In today’s Fantasy Favorites post, it’s time to talk about cultures.

This is one I’ve been eagerly awaiting, not only because of the richness and variety of fantasy cultures, but because of the unique spin certain cultural beliefs infuse into our understanding of the world.

Discovering cultural quirks in our world fascinates me, and I see fantasy cultures as an extension of that. After all, many features from fantasy worlds borrow or take inspiration from our own.

Think of Tolkien, whose work was influenced by Norse and Finnish cultures. If you look closely, you can see the themes subtly sprinkled through Middle-earth, like the distant echo of a voice bouncing off canyon walls.

To me, the cool thing—well, one among many—is the way fictional cultures either reinforce our own cultural values and beliefs or else present a different paradigm, a lens focusing on the same subject but titled at an angle so we gain a new perspective. In that regard, fantasy cultures are not only intriguing to read about, they add depth to the story and impart meaning to the lives of the characters, and vicariously to us.

There are plenty of amazing cultures in fantasy, and I’m sure I’ve yet to discover many of them, but for me, this wasn’t even a contest.

My favorite fantasy culture comes from the epic Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Yes, I’ve mentioned him before. Yes, I’ve referenced his stories many times on my blog. And yes, that’s because his books are awesome.

Alethi Culture

The Alethi are a fierce, warrior-minded people who place a heavy emphasis on honor. That forms the backbone of their culture and informs everyday life, but Sanderson doesn’t leave it there. In fact, he goes deeper than the abyss down which Gandalf fell.

The result? A thriving culture with enough details to keep me talking for an hour. Fortunately for you, my questionable memory doesn’t recall all the glorious tidbits, but here are some of the memorable ones.

Cultural Quirk 1

Remember when I mentioned fantasy cultures showing us a different take on the world? The Alethi take that to the extreme, in what we might consider an unfair way. Societal ranking is determined by eye color. How’s that for a new perspective? Lighteyes form the upper class, while darkeyes are resigned to the lower class—though there are ways to move up.

This naturally breeds contempt between the groups, almost akin to a strange version of racism. All because of the color of their eyes.

Cultural Quirk 2

Imagine this. You’ve been invited to dine with the Alethi highprinces, a grand occasion featuring colorful clothing, plenty of gossip, and sumptuous food. The aromas of a dozen dishes taunt your senses and make your mouth water. You can’t wait to dig into that plate of spicy deliciousness practically calling your name.

Hold on! You’re a woman, and women aren’t allowed to eat spicy food.

Wait a spear-stabbing second. Why not? What’s the motivation behind this restriction? There’s probably a reason hidden in the dusty annals of Alethi etiquette, something about spicy dishes being masculine.

Sounds awful, until you learn the bizarre eating arrangements cut both ways. The men stare longingly at the succulent, sweet delicacies—because only women are allowed to eat those types of food.

To us, that’s beyond crazy, but to the Alethi, food segregation is part of society, as natural as breathing and learning to fight.

Cultural Quirk 3

While not as prominent as in other cultures of Roshar, in Alethi society they have a strict dress code for women. And it’s about as typical as seeing a dwarf child riding a unicorn down Broadway.

A woman’s left hand is known as the safehand. The catch? It’s considered indecent for women to go around in public with their safehand uncovered—usually by a loose sleeve or glove. If a woman doesn’t cover her safehand, the Alethi see it as provocative as going around without clothes on.

Call it prudish. Call it unconventional. It’s another one of those impossibly curious characteristics that, like spices added to a bland dish, impart flavor and zest to the Alethi culture.

If those three cultural quirks don’t make for a fascinating fantasy culture, I’ll retire from Geekville right now and go live on a secluded mountaintop.

What’s your favorite fantasy culture? Are there any cultural quirks that stand out to you? I would love to hear your thoughts.