Althnaron (Culture)

About
Culture Name:
 * Althnaron (n)
 * Althnari (adj.)

Althnaron is a culture in the Northwest part of the known world, originating in the fertile area of the river Ciencia and near the inner sea Eone.

Religion
Althnaron people do not refer to their religion by name, but outsiders usually refer to it as "Althnaronism." Althnari prefer to talk about one of the two dieties--the Sun God Inoaar and the Earth Goddess Ibiz. All Althanri worship both Inoaar and Ibiz, although men tend to worship the male god Inoaar and women Ibiz. Priestesses of the Temple of Ibiz almost exclusively worship the Goddess. Because of the nature of the two dieties, and the way they intereact with other, Althnaron's view astronomy and astrology as very important. Equinoxes as signs of the seasons, moon phases, major stars, and of course ominous eclipses are all important in Althnaronism and have meaning. While both men and women engage in astrology, the Priestesses of the Temple of Ibiz are considered the definitive source. For example, farmers will wait for the order from the Prietesses of Ibiz for when to begin planting crops for the first time of the year.
 * Ionaar - The male god of the Sun. Ionaar is worshiped for strength, honor, courage, virility.
 * Ibiz - The female Goddess of the Earth. While Ionaar gave light and fire to the world, Ibiz provides a home for all life, and provides nourshment for the Althnari people.

Caste Determination
Althanaron culture has a caste system that all members of society have a place in. There are four caste ranks in Althnaron society: Althnari people believe that a person's rank in society is determined at birth, given to them by Ionaar or Ibiz, depending on the gender. Although this is considered inherent to the person, the actual decision is always made by the Priestesses of the Temple of Ibiz, through a special ceremony that takes place in the Temple on the child's first birthday. The Priestesses will check the child for whether Ionaar or Ibiz has marked the child for greatness. If so, the child immediately becomes a Noble/Priestess. At that point, the child is removed from his or her family and will be raised to become a member of that higher caste. If the Priestesses interpret the signs to indicate that the child has been designated by the Gods as a corruption of the world, then it is immediately killed. All other children remain in the common class of Citizens. Only children of Citizens, Nobles, or Priestesses are allowed to take the ceremony. Children of citizens and slaves are not.
 * Nobles (men)
 * Priestesses (women)
 * Citizens
 * Slaves

Caste Relations
Due to the fact that caste status is not necessarily related to the caste status of one's parents, the relations of the various castes is somewhat more liberalized. When and where caste relations are restricted, it is often as much by geography as social taboo.

The male noble class has the most freedom and rights in Althnaron society, but also has the highest expectations as they are both the political leaders but also the primary warrior caste. Male Nobles are seperated from the rest of society and live communally in the largest part of the palace complex, where they engage in gymnastics and military training, as well as to study for leadership of the nation. Male Nobles are not allowed to marry, except for the King. As the human representation/manifestation of the sun god, the King is considered "by nature" to be married to the High Priestess. Male Nobles have the right to have sex with any women, including priestesses and slaves, but the High Priestess. Any children resulting from such relations has no blood connection to the Male Noble. In the case of birth to a Citizen, the child becomes of the family of the male head of household. In the case of birth to a Priestess, the child is transferred to a family of that Priestess' choice. In the case of birth to a slave, the child is a slave but is entitled to the citizenship test.

Priestesses are kept within the Temple compound, which is smaller part of the palace complex. They are not allowed out of the temple compound at any time, even to the other parts of the palace. Priestesses have their own internal organizational structure and cannot be ordered to do anything by anyone non-Priestess except the King.