- The Qaish -
Government:
Secretive and perhaps a bit isolationist, though not nearly as unsocial as their allies the Uchrit. Bound tightly by a sense of honor and moral code the Qaish follow a council known as the 'Primals'; Though unlike other societies the age requirement of these Council members is entirely unimportant. The vital details of this order are that the Council consists of five Primal leaders, elected by their kin until removed by death or dishonorable deeds, and each governs certain aspects of their culture.
The Flame Primal is responsible for the spiritual health of the Qaish people and tasked with ensuring that the species as a whole remains emotionally strong with guidance and traditions. This is the patron Primal of Family, Healers, and Mages.
The Water Primal is typically a warrior of unmatched wisdom and might, a guardian and honorable knight bound with the defense of their unusual nation. This individual handles all affairs of conflict and war, as well as keeping the social order and laws in check. This is the patron Primal of Warriors, Hunters, and Engineers.
The Stone Primal bears the burden of maintaining the society's economy and trade laws, nurturing the technological advancements to the species's homeland and securing necessary materials/crops to ensure the wealth and well being of the Qaish lands. This is the patron Primal of Merchants, Craftsmen, and Farmers.
The Wind Primal is the voice of the Qaish peoples, often considered the 'head' of the council and offered respect for this unspoken role in their order. The responsibilities of the Wind Primal are perhaps the most important and the most vague; It is their duty to work as mediator for the other Primals and ensure cooperation among their peers to handle issues that arise. On top of keeping their own kin in check it is also their task to handle interactions with foreign monarchies or ruling classes that seek audience or aid from the Qaish peoples as the representative. This is the patron Primal of Politicians, Minstrels, and Artists.
The Time Primal is the history keeper of their nation. Unlike the other Primal Roles this is not a elected seat but rather a inherited one, each Time Primal born to the bloodline and raised for the duty of wisely guiding and listening to their kin to accurately keep the records of their species. Responsible for the education and overall betterment of their people it is the job of the Time Primal to guard and share the collective knowledge of the Qaish to help their young grow strong and wise. Patron Primal of Scholars, Teachers, and Historians the Time Primal does not actually interact much with civilians beyond those pledged to their service or the other members of the council. The exception to this is a lasting, binding pledge of loyalty between the house of the Time Primal and the race known as the Uchrit; This oath allows members of the Time Primal house to travel safely into the homeland of the Uchrit to learn from their great libraries under the condition that they share as much knowledge with the library as they take from it.
Primary Language:
Depends on the individual, but Idrili is more common.
Native Lands Data:
Few realize that while the Qaish do reside in the western-most ridges of the Walledge Mountain range they also bridged the gap of the Soultear sea and have claimed a large portion of the Nest Mountain Range as well. Spread across such a large body of water they naturally set up ferry system for those that wanted to travel on foot, later using this lucrative business to help monitor and watch those that passed through their territory without raising suspicion.
The Walledge Mountains are vast and tall, a perfect land for those born to fly, and the many valleys offer fertile farming land for crops. Villages exist, especially along the western coast with stunning views of the Soultear sea, and despite the isolated location and difficulty for others to find them the Qaish have a rather developed road system built into the very slopes of the mountains themselves. To help avoid unwary visitors the Qaish actually designed their roads in two very different ways:
The first is a neat, structured brick-laid line that gently yet without fail takes travelers of the other species from the North of the Mountain range to the South of it with little strain on individuals. They even carved directories for these paths at each 5 mile marker, detailing the roads themselves and where they went to help those crossing the range. This also keeps them well away from the private paths that lead to the Qaish settlements. There are roadways like this in the Nest Mountains as well, though clearly built in recent times.
The second is a wider belt of solid stone carved from the mountain side, spreading like veins between the elusive peaks and deep caverns of this land. This also includes the 'sky paths' which are made up of many plaza-like locations that can only be reached through flight. These plazas are often just that, markets and social gathering points, but many are also resting stops for those flying long distances along the mountain range or across the Soultear sea to visit kin.
Physiology:
Born of Human and Elven descent centuries upon centuries ago the people known as 'Qaish' show a unnerving similarity to their human kin, sensitive to the world as their Elvin blood-brothers are but otherwise quite sturdy and adaptive. Life spans of this species range from 400-450 years of age and unlike other natives to the world of Si'Riat they have very rapid growth cycles in their youth. Pregnancies last only five months and often result in two or more (generally only four at most) children born at a time. For some reason Qaish can only reproduce with Humans and other Qaish, though often 'impure' pregnancies result in miscarriages. Any offspring that survives will have a 50/50 chance to be born as either a Qaish or the species of their other parent. Childhood for a Qaish is spread over the course of ten years. Adolescence occurs around the age of eleven and lasts until maturity; a Qaish typically considered a young adult at their sixteenth year of life. Physically and emotionally they are fully grown by this time and at this point their aging stops almost entirely for the next few centuries. In the last eight to ten years of their lives they will once again age rapidly until death.
In their Dragon forms the Qaish can vary from size, shape, and color but most are massive and all seem to have the ability to speak. All share the ability to breath fire and fly if they have wings, their scales naturally harder than most armors.
Society:
A structured society, though rather reclusive in regards to the outside world, the Qaish have a rather advanced approach to their nation. Children attend schools by choice, not force, and after a few years of basic education they are given freedom of study between multiple classes to ensure they pursue the careers most interesting to them as individuals. Children and Adults alike are given the right to learn, the system vast yet efficient to ensure the intellectual growth of their people. The Military also has a steady recruitment and firm presence as law-keepers and defenders of their land and, economically speaking, their trade and monetary systems run smoothly from business to governing officials keeping the nation itself stable and sound without outside aid. This nation has a very strict outline of crimes and punishments; Depending on the severity of the offense it could result in a death sentence.
Those that take to their dragon blood, or simply wish a life of isolation, are given that freedom without much limitation and it is not uncommon to find entire groups of Dragon-shaped Qaish living in the wild edges of their kingdom feeding on animals and living much like their beastly cousins. They are still honor-bound to answer any summons given by the Primals but in general other Qaish still treat these individuals with respect as they would any of their other kin.
Additional Customs:
Marriage and Family- The concept of 'Marriage' is actually unusual to the Qaish, though monogamous pairs are far from uncommon they do not actually celebrate the unity as anything special or binding. Relationships are a choice individuals make and agree upon, only blood-relatives like siblings or children have true legal claim on a Qaish's loyalty and protection in their society. Most young are raised by the community as a whole, aware of their parents and loyal to them yet still taught by their village elders in a way that keeps the social bonds of their 'packs' strong.
Beliefs- The belief of Adronism. (Shown Below)
Nature of the Beast- Children born of this species are certain to develop magic known as 'Rebirth', a species-specific ability that allows each and every Qaish child to shift between two very different forms. One is their birth form, bipedal and quite 'normal' as far as the sentient species go. The other is that of a Dragon, unique to the person from sizing to coloration and massively powerful. All Qaish, regardless of parentage or bloodline, develop this magic.. Though when or where it will reveal itself can be difficult to predict. Most gain their Draconic form in their adolescence, a natural part of their growth, but late bloomers and early shifts alike have been known to happen. Emotions play a large role in Rebirth magic and even in their bipedal forms Qaish can take on draconic traits (scales, claws, even wings ) when stressed. Training and discipline will allow older Qaish to call these traits at will but for the younger of the species with no experience or time to tame the skill it is quite erratic and impulsive. The basics are simple in Dragon form: Fire breath, flight, speaking, and armor-quality scales that protect from all but the harshest of attacks. The downside of this is that Qaish can be trapped in one form or the other if they are not careful and calm, it takes control to initiate the shift between bodies by choice instead of instinct. Qaish cannot wield magic beyond shifting.
Reincarnate- A uncommon magic and still barely spoken of, one of many secrets kept by the Qaish people. Upon reaching adulthood, as their draconic blood strengthens, a new sort of magic has the chance to develop with age. It was first discovered when a old Qaish scholar passed away while working on a famine crisis plaguing her town. It is said that, so strong was her will to pass on the knowledge she had learned, the moment her heart stopped each and every one of her children suffered from massive disorientation and shock. Little by little her descendants were able to absorb the foreign memories forced into their blood-locked bodies and together they used the knowledge to save their village. Members of this bloodline later founded a House known as the Time Keepers, which was soon after absorbed into the Primal Council. The Reborn, as they are called, are uncommon Qaish that have learned how to pass on their memories through blood upon their own deaths, the closer the blood-connection the more information that can clearly be transplanted and preserved. They are rare and, as one would expect, elusive to those outside the Qaish species. Speak to The Captain or VC for this option.
Dyrall - Wild or civilized Qaish alike all share a fondness for a sport born in their very own culture named Dyrall, a game of clashing dragons that is partly a race and partly a show of strength that thrills and entertains the masses. Held on a massive track of obstacles and traps the Qaish participants, in dragon form of course, must race one another while protecting a padded ball in their possession.. both from the perils of the race itself and from their competitor's reach. The first to cross the finish line with their ball still intact wins the game. Originally this was a trail of proving for young Qaish to show them the responsibilities of protecting something in stressful situations but over time it evolved into a competitive sport and now it is a common form of entertainment in almost every Qaish household and cavern.
Common Foods:
Typically omnivores but as a species in general they do seem to favor meat.
Common Drinks:
Just about anything from water to ale, though oddly many favor alcohol in their later years.
