Shouxian

The Shouxian are a race of people who live in southern Heruba. Known for their matriarchial society, masks, and fierce independence, they are distrusted and often hated by Herubans. They are a mostly nomadic society and do not suffer strangers.

Government
The Shouxian usually travel in flotillas made up of small-to-medium families. Families will follow others in a form of familial piety. Often generations will follow and serve generations. It's difficult to trace back where some of these servant-master roles begin, especially since the Shouxian do not use the written word except in rare cases.

The head of the Shouxian are two old women, ostensibly sisters, known as the Elders. They live in a junk with only their two attendants/replacements watching over them, but they are flanked by a small honor guard. Their bodies are covered in tattoos that tell the story of their people, of the great betrayal they faced. They are never seen outside the junk, and no one knows how old they are.

History and Curse
As the Shouxian tell it, they are an ancient people. They were the first to make a link with the Herubian Lung, who chose them as the strongest people. They were given the golden eyes now seen on White Cuturalists as well as all of their abilities. The Shouxian proved too strong for the gifts (or perhaps were unable to handle them), and the Lung revoked them, leaving them with the golden eyes and a curse.

This curse is something of a blessing as well. The Shouxian are naturally very long-lived. An average woman lives to be 130 years old. They are stronger than most normal people, and they stand anywhere from 6' all the way to 7' tall on average. Though the eyes are not indicative of any special abilities, they are still treated as auspicious when a boy or girl is born with the gold.

Masks
Every Shouxian man and woman wears a mask. The mask is worn anywhere outside the junk collective, when visiting other clans of Shouxian, and whenever dealing with anyone not of Shouxian blood. A Shouxian woman is easily recognizable in other parts of Rachma not only for her height, but for her mask. Very few not of the immediate clan have seen a Shouxian without his or her mask.

From the time they are born until they reach adolescence (typically around age 20), a Shouxian wears a Child's Mask. It is carved for them by their parents or guardians. From there, they wear the mask of an adolescent, noted by certain color schemes pertaining to certain junk collectives. This mask is carved by the individual for themselves and approved by the leaders of the boy or girl's junk collective.

Once a man or woman reaches adulthood, they carve a mask that is part of their career choice. Women who become warriors usually carve masks that resemble fierce beasts and demons, meant to show their ferocity in battle. These more intricate masks are a mark of pride; the right to wear them means they are able to represent the ways of their people. Men, who usually stay with the ships, raising families or building and repairing, wear masks of a few more subdued design that resemble a painted human face.

Masks are taken off when among family and friends. Seeing the true face of another is considered a sign of trust and intimacy. Masks are never worn in the presence of the Elders, nor do the Elders wear masks.

Marriage
Because of their small size and inherent fear of extinction, the Shouxian wedding ceremony is believed to be unaltered from its earliest performances. Due to the matrilineal structure of their society, the groom will travel to the homeship of his bride. Beyond ship repair, the wedding ceremony is often the only time men will be allowed on the Junks.

Oral
The Shouxian speak in a language similar to Cantonese. The oral tradition among the men and women of the Shouxian is very strong, as writing is considered a sacred art. The distrust buried in the bones of their history keeps them wary of falsehoods. They believe that something written down, even if it's blatantly false, is far likelier to be taken as truth. Thus they prefer to keep to oral renditions, which change and blend naturally as retellings layer each story with something new.

Written
Very few Shouxian are permitted to read or write. The only place you can find a written history of the people as a whole is on the tattooed flesh of the Elders. Each woman is covered in writing, as it is through them that the past is remembered. On a similar token, it is believed that, through them, the future is revealed.

Prophecies are the only written thing in Shouxian culture. Each junk collective has a collection of scrolls on which have been recorded prophecies about the future of their people. Many cite different events occuring on the same night to the same people. Most of the prophecies are proven later to be false, as they believe that history diverges into several different paths. Most are not realized until long after the prophecy has been fulfilled. Usually only the important members of the junk collective is permitted the knowledge of reading and writing.