Societies and Cultures
Everything related to the history and daily life of people - beliefs, social organization, interpersonal relations, etc. :
► Geography
Which geographical areas are most suitable for population?
Which regions are the least suitable to sustain a population? Why?
Are certain regions or types of terrain more popular areas for non-humans, and, if so, why?
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Describe the geography of where this society calls home.
What importance, spiritual or cultural, do people ascribe to the geography?
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional or natural?
Where in this land do they congregate?
What parts of this place do they avoid?
Where did civilization begin and how long ago?
Into what directions did civilization spread?
What natural features mark the borders?
Which geographical areas are most heavily populated?
Which regions are the least populated? Why?
► Time
Is there a single, generally accepted calendar and system of reckoning time, or do different countries or peoples or races have different calendars?
How is the day divided into smaller time units?
What are the various divisions and units of time and how are they named? Also, are these names relevant to anything?
Is the length of an hour fixed, or does it vary depending on changes in the length of the day as the seasons change?
What are the names of days, fortnights, months, years, decades, centuries and how many days or other subdivisions are in each?
How well in synch is the calendar with astronomical reality?
Are there leap years, and if so, who keeps track of them (and the calendar)?
Who could make adjustments to the calendary, if necessary?
Which days are holidays or festival times?
What do people celebrate and what holidays are there that are only celebrated in particular countries, cities, or regions?
From what point of origin does the calendar begin?
What events do people use to date years? Are these single events or are they recurring events?
How do people tell what time it is?
Are there mechanical clocks, pocket watches, sundials, sand or water clocks or thaumological timepieces?
Do people simply listen for bells from the palace or church, or just eyeball the location of the sun?
Are there any extracalendrical periods of time (i.e. “outside the year”)?
How did these originate and how are these times customarily observed?
► History
How far back does this society's written and oral history go?
How far back do its people believe it goes?
How widely known are these stories?
Do average people believe the old tales, or do they dismiss even some that have a basis in fact?
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances?
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded?
If it originated far away from its present location, how did it get here?
How has civilizational development been affected by the presence of magic, different sophont races, and the direct or indirect action of the gods or other great powers?
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced?
What are the major events in this culture's past?
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? What was their greatest moment?
What in their past makes them feel ashamed and do they speak of it or hide it?
What are they afraid might happen again?
What are they hoping will happen in the future and do they think it likely to happen?
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage?
Who in the past are the greatest heroes and the worst villains?
Do people think the present better or worse than the past?
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past?
► People +
► Races & Ethnicities
What are the chief races of sophonts in the region?
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region?
How are they related to one another?
Do they acknowledge any kinship or do they see one another as enemies or rivals?
Are there any physical, psychic or magical powers particular to this race?
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry?
What jobs do the majority ethnicities primarily occupy?
Are any groups of people denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage?
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants or travellers of other ethnicities?
How has the variety of ethnicities in the region altered social structure and culture of the country?
How are native minority ethnicities treated by the majority?
How are foreign ethnicities treated by the locals?
► Life Expectancy
What is the average life expectancy of each race and ethnicities?
How long can they live?
Does this differ between different regions?
What factors explain any discrepancies?
How healthy, generally speaking, are members of a particular race or ethnicity -- hearty, sickly, prone falling prey to some disease or malady?
What subdivisions exist that describe the various times of a person's lifespan?
What rites mark these times in a person's life?
What rights or duties do people have at different times in their lives?
What emoluments or considerations do people have at different times in their lives?
► Languages
How many languages are there and which ones are related?
Do speakers of a given language tend to borrow words rapaciously or is there some means by which foreign words are expunged from the language?
Are some or all people multilingual?
Is there a common language many people of different backgrounds use?
Is it a creole or is it the native language of a dominant group or even the language of an imperial overlord?
Are there "secret" languages or codes known only by priests, soldiers, wizards, guild members, street urchins?
What are they like and how did they develop?
What are the variations in speech patterns, syntax, and slang from one social class, one trade, one region and one race to another?
Describe some local slang, colorful turns of phrase & curse words that people use.
What things in this culture would their language have many specific words for?
What do the people in this culture consider important enough to name and what does this say about the way they look at the world?
What things would people of this culture not have specific names for, or else have one word that covers numerous variations?
What do they consider too unimportant to name and how does this affect the way they see the world?
Are there words that must never be spoken except at particular times, in ceremonies, or under particular circumstances?
Are there words that must not be spoken before guests?
Do these words differ from culture to culture or race to race?
► Demographics
What is the population of this country and what percentage of world population does this represent?
How many people live in a small village, large town, or city?
How diverse is the population?
How many different races, ethnicities, creeds, cultures, and so on normally live in various cities and towns?
In what percentages do these divisions occur?
How are they distributed?
Is population shifting from rural to urban? From south to north? From mountains to coast?
If populations are shifting, why are they doing so -- war, plague or economic opportunity?
What effects has migration had on the places being left behind?
What effects has migration had on the places that are gaining population?
Who are the neighboring countries & peoples and what are they like?
Is there much immigration into or out of various countries? Why or why not?
Why did people settle in this country in the first place -- strategic location, trade route, water transport, minerals, good farmland?
How much has their situation changed since their first immigration, or has life changed little for them?
Is there sufficient variety of peoples in this region so that it is considered ordinary to encounter people from other races?
Which peoples are considered the most and least civilized?
Which are most and least technologically and/or thaumologically advanced?
► Family
What is considered a family?
How extended is an extended family?
How important are family connections and responsibilities?
How many spouses may a man or woman have?
Who decides on a marriage?
Can a marriage end in divorce and how would this work?
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason?
How are families named?
What happens to orphans?
How are boy and girl children treated differently?
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift?
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love?
How big are families, typically?
What constitutes a household?
How many people live in one household?
How many generations?
Which members are expected to leave, and why and when?
What determines succession and inheritance?
What types of marriages and sexual relationships are required, encouraged, allowed, and prohibited?
What are the patterns of childcare?
Which member of the household cares for the children in what ways?
What is the division of labor among gender and generational lines within the household?
Are girls or boys preferred and why?
How common or rare is domestic violence?
Is this understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life?
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it?
► Morality +
► Values
What is the ideal life that people aspire to?
What are the virtues and vices within this culture?
What virtues are held in greatest esteem?
What vices are the most perversive?
What kinds of people are the rebels and outcasts of this society?
How does society deal with them?
Do wild and rebellious young people dress any differently from anyone else and are they tolerated within society or are they in some way living marginal but socially sanctioned lives outside the normal bounds of good society?
What ideas or words or actions will result in making one a social outcast or exile?
What do people use as curse words?
When and why are curse words used?
What happens to people who don't fit the accepted social order? -- do they live and work in their own sections of town, or are they invisible, or are they expelled altogether?
What will people swear a binding oath by?
What is the most desired or most valuable object in this society? -- gold, jewels, drugs, money, furs, reindeer, knowledge or virtue?
Why is it so coveted and valued?
Do different races value different things?
What attitudes, speech or actions are considered normal and acceptable in this society that may not be so considered from an outsider's perspective?
What attitudes, speech or actions are considered shocking in this society that may not be so considered from an outsider's perspective?
What would be the reaction of an ordinary person who sees someone doing one of these things?
What are the acceptable limits to honor and honesty in this society?
Are "white lies" acceptable socially, or is lying in any form inconceivable?
Is thievery an accepted, if disreputable, occupation, or is it a crime?
Is a binding oath absolutely unbreakable or can one consider the arrangement broken should the other party turn out to have had ill intent or withheld key information?
What is considered the right thing to do if two oaths come into conflict?
What are attitudes toward ownership of crafted objects, of intellectual property, of chattels, slaves and of land ?
What constitutes "theft" and what can be stolen with few repercussions? -- gems, gold, someone's good name or reputation?
Can a slave steal himself and what would the consequences be?
Are thieves independent criminals, members of a guild or businessmen licensed by law?
Is there a race or culture for whom non-material things (information, time, spiritual enlightenment) are the valuable things?
If a people values immaterial things, how did they get that way?
► Ethics
What systems of ethics is in use in this region?
Who are the persons or groups of people to whom one automatically owes a duty simply by being born to a particular estate?
What is the hierarchy of duty among them and what do the various duties consist of?
Who are the arbiters of ethical matters, as opposed to legal matters?
Which ethical or moral decisions are considered the province of religion, and which are not?
Who is considered to be a citizen, with the rights and privileges thereof?
What are the rights and privileges of citizens?
What responsibilities do citizens bear?
Can citizenship be revoked?
Are there certain groups of people who have fewer legal rights or less recourse than full citizens?
Why do those people have fewer rights than others?
► Faith +
► Religion
What is the oldest spiritual practice/belief and does it differ depending on race or species?
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Are the people of this culture religious or nonreligious?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissension or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what constitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural & traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there?
Is there a formal clergy and how are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death?
How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered especially sacred?
Is there a fixed religious calendar?
What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc, atheistic, etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities?
How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished?
Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries and what roles do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions?
How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups?
What do they do and how are they organized?
How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common?
What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or othernatural beings exist (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?
Are any divine beings present or distant; and do they take an active role in temple activities and the lives of everyday people?
How many gods are there?
Do they exist within a hierarchy and do they form various classes or groups?
Which ones are good or evil, or somewhere in between?
Is this distinction even applicable when speaking of gods?
Is there a difference between miracles and magic?
If there is a difference, then how are they distinguished (if they are at all)?
Is there tension, rivalry, or outright hostility between any of the gods?
Does this spill over into tensions between various temple organisations or secular polities?
Do the relationships between the gods affect people’s everyday lives?
How do various religions view non-believers?
How do the various religions view foreigners? Non-humans?
Which religions support the government, and which are more interested in ordinary people?
How does religion mesh with society?
How do people view its actions (or inactivity) within society?
Is there an established church?
Is there a state church?
Is freedom of religion the norm or is there some amount of compulsion?
Do the gods care how people behave?
What part does faith play in the worship of gods?
Do the gods want worship?
Do people choose one or more gods to worship and ignore the others, or does everybody officially worship everyone, or do most people pray to whomever is most likely to grant results in their situation??
How is it determined which god an individual will worship or temple to be affiliated with; or are all gods worshiped indiscriminately?
Are philosophers and theologians considered ivory-tower academics, or do they debate in the marketplace for all to hear and consider their perspectives?
How much influence do their theories have on the way people actually behave? What part does it play in public and private life?
Are priests and philosophers full-time workers, or do they support themselves through working at some other craft?
If they are full-time, who supports them? -- the congregation, a wealthy patron, the temple's investment fund, the god they serve?
Do people generally think of the temples and churches as parasites, or as useful parts of society?
Why are the gods interested in people?
Are they like a family pantheon (quarrelsome, larger-than-life humans), or are they transcendent and incomprehensible?
Are gods limited in their powers and capabilities?
Can gods make mistakes? -- where can a person go to seek redress against a god?
How do the various temples and philosophies explain the problem of evil?
Do they think bad things are always a just punishment for some transgression, a character-building exercise, the result of an evil antagonist or simply something the gods can't overturn?
► Rites
What are the various rites like, and why?
What offerings are considered appropriate or insufficient and are different sacrifices required for different gods?
Are there times when people are expected to fast, or feast?
Are there rites or temples that are off-limits to outsiders, or even uninitiated insiders?
Are there fashions or fads in religious devotion? -- or is that prayer "out" while this new ritual is "in", maybe even a completely new interpretation on the faith?
► Sex
How does this society define incest & rape; and how do people react to these events?
What secret vices are believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vices actually are being practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
What sexual acts or behaviors are considered unnatural, and how do people react to them?
Is there an imbalance in the culture regarding sexual activity? -- is it over-permissive or repressive?
Are premarital or extramarital sexual relations allowed?
How is adultery defined?
What, if any, is the punishment and how is it decided to be an offense?
Is prostitution legal?
How are prostitutes viewed by people and are their views accurate?
What is the greatest sexual tabu?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage, or, is it even supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or tabus that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there laws that control or restrict sexual behavior?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex?
Are there tabus against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience, or are groups allowed?
How much privacy is accorded to sexual activity?
Due to the species biology and psychology, is sex even enjoyable and how intense is the process?
► Etiquette +
► Greetings
When meeting someone, what gestures or words are used for greeting?
How did the greeting gesture originate?
Is there a difference between the greeting offered to an equal and that offered to a superior or an inferior?
Is there a difference between the greeting offered a man or a woman or between people of different races?
How are two people who have never met normally introduced to one another?
What is the order of precedence when there are several people of differing sex or social status or race present, all of whom need to be introduced to each other?
Are there classes of people who are never introduced to other classes of people?
Are true names significant, and if so, under what circumstances would someone be given another person's true name?
Are there customs involving the way in which someone is named when being introduced, such as using full titles at the first meeting, but never repeating them afterward?
Is there any difference in the way you greet someone you already know, compared to greeting a stranger?
How does someone acknowledge seeing an acquaintance at a distance, for example passing on the other side of the street?
Is there a special "I am not armed." gesture for warriors, wizards or others with dangerous abilities?
► Body Language
Are gestures and body language in this society generally subtle or obvious?
Do people talk with their hands or other appendages, or is that considered vulgar?
Is there a way of changing a greeting gesture to make it insulting?
What is a comfortable and polite speaking distance for people in this culture and how does this compare with others?
How aware are people of these differences and are they well or poorly respected?
What gestures are insulting?
What do they mean?
Do some gestures differ in meaning depending on the culture, race, or era?
How do gestures and body language differ between races & cultures?
Are there signs that don't matter in one region but that are grave insults in another?
What are the ways of showing respect to another and to whom is one expected to show such respect?
► Hospitality
When a guest arrives, is food or drink offered immediately, after an interval, or only on request?
Is there a particular food or drink that is customary to offer a newly arrived guest?
Are there questions that must be asked or avoided?
Are there topics that can only be raised by the host or the guest?
How seriously does the culture take the responsibilities of host and guest?
What norms define the host-guest relationship?
What things are considered courteous to offer a guest? -- food, reading material, personal guards or attendants, music, entertainment, a person of the opposite sex to sleep with?
What is considered a courteous response to a host's offer?
Are there things it is considered rude to accept or rude to turn down; rude to ask for or not to ask for?
How do different eating customs of the various cultures and races interact and conflict?
► Manners
Who speaks first at a formal gathering?
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste?
How do younger adults address their elders?
When is it rude to laugh at something funny?
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? -- or in private or even not at all?
What parts of the body are routinely covered?
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating?
What are the rules of precedence? -- who gets to go through doors first and who gets introduced first?
Do these rules differ in a formal and informal setting?
How important are "good manners" in this society?
What constitutes everyday good manners?
How do "good manners" differ from race to race?
How do different peoples react when someone has just been, by their standards, unspeakably rude?
Are people shocked when an outsider learns their manners? Are they patronizing, condescending, or supportive?
When and where are people supposed to be on their best behavior?
► Taboos & Faux Pas
What are considered controversial subjects in this culture?
What topics can you start a friendly disputation about?
What topics will automatically result in an unfriendly argument?
What are the primary social tabus? -- what things are simply not done and what things are not talked about?
What would happen if someone broke such a tabu?
How do social taboos vary for different races and groups of people?
What are the greatest social faux pas?
What subjects or actions cause embarrassment or discomfort?
► Customs +
► Social Structure
How is society divided into ranks or hierarchies?
What social classes or divisions exist in this society?
Are people able to move from one social class to another?
Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
What are the various ranks and titles and their proper forms of address?
What is the proper means to addressing peers, social betters, or social inferiors?
Which occupations are respected and which are looked down upon? Why?
How firm are the divisions between social classes?
Is it considered beneath dignity for a noble to engage in trade or for a warrior to help with the harvest?
How difficult is it to rise or fall from one social level to another?
What are the easiest and most common ways to advance in status?
Can one attain higher status by amassing more money, marrying well, getting the ruler’s favor?
How much resistance is there to someone advancing in social status?
How much social mobility is there in fact compared to how much people believe there is?
How are matters of inheritance resolved when wealth, property, land, titles and position or office are involved?
Is society segregated an any way?
Is there any discrimination against or oppression of some groups be they racial, ethnic or religious in this society?
What genders are biologically ordained and socially constructed?
What are the typical roles of individuals of different genders?
► Social Life
In what ways do weather & climate contribute to the habits or customs of this culture?
What colors are associated with power, with virtue and with death?
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved?
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved?
How do people demonstrate grief?
How independent or codependent are individuals?
What are the expectations of children?
How do people feel about foreigners and other races?
How ready are people to accept different ideas?
How cosmopolitan is the average person?
What kinds of people are likely to face prejudice?
Is this discrimination institutionalized or is it mostly a matter of public attitude?
In what ways has this society changed and do people make any importance of this change?
What is the general attitude of men towards women?
What is the general attitude of women towards men?
► The place of Myths and Folklore in Society
What are the most popular stories about the past?
Do average people believe old tales, or do they dismiss it as "folklore" with, perhaps, some basis in fact?
Is there any conflict between the old stories and current zeitgeist?
What place and importance do the various traditional stories and costumes have in this society?
Are they the primary means of passing on to the next generation, or is folklore being pushed aside and replaced by "proper" science and history?
Are there any vocations whose practices or rituals derive in some way from these traditions?
How important is oral tradition in this culture?
Are there any oral traditions exclusive to a class of people?
► Onomastics
What's in a name?
Are names for things mere matters of identification or are there deeper meanings?
Are concepts other than people named, as well?
How are ethnonyms formed?
How are individual people named?
What constitutes an individual's name?
And what of toponymy, the names of places and geographical features?
Are towns & cities and woodlands & fields named?
And what of hydronymy, the names of bodies of water?
And what of oronymy, the names of mountains?
Are streets, roads, highways named?
Do rivers, railways, power lines, canals, mountain chains, roads & highways that pass through different jurisdictions & even different countries keep one name, or do names change from place to place?
Are private houses (mansions or cottages) and public buildings (schools, churches, temples, libraries, markets) named?
Are animals given individual names? What sorts of animals might be given a name and which are not?
Are vehicles or tools or weapons named?
Do names convey any kind of power over a thing or are they mere labels?
What rites or ceremonies pertain to naming someone or something?
Can one change one's own name?
Can one confer a new name, or a nickname on oneself or others?
► Death & Funeral Customs
What is the understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
What customs surround death and burial?
How are dead bodies disposed of?
Is there a special class of people that deal with corpses?
Are there lands set aside for burying grounds, are dead bodies cremated or left to be eaten by scavengers?
Is the family responsible for the body or are there specialised craftsmen that handle corpses?
What part do the priests or other clerics play?
Are bodies buried in the ground or in caves or catacombs?
Does each family have a crypt with all their relatives gathered together?
Do people visit the dead?
If so, how often and what is done while visiting?
Are the dead feared, revered, or ignored?
► Everyday Life +
► Urban Life
Does a city's layout reflect some particular philosophy, such as that the "head" of the city must be at the center or at the highest point or at the most strategic location within the city?
Were layout considerations mainly practical or did most cities just grow?
Are practical consideration such as the confluence of rivers or trade routes of greater import?
Are cities planned and laid out or do they grow in a more organic fashion?
If they are laid out, what is the most common type of urban planning? -- grid, radial, etc.?
Are there public or private parks in cities?
What kinds of activities take place in parks?
How wide are the boulevards, streets and alleys?
What are the chief landmarks in a typical city of this culture?
Where are the interesting neighborhoods in town: the districts worth visiting and those worth avoiding at all costs?
What elements give each area its special character?
Do neighborhoods, wards, roads, courts and alleys have names?
How are houses or shops addressed?
How can an unfamiliar visitor find a location?
Where do people go to shop, eat, have fun, worship or visit culturally significant places?
What sorts of goods, foods & entertainments are available in large cities that are not available in the country or smaller towns?
Does the city have tourists? What do they come to do?
Are certain cities known for certain activities or industries?
What are houses in the city like: their size, layout, manner of construction and available ammenities?
When might a city house be abandoned by its inhabitants?
► Rural Life
Given the magical and technological level of this society, what is an appropriate ratio of farmers to urban residents?
What is the composition of the rural landscape: small farmsteads; semi-independent manors; vast latifundia?
Are peasants, farmers, yeomen or serfs tied to their land by law or custom, or can they move from place to place or even to a town if they desire?
Can they own their farms and property, or is all land held "in common" or is it rented from a lord or landholder?
Given the state of roads and transportation, how much food is it possible to ship to a given location before it spoils?
Are rural areas primarily farms, forests, grazing meadows, or wastelands?
In outlying areas where there aren't many people, how many roads are there, who builds them, and to what standards are they built and who maintains them?
How reliable is the weather from year to year -- is crop production relatively dependable, or do people have to cope with regular famines due to drought or floods?
What kinds of catastrophic weather are common -- tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, waterspouts, dust storms, thaumic typhoons and how do people cope with them?
How are agricultural areas divided up between the different races of people?
What kinds of conflicts are likely to result when two or more groups' territories & interests intersect?
What kinds of rights over land, crops, game, etc. does a landowner have?
Is poaching a problem?
What are houses in the country like: size, layout, manner of construction, ammenities available?
When might a country house or farm be abandoned by its inhabitants?
How are country dwellers viewed by city folk?
How do the country folk feel about city dwellers?
► Day-to-day Matters
What are accepted norms of personal hygiene: do most people bathe regularly, or is bathing considered a health hazard?
How is rubbish and other waste material disposed of?
What kinds of furniture are in common use?
What is furniture like in design, shape and decoration; and what is it usually made of?
Are certain articles of furniture reserved for high-status individuals?
In what ways does furniture design reflect the customs and lifestyle of the people?
What are the plumbing and sanitary systems like; and how reliable are they?
How do they differ between country and city?
How do people cope with various domestic disasters like fire, floods, tornadoes and the like?
How common are such disasters?
How early do people get up in the morning?
Are clocks common, or do people tell time by the sun or by listening for church or town-hall bells or some other public alarm?
► Gastronomy +
► Diet
What does the ordinary diet consist of in this region and how does it differ by social class or occupation?
Is the standard diet adequate to sustain a child's proper physical growth and healthy brain development?
Are any classes of society limited in what foods they may eat?
What dishes are considered holiday food and which foods & drinks are associated with particular holidays or times of the year?
Describe how daily food is obtained.
What foods are staples, commonly eaten every day and does popularity of choice vary?
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region?
What type of food is the locality or region famous for?
How many and when are the main mealtimes?
What foods are considered exotic, expensive or rare?
Are some foods poisonous or revolting to one race, that are delicacies or necessary to another?
What foods do non-humans like, and how do these differ from those favoured by humans?
Which meals are substantial and which are lite; which are more formal or more relaxed?
Are certain foods reserved mainly for a particular meal?
What dishes and seasonings are considered typical of this area?
What beverages are considered typical in this regions?
What foods are considered peasant food?
What foods are normally cooked and which are eaten raw?
What herbs and spices are readily available, and what must be imported?
How common or expensive are imported foods and spices?
What forms of alcoholic drinks exist?
What kinds of drink are most commonly served at meals?
Who most commonly drinks alcohol?
Describe the types of food or seasoning that are characteristic of the cuisines of different races & cultures.
Do people tend to like highly spiced food?
Do special circumstances (such as pregnancy) ever restrict diet?
Do religions have any beliefs about food and diet?
► Dining habits
What kinds of utensils, cutlery, & cookware, if any, do people use for cooking and eating?
Have these utensils been developed in the culture or have they been imported?
Describe the eating arrangements: how is the table or other eating space arranged?
When a guest arrives, is food or drink offered immediately, after an interval, or only on request?
Is there a particular food or drink that it is customary to offer a newly arrived guest?
Is there a traditional food or drink given to a guest who is departing?
Where is the place of honor for a guest?
Where do the important members of the household sit or recline?
How do people sit when eating?
Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners?
What things, while edible, are never eaten?
Are there religious or social norms governing what may and may not be eaten?
How many meals are considered normal in a day?
What times of day are they served and in what manner?
At what age do people start drinking alcohol (if they drink at all)?
Do men & women, parents & children, servants & masters eat separately, or does everyone eat together and how is status displayed at the table?
What distinguishes a formal, high-court dinner from an ordinary meal, besides quantity and variety of food?
How do high-court, or formal, manners differ from everyday ones?
What is the order of a typical upper-class meal? -- is there a particular starting dish followed in proper order, or are all the dishes brought out at once?
Are special arrangements necessary for entertaining guests of different races?
Are special dining customs observed on certain holidays or for certain events?
How do the eating customs of different races reflect their cultures and biology?
How difficult does this make social interaction among the races?
► Rationing
Are there restaurants, bars, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public?
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not homemade?
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning?
How many cases lead to death?
Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness?
How is food preserved for later use and how reliable are the methods used? -- smoking, freezing, canning, salting, pickling, drying?
How reliable are the food preservation methods used?
How often do preserved foods spoil?
When food is in limited supply, is there a scheme of rationing or if not, who gets to continue eating and who starves (and who gets first dibs)?
Is sanitation good enough for untreated water to be safe to drink?
Is there a safe supply of drinking water?
If not, what do people drink instead?
► Arts & Aesthetics
What are the favourite & least favourite art forms?
Is there a distinct musical or literary style; and what are they like?
How respected are artists and what's their general reputation?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
Are artists considered to be low or high class?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does this society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is this society's art?
What shapes are most common in this society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which art forms get the most and least respect or receive the most attention?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
What are the standards of beauty for people; paintings and sculpture; clothing and furniture?
How do standards of beauty reflect the physical traits of the various races?
What is the status of the arts in this society?
Are there permanent theaters or concert halls for the performing arts?
Are there also traveling troupes of players/musicians/dancers?
What things are considered appropriate subjects for representational arts and which are not?
Are certain races or cultures considered better at some arts than others? If so, how does this affect the less talented groups?
Where do the best dancers, painters, musicians, actors, and so forth come from?
Who supports the arts?
Who owns and runs performance venues?
► Bodywear +
► Body Adornment
In what ways do people decorate their bodies?
Are tattoos, scarification, piercings or body paint common?
What forms do they take?
Are they monochromatic or tinted?
What kinds of jewelry or accessories are worn on the body?
Are hats or scarves or leggings or gloves worn?
What colors and combinations of colors are thought to look well or to clash?
Do opinions on this vary from race to race?
Are weapons of some kind a standard part of dress for any/all segments of society?
Are such weapons crafted solely with "utility" in mind or are they so decorative as to be nearly useless?
What areas of the body must be covered?
Or is clothing more a matter of individual taste?
What types of decorations and accessories are common?
What significance might these kinds of decorations have?
How important is fashion to people?
How does this vary by individual?
If such adornments are not used in this culture, how do people react to outsiders wearing tattoos or piercings, facial hair or cosmetics?
► Clothing
What articles of clothing do people habitually wear and how does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, and the like?
Describe how the genders dress: what differences & similarities are there between men's and women's clothing and accessories?
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? -- does this process differ between casual and formal clothes?
What materials are used most commonly?
What materials are intended for special occasions?
Are these material be produced locally, or must some or all of it be imported?
How expensive is clothing? -- how does this cost vary depending on the class of clothing (casual or formal)?
Are certain articles of clothing customary or obligatory for certain occupations and how much variation is allowed?
Are there dyes for certain colors, such as purple or indigo that are very rare, making cloth of that color more expensive and/or reserved for nobility or other high-status people?
Are there sumptuary laws, defining who can wear or display what kinds of clothing and adornments?
Who decides when changes are needed to such sumptuary laws?
How often are sumptuary laws adjusted?
What are the penalties for breaking these laws?
How many changes of clothing can a person be expected to own or afford?
How often do people change their clothes?
How often do people wash their clothes?
What materials are appropriate for the climate?
► Fashion
Are there fashions or fads in things besides clothes? -- styles of carriages, furniture, race or gender of household slaves, modes of speech?
What is the current fashion in clothing, haberdashery, jewellery, shoes & other accouterments?
Do such fashions differ between the species, countries or ethnicities?
How marked are the differences in fashion between city and country and from one country to another?
Is it quality or style which is most important?
How frequently does style and fashion change?
Who sets the trends?
How easily do trends in fashion travel across borders?
What articles are considered tacky and vulgar, and which are stylish?
What physical appearance types and characteristics are currently fashionable? -- tan versus pale skin, the "consumptive look" versus robust good health, fat versus thin, blonde versus brunette?
How do trends in physical beauty vary for non-humans?
How pervasive is the culture of vanity and how are people who simply can not fit into a fashionable category affected? -- do they suffer along, or try to make up for their perceived deficiencies or do they simply create their own categories of fashion and vanity?
How do the fashions of the various races reflect their physiology & culture?
How much exchange of these ideas goes on between various races and cultures of the region?
► Leisure
What are popular games, sports & pastimes?
Which pastimes require skill, money, or ample leisure time?
How important are they?
How do such activities vary from one race, culture or social class to another?
How much free time do people usually have?
What do they spend this time doing?
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, kinematography)?
What other major forms of entertainment are there?
Is the populace literate and numerate?
Do people read for pleasure?
If so, what do they read?
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost?
Is there a public library system; and who uses it?
Who are popular authors and poets?
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
What are some of the more well known story lines from literature?
How embedded have scenes or lines from literary works become in ordinary language; what are the equivalents of "a rose by any other name" or "it was a dark and stormy night"?
How do people listen to music: in a theater, making music at home, street musicians, mechanical reproduction & playback?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form; and what is it like?
Who is able to see such entertainments and what restrictions might there be against some people?
Are certain countries or cities known for a passion or expertise for particular games or pastimes?
Are any games or pastimes illegal?
► Childhood
What customs surround a birth and the introduction of a new child to the family?
Is the mother sequestered for some period; or is the child?
Is there a formal presentation of the new child to the parents, grandparents, overlord, priest or community?
Is a feast and celebration declared, or does everyone keep a low profile to keep from attracting demons or bad luck?
Who is normally present for births?
Is childbirth strictly a matter for women, or are men involved as well, or is expectant mother secluded and expected to give birth entirely unaided?
Who raises the children?
At what age do they begin to be educated or trained for a craft?
Who normally educates children?
Are children dressed differently from adults; and if so, when do they change to adult dress?
What are the rites of passage in this culture?
Are there formalized rituals or is the transition more informal in nature?
Are there different rites for men and women or other groups of people?
When and how does someone go from child to adult?
With the advent of puberty, is there the notion of a transitional stage to adulthood, such as adolescence?
If so, what the expectations and responsibilities placed on adolescents?
How do the various races differ in regards to puberty?
► Education
Describe the education of the society's people: is there formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory or voluntary?
Are educational opportunities open to everyone?
What is the general cost of education? And between the different levels of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are academic curricula and years arranged?
What is the typical courses of study?
What degrees or diplomas are offered?
Does this society have its own language?
Its own writing system?
How common is literacy?
How is literacy understood as a continuum within society?
Is universal or selective literacy a goal of society?
Is literacy considered a useful or necessary skill for nobility, or something only scribes, clerks, or servants need?
What form and value are books?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills?
How educated is an average person living in this region, and what does this education consist of?
Is it enough to be able to count and do sums; to be able to read a little bit?
Who are the most and least educated people in society?
Are there people for whom education is illegal?
Are education opportunities available for everyone?
Are there schoolhouses in every town, or do people travel if they want to be educated?
Are there universities or colleges?
Are there private tutors?
What things are considered absolutely necessary for a noble or other well to do class of people to know?
What must a tradesman or a peasant learn to function in society?
What areas are considered absolutely necessary knowledge for a courtier?
Which areas of education are nice but not necessary?
What areas of knowledge would be slightly embarrassing if anyone found out about them?
How respected are teachers and scholars?
Who supports educators?
Are there anti-intellectual groups?
Is education legally restricted in any way?
► Marriage
How is a marriage defined?
How is a marriage contracted?
What are the society's mores regarding courtship, betrothal, marriage and family?
Is marriage primarily a civil or a religious institution?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?
Why are people usually married?
► Unnatural Death +
► Suicide
What views do people in this culture have about suicide?
Is it seen as a great sin or is it seen as a civic duty under certain circumstances or even as a mercy and comfort for tormented souls?
Is it worse than murder?
► Abortion
Under what circumstances might an infant be aborted in utero or exposed after birth?
Are such killings viewed as legal or moral?
What features might mark an infant for abortion or exposure?
What circumstances surrounding the infant's conception, gestation or birth might mark the infant for abortion or exposure?
Are such children ever rescued, and under what circumstances might this happen?
How are folk who carry out this deed seen henceforth?
► Homicide
Is there a distinction to be made between a planned murder and an accidental or incidental killing?
If so, how is this reflected in cultural lore, the justice & penal systems?
Are either ever justifiable or even outright permissible?
What is the perceived abhorrentness of these acts?
Are killers shunned by society?
► Judicial Slaying
Is the execution of convicted criminals permitted?
What laws must be broken to warrant such a punishment?
What forms does this punishment take?
Who carries out the sentence, and is it done in open or in secret?
Are executioner's held in disdain?
Is there any significant social opposition to the death penalty?
