Caralai

The Caralai live mainly in the mountainous Kossoro, as well as several island chains. However, they have been known to travel throughout the known world, mainly as merchants and priests. The Caralai are believed to be ascended creatures, given the gift of knowledge by a higher power, who are now burdened with discovering the meaning of life.

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The Caralai are a fragmented species, clinging on to past traditions and glory in their harsh new world. They once thrived in sprawling empires throughout grasslands, coasts and mountainsides of Crecia, however after a long a bloody war with the invading Azwrakki, the Caralai have become divided and spread throughout the known world in small city states, finding their own niche in the world.

Hakkiro remains the last bastion of the former Caralai glory, one of the safest cities in the world where conflict is prohibited, and all species welcome. It is a home to trade among all people. The city is floating on many isles and platforms in a small inlet surrounded by mountains, with only one entrance by sea, and catacombs and strongholds throughout the cliff sides.

Hibernaculum is the Caralai stronghold. Far to the north and high in the mountaintops, it is only accessible by air. It is the beacon of Caralai hope after their downfall to the Azwrakki, where millions of Caralai migrate to annually in the dead of winter. On the winter solstice a huge celebration is held throughout the city in which they celebrate life. On the mountains below the city is surrounded by Ch-chari hives, which have formed a symbiotic relationship with Hibernaculum.

Birds are seen as the spreaders of life, as they disperse seeds across the globe, with eggs being symbolic ways of passing life to future generations. Caralai spread their knowledge and peace throughout the world.

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The Caralai are philosophical and creative.

Philosophical

The foundations of the Caralai belief system is built upon deep thinking and philosophizing one’s very existence and passage into the next life. While a social species, time spent alone is rare but greatly valued to be with one’s soul.

Creative

The Caralai lack any original writing system, as such history and important stories are passed down to generations orally, evolving from simple stories to elaborate performances, art, and songs. The Caralai (Purusa in particular) are known for their grand and lavish festivals, especially on the summer and winter solstices.

Physiology

Ethnic Groups

Although the Purusa and the Xira generally get along, even sharing territory with each other, they do not share those sentiments with the Hantu, and the feeling is mutual. Mostly due to lasting tension from the Caralai flight millennia ago due to the Azwrakki ambush.

Purusa

Specialties:

Speech
Artisanship
Trade

Notes:

Songbirds
Known for perching
Chicks are born blind, featherless and helpless, and require extensive parental care
Purusa eggs are colorful naturally
Purusa are known around the world for their music. While their instrumental talents are second to none, it is their voices and acapella that are what is sought out.
Songs are a way of life with the Purusa, communicating identity and intentions. Purusa love songs are most well known, whether they are abstract songs about love, or personal serenades detailing sexual intentions.
Sexual selection is highly based on mimetic vocalization. The larger a male’s repertoire, the more females he attracts.
Female and male Purusa are known for their songs, but males are generally more prized due to stronger vocal chords, Purusa traditions of male courtship, and the voice couples with naturally colorful coats.
As sex and sexuality are so prominent in Purusa culture, their definitions and qualifications of it has grown and relaxed considerably over the years, growing very liberal. Homosexual relationships are not uncommon in Purusa cities, and polyamorous relationships (especially with males with popular songs) are not unheard of either.
Vocal mimicry as a skill can be taught, allowing Purusa to throw their voice and imitate other creatures and people.
Many Purusa pursue the learnings of many languages, depending on the company some switch languages mid sentence and create pidgins and unique languages among relatively small groups consisting of loanwords. Cities like Hakkiro which are centers of global trade help facilitate this multilingual lifestyle.
Diet: seeds, fruit, nectar, pollen, buds
Purusa prize their eggs and have extravagant breeding festivals and celebrations, painting and decorating their eggs, and keeping them watched at all times by incubators.

Hantu

Specialties:

Warfare
Navigation
Stealth

Hantu are more solitary than their Caralai kin.

They highly value their talons, which grow larger, stronger and sharper than other ethnic groups. Hantu are known to decorate them and add armor and plating to them.

Due to their solitary lifestyle, natural stealth and excellent killing abilities, Hantu make great mercenaries and assassins, an image which many species are aware of.

Notes:

Although not a huge difference or consistent throughout the ethnic group, female Hantu can be physically larger than men, with some sexual dimorphism.
Women are much more maternal and connected to their eggs and young, their larger size suggests they can go longer without sustenance, either waiting for the male to return with food, or focusing on feeding the young when no mate is present.
Hantu have the innate ability to fly almost silently, and more slowly than their fellow Caralai. Many Hantu lead nocturnal lifestyles, and their silence gives them strong advantages over prey and enemies.
Large Hantu eyes also give them an edge in hunting and observation, giving them the ability to see in the darkness and constantly be observing their surroundings.
The talons and beaks of Hantu are the real killing machines however, able to crush bone and metal.
Between their natural stealth, visual capabilities and raw killing power, many Hantu make a living working a mercenaries and bounty hunters, especially after their ancestral home was invaded by Azwrakki. They are capable of fighting in groups and battles, but excel at one on one combat and stealth attacks.
Region, location and traditions generally determine the times of day Hantu are active, as well as if they are working alone or regularly interacting with members of other species.
- Nocturnal: active in darkness
- Crepuscular: active in twilight hours, dawn/dusk
- Active in the day
Hantu eggs are white.
Hantu do not typically mate for life.
In traditional times Hantu men generally owned land and territory and lived with family or friends in a community while females travelled to find mates. Relationships were mostly monogamous but mates separating was not unusual.
Hantu are capable of living in all climates apart from tundra and deserts.
Diets mostly consist of small mammals, bats, lizards, insects. They are omnivorous, but prefer meat.
Breeding occurs at any point in the year, up to the discretion of the mates
Hantu chicks are covered in grey-white down, but they physically mature quite rapidly
Hantu are more solitary than their Caralai kin.
They highly value their talons, which grow larger, stronger and sharper than other ethnic groups. Hantu are known to decorate them and add armor and plating to them.
Due to their solitary lifestyle, natural stealth and excellent killing abilities, Hantu make great mercenaries and assassins, an image which many species are aware of.

Xira

Specialties:

Education
Piety
Fortification

Notes:

Xira cities and monasteries exist throughout Crecia in many climates: mountains, forests, deserts, island chains. Monasteries are generally secluded and difficult to reach without flight, as such are treated as everlasting by Xira and not well guarded. Xira sometimes join in massive migrations when the weather proves too hazardous or famine or droughts occur, going either to other monasteries or to another major Caralai city.
Breeding, both time and location, are very understated with Xira. Birth and death are celebrated, but in small affairs.
Xira relationships develop over long periods of time naturally, getting accustomed with others before selecting a mate.
Xira are monogamous, with an extremely strong partner bond lasting a lifetime. On occasion extra-pair copulation occurs, or upon death another mate is sometimes chosen, however these are unconventional are rare.
Xira are omnivorous.
- Small mammals, berries, fruits, seeds
Eggs are greenish with brown spots. Xira provide biparental care, sharing parental duties.
While Xira worship all life, in dire situations they choose the strongest and wisest to survive. This extends to chicks, where when necessary they will sacrifice care for chicks that are unlikely to survive in favor of stronger chicks. This may be a tradition carried over from the Azwrakki invasion days when Xira and Caralai were regularly hunted.
Xira can thrive in any climate.
Optimal Xira cities are wooded areas near large expanses of open land (however due to histories with Azwrakki they have grown cautious of being near open land), and along sea cliffs near coasts. Coastal regions provide easy access to water and a variety of food sources, and stable weather conditions without extreme cold or hot temperatures.
Due to safety and spiritual purposes, Xira locations vary wildly.
Juveniles begin to court at a very young age, but may not bond for several years. Aerial acrobatics, demonstrations of intelligence and ability to provide food are among the key behaviors of courting. Mates are generally from the same city, but this varies by circumstance.

Culture

Weapon adapted from the Aolctic vi-zlachi for Caralai to attack with retractable spears from the air; only for very strong users, or specialized versions using talons. Created after Hibernaculum was constructed in Tlacaxa

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Geography

The Ahama - The Womb of Kossoro

The Ahama is the bay that includes Hakkiro and the surrounding isles, the merchant capital of the Caralai and widely regarded as the safest city in Crecia where weapons are not allowed.
The Ahama is pacifistic except for the Ahama guards
The Ahama Strait is protected by three guardian cities: Prakasastambha, Paniko, and Saghuro
Hakkiro is the merchant capital and largest city of Kossoro, stretching across many small islands within the bay. Unlike most of Kossoro, Hakkiro and the surrounding islands are freely open to those from around the world, especially seeking a peaceful like, making it one of the most culturally diverse cities in Crecia.
The government capital and holy capital of Kossoro is Sikhara, built at the base and along the mountainside, it overlooks the Ahama.
Caralai do not often settle close to open water due to threat of attack, and instead opt to stay on the mountaintops of Kossoro where they are safe from outsiders. There are, however some exceptions:
- The Islanders of the Kossoro Isles live away from the safe peaks of the mainland. Due to this, they often live close to open water for trade and resource purposes, and are not highly regarded by the mainland, who see them as reckless and dangerous.
- The second exception are the inhabitants of Hakkiro, the capital of the Caralai. The city is among several islands in the bay, protected on all sides by the mountains. Here is one place where the Caralai roam freely throughout the isles without worry of attack. In all the years of existence, it has never been under siege from outsiders. Despite this, many Hantu still have reservations about the open structure of the city and stay away from it, opting to remain in their monasteries to the south.
- The only entrance by boat to the Hakkiro Bay is the strait, which is protected by four cities, constantly on guard for incoming ships: Prakasastambha, Bhaga, Paniko, and Saghuro.
- Despite its security, Hakkiro is home to many outsiders due to both the valuable trade purposes as the outgoing hub for most Caralai trade, and the extreme protection the city offers.

The Great Library of Sikhara

Within Sikhara lies the largest library in Crecia, where Caralai monks have travelled the world and returned with books, scrolls and knowledge from the far corners of the map. Inside lies information dating back thousands of years. It is one of the few known locations of confirmed knowledge of time before the Starfall, the other prominent places being the Bjorsine Archives in Oksta, the Lost City of Kishgaraal beneath Dagon, the Vaults of Valarus, and the Summit in Agavor/Domenia.

Notable Cities

Hakkiro

After the Caralai were forced to flee the flooding meadows by an Azwrakki invasion to the Kossoro Mountains, the alliance of refugees ensured that the only way into the center of their new home was through the highly protected straits of Hakkiro. Constructed on a crescent island in the center of the bay, all incoming merchants and traders must pass through Hakkiro, making it a densely populated trading cities. It is one of the few coastal Caralai cities, the largest, and most diverse, being home to many other than Caralai, mostly for its splendor and security.

History - old (outdated)

Long ago, the sea north of Gorgor and south of Kossoro was filled, full of flatlands and meadows.
- The land was split between the Caralai (Purusa), Azwrakki, and Khalikar. While the Azwrakki and Khalikar often quarreled, the Caralai tried to keep clear of it.
- When a volcano eruption destroyed many Azwrakki cities and began flooding the meadows, they marched north, driving the Caralai from their lands and igniting a war with the Khalikar kingdoms.
- While many Caralai fled to the Kossoro mountains where many Hantu lived, the remaining allied with the Khalikar, and Kokkori, ultimately driving the Azwrakki back. The defeated Azwrakki either fled to Gorgor to be with their kin or settle on newly developed islands, isolated from their species.
- The land was lost regardless of the outcome, and the sea divided the Caralai and Khalikar. The Purusa became refugees, living in the mountains, sparking quarrels with the Hantu, however the Caralai and Khalikar developed an everlasting friendship over their alliance.
- After this, the Caralai developed a steep cliffside on the southern coast of Kossoro ensuring that another Azwrakki invasion was almost impossible, with one of the few entrances to Kossoro being through the straits into Hakkiro.

History & Culture

Caralai have a divisive and bloody past, dominated by the Azwrakki invasions near the beginning of the 11th Age.

Caralai lived in isolated valleys surrounded by mountains and hills, where they could build monasteries and fortresses in the cliff sides, and prosper with agriculture in the valleys, shaping forests to suit a roosting lifestyle. They would irrigate plains surrounding villages by working to fly water overhead or using Roc to help with agricultural needs. Transportation was never an issue in those times, allowing large scale rice farming communities to flourish and surround the bountiful cities. They constructed extensive networks of agricultural rice farming communities.
Small villages clustered around regional centers, which sent goods to large Caralai hubs or foreign cities in return for other goods, many of which Carlai prized as they could not construct them with their own hands and talons.
Caralai art was and continues to be prized, where many would paint and construct massive pieces using their wings as brushes against canvases, pottery or walls. Caralai artists are famous for their brightly colored wings, stained from years of paints and dyes.
Heavy metals and gold are prized among Caralai as it is a sign of it being imported or traded for as Caralai can not easily meld metal without magical means.
Caralai cities were known for two things: lavish royal ceremonies, and places of deep philosophical discussions. Grand ceremonies were common and festivals and rituals were held throughout cities.
Caralai life in the homeland was largely pacifistic, conflict was rare and generally not lethal. Because of this their cities were not hugely affected by the 11th Starfall. Communities adjusted and large cities put out resistance and strife.
However the weak military presence cost them greatly when the Azwrakki invaded. Caralai had no trade history with them, and therefore meant nothing to the Azwrakki. Caralai city states won some battles, but they largely fell to the foreign threat. While cities were razed and priceless art and homes were lost, many Caralai managed to escape and fled their homelands.
Some went to the Khalikar, others to the Escorrasi, and many more found new homes around the globe, aided by the fact that the Caralai already had presence in far off places.
New Caralai cities and hot spots arose, with new emphasis on military strength and discipline.
The largest Caralai cities have 2 things in common: They are port towns on the water, and act as huge trading hubs with many foreign powers. This decision is not accidental:
- Port towns make it difficult for Azwrakki to attack as they have minimal naval presence, and many are superstitious of the water.
- Acting as trading hubs makes the cities important to other species and protecting them is in their best interest, so they will not be cornered again.
Caralai also have prominent presence in mountains and cliffs where foreign attack is unlikely, and treehouses in large forests where they can camouflage and travel quickly if needed, such as Forenya and the Greenpeaks of Mehzda.
The safety and global presence of the Caralai of the 11th Age has allowed for their survival. Many traditions were lost, but they also gained many more to adjust for their new world. This has fractured the species altogether.
- Officials and royalty in Hakkiro united with other more remote Caralai cities and monasteries to construct Hibernaculum in the Tlacaxa isles.
- Hibernaculum was constructed in cooperation with Aolctic leaders in secluded mountainous isles.
  - The location was scouted by Aolctic and Caralai
  - It is constantly guarded by Aolctic and Mer mercenaries alongside Caralai royal guards
  - The city was designed by a famed Bjorsine architect, with experience working in mountain regions with an emphasis on security
  - Fishing and local supplies are done by Caralai in the region
  - All goods and merchandise are flown in from Hakkiro on Roc
  - Bjorsine, Humans and Escorrasi are invited in at times, but are rare
  - Apart from 3 shafts/staircases entering the mountain, the only way in and out of the city is by flight. The paths are constructed to be easily collapsed in case on invasion.
  - The city is a safe haven of Caralai, and also where many migrate to in the winter months, no longer in the tropical/temperate location of their homeland. It is not uncommon for women to lay their eggs in Hibernaculum or Hakkiro.
  - A huge celebration is held on the winter solstice, celebrating the survival and journey of the Caralai. There are parties all day and all night throughout the city and it is lit up, there are fireworks and extravagant royal displays, eggs are colored and decorated, and feasts are abound. A similar celebration is held in Hakkiro that lasts a week and also hosts thousands from around the globe of many different species.

Religion

Caralai believe in an everlasting cycle or birth death and rebirth to gain transcendence in a final resting ground for eternity. People begin a cycle as a simple form of life and transcend through time and life, going up a tier of life with every rebirth. Before the Caralai life exists as birds, and Caralai are the final step of this mortal world. Beyond them is unknown, but many believe them to transcend to demons before entering an angelic state, the final life before true transcendence. Others believe that the Caralai are the final step.

To pass on to the next life one must die a natural death, not sullied by violence or disease (which is why many Caralai lead a pacifistic lifestyle), and the body must be cremated so that their soul can fly free. (the cremated part only applies to Caralai, however animals must still die of natural causes, leading to a universal protection of birds under Caralai law).

Bird meat is forbidden in Hakkiro, leading many Escorrasi to leave the city to eat poultry, which is especially popular in the Raio underground, and other places discreetly served in the Escorra sphere of influence.

Should a Caralai not die a natural death, their soul will be tethered to their body until it is cremated, allowing the soul to reenter the cycle and find a new body.

While devoting one's life to studying and respecting the cycle is not a necessity to transcend, that way of life is highly respected.

Likewise, those who disregard the cycle are looked down upon and shunned from many Caralai cities. This most notably applies to the Hantu, many of whom work as nomads and mercenaries. Despite this, many Hantu cremate the dead and wish to be cremated, themselves, upon death, showing to some belief in the cycle.

They believe in the first Caralai, the first being to transcend from the life of a bird into true sapience, born thousands of years ago from a golden egg made of pure ichor, granted to him by the ethereal. It is said that through the ichor which acted as his amniotic fluid he learned the words of truth in which he was given the next steps of life to pass on to his people.

Language

Caralai have one primary native language in addition to common, which has diminished in use over the years, reserved mostly for religious ceremonies and meditation. However in most major cities it is a requirement to learn despite its limited use.

As for writing, Caralai have 2 primary native scripts.

The first is reserved for holy text and signage, written by scribes using their wings. The ink on their wings stains it black, a sign of intelligence and class for the scribes, creating a flowing, sweeping script. Text must be relatively large due to the wings, so it is used sparingly, with words having multiple meanings depending on context, with the language woven into designs to give it an aesthetic quality.
The second script is an evolution of the first, used more by commoners, although still with limited use and prestige. This script is primarily made using talons dipped in ink, giving a rigid and scratchy appearance.
A third script actually comes from Caralai relations with foreign species, most notably escorrasi and humans. In exchange for asylum, housing and payment many foreign officials are hired by Caralai to record history and facts. To ease the process they often write in their native language, which has caused increases in popularity of foreign languages among common Caralai.

As Hibernaculum had a population of 99% Caralai, their native tongue and writings are used almost exclusively.

Species Relations

Ch-Chari

The Ch-Chari have several well known hives in Caralai land throughout the mountains of Kossoro. However, due to the Ch-Chari being mainly subterranean and the Caralai living on the mountaintops, they rarely come into conflict. However it has been known to happen especially with the Hantu, who are most affected by Ch-Chari presence.
Wars have been known to happen, with several treaties made over the years.
Some monasteries and hives have made alliances, which although rare have proven to be beneficial. The Ch-Chari typically provide protection for the area from marauders or competing powers, and the Caralai provide space for their home to grow and thrive, uninterrupted.

Commission other species to craft art and weapons for them, and architecture when possible. Depending on location they have been known to work with Kokkori, Khalikar, Humans, Escorrasi, Bjorsine, and Aolctic. As such, as a whole they try and keep friendly relationships with them, and generally avoid conflict without having powerful allies supporting them.

Caralai have grown to have a somewhat symbiotic relationship with Ch-Chari, in many cases constructing cities and monasteries on top or the sides of mountains that house hives.

After the Azwrakki conquests and the landing of Humans after the Starfall, many Caralai and Escorrasi became species without homes, melding cultures and homes. Many large Escorra port cities are also home to large Caralai populations, mostly Purusa as Xira prefer to stay in mountain cities and monasteries and Hantu tend to roam. Caralai are also common sights among Escorra trading fleets as parts of the crew, as scouts, merchants, bards/entertainment, other odd jobs around the ships, and occasionally as captains and first mates.

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