Al-Kanishi

In ancient times the floating island of Al-Kanish fell during a great rapture from the sky. Great waves raged over the city, breaking many buildings and taking thousands of lives as the island sought its point of equilibrium. When it finally settled the great city laid in ruins and the surviving farms were no longer able to support the remaining Al-Kanishi. Many left the city, traveling around the world and sharing their knowledge agriculture with the tribes they met along the way and starting many different lineages of elven kind. A smaller group of Al-Kanishi stayed behind, slowly rebuilding the city and rerecording their remaining knowledge for future generations.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

The preservation and sharing of knowledge is seen as an heroic act by the Al-Kanishi. Many of their most honoured elders were great thinkers and inventors. However, exploration and cartography aren't as valued by the Al-Kanishi. For they believe that the world is too much in flux, with both mountains and kingdoms rising and falling, to properly map out.

Common Etiquette rules

When two people meet in Al-Kanishi culture it is custom to name all the people one knows so a common acquaintance between the two might be found. Through this process new relationships can start warmly as the two parties bond over their common friend.

Common Dress code

The Al-Kanishi use body paint made from ochre, charcoal, animal fat, and pigment to distinguish themselves from each other. The painting is done by those closest to the one being painted, marking them with symbols that best fit their personality. Masculine Al-Kanishi wear togas dyed in a singular colour, allowing others to see the markings on the left side of their chests. Feminine Al-Kanishi wear long flowing dresses that leave the shoulders and arms bare for their body markings.

Art & Architecture

Al-Kanishi architecture is still designed to cool their interiors, despite the comparatively temperate climate that Al-Kanish sometimes float into. Buildings are made from sandstone, sourced from the sandy plains outside of the city, with large holes near the roof for air to flow through. On the exterior buildings are decorated with painting depicting scenes from both mythology or history.

Foods & Cuisine

The Al-Kanishi put great value on their billy, a cast iron bucket-esque pan made to hang over a fire. The billy is used for cooking, cleaning, and carrying water from the well, but its most important usage is to boil tea. When an Al-Kanishi has boiled a billy of tea all strangers are welcome to sit with them and have a chat, as long as they brought their own cup.

Common Myths and Legends

The Al-Kanishi say their ancestor came from a place they call the Winjangurra, or Old Home in the common tongue. A dry land who's magic was weaker than on Bataf and where Makanium crystals grew in abundance. Now only a few shards remain, stuck inside of the technological wonders that survived the great waves.