Taiyue
A city-state that existed in the Old World. It was established in the year -700 by Aeons An Tai and Yue Yuan. It was located in the northern region of the continent, bordering the inner coast. Located by the sea, it was a major center for trade. More importantly, it was known for the artistic achievements of its people.
Culture
Art
Taiyueans interpret creation as a work of art by The Creator.
As a result, art holds not only cultural but also relgious significance.
Taiyue is well known for its prolific yet brutally competitve art scene.
Vying for public and private patronage is extremely competitive, due to the high concentration of talent.
The state provides funding and support for hundreds of artists per year.
These artists are chosen among winners and honorable mentions at the annual New Year's Exhibition.
A handful are personally chosen by the Aeons, while the rest are picked by a board of judges.
Although the judges claim to be open-minded, the city's high standards mean that an incredible amount of technical skill is needed to even be considered for the exhibition.
Short-lived species, such as humans, are often dismissed since they lack the lifespan to reach a remotely comparable level.
An alternative to state funding is private patronage.
Private patronage is much more varied than state support, since the conditions are entirely up to the individual.
Some private patrons specifically seek art from short-lived species as a novelty.
Others simply want art made according to their eccentric tastes.
Though technically illegal, there is also an underground market for "live art"- exhibitions utilizing live bodies, statues made of organic matter, and other works that require harm to be inflicted.
Taiyue's art scene is diverse and influenced by trends around the continent, making an accurate summary impossible.
Broadly speaking, though, traditional art emphasized technique and subtlety over emotion.
Themes tended to be abstract and indiscernable to the average viewer.
Just as old as these traditions, though, are philosophies and art movements that oppose it.
Sports
In contrast to the elegance enforced in the arts, Taiyue's sports are known for being chaotic, inelegant, and fun.
Brawling matches, where opponents can bring in any kind of nonlethal equipment, are common.
One would think the vastly different body types and strengths of Taiyue's inhabitants would make the matches one-sided.
However, competitors and specctators value an exciting match above all; as a result, more powerful beings tend to use less equipment.
In fact, setting up a blatantly match with an obvious winner is seen as a sign of weakness.
Taiyue's board and card games are famous for their intricate craftmanship.
Although strategy-based games exist, the most popular board games rely on creativity and being able to convince other players that your move is valid.
Government
In the beginning, the Aeons set up a skeleton government, and were more active in managing the city.
They intended for people to slowly take over governing, until their intervention was no longer necessary.
Even as the government developed, An Tai watched the people closely, intervening when he deemed it necessary.
In contrast, Yuan was more distant and out of touch.
Taiyue's government underwent many revisions over centuries.
In the last version, many groups consisting of representatives from different sections of the city were formed to deal with specific issues.
To gain a position, one had to pass a basic literacy test, be recommended by an existing officer, and go through a series of interviews and exams.
In the end, they would either be rejected or assigned a fitting position.