Andorian/Society
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Andorians of all four genders enjoy an equal position in society, both in civilian and military circles.
Upbringing
A nursing zhen is called a zhavey and will go into seclusion for the safety of her child while it is growing within her pouch. During this time she will wear a modesty drape over her pouch. She will also have a purplish pigmentation on her neck that will identify her as a nursing mother. This is usually still visible once she comes out of seclusion.
Education
Andorian classes are held at any time of the day or night as they have no set sleep cycle. Students sit in age groups and will all wear a tunic like uniform of brown. Young children learn to chant the history, legends and traditions of their people, thus memorizing this information at a young age. Older students wear a fitted brown uniform.
Commerce
The most important overland trade route on the planet is through the Tharan Mountains. This trade route was the source of a great deal of dispute during the Time of Lament. Its importance has dwindled since the introduction of atmosphere-capable shuttlecraft and transporter technology.
Rituals
Bonding
Andorian weddings require four people.
While this is hard for outsiders to understand a bond is whole even if the members are far apart pursuing their own lives and careers. When one of the members of a bond is lost due to death or removal from the bond they will seek to try and replace that individual as quickly as possible. Once the fertility period is over and any children have been raised it is not uncommon for bondmates to move away and pursue lives and careers that may result in their being totally secluded from the other members of their bond for years at a time.
While sexual union outside of the bond is frowned upon it is also understood that young adults will experiment. However once the bond has become formalized it is generally uncommon.
Due to the fact that Andorian fertility periods have been slowly getting shorter they will try to conceive as many children as possible during this period and since fewer viable children have been born the Andorians have been forced to arrange bondings among genetically compatible members of their society. This has replaced allowing the young people to pick their bondmates.
If they are found to be genetically acceptable they will generally be bonded by the age of 23.
Whole Vessel Law
Once a bonding has occured between a compatable set of 4 Andorians, only the clan's ruling Zhavey (oldest zhen) can give permission for one of them to be released from their bond. In rare cases bondmates can ask the elder to invoke the Whole Vessel Law to evict a bondmate from the bond. This is an extreme act as all 4 Andorians will suffer but not nearly as much as the one evicted, who will suffer the most psychologically from being alone.
The Time of Knowing
The Time of Knowing is a ritual of betrothal between a member of each of the four sexes. A locket containing a strand of each member’s hair, and the symbols of each sex placed around a cross-shape is given to participants.
The Sending
The Sending is a ritual that is observed to mark the death of a clansman.
- It is preceded by the Rite of Memory in which mourners record memories of the deceased in the form of biochemical imprints on a crystalline cipher.
- Mourners create their own mask of death for this ritual. It cannot take place until all members of the clan concerned are present to participate. As such, the deceased is kept preserved in the clan keep until the ritual can begin.
- The ritual is timed to be completed before midnight. Clan members are summoned by five tolls of a bell, at which time the coffin is brought out from the keep by hooded, robed figures to the rhythm of a drum beat. The procession is led by the three surviving bond mates of the deaceased, and a priest or priestess who represents the missing gender from the bond. Each one represents one of the four Andorian elements – Wisdom, Strength, Blood and Passion.
- The coffin is placed on an obsidian coffin while ritual songs are sung. When the entirety of the procession reaches the table, the leader of the ceremony offers a prayer before both the body and the memory cipher are cremated.
Ritual attire
The attire used for formal Andorian rituals differs by gender:-
| Gender | Ritual Attire |
|---|---|
| Thaan | Suit of chain mail. |
| Chan | Traditional Andorian warrior's attire. |
| Shen | A robe that exposes the whole of the shen's back. Shen often wear body paint to ritual ceremonies. |
| Zhen | Three piece bodysuit. This is knitted and form fitting. An over-garment is worn to protect the privacy of a zhen who is carrying a child to term. |
Spring Water Festival
This is the most important Andorian holiday. It involves a chan and a shen joining together in a ritual to plead for the protection of the Water Guardian. It is a widely celebrated festival that is so important that many Andorians return home to Andor to participate even though it occurs during the stormy season.
This holiday involves fasting, prayer and personal sacrifice. In the past after the proper rituals were observed the people would indulge in drinking, overeating, saf and tezha which is sex with strangers. Many of the older practices have now been outlawed but are still practised in the oldest levels of the cities. The recreation use of saf is still a major part of these festivities.
Notes
Interestingly, Andorians are amongst the only aliens who are approved as alien partners by the Deltan people as regards their policy on Deltan partnerships on starships. This is possibly due to the Andorians' four gender reproductive system and the nature of the sensitivity of their antennae, which would safeguard them from the same levels of emotional trauma that could potentially be caused to other species.