=== Races | Culture === ====== EXOHUMAN CULTURE IN THE GAMMA AGE ====== The culture of the [[the_humans|ExoHumans]] on planet [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]] in the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]] is defined by scarcity, communal systems, and the restrictions of the [[peace_treaty|Peace Treaty]] with the [[alliance_of_native_tribes|Alliance of Native Tribes]]. Despite carrying the heritage of Earth’s knowledge and traditions, resource limitations force a life of improvisation and frontier resilience. Citizens live in a paradox where advanced systems like the [[gaia_system|GAIA]] AI coexist with rudimentary practices such as animal-powered transport. This tension between progress and austerity shapes every aspect of ExoHuman cultural expression. --- ===== Media and Information Culture ===== After the crash of the [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]] in the [[beta_age|Beta Age]], the planet-wide Web never existed on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Instead, settlers relied on the [[shortwave_radio_network_of_the_exohumans|Shortwave Radio Network]], couriered [[shellac_records|Shellac Records]], and tightly rationed [[gaia_system|GAIA]] updates. By the [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]], chronic energy scarcity and central planning shifted public communication even further toward paper: printing and curation were consolidated under federal oversight, making media simultaneously indispensable and politically contested. **The Federal Encyclopedia** Commissioned in 2634 under [[georgia_hawking|Supreme Councilor Aisha Patel]], the [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]] consolidates human history, sciences, and social systems into a paper-based reference. Written by GAIA and overseen by the [[federal_news_agency|Federal News Agency]], it became the Confederation’s cornerstone knowledge source. Critics, especially [[individualists|Individualists]], denounce it as biased toward Communard ideology. **The Federal Library System** Established between 2634 and 2635, the [[federal_library|Federal Library System]] ensures equitable access to curated books chosen from the [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]]. GAIA selects these works under parameters set by the [[federal_council|Federal Council]]. Libraries also act as cultural centers, hosting readings and workshops. The [[federal_library_of_hope|Federal Library of Hope]]’s destruction in 2636 underscored the libraries’ political symbolism. **Newspapers: Gazette vs. Firetown Post** Two weekly newspapers dominate discourse: * The [[the_weekly_gazette|Weekly Gazette]], printed by the Federal News Agency, serves as the official public press of the Confederation. Distributed in [[federal_news_lounges|Federal News Lounges]], libraries, and hostels, it embodies Communard civic culture but is accused of partiality. * The [[firetown_post|Firetown Post]], founded by the Individualist Party in 2634, counters the Gazette’s narratives. Labeled “party information,” it operates outside Federal regulation, with rumors tying its printing to the [[jane_bold_gang|Jane Mendoza Gang]] and its financing to the black market. **Federal News Lounges (FNLs)** Because private distribution is considered wasteful, the Gazette is read communally in FNLs — small mycelium-built pavilions located in the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]]. They provide tables, seats, and copies for collective reading. Firetown has no FNLs; its citizens rely on subscriptions or workplaces. --- ===== Literature and Books ===== Paper scarcity makes books precious. **Federal Longlist** All titles in libraries come from the [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]], selected annually by GAIA. Earth classics dominate, alongside reference works like the [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]] and GAIA-authored textbooks. Contemporary fiction is rare, with only a handful of part-time authors. **Private Collections** Personal libraries are prohibited under [[communardism|Communardism]], but hidden Beta Age volumes survive in secret. Discovery can lead to confiscation and penalties. --- ===== Art and Cultural Expression ===== All public art is designed by GAIA and executed by craftsmen under the [[federal_confederation|Federal Confederation]], ensuring alignment with communal values and preventing wasteful celebrity culture. Statues, murals, and performances emphasize collective resilience and sustainability. **Amateur Contributions** Amateurs still contribute within approved boundaries: * **Jean Jacque Courtier (Writer):** Author of *[[like_leafs_from_a_tree|Like Leaves From a Tree]]*, a multi-generational novel of survival on the [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]]. * **Sandra Yamamoto (Musician):** Composer of *[[endless_days|Endless Days]]*, a folk anthem of Habitual Belt settlers. These works endure because they reflect communal experiences, not individual stardom. --- ===== Sports, Exercise, and Games ===== **Exercise Culture** Physical activity is state-regulated: running, yoga, and gymnastics are encouraged to maintain workforce productivity. High-risk or resource-intensive sports are banned. **Board and Dice Games** Games thrive as low-resource pastimes: * *[[frostpunkt|Frostpunkt]]* — a dice game born in Firetown’s mines. * *[[twenty_one|Twenty One]]* — a variant of Blackjack common in saloons. * *[[zugzwang|Zugzwang]]* — a strategic board game in Federal Libraries. **Shadow District Gambling** Despite bans, Firetown’s “Shadow District” hosts hidden casinos with high-stakes gambling, where rations and smuggled goods are wagered. --- ===== Rituals and Life Cycles ===== **Weddings** Mass ceremonies are held quarterly at the [[federal_administrative_service|Federal Administrative Service Building]] in [[new_kourou|New Kourou]]. Couples pledge loyalty to the Confederation and the two-child policy, exchange wooden rings, and inscribe their names on the “Wall of Names.” Personal celebrations are limited to modest family gatherings. **Birth and Registration** Births are scheduled at the [[medical_station|Medical Station of New Kourou]] or handled by General Practitioners in emergencies. Every newborn is registered by GAIA, added to the “Wall of Names,” and linked permanently to communal records. **Funerals** Death rites vary by region but are centrally recorded. In the [[asari|Asari Region]], bodies are composted in Federal Funeral Homes; in the [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]], cremation in volcanic fire is practiced. Names of the deceased move from the Wall of Names to a memorial wall for one year before erasure, marking the end of public identity. --- ===== Legacy of the Great War ===== The [[great_war|Great War]] remains a cultural shadow. Families preserve secret oral stories, but public commemorations are banned. State-controlled memorials describe the conflict as a “necessary transition” rather than a tragedy. This erasure fuels quiet dissent and nostalgia, especially among veterans and their descendants. --- ===== Criticism and Opposition ===== The [[individualists|Individualist Party]] accuses the Communards of cultural censorship disguised as curation. Their claims include: * GAIA filters out dissent under the pretext of “unity.” * Pro-Individualist perspectives are systematically excluded. * Official art, books, and newspapers serve as “shadow propaganda.” To resist, Individualists smuggle alternative texts, illegal records, and unauthorized histories, undermining the monopoly on cultural production. --- ===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters ===== ExoHuman cultural life provides fertile ground for campaigns: * **The Forbidden Book:** PCs find a manuscript contradicting official history. Do they spread it or hide it? * **Smuggling Words:** PCs escort a rebel writer publishing an underground newsletter. * **The Lost Ballad:** A folk song with hidden anti-Communard messages spreads unrest. * **Casino Heist:** PCs infiltrate Firetown’s Shadow District to recover stolen Beta Age artifacts. --- ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== * [[federal_confederation|Federal Confederation]] * [[gaia_system|GAIA]] * [[communardism|Communardism]] * [[communards|Communard Party]] * [[individualists|Individualist Party]] * [[federal_library|Federal Library System]] * [[federal_longlist|Federal Longlist]] * [[federal_encyclopedia|Federal Encyclopedia]] * [[the_weekly_gazette|Weekly Gazette]] * [[firetown_post|Firetown Post]] * [[federal_news_lounges|Federal News Lounges]] * [[the_funeral_rituals_of_dark_side_residents|ExoHuman Funeral Rites in the Gamma Age]] * [[the_alpha_age|Alpha Age]], [[beta_age|Beta Age]], [[the_gamma_age|Gamma Age]]