Kasheran People
Kasheran
The Kasheran people have the darkest skin tone and are typically dark haired; blonds are extremely rare and are viewed with a bit of distaste by the general populace. The name Kasheran serves as both the singular and the plural.
The Kasheran people of Shanshiire are predominantly dark skinned with black hair and dark eyes (usually browns and greys). Once in awhile, one will have lighter eyes or a blond one will pop up. While lighter eyes aren’t all that remarkable, blond hair is unfavourable.
Before the Beginning of Days, the Kasheran people used to steal people from what is now Jiinal. The Jiinalese are also darker skinned, but they’re dominantly blond. While this practice was in place, blond children would often be born to the Kasheran people. The gene for blond hair remained in the population although it’s very recessive now and doesn’t assert itself as often as it used to.
Blonds are unlucky in the Kasheran culture. Exceptions are only made for blonds born outside their country, but even then they’re treated with a degree of suspicion. The current Crown Prince attempted to dispel that superstition by marrying a princess of Jiinal.
The Imperial House of Shanshiire has often married nobility from Jiinal, so blonds show up in that family more often than in any other family line in the country. The most recent example of that being Princess Aldiara.
Typically, parents will abandon blond children, leaving them to fend for themselves on the streets to avoid the stigma of having one in the family. Wealthier families will sometimes keep them, depending on their social status at the time. Blonds are encouraged to not marry or have offspring in an attempt to wipe out the unfavourable gene.
Surnames
Kasheran surnames were once heavily gendered. This trend has mostly faded away, but it’s still in use by the nobility and some of the upper classes.
A male is indicated with the prefix fal while the feminine is nil.
EX: Kishandren nil Tanjalaar, Kenjariyo fal Tanjalaar
Surnames: nil Tanjalaar, fal Tanjalaar, Amshedra, Amshedren, Medrolik, Mazrali, Hamaledra, Suranden, Sholiavan, Uedra, Tarandenn, Tarilik, Talarishann
Customs and Culture
There is no such thing as a silent meal in Shanshiire. Some of the wealthier families employ professional speakers for that purpose.
Same sex affections are accepted
A common game they play is Kru-shin. It’s a form of hopscotch with very elaborate layouts.
Purple is the colour of mourning and it is in poor taste to wear it otherwise.
"It's been our custom since before the Beginning of Days that we shed blood to remember and honour our dead. We used to sacrifice animals for that purpose. The more barbaric tribes back then would start fights with the purpose of shedding blood to satisfy the custom. The Metal Lord put an end to that. Rather than ask us to abandon a practice we had held for as long as anyone could recall, it changed instead to this small token. We honour our dead with a small offering of blood. We can obey the Metal Lord and still remember our past."
Food
Kisha – a cinnamon-like spice
Shajiri – thinly sliced spiced meat served wrapped in a flat bread
Tapi – flat bread
Rashta – a salad made with fresh veggies, olive oil and spices, it can be eaten in a tapi bread, scooped onto a tapi, or traditionally with a fork
Agaar – cheese stuffed pastry
Veshun – grilled vegetables
Majura – lamb cooked with rice and peas