Fiction:Antroth Empire/Culture

The Antroths of the Antroth Empire have a rather unique culture when compared to the other species of Tyris Major, and even more so when compared to their allies within the United Knights Alliance.

Utilitarianism
Antroths are very utilitarian by nature, meaning that they find fulfillment in their lives by simply doing their jobs and supporting the Queen and the Empire. They see themselves as gears in the "great machine" that is the Antroth Empire. Most Antroths are assigned jobs at birth based on their familial ties and potential (physical and mental). For example, Antroths born into a mercantile family are almost always going to be merchants when they are old enough to work. Antroth children are raised to completely appreciate their eventual roles in society. Antroths who abandon their jobs to pursue endeavors that do not benefit the empire are looked down on rather harshly by other Antroths, as this goes against the typical attitudes and upbringing of most citizens.

There is a slight caste system in place because of this, which separates Antroth citizens into groups such as merchants, laborers, warriors, and nobles.

Matriarchy
Within Antroth society, women hold most of the power. The Empire is ruled by a queen who is then succeeded by one of her daughters. Kin-Houses are ruled by a Kin-Mother, and she is succeeded by her daughters or sisters. Usually only Antroth women are allowed to learn advanced forms of magic, though very few skilled males have been granted the honor by female elders. Even when it comes to marriage, Antroth women are the ones who choose their mates and usually have the final say in most marital matters.

Antroth men are not seen as "lesser" than the women, as individual males are still highly respected based on their prowess in battle and their military history. This is because almost all adult male Antroths are soldiers in some fashion. Even the males who do not see much combat tend to be weaponsmiths or shipwrights. The only real difference in how men are treated is in rulership and arcane education. There has never been an Antroth king, even though there have been males that were the mates of the Queen. The Queen's mate is given respect of course, but he has no power over the affairs of the empire as most kings in Tyris Major do.

Kin-Houses
Antroth families are called Kin-Houses. They are basically clans, with all members living in their own distinct underground dwelling. If individual Antroths are gears, then Kin-Houses are the larger components of the machine that is the Antroth Empir. Every Kin-House has a political standing within the empire, though their political power stems from how useful they are to the empire's success. Some Kin-Houses specialize in specific skills or trades. One of the most prominent of these would be the Kin-House Leton, which produces the best male warriors and female battle mages within Antroth territory. Another famous Kin-House would be Kin-House Shal, which produces prominent healers and strategists. Even the queens belongs to their own specialized Kin-House known as Kin-House Aentanna, known for their arcane, intellectual, and political prominence and skill. Other Kin-Houses are typically generalists, not really specializing in any aspect of the empire's society, but nonetheless contributing to it.

Kin-Houses are led by a Kin-Mother, who acts as the motherly figure for every member of the Kin-House. Their Brood-Mate, or husband, is the father of her children and is always a male from another Kin-House. The Kin-Mother is not the mother of every member of the house however, as her sisters, aunts, and even female cousins typically have their own families within the Kin-House. Despite this, the Kin-Mother's daughters are the only ones who can inherit leadership of the Kin-House when she dies. Males within the Kin-Houses are either warriors or workers, and typically leave their Kin-House to marry into the Kin-House of their mates. ]

Religion and Philosophy
Unlike their allies within the United Knights Alliance, Antroths are actually atheists. Due to their origins and unique understanding of the universe, they do not believe that anything inherently has and divine attributes. Antroth philosophers argue that anything that is divine is only attributed as such through the experiences of observers who are, by nature, mundane. They assert that the "so-called divinity" of the many gods that other empires believe in is not divinity at all, but simply something that those who worship said gods have not discovered yet. Because of this, Antroths believe it is a waste of time to bow to those that others call divine, but they do believe that every race should strive to tower above the "gods" instead.

Art
Antroths are very culturally expressive people, and as such they have many methods of expressing their passions and culture. Architecture, fashion, and works of art are just a few of the many ways that Antroths express themselves.

Clothing
Antroth clothing is typically very stylish and comfortable (to them at least). While males and females do dress rather differently, there are many similarities with their attire. All Antroth outfits typically feature multiple Vrik, or "wraps of fabric". These wraps are usually symbolic of the individual's Kin-House, role in society, military ranking, or a number of other things. Most Antroths have an assortment of outfits that they wear depending on the social setting or occasion. Antroth women can be seen wearing headscarves, though they do not have to cover their faces completely. Oftentimes this practice is done by specific Kin-Houses, while others might omit it. They wear headdresses to "enhance their beauty", as Antroth men find mysterious women attractive. Men do not wear headdresses, though they do typically wear fur-trimmed cloaks over their battle armor and casual wear. Formal attire for men is usually their battle armor, assuming that they own a set.

Architecture
Antroth architecture is, like most other things about their culture, very unique in comparison to Tyris Major. Most Antroth complexes are built underground, though this does not stop Antroths from building elaborate tunnel systems and decorated surface level entry points.

Artwork
Antroth artwork typically comes in the form of statues, paintings, and mosaics. It is not known why Antroths prefer these methods of producing artwork, but what is known as that they are rather passionate about it. Antroths have been known to make beautiful works of mosaic art, and sculptures that are considered hyper-realistic. Their paintings are also usually of high quality. The subjects of the art pieces follow popular themes such as motherhood, magic, the royal family, and astronomy.