Milk comes in cans or boxes, but then again, just about
everything comes in plastic, cardboard, or cans. Fresh milk is something you have to travel overseas to drink. Few items come in glass bottles/jars.
HEALTHQuality of healthcare & national health insuranceF: If you are fortunate, one of your neighbours is skilled with the healing arts, or has a kid with a psychic touch. For serious illnesses, if there isn't a healer who can get to you in time, you had best make amends for all the awful things you did in your past... Health insurance is non-existant--you couldn't get it even if you wanted and could afford it.
D: You can count on excellent medical care at a government-sponsored hospital. Emergency services and some general care are free, but most medical costs are out-of-pocket. These are rather more affordable than they are in many other countries with a fully privatized medical system. Which is good, because the restrictions on insurance mean that they aren't going to pay out much, even if you did purchase health insurance. You sometimes worry about strange diseases, not from your own nation, but from foreign visitors (and you do live in what amounts to a giant Dewar flask).
Attitudes toward doctorsF: There are expert healers, some with many years of education and experience, but the term "doctor" just isn't used.
D: Medical doctors are seen as just another type of engineer. Granted, they're working on your very body, but don't have the heightened status doctors have in most other countries. This does make them seem more approachable, friendly, and "down to earth." You treat your doctor the way a citizen of another nation would treat a trusted mechanic.
INTERNATIONALKnowledge of world capitals & leadersF: You probably can't even find Formour on a map of Formour, much less name capitals & leaders of other countries. News travels slowly, so a new leader can die before you even hear news of their ascension.
D: Naming capitals is a simple mnemonic trick. Naming leaders is a bit more complicated, as that requires you to keep up on world politics. From your perspective, any elected official will be replaced in a few "days" anyway, so why bother?
Attitudes toward the AmericasF: Where? Is that one of the Elder Kingdoms?
Canadians are alright, but they are as far away as you can get without entering orbit. You see the US the same way a local merchant might see a circus: interesting, bright, strange, loud, and with the potential for making some money and more than a little perceived danger. Argentina & Chile both seem a little to overwatchful of your nation & overly eager to extend their maritime claims. However, your nation is on good terms with both diplomatically and you get along with the people of those countries quite well.
Attitudes toward Europe, Asia, Africa, etc.F: Where? Is that one of the Elder Kingdoms?
D: You have strong trade agreements with New Zealand & South Korea, but your nation is too young to have formed lasting relationships with most nations--for good or ill. Generally, you treat people as individuals, rather than as citizens of another nation.
Has your country been conquered?F: Unless you count defeating the Old Empire (where Formour now lies), and driving the Hobgoblins away, Formour has never been successfully invaded since its unification, and hasn't been tried (unless you count the Orck pirates) in over a century.
D: No, and your countrymen have something of a "never surrender" attitude that you find somehow unrealistic and disturbing. Of course the "we'll die first" mentality is only the result of a country that has never even
had a serious invasion attempt before.
World War Two (& other wars)F: A theoretical war between your country and the Byzant Empire would probably be the closest you could imagine to a world-wide war. The idea of a large number of the world's most powerful nations deciding on
anything, even less a global conflict, just seems silly.
D: Drackonia wasn't even founded in the same century or earlier. The nation has never been involved in a war. You think of your military as having an exclusivly defensive role.
LANGUAGEKnowledge of foreign languagesF: Well-travelled folk might be able to at least read Bizzannite (if literate at all), and might know several important phrases, but most of your continent speaks Anglan exclusively.
D: Being a polyglot is the norm, in particular: Arabic, Spanish, and English. As yours is the only language that speaks Seraphic, knowing other languages is considered important.
Facts about your language; speaking distance & directnessF: In relaxed social gatherings, Formourians are very talkative. Otherwise, you tend to speak as little as possible, sometimes not even using full sentences. The comfortable speaking distance is just at the limit that you can smell their body odour/breath. This of course means that they can smell you unless one of you takes a step back. You don't want to be any closer than that, to be polite, as other Formourians would feel like you are crowding them. Speaking to someone across the room is acceptible, unless there is enough background noise to where you would have to raise your voice. It's considered impolite to shout at someone to have a conversation.
D: You intermingle borrowed words from other languages rather frequently (code switching), and expect listeners to understand you, even if they don't know that language. Conversely, you expect native speakers to be more patient with you if you don't know their language well. When speaking, closer is better, even touching is quite common among acquaintances. You aren't obligated to acknowledge someone from less than 10 meters away. Even if they are frantically waiving and calling to you, pretend they don't exist until you get closer.
LAW AND CRIMECourt system & lawsuitsF: You are proud that your country has a multiple-base judicial system. That is, if you're being charged by a noble for a crime--and you don't trust him--you can have your case tried by a civil magistrate (from the common people, no less). Laws are simply written, and crimes have a maximum penalty. Any magistrate can assess up to that maximum. This brings equity with compassion to the law.
D: Judges always sit on a tribunal. You don't see how you can guarantee justice if decisions are based on just one person's opinion. The civil courts hear redresses, but suing someone isn't a quick path to riches. The courts tend to favour non-monetary decisions.
BribesF: You seriously expect to be able to transact business, or deal with the government, without paying bribes. You've heard that in some Elder Kingdoms politicians accept money for favours to try to get elected into office. In your country, the politicians inherit their jobs...
D: You seriously expect to be able to transact business, or deal with the government, without paying bribes. You are shocked if anyone offers you a bribe, or asks for one. The idea that someone would want to take a bribe seems dirty to you.
Police & gun ownershipF: You are guaranteed the right to defend yourself. This means you can wear armour and carry a sword, but these are expensive & impractical for life on a farm. The police force is divided (roughly by half, but this can vary) into local guards and temporary assignments of soldiers. You trust this, as it means that you can rely on both groups to watch each other for you.
D: You are legally allowed to own a firearm, but why would you want to? Where would you shoot it? Going outside to shoot means that you have thousands of kilometers of empty space for a target & sub-sub-sub-freezing cold--not fun. Police are armed, but not with firearms. Electric & sonic "control" devices are used instead.
Dangerous placesF: Some folks say the big cities are dangerous, but then again, you've heard tell that urbannites say the countryside is unsafe. The further west and north you go, the fewer people there are to cause problems, but the number of patrols drops at least as fast. Regardless, you want to do your travelling in an unfamiliar area (in either the city or countryside) during the day, just to be safe.
D: In a word: outside. You don't consider any part of your city more dangerous than any other, and there really isn't a "night" for you. After all, it's really all just the same building where you live.
LawyersF: The idea of someone earning a living only off representing someone else in legal issues seems unlikely. The law is meant to be easy to understand and direct in interpretation. For business dealings, contracts, and other complexities, you would hire a syndic, not a lawyer (even if you knew what one was).
D: There really aren't a lot of lawyers, and these few cannot afford (litterally) to specialise. There isn't as much of a monetary component in civil cases--unlike what you see from American television--and you don't notice the arbitrariness of your own judicial system. You don't really see the need for lawyers.
MOVIESDubbing or subtitles?D: Anime should be dubbed--there's often too much emphasis on rapid action and visual spectacle. Live movies should be subbed--mouths moving out of synch with the sounds just looks odd.
MUSICWell known performers, etc.F: Word-of-mouth travels fast--you've
heard of far more famous performers than you've actually
heard (or seen).
D: You have all of the world's best music available to you, but you probably have a self-chosen style that you listen to almost exclusively. What you think of as "old rock" is what others call "classic rock," and what you call "classic rock" many people elsewhere would term "new wave" (especially in America)... and it's making a come back, though you don't understand why.
NUMBERSDecimal pointF: You never use decimal points. The concept would have to be explained to you, and you would have a hard time following if you weren't literate, which you probably aren't.
D: A decimal point is a dot, not a comma.
Definition of a billionF: It's not a real number at all. "Slappywagillion," see I can make up words too.
D: A billion is a thousand times a million, or 1,000,000,000, but you understand that for some countries a "milliard" (or something similar) referrs to the same number.
System of measurementF: You use imperial measurements. Metric is an unheard of system.
D: You use metric, except for travelling distances--these are measured purely in minutes, and you have no idea how to measure them otherwise.
How date is written & most important datesF: The format is day of the week, date, month, year, eon: Sacrament, 16th of Cabbus, 745, 3rd eon (and you know what happened on that date).
D: The format is 2-digit day, month abbreviation, year, all shoved together: 30OCT2004 (and you know what happened on that date).
POLITICSPolitical partiesF: Alliances of nobles can't be a good thing. However, common people who band together for political reasons also are never up to any good.
D: You find government run by
any political parties to be unnatural. Not having career politicians is one of the benefits of living in a theocracy.
Attitude toward Socialism & CommunismF: You are a bit too jaded to find the idea of people actually living like that anything but comical.
D: Technically, your government is socialist, but non-exclusive. That is, if you think you can start a business that provides the same service that the government does, you are free to do it, but few would be so willing to throw perfectly good money away like that.
Does government listen to you?F: In the best way. Local problems are handled at the local level, and larger scales are handled accordingly. This is the best of feudalism in action, as long as there isn't corruption or incompetance on any levels... and that couldn't apply to anyone in Formour, could it, certainly not Baron Kreiger...
D: Not really. Unless you want to join the military, you cannot vote. Besides, there isn't much to vote on.
Can problems be solved?F: It's hopeless. If a problem could be solved by people working together, either they already would have, or it will never happen.
D: Any given problem can be solved by a suitable application of intellect and resources. Of course, Occam's Razor holds that most problems involving people would go away if there were no people...
If a politician cheats on his wife...F: It's a sin in your eyes, even if he isn't a member of the Church. That doesn't stop you from enjoying the gossip about it, however.
D: So? That's between the two of them... OK, three of them. Of course he's dishonest--he is a politician. It's not at all newsworthy.
Military involvement with governmentF: The military
is the government. Specifically, all troops are under the command of the Crown, former soldiers in the employ of a non-royal noble seem to keep the same military culture they had in the army. Service is voluntary, and conscription is restricted to veterans under a voluntary separation agreement (and has never been done, as far as you know).
D: The military and politics are intrinsically linked--only veterans can vote. You expect the military to stick to their area of expertise though.
Freedom of speech, patriotism, royalty, changing names, misc.F: You can say with pride that yours is the only country to base its legal system on the rights of the people, not restrictions. This isn't quite true, but you don't know about those other nations... You can say whatever you want, legally. Morally however, is a completely different story. Names are just matters of convenience. Patriotism is right and proper--after all, Formour really
is the best--but there's no sense going on about it & rubbing this fact in foreigners' faces. It's natural that the country is ruled by a hereditary nobility. Who knows what kind of brain-dead, warmongering, smirking, monkey-looking, "C" student we would have if the common folk had to choose someone to run things? Your national anthem is in Old Anglan, so while you recognise it, you don't understand any of it.
D: You can change your name quite easily. All it takes is a few minutes at the registrar's office, and the only real paperwork involved is when they ask you how to spell your new name. Getting other people to call you by your new name is a different matter. While free speech isn't legally protected, there aren't any laws restricting it, and being able to speak one's mind is only natural. Do we even have a national anthem?
RACEVariety of races / attitudes about race & foreignersF: Most Formourian nationals are ethnically Formourian, but you don't really differentiate between them. The idea of separating people by skin tone seems silly to you.
D: There's a fair chance that you are a Kainnite, which is a non-exclusive ethnicity. Either way, someone's colour has more to do with how the subdermal symbiotes grow (if they have any), rather than ancestry. People from all over the world have the same chance at gaining citizenship.
You make jokes about...F: Both Heldanns and Bizzannites are the common butt of your jokes. The former are barbaric and the latter are money-grubbing (and if you're a woman, you're likely to add "sexist" to the description). You'd gladly make jokes about the Elves, but you don't know any... besides the Elves are just too creepy.
D: If you are from the continent, you make fun of the islanders, and vice-versa. Islanders are occassionally called "sunspots," and those on the continent are called "penguins," but the jokes aren't considered mean or hurtful by either group.
RELATIONSHIPSFirst names & forms of addressF: First names are the norm, and may be assumed. Surnames are only used to differentiate between people with the same name, which is not unusual as there are only about a dozen commonly-used names. Nicknames are also quite common, and you are expected to acknowledge any new nickname that someone bestows upon you with good grace.
D: It is impolite to assume anyone's name until they tell you, even if it's on a name tag. Whatever name they thus say, is the only form you should use, unless they tell you otherwise. If someone really want's to be called "The Lizard King," who am I to judge?
Arranged marriages & wedding customsF: Unless you're noble (and you probably aren't), arranged marriages just aren't an issue. You've heard of some noble families that use marriage for political reasons, especially for the higher ranks, but you find the idea of marrying someone you don't love to be a tragic idea. It's expected that you will (at least someday) marry someone, but it's purely a religious and civil matter--it isn't mentioned in the laws at all that you know. A marriage is to be with one person only, and should last "until joined forever in oneness with the Light." Weddings are big affairs, where family comes far and wide, and the whole village gets involved.
D: Weddings are a social phenomenon, and Drackonian law doesn't differentiate between long-term relationships and church-approved marriages. You are free to wed whomever you desire: man, woman, both, but this freedom also means that divorces are quite common.
Importance of family background & social statusF: Family status has some degree of importance to you, but only because your family probably has none. You know that it's possible to improve your station in life--even become enobled--but being from a poor peasant family makes this quite difficult. The higher one's social station, the more importance it has... or at least the more
self-importance.
D: You really don't care at all about someone else's family--your own has its own share of drama. Legally, when you become a citizen, you become a whole new person: whether born here or immigrated you are asked what your legal citizenship name will be, and if you forget to mention your familial birth name... The closest thing to a social class division is knighthood, and that's not inheritable.
Preferences of physical appearanceF: If a woman is a bit plumper than average, it can only improve her looks. No one wants to be reminded of the Great Famine, and someone who looks like their still suffering it aren't considered attractive by most. Then again, some do find the thin Elven look attractive for some reason.
D: Real women have curves, no matter what the television and magazines say. However, being bombarded by an unrealistic image, a woman may think of herself as "fat" while all around her refer to her as "skinny."
Sexuality & attitudes toward homosexualityF: No one cares what you do with your sex life if it doesn't involve them. There is a strong cultural push to form a long-term monogamous relationship, regardless of sex or even species.
D: What you do on your own time is your own business, as is whom you do it with.
Relations with family / visiting / misc.F: You see nothing wrong with stopping by uninvited, but you'd likely bring something, especially food. Your family mostly lives nearby; in fact, your family, friends, and neighbours are all largely the same pool of people. It's rude to eat without offering to share with guests, no matter how little you have. It's generally easier to accept & eat something when visiting then deal with the constant insisting offers. If they are in your home, you should feed them.
D: Stopping uninvited is common, but you won't enter their home without them specifically inviting you inside. Indeed, the living quarters are designed for communal closeness, so you see no problem with knocking on someone's door just for a chat. Meals generally involve invitations, whether eating in or out. The person making the invitation is often expected to provide the food (or at least pay the bill). You see touching as a sign of closeness and affection, even for someone you just met, if you get along well enough.
RELIGIONMajor religions & attitudes toward themF: There is one major faith: The Temple of Light. You are probably a member, and even if you are not, it colours your outlook. The Royal Family are Lightwalkers, but it's not a state-supported religion. There are other religions, especially in other countries, but in Formour they are definately in the minority.
D: Your nation is a non-ecclesiastical theocracy. The divine is very real to you, in fact, you can meet him. You've certainly seen him on television. Despite the God-Emperor creating your entire civilisation, there are no requirements to worship him, and no state-sponsored churches. Chances are you don't practice any formal religion.
Relationship between church and stateF: Legally, the Church doesn't affect the state, and the reverse is true as well. In practice, the Crown has always (at least publicly) been religious, and this affects the resulting decrees. The oldest laws and rights are almost verbatim from commandments in the Book of the Cannon.
D: The state
is the church, in that the Pharoah is a divine ruler. However, there isn't an official priesthood or church. There aren't any requirements for worship (and the Pharoah is on record as stating he doesn't answer prayers in the traditional sense), so you don't see how there is a real effect of a "church" at all in politics.
Christmas & other holidaysF: Commercialmas is a mid-winter holiday for gift-giving and spending time with family. It has no religious overtones. Most holidays seem to serve as an excuse for drinking rather than working the fields. After all, those potatoes will still be there in the morning...
D: Christmas is in the summer (or daytime, depending on how you want to look at the issue). It's not a national holiday, but it is commonly celebrated with family.
SOCIAL WELFAREAttitudes toward social security, welfare programs, unemployment payments, medical assistance, charitable aidF: If you don't work, you don't eat. If you are unable to work, you can turn to family, friends, and the Church (which ammounts to turning to family and friends...), but there are no government social programs or aid. It's up to your family to take care of you if you are sick and unable.
D: You get a regular check from the government, so does the wealthy bloke down the way, for the exact same amount. In theory, this can be used if you cannot work, for healthcare, to improve your education, to start a new business, or to save for retirement. In practice, some people will put this money to the good uses mentioned previously, and others use it as an excuse to not work so much (or at all).
SPORTSPopular sportsF: The fastest growing sport in popularity is an Orckish import from the wilds of Osterre: Deathblade. Unless you count such "sports" as jousting (and other events which require far too much money and free time), Deathblade is the only organised sport going. Other popular sports are impromptu competitions: running, jumping, climbing, throwing.
D: The limitations of space affect the sports you can play. Getting a game of football started takes up most of the park greens (and not even then in some cities), space that children, walkers, etc. also want to use. You get confused sometimes when watching the news when two completely different games are both called "football." In spite of the fact that you live surrounded by thousands of kilometers of ice, you don't have a hockey team worth mentioning. Various martial arts are quite popular. The smaller a space required, the more easier it is for you to be able to play it. You're hoping that league sports start up soon.
TELEVISIONWell known celebrities & programsF: You don't have mass-media, but you do have celebrities. Gossip is spread about interesting guildmasters, nobles, and loremasters. Despite how long travel times are, news travels surprisingly quickly.
Subjects covered by talk showsD: Special-interest shows seem the most common; think: live-action newsgroups... sometimes even with all of the flame-wars.
TV news, newspapers, & print mediaD: The national news service has a television program and a newssheet, and is government owned, but you wouldn't call it propaganda. E-books are rapidly growing in popularity, as you don't have to wait for them to ship, and there's no import duty.
TRANSPORTATIONF: There is no public transportation. The local noble is responsible for upkeep of the roads, but some do this much more poorly than others.
D: You don't own a car. What would be the point? Even if you had somewhere to go that you couldn't get there faster walking (or via tube/flying for other cities), where would you drive it, where would you park it? The only transportation possible to other cities is public... unless you want to walk through the Antarctic mountains to get there... Short flights are common, and taking the tube through the ice moreso. Transport is quick and reliable. Pedestrian safety, et al. isn't an issue: the entirety of your national architecture is based on walking. There are, of course, no taxis.
VACATIONSAmount of vacation timeF: You can take some time off for holidays, but that's about it. The farm isn't going to take care of itself.
D: You get at least three weeks of vacation a year, and count yourself fortunate to get five or six. Of course, there aren't any legal holidays, so this makes up for that somewhat.
Topless & nude beachesF: You would have no problem going to a nude or topless beach, if you lived near a large body of water. You would find the idea of a country legislating clothing to be absurd. It's the norm for a person to bathe in a river or stream, and you may see several people doing so at the same time.
D: While you see no problem with walking about topless most of the time, you would never do so at the beach. For one thing, you would freeze to death in a matter of seconds. For another, the beach is located under more than a kilometer of ice.
Hotel rooms with private bathsF: Inns are located about every day's walk or so in more civilised areas, and you may have to rely upon the kindness of strangers otherwise. Unless you are very wealthy--and can find an inn with such facilities--bathrooms are communal or nonexistent.
D: Hotel rooms look quite similar to the living quarters of an average citizen. You fully expect a private bathroom, with hot and cold water, whether home or abroad.
Popular travel destinations & recreational activitiesF: Large cities are the most popular destination for rural Formourians who were able to travel. Citadel in particular was very popular, until that whole overrun-by-zombies problem. If you get a chance to see a carnival or faire, you jump at the chance... unless it happens in your area all of the time, in which case you spend the rest of the year complaining about it and wishing
you were the one who could get away and mess up someone else's town.
D: Anywhere with an open countryside that doesn't include thousands of kilometers of ice and snow is a popular destination. Interestingly, islanders often visit the continent for a change of scenery as well as the reverse being true.
