Kairei

Kairei initially have the appearance of a Griffon from Earth's Greek mythology.   They have beaked heads, mammal-like eyes and faces, and powerful bodies reminiscent of large felines. The insides of their beak are lined with a row of sharp, conical teeth; these teeth are used for grasping prey, not chewing.   A long, swooping tail provides them with balance on the ground, in trees, and in the air. The base of the tail supports a fantastical display of feathers, and the first few caudal vertebrae are fused to provide support to the display feathers. The feathers are cumbersome but are an honest indicator of health and vitality. Some individuals choose to remove these feathers to provide better mobility, while others flaunt them and decorate them with jewelry.   Their front feet have four fingers and an opposable thumb. The last digit is semi-opposable, giving them a superb grip and dextrous hands. The claws on these hands are short and blunt, used more for grasping objects than wounding prey. The back feet have four toes, designed for pushing off surfaces rather than gripping. They are equipped with powerful talons that are deployed while hunting. Kairei wings only superficially resemble bird wings. The internal anatomy is very different, bearing more resemblance to the hand structure of a pterosaur than a bird. They have three strong digits on the hand of each wing, capable of gripping branches and manipulating tools.   Kairei are able to manipulate their environment using both their front feet/hands and the "hands" on their wings. Their primary hands are more dextrous, but the wing hands offer a way to carry objects and tools while the main hands are otherwise busy. Many Kairei use their four grasping hands in concert, performing tasks with far more precision and speed than any human could. Imagine cooking with four hands instead of two! Or being able to hold a board in place while you hammer your nails.   Many Kairei are also capable of manipulating elemental magic. Specifically the plants and environment around them. They use this to their advantage when building dwellings or crafting supplies.   Most Kairei are lean and fit, but some individuals may lean towards being overweight or underweight. Being overweight, however, would prevent flight entirely. A Kairei's weight and mass prevents them from achieving flight at ground-level. They must launch themselves from a tree, a cliff, or some other structure that provides height. Kairei compensate for this by being adept climbers, and are superb at navigating the maze of a tree canopy; so while they may not be able to fly for long distances, they can outmanuever anything of similar size.   To support their body's demands for oxygen during flight, Kairei possess a unidirectional respitory system. It is comprised of two pairs of lungs and airsacs spread throughout the body. The first pair of lungs is responsible for the intake of oxygen, while the second pair diffuses carbon dioxide. A small artery pump helps circulate blood through the lungs, reducing any strain on the heart.

Average lifespan: 50-80 years with medical care and modern comforts. 30-50 years without medical care.   A Kairei’s lifespan and development are like that of Earth birds. They hatch from speckled, pale blue eggs and take 5-6 weeks to develop. Kairei chicks have a small egg-tooth on the tip of their beak that they use to break free of their egg. This egg-tooth usually falls off after a few days, though in rare cases it may instead harden and follow the chick into adulthood.   Kairei chicks hatch about the size of a large cat and are covered in soft, downy feathers. Down feathers range from off-white colors to light browns. Their adult colors do not begin to show until a chick molts into their first set of fledgling feathers. Day old chicks are capable of crawling for short distances, lifting their head, and shrieking for food. They must be fed every few hours for the first few weeks. Adult Kairei produce a milky-white substance in their crop called crop milk. Crop milk is full of essential fats, vitamins, proteins, and immune boosting elements. Without crop milk a hatchling will not survive past its first few weeks of life.   Kairei chicks grow quickly. By four months, a chick can walk and will have begun to develop their first set of fledgling feathers. Adult colors are muted in fledgling feathers, but their true colors begin to be discernable at this time. Fledglings will also have begun to eat solid foods, though they will continue to be supplemented by their parents’ crop milk for an additional month to a year. The exact timeframe depends on individual parenting practices and the development rate of the chick.   Once a fledgling reaches year two, their physical and mental development skyrocket. They become highly curious of their environment and may begin to mimic the various sounds that they hear, including language. Most chicks are as large as a medium-sized dog by now and are often carted around on the backs of their parents. To stimulate their mental development chicks should be provided puzzles as well as other sensory stimulating toys. It is also important to strengthen their wing muscles in preparation for learning to fly.   By age four to five, chicks develop their first set of true-color plumage. This occasion is highly celebrated, much like a birthday for human children. These feathers can support the chicks in flight, and their pre-flight training becomes earnest flight training. Flight is a highly important skill for Kairei, and chicks are expected to know how to fly by the time they start attending lessons at Mother Tree. By now chicks are also capable of basic speech and they are capable of grasping concepts far too complex for a human of an equivalent age.   Between the ages of five and ten, the emotional and mental development of juveniles takes precedence over their physical growth. Their brain development outpaces that of humans. As a result, young Kairei are often consumed by an insatiable desire to learn and explore beyond their known environments.   At fifteen years of age, Kairei are physically mature, but some may not reach full size for a few more years. At age sixteen most young Kairei undergo the Rite of Rebirth. Once the right is completed a Kairei is considered a fully-fledged adult of society.   Kairei are capable of reproducing around ages 14 (female) and 13 (male). However, society demands that they must wait to start a family until after their Rite of Rebirth. As in any society, accidents and misjudgments do occur. Young mothers can choose to either destroy their eggs (the equivalent of breaking an early-stage chicken egg) or give them to an adult willing to raise the new chicks. Absolutely no expectations are placed on young parents to raise their young, and society does not spurn them for the accident either. Accidental clutches are exceedingly rare, however. Most Kairei are very well educated on sexual body functions and several forms of contraception are available, both for males and females.   Note: Kairei development is not comparable to human development. A 15-year-old Kairei is usually more advanced than an 18-year-old human. Mentally, a 20-year-old Kairei is roughly equivalent to a 26-year-old human (life experiences excluded).

Kairei are native to the forest that surrounds Mother Tree, though they have proven to be highly adaptable and can survive in a wide range of environments. Their tendency towards nature magic allows them to shape their environment as they need. Kairei do best in moderate climates with a gentle shift between seasons, but their thick plumage allows them to regulate their temperature beyond their comfort zone. Hatchlings, however, are more sensitive to temperature change, and do not do well in extreme heat or cold.

Opportunistic omnivores with a leaning towards carnivory, Kairei can eat almost anything. Their diet usually consists of 80% meat (including fish), 15% vegetable matter, and 5% of other edible matter (including eggs, insects, nuts, and crustaceans). Modern Kairei have begun to see a shift in their diet, due to the dwindling numbers of wild herds and struggling livestock industry. This alternative balance consists of 65% meat, 25% vegetable matter, and 10% other edible matter. Please note that Kairei cannot survive on a strictly vegetarian or carnivorous diet. They require nutrients from both food groups to prevent malnutrition.

Kairei have superb binocular and day vision, similar to predatory birds of Earth. Their night vision, however, is extremely poor; they struggle to see in the dark without the aid of a light source.   Kairei have fairly average hearing, though they are capable of detecting a wider range of sound than humans. They are also better at pinpointing the origin-source of a sound.   A Kairei's sense of taste is on-par with a human's abilities, though they have a wider palatte range in regard to meats.   Kairei have an excellent sense of smell. It, alongside their vision, is used to help track down prey. Some Kairei train themselves to detect certain diseases via smell, and others can tell if a food-product has gone bad long before they can see it.   Touch sensitivity is on par with humans, in their hands and extremeties. Otherwise it is similar to a bird, with relation to their feathers.   Kairei trained to use elemental magic can often detect when magic is being used or has recently been used nearby.   They cannot detect non-elemental magic.

Kairei communicate via complex body language and verbal language. Their use of specific consonants and vowels is limited, as they have to lips to produce labial sounds or bilabial stops.   Their main language, Kairus, is spoken by almost all Kairei across Eld. The meaning of a phrase can change entirely depending on the pitch of the words as well as body language. There are various dialects of Kairus as well. As a result, their language can be difficult to learn for outsiders.   Kairei have also developed a "trade language" that is simpler and more reliant on sentence structure than pitch or body language. It is commonly known as Sailabrun and originated during early trade attempts between the Kairei and the Magnari. It is a combination of the native language of the two species in the provinces of Sailara and Molbrun.   Most Kairei learn Sailabrun along-side Kairus at an early age. It is the official written and "business" language for the Kairei of Sailara.   To note; Kairus has no written form.   Skilled scribes in Kairei society can listen to a conversation in Kairus and translate it directly to Sailabrun. These skilled inidividuals are highly sought after, as arguements in official proceedings may sometimes break away from Sailabrun to Kairus, but they must still be recorded.   As a result of this difference in languages, much of Kairei history is known from oral stories passed on from previous generations. Since the advent of Sailabrun, scribes have attempted to document as many of these stories as possible.   Sadly, much of a culture's history can change with each retelling of a story. As a result, there are conflicting topics of transcribed history, or timelines that are completely blank! As loved and cherished as the native Kairus language is, historians and scholars have begun to recognize the importance of the written word.

General

Most members of the Kairei are fastidious about their grooming and personal hygiene. Feathers will not grow in healthy if a Kairei is not clean, and tattered feathers do not lend well to flight. Bright and healthy feathers are highly cherished by mates and friends in social groups.   Singing is common among Kairei communities. The pitch variance of Kairus fits well into song. There are times an entire settlement may take part in song as it weaves its way through the various parts of the city, town, or village.   Kairei are sometimes considered to be flamboyant by outside races. Who wouldn't be when gifted such fabulous tail feathers?  

Rite of Rebirth

^{Ceremonial Garb for the Rite of Rebirth}   The Rite of Rebirth is a celebration of young Kairei passing into adulthood. It consists of a period of fasting, body cleansing, and meditation. When the fasting starts, the individual undergoing the rite drinks a tincture of nectar brewed from Mother Tree's flowers. It is believed that the nectar cleanses the body of evil spirits and gives the imbiber the strength needed to face their internal demons.   A special room is provided in Mother Tree. Here they fast for three days and isolate themselves from their friends and family to undergo guided meditation. On the fourth day, the individual is bathed by Mother Tree caretakers, preened, and adorned in ceremonial robes. They are then guided to the seedling grove, where their friends and family await them.   When they arrive, they are gifted a seed of Mother Tree by the caretakers. They are blessed and bound to the seed in a ritual similar to Bloodstone or Soulstone binding. The individual is wrapped in a protective cocoon made of various fabrics, and given a tincture made from Mother Tree's bark. The bark induces a hallucinogenic, near death-like state. As the tincture takes hold the individual is then buried in specially prepared soil at the base of Mother Tree.   The dreams experienced during the ritual vary between individuals, but it is usually a deeply profound experience. Most Kairei keep the experience to themselves, though others may feel driven to share. Those that share usually do so privately with a caretaker, trusted family-member, or trusted friend.   When the individual awakes, they are pulled from the soil and their cocoon by the caretakers. They are given a tonic to cleanse their system of the bark-tea. The seed is left behind, where it will be tended to by caretakers and eventually grow to become a part of the Mother Tree.   The individual is then guided from the seedling grove by their friends and family. They are triumphantly presented to the gathered members of society as a fully-fledged adult. Feasting and partying follows the Rite of Rebirth, celebrating the success of the ritual and their new place in society.   Many Kairei choose to visit their seedling throughout their life, and often help care for it. Being so close to their bonded seed provides many individuals with a sense of peace, perspective, and hope for the future. So long as the seed grows, a Kairei knows they will always be a child of Mother Tree.

The Honor Guard

The Honor Guard is a military unit, rather than an individual. They were instrumental in the defense of Sailara during the Blight invasion of year 445 SBE. Their actions saved thousands of lives and allowed the settlements closest to Sailara's borders to evacuate safely. The soldiers of The Honor Guard fought bravely and ferociously - unfortunately, when the barrier wall finally appeared none of The Guard remained standing.   Their leader, General Olanu, was among the first to fall. They say she felled a great beast, even after it had delivered a fatal blow, to save the life of a mother and child. Instead of breaking rank, Olanu's unit charged the forces of the Shadow-Blight, her name their war-cry and their pledge. Hundreds of soldiers fell that day, but they will forever be remembered as Sailara's elite.   The Honor Guard has its own burial chamber beneath the Mother Tree. It is carefully guarded and well maintained by Mother Tree's caretakers. Every year a ceremony is held to honor them. It is both a somber and cheerful event.

Relationships with other species is a foreign concept for the majority of Kairei. They have not had much interaction with outside species, aside from governmental trade relations. Interpersonal relationships with others, such as the Magnari, are still new. In general, society would likely be confused over why an individual would pick a non-Kairei for a mate, but reactions to the relationship would vary depending on the individual.