Mos Maiorum

*Mos Maiorum* (translating as "ancestral custom" or "way of the ancestors") is an unwritten code of morality from which the turians derive their social norms. It is the core concept of turian traditionalism, distinguished from, but in dynamic complement to, written law. The *Mos Maiorum* is collectively the time-honoured principles, behavioural models, and social practices that affect private, political, and military life within the Aurelian Empire.

## Family and society

The turian family (the *familia*, better translated as "house" than "family") is hierarchical, as is turian society. These hierarchies are traditional and self-perpetuating; they support and are supported by the *Mos Maiorum*. The parriarch, the head of the house, holds absolute authority over their family, which is both an autonomous unit within society and a model for social order, but they are expected to exercise this power with moderation and to act responsibly on behalf of their family. The risk and pressure of social censure if they fail to live up to expectations are also an aspect of the *Mos Maiorum*.

Another distinctive social relationship in turian culture is that between *patronus* ("patron") and *cliens* ("client"). Although the obligations of such relationships are mutual, they are also hierarchical. The relationship is not an autonomous unit but a social network (*clientela*). A *patronus* might themselves be obligated to someone of higher rank, and a *cliens* might have more than one *patronus*, whose interests may come into conflict. If it is the model of the family unit that underpins all of turian society, then these interlocking networks make complex bonds between families and individuals within society possible.

Patronage is not itself a legal contract. The pressure to uphold one's obligations is instead a moral obligation, founded on the quality of *fides (*"trust") and the *Mos Maiorum*. The system of patronage serves as a political model for stability when the empire conquerors new territory, with imperial representatives establishing personal ties as the patron of the newly annexed community. In this sense, *Mos Maiorum* becomes a matter of precedent, in addition to being a set of unchanging traditions. This can be seen with the empire's many client species, foremost among which are the volus of the Vol Protectorate.

## Values

Traditional turian values are essential to the *Mos Maiorum*:

### *Fides*

The High Cipritine word *fides* encompasses the meaning of several English words, including "trust/trustworthiness", "good faith/faithfulness", "honesty", "confidence", "reliability" and "credibility". Turians are taught from birth to have a strong sense of personal accountability, the signature 'turian honour' that other species find so remarkable. Turians are taught to own every decision that they make, good or ill. The worst sin they can make in the eyes of their people is to lie about their own actions, as it breaks social bonds of trust and besmirches both their personal honour and the collective honour of the group to which they belong. A turian who displays *fides* will never lie and will consciously own up to their own mistakes, graciously accepting whatever punishment their superiors deem necessary.

Turians who bring dishonour by breaking faith or refusing to show accountability or remorse for their actions can still redeem themselves through hard work and dedicating their lives to military service. However, for more grievous acts of wrongdoing, the process of redemption is often a fatal one. An example of this was seen during the Taetrian Uprising, when a turian sergeant named Sanus Iheras took his life after the galactic press discovered a human journalist and her cameraman were accidentally killed while being detained by his men, on Iheras' orders. To absolve his unit of his shame and failure as their commander, he took his own life by inflicting a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Such ritual suicides are common in turian culture after great transgressions and are seen to expiate family or unit of shame and failure. The act also frequently closes any judicial matter or investigation into the deceased and their actions. It is considered an honourable way of dying in turian culture; making the ultimate sacrifice to bring justice to those whom your actions harmed.

Like other turian values, *fides* has become the root of many turian names. Perhaps the most famous example of this naming practice is Fidellion Victus, whose personal name translates roughly as "little one of faithfulness".

### *Pietas*

Like *fides*, the High Cipritine word *pietas* encompasses the meaning of several English words, including "dutifulness", "loyalty", "devotion", "religious piety" and "filial piety". It is perhaps best defined as the duty a turian has to their homeworld and empire, their parriarch and family, and the spirits of their ancestors. A turian who displays *pietas* is dutiful in their responsibilities to the empire, bettering the rest of society through military service for a minimum of fifteen years and carrying out all orders given to them by their superiors, without question; to their parriarch and family, obeying the will of their parriarch in all family matters and using any earned personal status to uplift the status of the family unit as a whole; and to the spirits of their ancestors, whom they venerate through correct observation of spiritual ceremonies of remembrance and communion, and the emulation of their ancestors' deeds and values in their own lives.

*Pietas* holds supreme importance for turians in the sphere of diplomacy and galactic relations, where the credibility of a leader is entirely dependent on their commitment to the cause and the rejection of any action that would ensure personal gain. In short, turians do not break sworn oaths on principle and expect those they interact with to behave in the same way. This can make diplomacy between the turians and other species somewhat difficult, as underhandedness in politics is normalised in other cultures.

Turians are expected to be consciously aware of their own honour at all times and must always attempt to raise the honour of others with dignified praise and, at times, reward. This is the basis of the turians' meritocratic hierarchy, in which individuals are promoted up the ranks as a reward for honourable actions and loyal service. However, praise and reward must not be the sole motivator for honourable behaviour; one is expected to behave honourably for honour's sake alone. Praise and reward are merely medals of honour that one accumulates over the course of service, marking them out as someone who is a loyal and dedicated subject of the empire. Personal honour, like material status, must be earned through dutiful service to the collective, the motivation of which is the desire to better the lives of all the empire's subjects.

For turians, every action they take and every word they speak must be painstakingly weighted with respect to their superiors, comrades, family and friends. This respect lies at the heart of their society. A turian may disagree with an order given by their superior on the battlefield, but a good turian obeys it without question, regardless of their personal reservations. Similarly, a turian may resent being forced into an arranged marriage by their parriarch, but a good turian does their duty and produces strong children of their family's bloodline without complaining. Duty to the group, whether it be the family, the military unit, or society as a whole, is of paramount importance and defines an individual's personal honour.

Like other turian values, *pietas* has become the root of many turian names. The planet Pietas, located in Fortis System of the Minos Wasteland, was named after this particular virtue by turian explorers.

### *Religio* and *Cultus*

Related to the High Cipritine verb *religare*, meaning "to bind", *religio* is the sacred bond between spirits and mortals. *Cultus* is the active observance and the correct performance of spiritual rituals. Religious practice is distinguished from *pietas* and its inherent morality, as *pietas* also applies to duties other than religious observation. A turian who displays *religio* piously maintains the sacred bond between the living and the dead, ensuring that the spirits of their ancestors will never fade by engaging in acts of remembrance and veneration. A turian who displays *cultus* actively observes and correctly performs the rituals required to honour and commune with the spirits of their ancestors, making sacred offerings to earn their favour. In this sense, even the turians' faith is meritocratic; the ancestors do not bestow gifts of wisdom or inspiration in return for nothing. To earn their blessings, one must show them the appropriate honour and respect.

At the core of turian religion is the belief that it is the duty of the living to ensure the dead will never be forgotten. Everything that exists was built by those who have come before. The living are merely custodial guardians of the inherited past and must preserve it for future generations. While this statement obviously encompasses the physical architecture and cultural traditions of turian civilisation, it also extends to the memory of its honoured dead. This rather conservative belief system comes from the religious belief that the spirits of the dead can only live forever in eternity if someone in the mortal realm remembers them. If a deceased person is forgotten by the living, their spirit will fade into nothingness and it will be as if they never existed at all. To allow the spirits of the dead to fade is therefore the greatest sin one can commit in the eyes of turian religion.

To strengthen this sacred link between the living and dead, a turian is expected to emulate the glory of their ancestors by living up to their examples in daily life and doing everything in their power to keep their ancestors' memories alive. The turians are famous for their lavish funeral ceremonies and their vast cities of the dead (*necropoli*), where they bury their dead in family tombs decorated with marble statues and beautiful wall frescos depicting their ancestors. The sarcophagi of the deceased are elaborately engraved with images of their likeness and each records its inhabitant's many deeds. Turians preserve their dead by embalming them, the method of which is a closely guarded secret of its shamanistic priesthood. Affluent families will also use mass effect fields and cryogenic stasis technology to further prevent the decay of their ancestors' remains. It is considered the duty of the living to spare no worldly expense when it comes to the veneration of the dead, with families of high status often competing against one another to see who can design the most luxurious family tombs.

But the turian duty to honour the dead extends far beyond burial rites and religious rituals, bleeding into every other aspect of their culture. The majority of turians are named after an ancestor, with the names of particularly glorious ancestors being continually recycled throughout the centuries. Turians are also expected to dedicate their every accomplishment and victory to their ancestors, as a way of giving thanks for their spiritual inspiration and the genes they passed down in their blood. Turian families will often keep detailed genealogical records of their family's bloodlines, in which the names and deeds of their ancestors are forever preserved. Turian children are also taught about their lineage from birth and are trained to memorise the names and deeds of their direct ancestors. The anniversaries of ancestors' deaths are commonly celebrated, upon which the deceased in question is honoured with the performing of spiritual rituals, the dedication of offerings, and the singing of songs about their valorous lives. In more orthodox turian families, such as those that hail from Bostra, the tradition of pilgrimage requires every member of the family to return to their ancestral homeworld, at least once a year, to commune with the spirits of their ancestors.

While this may seem excessive by other species, for the turians these traditions are acts of worship, as they will ensure their ancestors' spirits never fade into the Void. It is little wonder that certain alien cultures consider turian religion to be somewhat of a 'death cult', especially because turian culture is one that primarily values martial prowess and venerates those who willingly make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of The Cause.

### *Disciplina*

The military character of turian society emphasises the importance of *disciplina*, as related to education, training, discipline and self-control. The most obvious expression of this value is the turian institution of military bootcamp. Only turians who have successfully graduated from bootcamp are considered imperial citizens, and only citizens possess the right to access the resources of the state, including free healthcare and social housing. In the eyes of turian society, service equals citizenship. All turians over the age of sixteen are thus highly trained in the art of warfare, especially in the use of small arms and the construction of improvised anti-vehicular explosive devices, making them a population that is near impossible to force into submission. This adherence to martial tradition was perhaps best described by the late general Valerio Partinax, who stated: "There is no such thing as a turian civilian." This is yet another reason why the turian military is the most well-trained of its kind in the known galaxy.

In addition to placing value on military discipline, turian society also values personal discipline. Education is taken extremely seriously and individuals are encouraged to continue learning and perfecting their skills throughout their lives, whether that be in the form of vocational training or academic study. Unlike other species, whose competitive values drive individuals to overreach, turians value knowing one's own limitations more than being ambitious. Settling into a role and rank is not considered stagnation but self-actualisation, the culmination of years of discipline, education and training, resulting in mastery of the self. Reaching this state in life is thus something to be celebrated, not deplored or ridiculed.

### *Gravitas* and *constantia*

The High Cipritine word *gravitas* encompasses the meaning of several English words, including "seriousness", "weight", "dignity", and "moral rigour". It is perhaps best defined as dignified self-control and commitment to the task at hand. Similarly, *constantia* is the concept of steadiness or perseverance. In the face of adversity, a good turian displays an unperturbed façade and restrains their emotions. Turians believe that carrying oneself with a calm and levelheaded demeanour in the face of adversity conveys a sense of authority and inspires bravery and loyalty from subordinates. As such, it is considered an essential characteristic for those who seek to lead others, especially for those who manage to attain the ranks of general, admiral, duarch or primarch.

An individual's sincerity and dignity are further amplified by being temperate in both manner and speech. Turian myth and history reinforce this value by recounting tales of figures who exemplify such behaviour, holding them up as cultural heroes to be emulated in daily life. In contrast, frivolous and overly emotional behaviour is frowned upon and viewed as undisciplined, with the exception of emotional displays of mourning for the dead. It is perhaps these values that make turians appear overly stern to other species.

### *Virtus*

Derived from the High Cipritine word *vir*, meaning "soldier", *virtus* constitutes the ideal of the turian soldier. It carries connotations of martial strength, physical and mental excellence, valour, self-sacrifice, and an unwavering dedication to The Cause. Military service is the most direct method by which *virtus* can be obtained. Living up to the idealised image of the turian soldier is an aspiration for most, if not all, turians. It is instilled in them from birth by the society they are born into. Those who achieve high rank through military service are lauded as examples of *virtus* to be aspired to. As such, young turians often idolise military figures, especially those from history, whose displays of *virtus* have earned them eternal glory.

True *virtus* is greater than fulfilling one's mandatory military service, however; it requires that a soldier achieve outstanding deeds in war. This aspect of *virtus* normalises a culture that venerates valour and shuns cowardice and apathy. However, the dangerous, glory-hunting behaviour that such a culture might have otherwise cultivated is tempered by turian society's emphasis on the necessity of self-discipline and altruism. Those who do engage in such behaviour are punished and demoted.

It is also considered *virtus* to die in battle, especially if one's sacrifice ensures the completion of a military objective or the protection of comrades, allies and non-combatants. Willingly giving one's life for the protection of the empire and its people is thus the highest honour a turian can achieve in life and is honoured as martyrdom for The Cause. In achieving *virtus* through self-sacrifice, one is immortalised in glory forevermore in the eyes of the living.

### *Dignitas* and *auctoritas*

*Dignitas* and *auctoritas* are the end result of displaying the aforementioned values of the ideal turian, combined with one's military service to the state. *Dignitas* is one's reputation for worth, honour and esteem. Thus, a turian who displays their *gravitas*, *constantia*, *fides*, *pietas* and other values would possess *dignitas* among their peers. Similarly, by that path, a turian can earn *auctoritas* ("prestige and respect"). By the rules of their meritocratic hierarchy, only turians who have achieved *dignitas* through adherence to traditional social values and military service are rewarded with promotion. By that logic, those turians who occupy the most senior ranks in society have earned their *auctoritas* and, by extension, the right to lead. Every primarch who has ever sat the Aurelian Throne has got there with blood, sweat and bullets. As the turians themselves are fond of saying: "Leadership is earned, not owned".