Vhara (Vʰay-RAY)
] d Vhara plural Vharaco, plural word Vharas used by non-Lexiconians, is a Lexiconian clan. The word 'Vhara' in Lehkcia translates to extended family, clan. They are the main building block of Lexicon and the most important social unit in Lexiconian society. Non-Lexiconians call the Vharas clans, and to a lesser extent, houses.
Due to the heavy and firm matriarchical and matrilineal nature of Lexiconian society and culture despite the strong emphasis on merit and equality, Vharaco are descended and traced through the female line and are led by women. Children legally belong to their mother's Vhara and take their mother's surname. When a man marries, he does not change his Vhara and does not change his surname, but his children take on their mother's.
Vharaco are strictly exogamic which is taken extremely seriously. The reason they are taken so seriously is due to science. Lexiconians figured out very early on that if they married within their Vhara and their Vhara married within only a small number of Vharaco only and still kept on marrying the same Vharaco for generations, it would lead to inbreeding and incest which would result in a lack of genetic diversity and genetic and health problems (cousin marriage of any form and no matter how far apart they are related is absolutely forbidden, prohibited, and is thought of as disgusting). But since the Vharaco tend to be rather suspicious of each other they have one firm rule: don't marry people belonging to rival Vharaco. That rule is only broken in special circumstances.
Within the Vhara, identity, inheritance, wealth, and politics are all decided. Vharaco are composed of large extended families. The
Due to the heavy and firm matriarchical and matrilineal nature of Lexiconian society and culture despite the strong emphasis on merit and equality, Vharaco are descended and traced through the female line and are led by women. Children legally belong to their mother's Vhara and take their mother's surname. When a man marries, he does not change his Vhara and does not change his surname, but his children take on their mother's.
Vharaco are strictly exogamic which is taken extremely seriously. The reason they are taken so seriously is due to science. Lexiconians figured out very early on that if they married within their Vhara and their Vhara married within only a small number of Vharaco only and still kept on marrying the same Vharaco for generations, it would lead to inbreeding and incest which would result in a lack of genetic diversity and genetic and health problems (cousin marriage of any form and no matter how far apart they are related is absolutely forbidden, prohibited, and is thought of as disgusting). But since the Vharaco tend to be rather suspicious of each other they have one firm rule: don't marry people belonging to rival Vharaco. That rule is only broken in special circumstances.
Within the Vhara, identity, inheritance, wealth, and politics are all decided. Vharaco are composed of large extended families. The
Structure
Vharaco are led by Vhara Heads, or Vharat'ono in Lehkcia, who is almost always a woman, who are the absolute heads. It is extremely uncommon to see a man be the head of a Vhara because politics are dominated by women as they are and still are traditionally the Vhara heads and leaders of society, but it can happen.
The next important person in the Vhara after the Vharat'on is the Vharakaierit. In each and every Vhara, especially in the ones on Losenxagabe, the Vharat'ono traditionally choose an apprentice, called a Vhara-kaierit in Lehkcia, to pass all their knowledge and secrets and to be their successor and heir. Usually it's chosen though skill, willingness, and education due to the high emphasis and value placed on merit and knowledge, and also due to their matriarchal culture, it is out that one of the women in the Vhara are chosen for the position. Being the Vhara-kaierit is considered to be one of the esteemed positions, as it signifies the that they will be next Vhara Head and thus the next leader of their Vhara, but also increases the target on their backs as rival Vharaco will try to snipe out any information from them.
Culture
Lexiconians are extremely and fiercely loyal to their Vharaco because they had to band together just to survive on the harsh planet of Lexicon. Family thus becomes a larger group of people that includes all relatives, friends and neighbors, all of which play an important role in their Vhara. However their strong loyalty and unity only extends to their own Vhara and they tend to be rather suspicious and cautious of others, and the Vharaco tend to be quite independant and look out for themselves first despite the whole planet and cultural unity.
All of the Vharas hold very firm and strict to Lexiconian society and culture, and have a vast variety of and hold many diverse livelihoods and professions, but still many of the Vharaco are well known for their specialties or better known for certain trades, as well as having and possessing certain attributes, traits, and individual customs and traditions that other Vharaco wouldn't have or do.
Manrent
A form of the Scottish contract of manrent is practiced on Lexicon, in which bond of manrent was commonly an instrument in which a vhara pledged to serve, in return for protection, a stronger vhara—in effect becoming a vassal that renders service to a superior, often made in the form of a covenant. The practice is usually seen as mutually beneficial and symbiotic as both vharaco support the other. To strengthen a vhara against a rival, or to maintain the balance of power in a region, a vhara could join a coalition with friendly neighbours and could set up alliances. Manrents protected smaller vharaco from being swallowed up by larger ones and gave them each some berth of independence when it came to internal and external affairs within each vharaco - especially since ALL the vharaco tend to be rather suspicious and cautious of others, and the vharaco tend to be quite independent and look out for themselves first . Under such treaties, smaller vharaco identified themselves with the greater vhara they served as unquestionable allies. They engaged in the quarrels, followed the fortunes, and fought under the greater vharaco. The most powerful Vharaco usually have a quite a bit of the smaller, less prominent clans under manrent.
All of the Vharas hold very firm and strict to Lexiconian society and culture, and have a vast variety of and hold many diverse livelihoods and professions, but still many of the Vharaco are well known for their specialties or better known for certain trades, as well as having and possessing certain attributes, traits, and individual customs and traditions that other Vharaco wouldn't have or do.
Manrent
A form of the Scottish contract of manrent is practiced on Lexicon, in which bond of manrent was commonly an instrument in which a vhara pledged to serve, in return for protection, a stronger vhara—in effect becoming a vassal that renders service to a superior, often made in the form of a covenant. The practice is usually seen as mutually beneficial and symbiotic as both vharaco support the other. To strengthen a vhara against a rival, or to maintain the balance of power in a region, a vhara could join a coalition with friendly neighbours and could set up alliances. Manrents protected smaller vharaco from being swallowed up by larger ones and gave them each some berth of independence when it came to internal and external affairs within each vharaco - especially since ALL the vharaco tend to be rather suspicious and cautious of others, and the vharaco tend to be quite independent and look out for themselves first . Under such treaties, smaller vharaco identified themselves with the greater vhara they served as unquestionable allies. They engaged in the quarrels, followed the fortunes, and fought under the greater vharaco. The most powerful Vharaco usually have a quite a bit of the smaller, less prominent clans under manrent.
Type
Family
Alternative Names
Lexiconian Family, Clan, House, Dynasty
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