Aityan

  

Size: 2.2m (7'4")
Weight: 125kg (275 lbs.)
Lifespan: 85 years
Maximum life expectancy: 110 years

Tall and pale, the Aityan are otherwise very similar to humans. They prefer colder climates, and do not do well in desert or tropical environments.

Language

The Aityan normally speak Narush, though many speak Kotha-Baran as a second language.

Religion - Maset

A follower of the Maset believes that the universe was once, ages ago, ruled by evil gods. These gods were defeated by a young god called Eyten, who created the world (or worlds) and all that live in it. Eyten is thought to have gone to sleep or gone to another place, but still watches over the world for the return of the evil gods. Should the evil gods return then Eyten will also return, and he will call together an army all the Aityan who have made an impression on him. With this army he will again defeat the evil gods and drive them off.

This belief system has lead to a culture that values impressive and violent actions, under the assumption that the more impressive or violent the action, the more that the individual will be noticed by Eyten. The only basis for merit is that of notability.

Kinship

The Aityan have a kinship system which makes a distinction between cross and parallel cousins. Parallel cousins (the children of father's brother or mother's sister) are considered to be siblings, whereas cross cousins (the children of father's sister or mother's brother) are considered cousins.

Similarly, the children of a man's brother are considered to be his children as well, and the children of a woman's sister are considered to be her children.

Clans

The quirks of Aityan kinship are primarily due to their system of clan membership. Every Aityan belongs to two clans, a "Seeking" Clan that they claim through their father, and a "Living" Clan that they get through their mother.

There are only nine common Seeking clans, with a implicit social ranking among them (all other Seeking clans are considered to have little or no rank). The common Seeking clans are (from high status to low): Book, Finding, Axe, Metalsmith, Wood, Merchant, Talking, Hunting, and Farming.

The Living Clans are generally territorial and are usually named after the land they occupy (e.g. "Blue Hill", "Koba Ravine").

Aityan inherit social status from their father, and property from their mother. Upon a woman's death, all property is divided equally among her daughters. If there are no daughters then the property passes to the nearest female relative within the deceased's Living Clan.

Book Clan (Zhun)
Before interplanetary contact, members of the Book Clan were the ones trusted to keep all records. Oral histories were written down as accurately as possible and traded between tribes almost like a form of currency. Individuals, groups, and tribes would have the Book Clan serve as witness to agreements and contracts, and would rely on them to settle disputes. Book Clan occupations include historians, teachers, and judges.

Finding Clan (Holo)
With the Book Clan keeping all record of history, the recovery of lost information and the discovery of the new became valuable commodities. The Finding Clan split off from the Book Clan several hundred years ago to fill this separate niche. Finding clan occupations include archaeologists, explorers, treasure hunters, researchers.

Axe Clan (Anek)
A natural product of tribal conflicts, the Axe Clan developed from the need for protecton. Axe Clan occupations include the military and law enforcement.

Metal Clan (Thuf)
All metalworking tasks are associated with the Metal Clan. Metal Clan occupations include metalsmith, mining, weapon manufacture, armoring, jeweler.

Wood Clan (Uzah)
This clan is associated with both working with wood and its procurement. Clan occupations include carpenter, wood carver, lumberjack.

Merchant Clan (Obuk)
Associated with all those who sell products they don't produce themselves, the Merchant Clan is almost perceived as a necessary evil. Clan occupations include shopkeeper, peddler, information broker.

Talking Clan (Aman)
While the Talking Clan is primarily centered arount politics and negotiation, it also encompasses any arts that are not associated with other clans. Clan occupations include politician, administrator, singer, writer, painter.

Hunting Clan (Sudhu)
This clan is associated with the tasks surrounding hunting and tracking. Clan occupations include game hunting, butchery, tanning, fletching, and bounty hunting.

Farming Clan (Hibu)
Associated primarily with agriculture, this clan also encompasses many tasks involving manual labor. Clan occupations include farming, brewing, ditch digging, construction.

Gender Roles

The Aityan have no proscribed roles for any gender, and often fail to recognize them in other cultures.

People of non-binary genders are accepted as they present themselves. Neither of the Narush or Kotha-Baran languages have personal pronouns which indicate gender.