Ooskara (OO-scar-uh)

Ooskara are a race of humanoid/elven creatures. At birth and during the fall months, their skin is red. Their hair grows in a stripe down the middle of their skull in colors ranging from bright red to brown, to black. Please note that this is the base color for all Ooskaran. During the seasonal changes, these people shift in color to match the seasons. During the winter, their skin fades to a pale white, in the spring to greens, in the summer brilliant yellows and oranges, and in fall, back to their natural red; their hair changes to match. Ooskaran peoples' hair starts at a typical human hairline and runs to the middle of the back. Most people in this culture keep their hair as long as possible, and it is often braided, adorned with beads, feathers and other ornaments. Village elders are seen most often wearing intricate headdresses for formal events and rituals. It is only in the most solemn of times that an elders hair is allowed to flow down straight, where it might touch the ground and become sullied. Some shave their hair into patterns, and it is common for young people feeling rebellious to shave their backs up to their necks, or all of it defiance. The same can be said for those shunned and exiled from their village. This makes those peoples stand out even more in the end. It is not unheard of for someone mourning to cut their hair, or to keep a singular braid of the fallen, and weave it into their own. Tattoos and piercings are very common among these people, but self-harm in any way is discouraged greatly. Life is considered a blessing from Felgaia in their culture, and to harm one's self is to spit upon that blessing. The eyes of the Ooskara are slitted like a cat's and are blue to green in most settings. Rarely a child will be born with orange eyes, and this usually signifies some ability in the person. Usually. i.e. they can use advanced magics, or talk to animals; most Eloqani have this eye type. See Religions for more information.) Their vision is still that of a normal human. Digestively, they are also the same, but they prefer vegetarian diets. These people have a low tolerance for alcohol and are extremely sensitive to medicines. They need approximately half if not less than what a normal human dose would be.  They are typically slim in build, but their muscle structure can support larger growth in their thighs, calves, and feet. An Ooskaran will never have a very strong upper body, though some development can be attained. Strength is a moderately valued trait in these people, especially among those villages that are agriculturally based. The average height range is 5'0-5'6" in women, and 5'4"-5'8" in men. It is very rare to find a taller Ooskara, unless they have crossed with another race. Ooskaran people have a life cycle of 300 years, and are considered to have reached maturity after around 30-50 years. Upon their 'coming of age', most Ooskaran leave their homes to travel for some time. The purpose of this journey is to find that place which Felgaia wishes them to place their roots. Where their blessings may be best received and they may find the greatest personal growth. A vast percentage of never leave Malan proper, and a surprising amount return to the area surrounding their originating village. This race has some low innate affinity to magic, but it is usually in relation to plants, farming, growth, healing, and animal husbandry. Powerful spiritual users can be found among this race, that is, those that can use medallion-based magics, but they usually hide this affinity, joining the Eloqani and taking on a religious role close to their Earth Mother, Felgaia. They believe that controlling another being is irresponsible, taking away the free will that Felgaia blessed it with, and against their Mother's teachings.  To be highly affiliated with magic is seen as a blessing from Felgaia, and to mean you were destined for something greater than the typical agricultural lives of the Ooskara. It is not unprecedented for those with strong magic to hide this fact just to blend in and keep the normalcy of their lives. They aren't particularly inclined to adventure, though some younglings that roam find that they like that sort of life, and continue for some time before returning. These people prefer peaceful talks over fighting with the world. You will find many more monks than you will soldiers. They have a 'military' but it is less formal than it is ' all hands on deck.' As a people, the Ooskara are easily addicted to Moska worms. They are distributed in Eastern Cornum, and can be found if you look hard enough throughout the world. Unlike the other races of Cirke, the Ooskara cannot even eat the worms when they are alive. As such, the worms as a substance are banned from their populous as a whole, and from their countries, and upon all ships bringing in imports. If an outsider-hell, anyone-is found to be distributing or holding illegal goods, they will be permanently banned from the country, and sometimes forcibly deported. At the very least the illegal material will be destroyed, either by burying deep in the ground, burning in an isolated location far from any Ooskaran noses, or dumped into the ocean. Some may be permitted to remain in the country but they will live under careful watch. Malan has a zero-tolerance policy for the drug. These people worship the earth as a deity named Felgaia, and believe the creatures that walk Cirke's surface and swim in her oceans to be guardians made by her, placed to watch people and be sure they're living properly. See Religions for more information on this. The Ooskaran people occupy Malan. They typically stay to themselves, but some sects are more nomadic; they wish to see the lands that have been blessed by Felgaia, and so they travel forever. Immigrants are welcomed as long as they're willing to work, and remain peaceful to the country and all of her residents. If they break social taboos, they may be exiled from regular society until they leave. Societal taboos: overly aggressive behavior. Murder. Theft. Intentional destruction of Felgaia's blessings (the earth, animals, plant life, other people, themselves.)