Spider-haunted Zamora is a mysterious nation of thieves, kidnappers, extortionists, prostitutes and sorcerers. Small villages boast white hedge witches and the larger cities have powerful priests that work such potent magic that even the king fears them.
Zamorians, as a race, tend toward dark complexions with dark eyes and black hair. Pale skin is considered beautiful and healthy and is seen as a symbol of wealth and breeding. Although Zamorians are dark skinned by nature, the working classes have the darkest skin from spending the most time outdoors. Those whose skin tones approach alabaster are admired by all for their grace and beauty.
All social classes wear cloaks or blankets when the weather is cold or wet. Likely the first sign of status in Shadizar, clothing and appearance styles among the economic classes often reveal more than is intended. Women dress provocatively, if at all and ornamentation tends to be somewhat erotic.
Among the poor, clothing is a personal issue and is usually considered an expression of individuality. Clothing is usually stolen, handed down from others or bought used. Scars, tattoos and body piercing are common in the lower economic echelons, as these enhance individuality and otherwise mark people who feel they are lost in the masses.
Those in the servant or craftsmen classes tend to wear clothes appropriate to their vocations, although many add personalised touches as a nod toward individualism. Harlots and dancers wear little but jingling girdles of coins, sometimes with two strips of silk, sometimes not.
People in the merchant class tend to wear velvet, fine linens and some silks. Clothing is chosen for quality and ease of use and wear. Clothing must be well-crafted yet still be functional. Versatility is more important than artistic or aesthetic merits. Many who climb to this rank from the lower economies wear gloves to hide the scars and roughness of their hands, which might betray their lowly origins.
As a person’s wealth increases, jewellery replaces body piercing and tattooing as marks of individualism. When members move up to stand among the wealthy, pains are often taken to hide marks that are now considered boorish or counter-cultural. Nobles wear silk and other high quality materials. Fit, aesthetic merit, craftsmanship and quality are more important than functionality or individual expression. Surprisingly, jewellery is worn sparingly but what little is worn is always of the highest quality and beauty. Colours tend to be muted and understated.
Priests and wizards seem to be ever in abundance in Zamora, although their presence is nowhere near as visible as in shadow-haunted Stygia. Zamora is an ancient kingdom, descended from a mysterious race known as the Zhemri, an elder and evil race from pre-Cataclysmic times. The 3,000 year old civilisation has fallen into decadence and its people are viewed as a wicked race of thieves, cutthroats and sorcerers.
Many trade routes pass through Zamora, giving a cosmopolitan air to many of its cities and creating a melting-pot of humanity. Shemites, Corinthians, Turanians, Hyrkanians and others have found homes in Zamora.
Zamorians do not respect the rights of others. They do what is best for them. Trade in vice is treated by the Zamorians as a freedom, not a crime. The liberty of the private contract is more important than the subjective idea of sin.
Bribery is a way of life in Zamora and is expected and encouraged. Few Zamorians will even consider making a business transaction unless some sort of bribery is involved with the expectation that bribery will be part of the income. Zamorians, on the whole, do not trust in the integrity of professional services, of government and the courts, of law enforcement, of religion and of anything touched with bribery.
They do make the best thieves and are well-regarded for not betraying their employers if hired for thievery. This has nothing to do with honour but is entirely an instance of the Zamorians realising that a certain degree of faithfulnessis simply good for business.
Zamorians have a tendency toward egoist hedonism. Every pleasure is good and natural. Pleasure is preferable to pain, which is bad and to be avoided. For many in Zamora, pleasure has become the measure of right and wrong. The Zamorians feel their ‘anything goes’ approach to sexuality is completely natural. So long as sex is possible, be it man or woman, then it is being done according to nature.
Among the zamorian noble class knowing people, and who they know, is far more important than what they know, or what they can do as an individual. Everyone known is considered to be one or more of the above types of connections; otherwise the person is not worth knowing or even noticing. In the noble class, people do not introduce themselves. People are introduced by others in this fashion: ‘This is (name) of (family name) family.’ This serves the purpose of not only identifying the noble, though illustrates his connection at the same time. If an introduction is merely, ‘This is (name), a very dear and close personal friend’, or something similar, then the unspoken understanding is that the person has no connections of worth.
Being skilled is less respected than knowing skilled people.