Khinasi sayings

Some Khinasi-esque sayings taken from Al-Qadim, a Forgotten Realms setting published by TSR (now WOTC) and now out of print.

• Life without sayim is meaningless

The pursuit of honor drives much of Khinasi culture, to many money and power are meaningless without honor and respect.

• A man without a family is not a man

Material wealth is transient, blood ties are eternal, strike a man and you strike his family. Betray your family and you are nothing, lower even than a scorpion.

• A guest is lord of the house

Hospitality is a sacred duty, a guest should be honored for generosity shows sayim. a host assumes responsibility for their guests, to murder a guest - even a dire enemy - is highly dishonorable.

• Guests are like fish, after three days both stink

A polite guest leaves after three days whatever their feelings - to do otherwise is to presume upon the hosts generosity and shows a lack of respect. One who must stay typically acts as a servant or aid to the host after this time to honor their hosts generosity, the guests need to be supported by the host proving their lower station / debt to the host.

• There is no Fate, but the Fate we are given

This apparently defeatist proverb is typically translated as meaning that one cannot change ones station in life or fate - the gods set the stage and mortals merely play the roles to which they are assigned. Like the best proverbs however this can also be reversed to mean that a hero has the god given right to break the rules - such is their fate.