Albatross

Plying the oceans and winds, the Albatross are sailors by trade and choice. They are merchants, vagabonds, and explorers, always seeking what is beyond the horizon.

Physical Qualities. In human form, an Albatross has a slim and athletic build. They have olive-toned skins, and almond shaped eyes. Eye colors vary from green to brown, and rarely blue. Their hair is usually fair - various light blonde shades - and it seems to be formed of multitudes of tiny feathers. Their height can reach upwards of 6’2”, with the average at around 5’ 10” and extremely rare cases of giantism or dwarfism. They have lighter bones compared to other Theru, and usually weigh about a third less than their height would otherwise suggest.

Were-Albatross look similar, but tend to have black hair without the feathering seen in their theru brethren. While they have the same height qualities, Were-Albatross are no lighter than the typical human.

Playing an Albatross. An Albatross character is most likely less inspired by the idea of adventuring for its own sake, and more interested in opening new trade routes or discovering valuable magical or technological resources. While hardly cowardly, they tend to be a little lost without wood beneath their feet and a spray of water in their face, and so tend to fade into the background when not in a largely naval setting.

Culture. Albatross are sailors by heart and by trade. Their territories are always found near bodies of water, ranging from large lakes and rivers to the oceans. They live in small to medium-sized villages called Holts, which can harbor up to 600 individuals. Each holt is governed by an elder statesman, commonly a male of advanced years who cannot risk travel.

Albatross usually live in villages bordering the ocean, large lakes, and rivers. These villages are small, usually containing a maximum of 100 people. Communities which form alongside oceanic vistas are larger, forming the rare city or large township.

While any particular Albatross may not hold to much tradition, as a whole they are an incredibly superstitious people. The average Albatross is trained to recognize all of the small omens the Fates decree through life, seeking some manner of control over their lives and destiny.

Unless acting upon a mating bond, Albatross always marry humans. Too many examples of the Theru folly of mating within the breed have haunted the Albatross into zealously guarding their bloodlines. Any human born within an Albatross family is considered fully a member of that family, with no distinction given based on race.

Relations. As to be expected of a race with highly mercantile leanings, Albatross are both admired and disliked for their unique abilities to turn a profit. Most other nations, regardless of their distance from any Albatross settlements, tend to use the currency system the Albatross have instituted to ease trading. Even the extremely xenophobic Hawks tend to keep a few silver coins around with which to trade.

Their other, more peculiar, habits are often lampooned, however. The Albatross tendency to see omens or signs in many every-day activities amuses some, and disgusts others. Tigers, particularly, are annoyed or even offended by this Albatross conceit, "Omens are the works of the Gods, and only their oracles may divine them." Wolves and Panthers are usually amused, while Unicorns and Bears might be inclined to treat the matter with unwarranted seriousness.

Humans. Within the Albatross culture there is no expected difference between those born Theru and those born human. While human Albatross are called were-Albatross for the sake of outsiders, within the Albatross society they are given little differentiation.