The Customs of the "San d' Orian"

Text in italics is from the official site.



Honor and Tradition are held as the foremost precepts for this nation of Elvaan. For this reason the lineage of one's family is of utmost importance. The older and longer the family history the more prestigious and honored the family is. Conversely, any foible or misdeed of an ancestor is projected onto his descendants and is difficult to overcome.

San d' Orians hold dear the various ceremonies that accompany their religion, inductions of military, and the royal family's goings on. Instead of seeking innovations the San d'Orians hang on to and pass down their ways of life and traditional ways of performing daily tasks. Anyone trying to make changes is often met with suspicion and sometimes disgust.

The Church of Altana is an intrigal part of everyday life for the San d'Orians who feel they have a special connection to the Goddess. Trips to the Cathedral to pray are daily occurrences and to them every action could either bar them from Paradise or secure it. Its leader is the papsque who only rarely makes public appearances from the balcony. His advice is held in high esteem by the Royals.

Architecture

The FFXI Encyclopedia says:

Home to the proud Elvaan warriors, the City of San d'Oria shows its heritage in the royal bloodlines and military ranks that have shaped and formed it. Sharply defined structures, rigid lines and contours, cleanliness of aspect, these all lend themselves to the castellations, towers and spires that form the San d'Orian skyline. The city is divided into 4 areas:

Beginning with Southern San d'Oria which is in effect the outer courtyard of the castle. Here we find the Auction House which sits between the East and West gates. There are several houses and shops and this is also the home to the circus when San d'Oria is in first place.

The inner courtyard of the 'castle' is Northern San d'Oria which is where we find the striking Cathedral, the imposing Chateau d'Oraguille, as well as the Consulates of Jeuno, Bastok and Windurst.

Travelling through the quasi-industrial area to the north, which houses both guilds and shops, we find the entrance to Port San d'Oria. This is the main docks for the Airships as well as warehouses, shops and restaurants.

The main center of Government, the San d'Orian Royal Family, are housed in Chateau d'Oraguille. This impressive palace boasts gardens, large spacious rooms, well appointed furnishings, a spooky dungeon and more!

Living Standards

The ancient forest capital shows signs of deterioration, but with population growth in a state of gentle decline and many residences left vacant, overcrowding has not become an issue.

The region is also blessed with an abundance of fertile land for crops, and food is plentiful. However, heavy taxes and long military tenures leave few hands to work the fields, making life a challenge for the citizens of San d'Oria.

As has been the case in the past, the squabbles between who should inherit the throne have caused some division in the populace but there is nothing approaching the tensions that led to the civil war.

The divisions seen in the city surround the different forms of pride for the Elvaan as a whole. Those of nobility live in grand estates in South San d' Oria away from the general populace and view themselves as above the average citizen.

Also, though the cooperation between Nations has led to the greater number of different races that call San d'Oria home there is still a chasm. While these minorities push for greater rights, the Elvaan majority either wishes to maintain their power and some even pushes for to be rid these "inferiors" from the land. The result is that the life styles of the other races often forgo the comforts.

Links

[url=http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Category:San_d%27Orian_Architecture]FFXI Encyclopedia: Architecture[/url]