TRADITIONS

Birth

It is said that all children born on Chultan soil gain Mahapatra’s blessing. Before a child arrives in the world, the parents make several preparations to make sure that their son or daughter is worthy of this blessing. These preparations begin as soon as the parents find out of the pregnancy or as soon as the egg is laid, depending on the species of the parents.

First, the father will draw symbols of protection on the egg or belly of his spouse. These symbols must never be left to fade, symbolizing how the father will always be around and protect the child. If they are left to fade, it is seen as a bad sign, especially since single mothers aren’t seen well in Chultan society.

In the meantime, relatives may visit the couple and offer gift money wrapped in a white paper egg to financially support the parents and to wish the child “to be born rich”. Other gifts may include clothes, toys, and blankets. These gifts are meant to give the couple a head start and ensure that the future child will have everything they need.

It is said that, when a child is born, Mahapatra’s aura is stronger for a few seconds, as if to give the child a welcoming embrace and acknowledge their presence. The parents ring bells as loudly as they can while the rest of the family and the community celebrates by praising Mahapatra for the acknowledgement.

As soon as she is able to, the mother will visit Leeli’s grave and pray that she will be a good mother, just like Leeli would have wanted to be to her son.

Marriage

Before the Era of Leeli, women were sold, as they were considered property. And, although the arrival of a goddess changed people’s perception of women centuries ago, some remnants of this old practice remained, albeit in a more romanticized form.

In Chult, one doesn’t ask a woman if she is single, one asks “Are you for sale?” A married woman can say that she was “bought” or “already bought” or “not for sale anymore”. A single woman that is willing to look for a partner may say that she is “for sale”.

Dating isn’t much different from the rest of Faerun, but it all comes to a head when the couple decides to unite in marriage. In order to marry their partner, one must “buy” their spouse from their father. Of course, nowadays this transaction doesn’t actually take place, but rather the suitor presents the father a sum of money that should be at least equal to the bride’s “price” in order to prove that they can financially support the future family. If the father agrees, this money may either be kept by the newly-weds, or used for various purposes by the father. Of course, sometimes there may be multiple suitors, turning it into an auction.

Marriage ads are seen as a normal thing in Chult. Many Chultans find their spouse by making a poster in which they explain that the want to buy/sell a spouse.

A notable example would be Roxanne’s suitor, who offered 100.000 G to buy her from her father. Veritas accepted and gave his blessing, however the couple insisted that the consul keeps the money. In the end, he took it and used it to fund the war efforts.

Once the “negotiations” are over, the couple is free to register for a marriage certificate. The certificate is given on the spot by the First Consul, after which the newly-weds and their families are free to celebrate as they see fit. There is no religious ritual. Due to historical circumstances, one has never developed.

Usually, most couples celebrate by organizing a feast in the jungle with lots of music and dance that lasts an entire night.

Funeral

It is said that Leeli was killed by the humans in a battle to protect the reptilians she took care of. When she drew her last breath she had collapsed in the heart of Chult. Then, Mahapatra finally hatched from his egg and searched for his mother, only to find her lifeless corpse. In order to mourn her properly and always have her by his side, he took the scale closest to her heart and kept it ever since.

Struck by grief, her followers mourned her death, but were unable to move or bury her corpse due to it being colossal. So they left her where she was, painfully rotting away until nothing but her bones remained. Out of guilt, followers of Leeli and Mahapatra don’t bury their dead. Instead, they either leave them where they died (this is only in case they died in the outskirts of settlements) or they bring them in the jungle and leave them there. Of course, this is done under a procession, where, in some cases, a piece of the deceased, such as a lock of hair, a scale, or even a bone, is harvested by an oracle and given to the departed’s family. The family will then take the piece home as one final memory of their lost loved one.