Runo Culture

As for any intelligent species, cultures are varied, but this article should provide a general idea of some runo cultures. Runos are a sophont native to the planet Maloruno in the Ria System, and are often regarded to be quite violent people with a disregard for species below them.

Culture

Family

Runos typically have a tight-knit family. Cultures and traditions are unique to each family, and tribes of runos usually consist of one to three different families. The families in a tribe never mingle, and marriage always occurs between two runos of separate tribes. Families are not held together by blood, but instead love and passion.

Procreational Marriage

procreational marriage is a legal binding of two runos of opposite sexes. These two runos are put together based on their physical and mental characteristics, after detailed evaluations are made to determine the likelihood of their offspring thriving. These two runos are not considered family, and are solely bound together for the purpose of continuing the species and maximising its success.

Recreational Marriage

The more important of the two marriages, recreational marriage is the legal binding of two runos based on mutual attraction. Runos make it a rule not to marry someone from the same tribe, so that families in the same tribe may remain separate. Breaking a recreational marriage by engaging with another runo is one of the worst things you can do, and is even punishable by death in some regions.

Education

Runos don't value proper education. They believe practical learning is most important, and that the idea of "sitting in a room and reading a book to learn", seen in so many other cultures on other planets, isn't effective in the slightest. From birth, juvenile runos are taught how to defend themselves and how to fight. By their first year of age, runos are expected to be able to kill an adult runo. Since Maloruno is packed full of dangerous megafauna, the ability to fight and defend oneself is crucial.

Death

Most runos don't believe in an afterlife, and believe that one should spend their only time on Maloruno how they want. There are no laws on the planet, only moral codes that people follow. Despite there being no punishments for one's actions, life on Maloruno is as peaceful as it can be, at least between runos. There are thousands of animals that can easily kill them, lurking around each and every corner.

Industry

Cuisine

Runos take great pride in their food. Quite often entire campsites of runos will dine together, eating an entire giant animal from the insides out. The insides are stuffed with food collected by the gatherers, and the entire animal is placed on a massive fire to be spitroasted.

Since most runos are nomadic, there is not a lot of time to be setting up elaborate eateries. When gathering around campsites, people will sit on the floor on a large blanket, with a deep bowl to fill with their food. While the presentation of the bowl may not be the fanciest, they will spend several hours decorating their slaughtered and cooked animal, only to be literally ripped apart and eaten in its entirety.

When people are not collectively gnawing on giant cooked creatures, runos often snack on small berries, roasted invertebrates, nuts and other food items. Runos are omnivorous and skilled hunters. While many are gatherers, collecting various fruits, seeds, eggs, and other food items, others are hunters and will actively seek out large prey to bring back to their settlements to be roasted. Runos are not picky eaters and there is practically nothing they can't digest. Aside from ereberries; they should be avoided by everything.

Architecture

Runo housing is made of large branches, woven together with thick vines, with leather blankets over the top. The leather blankets have moss woven on the tops, so when the tents are laid out they appear as a moss-covered rock. The houses are designed to hide themselves from predators. There aren't many animals that would actively hunt a runo, but when they're asleep they are most vulnerable.

Arts & Crafts

Runos believe in leaving remnants of their existence wherever they go. Family portraits are etched into large rock faces, of which there are many in the maze forests, and family crests are carved into tree trunks.

For settlements with more permanent positions, large statues are a common sight. The most common statues are ones displaying various religious leaders and deities, from several of the most common religions and organisations on Maloruno.

Observance

Calendar/Holidays

Different runo tribes may follow different calendars. A seasonal year on Maloruno is 305 days, with 18 hours in day. Different tribes will also celebrate unique holidays, it being rare for multiple tribes to celebrate the same holiday.

Magic

Runos are most familiar phantomancy, a type of magic that involves the manipulation of spirits, apparitions, and the like. This magic typically manifests as purple mist, which can be manipulated and carved into weapons, used by many runos. While runos are very technologically advanced, they are arguably more advanced in magic.

Species
Runo
Related Locations
Maloruno
Related Species
Ereberry
White Tiger
Related Items
Phantom Stone
Related Magic Types
Phantomancy

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