Cultural Taboos within Argrush society:
There are several Taboos which when breached may take the Argrush aback, or even disgust them.
Taboos regarding friendship: Friendship is a important matter in the Argrush society. Intermingling and doing things together with friends and companions is the only thing a male Argrush can be assured his whole lifetime. As stated above, a companion is selected as a friend for his lifetime, if the companion dies it would be a great cause of grief, since the companion shares everything with his companion. The lesser known loner-loner friendships are a different matter. No female can ever be a loner, this is restricted to the male society. Loner gather together in loner hordes, most are based on shared interests. And then there are loner-loner hordes which are formed only to relief one another from the urge, some of them break up after a year. Some of them seem to exist since the birth of the Argrush. Within those hordes, either the normal formed on intrests or the ones for geting the drive lessened, special friendships form not unlike a companionship. Argrush have a strong homoerotical bias in their male society, this is based upon their ancestry since most males will not get a female partner.
A very radical breach of protocoll is beeing indescreet with matters concerning friendships and companionships. To make matters worse, they are shy about this theme. Only their companion and the other Argrush know about it, so they think, truth is all the member races are quite well informed since it is just too obvious. Still there is seldom a talk about this matter, but with close friends.
(Authors comment: Declaration! The species sus scrofa and sus domesticus harbor the same habbits, therefore it was just logical to integrate those traits.)
A friend is required being helpful and - well - be a friend. If an Argrush spills his guts how he feels about someone, this is an indication that he wants to adopt you into a friendship, not companion. To give him a refusal is seen as a rude manner. Furthermore, it might be the cause of a challenge issued then by the Argrush. He has thought it over several times and he has chosen you as a friend, you deny, you will suffer then. A friendship is issued only once, never again.
To betray a friend is a matter which might bring you to court, a thing not to be forgotten or taken lightly. A very severe betrayal on the case of companions is to abandon the bonded Argrush during the "urge". If this happens and the Argrush suffers with his faculties, i.e. growing insane or even suffer severe complexes, the companion will be drafted into court. Abandonment is not only a crime, it is a deadly sin.
A last thing on taboos in friendship. Agrush dislike it being put aside. If a friend isn't acting as a friend it will be not only a breach in protocol and good maners it might give the Argrush a grimm expresion and toothed remarks about how friends could do so and so.
Taboos on comunal events and invitations: First. It is rude to decline from an invitation. Might it be to have lunch together or having a mudbath, be it to go to a scientific exhibition or sharing ones lair. Since invitations aren't uttered without diplomatic or interpersonal issues thought of beforehand it is just plainly rude. To refuse to go to an invitation from a matriarch is not only rude, it is just plainly barbaric. If a matriarch is spending time on you, you should be honored. Not complying could bring up a whole planet against you.
It is on the otherside courtesy to think of presents brought to an invitation. Those can take many different forms. Perfumes, Jewels, Data or many other things are very valued in Argrush society. Bringing data of one's own species to a Matriarch is a present of highest courtesy, since knowlegde is the most valuable thing in Argrush society. Echange in Technology will be second. They are also very interested in exotic botanical specimens.
Most buisiness meetings are concluded around a very opulent meal. If the contract is not closed until the end of the meal it never will. Argrush cuisine is very radical, sporting many things, from live grubs to squirming living fish, cooked and roasted meats, sauces with strong spices, cooled and frozen drinks and of course the favorite of Argrush, Nagh*ra... a mixture of roots, nuts, some bugs and a slightly acidiced meat in a bittersweet sauce. The meal is good, although there are few humans who can stomach it.
How to have a meeting with a matriarch: You have to locate an agent first, most of the time this is a male from the matriarchs harem... sometimes it is a loner in service of a matriarch by consens in intrest.
Second you have to collect information about the interests, which are most obviously existent in the matriarch.
Lastly, you have to select a fitting present. A first visitor would bring either jewels or perfume, on a second visit it could be information which the matriarch is intrested in. The matriarch are the ruling class of Argrush society. But still it is a society based on the virtue of egality. It is the experience, which takes the matriarch ahead.
During the meetings you have to be polite to the matriarch, but flatery is a thing you should cut of. The matriarches are very well aware, that most sophonts are shrugging their shoulders upon their 'obvious' unkempt demeanor.
Furthermore the present is to be presented plainly. No coverage, to bags. Open on a display. Not to do so is an insult.
If a matriarch is asking for a favor, one is expected to accept it on her terms. She could ask several favors. For example a bonding between a character and one of her males, to confirm trade agreements. - This is a practice like exchanging goods for a marriage, furthermore it gives the character a higher regard within Argrush society and a male of the harem will always have a female partner, so the character wouldn't be overly taxed. - Or it might be the permanent bonding of a male of her horde just going out of the coupling - This is gross. Since you have to take him around with you. He will never again be accepted into this specific family and he has to travel around with you for so long as he isn't coupled. Imagine him undergoing the "urge" twice a year... well at least it is an good roleplaying opportunity (perhaps the Argrush would be a playercharcter).
If regular on the matriarch one might become favored by this household, which is giving them better prices, quick contracts and very fast support if in trouble. The Argrush are very true people.
Artifical Inteligences: It is a mayor crime to evolve computerbased or robotic artifical inteligences. The only beings which can be inteligent are normaly evolved creatures. To create an robot with pseudobiological functions is the same as if one commits genocide, as is the punishment. In history of the Argrush the term will be covered more eloquently. But heed this. It isn't allowed to induce into computers and robots an a.i.
