Atlantian Culture
Humans have a lot of cultural influence across the planet, the primary root is the Atlantean culture. The architecture is graceful but plain, based on perceived cosmic order these cities are usually mappings of philosophical and mystical understandings. It is believed the Atlanteans developed wizardry and magic only a few centuries after Arrival. The culture is one of ambition and order, but also sacrifice to the greater good. The Atlantean cultural center is the Isthmus between the Sea of Ur and the Getyten Ocean. It has influence on most of the cities around the Sea of Ur and as far East as the Mende Sea. Most Atlantean cities are run by Mage-kings who answer to both a council of mages and a council of elders and follow the Edicts of Solomon, a sort of constitution that is lays out how to run a kingdom, rights of citizens, how resolve disputes, and 15 natural laws kings and commoner must obey for a successful city.
Atlanteans like the other colonists relied on cyphers and relics to build their first cities, and establish industries and settlements. However their ambition stretched their realm further than they could support as more and more powered vehicles had to be replaced with riding beasts. Isolated cities could no longer expect the larger whole to support them so they began to rule as kings and lords over their cities to maintain order, health and pool resources.
Atlantis was the first city of these settlers but it was abandoned few centuries after arrival. The supposed first king of Atlantis was Solomon, and he was a powerful mage who resurrected and remodeled the city. He established the first true school of magic to study. This was the establishment of the root of Atlantean culture. He used his diplomacy and relationships with other kings to pen the Edicts of Solomon, pulling together the best advice for kings and how to run a city, and how for citizens to excel in such a system. Over time it has been regarded as the primary legal code for Atlanteans.
Atlantean culture is based around achievement and ambition to greatness. They also prize individuality and boldly expressing it. Clothing styles are ornamental, individualistic, almost characteristic. Their buildings are the opposite, minimal, sparse but graceful, a gallery for people to be seen in. Atlanteans embrace polyamory, polygamy, and same sex marriages. Atlanteans weather monogamous or not have a reputation as free lovers out side of Atlantean regions. Because of their historical invention of wizardry, wizards and other magic users are held in high regard, and seen as socially prominent and interesting people. Commoners and peasants may fear magic but also respect the mage. Philosophy was initially regarded with suspicion as form or wild magic, but once they saw the amount of rigor and study it gained acceptance. There are few kings in Atlantean history who don't wield some level of magic, and fewer of them kept their thrones for long. Most Atlantean cities are not walled and instead believe walls constrict freedom. Most cities are interspersed with towers and keeps in case of attack. Atlantean strategy and tactics is to meet the enemy away from the city. They also use more magic in their tactical combat than other peoples.
The majority of Altantean cities are human populations. However over the centuries many races have immigrated and settled joining the dominant culture, influencing it locally. Elves, Dwarves, gnomes and halflings live in every city in some number. Dragonborn, Orcs, Tabaxi, goblins and hobgoblins live in pockets here and there throughout the region's cities. Outside the cities there are villages here and there of other species that may or may not be under Atlantean governance.
Atlanteans are explorers and spread all along the Ur Sea basin in the first centuries. In the second millennia the mountain valleys and ranges south into the Ravencrage mountains and Xanadu ranges. In the last 500 years or so Atlanteans began colonizing far east across the Getyten ocean. From these areas Atlanteans have several sub cultures that have evolved.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Sabi
Lila
Myla
Nina
Allal
Lith
Ayallal
Nocri
Nisab
Etum
Masculine names
Nusuma
Nyasaamsu
Gezuu
Kharsudea
Belshazzu
Inyabum
Biesaba
Nabazzuu
Nabera
Ardusuh
Unisex names
Etum
Ninduk
Nanna
Ereshki
Ayantun
Ninsil
Ayabag
Saba
Siduk
Shursid
Family names
Susae
Spusae
Pusia
Sane
Cisae
Melon
Rhocaea
Lysae
Mendaea
Messia
Other names
Reputational name. Most Atlantians want to be known for something, and will often take on a pseudonym or their own trademark title. (Lord Iron fists, Saba dancer of the East, Klimax). Often this pseudonym becomes their identity, and truly famous or infamous individuals pick up more names along the way (Sky Hands, master of the six ways or Kharsudea butcher of Constructs)
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
All Atlantean groups speak Atlan. Atlan is a precise language and has specific rules for generating new words. The language is phonetic and uses ideograms mixed into paragraphs of written alphabets. It is read top to bottom in phonetic groups and ideograms in columns from left to right. a typical sheet of paper will have 3 columns. Most books are 20" long and only 4" wide.
The Hidden Kingdom, found in the Xanadu mountains. They are the centers of monastic and mystical study. They are usually reachable only by airship in the summer and fall. These city states are interdependent on seasonal trade. These cities are run by a council of monks rather than mage-kings. Citizens of the hidden kingdoms are hardy and prepared for brutal winters and mild summers, with plenty of mountain springs and snow melt they can sustain themselves with agriculture and supplement with hunting. Clothing is varied for the variety of weather they get, heavy cloaks and fur lined clothing for winters, wool and leather tunics dyed bright colors for winter. Monks are the primary leaders here and so martial arts are the primary social underpinning for greatness. Everyone here spends some time as a monk, usually 4 to 7 years. (Not all become true Monk class characters). Hidden Kingdom cities are usually a conglomeration of buildings hugging terraces carved into the mountains and hills with some carved into the rocks. streets are narrow, most goods are transported by beasts, or porters, carts and carriages are rare to own in a city. Outside of the city is open wilds with a few settlers and farmers. Silver and gold mines are the primary industry, which is what the airships come for to trade goods from the other cities. There are marked trails between the cities in the valley but they are impassible from fall to spring.
The Gwelb valley culture, found north in the Gwelb Valley these cities are primarily agrarian or involved in mining the hills. They are the center of literature and artistic development. Similar to the main Ur sea culture their cities are run by Mage-Kings, but their elevation of king is more limited, and more control is by the council of elders. Many of these cities the mage-king is a ceremonial title only. The Gwelb clothing and cities are largely identical with the other cities, except their cities have more theaters, amphitheaters and galleries. Solomon came from the Gwelb valley to resurrect Atlantis to it's glory as in the stories. Gwelbs are interested in greatness from literature, art, and performance, to build a personal work that influences long after your death. Being further north the Gwelb valley has more drastic seasonal changes so the architecture has to be more weather resistant. Winters are cold and snowy, Summers are hot. Winters last longer as they are further north and nights and days length change drastically with the seasons. Farming is the primary industry followed by wool production. The large rivers of the Gwelb valley are the primary commercial routes, and sending items by ship the fastest way to get to the larger cities on the coasts.
The Far Shore culture these cities are all younger, and were once colonies so they are the more progressive of the Atlantean cultures, open to new ideas, and are centers of engineering and magic, artificers and natural philosophers. They also are militarily active; the area is also where the Hobgoblins have been building colonies and some city states along the Mende Sea have established themselves. These colonies are more often run by elected officials who very loosely interpret the Edicts of Solomon and rely on appointed experts to run things.
These cities all began as fortified colonies sending resources back to Atlantis and the larger cities. the lands are wilder, and fewer cyphers are available so magic and engineering need to be used to rise to the challenges of the wilderness. These Atlanteans hold artificers and engineers in high regard, their cities incorporating less celestial order, and more data based and engineered cities with sewage drainage and running water in many households. Atlantean city states practice a form of democracy and oligarchy of experts, so often the experts and the wealthy merchants run the city. Some have better policies to include citizens, others can practice brutal repression of dissent. The Far Shore is a varied climate. The south is sub-tropical and warm most of the year. The Great Valley dominated by a huge river is temperate and hospitable with good soil. Most of the Far Coast is a plateau and highlands that are arid grassland. Most of the cities hug the coast and the lands of the interior are used for ranching and prospecting. on the other side of that highland down to the Mende sea are goblinoid lands consisting of goblin and bugbear nomads that raid and hunt. beyond that Hobgoblin citadels.
Culture and cultural heritage
Atlanteans are united in the memory of the great ages past of the Star Walker Hegomony. That at one point they traveled the stars and founded new worlds all over the galaxy. They want to have glory and be remembered.
The book of Solomon holds their kings to a high standard to provide for their citizens not just safety, but spiritual and mental growth as well, and should they fail to raise the bar on their city, they should not rule it. In turn it holds Atlanteans to a high standard to be passionate, ambitious, to take action and make a reputation for themselves and their fellows.
Shared customary codes and values
Respect of individuals and their accomplishments. Respect yourself and speak well of yourself. Assert yourself and don't accept your weaknesses. You life is short, make something worthy. Respect greatness. Learn from other's greatness.
Average technological level
Atlanteans are skilled at advanced engineering and metalurgy. They produce high quality steel and a strong lightweight metal called amul. Amul is dangerous to manufacture as it gives off poisonous gas, but after smelting it is strong and lightweight and can be spun on a lathe in to shapes. It is the preferred metal for airships. Atlanteans know how to create hydrogen gas in quantity and use it to build airships. Most airships are semi-rigid frames a small basket made of light woods, Amul and tough woven fabrics. The balloon is made of canvas and painted with thick dope to seal it. sails and screws are used to propel the vehicle. Screws are often crew powered. They can obtain a height of 15',000 feet in clear weather. They are susceptible to fire and lightning so they are not good warwagons and will seek to land in rough weather. other groups make similar craft, but none reach the quality of the Atlanteans.
Atlanteans have gunsmiths and forges for making cannons. Their cities on the coasts have shipyards and make fine sailing vessels and are have good designs for ocean travel. they can make galleons and warships and the city of Atlantis has an impressive navy to escort their ships to far off colonies and engage in diplomacy and if need be war.
Atlantean architects and engineers probably have the best understanding of structural design and strengths of materials and can build impressive structures. Their mathematical understanding of materials allows them some crude level of calculus and many mathematicians probably are working on their own versions of calculus.
Common Etiquette rules
Treat everyone as an equal unless you know they are inferior to you. If you know you are inferior to someone accept it for now, earn their respect. Respect must be maintained. Accept challenges, follow the forms. Ambition without results is an empty life.
Common Dress code
Nudity is permitted in several public settings; bath houses, places of prostitution, in theaters/ festivals as part of a performance. beyond that modesty is required for both men and women. Gwelb and hidden kingdom cities tend to wear layers of clothing because of their climates. Far kingdom follow similar norms.
Uniqueness in dress is an expectation among Atlanteans and tailors and seamstresses are as familiar as the corner grocer. Commoners and the poor will do what they can to make their clothing unique, and will always be looking for a cast off or something unusual to add. Persons of better means will constantly be looking to add something to make them stand out, or match their persona.
Armor is acceptable as formal wear if it is nice and shiny, clean and doesn't smell. More famous fighters and adventurers who have to do formal audiences may keep a fancy armor with little protection but looks awesome.
Art & Architecture
Atlantean art is a varied panoply of styles and schools of thought. the Formal school paints realistic metaphor laden scenes depicting great persons doing great things in amazing locations. Their sculpture is similar and they prefer marble and bronze. This Formal School is the one favored by most aristocrats. The Mystic school paints ideas about philosophies and mathematics and are aligned with the philosophical universities. These are meditations on deep ideals and may not have easily recognizable figures or forms in everyday life. They may be pleasing on a formal level, but have many deeper levels to them. The other major school of art is the Phantasmagory. Considered crude by other schools this one depicts everyday events, persons, locations or completely fictional ones. This school doesn't have many moneyed patrons so they publish books of works, this school excels in the art of print making and can mass produce editions of multi-colored prints. Real and fictional heroes are depicted and since liberties are taken the phantasmagorical applies.
Atlantean architecture is often plain and minimal, precisely so. Some great buildings use magic in construction partially for fame, but also to make structures normal workers couldn't build. Stone, Iron, brick, and glass are their preferred materials for major buildings. housing and other structures make use of brick and stone. Gwelb valley timber allows for more heavy timber buildings. the Hidden Kingdom prefers wood. The far kingdom likes stone and timber as these are more prevalent.
Atlantean cities are pre-planned typically with specific layouts according to cardinal points, magical ley lines, and when certain stellar phenomena may happen overhead. As such they can be small with this perfect core, and then sprawling suburbs and settlements outside organized as needed for their livelihoods.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
It is rude to invite yourself to a persons house and expect to be seen. have small presents to give when visiting someone to repay them for their time.
It is not rude to ask or be asked point blank "who are you?" This is an invitation to announce who you are, what you are, what you do, and how you are to be treated. If you ask, it is rude to not indulge the responder.
Boasting and telling true tales is acceptable behavior, but make sure you have some tokens of proof (an arrow head, a finger bone, etc)
Birth & Baptismal Rites
In polygamous families (its not always patriarchal, or heterosexual) the biological mother has the right to name the baby. This applies to concubines as well. The baby may be raised by other parents by legal right agreed to prior to birth. Last names are by the biological father unless as stated agreed to prior to birth, or are adopted after birth.
Coming of Age Rites
The Gauntlet Festival. Every year young adults aged 16 to 18 are gathered in a hall or other area where it is a social mixer, one of the few non-classist gatherings where all social class in the town or city will meet. Each individual is encouraged to go as their true self, and introduce themselves as they see themselves. This is when many will pick their name their reputation will eventually be built on. If they haven't expressed an orientation or a gender expression this is when they do it. There are few adults as chaperones, usually bards and philosophers. The last part of the festival is when the room divides up into two lines facing each other and each person at one end of the line moves up and every one shouts "who are you?!" and punch them on the shoulder as they dance down the line. each time they are hit they are to shout out who they say they are. They join the end and the line continues. The first person who volunteers to go wears a metal gauntlet. once they get back to the top the night is over.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Atlanteans begin working on their funeral plans early in life, to be adapted as they gain influence and wealth. The most powerful and wealthiest will have purchased or work to be granted land outside the city for a necropolis, to memorialize their lives and achievements. Atlanteans who can afford it are mummified and dressed in a special death outfit. Commoners who can afford neither usually opt for cremation and a stile made of stone that holds their ashes with their achievements etched on it.
Aristocratic families have a necropolis for family, but the ambitious will either try to outdo the other monuments or make plans for their own.
Common Taboos
betrayal is the greatest sin. To profess loyalty and vow to make your actions benefit others, then knowingly betray them for gain is a huge sin. Atlanteans would rather a person make an open honorable refutation of loyalty and oaths made in public to a knife in the back.
Slavery is antithetical to the Atlanteans. magic or devices to control a person's mind, especially if used in a crime is a serious offense and a deplorable act. They dislike groups that condone it or practice it.
Common Myths and Legends
Solomon is an important figure in Atlantean culture. He didn't invent magic, but he was great at it. He wasn't the first king of Atlantis, but he was the greatest king of Atlantis. Many tales of his adventures prior to becoming king exist, but most are legend and apocryphal. There is no Necropolis of Solomon, as he gave up the mantle of king to his heir at age 120 to see the world again and disappeared. So think he died in the wilderness, to keep his legend going, others say he discovered immortality and still walks among his people leading from the shadows.
Historical figures
Solomon was a real king of Atlantis from 1291 to 1359, he and his followers re-established the city, and using magic and cyphers began a rebuilding of the city, united nomadic tribes and other settlers to join the city and used it as a grand experiment in governance, and his great work The Edicts of Solomon was published in 1355. In the year 1359 he ceded the throne to his daughter Nissa, and he left the city to travel with a small retinue of guards and attendants. His last known location was in 1362 on the shores of the Ur sea leaving the now ruined city of Tylax. Contemporary writers place his destination as the north coast of the Ur Sea. No one in those areas had any knowledge of his arrival or any stories of his visit.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Atlanteans have a wide definition of beauty. They find beauty in things many others overlook. A true Atlantean defines it for themselves and acts on it.
Gender Ideals
Gender is a style. They truely believe in a gender spectrum and that everyone may move through that spectrum as they age and grow, and which one they identify with is the one they define for themselves. Atlanteans demand though, that you own it, that you truly embrace it.
Courtship Ideals
Standards depend on the city and sub culture. The Atlanteans are all over the board on that one too. it can be confusing and the rules can be varied. They will also expand that to open multi-species relationships purely for pleasure or companionship.
Additionally sex work is common and has a city guild and there are social norms for how to act around prostitutes, laws to protect them, and rules for how they are treated. It is not unusual for concubines to have status as well, both male and female as homosexual marriages and polygamy may require heirs for fortunes to be passed along.
Relationship Ideals
Monogamy and Polyamory are both equally common in Atlantean lands. Atlantean codes allow for both in terms of marriage (Polygamy) and has mechanisms for divorce for both. Sexual pairings and groups really depend on the individuals and both commoner and aristocrat may practice both, but class distinctions rarely allow for intermixing. Individuals may go from a polyamory to monogamy to polygamy back to polyamory depending on their relationship to their partners, age, and condition.
Jealousy and selfishness can be the biggest problems that cause domestic strife, Atlanteans follow their passions and it can be messy some times. Many an adventurer is running from a set of complicated relationships.
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