Orphan Scions
Orphan Scions are the extra children. A Constituent couple are only permitted to have one boy and one girl. If they have more than this, of either gender, these children are set aside at birth by their parents, and given over to be raised by other scions, judged to be extraneous.
As an outlier, some parents will choose to give up their older child of the same gender and raise the infant. Sometimes this is because the younger child is frail. Most of the time in this instance, it's because the parents are selfish and believe that the second child will be "better."
Scions are, for the most part, kept separate from cardinates. Their education is, in theory, to the same level, but meant to prepare them for the tasks allotted by the central computer, which usually involve maintenance, cleaning, farming, etc. Simpler tasks. They are not permitted to marry or have children, and to have a child involves extreme censure and severe punishment.
The reason they're not killed at birth, or sterilized, is because if a cardinate dies prematurely, before they've had their own son and daughter, the population might become unbalanced, so to counterbalance this, an Equivalent scion is raised up. The computer analyzes and chooses a scion of similar age and genetics to take the place of this person. The process is called evocation.
The Equivalent will be slotted into the dead person's life, taking over their job, familial ties, even marriage. While their actual family line is kept in the computer (as hidden as any other scion's records) to avoid any potential trouble with genetics and inbreeding, the Equivalent is legally and formally considered to be the same as the deceased.
It is worth noting that if a family has had five of the same gender in a row without one of the other, they are automatically assigned an Equivalent. Also, in the event that multiple children come from one family, the rules state that they are sent to the same sub-group.
Scions can be selected to bear an Insignia (and I should note that they do have Actia of their own, with whatever restrictions are in place on it). However, this is an extremely rare circumstance. The computer does take that element of social status into account when choosing its palador, meaning that a candidate must be exceptional to be selected (or else the cardinate possibilities are that appalling). If this happens, the scion must legally become an Equivalent, and are made such in advance of any potential deaths, and regardless of the age of the person who is eventually replaced.
Naming Traditions
Family names
None. Orphan scions have no family name, to allow for the possibility of evocation and assuming a new family name.
Other names
Scions possess a full name consisting of multiple syllables, the same as a cardinate. However, they usually use a shortened version of it, to signify scion status. In theory, if evocated this allows them to continue using their own name, while still adapting and altering it by using the full version.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
They use the common human tongue, but most scions also know Scipher, a written code language passed down as a way of recording their own private histories as scions, outside of the heavily edited computer records.
Shared customary codes and values
Family structure among the scions is a little unusual, since they don't have legal spouses and they're not permitted to have children of their own. They are given other scion children to raise, and given leeway to form what family structures they would.
When a scion is born and designated, they are assigned to one of the two other living sectors than the one they were born in, to properly separate a child from an influence by their biological parents. The scions there will then decide who will take care of the new one. Technically, they're meant to raise all of the children as one unit, so they'll see each other as siblings and thus avoid romantic attachments to each other, but in practice, there are enough that this is unfeasible.
The scions will break into sub-groups. 2-4 adults will care for 3-5 children, depending on the ratios and the age ranges. If a scion has a blood sibling, they'll be in the same sub-group. In the event that one of them becomes an Equivalent, these informal ties are meant to be dissolved and the individual goes to their new family. When a family group is formed, they are "in-name". Like the in-law naming tradition, they become something like a "wife-in-name" or "son-in-name", to match the relationship.
Common Dress code
Bracelets made of Liyora Sand glass are a common accessory.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
There is, technically, a measure of choice for each scion, when offered evocation. The choice is less when the person in question is a baby, but the choice is considered more and more as the child gets older and is able to decide for themselves.
The main point this choice of whether or not to accept an offer comes usually when replacing someone's spouse. It is entirely allowed to remarry another person who has lost a spouse and make up any missing children with them, but it's generally frowned upon because "hey, you guys have four kids and I only have two." It is possible to simply evocate an infant of the appropriate gender and have that be an end to the issue of family, but some will elect to evocate a new spouse instead.
Sometimes this happens because genuine feeling has come around. Sometimes it comes because the cardinate wants a personal servant. As such, scions in this situation are given full leave to say no. It's not often that they do, since most people aren't that kind of scumbag and society frowns on that treatment. But it does happen, and sometimes having spent at least twenty years being one thing, people don't care to change for some random other.
Ideals
Courtship Ideals
Scions are not permitted to have children, and as an extension of that, those in a relationship are generally frowned upon. There have been instances in history where it was downright illegal, even among themselves.
That said, they're still people, with emotions, and connections. Courtship is, by necessity, quiet and typically a very private affair.
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