The Altaira

[theisticGilthoniel 2]

Name of Culture: The Altaira (singular Altairi, adjective Altairan.)

 

Introduction to the Culture: This culture is not (consciously) based on any real-world culture. It was mostly made to fulfill certain aesthetic and anthropological preferences of mine. 

 

Cultural Stereotypes (I.E. TLDR): Haughty Flatterers, Impious, Head-in-the-clouds, Strict and repetitive, Artistic and poetic, Weaklings, Romanticists, emotional, dithering, addicts

 

History: Many theorize that the Altaira were originally half-elven. While it may have been true once, they are certainly now far removed from such ancestry. Due to their small, isolationist communities, the Altaira have mostly flown under the radar of many nations. Commonly, a larger nation will find an unaccounted for castle full of Altaira. They most often just take the castle without thought to the culture of those inside. Because of this, it is far more common to see Altairan jewelry and treasures than it is to see actual Altairi. 

The predatations of the nations forced the Altaira long ago into the wildlands, though certain noble clans in civilized areas are descended from Altaira who were assimilated. Because the basic cultural appearance of the Altaira is so dignified (as opposed to certain more boisterous cultures), the process of naturalization and acceptance is far easier for Altaira, at least in places where such things are valued (they do not often find acceptance in dwarf lands for instance). This further dwindles the population of recognizable Altaira. Many speculate this culture is on its last legs, but the acceptance the Altaira have for others joining in their customs gives a certain amount of stability.

 

Society: The basic unit of Altairan society is the Kun, or castle. Altaira do not possess individual houses, but rather everyone in a community is united under the roof of the Kun. The only people in Altairan society who do not live in the kun are the herdsman, who are marginalized but necessary for the food and fibers they provide. Each Kun is essentially an independent city-state, with its own king, called a Karilan or Kurilan. 

The Altairans mainly depend on wheat, honey, sheep, and fruit for nutrition. They also cultivate a type of grass-like plant fiber which is integral to the makeup of their clothes. Eating as a whole community is common, but smaller meals in one’s personal rooms aren’t stigmatized. Both of these meals are mostly meats and meat-pies or fruit pies, both including many flavorful herbs. They often create creamed honey and fruit candies in various whimsical shapes. They also often delight in odd fruit trifles made with goat cream and liquor, sometimes even Altairan absinthe (see the religion section).

While there is certainly a great deal of love shared in a Kun dwelling family, each person is expected to care for the other citizens of the Kun almost as much as he cares for his own family. In the same way, Altairan romance can become dampened by the various pressures and duties to the Kun and to natural law (as we will see later). Because of such deficits, emotion, from joy to melancholy, is highly valued in Altairan society, and those who show their emotions, and experience such emotions in fullness at the proper times, are greatly admired. Another value held by most Altaira, though for quite different reasons, is the interpretation and creation of symbolism. Such things make the Altaira known, when they are indeed known, as unrepentant artists, even when the Altairi in question would be considered quite average in his own Kun.

While the Altairan herders ostensibly share these values, they express themselves in quite different ways. The Herdsmen are stereotypically hedonistic (for food and sex more than drugs), and are known as augurs and interpreters of omens. These things further complicate their relationship with the Kun dwellers. Disreputable Kun-dwellers sometimes engage in pastoral trysts, or seek out herdsmen for heterodox fortune-telling practices or interesting ideas for poems and plays. Because of these things, Kun-dwellers’ view of the herdsmen exists in a semi-contradictory state of reverence and contempt. (In Altairan stories, the herdsman is something like a perverted diogenes, making fun of the standard view of the world. Keep in mind that herdsmen almost never appear in plays or dances, only stories)

 

Religion: The Altaira are mainly aministic, revering and ascribing sentience to important natural and artificial structures, such as mountains, rivers, and wells, as well as celestial events like storms and seasons. While most Altaira also give material offerings and prayers, the main bulk of Altairan religious practice is in the form of Ritual Plays, Dances, and Conversations. In each of these rites, the principle actors take on the personages of gods, spirits, and natural phenomena, acting out various parts of the natural order. This has a specific purpose in Altairan culture: maintaining the law of the world. Altaira believe that the elements of nature often disrupt or forget the natural order, so these rites are demonstrations of the way things should be. 

The Altaira are very syncretistic, and have few problems adopting gods, aenguls, and spirits from other cultures. Since their own religion is very dependent on the locale in which it is practiced, they tend to view other gods as very regional as well, and tend to ascribe them natural aspects, such as understanding Aeriel as a god presiding over a local hill or statue that just happens to be a beloved psychopomp and god of light. They are, however, perplexed slightly by the workings of divine magic, as their religion isn’t so much about the accumulation of power against evil, and the phenomena they revere rarely grant powers.

Dreams also feature in Altairan religion, but not in the way they do in other religions. Instead of functioning as revelations, they are seen as another area in which the natural order can be symbolically reinforced. Drugs aren’t heavily stigmatized in Altairan society, but they are heavily frowned upon when taken outside the proper context. The Altairan drug of choice is a type of hullucinatory herb which is often mixed with alcohol, often called Altairan Absinthe or Dreamer’s Wormwood. Flowers tend to represent dreams in Altairan religious thought, each with associated meanings. Certain types of flowers, in certain arrangements, are thought to allow the creation of shared dream-spaces (if this is indeed true, it may be thought of as a culturally linked, very low powered form of cartelepsy, which may persist between uses. If needed, I will draft up a lore submission for it). The conjunctive use of flowers and dream-inducing drugs is the standard for all those overly interested in dreams. The spaces cultivated for such uses are called Lukumu.

On the topic of dreams: it is said that some castles are so involved with dreams that they are themselves reflected in dreams. Such places are called Kun Tunianik, or Castles half-dreaming. Some also say that there are Castles entirely held in dreams, spirited there by the machinations of wizards and dreamers. These aren’t so much ghost stories as idle rumors, and some dreamers seek out such places.

 

Language: While most Altaira speak the common tongue, they also possess a ritual language used for religious and magical rites, including Altairan ritual conversations. Note: A is always ah, I is always ee, u is alway oo. If two vowels are next to each other, pronounce them individually (thus, the pronunciation of Altaira is Alta-ira). Sentence structure proceeds Subject-Object-Verb, with adjectives and adverbs following what they modify.

General nouns:

Atun: The way of things, the natural order

Kun: House or Castle

Alasi: Spirits and gods

Pin: Forest

Naka: Hill

Nurimu: Mountain

Iral: Spring or well

Duni: Lake

Luka: Meadow or Garden

Umulu: Veil

Iklin: Robe

Iklan:Cloak

Tuni: Dream, vision

 

Terms for People:

Karil: “Dweller in a castle”, variously translated as prince, noble, or courtier. A general term of respect.

Kuril: “Dweller in a castle”, variously translated as princess, lady, or maiden. A general term of respect.

Karilan: “Ruler of a castle”, masculine. Sometimes king or chief

Kurilan: “Ruler of a castle”, feminine. Sometimes queen

Kariliamu/Kuriliamu: Artificially constructed by the Altaira to describe the kings/queens and emperors/empresses of other lands, who rule over many castles

Neka: Masculine foreigner or traveler

Neku: Feminine foreigner or traveler

 

Adjectives:

Iamonu: High or Important

Moknin: Steady

Anak: Little

Anik: Half

 

Particles and Verbs:

Ki: this

Ara: is, am (singular)

Iri: Are (plural)

Ni: I, we (indicated by verb declension)

Li: You

Nesak: not, no

Latu: has (i.e. singular)

Litu: have (i.e. Plural)

Bakma: Destroy (Singular)

Bikmi: Destroy (plural)

Arpa: Wear (singular)

Arpi: Wear (plural)

 

Sample text: A ritual conversation to praise the king and protect against earthquakes

Adam: O! Ben Karilan ara Nurimu Ki. Li Latu Kun ki. (Oh, king Ben is the mountain. You have this Castle [in your hands])

Ben: Ni, Nurimu ki, ara moknin. Ni Bakma Nesak Kun Ki. (I, the mountain, am steady. I will not bring ruin to this castle.)

Ben: O! Adam Karil ara karil moknin. Ki Ara Atun. (Oh, Prince Adam is a steady courtier. This is the way of things.)

 

Note: the phrase “Ki Ara Atun” (this is the way) is very important in their culture. The standard use is as a close to ritual conversation, it is also a phrase of agreement or acquiescence. Think of it somewhere between “Goodbye”, “C’est la Vie”, and the type of “amen” found in really enthusiastic protestant churches. If someone sings a song that reflects the natural law, an Altairi in the audience might call out “Ki Ara Atun!” while clapping or singing along. If there is a difference of cultures, or some kind of natural mistake, the phrase is also used in a more questioning or dejected manner. However, if someone says something untruthful (that is, something which does not reflect the natural law, like declaring that a sea shall burn in ritual conversation), or if someone refuses to participate in ritual conversation, the phrase “Ki ara nesak atun” (this is not the way) is used to indicate departure from proper order. Think of this one more like a director’s “Cut!”, “No, I said that wrong”, or a jeering insult.   

 

Common Traits: The Altaira are a culture, not a race, and so have many disparate traits, but the vast majority of humans in the culture have pale blonde hair and green eyes, and are fair skinned (but again, this does not hold for all). They are also usually very thin and willowy. Because of certain cultural ideals of beauty, these traits can appear in races where they are not very common (i.e. if a dwarf who is integrated into the culture matches more closely the ideals of beauty, their traits get passed down more often). Not much grief is held by people who don’t meet beauty standard, due to a cultural propensity for obscuring the face and body.

 

 

Behaviour: The Altairan way of life is very ritualized from day to day. For instance, the example of the Altairan language shown above is a ritual conversation, meant to show and embody the atun. These conversations typically consist of three sections: First, an introduction in which the roles of each participant is established, which may take either the form of one participant declaring both roles, both declaring their own, or both declaring the other’s (in the first case, some amount of correction by the passive participant is acceptable); Second, an extended metaphorical dialogue in which the participants attempt to ascertain the dictate of the natural law in the specific circumstance; Thirdly, an optional final step delivering information not conveyed in the dialogue (such as the answer to a question that the interviewee regards as in the natural law but not in accordance with their chosen role), or the execution of certain actions decided upon in the dialogue.

Here is now another example in common:

 

Alice: O! I am the Daughter*, seeking to know. Who are you?

Adam: Hail, daughter. I am the River-Spring, bringing water.

Alice: River-Spring, is it in the way that I might have a drink?

Adam: Daughter, the river should not stop the Kuril** from drinking.

[The action is carried out]***

 

*the Daughter or Son is one of a class of generic, person oriented roles. The Person/Natural force dialogue is the most common form of ritual dialogue, since it is always of concern to make certain that natural forces act in a certain way to people. In contrast, Natural Force/Natural Force is more rare, since nobody much cares if snow falls on some distant, uninhabited mountain.

**Kuril is here used to establish the river-spring’s relation to all Altaira, not just one.

***Due to the metaphoric nature of the dialogue, what action this is remains context dependent. Some possibilities are: Adam lets Alice drink from the literal water he was carrying, Adam gives Alice some piece of wisdom which is refreshing and necessary, Adam and Alice “fade to black”, Adam gives Alice some alms.

Metaphoric Faux Pas: Comparing someone to a dream, as dreams aren’t often under natural order, and are mildly associated with subservience when they are. Instead, compare them to a garden or, if the person is powerful or artistic, to a dreamer. Do not either compare someone to a mask, or make references to a mask one is currently wearing. Instead, treat the person as if they were whatever the mask represents (at least in name only, it’s just polite). Comparing someone to a tool, even one well made, is likewise somewhat rude. The best connotations tools can have is sturdiness, good-making, and diligence.

 

 

Festivities: The two main festivities, Plays and Dances, bear themselves a resemblance to more formal and communal versions of the Ritual Conversation. Plays, if you can call them that, do not need an audience, and don’t necessarily need a script. They always include masks and at least one narrator (if there are multiple narrators, they function as a kind of greek chorus). The narrator could be synonymous with the master of ceremonies. Generally, experienced actors are required for major roles (I.E. Those that can go most astray from the natural law). In a play, anything goes as long as it is in line with the Atun. Characters often introduce themselves when they appear first on stage whenever there is time to do so. This is because leaving identities up to interpretations is a danger to the natural law. Characters in Altairan plays always act with proper respect (or intentional and proper disrespect) for the same reason. 

Dances in Altairan community are a bit more visually interesting. Music isn’t necessary beyond at least a drum-beat. The general dance begins with a slow start, called the Moknil, or steady forms. The Altaira engaging with the dance assume various poses, some premeditated, some improvised, symbolizing some piece of the natural order which their character must enact. They switch from pose to pose rapidly on the drum beat, moving around most often in a circular pattern, staying completely still otherwise. The drumbeat becomes faster and faster, seamlessly transitioning into the Tuni, or vision. In this stage, the performers no longer pose, but seem to fly about the stage in their previous patterns, with cloaks and veils billowing about them. The name of this stage of the dance is speed and elegance in equal measure. (for the Moknil, think of the dance aang and sokka did in the episode “the firebending masters”)

Another sort of dance, sometimes thought of as a game, is the mock-battle. This activity, which also serves as a surrogate for honor duels, is sort of like skillful rock-paper-scissors fought with wood sticks. The opponents swing their sticks at different heights, attempting to get a knock on the person. A higher height generally beats a lower height, but if an opponent ducks and hits very low than the height is a disadvantage. If the sticks clash, then both players attempt to quickly pull back and hit again. This lasts until one opponent gets a number of hits previously specified. Matches between skilled opponents become quite the spectacle of clacking sticks, since one can predict where an opponent is likely to hit based on where he is swinging.

This bit of recreation is quite peculiar in the Altairan Kun. Firstly, it bears little resemblance to real Altairan fighting styles, which eschew slashes for stabs. Because of this, it is widely regarded as very silly, and this is the reason that they are called mock battles and not just stick-fights. However, almost every grown man and woman is rather skilled in it. Even more perplexingly, few children play it. The most common theory is that this practice was imported from elsewhere, and its use in honor duels is much more common and important than outside observers think, leading to its widespread use. 

 

 

Clothing: The standard outfit for domestic life in the Altairan Kun consists of modest underclothes, overlaid with two or three flowing robes and a cloak. This is the minimum requirement for clothing, and most people wear far more (but little care is paid if reason is given for less clothes, and many wear only one shorter robe for more practical activities). Veils of thin cloth are also worn by both men and women. These veils vary from covering only the hair to reaching to the shins. Everything, except the underclothes, is brilliantly dyed, woven, and embroidered, and muted tones are very rare. When clothes aren’t bright colors, they are pure white. For official activities, veils are required, and wooden masks are often worn 

 

 

Military: When The Altairi fight, they wield weapons of ceramic and imported bronze. Their cloaks function as a kind of armor, catching and dulling blades as it tears. They employ a brutal martial style, going for the throat as quickly as possible against armored opponents. They are known for employing very tricky tactics, often causing illusions, both mundane and magical, to confuse and frighten the enemy. There is a famous story where a band of Altaira stretched painted fabric between themselves and each held a lantern pole, giving the appearance of a great army with many link-boys, frightening off the enemy. The veracity of this story is suspect, but gives insight into the sorts of tactics they might use if given the chance.

However, when in one-to-one combat, an opponent who experienced the Altairan style before will generally prevail, as the style is very predictable. These opponents are rare due to the rarity of the Altaira in general.

 

 

(This Culture is still open to suggestions and revisions, particularly in the History and Language sections. If you’d like me to retcon your culture into the history, or to suggest a (non-joke) word or grammatical feature, let me know and I’ll consider adding it. This is my first lore(ish) post, so I hope you like it.)

Edited August 24, 2019 by theisticGilthoniel