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Music and theatre are the most common avenues for passives, as there exist several acting companies of various theatrical styles as well as a handful of very different, very focused orchestras and choirs that are available only to passives. More than one of these musical troupes is known for the perfect voices of their castrated members, and there is just as much controversy surrounding this practice as there is scandal surrounding their occasionally publicized mingling with galdorkind. Poetry conclaves and writing groups also exist, though they are often criticized for the levels of education such passives often come to possess in order to write as beautifully as they do.
 
Music and theatre are the most common avenues for passives, as there exist several acting companies of various theatrical styles as well as a handful of very different, very focused orchestras and choirs that are available only to passives. More than one of these musical troupes is known for the perfect voices of their castrated members, and there is just as much controversy surrounding this practice as there is scandal surrounding their occasionally publicized mingling with galdorkind. Poetry conclaves and writing groups also exist, though they are often criticized for the levels of education such passives often come to possess in order to write as beautifully as they do.
  
As glamorous as such charmed lives may sound, they are still incredibly limited. Passive artisans may enjoy a few unique freedoms compared to passives sent to servitude in Frecks (a handful of famous passives and groups have even traveled outside of Hox to perform), but they are still lesser beings, unable to participate in government, without a voice for themselves, and often still managed by one or more galdori, some of which have been known for their cruelty and strictness with their performers.
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As glamorous as such charmed lives may sound, they are still incredibly limited. Passive artisans may enjoy a few unique freedoms compared to passives sent to servitude in Frecks (a handful of famous passives and groups have even traveled outside of Hox to perform), but they are still lesser beings, unable to participate in government, without a voice for themselves, and often still managed by one or more galdori, some of whom have been known for their cruelty and strictness with their performers.
  
 
===A Separation of Mundane and Sacred===
 
===A Separation of Mundane and Sacred===

Revision as of 00:14, 16 October 2021

[In Progress] Race Relations in Hox Hoxians, as a whole, would not label themselves as particularly racist or biased in comparison to, say the Sister Kingdoms of Anaxas and Bastia or even Hesse, though the separation between the races is somewhat similar to the Kingdom of Gior in that the galdori are in political power but do not rely on nor associate themselves with the lower races unless absolutely necessary.

Humanity and Wicks

Hox is notable for being one of two kingdoms where galdori do not rule over humanity in a concrete way; the two races live almost entirely separately, making different parts of the small kingdom their homes and generally avoiding interaction whenever possible. Galdori take on traditionally human roles in their slowly fading but still somewhat legally recognized class system in order to be self-sufficient, though limited trade does occur between the galdori and lower races of Hox in order to simply share the burden of survival. The younger members of the Hoxian working class traditionally take on the most physically taxing roles, though there is no division of duty based on gender so much as by individual capability and preference.

The last conflict between humans and galdori in Hox was many centuries ago, during a period of famine when humans rose up to raid galdori territory and steal food. Despite this, the galdori of Hox do not nurse much of a grudge against their human neighbors; if asked, most Hoxians would display a lack of opinion on members of the non-magical race of men. Hox is a difficult country to eek a living in, with its extreme temperatures and the very real isolation of most towns and cities. It is theorized that its citizens have more important matters to worry about than a mere conflict between the races, and the somewhat universal spiritual desire to live within zkratas, or the oneness of all things, keeps an unusual equilibrium between the two very different people groups.

There are a few wicks in Hox, mostly because of the stark divide between humans and galdori. Most wicks live in the politically grey area of plains and steppes as nomads between the border of Mugroba and Hox, and they are often considered to be Mugroba’s “problem” more than anything belonging to the northernmost Kingdom. They are completely sovereign and interact more with humanity than with galdori at all.

Passives in Hox

Passives are very, very rare in Hox, and an even smaller percentage of them are born to the northernmost people than anywhere else in Vita (it is estimated that less than .5% of births in Hox produce a passive child). There is much pride in this genetic purity, as Hoxians call it, and yet, despite their extremely rare status, passives receive similar treatment that they do in Anaxas. There is no cruelty toward passives in Hox—the Kingdom’s environment is harsh enough—but those who are discovered to be nonmagical are not entirely welcome to participate in society as a whole and their birth permanently disqualifies their parents from government participation of any kind.

Passives are considered a sign of impurity or at least some kind of personal slight against the Circle somewhere in that galdori family line, an evidence of weakness, whether physical or spiritual in its offense.

Though they are not bought or sold in any way, most passives are still freely given to Frecks University or another institution or business as servants. Passives in Hox, however, have three main paths that are most often traveled: being kept at home, being kept in servitude elsewhere, or a career in the arts. They are allowed to read and write, given a limited education, and can mingle freely with each other, though they are not allowed to reproduce. In small towns and villages, passives are sometimes kept in the home, out of sight.

Sometimes, of course, the fourth path is taken: a few passives run away to live among humans or wicks, which they often do with great success, as they are not branded and share similar features.


Population Control

Historical controversy exists over why passives are so rare in Hox, with many accusations of sterilization in centuries past not entirely denied by the northernmost galdori. In fact, there is little shame on the part of Hoxians to admit that those who were revealed to be passives at their coming of age were either surgically, magically, or at least discretely given herbal supplements to prevent them from being able to bear children, a practice that is often wrapped up into the magical examination process without even a word to the parents.

While no laws in Hox exist that outlaw sexual relationships between two passives, it is illegal for galdori and passives to share any intimacies (though there are several highly praised poems, songs, and tales about just this sort of dalliance found shamelessly throughout Hoxian literary history).


Passives and the Arts

Hoxian culture is viewed as a stoic one where emphasis on keeping rhakor and a calm public face is very important despite the harsh living conditions. Outward expression outside of acceptable avenues of creative pursuits are viewed as signs of weakness, though, strangely enough, this has led Hox to be a kingdom rich in artistic treasures: visual arts, music, poetry, and literature are important, acceptable forms of emotional education and personal expression. This can be seen in the religious art of the Mhoren Basheva, but also it is widely acceptable, if not even applauded, for passives to participate in the arts.

Passives have, for centuries now, found themselves in a strange cultural crossroads of unacceptable beings and sought-after objects of creativity. Less bound to the strict conduct of rhakor while also being more confined within their magic-less existence, an entire caste of artisans has developed out of galdorkind’s most unwanted of children. All Hoxian youths are encouraged to learn to play an instrument, to act or sing, to draw or paint, to write, or to express themselves (first privately unless they are deemed worthy to appear in public, so great is their skill), but those who turn out to be passives when they come of age are sometimes granted enthusiastic permission to continue their artistic pursuits.

Music and theatre are the most common avenues for passives, as there exist several acting companies of various theatrical styles as well as a handful of very different, very focused orchestras and choirs that are available only to passives. More than one of these musical troupes is known for the perfect voices of their castrated members, and there is just as much controversy surrounding this practice as there is scandal surrounding their occasionally publicized mingling with galdorkind. Poetry conclaves and writing groups also exist, though they are often criticized for the levels of education such passives often come to possess in order to write as beautifully as they do.

As glamorous as such charmed lives may sound, they are still incredibly limited. Passive artisans may enjoy a few unique freedoms compared to passives sent to servitude in Frecks (a handful of famous passives and groups have even traveled outside of Hox to perform), but they are still lesser beings, unable to participate in government, without a voice for themselves, and often still managed by one or more galdori, some of whom have been known for their cruelty and strictness with their performers.

A Separation of Mundane and Sacred

Passives who become servants are often given the most menial and difficult of labor, but because Hoxian galdori pride themselves on their independence and hardiness, considering their work to survive a form of glorification and honor to the Circle gods who gave them their magical abilities, there is a very strict separation between what is considered mundane work and what is considered sacred.

While passives and galdori may both find some overlap in mundane labor throughout their lives, passives are legally not allowed to participate in sacred work. The laws about what is sacred work are very detailed and extensive, even for Hox, but most of them center around what is considered remotely related to magic. Passives may not clean up after or assist in the preparation of spell circles, magic-assisting devices, grimoires, or any magical activities. No galdor may ask a passive to assist with such things without exception—if they are unable to do the work alone, a galdor must wait for other galdori to assist them with their sacred work.

Passives, rejected by the gods, are not allowed to participate in work related to spiritual expression of any kind—organized religion or implied spirituality are both barred from passive participation. While this is much more difficult to enforce and many passives still manage to read the texts of the Mhoren Basheva or other Hoxian religious sects, it is generally considered a disgrace to discuss spiritual matters with those the gods have obviously decided unworthy. Strangely enough, this has not stopped the acceptance of obviously religious literature known to be written by artisan passives from being praised, but this is never without some kind of scandal.