Customs of Thay

Titles

• Master, regardless of gender
• Heads of the branches would be referred to as their official title of 'Zulkir', most likely, though could still go by the above two titles
• Eminence, or Your Eminence; Lord, Lady (for authority)
• Tharchions are leaders of a Tharch (equivalent of a governor)
• Autharchs are leaders of specific territories (similar to Mayor, though not necessarily always a city)
• Khazarks are leaders of an Enclave (Tharchions and Autharchs are not always Red Wizards, while Khazarks are always Red Wizards)
• Red Wizards in these positions would most likely prefer to be addressed by their Red Wizard titles, as noted above, Khazarks especially.
• Omniscience, or Your Omniscience (for priests)
• Excellency, or Your Excellency; Honor, or Your Honor; Sir, Mistress (standard nobility)

Hair

Hair is a specific symbol in Thayan society. The length of one's hair, while not entirely regulated (except for Red Wizards and Slaves) is a measure of one's status. Slaves are generally not allowed to cut their hair, so it hangs long. Thus, long hair is seen as a symbol of slavery, and many Thayans will not wear their hair long in order to not be seen as poor.

Red Wizards are almost always shaved bald. Trained slave barbers are used to regularly shave their heads as well as their eyebrows and generally all body hair as well. Tattoos are often placed over a Red Wizard's body, usually imbued with one-time-use magic, similar to a scroll. At times, a Red Wizard in an Enclave or otherwise far from Thay may let their hair grow, if they do not have their slave barbers with them, as they do not trust foreign barbers with shaving them.

Color

Red robes are banned in Thay unless one is a red wizard. It is legal to execute someone on the spot if they are caught wearing a red robe without being a Red Wizard, and oftentimes murders are committed legally by killing someone and then dressing them in a red robe to frame them.

Due to this, and the variable temperament, at best, of Red Wizards, most citizens in Thay will not wear even a single article of clothing that has red on it. Often, orange is right out as well.

The only exception is the Clerics of Kossuth, who wear easily identifiable robes of various colors, including red.Mulan Mulan are the ruling class of Thay. They make up the vast majority (over 90%) of Red Wizards, and most noble families are Mulan. Generally, few Mulan are lower than at least low-rank noble, though some low-class and even slave Mulan exist due to the nature of Thayan society.

They are tall and slim, and sometimes gaunt. Their skin is not as dark as the Rashemi, and sometimes appears even sallow (sickly yellow). They almost always remove most if not all of their body hair, and often decorate themselves with both magical and mundane tattoos.

Rashemi

Rashemi are sturdy, short, and stocky. They make up the majority of the free Thayans. They have thick, dark hair, and have dark, dusky skin and equally dark eyes. They also often shave themselves, or at least cut their hair short, in order to distinguish themselves from slaves.

Rashemi are not enslaved nor oppressed as others would argue. They are prideful of their nation despite their general lack of upwards movement compared to the Mulan. Rashemi own slaves just as much as Mulan do.

Rashemi are most likely to serve in the Thayan military, and some can even, rarely, aspire to the status of Red Wizard.

(credit: Rhifox)