Common Etiquette of the Emerald Empire

The First Encounter
If two samurai meet one another and the station, clan or family is unknowm they are expected to refer to each other as samurai-sama.

If one knows the Status/Glory of the other to be equal or lesser, then the adress is samurai-san.

If one knows the clan, they may call clan-sama or, if they know the Status/Glory to be equal or less, clan-san.

This is considered the proper etiquette until samurai are introduced otherwise.

Presenting One's Heart
Should a samurai carry a mon close to his heart, it is no offense to call him by family-sama or clan-sama. As long as you refer to the mon he presents closer to his heart, you show him respect.

The mon close to the heart may not even be that of his family, but using it to call a samurai is still a signal of respect.

Before Presentations
If two samurai know each other family, clan and name, but are yet to be formaly presented may refer to each other as family-sama. Still, the greatest compliment one can do is refer to them as [family][name]-sama.

For a daimyo, it would be appropiate to use Lord or Lady, My Lord if you belog to the same clan or family.

Insulting before presentations
If you refer to someone as -san when you aren't aware of his Status/Glory, you are barely aknowledging the other samurai, and you are preventing him of introducing properly. Brash samurai may take insult, and honorable or proud samurai will try to give your a strong lesson in manners.

Later Encounters
If two samurai meet each other and knw each other on sight, they are expected to use their names.

Most of the time you use both names, using only the given name in private and relaxed environment.

It is often allowed the [Family] [Given name]-san with no shame, unless there is a great difference in Status between samurai. Even so, when adressing other with -sama without need shows reverence.

Good Friends
Two good friends may use their given name without need for additional suffix (i.e. no more -sama or -san). Samurai that adress in this way without cause are doing each other a great dishonor.

Other suffixes

 * -hime; "princess", used to address young women of a powerful family


 * -mi, female suffix, "beautiful"


 * -ko, female suffix, "little"


 * -gozen, spouse of a bushi


 * -sensei, to a venerable teacher


 * -kun, to a male child


 * -chan, to a female child

Inflicting Insult
Refering to someone clearly identified with mons as just samurai is a clear insult: you're ignoring all his family, ties and ancestors.

Failure to use the proper suffix is bound to get on the other samurai nerves and is dishonorable for both parties, causing both to lose honour.

The more Status/Glory a character has, the more prone he is to punish these faux pas. They worked hard to attain their positions, and will not allow disrespect.

Should the target of your rude behavior be unable to reproach - or choose to not do so - you in any way, odds are he will ignore you and anything related to you. Because people as rude as you just *don't* exist, right?