Maan Asunto

Class Divisions

Maan Asuntos segregate themselves based on color. Some colors rule, others trade or explore, and others are just the unskilled laborers.
The class divisions are as follows (highest to lowest):

Violetti (Purple)

The Violettis are considered to be the ruling class. They are in positions of power and, generally, wealth. From their earliest days, children are indoctrinated with the belief that it is their duty to serve all of the Maan Asuntos. They are taught to work hard and to expect to work even harder as they grow older. When a child graduates from the Violetti school, they are ranked in order of their intelligence and predicted usefulness as judged by the school. The branches of government, of which there are many, select candidates to "hire", essentially. The highest branches of government get to choose their candidates first, then down the line to the branches of the lowest importance. The chosen candidate is then inserted into whatever role is needed for the group that they work with. It is expected that they will work dutifully regardless of their position, and will move up the ranks of their organization as older individuals retire.

Punainen (Red)

The Punainens are merchants and explorers. Commerce and tourism are vital to Keskus, where most of the Maan Asuntos live, so it is considered to be vital, and one of the most important jobs. Finding new places from which to bring in new tourists and goods is also very prized. Children attend Punainen schools from shortly after they are born, and are taught the workings of the economy and how to run successful businesses. They are occasionally sent to shadow merchants in the city to find places that they might be interested in working. When a child is old enough to leave school and head out into the world, they are ranked from the most competent to the least. Then, in that order, they are allowed to claim open spots among current merchants. They work in their chosen field all of their lives, gradually increasing in responsibility as older members retire. The Punainens are highly regarded among the Maan Asuntos. They generally have large amounts of wealth and wield some influence in society. Among the Punainens, the Merchant's Guild is the most powerful and respected.

Sininen (Blue)

The Sininens are responsible to uphold the religion. Even though Pelatorem the Flying Goddess and her moon have vanished, the remnants of her power still remain and the faith is still strong among most of the Maan Asuntos. The religious workers are everything from the Paavi (the religious leader) to clergy to toll workers at each of the portals. Sininen children are raised at schools dedicated to the worship of the goddess. They grow up expected to dedicate their lives to her. When they have finished their training, they are assigned to a "calling", decided upon by the leaders and teachers of the school. After being assigned, they move into communal living areas filled with other Sininens. The communal living areas are divided by the type of job assigned to the individual. The Sininens are viewed very highly among the Maan Asuntos. While not as wealthy as the upper classes, they are still very comfortable. They also hold some sway in society. Religion is still highly prized, so they have a moderate amount of influence.

Vihrea (Green)

The Vihreas are the skilled workers of the society. Blacksmiths, bakers, architects, scholars, anything that requires a great deal of knowledge and skill to be successful at. The schools that the Vihreas attend are very segregated. In the early years of life, they live at the "nursery". While there, they are given small glimpses into the many jobs available in the world. Watched over by the teachers, they are then sorted by their interests, aptitude, and potential, and are sent away to other schools. These schools are each dedicated to teaching around ten different skill sets. After several years in school, they are then sent out to apprentice with local artisans and are eventually brought on as full-time workers. The Vihreas hold a moderate amount of influence and wealth in society. Their skills and goods are highly prized, so they have some leverage in political conflicts.

Keltainin (Yellow)

The Keltainins are the artists and entertainers. Their schools are filled with classes for artists, singers, musicians, actors, and playwrights. While some of these have groups associated with them, many are highly individual. After they finish school, they are scouted for their talents. Some go on to join organized units or galleries, while others choose to go it alone. While not considered to be as valuable as the classes above the Keltainen, art in all its forms is still enjoyed among the people and those in this class make a fairly good living. They are, however, considered nonessential, so they are basically voiceless and wield very little power in society.

Oranssi (Orange)

The Oranssis are the unskilled labor in society: dock workers, farmers, janitors, etc. While still raised in communal "boarding school" type places, there is actually very little specialized education provided. They are given a basic education consisting of necessary life skills. When they are considered old enough to work, they are sent out to work. All training is done on the job. The compensation for unskilled labor is generally low; enough to live on, but not a whole lot of extras. They are considered essential to life, so while in general their voices might not be heard, together they have quite a bit of bargaining power. They are mostly satisfied with the work they do and the lives they lead, so there is usually very little unrest.

Harmaa (Gray)

The Harmaas are the lowest class among the Maan Asuntos. The members of this class are the military force for the country. The children grow up in training schools before they are actually put to work when they come of age. The military is regarded very poorly among the rest of society. They are funded by the government, but their wages are very low. The amount of respect and power that they hold is also negligible. They are, at best, mostly invisible to the general population, and, at worst, actively resented.

General Worldview

The Maan Asuntos are a highly cooperative society. They believe in bettering the whole of society, no matter their class. There is very little crime, and punishments for breaking the societal rules are harsh. There is also very little unrest. Partially because most are willing to follow the rules, but also because those in charge of making said rules tend to be fair and just. Most Maan Asuntos are happy with their roles in society, meaning there isn't really anyone grabbing for more power. This also means that most individuals and organized groups are charitable, both to members of their own race as well as to those who share their city.
Intelligence is considered to be the most important trait that a person can have. Education is considered standard, and those with the highest levels of intelligence, either purely scholarly or in specific pursuits, have a great deal of clout among their people. Continuing education is considered to be a higher calling, a pursuit straight from the goddess herself. Most Maan Asuntos study in their free time, anything from Kieli literature to engineering to profession-specific skills. The amount of education and intelligence that an individual obtains can elevate their status. This does not allow them to become members of another class, but they may be the recipient of more respect than others of their station.

Life Stages

Early Life

Before a Maan Asunto is born, their father dies. When they are born, they are cared for in a communal "nursery". When they are grown enough to leave the nursery, their mother dies and they proceed to group homes that double as educational institutions. At this point, the child is raised communally. They are sent to what is essentially a boarding school. The schools are separated by color class, and children are sorted into their appropriate place. They are raised and taught there until they are ready to take their place in society. From the time that they are born, Maan Asuntos are continuously educated. Depending on their class, the depth of their education differs, but they all spend their entire adolescence in these schools. After they have reached what is considered to be young adulthood, many of the classes head out into the world to pursue their lifelong paths. Other classes, however, continue in school for a while longer until they are considered sufficiently educated to join the workforce.

Adult Life

Nearly all of the Maan Asuntos spend their adult life gainfully employed. Different classes assume different roles in society, so the difficulty and type of job also differ. Developing meaningful relationships with others is a large part of life for them. They tend to seek out others of their same class, although there is no stigma associated with befriending those of another class. Most Maan Asuntos highly value intelligence, so they pursue relationships with others who have a similar level of intelligence as themselves. They find it especially difficult to find common ground with other species that do not value intelligence as much. Romantic relationships are nonexistent. The Maan Asuntos are highly clinical in their view of relationships, so there is very little in the way of emotional attachments. A relationship is pursued for what it can add to their lives, either practically or intellectually. Mating is a death sentence, so it is avoided until they are near the end of their lives.

Later Life

When a Maan Asunto reaches a certain age, they leave their normal lives and head to an area of town reserved for the elderly. It is essentially a small community. It also has a unique way of operating. For the first time in their lives, they have a large quantity of free time, so they find themselves participating in leisure activities that they never had the time for before. Many of the aspects of the Maan Asunto culture are put aside to foster mating relationships. It is here that many of them learn how to form emotional attachments. Color class distinctions lose their value. All classes are treated basically equally. Finding a mate becomes a matter of finding someone with whom you desire to mate, regardless of class. Some Maan Asuntos spend a very short time here, others spend a long time here. It all depends on when they find a partner with whom they wish to spend the last part of their lives. Once mated, pairs are exclusive until their coupling produces offspring, at which point they both die.

Related Locations

• Keskus