Ambrosii
The Ambrosii are a widespread culture of Myacoris who evolved from gall midges, and as such they are primarily herbivores who favor large vegetation such as giant thistles, burdock, and gall trees. They are particularly succeptible, like other Myacoris, to succumbing to the Oak and Laurel Cycle earlier than species such as the Vespula of Glendatis.
They traditionally make settlements in clearings and meadows, near diverse vegetation, and are considered semi-nomadic as they follow seasonal changes to the flora. They are often hired or adopted by Vespula to care for their orchards, as Ambrosii lay their nymphs in smaller galls until they mature, and these chemicals can strengthen the roots of Gall Oaks and prevent them from disease.
While they themselves do not have strict societal rules or castes in place, they're often integrated into tribal or feudal systems as tenants or serfs. Some Vespula or Kubeleya will parasitize their tenants to automate their work in the orchards, but this is frowned upon by most.
They are extra-sensitive to vibration and scent, they rely on these vibration and chemical cues for recognition and rarely remember faces. They are known as the "truth tellers" for being able to discern the health, age, and other properties of creatures by scent alone.
Culture
Shared customary codes and values
If they reject the standard path of marriage and beginning a new colony, they have fairly rigid fates given to them. If they are infecund or disabled, they are allowed to stay with the colony or study a profession such as Leechweaving before being welcomed back. If they are fecund and able-bodied, they cannot return to the colony as it is expected they be self-sufficient and not drain their parent colony's resources.
Common Etiquette rules
They tend of get along with everyone because they just want to eat, breed, work, and keep to themselves. Seen as whimsical and peaceful, if not a bit annoying but ultimately harmless by most, they are often taken advantage of by those with less scruples because they do little to organize or defend themselves
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
They are extremely resourceful with plants and have an incredible sense of smell- following them will lead to nutrient or citron-dense areas. So tournaments are often held in meadows which they inhabit to locate certain rare resources, similar to searching for truffles. Vespula will sometimes organize these 'hunts' specifically for their tenants, and reward the winners with promotion or delicacies.
Coming of Age Rites
Due to being susceptible to limited cycles of the Oak and Laurel, they mature much faster than longer-living species, which is common among Myacoris. They are adults by one half-cycle (9 years). After this, there is a coming of age ceremony where a specialized Leechweaver reads their fortune through their hormones and scent, and determines their marriage compatibility, elemental affiliation, and fecundity.
Common Taboos
Although they are friendly with most other species, they are insular and rarely marry outside their own ethnicity, and incredibly rarely outside of their species.
Common Myths and Legends
Many of their older legends believe the Vespula and Kubeleya are descended from rural deities such as Godsibbs, though some individuals and colonies have a more secular approach to this and see them more as a dominant, overlord species.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Their complexions range from very pale to dark, but undertones are more saturated with yellow or red. They do not have very good eyesight, with a high rate of albinism rendering their eyes red and their skin ghostly pale. Hyperpigmentation is considered rare and thus celebrated since these folks usually handle sunlight much better, often attaining positions of influence. Very rare is blue-black skin with indigo undertones.
Due to the high rates of albinism, most have pale yellow to white hair that reflects light and reacts to static, rarely some will have black hair but it also reflects light and has an otherworldly sheen. It is normally curly to coily, some use formalin balms to straighten their hair. Their body hair is also reflective in sunlight, something which Vespulans claim to find a little creepy.
Green eyes are the most common eye colour outside of those with ocular albinism, with heterochromia being the rarest.
Courtship Ideals
They have complicated courting rituals and match-making, and often rely on Leechweavers to arrange matches. As their mating cycles are quick and they have many offspring in one cycle, it's expected married couples will divest from the colony with their offspring and begin their own.
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