Internal Culture

Abyssal's extreme location has shaped its culture to be deeply distinct from the land-dwelling Ants. With no day-night cycle, no electricity, no fire, and no light, they have had to supplement their lifestyles with many a workaround - the most consistent of which is magic, considered the lifeblood of Abyssal.

They are far hardier than normal Ants, in addition - more resistant to temperature changes, able to filter oxygen from water, enhanced darkvision, and slow metabolisms. 

Leaders & Government

Sires has led the colony for as long as almost every resident remembers, having been born shortly after its founding. He serves as a religious touchstone for Abyssians, and heads many of the hymns in the main temple. Though Ant colonies are not traditionally hereditary, his leadership places expectations of following his footsteps in religion on his children's shoulders.

The actual leading of the colony often falls to the Commander and Director, who only request assistance from Sires for tiebreaks. They make decisions regarding colony expansion, planned battles, supply usage, and delegate work to the high-ranking aner.

Gyne

Abyssal exalts gyne, as Beytte was one. They are given whatever they desire and the birth of one is seen as a blessing, secretly from Beytte. In turn for being given anything their heart desires, gyne are expected to live in the temples of Beytte, provide children for the colony, and lead hymns. 

Capturing gyne from other colonies is forbidden, as bringing them underwater will kill them. Only gyne blessed by Beytte, with waterbreathing, are intended for Abyssal's treasuring.

War & Violence

Fighting the other colonies is difficult for Abyssal - their sensitivity to light and lack of weapon forging means direct combat is often ill-advised. Instead, they rely heavily on their magical prowess to disrupt Shell ships, incapacitate all Ants in a radius, etc.

Gemstones abound underneath the sea, growing from the huge deposits of magic and minerals that the water carries. As such, Abyssal has access to an enormous plethora of raw magic.

War itself is frightening. Murder and death cannot be the solutions to conflict: Beytte moved to protect them, and in separating them from the rest of the world, made their opinions of fighting clear. It is wrong to start skirmishes needlessly, but in retaliation or in defense, it is understandable.

The most skilled of Abyssal's army are the Blades of the Lotus, an elite fighting group utilized to scare off armadas from Atlantis by sinking ships and killing the Ants onboard. Though the job is solemnly respected, it's also seen as blasphemous - to be taken only by those disciplined and prepared to die when Beytte returns and judges them.

Architecture

Atlantis has no electricity or fire. Because of this, most houses are small and used primarily for sleeping and storage, and are fairly compact. Glowing lichen serve as light sources, and interiors are decorated with seametal, beautiful rocks, and fish bones. 

Most buildings lack interior and exterior walls, instead having trapdoors in the floor leading to a small storage area. Churches and temples - of which there are many - rarely even feature roofs, and instead are large platforms with decorated pillars lining the edges.

Food is often cooked and served communally, after the day's hunters have returned. 

Opinions in the Territories

Laceria Crater's destruction has shaken Abyssal, used to their tentative peace. Though many of its Ants survived, few have returned to Atlantis, instead being washed up on the shores of other colonies. Regrets have already begun to form about colonizing other areas.

Whirlh Hollow, in the midst of establishing itself when Laceria was destroyed, fears their fate will be the same. It is hard to be grateful towards Beytte, or sing songs of praise, when their kinsmen have been killed so brutally. Still, as far as Atlantis knows, construction has continued.

Foreign Policy

Abyssal has little contact with the other colonies, which is preferred by them. War is not often on the planning table, and while they'd like to trade with more colonies, getting goods enchanted to survive the pressure of the abyssal plain is difficult and expensive.

Allies

Clover remains a stalwart ally, as the nearest colony to Abyssal. Contact with Firset Island allows Abyssal to trade its gemstones and ready-made magic scrolls in return for rare, expensive foods and enchanted textiles. 

However, Clover took in many refugees from Laceria Crater, many of which have not returned to Atlantis. To say this unsettles many of Abyssal's traditionalists is an understatement. Still, no one's willing to give up the rare bread or fruit.

Adversaries

Shell Colony, who decimated Laceria Crater in a surprise attack. Though several battles had been fought, and Abyssal regularly defends Atlantis' territory by sinking Shell ships, an attack of this magnitude is unprecedented. Abyssal prepares itself for a full-blown war.

Though the nuances of Ink and Rain's war with each other are lost on many Abyssians, the news that Rain was wiped from the map is terrifying. Every day, the world grows further and further from Beytte's dream for it.