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Fengren (fòng rén)

Hōō-jin - Daiingo, Phong Nhẫn - Xiaoyu, Peong len - Dol-eo

“Had the Dasheng been able to witness the society of the pheonix-kin we, his disciples, know that he would have lauded his praise upon them. Organized as it is around military structure, the entirety of fengren society is predicated upon the principles righteousness, propriety, benevolence and loyalty in their service to the Immaculate House. They also show undue wisdom and filial piety in their submission to their commanders which are often elder members of their family. Surely the fengren are the greatest expressions of the Dasheng’s noble teachings.”
  • author unknown
  • Basic Information

    Anatomy

    The fengren are a humanoid, endoskeletal species with two arms, two legs, and a head. They stand upright and are bipedal. They normally range in height from 5'6 to 6'0 with their weights ranging from 130 to 200 lbs. Due to an active, militaristic lifestyle, they are generally lean, if well-muscled. They have zero body hair to speak of, instead feathers ranging from soft, downy, pinfeathers to full-sized pinions take the place of the most common hair placements of most species. Due to an excess of yang-aligned energy within their forms, their skin is often several degrees warmer to the touch than most other species.

    Biological Traits

    The males of the species are normally taller and more heavily muscled than the females; averaging heights between 5'7 and 6'0 tall, with weights ranging from 170 to 200 lbs. Females typically reach heights between 5'6 to 5'9 and weights between 120 to 160 lbs. Rather than hair, the fengren have feathers in many of those places where other species would have hair. In many cases, like on the eyebrows, these feathers are so small and fine that they resemble actual hair. In other cases, such as on the head or the backs of the arms and the calves, these feathers can be much larger and more obviously feathers rather than hair. The fengren's feathers range in coloration from a deep crimson to yellow to even a brilliant green or blue. Males of the species tend to have the more varied colors in their feathers such as the green or blue. 
    The skins of the fengren usually range from a light crimson color to yellow, orange, or even gold. Though males can have patches of skin colored in blue or green. These spots are usually located in areas where it matches the color of their feathers.

    Genetics and Reproduction

    Reproduction is accomplished between the male and female sexes of the species. Young are birthed live after a gestation period of 27 months.

    Growth Rate & Stages

    Fengren babies are mostly helpless and completely dependent upon adult caregivers. They learn to walk within the first year of life, go through an adolescent period of about 30 years, and reach sexual maturity between 30 - 40 years of age. Though, this can occur at a younger or older age depending on factors such as diet, parentage, or environment.

    Ecology and Habitats

    Though fengren can survive in a wide range of habitats and climates, they are mostly found on the loess plains of the Imperial Lands with the cities or military-style compounds where they live and train.

    Dietary Needs and Habits

    Fengren are an omnivorous species and freely consume both vegetable and animal matter. Due to the Nei Huo they can eat and digest nearly anything. So long as they can fit their mouths around it and actually chew it they can gain sustenance from even the most unpalatable things, such as tree bark or normally toxic mushrooms.

    Biological Cycle

    Fengren are a long-lived species. They age and mature around three times slower than humans, and are considered to have reached adulthood around the ages of 50 - 60 dependent upon social customs. Old age is considered to have been reached around 200 years, and death usually occurs between the ages of 270 - 300. Though, again, this can happen earlier or later depending upon many factors, including diet and environment. Upon reaching the time of death, the fengren can no longer reliably control the Nei Huo and they are released in a brilliant explosion of fire and wild, yang energy, fully consuming the fengren's physical form and leaving naught behind but ash.

    Additional Information

    Social Structure

    The fengren are organized along the lines of a military structure. The smallest units are family units called Zu (squad) or Jin (embers). These are typically small, extended families of eight to twelve fengren consisting of parents, children, grandparents, and sometimes uncles or aunts. This unit is lead by the family head called the Baihu or squad commander.
    The next largest unit is the Du (company) or Yan (flame) which consists of around nine family units (around 100 individuals) which live in the same unit block. Most times the Yan are all connected by blood, but sometimes they are not. This unit is led either by the eldest or the highest ranked among the families which are usually one and the same. They are called Canjiang or company commander.
    Five unit blocks (around 500 individuals) combined together form a Zhihui (battalion) or Gouhuo (beacon). The one who leads is called the Qianhu or senior company commander.
    Five Yan (around 2500 individuals) becomes a Jun (army) or Lieyan (inferno).
    Ten Feng (approximately 25,000 individuals) becomes a Xiang (wing). 
    The Wing Corps, consisting of most of the rank-and-file troops of the fengren army, is the basic structure of the fengren society. There are two Wing Corps, plus the Talon Corps which consists of specialist units, and the Heart Corps which houses the Command Ranks. The fengren society is a largely meritocratic society where one's social rank is dependent upon their military rank and their military rank can be raised through merit, wisdom, and skill. This isn't to say that a certain amount of things like nepotism can't play a role, however. If a baihu is promoted in rank, for instance, this raises the rank of that person's immediate family, as well. Which opens up more opportunities for them.
    At the top of fengren society stands the Shangjiang or First Rank General. They rule the whole of the fengren, taking orders directly from the Phoenix Empress.
    Individual unit blocks, Yan, are solely responsible for raising and training the children of that block. Any problems in training or disciplinary issues that arise are considered the responsibility not just of the individual family, but the entire unit block as a whole. Therefore, any disciplinary action which needs to be levied are taken on by the entire yan as they are considered to have been derelict in their duty to the child. This philosophy of "shared punishment and shared rewards," is considered to bring a yan together as a cohesive unit.

    Facial characteristics

    Though normally being a bit more broad, the facial structures of the fengren are usually described as being very elvish in appearance. Their ears are slightly pointed and are sometimes tipped with small feathers. Their noses are usually sharper than most other species, being a bit sharper and hooked almost like a predator bird's beak. Their eyes tend to be the color of a bright, burnished copper, bronze, or gold. When their passions are ignited, the Nei Huo can be seen burning through them causing them to glow the color of molten metal.

    Average Intelligence

    Fengren are a sapient species possessing self-awareness and able to perform complex mental tasks.

    Perception and Sensory Capabilities

    This excess energy within the fengren is called Nei Huo, the Fires Within, permeates their entire form. Within their eyes, it manifests as a deep, glowing ember shedding a small amount of light by which the fengren can see even in nearly perfect darkness.

    Civilization and Culture

    Naming Traditions

    Given the proximity and influence of the Dàyáng culture upon the fengren, their naming traditions remain much the same as the Yang-aligned humans. Many of the fengren's oldest clan names come from the most famous of their numbers, those who acquitted themselves well on the battlefields of the First Campaigns. Clan names such as Yu, Zhao, Yīng, Máquè, Xiū, Pàng, and Quán are all said to have come from one of the names of one of the first fengren to follow the Phoenix Empress into battle. With Yu and Zhao being the most common of all the surnames.
    Whether written or spoken, surnames always come first in the name order.
    Given names are made up of one, usually two, characters which come after the surname. It is considered disrespectful to name a child after an older relative or a famous figure, current or past. Families can have generational names worked out well in advance, and all members of a generation will have the same first character in their names. Some of these can be quite elaborate in form and, when the characters are combined, form a poem about the family's history or their devotion and duty to the Phoenix Throne. Generational names are actually quite common among the fengren as they are considered to enhance both camaraderie and a sense of unity within the youngster's individual block units.
    Siblings' names are often related in other ways, as well. For example, two siblings may have a portion of their names split from a word containing two characters. One of the most common names used in this way is zhongcheng (loyalty) with the characters for zhong and cheng being given to each sibling. A particularly auspicious example is fengxian (dedication) as the first character is a homonym for "phoenix." This is a particularly common practice when naming twins.
    Females tend to be given names which correspond with elemental fire, passionate emotions, or with idealized feminine traits such as beauty or grace. They also tend to receive doubled characters or two characters with identical pronunciation since doubled characters are considered diminutives.
    Some common names include: Yèyè, Huohua, Yanhuo, Xixi, Xiyue, or Reqing.
    Males tend to be given names which correspond with the physical properties of the phoenix, mental attributes, or with idealized masculine traits such as strength or wisdom.
    Some common names include: Zhuazi, Yumao, Chibang, Gaoming, Yingming, or Jizhi.   Babies are typically not named until a hundred days after their bitch. Around three months. This is considered the time around which a baby is out of danger of passing away suddenly. Until they are introduced to the family and entered into the registry, the baby is given what is called a rumíng, or milk name. This milk name often uses diminutives such as doubled characters. This name often continues to be used as a familial nickname.   A person can gain a nickname at some point in their lives. They are gained either early in life from family and friends or later on through some remarkable deed. They are often based around some physical attribute, a speaking style, or behaviors. Ironic nicknames are quite common among the fengren. It is said that the clan name, "Pang" (fats), was originally a humorous nickname for one of the ancient warriors who was obsessed with his body image.   Fengren typically are considered to have reached adulthood when they have achieved their first promotion in rank. Which usually happens between the ages of 50 - 80 years of age. Therefore, men and women are given, or choose, what are known as duizì, or rank names. Rank names often consist of two characters. They are often based upon the meaning of the person's given name or upon the meritorious deed which got them promoted. One of the characters from their new rank may also be used as the first character in their rank name. Depending upon their prowess, the fengren may cycle through many rank names as they age.   The greatest warriors, strategists, leaders, and high-ranking generals will often take on what are called jiāngzì, or command names. Much like duizì, these are often based upon their most well-known deeds whether that be battlefield prowess or a particularly brilliant strategic insight. These names are often the most well-known among the fengren and can even serve as rallying cries and morale boosts for a beleaguered unit.

    Major Organizations

    One of the most well-known organizations among the fengren is the Fènghuáng shàobīng, the Phoenix Guard. This organization is actually made up of three, distinct units called the Imperial Guards, the Palace Guards, and the Imperial Bodyguards. Each with their own command structure. 
    The Imperial Guard's primary duty is to patrol, police, and guard the imperial city of Tenyuanchéng. While the fengren are, by no means, the only race represented within this unit, they are the backbone of the Imperial Guard, and most of the command structure is made up of their people. The Imperial Guard mans the three landward gates which open out onto the major imperial highways. They man the walls, all eight of them existing within, and around, the city itself. Though there are far fewer stationed on the interior walls than there are on the outer wall itself. They also man the police boxes, the magistrates' yamen, patrol the city, and act as the primary defense in the event the city is ever attacked.
    The Palace Guard acts in much the same way that the Imperial Guard does, but on a much smaller scale and within the Forbidden City of Phoenix and Dragon. Their numbers are solely made up of fengren. They man the walls and gates which separate the Forbidden City from the city proper, patrol the miniature city, and act as the primary defense of the massive residence. If needed, they can be called upon to help man the city walls. However, in the event the city walls are breached by enemy forces, they are commanded to withdraw in order to man the interior wall protecting the imperial residence.
    The Imperial Bodyguards are an elite unit composed exclusively of fengren whose sole responsibility is the protection of the personages of their Imperial Majesties.    The other, sole, major organization of the fengren is the Xintuan, or the Heart Corps. So named due to the belief that the heart, xin, is the seat of consciousness, this corps is made up almost exclusively of the command officers of the fengren. Thus, the leaders of their race. The Xintuan rules from the fortress-complex city known as Cháoxué, the Nest, deep within the lands controlled by the Immaculate House of the Phoenix. It is ruled by the Shangjiang, the First Ranked General.

    Beauty Ideals

    Much the same way as the wood elves, the fengren are creatures nearly entirely, spiritually, composed of the Yang Principle. While the wood elves engage in a sort of social stoicism in order to keep their passions under control, the fengren take it much further by embracing a nearly ascetic, military lifestyle. This lifestyle instills a sense of discipline, order, and attention to detail. Therefore, an individual who exhibits these traits through a well-groomed and organized physical appearance is considered to be highly attractive to this warrior race.
    An orderly appearance also denotes a sense of professionalism and a sense of unity and preparedness; both of which are considered to be appealing. Within this same vein, physical cleanliness, itself, is also a hallmark of attraction.
    A person who has attained official ranks and titles is also considered to be particularly attractive. Not just due to the perceived authority, but for the ambition and drive which is displayed as well as for the aforementioned reasons. Achieving official ranks means that the discipline, professionalism, and attention to detail was good enough to recognized by those who are thought to embody all of the principles the fengren live by. 
    As far as the purely physical side of the beauty ideal, a well-toned, perceptively muscled, and lean physique is considered to be highly desirable. Strength, agility, and physical prowess are all seen as signs of vitality, health, and attention to the core tenets of the phoenix people. Along these same lines, grace and coordination and fluid, efficient movement is considered to be indicative of discipline and skill.
    Among females, males with vibrant plumage are considered to be particularly desirable. The more eye-catching and varied the colors are, the more desirable the male is considered to be. The colors and brilliance are considered to be not just connected to a male's vitality, but to his virility as well. The more unique and striking a male's plumage appearance is, the more desirable he's considered to be.
    In general, the elf-like, sharp facial features are considered to be elegant and refined with attractive men tending toward a more hawkish countenance while in females the features soften and become even further refined and beautiful. Both sexes consider the Nei Huo to be an unquestionable indicator of a potential lover's passion and ardor. The more brightly the Fires burn behind a fengren's gaze, the more desirable they are considered to be. The very fact that a person is able to control a brightly burning Fire in their everyday lives just makes them that much more alluring.
    The Fires are also considered to be reflected in the radiance of the fengren's very skin. The color, and even the very sheen or glow, of the skin is often taken into consideration as a sign of the intensity of the Fires Within with crimson or gold being highly regarded.

    Gender Ideals

    Ideally the two genders of the fengren are considered to be equals in status if not entirely in physical ability. The males of the species are most often considered to be the frontline and mass soldiers. While the females are more often considered to be striker or support soldiers, utilizing their grace and speed rather than raw, physical power. Within the society itself, females tend to take on those tasks which allows them to more readily channel their emotional energy into due to their stronger connection to the Yang Principle; occupations and administrative duties which call for empathy and passion. They often gravitate toward counseling, mediation, and excel in more diplomatic exploits.  
    While the Yin Principle doesn't have the strongest representation among beings who, for all intents and purposes are incarnations of fire, the sun, and Yang, the strongest representation is among the male fengren. Those who have a natural inclination toward Yin. They tend to handle tasks and take on jobs or occupations which allow them to utilize logic and strategic thinking to whatever task they take up. Men tend to gravitate toward tactical or strategic positions or logic-driven administrative duties. 
    This ideal set-up between the genders is the same balance of powers and principles in which the emperor and empress, themselves, are said to utilize. Therefore, it is often the most common, ideal, practice throughout the empire itself. 
    That being said, this is very much the ideal practice for most of the societies existing within the empire: an equal divide between emotional and logical intelligence. There are many factors that may interfere with this careful balance between the male and female principles, of course. Simple outliers to the general rule can, and do, exist. Larger, more muscular, women do exist, for instance. Circumstances can take one parent and leave a previously harmonious household in disarray. Leaving one parent to somehow shoulder the burdens of both. 
    In the former instance, the large female is simply trained in the ways of frontline combat and left at that. In the latter instance, the unit block will often come together to help out the newly burdened family, building stronger bonds, and strengthening unit cohesiveness.

    Courtship Ideals

    Unlike the wood elves or even some humans of the Dàyáng ethnic group, the courtship traditions of the fengren are much more rigid and codified; closer to the peoples of Yin in structure. When interested in initiating a courtship, the first step a fengren must take is to seek out the permission of their own commanding officer to press their claim. If permission is achieved, they must then get the permission of their paramour's parents or guardian. This is followed by getting the permission of the other party's commanding officer as well in the form of hand-delivering a courtship letter. In some cases, this can be as simple as asking both sets of parents. In cases where rank beyond family units has been achieved, this can be quite the arduous process. However, once permission has been granted by all parties involved, and interest has been returned, the official courtship may then begin.
    Relationships within the race outside of an official courtship which ideally leads to marriage are strongly discouraged, if not outirght forbidden, especially amongst younger fengren. Society considers them to be distractions at the least and dangerous disruptions at the worst. Since younger fengren are still learning to control their passions, things can easily get out of control with unfettered lust, jealousy, and rage causing breakdowns in unit cohesion. For this reason, young, pubescent fengren are segregated by gender and worked even harder than either adults or younger children as it's expected that a certain amount of passion and frustration are involved in the growth process which can be channeled into their training.
    While romantic relationships between family are strictly forbidden many relationships between young adults are started within the same unit block. At least among those blocks that are not related by blood. These are heartily encouraged by the families of the young ones as it is thought to lead to a stronger unit as a whole. Within these unions, traditions such as courtship gifts and bride-price are not often observed as everyone already belongs to the same unit and nothing is being lost. Many other relationships, on the other hand, are formed between members of different unit blocks. In these relationships, the traditions are more heavily followed. Courtship gifts between both lovers and family are often exchanged to show the families' commitment to the union. Between the lovers, these gifts are often symbolic of the qualities one partner admires about the other. Among the families, the courtship gifts are more practical in nature to make up for the training time lost to the courtship. If the courtship proceeds along the path to betrothal, the gifts then become more elaborate.
    Ideally, during the courtship, the couple is never left alone together. While they don't go to the extent of dressing to cover nearly all visible flesh the way the wood elves do, they are also not as privately blase about the idea of premarital sexual relations as the elven race is either. They will go to great lengths to make sure that the couple is never without a chaperone at any point before an actual wedding.
    As mentioned before, most of the courtship gifts exchanged between families are smaller, and more practical, in nature. Gifts such as food or small tools may make their way between families and unit blocks in this way. Another valued gift is training itself. Many fengren familie will treat a courtship as a sort of student exchange program where the activities that the young couple does together is to assess and train martial techniques. If a young woman from a unit that is primarily focused on polearm fighting, for instance, begins courting a young man from a unit that is focused on the dao, she may return to her home unit with new ideas or techniques useful in fighting an opponent with a big, curved sword. In this way, the courtship, itself, strengthens the unit as a whole and is considered to be a valuable exchange during the courtship.

    Relationship Ideals

    Relationships between the fengren strongly emphasize unit cohesion. Anything that could possibly disrupt the cohesion, and from there the discipline, of the unit is considered to be anathema.Therefore, compatibility between individuals is considered to be the foundation of any relationship, but especially in marriages. This is why fengren society is less stringent when it comes to the romantic lives of the individual. They allow the young adults the freedom to decide who they want to be involved with romantically, they allow the courting period, for that very reason. In order that they may avoid uncompatible partnerships which can slowly destroy any unit from the inside-out.
    The ideal partnership, therefore, is one in which both parties are perfectly happy with the partner they've chosen. Where each person compliments and shores up the other's weaknesses. Outside of certain, inexplicable, circumstances, one partner is inevitably going to be the commanding officer within the relationship. Whether through merit, deed, or performance, one or the other of the two people will gain rank over the other. Therefore, finding a partner who will continue to support, not just an equal but a superior, without rancor or jealousy is a relationship ideal.

    Major Language Groups and Dialects

    Due to the influence of the Dàyáng people, the most well-known language among the fengren is Dàyángyu. Though some of the more scholarly among the race, such as priests, speak the tongue of the Spirit Court of the South: Huoyu.

    Common Etiquette Rules

    Much of the common etiquette of the fengren is rooted in the etiquette of the Dàyáng people. However, due to the proximity, and dominance, of the Immaculate House of the Phoenix over the phoenix people, much of the mannerisms and etiquette which they find common, most of the everyday people of the empire find to be almost baffingly formal. For instance, fengren tend to refer to anyone of the other races with the formal title of xiānshēng. While among the human population this honorific is normally used for doctors or other educated or respected individuals, it was originally used in reference to an older person, one "born before" or "born first." Thus, the fengren take the word in its original meaning and use this rather formal title when speaking to any of the other races who were "born first."
    This overly formal nature is a result of the race's original etiquette training by one of the two highest, noble houses within the empire and their continued commission as protectors of one of the two royal houses. Every rule of etiquette the race knows they learned at the feet of imperial nobles. Consequently, the etiquette rules that have been passed down through the generations would be the same, formal rules of etiquette which were originally drilled into the phoenix folk, and given their insulated culture, it means that they don't often have much in the way of meaningful interactions with the general public. As a result, their interactions, even with commoners, tend to be formal and respectful.   As far as honorifics go, many of the same titles used by the Dàyángren population are used by the fengren, whether speaking among themselves or to other races. What follows, then, are the few exceptions or differing uses among the fengren.
    • Wèi - is a word which, classicly, means "guard" or "soldier." This word is used as a form of honorific amongst fengren of generally equal rank, status, or age.
    • Zhànyou - roughly means "comrade" or "brother- or sister-in-arms." It is used as an informal honorific among close friends of a similar age.
    • Xīnhuo - is an informal title often used among lovers or married couples.
    • Xiānshēng - is a rather formal title used by the fengren to address any person who is not a fengren.
    • Youwei - much like the term used by Dàyáng peoples, in general, this is a generic, informal, term of respect used to address an admired soldier or officer.

    Common Dress Code

    Being the nominal servants of the Immaculate House of the Phoenix, even the lowest ranked of the fengren are expected to comport themselves with the dignity and countenance expected of those who would represent one of the most noble of families. Therefore, the clothing worn by even the most humble phoenix folk is often provided by the Phoenix House, and the materials used are often equally fine. Often being made of fine linen and other cotton materials and being richly embroidered even among the lower ranks. While, as usual, silk is often relegated to the higher ranks with the exceptions of dress uniforms.
    Much like the soldiery of the military bureaus, the standard garb of the fengren is modeled after those of the soldiery from more ancient times. They wear the yuanlingshan which is a long, paneled robe with a high, round collar fitting snugly around the neck. The robe closes left-over-right and has corded buttons at the waist and the collar. It is further secured at the waist with a sash and sword-belt, as all fengren carry short-swords at their waists. Beneath the robes are the standard trousers which are tied at the waist and gathered at the ankles. Wooden-soled, leather boots and cotton socks complete a standard fengren outfit. The colors of these outfits are generally of red, orange, yellow, or gold to symbolize their connection to the Yang Principle as well as to the Immaculate House. The fengren, of course, take great pains to choose colors which are a shade or two darker than their actual skin tones so that the cloth doesn't blend into their skin.
    This is the standard uniform of every fengren. It is generally worn when on-duty underneath their armor or during informal occasions. Their garb for training or lounging around their houses is similar, though, more relaxed in the way of a soldier unbuttoning the top button of his uniform. When not on active duty, the fengren wear what is called the fanlingpao. A short robe which falls to mid-thigh and has an open-collar, lapeled design with a single fastener around the diaphragm.
    Both the standard yuanlingshan and the fanlingpao are typically not very heavily embroidered being for everyday wear and relatively hard work. Though the yuanlingshan will have the rank badge of the individual fengren sewn onto the high collar so it is visible even when armor is being worn.
    The higher ranking fengren will wear the same, general, outfit as those of the lower ranks, it will just be of a richer material and be much more ornately embroidered with military motifs, House motifs, or Imperial motifs such as phoenixes (the number of feathers in the crest depending on whose motif it is), tigers, flames, suns, or other patterns or designs based upon the individual wearer. A higher ranking individual may also include a long, collarless jacket or a cape to complete their rich ensemble.
    Headbands are quite popular among the younger fengren especially when wearing the helmets of the Imperial or Palace Guared since the bulky helemets have a tendency to cause the phoniex folk to sweat. Head feathers coiffed to more closely resemble the crest of a pheonix have also become popular among the young fengren women. Jewelry is not that common an accessory since much of it can lend an enemy a weakness to exploiit or cannot be worn under armor.

    Culture and Cultural Heritage

    Given the military nature of their society, the fengren's most enduring cultural trait is their battle prowess and their military code of conduct. A code which is similar to the code of the ancient warrior society of the wushi, but not exact. The primary rule of the code, of course, being self-discipline. To the fengren mind, the Soldier's Code is what separates them from other warriors. To them, anyone can be a warrior. All one needs to do is pick up a weapon and practice, you don't even need a cause to fight for. Whereas a soldier has comrades, superiors, a family, and a society for which they fight.
    • Self-discipline and restraint, in both actions and emotions is the key to maintaining harmony within oneself, within the unit, and within the army (society) as a whole.
    • Loyalty to one's comrades, leaders, and, above all, to the empress, is the same as being loyal to one's family and the Goddess.
    • Courage on the battlefield and when facing personal strife, the willingness to face danger and adversity without backing down is at the core of a true soldier.
    • Respect to those around onself is what separates a soldier from a common warrior. Showing the proper respect for one's ancestors and superiors, as well as the enemy, is what makes one a genuine soldier.
    • Duty is the fulfilling of one's responsibilities and obligations to the family and society without slacking or shirking is the path a soldier walks every day.
    • Honor is maintaining the Code. This preserves not just personal honor, but the Face of everyone around the soldier from family to unit to the army as a whole.
    • Integrity is keeping to the Code and doing what is right for oneself and society even in the face of harsh difficulty.
    Much of the general culture of the fengren has been inherited from the Dàyáng humans to which they are tied by their goddess.   Even much of their food culture is much the same as the humans. Probably one of the biggest differences between them is that the fengren tend to favor spicy, sometimes overly spicy, foods. Their foods also tend to focus more heavily on what are considered to be Yang-aligned foods like garlic, ginger, peppers, and red meats.

    Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

    Weddings are one of the few times over the course of their lives that the austere fengren manage to actually cut loose a little bit and truly celebrate. Like so many of their other customs, the fengren wedding ceremony shares its roots within the Dàyángren customs.
    Like the Dàyáng, the fengren wedding takes places over a period of three days. Once the courtship phase is done and the fengren couple and their families have decided that the match is compatible, the betrothal letters are exchanged between the families and the matchmaker, who is a priestess herself, is consulted on an auspicious date for the wedding. The most auspicious dates for the fengren are thought to fall within the months of Wood with the most auspicious being the months of Fire. The months of Water are thought to be the most inauspicious for the fire-aspected beings to host a wedding ceremony.
    Much of the rest of the wedding proceeds in the same way as a standard Dàyángren wedding would. After determining the wedding date, both family units collaborate on details such as betrothal gifts, bride and groom price, and the size of the wedding banquet. Several months ahead of the wedding, the groom presents the betrothal gifts, including the bride price, while the bride's unit reciprocates with their gifts, which include the dowry. These transactions are often monetary and given in red envelopes, with gifts typically in even numbers or pairs. Common presents include dragon and phoenix candles, wine, tea, weaponry and armor. The bride receives dragon and phoenix bracers, symbolizing their union. Later, the bridal bed is placed in the couple's future home, followed by a ceremonial feather combing ritual, which involves moonlit feather combing and blessings from female family members. The celebration concludes with the couple sharing tangyuan for a harmonious marriage.
    The day of the wedding, the bride and groom are separately prepared for the ceremony itself in their own homes. The female's head feathers are arranged in an elaborate style meant to resemble the gleaming plumage of the pheonix which is held in place by a golden circlet attached to which is a red veil to hide her features. No fengren would dare to wear even a semblance of the empress' crown. While the male's head feathers are arranged in order to accomodate an elaborately decorated battlefield helmet. They are both dressed in their finest, dress uniforms and their finest armor decorated with their individual units' insignia with ceremonial weaponry present as accessories. The female, of course, has added the Dragon and Phoenix Bracers to the ensemble.
    Within the fengren culture, whomever initiated the courtship, and thus the marriage proceedings, is the one who leads the wedding squad. The wedding squad departs the home camp of the bride or groom under the watchful eye of their commanding officer. Meanwhile, the reception squad waits with the bride or groom, whomever is waiting to be picked up, under the watchful eye of their own commanding officer. The squads, in this instance, is composed of those soldiers closest to the bride or groom of their normal units. Each member of the squad bears their finest regalia and ceremonial weaponry in solidarity with the bride and groom.
    Upon meeting, the partner commanding the wedding squad stops just outside the gates of the other camp and demands that the other partner and the reception squad surrender and come peacefully to the wedding site. The ceremonial answer is, of course, a strong negative as the gates open and the reception squad rushes through to meet the wedding squad in a ceremonial battle for control of the wedding party. Of course, death and crippling injury is forbidden, but otherwise the ceremonial battle is a completely real test of skill between the two parties. The winner of the contest is decided once a "death blow" is dealt to either the bride or groom and said winner takes control of the wedding party. The winner's family unit takes the place of honor on the first day of the wedding ceremony and their insignia are prominently displayed above the wedding table at the feast. Upon their arrival, after the ceremonial battle, the bride and groom walk down a red carpet together to the accompaniment of drums and celebratory fireworks. Regardless of their individual rank, they are considered to be equals for the three nights of their wedding ceremonies.
    The bride and groom kowtwo three times to thank the heavens, their parents and commanding officers, and each other for their joy. The bride and groom then pay respects to the Goddess and their ancestors before serving tea to their families and officers. After which there is another ceremonial combat where the bride and groom fight together to fend off masked soldiers chosen to symbolize the challenges they will face together in life. There are three of these ceremonial fights taking place on each night of the wedding. After the first ceremonial combat, the bride and groom are led away to the bridal chamber for the night. Once there, before their witnesses, they exchange the symbolic weapons of the sword and bow, pledging to support and defend each other against all enemies.
    The wedding banquets, themselves, are not much different, either symbolically or iiterally, from the standard Dàyángren affairs. The main difference being the ceremonial battles with the bride and groom before the start of each feast.   Pregnancy among the fengren follows many of the same rituals as those of the Dàyáng humans they serve. The woman thanks the ancestors and the Goddess at the closest shrine to her unit block upon discovering that she is pregnant. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, it is officially announced to her family, unit, and commanding officers. During the pregnancy, the female is excused from strenuous work and any, and all, training regimens until after the birth and the sitting in period. During the pregnancy, they are encouraged to eat protein- and calcium-rich foods like meats, tofu, sesame, and leafy greens. They are admonished from eating Yin-aligned foods such as raw vegetables or cold foods. In fact, many fengren women develop allergies to such things during their pregnancies. They, in fact, tend to develop more powerful cravings for Yang-aligned foods such as peppers, ginger, garlic, red meats, seafood, walnuts, and brown rice.   After giving birth, fengren women adhere to the Zuo Yue Zi, wherein they spend thirty days in seclusion for rest and healing. During this time, they continue consume protein-rich foods like pig knuckles with ginger and black vinegar to aid recovery and milk production. As previously mentioned, any strenuous activity, outdoor exposure, and contact with water are discouraged, as water is associated with the Yin Principle and seen as potentially detrimental to the woman's healing, focused on restoring Yang energy. Fathers perform offerings and prayers for the mother and child's well-being. The end of this period is celebrated as the child's first "Full Moon," or man yue, signifying their integration into the community with themes of health and happiness. The mother and baby are cleansed, and the baby is adorned in red with gold accessories to present to the ancestors and gods. Visitors receive symbolic gifts like red-dyed eggs and give the baby small valuable items to mark the occasion. Shortly after this, the baby's first, official name is written into the Military Registry with its family unit.   From nearly the time of their first steps, fengren children, called from this point xueyuan, are trained in the martial ways. The sometimes brutal training takes place throughout their lives with the children of a unit block all being trained together. Though they are also taught the basics of reading, writing, and math, the majority of their time is spent training in a multitude of weaponry, hand-to-hand fighting, military tactics and strategies, proper marching order, formations, woodcraft and survival training, athletics, meditation and how to control the Fires Within.
    Once the xueyuan are considered to have mastered their training, usually between 50 and 80 years of age, they are given their first, true rank within the military society and are considered to be adults. Since there are often multiple children gaining rank at the same time, these coming-of-age ceremonies are more akin to academy graduations than the more usual naming ceremonies which take place in other parts of the empire. Otherwise, the ceremony itself is much the same as that for the Dàyángren. The children graduate out of their training uniforms and, for the first time, are given standard military uniforms and a dress uniform. They are assisted by an older soldier, usually a brother, sister, mother, or father, into their dress uniforms. The graduating class then, as a whole, marches in formation to the Great Chaoxue Shrine at the heart of the fortress complex. Once there, their training officer gives them their first ceremonial blades which they unsheath and slash their palms as a symbolic offering to the Goddess. Showing their intention to give their life to serve her will and that of the House which bears her name.
    Their training officer then gives a speech on his pride in them and admonishes them on the tenets of the Soldier's Code and to always uphold it. Then the Command Ranks, from lowest to highest, give their own speeches until the First Rank General, who gives a speech and blesses the newly graduated class. With that, the formal ceremonies are done, the class is allowed to disperse and doff their dress uniforms for the standard ones and participate in the feast which is held in the Central Courtyard. It is only after this that the new adults are issued the weapons and armor with which they were found to be most qualified during training.   Though, in theory, the death rites of the fengren are, again, much the same as those practiced by many of the other races, in practice they differ in one, fairly significant aspect. That being that, while many of the standards rites of death and grieving are taking place, the "deceased" one is still alive.
    Due to the conflagrant nature of the Nei Huo, it is often very evident when an individual phoenix folk is nearing the end of their life. Though accidents can happen, a watch is always set upon an individual who has demonstrated an inability to control the Fires Within. If it is evident that the individual cannot control themselves, either through some illness, impairment, or infirmity, they are immediately taken to what is known as a Watch Cell. The Watch Cells are underground rooms which, though not uncomfortable, are made completely of stone and charmed to be resistent to even the flames of the phoenix. Incidentally, the heads of the beds in these rooms are always pointed north. If whatever is causing the uncontrolled behavior can be cured, the individual is sent back to their unit once the danger has passed. If, however, it is incurable or due to old age, the individual is left in the room and the preparations for their passing are made.
    A white cloth banner is hung over the gate to their unit block to signify that a soldier is passing. Then the obituary notices are sent out to notify any family that are as-yet unaware which detail the approximate time the individual has until the Fires consume them. The family then gathers and special, white, mourning uniforms are issued to the immediate family, while black are issued to more distant relations. These are the uniforms they will wear during the three year mourning period. Though they will continue to be taken care of during the interim, all commissions are to be resigned and duties of rank delayed by the immediate family for the mourning period to both reflect filial piety and to ensure that grief doesn't affect their duties.
    During this time, the dying one is dressed in white, funereal garb, and is well attended by their family and priests, and made as comfortable as possible. A funereal shrine is set up in the family's main hall so as not to disturb the one who is passing, and guests are encouraged to pay their respects at the shrine after visiting Watch Cell to say their final goodbyes.
    Once the Fires have consumed the individual, offerings of food and prayers are offered at the shrine with the assistance of a priest. The family then enters the now-empty Watch Cell to gather the deceased's ashes into a funeral urn. The urn will sit in the family shrine for the duration of the mourning period, after which it will be transported to the family grave and placed inside with the other ancestors.   The Phoenix Empress' birthday is always observed and celebrated by the fengren. Throughout the day, duties are suspended and those who are able make special pilgrimages to the Forbidden City of Phoenix and Dragon in order to pay their respects to her and the Goddess at the Grand Shrine. Hopefully, maybe even catch sight of Her Imperial Highness while there. Those who are unable to make the journey, instead visit the Great Chaoxue Shrine to pray for her good health and long reign and to thank the Goddess for her gifts. Banquets are prepared on this day and the celebrations often last long into the night.

    Common Taboos

    Not properly caring for one's equipment is a fairly large taboo among the phoenixkin. One's equipment is considered to be considered to be a part of their very being, and properly cared for equipment can save one's life. Therefore, anyone who shirks their duties to properly maintain their equipment can face societal shunning at the very least.   Along that same line, a disheveled appearance is not just considered unattractive, it can be indicative of a scattered, lazy mind, and can reflect upon one's upbringing, training, and superior officers. A disorganized mind is a dangerous one among the phoenix folk as it can lead to the loss of control of the Nei Huo. Properly caring for one's appearance through regular bathing, nail trimming, washing and maintaining of uniforms, etc., is emblematic of a clear, focused mind more than capable of controlling the Fires Within. A continuous, slovenly appearance can not just lead to societal shunning, but official discipline as well.   Going AWOL is not just considered to be a dereliction of duty, but to be spitting in the face of one's family, the ancestors, the empress, and the Goddess herself. This taboo is immediately punishable through the corporal disciplne of caning. If the behavior continues, the punishments stack and get more severe with time in the brig, corvee labor, and, ultimately, death. These punishments can even be levied upon one's family unit and traininig officers.    Dereliction of duty is much the same as being AWOL. Though the punishment often meets the severity of the crime. Falling asleep while on watch in the Chaoxue? That generally amounts to nothing more than extra duties, possibly a caning if the officer is a real hardass. This taboo can also include actions such as being disrespectful to one of the nobles of the Immaculate House. Something which would definitely get one caned, if not time in the brig.    Cowardice is one taboo that is not tolerated among the fengren. If an individual is found to have exhibited cowardice in the face of an enemy, especially if that cowardice resulted in the deaths of other soldiers, that crime will result in execution.

    History

    The history of the fengren doesn't stretch back into the unrecorded mists of time the way that it does for the other races. They were not created by Takami-musubi, the god of life. They, in fact, were not created until after the Kami Daisensou, when the world was still rebuilding itself after the dark god was struck down. They were created by Amaterasu, whom the fengren call the Phoenix Goddess.
    After the chaos of the Kami Daisensō the races of the world were mostly scattered. The previous, feudal governments and kingdoms had been broken and cast down. Many of the Great Houses were lost and those that remained were a shadow of their former glory. Though elated by their victory over the dark god, the peoples of the land were lost, and infighting began again; heralding the return of the endless clan wars during the Age of the Bushi. Although she was exhausted from the battles against her dark brother, the Phoenix Goddess, Amaterasu, gave some of her own life force to craft a people in order to protect the world that was left.
    She took the feathers of the great phoenix and the blood of mortal men, molding and shaping, and crafted into their forms the boundless fires of the sun, the Great Yang, itself, and set upon them the task of protecting her descendant, the Phoenix Empress and her Household.
    Being a keen, military mind the Phoenix Empress immediately set to turning her new subjects into an elite military force. Firstly, through the asceticism and rigid discipline of military life she taught them to control their passions and the Inner Fire to be able to utilize them at will to devastating means on the fields of battle. Secondly, she organized their society into a meritocratic, military hierarchy so that the discipline and teachings she'd instilled in them would be able to be maintained without her oversight and so that only the cream of the crop would rise to the top. Thirdly, she installed their ancestral home firmly within the territory of the Immaculate House of the Phoenix, and set the best warriors of the race as the Fènghuáng shàobīng to guard both the imperial city as the Imperial Guard and their Imperial Highnesses as the Palace Guard, and the Imperial Bodyguards. She then set up several other Talon Corps and stationed them throughout the then-nascent empire to act as elite troops and imperial guard units when Their Imperial Highnesses were on campaign. Lastly, she used the Wing Corps as her fist.
    In the intervening years between the defeat of the Dark God and the Imperial Seats finally grasping and asserting their dominance and divine authority, any number of smaller clans and warlords had cropped up. Taking advantage of the many power vacuums left behind, these opportunistic warlords and clans took full advantage in attempts to wipe out their traditional enemies and wrest control of the lands for themselves. The empress flew into the midst of this burgeoning chaos with her phoenix soldiers at her back. Smiting all those who stood against her with her fiery fist. It took many years and many campaigns, but whether through martial means or the more diplomatic means of her brother, the Dragon Emperor, the most obstinate warlords were finally crushed, and the empire was finally, officially, brought under its rightful rulers.
    Without the Empress and her fengren soldiers, the period of warring states would have begun all over again and the empire as it is known would have never been.
    Genetic Ancestor(s)
    Origin/Ancestry
    Asia, Fenghuang, Phoenix
    Lifespan
    300 years
    Average Height
    5.5 - 6.0 ft
    Average Weight
    130 - 200 lbs
    Average Physique
    Fengren tend to be tall and slender, their frames packed with lean muscle from a militaristic lifestyle.
    Geographic Distribution

    Fengren Traits

    Starting Attributes - +2 Grace, +1 Passion.
     
    Alignment - Fengren are Yang aligned.
     
    Night-sight - allows for vision in near-perfect darkness due to life in darker conditions.
     
    Fires Within - immune to fire. Can siphon off healing Yang energies from fire. Expend a number of Qi points equal to Vigor, then roll against DC of Vigor. If successful, the success threshold is the number of Health points restored.
     
    Excess of Yang - Yang energies expressed as excess heat expelled from body. If not suppressed the heat deals 1d4 + Passion in damage to anyone touching them. 
     
    Death Throes - Upon death, the fengren's body explodes into a fireball with a 20' radius. Any hostile in that area takes a number of dice of damage equal to the fengren's character rank.
     
    Starting Face: +3
    Starting Qi: +6

     

    This species has multiple parents, only the first is displayed below.
    All parents:

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