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Tears of Magic - Sky Clan

Published: August 29th 2021, 9:01:14 pm

A race of anthropomorphic birds. They have a great variety of plumage in their tails, ears and wings. Some have more bird features like beaks and bird legs, while others have more human features. Those differences come from hundreds of years ago, when their homeland ruled over half the continent under the motto "everything beneath the sky belongs to Zephyria", allowing miscegenation.

The sky clan, also known as Zephyrians, hold great pride on their natural affinity to wind, which allows them to fly. They usually look down on "crawlers", as they call those that can't fly, even dividing their own clan in those who can fly and those who cannot, despite having wings. Loss of flight ability is a result of mixing with other races, reducing wind affinity. This consequence of interbreeding makes racism extremely common among Zephyrian nobility.

Their homeland is called Zephyria, to the south of Banrir and east of Alcesta. There, society is divided between upper class and lower class. Those who can fly live in the capital, studying to become merchants, scholars and officers for the army. Those who lack the ability to fly are forced to live in the Valleys of Wind, doing manual labor like farming or mining while being trained to become land soldiers.

There are three ways for a crawler to "ascend" and be allowed to live in the capital. First, outstanding crawlers can be promoted to leaders of farmers, miners, land soldiers or other worker classes, acting as links between the capital and the Valleys. Second, they can ascend if they become proficient enough in the wind element, learning to fly on their own. Last, they are allowed to live in the capital if they have enough money, usually only possible for those that grew outside the Valleys of Wind. Because of the dream of ascension, crawlers have a tendency to be highly disciplined and hard workers.

After the fall of Zephyria's empire, they started being ruled by the "Four Wings", elders selected by accomplishment in the four pillars. First elder is a military officer, second elder is a merchant, third elder is a scholar and fourth elder is a civil servant. Succession happens when one of the Wings is unable to rule, being replaced by the most outstanding Zephyrian noble in that pillar.

Religion plays a big role in the Sky Clan society, guiding their traditions, morals and laws. They worship the Sky Mother and follow instructions of the Saint, leader of their faith. The word of the saint is seen as direct commands of the "one true Goddess", giving the Saint authority over the Four Wings and allowing it to act as the real ruler of Zephyria.