Letter from Melac Seguetine, envoy to the Celestial Empire for the Morloux Republic, to the Commons Seat

I address this letter to my friends and colleagues in the Commons.
As you all know, there’ve been many tribute missions to the Celestial Empire in an attempt to gain access to a port between Midnat and Nulamore. It has been on the agenda for years and is an especially prominent goal for prime minister Corinou. As such, all officials who’re involved in such missions are required to read the official documentation on Celestial politics and culture. I hope I'm not presumptuous to claim I’m the foremost expert on Celestial culture in Morloux but while this document is invaluable, it is also severely lacking in its description of Celestials and its lack of nuance and context has caused several diplomatic incidents between our governments. I will write a revised version of this document which I’ll present to the Seat for a vote, but until then, here’s a short list of some important notes I want anyone who's involved in future missions to read, for the success of the mission and for your own safety.
Accept the names you’re given without complaint. Those of you who’ve interacted with Celestial officials have been addressed with certain names and they’ve written those names along with your own in official documents. If you translate these, you’ll find they often mean “Servant of Kings”, “Bower to Heaven”, “Commander of Subjects” and similar things. Do not misunderstand me, I fully appreciate that you find these names deeply uncomfortable, offensive even, and many Morlouxans before you have reacted the same way upon learning this, often asking to have them changed or removed on official documents, refusing to address themselves with it and protesting when others use them.
Never do any of these things as you’re actively lowering your own status in the eyes of the Celestials. At best they’ll misconstrue it as a belief you’re not worthy of those titles, at worst they’ll take it as an insult for disrespecting the names themselves, which in truth you are and justifiably so. Please understand that they haven’t realised our enlightened ideals and that they believe servitude to a higher authority and social ranks are natural to man, however this culture is far more extreme in the Celestial Empire than any Westrasi nation, even Belara. These names and titles are a central pillar of Celestial culture and by not using them, you’re worsening your own and all of Morlouxs status to them. So however much you may dislike this, swallow your pride and use them. Which brings me to my next point.
Their rules of formality are unfathomably complicated, dictating when and where to use what names and titles of a person, when to bow, when you’re allowed to speak or look them in the eyes, all of these rules changing depending on whether they’re a noble, priest, eunuch, royal, etc. No matter how needlessly tedious, Morlouxan representatives have been diligently following these rules among the higher castes, especially in recent years. Some have even bowed to the feet of a royal with only mild complaint.
You’ll note however I specified we’ve done well in the presence of the higher castes, as we’re still terrible at interacting with the common people, specifically that we’re too courteous towards them. You may think that sounds ridiculous but understand that their oppressive hierarchy goes both ways. If you treat commoners as equals, and I mean this in the most banal ways, the Celestials will see you as a commoner. Ideally you shouldn’t even make eye contact with a commoner, let alone talk to them, but if you have to, speak in a stern quiet voice and only give them orders, do not politely greet them, thank them or ask for their permission on anything. You should never thank a servant, apologize to a servant or move yourself to not get in the way of a servant, you should barely acknowledge their existence, even as they whisk away crumbs from your chin, which indeed is a thing they do and is exactly as annoying as you imagine. Some representatives have studied the low Celestial language which is a well intended gesture, though it might not be worth the bother as simply speaking it in the presence of a noble might tarnish their impression of you.
Lastly, there’re many cultural quirks which the official documents never mention. While you’ll learn these from experience, there’ve been misunderstandings in the past so it would be beneficial to familiarise yourself with some of these.
You may already have heard of the Celestials aversion to touch, as in no touching hands, no embracing, no patting the heads of others or your own children, not even kissing your own family members. Therefore, many Morlouxans have been puzzled by their brazen disregard of nudity, having been casually invited to join in a bath, whether by another man, his wife, courtesan, priest or royal.
The baths in question are public baths, outside in natural basins, where you’ll converse and drink with other tenants or even conduct official business while servants wash you, all with no regard to your bodily exposure. You should never take this as an invitation to intimate contact though, as they regard these installations similarly to how we might see a tavern or other drinking establishment, it’s not a brothel.
Similarly, you’re probably aware you should never eat, smoke or drink, alcoholic or not, outside or in buildings, except for specific rooms or installations like the aforementioned baths. However within these settings you will find the Celestials to be far more frivolous and brazen than you would’ve ever thought, having the spirit of a tavern in Larus on Leyron’s day.
All of these things and many more subtle aspects, far to many for me to include them in a single letter, have been a barrier for diplomatic relations between Morloux and the Celestial Empire for decades, and if we wish to lift these barriers between us we need to gain understanding of them. Even though this letter likely has only strengthened your prejudices against the Celestials, I’ve learned to respect and appreciate much of these people, despite it’s deplorable elements and we all might have to if we wish to forge this bond. As diplomatic missions increase in frequency and size, perhaps you can learn to share some of my sentiment. It will only be beneficial to the people of the Morloux Republic, and perhaps we might even be able to spread revolutionary ideals outside of the west.
Signed, Melac Seguetine.
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