Beliefs and Values

Honour: Honour for the Zingarans is a very real concept, built of a character’s reputation, moral identity and self perception and is held as a guiding principle for Zingarans. Any slight to a Zingarans honour, be it an insult to him, his wife, his family or his beloved is usually dealt with in a duel or other form of violent redress. From nobles to knights, honour is held in the highest regard, seen as a way of separating the aristocracy from the common folk.

Allegiance: Historically, the economics of Zingara depended on the concept of Allegiance with lords pledging allegiance to whoever wears the crown, men pledging their allegiance to their wives and family, cities and gods. Allegiances usually involve obligations on both sides such as a farmer being obligated to give half of their yield to the lord and in return receive protection should they need it. Allegiances hold far more sway in the more rural societies of Zingara, being held higher than public law. This however, creates more problems than it solves, with vendettas escalating to blood feuds for allegiances being broken.

Laws: The laws of Zingara’s legal system was created with the intent to preserve the privileges of the privileged, maintaining power for those who had it. Most Zingaran cities uphold these laws, especially among the more traditionally minded courts. A common method of proving one's innocence is the Ordeal of the Hot Iron. Usually only women are required to use this method, as men will often settle disputes in a duel. If a woman cannot hire a champion to defend her innocence or if the evidence fails the woman they must take the ordeal. Usual suspects of this ordeal include those accused of prositution, witchcraft or if deemed unworthy of legal protection. A four foot iron rod is heated in fire and blessed by a priest of Mitra, the rod is then placed in the woman's hands and she must walk nine paces. The woman's hands are then waxed and placed in bandages and if still charred after these three days, is found guilty. Of course this archaic law is used on those seen as undesirable by the lords of towns as most women are left without use of their hands after taking part in this ordeal.

Art: The finest painters in the world hail from Zingara. Their style has revolutionized the art of the current period, or so any Zingaran painter would have you believe. Murals depicting great victories at sea, legendary vendettas, and lost loves sit aside portraits of near lifelike realism. Poetry, too, is a thing as valued as gold to some Zingarans, for it reflects the passion of the heart. A poem can last a thousand years whereas gold will fade, find other hands, and be forgotten as being owned by the dead. But a poem takes on immortality and any suitor, of either gender, must try to put their passion into words. While the male is most commonly the pursuer of the female in other nations, this is not so in Zingara. Women often write the finest poetry. Perhaps not uncoincidentally, they also make fierce warriors. Like the people themselves, Zingaran art is flashy if not opulent. They are fond of gilding items, displays of wealth, and pantaloons which bloom like sails in a good wind. Jewellery is common to men and women alike, from the head to toe. When not worn loose and cascading in curls, hair is held in place by fine oils and perfumes from as far away as Vendhya and Khitai. More than one rough-and-ready Hyborian has made the mistake of thinking a Zingaran a dandy and, in the duel which follows, finding the Zingaran poniard pierces the heart as readily as their odes to love.

Traditions and Customs

Aristocratic and noble marriages in Zingara are arranged by the fathers of young girls, with the girls not knowing of their intended husbands other than their titles, positions and connections. Betrothal is a formal arrangement lasting only a few months in Zingara, allowing the intended pair brief visits supervised by the parents before they are wed. Affection within the marriage means nothing to the parents as they see the alliances and connections as more important. Against popular custom, the Mitraic religion fights for the rights of a couple to choose their own spouse often leading to those of more religious virtue refusing betrothal offers from other nobles and lords.

The woman's position in Zingara is one of being an idol, put up on a pedestal. It is improper of men to openly speak ill of women with the more refined Zingarans, kneeling before women to speak to them. Men are expected to provide gifts, actions and praises to women before being admitted into their company. Some women are able to command outright quests before they will consider a man more than just a fleeting acquaintance. However, Zingarans do tend to keep their women in seclusion and are expected to be chaste. In private matters they are more amorous, keeping their public appearance of chastity. Women of lower and middle classes tend to be more practical, running the household, caring for children and performing domestic duties.

Men in Zingara, especially amongst the lower and middle classes, are seen as the providers for the household, working throughout the day to provide more for their wife and children then themselves. They are the traders, crafters, farmers and soldiers of Zingara.