Culture and Society of the Duranthi
Duranthi culture is grounded in continuity, patience, and history. As humans heavily influenced by both Oras (earth) and Varunel (memory), Duranthi view their cultural institutions as rigid expressions of natural order. Every aspect of their society reflects a deep awareness of time, stone, and transformation.
Names and Identity
Names are symbolic and earned over time, reflecting geological events or personal growth. A name may reference stone formation or historical memory.
Examples include:
- Tahr-Thak – “Stone that withstands the tide”
- Jek-Lak – “Heart of the mountain”
- Meh-Thak – “Stone formed under pressure”
Religion and Spirituality
Duranthi venerate both Oras and Varunel as a manifestation of Daathir, the greater consciousness of all mater.
Language
The Orathic language is a tonal language that utilizes echoes to convey different meaning.
Literature and Oral Traditions
Literature is almost always historical in nature.
Notable works:
- The Songs of Stone – A poetic reflection on Terasil’s landscapes
- The Endless Echo – A philosophical meditation on cyclical time
- The First Fracture – An historical narrative of the Erosion Wars
Music and Dance
Duranthi music emphasizes deep percussive rhythms. Instruments include:
- Resonant Drums – Hollowed stone drums
- Chime Pillars – Struck vertical monoliths
- Stone Flutes – flutes that harmonize in caves
Dance is deliberate and weighty, mimicking erosion or tectonic uplift.
Art and Craftsmanship
Duranthi art is exclusively stone-based. Aesthetic values emphasize geometric form, symmetry, and long-term transformation.
Artistic forms:
- Living Carvings – Statues designed to shift over centuries
- Monolithic Murals – Wall reliefs encoding mythic memory
- Sacred Obelisks – Resonant markers of cultural significance
Clothing and Adornments
Duranthi wear simple robes to keep in line with their ancestors. New dress or styles are frowned upon in Duranthi society.