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Geography
Kala Ree is a fairly large basin tucked away in a mountain range known as the Crest. Meltwater from the mountains constantly flows into the basin, forming a large number of little streams and creeks that pool in placid ponds, or sometimes run together to form rivers. Eventually, all water reaches the largest river, which is called the Kellis Waterway or the Kellis River. The Kellis runs almost directly south down the entirety of Kala Ree, eventually cutting a deep canyon through the southern border of the Crest. Kellis Canyon is the primary way to enter Kala Ree from the outside, though there are also cave systems in the mountainsides that are rumored to lead outside as well. Kyriders are often posted there just in case someone from the outside might find this secluded haven.
The majority of Kala Ree is covered in rocky, rolling foothills and ancient green forests. It never gets particularly warm or cold, and though it does get a lot of rain, snow is a rarity.
WIP
A lot of this information is going to be moving to a forum for easier management and linking. For my own sanity, here's how the thread setup is going to work.
Thread title: Fauna. Each post will have one of Kala Ree's species.
Thread title: Flora. Each post will have information about a plant species.
Thread title: Language. Language info in main post, sample words in the next.
Thread Title: History. A timeline of history information.
Thread title: Members. A detailed membership list, just because I can't figure out where else it should live (other than maybe here on the settings page)
Thread Title: Religion and Magic.
Thread title: Marriage and Children.
Should the rest of the setting info be there?
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Culture, History, and Tech
I've arranged this section as a list of bulletized nuggets for easier perusal!
- Bronze Age: Kala Ree is considered a bronze age culture. Technologies that exist include: smelting bronze, writing (mostly used for record keeping), the pottery wheel, arithmetic, astronomy, year-round agriculture, weaving and carding, glassblowing, etc.
- Currency: Kala Ree's economy mostly functions on a barter system, but beads of all kinds are emerging as a semi-stable currency.
- Social Structures: There is very little social stratification in Kala Ree. Democracy exists on a small scale, with each settlement electing a mayor who rules until death or the public decides to elect someone new. Communities pool their resources to survive.
- War and Combat: Kala Ree has never seen a major war, though occasionally neighbors may squabble over boundaries or crops. Serra are never trained in the art of battle; the closest thing they have to weapons are the bronze knives and hammers they use as tools. Some do practice a martial art similar to judo that involves throwing and locking the opponent rather than dealing damage.
- Religious Beliefs: Serra don't have a rigid religion, but there are a couple of very common spiritual practices. Serra believe that all natural things (plants, people, animals, rocks, etc.) have a spirit, and when animals are slaughtered for food or plants are used for tools, that spirit should be honored. Serra also hold their ancestors in high regards, and may pray to them for guidance in difficult times. Tokens of past generations like jewelry, combs, etc. are highly revered and are generally used on days of importance. (For instance, a Serra might brush their hair with an old family comb on the day they're going to attend a Kyrka hatching.) Serra will sometimes find a quiet place to pray to their ancestors when they need guidance. A small offering of food may be left out in an attempt to please the ancestors. Shamans are holy people who assist other Serra in contacting the spirits, reading fortunes, healing the spirit, and so forth.
- Magic: Outright magic is uncommon. There are no wizards, mages, etc, and no dramatic elemental spells like fireballs. Magical healing exists, mostly in the form of potions. Alchemical solutions provide a wide range of effects. There is also divination magic and bardic magic, as well as other ways of affecting the emotions of Serra, animals, and Kyrka.
- Tried and True: Kala Ree hasn't changed much in many decades. Technology is slow-going, and though scholarly Serra often study their basin home, knowledge rarely flows in from the outside world. Serra are fairly set in their ways, and generally aren't a fan of new ideas.
- The First Kyrider: Serra and Kyrka have been cohabiting Kala Ree Basin for many generations. Neither race can recall the first bond, though legends speak of a pure-white Kyrka named Salla whose bondmate was named Sern. This pair may not have founded the Kyriders, but they did organize them into a formidable protective force.
- Treetop Villages: Serra are a fairly arboreal race, and so prefer the comfort of the canopies. They construct wooden houses high in the branches. Some of these are multistory and quite large. They aren't the sturdiest of abodes, however, and need constant repair. Total replacement is also fairly frequent. These houses are connected by rope ladders and bridges to form villages at the hearts of the ancient forests.
- Agriculture: Almost all Serra have gardens and some have farms in the few meadows and plains in Kala Ree. They cultivate seeds, nuts, berries, fruit, and flax. Livestock are rarely raised for meat, though Nuru herds are kept for wool and milk. Silkworm colonies are raised in the southern part of the basin.
- Clothing: Serra wear simple clothing made of linen, wool, leaves, leather, silk, and hides. Due to the moderate climate, they tend toward less coverage, with men generally wearing knee-length pants and an open vest, and women wearing the same but also a chest wrap. Both genders also wear sleeveless or elbow-length shirts, kilts, headbands, and sashes. Children are usually clothed in skirts, kilts, and dresses, which are harder for them to grow out of. Serra do enjoy dying their clothes. Most of their dyes are varying shades of greens, browns, off-white, greys, yellows, and reds. Black, blue, or purple clothes are extremely rare, though muted hues of these colors aren't unheard of.
- Children: Children born to two Kyriders will be raised in the Kyrider caverns among the Kyrka. They generally aren't coddled and are often raised by everyone instead of just their parents. They're expected to help considerably with chores and are raised with more discipline than children outside the sanctum. Children born out in normal Serran society generally enjoy a little bit more leisure and playtime, and are raised a bit more directly by their parents, though the entire village does still have a say in the parenting. It's almost like all the adults that aren't parents sort of act like aunts and uncles.
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Kyriders
Current Alpha: Laylar and Sarasha
Current Betas: None
A Kyrider can refer to a bonded Serra, a bonded Kyrka, or the pair as a whole. They are the guardians of Kala Ree, protecting its denizens against threats from the mountains and helping to provide food. They are highly esteemed in Kala Ree Society.
The Kyriders live in a cavern system in the northeast, but they also maintain several outposts around the perimeter of the basin. Most of these are now abandoned or even overrun by frostmauls.
When a Serra bonds, they leave their old life and start a new one as a Kyrider. They move from their treetop homes into the cliffs and caves bordering Kala Ree, where their Kyrka bondmates are more comfortable living. This isn't to say that Kyriders are totally separate from normal Serran society--they often visit their old homes and socialize with their old friends.
The Kyriders are led by the Alpha, a female Kyrka (and by extension, her Serran bondmate). Though not always the eldest female Kyrka, she is always fully mature, and determines when and by whom clutches of eggs should be laid. She has the final say in any Kyrider matter and does everything from finding potential bondmates for hatchlings to organizing large-scale hunts.
The Betas are the Alpha's most trusted advisers. There are usually from 2 to 5 of them at any one time, though it's possible for there to be none. This is left up to the Alpha. They enjoy a position of power and are often assigned to a particular field of activity such as hunting, training young Kyriders, or guarding the Kala Ree borders. The next Alpha is frequently chosen from the Betas.
To bolster diversity, the Alpha will sometimes allow other female Kyrka to breed. If any female Kyrka produces a clutch without permission, she may be subject to punishment, sometimes as severe as exile from the sanctum or all of Kala Ree. Traditionally, the Alpha waits until the current batch of Kyrlets is fully grown before sanctioning the next clutch.
Non-Kyrider Serra also live in the sanctum as workers who like to be near the majestic beasts, or who are waiting for their chance to bond. The roles they might fulfill are cooks, maids, herders, healers, etc.
Several large Nuru herds are maintained close to the sanctum to provide an assured source of food for Kyrka, who will also hunt wild game. Occasionally wild animals--even feral Kyrka--may pose a threat to these herds, especially so near the mountains.
Currently there aren't many Kyriders left due to increased frostmaul hostility and the lack of recent clutches, but their numbers are making a slow recovery.
WIP History
The current year is 667.
642: Clutch
653: The last clutch from the prior Alpha.
655: Sarasha becomes Alpha.
657: The Incident at the Crags of Dirsala'ah. Sarasha lays a clutch, but it wasn't viable.
659: The exile of Myrak Copper from the sanctum.
663: Sarasha lays her first viable clutch.
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Language
The Serran language is melodious and fluid, often sounding like chiming bells or running water. For sample words, use WordGen. Click Load, and enter this as the template:Quote:Serran
cvkv cvcv cvcv cvcv cvcvc cvcvcv cvcvcvcv cvkvn cvcvn cvcvcvn cvkvcv cvkvv cvcvb cmcvn cmcv cmkv cvcv cvcv cvkv cvkv cmcv cmkv vcvn vcvcv vkvn vcvn vkm vcm cmcvcm cvcvcm cvkvcm cmkvcm vkvcv vcv vcm
c{s r k l s r l s r l t k n m w th sh v}
v{a e a i u}
k{rr ll cc rk lk lr sr ls nm mn ln mr}
b{h 'ah}
m{ey ai ii aa ay ei}
n{rr ll s r l s r l s r l t n m th sh}
Then just keep pressing Next until it gives you the Generate Words option. Put in a number, then click Generate Words. It will give you a list of random words in the Serran language! These can be used as place or character names, or just random tidbits of vocabulary. If you can't figure it out, refer to the following list for example words.
tyra
tekarale
saisel
rarkala
kai
wavash
kerrei
lelerall
ririsa
sala
rirra
melira
ikee
sirila
kaira
sillalaira
seleli
sirrasa
kirrise
raalka
keseh'ah
kaari
lalla
sele
ratela
rylla
kalla
ryli
reli
lasala
emaaseena
taari
karal
karraa
lekela
kuleraku
raylra
seikel
lakatili
saiccu
kurkenii
tulu
anmai
shenmera
sarikar
kimam
All Serra have a first name (similar to the above) and a family name. Family names are passed down from one of the parents to the child (the parents decide at birth). These names have meaning still, and so are generally not depicted in Serran. Potential family names include: Lastbrook, Green, Whisper, Riverrun, Tallshade, Stone, etc. Children will generally inherit part of both of their parents' names--for example, a Wish and a Softfeather might name their child a Softwish. It also isn't uncommon to just take part of one of the parents' names. A wife doesn't take her husband's name when they get married.