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Stilvanians are a humanoid species who originated on the planet Stilvan. Their complexions range from pale ivory to a warm chocolate brown. Eyes have no color aside from the black hole of the pupil in the center- their irises are white. Although they have a full head of hair ranging in color from white through blonde and red to brunette, Stilvanians grow no eyebrows. In height they reach between four and five feet, and they tend to be slight in build. Two small horns protrude from every Stilvanian's head. A Stilvanian superstition holds that a child born with one misshapen or crumpled horn is destined for greatness; with two, the child will be irrevocably evil. Despite the fact that this has been long decried as senseless superstition, the parents of the latter will often have surgery performed on their offspring soon after its birth to correct the 'deformity'. Stilvanians have a lifespan of about 90 Linnaen years; children reach their majority at 16 and usually begin four years of tertiary education at that time.
Architecture- The most common feature of Stilvanian architecture is angles- they're a status symbol. How this came to be is unknown. The wealthier a person, the more sides his or her home will have. Houses are generally unpainted one-level complexes build around an open courtyard.
Arts, The- No Stilvanian could carry a tune to save their life, but that doesn't prevent them from enjoying and creating beautiful instrumental music. Primary instruments include: the stythip, similar to a guitar but with only three strings, and the lamal, a keyboard instrument. Since the Alliance was formed, fiddles have become quite popular. Sculpture is the primary art form of Stilvans. Paint was unknown until they met up with humans.
Cuisine- Although some variety exists, raw meat is the preferred dish among Stilvanians. They also eat hundreds of kinds of breads. Vegetables are little used, although fruits are popular. The most used meat is from the bilthop, a docile octuped twice the size of a cow.
Family- The concept of family is not unknown on Stilvan and its colonies; however, it's rather limited. Most often a couple will find each other worthy of parenting- together they will conceive a child- their only one, as Stilvanian genetics prevent more than one child being born to each person- which is handed over to be raised in the community creche. The parents still have full contact with their offspring, and are consulted on important decisions regarding their child's welfare. The couple will sometimes remain together for the rest of their lives, setting up a household, although marriage or anything similar is unknown. A couple may also come together yet choose to remain childless.
Government- The head of government is the hereditary Emperor/Empress. A benevolent monarchy, that leader can be voted out of office by a 3/4 majority vote of the 'kings' and 'queens' who rule each colony. They in turn can be voted out by 3/4 majority vote of the sector leaders on their planet. Each leader chooses his or her heir from their relatives. The theory is that this will keep the prospective rulers in line.
History-Stilvanian civilization has existed for some 4000 years. Six centuries ago, Stilvan itself was abruptly conquered by a race called the Pirain, a species of spacegoing rodents out to take over all worlds. The conquerors were thrown off after 237 years of slavery, and Stilvan started its own empire of colonies. Stilvan has been somewhat xenophobic ever since, though meeting up with humans has eased this policy.
Maledicta- Most swearing is based around the royal families or one's superiors, although slightly quirked. To hear the words 'By the Emperor's crown' is not an uncommon exclamation; 'By the Emperor's toilet' is just as popular. 'Jo etyv zai-og' would be the equivalent of the Terran 'Oh my god'.
Miscellaneous- The whole of Stilvanian society revolves around personal honor. In many ways, they are reminiscient of the samurai of ancient Japan. It's a strict heirarchy, where everybody knows their place. Free will is held in high regard as well though, and any Stilvanian who attempted to force another against their will in life decisions or such would be a scandal. This, however, does not prevent the society from 'guiding' children along suitable career paths. (Each child is free to choose their own way, however.) Crime is not tolerated- violent criminals are put to death by decapitation. Non-violent crimes are met with a warning on the first offense, a ten-year prison sentence on the second, and death on the third. On some of the more lenient colonies, punishments such as amputation, flogging, and hard labor can be found.
Names- Stilvanians bear three names each- the first is a surname, the second is the given name, and the third is a name taken upon reaching majority. A child's surname depends on his or her gender- males take the surname of their paternal grandfather. Females take the surname of their maternal grandmother. The only exception to this rule is upon the Stilvanian colony Hunnian. Every Hunnian citizen bears the surname 'Frondeur' since the end of the Insurrection. It was jokingly used by a visiting trader from Earth in reference to the Hunnians, and the Emperor was amused enough that he decreed all Hunnians would take the name. In French, it means 'rebel'.
Religion- Religions never appeared in Stilvanian society until they met up with other races. At the time of this writing, 13% of Stilvanian citizens consider themselves members of one extrastilvanian religion or another. No stigma exists against those who choose a path of worship.
Stilvan is a world featured on OtakuMUSH.
Graphics by Original Designs