Editing Dolsia (section)

== Culture ==
Family and memory is the utmost. Heavy in ritual.

=== Arts and Entertainment ===
Pictures and song are another way to tell a story.

===Childrearing===
In spite of the critical importance of academics in Dolsia, there is no formal school system. Families are expected to educate their own children. For those who don't or can't teach their children themselves, there are private tutors, but they come at great expense. Wealthy children typically work with a tutor one-on-one, whereas poorer families will pool their resources to have a tutor teach their children as a group, in an informal classroom. Museums and other social institutions do offer intermittent classes for their communities. Teachers of any kind of that specialize in literacy and history are always in high demand.

=== Family ===
Found family is as powerful as blood family. Geneologies are vital family records.

=== Fashions ===
Dolsia, being underground, is usually pretty cold, so they often favor long sleeves, long skirts, and pants, all styled for warmth. Highly tailored clothes are very fashionable: tailoring means wasted cloth, so well-fitted, custom-tailored clothes are a show of wealth and power. They tend to prefer stiffer, heavier fabrics sewn into sharp angles for that fitted look. On the opposite side of the spectrum, they also like extremely fine, gauzy fabrics. The softness stands in stark contrast to their harsh surroundings, and looking like a cloud carries a stronger connotation of elegance when you're a people that worships the sky. Very finely made fabrics are similarly a show of wealth and skill. They like metallic threads in their embroidery, and delicate metallic jewelry, with more an emphasis on shiny metal than gemstones. They also like accessories that simulate or incorporate feathers and wings. They have to trade for most of their fabric, but they have strong dyes from the minerals in the caves and the ability to produce silk from the spiders and moths they raise.

=== Names ===
Caelians have long names. Their first name is whatever their parents deem best fit, but after that is a long series of middle names. Middle names tend to either be recent relatives chronologically or whoever the parents consider to be the most accomplished relatives in the family history, but more experimental parents will choose middle names that represent their aspirations for the child, or names of people they admire from other families. Having someone else's child named after you is a great honor.

Last names are socially the most important, as they connect you to your family line. When marrying, couples will typically take on the last name of the family with the longer or more respectable history. It's considered generous and sweet to take on the name of the lesser family, and extremely daring and radical to choose a new name entirely. Hyphenation is also considered a respectable choice, as it reflects a devotion to both families; however, the child of hyphenated parents is expected to ally themself with one family or the other as they age.

Star names are, of course, very common, and starwatchers are sometimes consulted for fortuitous names.

=== Romance ===
In the early days of Dolsia, all marriages were arranged. With the small population they started out with, this was a practical necessity--as well as giving certain families leverages in leadership, thus leading to the aristocracy Dolsia still has today. To help facilitate these arranged marriages and allow the bride and groom to get to know each other, long periods of courtship were a prerequisite. A good show of courtship showed a willingness to cooperate and helped ensure a prosperous match. Nowadays, arranged marriages have fallen out of fashion--although they are still practiced in more traditional families--but the art of courtship remains alive and well. 

Courtship typically takes place after a couple becomes engaged but before marriage. These days, it's moreso a game and a way for a couple to celebrate their love. During courtship, the couple embodies a pair of archetypes and plays out a traditional Dolsian love story. There are a number of stories for couples to choose from, but some examples include:

* The Lovers: The most obvious archetype. Couples exchange small, sweet gifts, write love notes, and spend a lot of quality time together.
* The Rivals: An archetype for lovers with a shared interest. Each lover makes loud proclamations of superiority over the other about a shared interest or skill, and they host some sort of duel or competition that allows them to showcase their ability as a public spectacle.
* The Princess and the Dancer: An archetype that's all about the chase. The Princess plays hard to get, while the Dancer puts on increasingly grand shows to get her attention. Sometimes, he brings in his friends to help, but it almost always ends with the pair dancing together.
* The Archivist and the Coquette: Similar to the Princess and the Dancer, except in this one, it's far more about banter. The lovers pretend not to know each other, and the Coquette wins over the Archivist with her enticing conversation.
* The Maiden and the Turncoat: An archetype for more private couples. The Turncoat seeks out silent, secret trysts with the Maiden. In a perfect performance of this archetype, no one knows they courted at all.
* The Architect in the Cold: Far less roleplay-based, in this archetype, the Architect makes a home or designs a room perfect to the desires of his lover. The lover comes in when it's done and judges if it's to be a suitable home for them. 
* The Happenstance Singers: Each lover embarks on a journey through Dolsia, ending at a common meeting place. When they arrive at their chosen destination, they sing, and use that song to find each other.
* The Debutante and the Dressmaker: This archetype can involve many aspects of mutual grooming, from baths to clothing design to hair brushing to nail care, all that and more. It's all about making the Debutante feel pampered, comfortable, and beautiful, whatever that means to them. This archetype is one of the few where it's very common to see the couple switch roles and perform it again.
* The Chef and the Starved: In spite of the name, in this archetype, the couple typically works together to cook a number of meals. The meals are all extravagant: it's a time for a couple to make a feast of their dream meals. Friends and family are invited to eat and sometimes help with the meals.
* The Fallen: This archetype is rarely seen anymore, given how few caelians are capable of flight these days. In this, the Dolsians fly up to the top of the cave, then let themselves fall while holding each other. They fall for as long as they can safely, then pull away and separate sharply.

Courtship archetypes are chosen based on what the couple would most enjoy. If it's not fun for both parties, then it's a failure of a courtship. Some prefer to talk out and plan out the whole process, while other couples are more spontaneous about it. While there are traditionally female and male roles, that matters very little in practice. Crossdressing and gender performance are very typical, and often taken to such extremes it could qualify as drag. Dressing as extravagantly as possible--even crossing the line into silliness--is an expected part of many archetypes. Ultimately, roles are flavored to the individual's tastes and personalities. For example, in "The Princess and the Dancer", the Dancer may choose a different skillset to display to woo the Princess. Fighting is a very common variant for this one.