The Shadeclaws
Leaving the Nest
"Even before the Shaderoot claimed us, our society had begun to drift. Oh, how I miss the skies of Kelekemoleke, but it was simply a matter of time before those that think the way I do were cast out." - From the Writings of Archdruid Ikiiki
Among Avian culture, one truth rings absolute: the gift of flight is the greatest treasure they as a people possess. Soaring high above the Spine of the World, building their home far removed from the land-dwellers, this philosophy is reinforced in almost every aspect of their culture. Avians have always held a fierce independence and pride for their own people, even to their own detriment in matters of diplomacy and inter-species relations. Yet not all Avians are so closed off, and a group began to grow among them that sought to learn from the people they shared their homeland with. Sprouting from the seeds of druids that saw the connections between their environment and themselves, these Avians worked alongside the Sin'kaladari in an attempt to understand the world and each other, despite the overwhelming pushback the Avians received from their own home. What began peacefully continuously received mounting tension, as discourse rose up within Kelekemoleke to weigh the pros and cons of the resources and information being shared with them, but for a time it seemed that a societal shift might actually occur among their people. That was until the betrayal of Archdruid Ziraq who, seduced by the promise of dark powers by a fallen god, began the ritual that would expand the hidden rift between this world and the Shadowlands. Although the ritual was interrupted and failed in its ultimate goal, the magical backlash sent a wave of dark energy washing over the land and turned the forest into the Shaderoot, and corrupted the people caught within its blast as well. Elves and Avians alike were affected by the blast, mutating into darker versions of themselves. For the Avians, their feathers turned as black as the land, and they were struck with a frailty that robbed them of the capability for flight. Although the call for change had been growing within Kelekemoleke, the disaster of the Shaderoot was seen as an ill omen and almost all support for their cause evaporated. Exiled from their homelands, the survivors instead settled within the Shaderoot, feeling a level of responsibility for allowing Ziraq to fall as far as he did, and set about trying to understand their new home. Aided by the Sin'kaldari, they named themselves "Shadeclaws" and were the first to begin studying the Shaderoot and, through their efforts, were able to discover ways to coexist with the corrupted land and built its first settlements. To this day, the Shadeclaws remain the largest demographic of people living within the forest, and they continue their work to find a way to stop the spread of the forest's domain.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Shadeclaws still teach the Avian language to their children, although Elvish is almost as common as their native language.
Culture and cultural heritage
Although they were altered by the Shaderoot and exiled from their homeland, at their heart the Shadeclaws are still Avians. While the greatest lesson their exile taught them was humility, and Shadeclaws are far more likely than Avians to turn to their neighbors to seek or provide assistance, Avian pride still burns within each and every one of them. A simple slight might be treated as a grave insult, and once they have determined you to be a rival or enemy it can be hard to change a Shadeclaw's mind. This trait remains apparent through almost all aspects of Shadeclaw culture, as they build impressive structures high and made to showcase the artisan's skill, and adorn their bodies and homes in lavish decorations to draw eyes.
While this sense of pride may appear overzealous at times to outsiders, it also has created a culture of people tied together by their connections, who work together to strengthen their community. Pride to a Shadeclaw is not a personal matter, but a shared responsibility held by and benefitting all of their people. After being exiled from their homeland and having no choice but to settle in the cursed lands that caused their downfall, it was only this sense of communal pride that kept the Shadeclaws together, perservering together through their hardships. Perhaps they come across as vain, but to the Shadeclaws their continued existence is worthy of celebration, and should you prove an ally to these people then you too might be included in their sense of "family".
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
The Shadeclaws have continued to carry the ideals of family and legacy, and continue to honor the tradition of Tale Beads and their Family Lines. While there were many in Kelekemoleke who called for the destruction of the exile's Lines, or to keep them and deny the Shadeclaws the connection by family members who remained uncorrupted, it was eventually decided to return the Lines that remained to those who still carried those family names.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Shadeclaws burn their dead, building great pyres and gathering to witness the falllen's "final flight", casting their soul into the air and allowing them to fly once more. To bury their dead is seen as a terrible insult, and despite their differences (and the occasional conflict between the two peoples) even the Avians of Kelekemoleke are known to deliver bodies to the Shadeclaws rather than defile the fallen so.
Additionally, the fallen's Tale Beads are removed from their string and added to their Family Line, a stronger string containing the beads of each member of the family that has passed away. By adding one's Tale Beads to the Family Line, the entire family is strengthened as their tale grows longer and richer.
Common Myths and Legends
The Traitor and The Hierophant [[UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Article link to come SoonTM!]]
Historical figures
Ziraq, The Traitor
While Ziraq was once a respected archdruid and was one of the first to suggest that the Avians could learn from their neighbors, his final act has sealed his fate as a dark figure of history. While it isn't known if Ziraq acted willingly, or if he was corrupted by powers far darker and greater than he, it is undeniable that Ziraq was responsible for attempting to expand the rift into the Shadowlands, and while his ultimate goal failed and the Dark Empress was prevented from emerging on Enturon, his actions led to the creation of the Shaderoot and the blight it spreads across the land.
Archdruid Ikiiki, the Shadow Hierophant
Archdruid Ikiiki fought against Ziraq to interrupt the ritual and saved countless lives by preventing the emergence of the Dark Empress into Endrun. Following this, she led the Shadeclaws after their exile and worked with the Sin'kaldari to build a home within the Shaderoot. Ikiiki spent the remainder of her life studying and cataloguing new species created by the Shaderoot, and wrote many philosophical musings on both the past and the future. To this day, her writings are still held in high regard, copied and spread throughout Endrun (with the exception of Kelekemoleke), and her original work is held in the secure facilities of the Trisdi University in E'mlion.
Kenku
Among Avian culture, Kenku is considered one of the greatest slurs that can be used to describe someone. In their tongue the word means "one who cannot fly", and is often used to refer to any and all creatures that are not Avian and cannot fly. But for an Avian to refer to one another with the term is a grave offense, and entire blood feuds have been formed on the use of such an insult. To Avians it is more than a word, for if you cannot fly in Kelekemoleke then navigation is virtually impossible, you cannot aid in hunts or fight to defend your home, and should you fall from the precarious roosts the city is formed of then you cannot save yourself. To be flightless is to be a burden, as well as a danger to yourself and others. "Shadeclaw" is a chosen name, coined by the Avians that suffered the curse of the Shaderoot. To Kelekemoleke, they are only Kenku.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments