New Colchis: People and Culture

Background and Appearance

The colonists who arrived from Colchis in AD 5228 were united by their common belief in the “Wheel of Life”, a religion born in the slums of New Home. The religion is based on a combination of Buddhism, Hinduism and ‘New Age’ beliefs.

Most early Wheelies were descended from British Indians, who formed a significant minority aboard the C-Jammer; many others were white though. Today these racial distinctions have been blurred by many centuries of interbreeding. Nevertheless the typical New Colchian has dark skin and black hair.

Colchians tend to wear loose clothing. Men wear fashionable collarless business suits, but are equally likely to be seen wearing loose fitting robes in sombre colours. Women like to wear brightly coloured dresses, often with striking geometrical patterns. The brightly coloured sari is commonly worn by men and women about the home.

Members of the warrior class usually wear body armour or a severely cut uniform. They sometimes openly wear knives or swords, and often know how to use them. Even civilian ‘warriors’ affect military attire when outside the home. Although only men can be true warriors, some women (especially nobles) wear a more feminine version of the warrior’s clothes. Priests and monks can easily be identified by their bright orange or yellow suit or robes.

Religious Wheelies like to wear a painted spot on their forehead (known as a ‘bindi’) as a sign of their faith. The bindi can be quite large and elaborate, especially when worn by monks, or on special occasions.