Skantoans

"Skantoans" may also refer to a collective term for all individuals native to the planet Skantos

Flamundus Falomo
Biological Classification
Common Name	Skantoans
Scientific Name	Flamundus Falomo
Type	Humanoid
Races	Karakorami Skantoans Mosonarali Skantoans Saikhani Skantoans Senkheri Skantoans Mixed Skantoans
Physical Characteristics
Average Height	160 Centimetres
Skin Colour	Varies...
Hair Colour	Varies...
Sexes	Male, Female
Respiratory Gas	Oxygen
Locomotive Method	Bipedal
Distinctions	Look nearly identical to Humans despite no records of migration between Yata and Skantos. Generally very religious. Often nomadic outside of larger settlements due to less vegetation than planets such as Yata and Theia
Average Lifespan	68 Years
Demographics
Endemic to	Orientine River Basin
Inhabits	Most of Skantos
Endangered	Least Concern
Sociocultural Characteristics
Intelligence	Sapient, Sentient
Homeworld	Skantos

Skantoans are an intelligent humanoid species native to Skantos that comprise a majority of the planet's population, notably being visually nearly identical to Homo Sapients (suggesting that one may be a descendent of the other, though which this would be is unclear) despite being considerably less technologically advanced. Skantoans are highly social, living in complex social structures such as families, kinship networks, and political states, leading to the development of various values, social norms, languages, and rituals with a particular fascination on their highly complex and all-encompassing spiritual beliefs. Skantoans tend to be much more peaceful than most species despite being divided for most of their history, with wars amongst themselves being extremely infrequent (though in the past conflicts against other species were more common), which appears to be a trend which is likely to continue after the War of the Triple Alliance saw them largely unify under one confederacy known as the 'Sacred Union of Skantos'.

While most earlier settlements were dependent on natural resources used for subsistence, the widespread usage of Magic among the Skantoans has allowed them to adapt to various climates which otherwise wouldn't be easily liveable for them such as the frigid tundras of Senkher or the volcanic wastelands of Karakoram. Certain technological advancements have also allowed such settlements to exist, though Skantoans tend to be quite technologically reactionary which has prevented widespread adoption of more advanced technologies such as basic electricity beyond steam power in certain larger settlements. Despite their lacking technological advancement, Skantoans have an average life expectancy of roughly 68 Years, likely thanks to their highly advanced intellectual skills (which allow them to easily teach generalizable information and communicate/creaste complex concepts) allowing them to construct large settlements and utilise medicinal treatments.

Skantoan Cultural Groups

Skantoan Cultural Groups; Red - Karakorami, Yellow - Mosonarali, Green - Saikhani, Blue - Senkheri

Due to how widespread they are, Skantoans are divided into countless small cultural and linguistic groups that vary greatly from one another, though generally these cultures can be simplified into four 'Cultural Groups' with similar traits amongst one another, with the continents of Karakoram, Mosonaral, Saikhan, and Senkher each featuring their own largely self-contained cultural group aside from northern Saikhan, which is generally more similar to Senkher than the rest of Saikhan culturally.

Karakorami Culture

Mosonarali Culture, much like their continent, is the smallest and most isolationist of all four, encompassing a number of related monastic traditions which make them by far the most spiritual (and magical) of the four groups. Mosonaralians tend to reside within tight-nit communal villages surrounding vast temples governed by elders, while all others are held as equal and granted significant social freedoms when compared to the other groups despite their religious devotion. As a part of Mosonarali Folk Religion, it is encouraged to renounced worldly wealth and prosperity and minimize attachments in order to achieve enlightenment, leading to some tensions with other cultures which do not hold this tenet. Mosonaralians are generally accepting of all forms of love and attraction without any social expectation of hiding such feelings, while children are raised communally. Despite their generally progressive social views, many Skantoan temples segregate based on gender, though this is not necessarily universal. Additional Mosonarali beliefs include cremation upon death, daily meditation, belief in reincarnation, belief in a 'world of spirits' and a 'world of thought', and providing assistance to those in need wherever possible

Saikhani Culture is arguably the most diverse (and least religious) out of any of the four cultural groups due to its position as the largest population-wise thanks to occupying most of the temperate and continental regions of Skantos, though their decentralization has gradually weakened to some degree following the conquests of the Ikhtalnol, a Omkha empire which managed to unify most of the Saikhani peoples in the late 400s. Saikhanians hold particular reverence for the nobility and local rulers, with especially the monarchs of the major city of Khurukara being seen as a 'leading figure' throughout much of the Saikhani populated regions, while other regions tend to call their rulers 'Governors' in respect to Khurukara aside from some exceptions such as the monarchic Regialus. Regardless of region, the nobility are highly respected as the 'natural leaders' of society despite their detachment from the issues of 'commoners' due to their exorbitant wealth, while the 'middle class' also generally has many opportunities despite their comparatively poorer position. Contrasting to the upper minority, most Sakhani individuals can be considered 'peasants' with a remarkably lower standard of living and higher levels of

Senkheri Culture is generally divided into two distinct sub-groups, the 'Western Senkheri' sub-group practiced on Senkher itself, and the younger 'Eastern Senkheri' sub-group practiced in northern Saikhan, with the most notable difference being the higher importance of nobility and hereditary leadership in the West and a higher focus on egalitarianism and leaders being 'respected persons' in the east. The west is much more centralized, finding itself ruled by 'Chiefs' which serve as leaders of larger 'Chiefdoms' with the Chief of Asslemang being the most influential figure within their culture, while the east is much more informal with each local chief (which are moreso 'elected' until death or resignation rather than being hereditary) being generally only held with major importance within their own tribe/chiefdom. The west is culturally much more stratified, having strict patriarchal gender-roles brought forth by their home's harsh climate which lead to the hunting men rising to prominence while women primarily remained as homemakers (though their gender-roles mainly apply to 'social function' rather than how relationships and marriages operate), while such a distinction is much less pronounced or even completely nonexistent in the east. Other major Senkheri beliefs include arranged marriages, strict social norms and expectations, and a generally nomadic way of life.