"Customs are an interesting subject." Maccabeus observed. "I've spent my entire life up to this past Venric in the Dale, so it's hard to say what's different from other places."
He walked along a few paces before continuing. "For instance, in the Dale, we have a coming-of-age ceremony. I suppose all places have such a thing. But once you're considered an adult, which isn't always a matter of chronological age - some people become adults sooner than others (a matter to be decided at the annual festival or - on rare occasions - by your clan's five eldest women), you are no longer allowed to speak to children that you don't know. You can't be too careful; children are the future and need to be protected."
"Here's another one: let's say that you meet a chamen - what we call our young women - and you think that you might like to mate with her. In the Dale, you would woo her mother. Our clans are largely matriarchal, and although you might still be able to mate the girl without her mother's approval, it is a hard taming to be had."
"In some clans, they have a tradition where the hunter eats last. This is to symbolize the fact that it is the hunter that provides for the rest of the clan. They go and kill so that the rest of the clan survives. Of course, added to that is the etiquette that the rest of the clan is supposed to not eat the best part of the kill - that's for the hunter in appreciation for what he is willing to sacrifice for the clan. They do all eat together, but the hunter is not allowed to take a bite until the eldest woman has had her fill, and the rest of the clan has taken one bite. In return, everyone is given a small piece of the kill, and they all take their first bite as soon as possible so as to allow the hunter to eat."
"There's a story where one clan's greatest hunter was despised in his clan, so every day, one member of the clan would fast, thus never affording the hunter to eat. Knowing that he would starve while the rest of the clan would continue to be healthy, he was forced to abandon that clan. He ended up in a troll's kettle; it's really very hard to survive in the Dale if you have no clan."
"Our folk, however (brothers, that is) are welcome everywhere. One of the perks of being one with Mahiya. She gives our people life, and while all the clans revere her, those of us who are called to her service are regarded welcome by all clans, even if the one that you were born out of has a blood feud with the one that you've come to. You are not of a clan anymore; you are Mahiya's Gnarcheon - her favored child. To harm one of us is to invite Mahiya's wrath."
"In any event, those are the sorts of things that I'm thinking of. Like I said, I don't want to accidentally insult anyone. That should be done on purpose!" Maccabeus chuckled lightly to himself.
"Dale, if I have yet insulted you, it was not intended. I hope that I haven't crossed any of your customs either."