Trueblood Kiari

Summary

The Trueblood Kiari are the most alike to their ancestors from the age of The Astral Crusade, and are native to the mild hills and forests of Bevrasten. They are the more populace of the subspecies, and have had far more encounters with the outside world than their Aerust counterparts the Snowborn Kiari.

Physiology

The Trueblood are the taller of the Kiari subspecies, with members of their Sentinel Cast standing between 4'5 and 5ft, while the Provider Cast stand at 3'11 and 4'8. They have slender forms, and despite their diminutive size they have tall frames. Their ears sweep back into pointed tips, and their earlobes are slightly pointed.
Much like their Snowborn kin, they are split into two strains called Casts, the Larger Sentinel Cast and the more lithe Provider Cast. The Sentinels act as the guardians and heavy laborers, whereas the Provider Cast typically serve as healers and caretakers.

Culture

The Trueblood Kiari culture is centered on caring both for their own kind and others. Their warriors are known as fierce protectors of the weak, and they have the worlds greatest healers. It is not uncommon for the crueler members of other races to try to take advantage of their altruism, but these attempts are seldom successful for long, as Kiari are generally quite intelligent.
They are split into two subcultures, the Hill Clans and Woodland Tribes. The Hill Clans are typically larger in size than the Woodland Tribes, often having double the population of their forest kin. Although the Hill Clans are larger their is a far greater number of woodland tribes that compensate for the small numbers of any one tribe. In total their are more Woodland Tribe members than Hill Clan members in Bevrasten. These cultures even show a small amount of physical variation, with the Woodland tribes being more lithe with fairer hair and the Hill Clans being stronger and slightly more muscular. On occasion Male Kiari of the Hill Clans have been seen with facial hair, a rarity amongst the Kiari.
The Hill Clans fashion themselves as a series of tight knit family clans, each of which vies for political power much like the feudal clans of Tiorath before the foundation of the Hierarchy, albeit with less physical conflict. The most powerful clans have many smaller clans pledged to them and are called the 'High Clans'. These clans are in charge of governing the settlements of Bevrasten, the largest of which, the Easthill High Clan, controls the only true Kiari city, Easthill.
The Woodland tribes on the other hand have quite a simple society, and little in the way of aspirations when it comes to politics. They do not vie for power, instead finding strength in the care they show for their woodland homes. They are the greatest example of their peoples natural care, and have been known to take in wounded outsiders. In the few instances among the Woodland Tribes where one Cast becomes dominant it is almost always the Provider cast, as a great emphasis is placed on healing in their culture.

Clothing and equipment

The Trueblood Kiari of the Woodland Tribes typically wear thin clothes of plant fiber or animal hides. They occasionally wear armor constructed from wood, however armor is seldom crafted as they have seen little warfare in the east. They are typically armed with bows and spears that they use to hunt game across the hills of Bevrasten.
The Hill Clans typically have more advanced weapons and clothing than their forest kin. They wear sewn clothes and silver jewellery. Their warriors carry basic weapons such as swords and axes, and many clans have even tamed a native breed of deer for use as mounts.

Settlements

The settlements of the Woodland tribes take the form of interconnected tree houses surrounding one great roundhouse built in the fork of a particularly sturdy tree. Each of these houses are surrounded by a wooden platform and connected by woven bridges or ladders, and house a full extended family unit.
The Hill Clans build large halls, surrounded by wooden shacks or even true cabins in the larger or more advanced clans. In the most advanced clans the Great hall is constructed from stone and a large tower is connected to the hall. The tower hosts a flaming beacon used to warn the town of danger. The Hill Clans bost the only true Kiari city, the walled settlement of Easthill in the far eastern hills of Bevrasten above the Easthill bay.