Kiari

Summary

Gods

Sericil, Lateeri and Tioram

Description

The Kiari are a diminuitive race of near-humans native to the mild hills and forests of Bevrasten and the freezing mountains of Aerust. They are divided into two strains referred too as casts, the Sentinel cast and Provider cast. Although their are commonalities between these casts they take somewhat different forms and greatly different functions. Both forms share slender frames, long ears with narrowed pointed lobes and tips and despite their small size they have taller proportions than Humans (greater height to width ratio than humans).
Sentinel cast The Sentinel cast is larger and stronger, varying in height between 4'5 and 5ft. They are more reserved in attitude than humans, but are no less outspoken and brave when they feel the need. They serve as the builders, hunters and warriors of the Kiari. Their appearance is greatly alike to the Astrals of the proto-realms but have frames that are typically more slender and are lightly muscled by comparison. Although generally considered fair by human/near-human standards, they are the more rugged of the Kiari strains.
Provider cast The Provider cast are the smaller and more emotionally adept of the casts, varying in height between 3'11 and 4'8. They are shyer and more reserved than humans, preferring to live quiet lives. The Provider cast are even more slender than the two, and are considered to be both the Aesthetic match and mirror between the Astrals. Both they and the Astrals have appearances that are typically considered fair by human/near-human standards Astrals are broader and stronger whereas Provider cast Kiari are more slender in their forms.
Interactions Both casts typically live together as equals and in somewhat equal numbers, their roles perceived as two halves that form the whole of their race. The strains are kept united primarily by encouraged inter-marriage between the two Strains as this ensures that the Casts are exposed to one another through their own relationships or that of their kin, however the common values amongst a Strain often lead Kiari to favor their own Cast. As such most Kiari family units consist primarily of one cast but often have a great number of members of the opposite Cast, sometimes as high as 30%.
The Casts of an individual are influenced (but not entirely governed) by the Casts of their parents, with a 40% chance to mimic the Cast of either parent and a 10% chance to adopt each Cast at random. For example, an individual with parents of both Casts have a 50% chance to be either Cast (40% either way to mimic the parent, and 10% to adopt each cast randomly). On the other hand if an individual has two parents of the same strain then their will be a 90% chance to mimic their Cast (80% due to the parents Casts, 10% due to random chance favoring that Cast). The Cast system is so ingrained in the Kiari that it even appears (to a diluted extent) in half and quarter Kiari Specimens.
On rare occasions one Cast may become more populace than the other, or at the very least the more dominant. Instances in which one Cast is more common or dominant than the other within a tribe are typically caused by external factors that favor one strain over the other, and as such the population is often seen as an environmental indicator by other sentient races.

Cultures

The Kiari have a pair of ancient and rich cultures, having been the first race to emerge into the realms of the Gods, the predecessors of these cultures arriving in Bevrasten and Aerust at roughly 650 Before the first Age. Both cultures have close familial ties and live in family units of small-middling size, a handful of these making up one tribe. The cultures diverged quickly after their introduction to the realms of the gods, and are today known as the Trueblood Kiari and Snowborn Kiari.

History

The Kiari were made by the goddess Sericil as Healers and defenders of the armies of the gods during the Astral Crusade. They were the first race made by any of the gods and are the second eldest of any race, second only to the Astrals themselves (Proto-humans). They became quite rare toward the end of the war due to targeted attacks by the Titans in an attempt to leave the gods armies without healers and protection for the wounded, nearly costing Sar'aan's pantheon the war due to the added difficulty of maintaining a standing army.

In 650 BFE with the help of Sar'aan Sericil relocated the surviving members of the species to two locations, each chosen for their potential viability as a safe haven for the species. The majority of the species was taken to north Bevrasten, where the temperature was mild enough and the location isolated enough for the Kiari to gain a foothold in the world. The second population was taken to the freezing mountains of Aerust. The mountains were chosen as the caves could be used for shelter during the cold winter and the icy territory made it difficult for explorers and conquerors alike to find the populace.