Avia-Ra

The bird-headed avia-ra might almost be confused for humans from the neck down, but unlike the scores of near-humans that pervade the galaxy, the avia-ra are unrelated to humanity. Hailing from Kemet, a harsh, desert planet, crisscrossed by rivers and lakes, they have always known an appreciation for the sun's blessings and cruelties, which forms the backbone of their religion, inspires their arts and sciences, and informs their view of the cosmos. Their dogma centers squarely on their deity and holy star, the Sun Above, to which there can be no equal.
When the avia-ra took their first tentative steps into spaceflight, however, their religion bent and adapted to the wider universe in which they found themselves. Suddenly, their Sun Above was no longer Deshret, the star around which their homeworld orbits, but a theoretical "true star" from which all stars, including their own, derive meaning. It was centuries before they ventured to the center of the galaxy and encountered what they consider the physical embodiment of the Sun Above: the Sepulcher Star.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Avia-Ra names come in two-part cartouches, with one or both parts of the name being composed of the names of ancient avia-ra heroes and great ideals.
Front Cartouche. Anubis, Aphophis, Cani, Canopis, Helio, Horus, Ira, Isis, Nefer, Oculus, Terra, Verum
Rear Cartouche. Amet, Bast, Haten, Hotep, Intef, Lux, Ma'at, Mose, Omet, Osiris, Ptah, Set, Thoth

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Speak, read, and write Common and Avia-Ra. Avia-Ra is a language filled with soft consonants and long vowel sounds. Its written form uses the Celestial script.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

To some, the avia-ra's captivating dogma, high priesthood, and Congregation warfleet represent a light and peace in the 'verse, but to others, it represents a simmering kettle, just waiting to boil over.
In the past, the avia-ra have found little success spreading the message of the Sun Above to the established races of the 'verse. After all, their pantheons are extensive and integral to their societies; a monotheistic god has little place among them. Instead the avia-ra have turned to primitive civilizations, especially those on undiscovered planets, with which to share their message.
The pattern for their evangelism is simple: build a civilization on an undeveloped world, founded on the philosophy of their solar religion, reside with it long enough to ensure it leaves a lasting legacy, and depart once again for the stars. In the avia-ra religion, all worship of the sun is indirectly worship of the Sun Above, so any evolution their gods of light and flame take on with the passing of centuries is inconsequential; they are still effigies of Old Un in the Sepulcher Star.

History

The discovery of the supermassive construct within the Sepulcher Star galvanized the avia-ra: i the heart of this star, near the exact center of the galaxy, was their Sun Above. Over the next few centuries, the avia-ra quietly bolstered and gathered their fleets in preparation for the First Crusade.
This was the first of many Crusades, bloody battles between the avia-ra and the elves for control of the center of the galaxy. Each crusade was punctuated with the signing of a treaty, a respite from battle, and a consolidation of forces. Always, a surprise attack by one of the two sides reignited the conflict anew. In the Third Crusade, the avia-ra constructed the massive Solar Citadel in orbit around the Sepulchar Star--a holy city, built for the glory of the Sun Above and to deter elven aggression. 
In short order, it was seized by an elven sneak attack; ever since, the Citadel has become a flashpoint for conflict and a central focus for Crusades. The most recent of these battles, called the Night Crusade, nearly saw the wholesale destruction of the Elven Empire. The war eneded with the signing of the Treaty Black, a document that quieted hostilities and established the Order of the Sepulcher to safeguard against similar crises in the future.

Lifespan

500 years

Average Height

5 to 6 feet

Average Weight

120 to 170 pounds