I am writing a fantasy story. I want my non-human races to be more than just humans with funny hats. I want them to have cultures that are non-human and still understandable.
One concept that is absolutely central to most human cultures is that of marriage and bloodlines. A wedding is often considered one of the most important events in a person's (especially a woman's) life, and it is seen as natural that humans are loyal to their parents, spouses and children above all else. Many if not most cultures throughout history have been governed by some variant of hereditary monarchy. Marriages have long been a standard way of making alliances, among royals and commoners alike.
So what if we have a race that does not practice marriage? How would that affect their societies?
So I am making a race of reptilian humanoids, called the caisith (in one of their own languages) or suchians (an exonym). They have human-like intelligence and social behaviour, but they do not pair-bond like humans do. Their natural inclination is to band together in large extended families called broods. (Name might change.) A suchian is loyal, first and foremost, to his brood as a whole. Giving preferential treatment to your closest kin over the rest of the brood is considered highly immoral; you are expected to be just as devoted to your third cousins and nephews as to your own siblings and children. Children, eggs and the elderly and infirm are cared for collectively by the brood. Some brood members might devote their lives to being caretakers, or a wealthy brood might hire outsiders to act as nannies and governesses and whatnot.
Each brood will have some internal power structure, which varies between cultures. (The suchians are of course not one giant monoculture. That would be stupid.) A brood might be led by the oldest member, or by a council of elders, or they might elect a leader, or they might practice direct democracy. Some broods might not even have private property, but have all property owned by the brood in a socialist fashion.
A brood typically comprises 50-100 individuals, though that may vary between cultures. If a brood grows too large, cliques and schisms tend to form until the brood splits into two - mostly amicably, sometimes violently.
Broods are typically largely exogamous. They form long- or short-term mating arrangements with other broods where youngsters will pair up and mate, then return home. The eggs are split between the broods. Each member's exact parentage is considered unimportant; each suchian belongs to one brood and that is where his loyalties lie. Alternatively, in cultures where larger broods (hundreds of individuals) are the norm, broods might be largely endogamous, with external matings being the exception.
In very sparsely populated areas, each brood might form its own village. In more densely populated lands, broods will band together into larger tribes and nations. In larger cities, each brood will often specialize in a trade - being tailors, bakers or clerks. In a kingdom, typically one brood will be the royal brood, and the leader of the royal brood will be king.
In many cultures, citizenship and social status are assigned at brood level: If a suchian is ennobled or stripped or rank, that affects his entire brood. Some more barbaric cultures may even kill or exile entire broods for its members' crimes.
A suchian may leave or be exiled from his brood. A suchian may even join another brood, though that is rare.
What are your thoughts? What interesting consequences would such a set-up have for the development of their societies?
One concept that is absolutely central to most human cultures is that of marriage and bloodlines. A wedding is often considered one of the most important events in a person's (especially a woman's) life, and it is seen as natural that humans are loyal to their parents, spouses and children above all else. Many if not most cultures throughout history have been governed by some variant of hereditary monarchy. Marriages have long been a standard way of making alliances, among royals and commoners alike.
So what if we have a race that does not practice marriage? How would that affect their societies?
So I am making a race of reptilian humanoids, called the caisith (in one of their own languages) or suchians (an exonym). They have human-like intelligence and social behaviour, but they do not pair-bond like humans do. Their natural inclination is to band together in large extended families called broods. (Name might change.) A suchian is loyal, first and foremost, to his brood as a whole. Giving preferential treatment to your closest kin over the rest of the brood is considered highly immoral; you are expected to be just as devoted to your third cousins and nephews as to your own siblings and children. Children, eggs and the elderly and infirm are cared for collectively by the brood. Some brood members might devote their lives to being caretakers, or a wealthy brood might hire outsiders to act as nannies and governesses and whatnot.
Each brood will have some internal power structure, which varies between cultures. (The suchians are of course not one giant monoculture. That would be stupid.) A brood might be led by the oldest member, or by a council of elders, or they might elect a leader, or they might practice direct democracy. Some broods might not even have private property, but have all property owned by the brood in a socialist fashion.
A brood typically comprises 50-100 individuals, though that may vary between cultures. If a brood grows too large, cliques and schisms tend to form until the brood splits into two - mostly amicably, sometimes violently.
Broods are typically largely exogamous. They form long- or short-term mating arrangements with other broods where youngsters will pair up and mate, then return home. The eggs are split between the broods. Each member's exact parentage is considered unimportant; each suchian belongs to one brood and that is where his loyalties lie. Alternatively, in cultures where larger broods (hundreds of individuals) are the norm, broods might be largely endogamous, with external matings being the exception.
In very sparsely populated areas, each brood might form its own village. In more densely populated lands, broods will band together into larger tribes and nations. In larger cities, each brood will often specialize in a trade - being tailors, bakers or clerks. In a kingdom, typically one brood will be the royal brood, and the leader of the royal brood will be king.
In many cultures, citizenship and social status are assigned at brood level: If a suchian is ennobled or stripped or rank, that affects his entire brood. Some more barbaric cultures may even kill or exile entire broods for its members' crimes.
A suchian may leave or be exiled from his brood. A suchian may even join another brood, though that is rare.
What are your thoughts? What interesting consequences would such a set-up have for the development of their societies?
