BARD PAPER: OPAL8675 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
BARD PAPER: OPAL8675 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
White for the Solomani has different meanings. For Europeans it represents purity, for Asians it represents death. To the Vilani white is the color of memory, of the dead past that nonetheless resonates for the present generation. Two themes dominate the local culture as a result: an emphasis upon hospitality and entertainment, and the preservation of memory.
Thingen's surface was once covered in a huge world ocean. Over the eons a massive amount of limestone sediment was deposited. About half a billion years many of these sediments were uplifted into continents by tectonic action, and the heat transformed the limestone into massive deposits of metamorphosed marble.
Because of their abundance these compose much of the building material used in the world's cities, giving it its nickname as the "White World." Older settlements resemble the adobe or stone communities that once dotted the equatorial or tropical regions of Terra and Vland. Buildings are built close to one another, and are often linked together on hilltops and mesas. Towers that resemble Solomani minarets are a common architectural feature. Spacious, well lit footpaths wend their way between neighborhoods. The urban culture that has developed is well renowned for its tradition, authenticity of spirit, generosity and communal spirit.
Thingen was first settled in the 200s by Vilani colonists from Lishun Sector. The world's continents are located almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, and enjoy pleasant temperatures year round. The local soils and climate were hospitable to the colonists and their agriculture, and they never suffered for want of food or clothing. Rich mineral resources and strong offworld interest in the local tourism industry brought more than enough income to the world for comfort; because of the gentler conditions, the population is somewhat atypical from the accustomed Imperial or Regency norm.
Local society is concentric: the community begins with the individual, whose status is influenced in large part by his success and individual attainment. But more important than the individual is his or her extended family, which can include hundreds of individuals. Local marriage strictures are quite loose, and almost permit mutiple marriage. Divorce and seperation are common, but no matter what circumstances occur, distant relations by blood or former relations by marriage proliferate because of this structure. The accomodation of these kinship structures, and the maintenance of family and community traditions, explains where the two predominant themes mentioned above originate.
Education and entertainment are the two main forms of social glue for this society. Educational attainment is heavily stressed because of the honor and prestige it brings a family. But equally important as professional careers are the local poets, artists and singers who keep alive the living language of family and individual experience. Every family has a "Cantor" who presides in family ceremonies, performs marriages, christenings and funerals, and who uses language and imagery to encapsulate the past for future generations. Cantors also act as family recordkeepers, and represent the families interests in legal proceedings. They also entertain at important gatherings.
As a result of these tradition local economy emphasises service industries, most notably education and medical services. The world is home to Muriisdi University, one of the largest and most prestigious Ivy Curtain colleges. Unlike its counterparts on Rhylanor and Magash, Muriisdi (Vilani for either "Angel" or an angelic creature) has more emphasis upon the professions (medicine, law) and academic sciences than practical technical matters. The university itself has a faculty and student population into the tens of millions (most of them offworlders), and has campuses scattered around the world. The world's medical facilities are top notch, and attract millions each year in search of cutting edge medical treatments for a variety of diseases.
One unusual sidenote about this world: Because of space restrictions the local dead are disposed of by a practice known as excarnation, whereby the corpses are exposed to the open air, and are consumed by scavengers in special atriums. The bones then are either interred in the basements of local homes, or are ground up and used as building material. The former is preferred, but as crowding requires more and more high density construction, the bones are now usually incorporated, though are respectfully retained by the family and recycled into their new dwellings.