Altayih
Culture
Common Dress code
The Altayih are a desert people, and so make use of relatively thin, loose clothing that covers most of the body. Unlike their forebears, however, the Altayih make it a point of pride to adapt as much as possible to their environment not just in habits but in their bodies as well. Whenever possible, one of the Altayih will eschew these in order to adapt their bodies to the intense sun and become less reliant on such clothing in the future. Often, among the Altayih whose role requires them to spend much of their time outside, the most skilled and respected will be those who most go against that rule.
Art & Architecture
Due to the deep significance of Khthon's deserts to the Altayih, they make easily the best and most glassware of any known culture. They are a practical people, so most of what you will find among them is utile, vessels and tools, but they recognize their own reputation and are prolific traders so their caravans will be laden with works of art made for art's sake as well. In addition, their relationship with the Sand Snakes leads to many articles of clothing, tools, and art made from their scales and bones which are very uncommon in other cultures.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Beauty in the eyes of the Altayih is a matter of extremes and adherence to one's station. For an Altayih to be considered beautiful they must be an exemplar of their role. A member of the Altayih whose role is physical must be perfectly muscular or toned and every ounce of unnecessary bodyfat is a black mark. Conversely, for one whose role is not physical, each defined muscle works against them, and bodyfat is desirable up to the point just before it implies taking a larger share than is appropriate for their station. If one's role exposes them to the desert during the day then each shade darker their tan becomes makes them more attractive. Someone whose role is largely indoors, or takes them outside at night is most beautiful at their palest.
Courtship Ideals
Though there is some room for informal association, ritual and formality enter into the process quite early for the Altayih. These rituals take the form of seven gifts, though most courtships will proceed or terminate after the first three are given. The number of gifts given can represent a great love, or a perceived difference in social standing. Only the great romances worthy of song incorporate all seven gifts.
All formal courtships involving a member of the Altayih must begin with the Gift of Words. Any formal declaration of love or intention to court can be taken as an invocation of the Gift of Words, but the more formally given and the more poetically composed it is, the better it will be received culturally. One of the best perceived formats for the Gift of Words is a song of lyrical rhyming couplets with each line alternating between positive aspects of the recipient and the speaker focusing on ways the two individuals' positive aspects complement one another. If a Gift of Words is accepted, the courtship is considered to have begun, and it becomes socially acceptable for the members to associate much more closely in public, though being alone together without clear purpose would still be seen as somewhat gauche. The next step in the courtship must be either the Gift of Service or the Gift of Gold, though following Words with Gold is considered crass.
The Gift of Service is traditionally the second step in an Altayih courtship, and is exactly what it sounds like: some favor or deed is performed for or in the name of the recipient. Often this gift is a choice between a service personal or meaningful for the recipient to show affection or an impressive deed performed in their name to gain glory and honor. If a Gift of Service is accepted, assuming it was the second gift given, it becomes socially acceptable for the two to spend time together alone and minor public displays of affection are tolerated though cohabitation or even spending nights together alone are still seen as somewhat untoward. Operating on that same assumption, the next step in the courtship must be the Gift of Gold.
The Gift of Gold is traditionally the third step in Altayih courtship, and consists of a gift of some form of wealth. Though it derives its name from monetary gifts, these are generally seen as less desirable unless the recipient is quite poor or very wealthy. For the majority of the Altayih gear or tools helpful to their role, property, or livestock are preferred options. If a Gift of Gold is accepted, assuming it was the third gift given, spending nights together alone and even cohabitation become socially acceptable. Most courtships either proceed to a marriage or remain here until the relationship ends. In cases where the pursuer is of a significantly lower station than the pursued or they wish to express an incredibly deep love, they may proceed with the Gift of Time, the Gift of Respite, or the Gift of Understanding.
The Gift of Time would be understood by most cultures as a combination of a fast and a vigil, the pursuer spends as long as they are capable going without food or sleep to show their dedication to the pursued. Water is not restricted in any way at this time, as the Altayih are a people of the desert still.
The Gift of Respite consists of the pursuer accepting all the responsibilities and duties of the pursued. It is considered a greater show of dedication to do this while continuing to fulfill their own role as well, but many choose to have friends or family members take care of that for them to provide a longer respite to the pursued.
The Gift of Understanding is the most personal and perhaps most risky of all the gifts. It can take any form, including one which overlaps with any other gift, though it does not replace it. The purpose of the gift is to demonstrate how well the pursuer knows the pursued, and is considered to have failed if it is not declared the best gift they have ever received. A popular strategy among the few to proceed this far is to give an early Gift of Pilgrimage, thereby implying a second one to come. Assuming this was the sixth gift given, the Gift of Pilgrimage becomes the next and final step, though if it was replicated for this gift there will likely be years taken between.
The Gift of Pilgrimage is the final and most arduous step of Altayih courtship. The pursuer must go on a pilgrimage, retracing in reverse the steps of the original journey the pursued undertook when they came of age. At each step along the way they collect news, stories, and tokens to return to the pursued. Most important of course are those from the family of the pursued in their desert of origin.
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