Post by Beolakh on Jun 12, 2007 21:47:03 GMT -5
The Feayr
The feayr are a lesser-known race indigenous to the forests and tundra of Feayra—the northernmost reaches of the world. Natural shapeshifters, the feayr are equally at home in the form of a human or wolf; some even manage to learn additional forms. Their society is tribal, divided into a scattering of small communities or “packs” across the continent. While lacking the organization and specialized skills of many other races, the feayr, thanks to the harsh environment they call home, are a people of survival against the steepest odds.
Physiology
Appearance:
In their natural human form, feayr stand slightly above the average human stature—usually between 6’ and 6’ 6” (1.8 to 2 meters)—and weigh at adulthood between 150 and 210 pounds (68 and 95 kilograms). Females tend to be somewhat shorter and lighter than males. Unlike the pale-skinned men of Talambar or the dark-skinned men of Srada, the feayr have a reddish-bronze complexion in their human form. Other traits that distinguish them from the other human races include slightly slanted reflective eyes and naturally leathery soles and palms. At birth, the eyes are icy-blue, but they almost always become amber-yellow during puberty. Other eye colors are exceedingly rare; green eyes are said to be the mark of a prophet or seer. Hair color tends to be black, shades of gray, or reddish brown, though occasionally a feayr is born with pure white hair (this is more common in females than males). Also, unlike most other humans, the feayr do not grow noticeable facial or body hair.
In their natural wolf form, feayr do not noticeably differ from true wolf physiology. They tend to measure 4.5 to 6.5 feet (1.4 to 2 meters) from nose to tail tip and 26 to 32 inches (.7 to .8 meters) high at the shoulder. Most weigh between 60 and 110 pounds (27 and 50 kilograms), though females tend to be lighter than males. Typically, though not always, a feayr’s hair color in human form mirrors his fur color in wolf form, and his eye color remains the same. The one feature that sets the feayr apart from true wolves is their vocal organs—even in wolf form, the throat remains fairly developed, allowing the feayr to retain their ability of speech.
Aging:
Average lifespan for a feayr varies depending on location—the harsher regions in the northern parts of Feayra tend to beget shorter lifespans. Excepting calamity, feayr can live to between 85 and 100 years, though the statistical average falls between 55 and 65 years. Puberty begins around age 11 or 12, and adulthood is reached around age 15 or 16.
Reproduction:
Unfortunately, the harsh Feayran climate causes a high infant mortality rate among the feayr. However, twins and triplets are common, and the gestation period for feayr is shorter than that of most humans—usually around six months. Females can bear children well into their fifties. In regions of abundant prey, families tend to consist of 7 to 10 children.
Inherent Abilities:
Acute senses: In wolf form, the feayr possess the same sharp senses as true wolves. In human form, however, they retain heightened senses relative to other humans. When in human form, their sense of smell is about five times stronger than that of a human, their hearing is twice as acute, and their eyesight is slightly improved in the dark.
Shapeshifting: At birth, all feayr (save rare handicapped individuals) are capable of shifting between a human form and a wolf form. The transformation requires no energy and can be indefinitely sustained, as both forms are equally natural. However, with extensive training, some feayr are able to learn additional forms. These unnatural forms must be individually learned through an intensive process—the less experienced can take up to a month to learn a new form, and even experts usually require at least several days. Unnatural forms are also taxing on the body; they can only be held for so long before the shifter must return to a natural shape. The duration of the transformation depends on the feayr’s general shifting proficiency and experience with the form in question—that is, the more a feayr practices a given form, the longer he will be able to maintain it. Holding an unnatural form for too long can lead to shifting exhaustion, which can prevent the shifter from taking other unnatural forms or, in extreme cases, even from transitioning between the two natural forms.
Learning a new unnatural form almost always requires a captured subject. The shifter must commit every detail of the creature’s body to memory using both sight, smell, and touch. The physical contact required for this step is a common pitfall when learning predatory forms like bears or cougars. This, however, is only part of the process. The largest and most difficult aspect of learning a new form is almost spiritual (indeed, the feayr believe it to be performed by tapping into the spirit of the moon). A creature’s visible outer skin is only a bare shell, a small fraction of the whole body. To completely learn a form, the shifter must reach out with his mind and spirit into the subject animal. Through deep meditation—sometimes day’s or week’s worth—a seam is eventually broken, and the shifter touches the inner workings of the subject’s body and mind. This step allows the shifter to take on not only the form’s inner organ systems (which are somewhat important) but also echoes of the creature’s instincts. Thus, a feayr who learns an eagle form gains the eagle’s sharp eyesight, even though he has not memorized or understood how the eagle’s eye works. Also, while he will still require some practice before he can fly adeptly, using his new wings will come somewhat naturally.
Resistance to cold: Feayr are well adapted to very cold climates and will not succumb to hypothermia nearly as quickly as other races.
Inherent Weaknesses:
Heat: While unaffected by cold temperatures, feayr have very little heat resistance. They sweat very lightly, and they begin suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke much sooner than other races.
Vision: In wolf form, feayr are completely color blind, and in human form, their perception of colors is slightly dimmed.
Society:
Territory:
The feayr range all over the continent of Feayra. The land (and its inhabitants) can be best categorized in three regions—the Coast, the Central Forests and Plains, and the Mountains. The feayr have the strongest presence in the coastal and central regions. The pack-based nature of their society causes settlements to remain small—the central communities tend to consist of just 20 to 30 families, and packs on the coast or in the mountains usually contain only 10 to 15.
Social Hierarchy:
In general, the hierarchy of a pack is as follows:
Vuurai and Kiirau: Much like members of a wolf pack, each individual in a community of feayr has a place in the pack’s hierarchy. However, unlike a true wolf pack, the feayr hierarchy is difficult to delineate—it is less of a ladder and more of a web.
Each feayr is either vuuri (dominant) or kiiru (submissive) with respect to each other member of the pack. For example, a maturing youth is kiiru to his parents, his teachers, the elders of the pack, the pack leader, etc. He is vuuri to his younger siblings and, if he is an excellent hunter, to weaker hunters as well.
The vuurai/kiirau web is by no means rigid, especially among individuals of similar standing. For instance, two feayr of equal age and ability may trade roles depending on whose house they are in. Or, if each has exclusive expertise in a certain field, they may trade their vuurai/kiirau stance depending on the topic of conversation.
Stance: When a feayr addresses another, he indicates whether he is vuurai or kiirau to that person with his stance—a subtle set of posture and mannerisms. As you read through the following descriptions, keep in mind that all of these distinguishing features are very slight changes to natural posture.
To a feayr, the highest of all the virtues is respect—respect for one’s kin, respect for the earth and moon, respect for prey, respect for oneself. Therefore, breaking stance is a grievous insult, and in some cases even a crime.
Government:
The stance hierarchy in itself acts as a form of government among the Feayran packs. Vuuri individuals train and discipline the kiirau, and disputes are settled by someone with vuurai over all of the involved parties (usually a village elder). However, one individual, called the kalvai, acts as the pact’s leader. Typically, though not exclusively, the kalvai is male and holds vuurai over all the other pack members. He is usually the physically strongest or most charismatic member of the pack. Challenges for the kalvai position are most often combative, so pack leaders tend to be strong hunter/warriors. In most packs (the ones that thrive), the kalvai holds counsel with a panel of pack elders.
In terms of national government, there is little coordination between the packs. Occasionally—often on religious holidays—neighboring packs will hold joint festivals which inherently double as political summits when the various kalvaai gather around the feasting table.
The one consistent influence connecting the packs is the lunar priesthood. The priesthood is the only organization successfully maintained across pack lines; therefore, the occasional ambitious high priest is able to create a semblance of cooperation between the kalvaai under religious pretenses.
Housing:
Feayran shelters vary with location—packs living on the coast or in the mountains tend to dwell in cliff-side caves or dug-out dens covered with available scrub. In the central forest and lake regions, the most common shelters are wigwams woven from tree boughs and waterproof plant material. The nomadic nature of the feayr (especially those in the central regions) requires shelters that are easy to build and easy to disassemble.
Diet:
A pack’s diet, like its housing, depends on its location. Coastal communities subsist mostly on fish with occasional forest game and foraged fruits and vegetables. Packs in the central forests are much more dependent on hunting and rely mostly on elk, moving their settlements to follow the major herds of the region. The mountain-dwellers are more snare-makers than hunters, living on small mountain game and foraged plants. Aside from some vegetable gardens maintained by the coastal packs, agriculture is not viable in the harsh climate of Feayra.
Clothing:
Again, typical clothing varies by location. Coastal packs wear mostly woven garments of flax, reeds, or other plant materials; otter’s fur is a popular lining to keep out the cold. Central packs use mostly elk and deer hides, and mountain dwellers stitch clothes from the skins of marmots and other mountain game.
Additionally, most all adolescent and adult feayr possess a “shifting cloth” that is worn under the outer clothing. This garment is woven from its owner’s own hair and will transform with the wearer when he or she passes into wolf (or another) form. Children nearing puberty will grow their hair out very long to provide enough for their shifting garments.
Weaponry:
Artificial weaponry is actually something of a novelty among the feayr—predictable, since each can quickly arm himself with natural claws and fangs. However, when the situation requires, the most feayr’s most popular weapon is the bow, followed by the spear.
Because the feayr have no means of blacksmithing metal weapons, they do not use swords or metal armor. However, certain feayr trade occasionally with dwarves living on Bruman’s northern border. This trade results in a number of pieces—usually small steel knives—circulating among the packs. Due to the rarity of such weapons, they are often highly prized and held as family heirlooms.
Culture
Religion:
The most influential force in Feayran culture is worship of their moon goddess, Aiana. Common belief in their deity supplies the single consistent bond between all the Feayran packs and the single substantial inter-pack organization—the lunar priesthood.
The vulshaairu, or priesthood, follows a tier system—it is led by the Council of Twelve (one member for every annual cycle of the moon), which judges the most severe religious crimes and makes religious decisions for all of Feayra. Various midlevel Priests live within the packs themselves, carrying out rituals and teaching the religion’s lore. Youth who wish to join the priesthood become neophytes and enter into apprenticeship with a Priest. After extensive training including memorization of myths, rituals, and dogma, neophytes take a pilgrimage to the mountain shrine where the Council of Twelve resides. There, they are rigorously tested before being admitted as Priests and assigned to a new pack.
An impressive feat of the vulshaairu is their understanding of lunar cycles—they are able to predict not only phases, but also relatively irregular phenomena such as eclipses with startling accuracy.
The religion is mostly celestially based, featuring two major gods (the sun and moon), various minor gods (the stars, constellations, and planets), and an array of terrestrial spirits which take on familiar tactile forms and are popular figures in Feayran myths (such as the Raven, the Fox, the Owl, etc.).
There are no rival religions in Feayra to speak of, though the system that comes closest is a cult that follows a similar mythos as the Aiana faith but focuses on sun worship. There have been a few revivals of the cult throughout Feayran history, but each has been brutally repressed by the vulshaairu. Heliolatry is a heretical crime punishable by death.
Gender Roles:
The predominating influence in Feayran gender relations is a kind of “high chivalry.” Perhaps deriving from the believed feminine nature of the moon, femininity is considered an inherently holy and divine thing—masculinity is holy only in its role as protector of the feminine. Thus, disrespect of a woman is considered a heinous crime, and in cases of criminal accusation, a woman’s word is usually held over that of a man.
Marriage, then, is also considered intensely sacred; divorce and remarriage are not tolerated among the Feayran packs.
Holidays:
Unlike most other cultures, Feayran holidays do not recur on the annual cycle, but rather on the lunar cycle.
Althairi is the festival of the full moon. It lasts for the three days when the moon appears full and is a time of joy and laughter, when sadness is consciously repressed. On the second day, at the moment of perfect fullness, a bonfire is lit, and the packs dance and sing long into the night. For the three days of Althairi, all wounds and troubles are forgotten. Also during this time, there is a fierce inherent urge for the feayr to take their wolf forms.
Nuevairi is Althairi’s antithesis; the festival of the new moon. The three days when the night is moonless are days of meditation and reflection on one’s life, one’s thoughts, one’s troubles. The more faithful among the pack take a vow of silence on the second day. There are a number of traditional songs played on the second night of Nuevairi, all thoughtful, mournful melodies.
Valmairi is the one Feayran holiday that does not occur on a monthly schedule, held during each lunar eclipse. It is said that when Aiana turns red, she is blushing—and therefore Valmairi is the festival of love. Just prior to the eclipse, there is usually a bonfire and various traditional dances. However, once the eclipse itself begins, most of the wedded adults and those courting take their leave to celebrate in private. Valmairi is a popular opportunity for the Taking of the Vow ritual (see below).
Other Rituals and Customs:
Taking of the Vow: This ritual is equivalent to the marriage proposal in other cultures—however, due to the fierce importance the feayr place on marriage, the significance of the Vow is much greater than the proposal of other societies.
In Feayran tradition, the Vow is always given by the male—however, it is considered so sacred that each male may only utter the words once in his lifetime (thus, boys must learn the words to the Vow from their mothers). Should the female decline, the male cannot offer the Vow again and must live as a bachelor.
"Miku hashiain ioivol voi hakueoguo, shi moku mishloain iovol voi sivilueoki, shi moku serroaik iovol voi dokorueok, kii vashairraeil shi serroshkairraei. Mon kieu kairraeirea zhomoku nuuvuoazha, shi ingairrnueimnuu ungmosai kii. Zhomoku rhraaoshke voi veloishe sairraeinie kiu. Errevairrueish. Lothkiishura hino hii?"
“With all the breath in my lungs, all the blood in my veins, and all the strength in my bones, I will love and protect you. I will go with you into every time of trouble, and I will never abandon you. I will give you every beat of my heart. This is my promise. Do you accept me?”
Hunt of Strength: This is a rite-of-passage ritual performed by youth as they come of age. Usually begun on the second night of Althairi, the young feayr departs from the pack, returning with a felled carcass which must be of sufficient size to feed the youth’s entire family. The Hunt concludes with a bonfire celebration at which the family feasts on the youth’s kill and celebrates his or her admittance as a contributing adult into the pack.
The Passing: Traditionally, when a member of a pack dies, he or she is cremated. Then, during Nuevairi, the ashes are spread in a traditional place (called the Place of Passing) which varies from pack to pack; the site selected is often indicative of the pack’s collective sense of identity.
Music:
Traditional Feayran music is played on boneflutes—small but sturdy woodwind instruments crafted from the bones of the native Feayran snowgull. Designs vary depending on the crafter and the bone used.
Flutes based on the gull’s slightly curved radius bone are the most common. These have a relative middle range and a clear, slightly breathy sound.
The ulna is used for a slightly deeper, thicker sound than the radius. The use of the ulna and radius together for harmony between two performers is common.
The humerus is somewhat less common, having a deeper range and an odd “duckish” timbre.
Some of the more skilled Feayran musicians play clavicle flutes occasionally. These have a very high, shrill sound and are most often used during Althairi celebrations. They are relatively easy to break.
The sternum is sometimes used to fashion a kind of horn, similar in usage and sound to a conch shell. These are often played at Passing ceremonies.
Language:
The feayr have no written language—all their history and myth is passed down via oral tradition, and messages are carried by runners.
You can read more about the Feayran language (as well as find translations, or even learn to translate yourself) on the Feayran language site, feayran.webs.com.
The feayr are a lesser-known race indigenous to the forests and tundra of Feayra—the northernmost reaches of the world. Natural shapeshifters, the feayr are equally at home in the form of a human or wolf; some even manage to learn additional forms. Their society is tribal, divided into a scattering of small communities or “packs” across the continent. While lacking the organization and specialized skills of many other races, the feayr, thanks to the harsh environment they call home, are a people of survival against the steepest odds.
Physiology
Appearance:
In their natural human form, feayr stand slightly above the average human stature—usually between 6’ and 6’ 6” (1.8 to 2 meters)—and weigh at adulthood between 150 and 210 pounds (68 and 95 kilograms). Females tend to be somewhat shorter and lighter than males. Unlike the pale-skinned men of Talambar or the dark-skinned men of Srada, the feayr have a reddish-bronze complexion in their human form. Other traits that distinguish them from the other human races include slightly slanted reflective eyes and naturally leathery soles and palms. At birth, the eyes are icy-blue, but they almost always become amber-yellow during puberty. Other eye colors are exceedingly rare; green eyes are said to be the mark of a prophet or seer. Hair color tends to be black, shades of gray, or reddish brown, though occasionally a feayr is born with pure white hair (this is more common in females than males). Also, unlike most other humans, the feayr do not grow noticeable facial or body hair.
In their natural wolf form, feayr do not noticeably differ from true wolf physiology. They tend to measure 4.5 to 6.5 feet (1.4 to 2 meters) from nose to tail tip and 26 to 32 inches (.7 to .8 meters) high at the shoulder. Most weigh between 60 and 110 pounds (27 and 50 kilograms), though females tend to be lighter than males. Typically, though not always, a feayr’s hair color in human form mirrors his fur color in wolf form, and his eye color remains the same. The one feature that sets the feayr apart from true wolves is their vocal organs—even in wolf form, the throat remains fairly developed, allowing the feayr to retain their ability of speech.
Aging:
Average lifespan for a feayr varies depending on location—the harsher regions in the northern parts of Feayra tend to beget shorter lifespans. Excepting calamity, feayr can live to between 85 and 100 years, though the statistical average falls between 55 and 65 years. Puberty begins around age 11 or 12, and adulthood is reached around age 15 or 16.
Reproduction:
Unfortunately, the harsh Feayran climate causes a high infant mortality rate among the feayr. However, twins and triplets are common, and the gestation period for feayr is shorter than that of most humans—usually around six months. Females can bear children well into their fifties. In regions of abundant prey, families tend to consist of 7 to 10 children.
Inherent Abilities:
Acute senses: In wolf form, the feayr possess the same sharp senses as true wolves. In human form, however, they retain heightened senses relative to other humans. When in human form, their sense of smell is about five times stronger than that of a human, their hearing is twice as acute, and their eyesight is slightly improved in the dark.
Shapeshifting: At birth, all feayr (save rare handicapped individuals) are capable of shifting between a human form and a wolf form. The transformation requires no energy and can be indefinitely sustained, as both forms are equally natural. However, with extensive training, some feayr are able to learn additional forms. These unnatural forms must be individually learned through an intensive process—the less experienced can take up to a month to learn a new form, and even experts usually require at least several days. Unnatural forms are also taxing on the body; they can only be held for so long before the shifter must return to a natural shape. The duration of the transformation depends on the feayr’s general shifting proficiency and experience with the form in question—that is, the more a feayr practices a given form, the longer he will be able to maintain it. Holding an unnatural form for too long can lead to shifting exhaustion, which can prevent the shifter from taking other unnatural forms or, in extreme cases, even from transitioning between the two natural forms.
Learning a new unnatural form almost always requires a captured subject. The shifter must commit every detail of the creature’s body to memory using both sight, smell, and touch. The physical contact required for this step is a common pitfall when learning predatory forms like bears or cougars. This, however, is only part of the process. The largest and most difficult aspect of learning a new form is almost spiritual (indeed, the feayr believe it to be performed by tapping into the spirit of the moon). A creature’s visible outer skin is only a bare shell, a small fraction of the whole body. To completely learn a form, the shifter must reach out with his mind and spirit into the subject animal. Through deep meditation—sometimes day’s or week’s worth—a seam is eventually broken, and the shifter touches the inner workings of the subject’s body and mind. This step allows the shifter to take on not only the form’s inner organ systems (which are somewhat important) but also echoes of the creature’s instincts. Thus, a feayr who learns an eagle form gains the eagle’s sharp eyesight, even though he has not memorized or understood how the eagle’s eye works. Also, while he will still require some practice before he can fly adeptly, using his new wings will come somewhat naturally.
Resistance to cold: Feayr are well adapted to very cold climates and will not succumb to hypothermia nearly as quickly as other races.
Inherent Weaknesses:
Heat: While unaffected by cold temperatures, feayr have very little heat resistance. They sweat very lightly, and they begin suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke much sooner than other races.
Vision: In wolf form, feayr are completely color blind, and in human form, their perception of colors is slightly dimmed.
Society:
Territory:
The feayr range all over the continent of Feayra. The land (and its inhabitants) can be best categorized in three regions—the Coast, the Central Forests and Plains, and the Mountains. The feayr have the strongest presence in the coastal and central regions. The pack-based nature of their society causes settlements to remain small—the central communities tend to consist of just 20 to 30 families, and packs on the coast or in the mountains usually contain only 10 to 15.
Social Hierarchy:
In general, the hierarchy of a pack is as follows:
- Kalvai (pack leader)
- Priests
- Elders
- Hunters
- Craftsmen
- Artists/musicians
- Adopted members
Vuurai and Kiirau: Much like members of a wolf pack, each individual in a community of feayr has a place in the pack’s hierarchy. However, unlike a true wolf pack, the feayr hierarchy is difficult to delineate—it is less of a ladder and more of a web.
Each feayr is either vuuri (dominant) or kiiru (submissive) with respect to each other member of the pack. For example, a maturing youth is kiiru to his parents, his teachers, the elders of the pack, the pack leader, etc. He is vuuri to his younger siblings and, if he is an excellent hunter, to weaker hunters as well.
The vuurai/kiirau web is by no means rigid, especially among individuals of similar standing. For instance, two feayr of equal age and ability may trade roles depending on whose house they are in. Or, if each has exclusive expertise in a certain field, they may trade their vuurai/kiirau stance depending on the topic of conversation.
Stance: When a feayr addresses another, he indicates whether he is vuurai or kiirau to that person with his stance—a subtle set of posture and mannerisms. As you read through the following descriptions, keep in mind that all of these distinguishing features are very slight changes to natural posture.
- Vuurai: The chest is held prominently. The spine and neck are arched, so the chin is held nearer to the neck, and the eyes are at a downward angle toward the kiiru feayr. The arms are rotated inward so the backs of the wrists face forward.
- Kiirau: The jaw is held most prominently. The shoulders are hunched, and the neck is craned slightly forward and to one side. Typically, the kiiru feayr will hold his gaze just under the eyes of the vuuri feayr. The arms are rotated outward, exposing the undersides of the wrists.
- Eleeshai: The “endeared” stance. This stance is used only with the dearest of friends. The southern tendency is to overuse this stance to avoid establishing vuurai or kiirau; however, a feayr will usually only have a few very close friends—five at the very most—with whom this stance is used. The head is hung forward with the neck relaxed (not arched), and the shoulders are held slightly behind the chest.
- Aivuial: The “romantic” stance. This is the rarest of all the stances—it is used only with one’s spouse, after the ceremony of matrimony. The head is hung at a slight diagonal angle. The shoulders are held slightly forward of the chest, and the arms are rotated inward.
- Kaurhr: The “challenge” stance—kaurhr is also the Feayran word for “fire.” This stance is used when a feayr wishes to challenge another for vuurai. It isn’t typically used for long—some kind of fight for dominance usually breaks. The chest is held forward and the arms are turned as in the vuurai stance, but the head is held with the chin raised.
To a feayr, the highest of all the virtues is respect—respect for one’s kin, respect for the earth and moon, respect for prey, respect for oneself. Therefore, breaking stance is a grievous insult, and in some cases even a crime.
Government:
The stance hierarchy in itself acts as a form of government among the Feayran packs. Vuuri individuals train and discipline the kiirau, and disputes are settled by someone with vuurai over all of the involved parties (usually a village elder). However, one individual, called the kalvai, acts as the pact’s leader. Typically, though not exclusively, the kalvai is male and holds vuurai over all the other pack members. He is usually the physically strongest or most charismatic member of the pack. Challenges for the kalvai position are most often combative, so pack leaders tend to be strong hunter/warriors. In most packs (the ones that thrive), the kalvai holds counsel with a panel of pack elders.
In terms of national government, there is little coordination between the packs. Occasionally—often on religious holidays—neighboring packs will hold joint festivals which inherently double as political summits when the various kalvaai gather around the feasting table.
The one consistent influence connecting the packs is the lunar priesthood. The priesthood is the only organization successfully maintained across pack lines; therefore, the occasional ambitious high priest is able to create a semblance of cooperation between the kalvaai under religious pretenses.
Housing:
Feayran shelters vary with location—packs living on the coast or in the mountains tend to dwell in cliff-side caves or dug-out dens covered with available scrub. In the central forest and lake regions, the most common shelters are wigwams woven from tree boughs and waterproof plant material. The nomadic nature of the feayr (especially those in the central regions) requires shelters that are easy to build and easy to disassemble.
Diet:
A pack’s diet, like its housing, depends on its location. Coastal communities subsist mostly on fish with occasional forest game and foraged fruits and vegetables. Packs in the central forests are much more dependent on hunting and rely mostly on elk, moving their settlements to follow the major herds of the region. The mountain-dwellers are more snare-makers than hunters, living on small mountain game and foraged plants. Aside from some vegetable gardens maintained by the coastal packs, agriculture is not viable in the harsh climate of Feayra.
Clothing:
Again, typical clothing varies by location. Coastal packs wear mostly woven garments of flax, reeds, or other plant materials; otter’s fur is a popular lining to keep out the cold. Central packs use mostly elk and deer hides, and mountain dwellers stitch clothes from the skins of marmots and other mountain game.
Additionally, most all adolescent and adult feayr possess a “shifting cloth” that is worn under the outer clothing. This garment is woven from its owner’s own hair and will transform with the wearer when he or she passes into wolf (or another) form. Children nearing puberty will grow their hair out very long to provide enough for their shifting garments.
Weaponry:
Artificial weaponry is actually something of a novelty among the feayr—predictable, since each can quickly arm himself with natural claws and fangs. However, when the situation requires, the most feayr’s most popular weapon is the bow, followed by the spear.
Because the feayr have no means of blacksmithing metal weapons, they do not use swords or metal armor. However, certain feayr trade occasionally with dwarves living on Bruman’s northern border. This trade results in a number of pieces—usually small steel knives—circulating among the packs. Due to the rarity of such weapons, they are often highly prized and held as family heirlooms.
Culture
Religion:
The most influential force in Feayran culture is worship of their moon goddess, Aiana. Common belief in their deity supplies the single consistent bond between all the Feayran packs and the single substantial inter-pack organization—the lunar priesthood.
The vulshaairu, or priesthood, follows a tier system—it is led by the Council of Twelve (one member for every annual cycle of the moon), which judges the most severe religious crimes and makes religious decisions for all of Feayra. Various midlevel Priests live within the packs themselves, carrying out rituals and teaching the religion’s lore. Youth who wish to join the priesthood become neophytes and enter into apprenticeship with a Priest. After extensive training including memorization of myths, rituals, and dogma, neophytes take a pilgrimage to the mountain shrine where the Council of Twelve resides. There, they are rigorously tested before being admitted as Priests and assigned to a new pack.
An impressive feat of the vulshaairu is their understanding of lunar cycles—they are able to predict not only phases, but also relatively irregular phenomena such as eclipses with startling accuracy.
The religion is mostly celestially based, featuring two major gods (the sun and moon), various minor gods (the stars, constellations, and planets), and an array of terrestrial spirits which take on familiar tactile forms and are popular figures in Feayran myths (such as the Raven, the Fox, the Owl, etc.).
There are no rival religions in Feayra to speak of, though the system that comes closest is a cult that follows a similar mythos as the Aiana faith but focuses on sun worship. There have been a few revivals of the cult throughout Feayran history, but each has been brutally repressed by the vulshaairu. Heliolatry is a heretical crime punishable by death.
Gender Roles:
The predominating influence in Feayran gender relations is a kind of “high chivalry.” Perhaps deriving from the believed feminine nature of the moon, femininity is considered an inherently holy and divine thing—masculinity is holy only in its role as protector of the feminine. Thus, disrespect of a woman is considered a heinous crime, and in cases of criminal accusation, a woman’s word is usually held over that of a man.
Marriage, then, is also considered intensely sacred; divorce and remarriage are not tolerated among the Feayran packs.
Holidays:
Unlike most other cultures, Feayran holidays do not recur on the annual cycle, but rather on the lunar cycle.
Althairi is the festival of the full moon. It lasts for the three days when the moon appears full and is a time of joy and laughter, when sadness is consciously repressed. On the second day, at the moment of perfect fullness, a bonfire is lit, and the packs dance and sing long into the night. For the three days of Althairi, all wounds and troubles are forgotten. Also during this time, there is a fierce inherent urge for the feayr to take their wolf forms.
Nuevairi is Althairi’s antithesis; the festival of the new moon. The three days when the night is moonless are days of meditation and reflection on one’s life, one’s thoughts, one’s troubles. The more faithful among the pack take a vow of silence on the second day. There are a number of traditional songs played on the second night of Nuevairi, all thoughtful, mournful melodies.
Valmairi is the one Feayran holiday that does not occur on a monthly schedule, held during each lunar eclipse. It is said that when Aiana turns red, she is blushing—and therefore Valmairi is the festival of love. Just prior to the eclipse, there is usually a bonfire and various traditional dances. However, once the eclipse itself begins, most of the wedded adults and those courting take their leave to celebrate in private. Valmairi is a popular opportunity for the Taking of the Vow ritual (see below).
Other Rituals and Customs:
Taking of the Vow: This ritual is equivalent to the marriage proposal in other cultures—however, due to the fierce importance the feayr place on marriage, the significance of the Vow is much greater than the proposal of other societies.
In Feayran tradition, the Vow is always given by the male—however, it is considered so sacred that each male may only utter the words once in his lifetime (thus, boys must learn the words to the Vow from their mothers). Should the female decline, the male cannot offer the Vow again and must live as a bachelor.
"Miku hashiain ioivol voi hakueoguo, shi moku mishloain iovol voi sivilueoki, shi moku serroaik iovol voi dokorueok, kii vashairraeil shi serroshkairraei. Mon kieu kairraeirea zhomoku nuuvuoazha, shi ingairrnueimnuu ungmosai kii. Zhomoku rhraaoshke voi veloishe sairraeinie kiu. Errevairrueish. Lothkiishura hino hii?"
“With all the breath in my lungs, all the blood in my veins, and all the strength in my bones, I will love and protect you. I will go with you into every time of trouble, and I will never abandon you. I will give you every beat of my heart. This is my promise. Do you accept me?”
Hunt of Strength: This is a rite-of-passage ritual performed by youth as they come of age. Usually begun on the second night of Althairi, the young feayr departs from the pack, returning with a felled carcass which must be of sufficient size to feed the youth’s entire family. The Hunt concludes with a bonfire celebration at which the family feasts on the youth’s kill and celebrates his or her admittance as a contributing adult into the pack.
The Passing: Traditionally, when a member of a pack dies, he or she is cremated. Then, during Nuevairi, the ashes are spread in a traditional place (called the Place of Passing) which varies from pack to pack; the site selected is often indicative of the pack’s collective sense of identity.
Music:
Traditional Feayran music is played on boneflutes—small but sturdy woodwind instruments crafted from the bones of the native Feayran snowgull. Designs vary depending on the crafter and the bone used.
Flutes based on the gull’s slightly curved radius bone are the most common. These have a relative middle range and a clear, slightly breathy sound.
The ulna is used for a slightly deeper, thicker sound than the radius. The use of the ulna and radius together for harmony between two performers is common.
The humerus is somewhat less common, having a deeper range and an odd “duckish” timbre.
Some of the more skilled Feayran musicians play clavicle flutes occasionally. These have a very high, shrill sound and are most often used during Althairi celebrations. They are relatively easy to break.
The sternum is sometimes used to fashion a kind of horn, similar in usage and sound to a conch shell. These are often played at Passing ceremonies.
Language:
The feayr have no written language—all their history and myth is passed down via oral tradition, and messages are carried by runners.
You can read more about the Feayran language (as well as find translations, or even learn to translate yourself) on the Feayran language site, feayran.webs.com.