Attilanian
They originally lived in the Kingdom of Attilan, where their culture and language developed almost entirely independantly any Earth culture, although they did retain diplomatic ties with the populations of Orollan and Utollan, and with the other Universal Inhuman species.
Following the destruction of Attilan during Maximus Boltagon's coup, most Attilanians were successfully evacuated to Earth. There, with the assistance of Avengers Idea Mechanics they founded New Attilan on partially-artificial Providence Island.
Although a distinct Providincian culture has developed as New Attilan took in growing numbers of NuHuman refugees, many older Inhumans still consider themselves to be primarily Attilanian, and keep to Attilanian customs.
Naming Traditions
Family names
Attilan is patriarchal, and family names are passed along the paternal line. Family names are retained and not changed on marriage.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The native language of Attilan is called Inhuman, a combination of Mycenean Greek, Tracian, Persian, Ancient Macedonian, and Kree. However, gifts relating to language were relatively common, and most generations of the House of Agon employed at least one person with the ability to download languages into someone's mind (though the method by which this is done varies), allowing them to very quickly learn and intergrate other languages.
Inhuman is one of the official recognised languages of New Attilan, and is taught in schools or adult education classes.
Shared customary codes and values
Although they were an absolute monarchy, Attilanian ideals were collectivist, a factor of their small population. They believed strongly in the duty of all citizen to fullfil their given role in society for the good of all. They were also Eugenecists, and saw the forming of appropriate marriages and producing of powered offspring to be part of their duty to the state.
This mindset was so widespread that it was not unheard of for young Inhumans to voluntarily become Wards of the State (effectively slaves) after Terrigenesis if their powers were not considered strong enough, and such sacrifices were lorded as heroic. Disowning a child with few or no powers in order to improve your family's 'stock' was also considered moral, and retaining an unpowered individual in your house, while possible, was generally frowned upon.
Wards of the State were considered to be lesser, almost subhuman, as they were considered to have the intelligence and control of children but the desires of adults. They were therefore kept segregated from society because it was believed that there was a risk of them raping powered women and producing inferior children. In some time periods, steralisation was the norm, but due to declining overall population this fell out of fashion.
This belief system, abhorrent by the standards of most Earth cultures, has been the primary cause of conflict between Attilanians and Providincian NuHumans.
Average technological level
The Attilanians ware highly technologically advanced in some areas, and far behind humans in others, due to both their limited resources, their reliance on slave labour removing one of the key drives toward automation, and because Inhuman powers can often replace technologies.
Common Etiquette rules
Inhuman culture was very highly stratified, and respect for one's superiors was considered vital and necessary for the preservation of the race.
Due to the sometimes volatile nature of Inhuman powers, displays of strong emotions are frowned upon, especially among the upper class.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Birth was considered a largely unimportant point in an Inhuman's life, as Terrigenesis was when an Attilanian became a full person in the eyes of their culture. Naming ceremonies were the only significant rite around birth, though this was because it was the point at which a child's genetic parents must claim them so that their lineage can be correctly recorded, rather than as a celebration of the birth of new life.
The emphasis of Terigenesis continues on New Attilan, although births are much more celebrated, and children more valued in general.
Coming of Age Rites
One believe universal to all known Inhuman cultues is that an individual is considered to have come of age when they undergo Terrigenesis.
This belief was so ingrained in Attilanian culture that Prince Blackagar was considered to have been born an adult due to his parents having experimented on him with Terrigen before birth. This eventually required an edict that the ritual of Terrigenesis, rather than the biological changes, were what made an adult, and Prince Blackagar underwent the steps of the ritual (less the actual Terrigen exposure) for the sake of legality.
Inhumans who underwent Terrigenesis but did not develop powers were considered to be legally children for life, and were not permitted to marry, own property, or participate in civic life. While some remained the wards of their parents, the majority were officially disowned, becoming Wards of the State, who use them as slave labour.
Common Taboos
Killing another Inhuman was their most serious tabboo, due to their small population. They did not use the death penalty, although banishment to planets considered to be completely uninhabitable such as Maveth was not unheard of for the most serious crimes.
Almost any interaction between a legal adult or child and a Ward of the State was considered tabboo. Stories of relationships between powered adults and Wards did exist, but only as pornography, and were considered highly tabboo, similar to pornography depicting children.
The name of the first King of the Inhumans is tabboo, and he is instead referred to as The Unspoken. This tabboo was the subject of considerable debate when the New Attilan national curiculum was developed, but it was eventually agreed that it would be enshrined into the education guidelines, and teachers are required to abide by the tabboo.
Contradicting or going against the will of the Genetic Council was both tabboo and a crime, and, in extreme cases, was the only way a powered individual might be made a Ward of the State, as the Council has the right to declare someone 'mentally infantile' and therefore not full adults. This law was weaponised against both the political enemies of Council members, and disabled or low-powered individuals.
Women taking male lovers outside of marriage was tabboo, although men taking female lovers was not. Men taking male lovers was viewed with some suspicion, due to a belief that those who did this were less likely to have children and further the race, but was not uncommon.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Physical signs of Terrigenesis are considered attractive among Attilanians - Triton Mandazur is widely considered the most attractive member of the House of Agon, for example - although for Inhumans with more traditionally human appearances, their beauty ideals are similar to those of humans, favouring symetrical features. However, in women, especially young women, boyish or masculine figures are considered more attractive, and visibal mutations are considered less attractive than in men.
Gender Ideals
Due to the small size of their society, as well as the random nature of Terrigenesis, women were employed in more or less equal numbers to men. However, prior to the fall of Attilan, the title of King passes only to male heirs, and senior leadership possitions would generally only pass to a woman if she had a power which was particularly relevant to the possition. In general, the ideal powers for women are considered ones which are less useful, in order than they will not be required to work and can focus on domestic tasks.
Courtship Ideals
Marriages among Attilanians are commonly arranged, even in New Attilan, usually based on percieved compatibility of powers rather than any emotional connection, due to the Eugenesist outlook of Attilanian society. Class differences also play a factor, and romances between people of different classes who share compatible powers are common in literature and myth. The small size of the population means it is uncommon for people to have never met their betrothed before marriage, but it is common for people to marry knowing very little about one another, and so courtship is not romanticised. Matchmaking is considered a vital and honorable profession, and all on Attilan match-makers were required to be liscenced by the Queen, or Queen-Dowager, to ensure they abided by societal rules about what makes a compatible match.
The marriage of Black Bolt and Medusa did spark a brief fashion for romantic literature, due to their marriage not having been arranged, but this did not last.
Courting extra- or pre-marital lovers follows a more traditionally romantic formula, although these relationships may also be arranged depending on the strictness of the family.
The influence of NuHumans has lead to many younger Attilanians to reject this traditional model, and adopt romantic ideals closer to those of the (primarily American) NuHumans.
Relationship Ideals
All fertile adult inhumans with powers deemed 'acceptable' were expected to marry and produce children, regardless of personal sexual preference, in order to sustain the population of Attilan. The ideal relationship involved a man and woman working together to further to State, rather than a love match. Divorce was possible, but was very rare, usually happening only in cases of serious abuse, or one party being discovered to be infertile.
Extra-marital love affairs were considered the norm for men. Fathering a child with a lover was less accepted, but certainly not considered a betrayal of a marriage. Women taking female lovers outside of marriage was normal, and a mentorship system similar to that of classical Athens existed, though it has fallen out of favour since the fall of Attilan.
While reliable contraception did exist, due to their focus on preserving their population numbers it was frowned upon, and women having children outside of marriage, or with extra-marital lovers, was considered far more scandalous than men doing the same, due to the difficulty of detirmining paternity.
Diverged ethnicities
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
Languages spoken
Related Locations
Auran
Crystal Amaquelin
Medusalith Amaquelin
Blackagar Boltagon
Maximus Boltagon
Eldrac
Elejea
Karnak Mandazur
Triton Mandazur
Gorgon Petragon