Right, this is in a format that first states the tradition, gesture, rule, or otherwise, and then gives an example. Hope you like it! I'll add things a lot!
Gestures & Manners
- Ghost culture demands that, in a social setting, a ghost must sink below the level of another ghost and fade into half-visibility if the other ghost is of a higher rank. This is a sign of deference.
Danny's eyes widened as the ghostly knight sank below his level in the air and half faded, in a kneeling position of respect. Remembering what Frostbite told him, he nodded in acknowledgement and the knight rose, returning to level out with him. He then began to talk as if nothing had occurred, addressing him as 'Sir Phantom'. The knight was under Dora's rule and explained what Dora had told him to say, which involved the punishment of Aragon, who had been imprisoned in the dungeons. Danny nodded and the knight returned to Aragon.
- Never ask a ghost what their Obsession is.
"Hey, Danny," started Sam. "what's your Obsession? I've been wondering ever since you mentioned that all ghosts had one, even half-ghosts."
Danny turned and scowled. "Sam. Never, ever ask a ghost what their Obsession is. It's impolite."
She blinked, then flushed. "Sorry. I didn't know that."
Then he sighed. "Fine. My Obsession is to protect. It's less serious, because I'm half-ghost instead of a full ghost, but my life still revolves around it and things related to it. But never ask a ghost what their Obsession is, Sam, for your health."
She sighed. "Fine."
- Do not enter a ghost's lair uninvited.
Danny rushed into a random door, running away. A boy slowly turned from a static screen he was watching intently.
He stood. "Get. Out. Of! My! ROOM!" he growled, turning more into a monster with every word.
"Sorry, sorry!" Danny yelped, hurrying out and slamming the door.
- Social classes are power-based.
"So what's the social pyramid of ghosts like?" asked Jazz, interested.
"It's power-based. Mindless ghosts are at the bottom, ghosts like the Box Ghost are right above it, then ghosts like Technus and Bertrand, then ghosts like Skulker, Spectra, and Hotep-Ra, and at the top are ghosts like the Ancients, Clockwork, Vortex, Undergrowth, and Dan."
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere between the top level and the one below it, as far as I can tell."
"Wow, Danny. A social pyramid where you aren't at the bottom," Jazz teased. He frowned.
- A gift you made yourself is the best expression of gratitude.
The day after Dora helped Sam get out of the castle, Danny made an ice model of Dora lifting the crown from Sam's head and left it outside her castle on behalf of Sam. When Dora found it, she smiled.
- When a human would applaud, ghosts also applaud, but their hands glow and explode with intangible light.
Watching Technus and Skulker battle in a friendly fight, Danny applauded with glowing hands as Skulker pinned Technus to the ground right in the middle of one of his speeches. Light exploded throughout the audience as Skulker was declared the winner.
- A ghost, in greeting, would shake hands like a human, but, if they intend to be friendly, their hands will glow with intangible light.
Danny lit his hand and held it up questioningly. The other ghost nodded, lit his hand, and held it out. Danny smiled and shook it.
"I'm Danny. Danny Phantom."
"I'm Icarus," said the other.
- A gesture of challenge is to shoot a warning shot over their shoulder or head.
Danny floated forward and ducked as a warning shot nearly fried his head. He whipped around and spotted Skulker, who was smirking, ready to begin another round.
- The traditional sign of submission is to drop down and/or land, halting all power usage.
Danny bowed his head and dropped to the bottom of the arena, submitting in the training session with Pandora, exhausted from the strong fight. If he was allowed to use his thermos, he would have won long ago, but it was harder when you had to fight till submission. He landed and looked up at Pandora, who landed after him and smiled.
"Excellent work."
Right, so that's the first chapter of the Guide to Ghost Culture. This was born when I decided to figure out how a ghost's mind would work - it obviously wouldn't work just like a human mind, and therefore, neither would Danny's, Dani's, Vlad's, or Jamie's.