SOLEARAN CULTURE
On this page, you will find information on Solear's cultural norms. To see more about Solear's government & politics, see Solear: Location.
Imperial Succession
The process of choosing the next emperor is one that may go on for decades, depending on the lifespan of the current emperor. When an Emperor has a child, the line of succession goes directly to the child and they are trained accordingly. This, however, is frowned upon. It is believed that having several children means that heirs to the throne must prove their worth, making them stronger leaders in the long run. In the event that an Emperor has several children, the siblings must prove themselves to the Empire and the Emperor, competing throughout their lives in trials to gain the title of heir to the throne. The nature of these trials have differed throughout history, but there is no time limit nor restrictions to when or how an heir is selected.
The current selected heir to the throne is Imperial Prince Diego of the Giordano Family.
Trials under His Imperial Highness Emilio
While the process of proving oneself has changed throughout the centuries, His Imperial Highness Emilio is responsible for the wider understanding of proving oneself throughout the empire due to the very public process he has conducted for his own children. His children are expected to prove themselves in the traditional ways (through intelligence, diplomatic skill, leadership competence, etc.) and are also expected to participate in gladiatorial combat in Solear’s colosseum. This not only creates a relationship between themselves and the citizens of Solear, but is also a show of strength in battle.
In more recent decades, the gladiatorial trials have become a lucrative source of revenue for the Giordano Family. It is speculated that almost half of the money within the Imperial Treasury comes from these trials. To the citizens of Solear, Imperial bloodsport is a common past-time and conversation topic. Betting on the outcome of gladiator matches is not uncommon. The wealthier Solearans sometimes sponsor their favorite gladiators as well, tipping the scales of bets (as well as Solear's future politics) in their favor.
Multiculturalism within the Empire
While Solear’s population demographic is expansive and diverse, the empire was originally a smaller coastal country which was predominantly human. As the Empire expanded, individual provinces began to take on cultural customs and policies for different races. Solear lacks a national language or religion, priding itself on embracing all races and gods of worship. However, this is not always the case.
Racial Issues
A long-standing issue within Solear is the separation of races. While there were no strict borders established for different races to live in, it was a common struggle to find accommodations for size differences, cultural differences, or language barriers. Interracial marriage was not recognized within the empire until the reign of His Imperial Majesty Emilio. This policy of racial separation was originally enacted to prevent social climbing & class dissemination (as most non-human races lived in the provinces, territories which required their residents to stay poor and exploited for the Empire to continue conquering). As a whole, other races besides humans were considered (and, arguably, continue to be considered) as an afterthought throughout the empire.