Jindai

Fast Facts

Height: 7ft-12ft

Weight: 200lbs-320lbs

Lifespan: 50-80 years

Notable Features: Height. How they interact with their element. Luminescent eyes.

Player Restrictions: Height might cause difficulties for players as buildings often aren't made with Jastai in mind. Half-breeds are exceedingly rare.

Racial Ability: Companion Of The Elements: All Jastai can extend a slight level of control over the Element that their tribe represents. In addition, this element itself usually can't cause them damage to them, or the damage that it does cause is significantly reduced. The older the Jastai, the more control they learn to exert.

Population: 1,000,000

History

The Ancient Ones

The first Jastai were an unnamed lesser species. They were somewhat akin to animals, not possessing a soul complete enough or large enough for sapience to even be possible. While the original Jastai closely resembled mortals in apperance, even looking somewhat like humans, they didn't truly become mortals until a while after. In truth, the actual reason the Jastai started to become more and more sapient is unknown. Some say Raella took pity on them, others say they were one of Myshala's early tests, there are even those who say it was a different Mist Lord or Dragon God trying their hand at the creation of a mortal race. Or more accurately, the uplifting of an animal race with some kind of potential to become something a bit greater than their original design. How doesn't really matter as much now.

The original Jastai still weren't entirely intelligent by any definition of the word. Their intelligence was lacking compared to some of the older and more established mortal races. Not to mention, there was little in the way of defining features for the early Jastai. They were tall, but their physique was distinctly familiar to that of humans. The early Jastai struggled, it was difficult for them to try and live as a mortal race. It was hard to so much as create a society. Any groups that split off from the First Tribe were almost destined to fail, being killed be one thing or another. The only true benefit the early Jastai had was their raw strength. And even that could be compromised by the proper amount of cunning.

Striking A Deal

A certain Mist Lord decided to take pity on the Jastai, though their name has forever been lost to history. This Mist Lord came to the Jastai when they were young, long before they'd been banned from interfering in mortal affairs, and offered the First Tribe something of a deal. The Jastai would be split into six groups, and each of these smaller tribes would go to one of the six Elemental Planes. The Mist Lord would change their bodies to be able to survive in these Planes, giving them a unique advantage. Whether they returned to Atharen or continued to occupy their new homes would be entirely up to the discretion of the Jastai. Either way, the Mist Lord making the deal made it very clear that they'd become perfectly adapted to live in their new elemental homes, and the cost would be very simple. Some of those early Jastai might have even considered it to be a benefit!

The Jastai would become towering beasts, their bodies imbued with the raw energy of the elements. But, the souls of the Jastai would forever be trapped in a cycle of life, death, and immediate rebirth as a Jastai until one of two things happened. The first method of escape was to give up and serve the Mist Lord who'd first struck the deal with them, entering their domain for all eternity. The second way, the only way to get to the Jastai's afterlife of choice, would be to die in the most spectacular way possible. The exact specification of this requirement were left notably vague. There were no direct instructions on what kind of death this entailed. That didn't matter to the early Jastai, they agreed to the deal and the Mist Lord upheld their end of the bargain.

Six portals were opened, corresponding to the six different elemental realms surrounding Atharen. Water, fire, air, earth, wood, and metal. Each group of the Jastai slowly changed so they could best survive in their new environment. With the deal struck, the Jastai were able to finally get something of a footing.

The Elemental Planes

The six tribes were much smaller than the First Tribe, but they flourished quickly in their new environment. While it was tough for some to adjust they managed. Some had a harder time than others, as finding ways to get things like food and water were difficult in certain planes. Luckily, each plane seemed to have at least one permeate entrance to the water plane, and most of the tribes founded their civilization around that. Food was difficult for others, but the Mist Lord wasn't lying when it said the Jastai would be given the ability to survive. Those who had a harder time accessing food were given the ability to survive without eating for long stretches of time, as well as stronger digestive systems. The Jastai of the metal dimension became more accustomed to eating the creature that lived there and as such their bodies grew quite adept at breaking down actual metals and minerals to use as resources.

There was also the fact that the tribes quickly found ways to contact one another. For the early could of years, the water tribe handled a lot of the trading back and forth. Slowly, other permeate portals were found between planes and things like food could more easily be transported. While the tribes didn't always get along, they still saw one another as companions and family thanks to the fact they all came from the same singular tribe. If anything, they saw one another as cousins. Friends and competition. There were no other mortal races to compete with to get the advantage over one another. So they treated each other like those races, even though they never exactly went to war or squabbled in the way the tori might have fought against the humans.

The one thing that Jastai did become quite adept at fighting and killing were the native creatures of the different planes. This was when they finally started to remember the deal they'd made. The fact they couldn't join a favored afterlife unless they died in a manner that was spectacular. Some Jastai became storytellers, a role that was seen as deeply important to their culture thanks to the fact it passed down knowledge. Most didn't survive long enough to pass that knowledge down. The fact they could never truly die unless they did so in an impressive manner slowly became a focal point for the culture of the Jastai, and as such, few ever lived to a ripe old age as it became seen in a negative light. In the eyes of the Jastai, it made it harder to die wonderfully.

The Bleeding

Just as the Jastai were finally comfortable with their new home and starting to come into their own as a race, something terrible happened. This event they later learned was called the Bleeding. To this day, the Jastai aren't exactly sure what happened. Perhaps the elemental planes also got damaged when Atharen's protective outer layer was pierced. Perhaps Atharen itself called the Jastai back, knowing they would somehow be needed. Either way, for some reason when the Bleeding happened the Jastai, found themselves back on the real of Atharen. They weren't exactly happy about that.

The Jastai quickly discovered their elemental control to be much weaker outside of their respective elemental planes, and it wasn't more than a day before creatures straight from nightmares started attacking them.

Luckily, the Jastai seemed to be the perfect thing for the situation. Between the general hardiness, they possessed through years of dealing with the natural flora and fauna of their respective elemental realms, their high birthrate, and their devil may care attitude regarding their own deaths, the Jastai quickly made a name for themselves during the post Bleeding mess. While some races, like the Awoken, were viewed with extreme prejudice the Jastai were quickly welcomed with open arms. They took on the roles of protectors and began roaming the world in smaller tribes and bands, fighting carelessly and trying to one-up each other for the most outrageous death. Having a batch of Jastai babies abandoned on your doorstep quickly began seen as a good thing.

While not everyone was perfectly accepting of the race and there was a bit confused regarding how old they were as a race and where exactly they'd come from, generally, their read to help disposition and their friendly nature towards the other races helped them to become quickly accepted in the tough times following their arrival.

Striking A Match

The entrance into Atharen proper was like a match being lit for the Jastai. Immediately they fractured even further, smaller tribes forming. While each group of Jastai was ultimately a descendant of one of those six early tribes (sometimes multiple), a number of smaller tribes also started to pop up. Tribes that took on new elements, influenced by the world around them. Some water tribe Jastai slowly started to become ice. Some fire tribe Jastai over time became akin to lightning. The Jastai became diverse and slowly started to get a foothold in Atharen.

They were still accepted, but it wasn't quite with the same open arms sentiment as Atharen finally started to settle down and the rebuilding process began. The Jastai weren't as desperately needed so some places shunned the Jastai, becoming more isolationist. Mostly the cities belonging to some of the prouder or more prejudiced races. Other cities and countries continued to openly welcome the Jastai, seeing them as nothing but a benefit. Rarely did the Jastai turn their blades on other mortals unless it was truly warranted. They were more interested in fighting terrible and threatening monsters in an attempt to die in a way that would free them from their cycle. On top of that, the Jastai who lived past the age of forty more often than no became brilliant storytellers.

While it wasn't perfect. The Jastai, like many other races, eventually found their spot. And life marched forward.

Physiology/Biology

Substantial Size And Physical Prowess

One of the most notable features of the Jastai is their large, intimidating size. Giant is the most appropriate name, as even the smallest of Jastai often stands at least a full head taller than most of the normal races. While most Jastai won't reach above the height of 15 feet, there are legends told of those few Jastai who reached up to 20 feet or even taller, though they're the rare few and 15 is based on the average.

In addition to their height, the Jastai are also stronger than the average member of another race. While this might just be a benefit of their increased size or their culture, Jastai have gone on record as usually being exceptionally physically fit. A weak Jastai is something to be ridiculed and stared upon, to have others wonder what's wrong with them. As such, Jastai who aren't inherently physically fit will find a way to become fit, working themselves either to the bone or to death, striving to become as strong as the rest of their kin. Again, this might just be a benefit of their culture though. It's believed by the Jastai that anyone can become strong. Perhaps that's part of why so many Jastai do actually become so terribly strong.

Elemental Motifing And Control

Another common trait among the Jastai is how they're linked to at least one element. In very, very, exceptionally rare cases they might be linked to two. This is usually only ever seen in cross tribe pairings and even this remains a one in a billion chance. And that's a one in a billion you might not actually want happening. Multi elemental Jastai are often much weaker, both physically and when it comes to their actual immune system. They tend to have a harder time fighting off disease Jastai with more than one element are prone to dying before they even reach adulthood. Those that make it to adulthood suffer from ailment and maladies that others of their kind might not have, and they'll struggle their entire lives. While a weak Jastai with one element is usually viewed as having something wrong with that, it's more an assessment of their mental state. There must be something wrong with their heads if they're okay languishing away in weakness. Jastai who are weak due to ailment are often seen with pity.

The element of a Jastai is usually very obvious. Not only will their clothing share in the motif of their element, but their skin will be spattered with veins of that element actively running through them. It's visible all across their form, constantly surging and rushing. This can occasionally prevent certain kinds of intimacy between Jastai and others, but it often doesn't become that much of a problem since the elements running across the body of the Jastai are rarely strong enough to cause any kind of damage if they're even noticeable at all. These veins are often simply used as a source for their elemental control.

In order to control their element, the Jastai needs some kind of source. This source can exist within their body, which is more draining, or they can use any materials within their immediate surroundings. This is easier for some Jastai than others, given the rarity of some elements. A Jastai cannot be hurt by their own element. Members of the fire tribe won't burn, members of the water tribe can't down, members of the lightning tribe can't get electrocuted. However, that isn't to say members of the metal tribe are immune to swords. The process of sharpening it makes it dangerous, though they might not take as much damage simply due to their hardier skin. It more so means that splashing them with mercury wouldn't kill a Jastai the same way it might kill literally just about anything else.

Death's Eyes

An interesting trait of the Jastai are their eyes. The eyes of a Jastai can come in any color, the can appear in any color visible to the mortal eyes. In addition, Jastai have a better sense of color and night vision as they have an extra type of cone in their eyes and a second eyelid which captures and reflects light back into the rods in their eyes.

In spite of such an interesting detail, perhaps one of the most interesting details about the eyes of the Jastai is the rumor surrounding them. Many Jastai have come to believe that the color of one's eyes is reflective of how they died in their past life. While there is no scientific proof to back this claim, it has been seen that eye color in Jastai is not heredity, the child of a single Jastai couple having eye colors all across the known spectrum in multiple case studies. While the rumors are still up for the debate, the eyes of the Jastai are without a doubt exceptionally interesting.

Psychology

Devil May Care

All Jastai have a general disregard for the concept of death. As there is no true death that can actually touch them, there's no reason to particularly fear death. Jastai are completely self-assured in the idea that they'll simply be reborn if they don't die in a way that's completely and absolutely without question amazing in every which way. Furthermore, if they do finally manage to die in a way that allows them to stay deal they'll finally have broken the cycle. They can retire to the afterlife of their choice depending on the gods they favored and watch over their kind as the ancestor spirits who managed to escape. This is a fate that most if not all Jastai ultimately strive for.

If anything, because of that death is kind of welcome. They walked into every situation with a devil may care attitude, knowing they'll either be back in a week with a new life to trudge through or they'll finally be able to rest their battle-weary souls. While not immediately apparent, there is a kind of weight that rests heavy on the souls and shoulders of the Jastai thanks to the constant resetting. They can't remember their past lives, they can't truly be affected by them directly, but there's a certain weight that eventually starts getting to every Jastai after they've gone through enough lives to feel not only the hole of something missing by the burden of all they've gone through.

While they act careless, if anything, most Jastai simply want to win this little game so they can finally rest. If not forever, at least for long enough that the weight of their former lives finally stops bothering them, like a backache that never goes away or a splinter they can't get rid of. So who actually cares if a Jastai died. They'll be back. They're always back. If they aren't, it's simply a good thing.

Idolization Of Strength

The culture obsession with death combined with life in the element planes has led to a unique emphasis on strength. The ability to defend oneself as well as others, not to mention the ability to die. If there's one thing that bothers a Jastai it's the idea of dying like a dog. The idea of not being strong enough to die on their own feet, to die in a way that makes a mark and shatters their destiny into a million tiny pieces. There is a certain level of resentment that follows the tail of that idolization, but it's often ignored in favor of focusing on the idea of strength as an ideal.

Proud But Equal

Perhaps the most notable thing about the Jastai is that their emphasis on strength doesn't make them pompous. They don't believe they're inherently any stronger than any of the other races. The Jastai are just another mortal race trying to get by after all. They consider the other races to be their equals. A Jastai would never think of themselves intrinsically better than one of the other races simply for being a Jastai. They're different, sure, and they have different strengths than some of the other races, but their race doesn't make them another better. Or any worse for that matter.

Along with this comes the idea that anyone can become strong. True physical strength isn't an ideal that's exclusive to the Jastai either. They fully understand something or someone can quickly and easily become stronger than them. In fact, a lot of Jastai are hopeful they'll find another mortal who outpaces their strength, one they can fight with all their strength and hopefully meet peace at the end of the battle. In addition to that, the Jastai understands there are multiple kinds of strength. While physical strength is the pinnacle of their society, they understand other races aren't like them. They don't have the same priorities. Some think that science and intelligence are stronger, and that's perfectly fine in the eyes of the Jastai. They just really don't want anything to do with it.

The Element Affect

The most unpredictable thing about the Jastai is how their element is going to affect their personality and disposition. Some Jastai are barely affected by their element, while others quickly come to resemble their element in a number of strange ways. While one can list off all the stereotypes associated with each element, it's not quite as cut and dry, which is perhaps why the Jastai can be some invariable when it comes to that little detail. The element of a Jastai and how it's going to change their disposition isn't something that can easily be categoriezed into neat little boxed, but without a doubt it's an important detail to remember whenever dealing with them.

Culture

Family Or Rivalry

All Jastai consider one another to be family, regardless of tribe and distance on the family tree. That being said, family isn't always lovely dovey or anything of the sort. A lot of Jastai view one another as rivals, an ideaology that's existed ever since the Jastai lived in the elemental planes. While Jastai won't actively seek to hurt or insult one another, having two Jastai in the same room, especially those of different tribes, can lead to bickering and any number of unpleasant outcomes including brawls or even outright fights it the situation escalates too far. Most Jastai won't raise the bar to a lethal level as being killed by another Jastai is seem as something the definitely won't help them break their rebirth cycle. There's something about being killed by another member of their race which makes it so mundane.

Perhaps that's why murder, especially between Jastai, is taken so very seriously. To kill a Jastai in a manner that won't result in a spectacular death is seen as the greatest insult to a Jastai. That isn't to say murder or assassination can't be spectacular if pulled off correctly, but it often won't be and it'll be considered an insult to any Jastai.

Jastai who belong to the same tribe, or at least similar elements, will be a lot more friendly with one another. They might approach one another more amicably. While they'll still challenge one another it tends to be more playful.

Jastai who eventually come to see one another on friendly terms, regardless of if they're in similar or different elements/tribes, might eventually move past rivalry to become lovers. Temporarily or not. This is especially common for those who prove themselves to be strong. Those who find themselves to be equals will almost always become lovers long enough to have at least one batch of children before either becoming actual lovers or simply moving on.

Elder Respect And Equity

Due to the beliefs of the Jastai in that anyone can become strong, there's a good sense of equity among Jastai. Those who try are viewed positively for however hard they work. Everyone is viewed as having limits and as long as someone is pushing those limits, they can be just as 'equal' as a Jastai who can bench press that person's weight. The Jastai view differences between race or gender as just another factor of life. Sometimes it can be a challenge or a benefit, but it can also be something that's overcome with enough strength and determination.

One factor of life that is a bit different for the Jastai is how they view old age.

When it comes to other races, there's a sense of respect but they don't really view it as much more than just respecting your elders. For a elderly Jastai, the relationship changes wildly. There's a sense of morning when it comes to the older Jastai. They are deeply respected for having lived long enough to pass down their wisdom to younger Jastai, but there's also something sad about growing elder. Especially for the Jastai.

Elders have a harder time dying in such a way where they can escape the rebirth cycle. Because of this, having lived long enough to instruct the next generation is viewed in a fashion that's similar to having made some great sacrifice. They'll have to wait until their next reincarnation to make another attempt at an escape. That being said, elders are exceptionally necessary since so many young Jastai die so quickly. Because of this, they're respected ferociously.

Stance on Magic

Magic is an interesting topic among the Jastai. For the most part, it's just generally not acknowledged. Those who wish to learn magic can of their own free wills and the opinion of those around them isn't prone to change. It's just a different type of strength. While there is still an emphasis on physical strength among the Jastai, due to how their beings are made up of elements there is a strong sense of magical strength right alongside that.

What is a little iffy is their opinion of Elementalism. The views in regards to it are split to put it nicely, talking to any one Jastai will usually get a different response than talking to another.

On one hand, Elementalism is viewed negatively. It's almost seen as cheating. Through it, one can further strengthen the connection to their element in ways they wouldn't have been able to otherwise. It allows important steps to be skipped and while there are certain restrictions, it's almost seen as a way of devaluing the unique gift given to the Jastai. Their innate understanding of elemental magic.

On the other hand, some view it as a way to strengthen this gift. The innate understanding of their own element allows a Jastai to absolute excel as an Elementalist. The control of Elementalism is used as a supplement to their natural tendency. Because of this, there are some Jastai who view it in an extremely positive light. The next natural step forward for becoming powerful.

As a general rule of thumb, it's typically the older Jastai who are prone to becoming elders who learn Elementalism and the younger Jastai who reject it. While it isn't a hard and fast rule, there is an element of wisdom that might go along with their opinions of magic and its use as a benefit to their natural capabilities.

Storytellers

Due to the nature of the Jastai, there is no role more important in their culture than that of a storyteller. While some Jastai continues to live in their progenitor tribes, some Jastai have formed new ones, and some Jastai have even started to live alone, there is no exception to the fact that all Jastai deeply respect someone denoted as a storyteller, regardless of their race as well. For the Jastai who live exceptionally short lives more often than not, the storytellers are their link to the past and the knowledge of their ancestors.

Jastai have a tendency to embrace most storytellers as long as they aren't doing something disgraceful. Disgraces to the art tend to include telling stories only for the profit (profiting off stories is fine as long as the story still has heart and soul), telling a fake story but trying to pass it off as true, or attaching a moral with no meaning. The Jastai are all in favor of stories that probably aren't true, but the beauty of their storytelling comes in that there's always some kind of powerful moral and a hint of something true. There's always a lesson to be learned, but the stories themselves are always exciting. They need to be.

The Jastai storytelling techniques developed due to the need to impart information to you Jastai that are already trying to take their first steps into the world without being entirely prepared. Those who stayed behind to become elders and storytellers needed to figure out how to get their messages across quickly in a way that would sit well with young Jastai and keep their interest long enough to get the message across. Because of this, the Jastai storytelling methods, as well as the stories themselves, are some of the best worldwide.

This respect of storytellers will be extended to other races and other methods of telling stories, but depending on the kinds of stories one tells they might sit better with older Jastai. Anyone who can tell a story as well as a storyteller Jastai will be treated as though they are one.

Despite the emphasis on morals, this is mostly for the sake of younger Jastai. It's perfectly fine to tell stories just for the fun of it, and that too had been refined to something of an art. The stories of the Jastai tend to be immaculate and passed down between generations in a manner that's almost flawless. They believe that a story shouldn't be changed, that you should always strive to tell your own story. Even if you start with another story as the base, you should find ways to make it your own, and the original shouldn't be forgotten.

The Trial

An interesting tradition among the Jastai, once a Jastai reaches full maturity it gets together with all the other Jastai who've done so as well during the Frost of that year. Here they have what has loosely been described as The Trial. Only a very small percent of the Jastai who take part will actually survive this Trial and there isn't much known about it. From what's been gathered it's a competition to see who can die the fastest in the most spectacular way, though how they go about it is a mystery to many other races since spectators aren't allowed. If you want to watch, you also have to participate.

There's usually a hand full of survivors and not ever Jastai will actually participate (which is the only thing keeping them from going extinct) but it certain keeps the population dropping rapidly. The Jastai who survive often don't talk about it. Not out of trauma, but because it's considered a 'sacred' ceremony and also those who survived are seen as having lost. On occasion there have been members of the scientific community who participated just to try and see what it was like, but so far none have ever made it back.

Clothing and Grooming

Fashion

Jastai tend to not wear much clothing. What they do wear is often centered around their own elemental motif. These clothes tend to be revealing and covered in jewels which bear a striking resemblance to their element in question. The biggest thing about Jastai clothing in addition to how scant it is, is how much it tends to glimmer and shine. Flowy silks are another big thing for the Jastai. Both fancy clothes and casual clothes seem to follow the same general theme of leaving little to the imagination and making the Jastai in question stand out as much as physically possible. Because of this, Jastai tend to be big consumers for gemstones and those who dedicate their lives to being craftsmen often become renown tailors.

On certain occasions, Jastai will wear more clothing. During a serious fight, they might wear armor (though it's not a guarantee) and if they aren't an element that's well equipped for cold climates they might decide to wear heavier clothing to live in one. Even then, the clothes are still specifically designed to be shiny and eye-catching. More often than not though, the Jastai will just avoid trying to live somewhere that restricts their cultural fashion.

Grooming

The Jastai are very conscious of their grooming habits since it's considered a disgrace to die of something preventable like disease. The best way to prevent diseases is not running around in filthy clothing and filthy skin. This had led to something of an emphasis on proper grooming, which might not be generally expected of such a combat-oriented race. This emphasis has led to an idea among the Jastai of always remaining well-groomed. Messy hair, messy clothes, dirty skin, it simply isn't tolerated. Especially for Jastai living in a tribe or a community containing more than one Jastai.

Filthy Jastai are often berated into cleanliness or outright shunned, especially if they manage to grow ill. While Illness is an inevitability of existence, growing sick while filthy is seen a punishment for being dirty and will result in a harsh treatment than a Jastai who grew sick but takes care of their own appearance.

Jastai cleanliness is actually admired by a lot of other races, and their sanitation techniques are often used to help protect against illnesses. Plagues don't spread fast or often amoung Jastai communities, so those with the sense will often emulate some of the Jastai healthy and cleanliness practices.

Technology and Intellectual Pursuits

Weapons Of War

The Jastai have a strong interest in weapons. While they aren't warmongers by any means of the word, culturally they've just built up an emphasis surrounding combat which has led to a need for better weaponry among them. While there is some conversation regarding armor, the majority of Jastai who work in technological fields have their eyes trained on weaponry.

That being said, the Jastai are extremely careful when it comes to the health and safety of others due to their products. There's always an air of quality when it comes to anything a Jastai has made. They tend to rarely malfunction and they're always made from top quality materials. While part of this is because it would be a disgrace to kill someone by accident due to something they made malfunctioning, it's also because the Jastai understand they're very different from the other mortal races of Atharen.

Maybe they have a general disregard for their own life due to the fact they need to die. They understand that a lot of other races aren't like this though. Some races believe they have one life to live and they better not screw it up, not to mention, a lot of races are physically more fragile than the Jastai. The Jastai understand this, and regardless of their culture, they've progressed in such a way that they're sympathetic and careful of this understanding. They don't want to senselessly slaughter. Sure, they want to die in a way that frees them from the rebirth cycle (most do anyway), but they don't want to force other races down the same path.

Because of this, something made with the mark of Jastai craftsmanship will rarely fail you.

Energy Sources And Alternatives

While not really and truly a cultural emphasis, a good number of Jastai have in recent years taken an interest in energy. Especially those who have realized that their own elements in some cases can be harnessed as energy sources. While it isn't a giant thing, it's enough of an interest for more and more Jastai to have slipped into the scientific community, if not as intellectuals at least as willing test subjects and guineapigs.

Arts and Crafts

Expressed Through The Elements

A large portion of Jastai art is mediated by the expression of their element. While storytelling is considered to be their most prominent art, another important thing to mention is what can loosely be described as belly dancing. These dances almost always include the addition of their element in the performance. These dances are extremely important to interclan and intraclan relationships. Jastai are usually more than willing to teach others how the dances work, but the more beautiful and specific dances are usually tribe exclusive and are harder to learn for those existing outside of the tribe. Especially for those without Elementalism.

Jastai dancers are a popular thing is certain countries, though considerations must be made regarding their size and the bombastic nature of the dances. Jastai themselves love to dance and almost any Jastai will openly take the invitation when offered.

Jastai have a very specific view of the arts in that someone doesn't have to be good at their favorite art. Things like dancing, singing, painting, they're things that are done out of joy. They don't need to be groundbreaking or spectacularly beautiful as long as that's heart and soul. While there are professionals among the Jastai when it comes to their dances or other various arts, anyone is able to partake as long as they have the spirit for it.

The Art Of Battle

The Jastai consider fighting to be a form of art, and with that consideration made, it's the art that all Jastai are the most well versed in. Gladiatorial and sparring matches are treated with an air of finesse and artistry. While they can be intense and powerful matches, they're always treated like two artists working in competition more than two people trying to kill one another.

This makes war also an art, though it's one that's treated with a grim understanding. War almost never leads to a good death, it only ever seems to lead to thousands dying in pits and sitting in mass graves. Sure it's still art, but not every picture is beautiful even if it is art. Not every painting is positive and not ever sculpture is going to avoid leaving you breathless and terrified. There are some pieces of art in this world that are monstrous and though they must be looked at and understood, they're often something that you want to close your eyes and turn away from. War is like that to the Jastai. Still and art, sometimes necessary, but never a good thing.

Body Art

Body mods and various pieces of body art are also common for the Jastai. Tattoos, piercings, and on the rare occasion implants are something that the Jastai take a distinct interest in. Some enjoy making their bodies look even more like their elements, tattooing onto their skin beautiful tapestries as a testament to their tribe. Others enjoy looking like something, painting on stripes and shaping their teeth and their claws into deadly animal fangs.

Regardless of what they favor, most Jastai will have at least some kind of change they've made to their bodies. Something that truly claims it and makes it their own. Something with actual meaning to them more often than not. Jewels from a relative or close friend studded in their skin, or a portrait of a precious thing tattooed into the back. If anything, it's rare for a Jastai not to have some kind of modification. Even rarer for their skin to be clean of scars which they considered to be modifications, earned from battles long since lost or won. Jastai with 'clean' bodies are rare on the slave market which makes them go for a pretty penny, which is just another reason why the Jastai are so quick to mark themselves. They're popular as exotic 'dancers' and laborers. In some cases, their markings can be a protection.

Jastai tend to get their first modifications done at relatively young ages, at least in comparison to most mortal races.

Religion and Worship

General Ambivalence

Most Jastai treat religion with a certain level of ambivalence. They often don't pray openly to anyone god if they even pray at all. Though there are a couple of common beliefs, they're more common in the six core tribes. Smaller offshoots or longer Jastai tend not to share in those beliefs as often as the Jastai who belong to these older tribes, which has led to the current climate. This ambivalence, being a newer thing, isn't yet considering a hallmark of the species but it's common enough to be worth noting.

The Mist Lords

The most common form of belief, even for those with a general sense of ambivalence, is at least a healthy amount of respect for the Mistlords. A good number of Jastai still worship the Mistlords, more so than the Dragon Gods in some cases. The exact Mistlord who made the Jastai what they are has been forgotten to the times, but there's still the same overarching feeling that all Mistlords should be respected and worshiped. The Dragon Gods aren't put on the same level as the Mistlords. Not by a long shot.

Rarely do the Jastai resent or even so much as dislike the Mistlords. Most at least approach them with an open mind if not reverence, due to the cultural associations of them.

Anestor Spirits

Ancestor Spirits are something special to the Jastai. This also happens to be the category in which the Dragon Gods fit within the religious scope fo the Jastai.

Ancestor Spirits are those few Jastai who were able to effectively escape the reincarnation cycle. As such, they were able to ascend to their afterlife of choice in order to rest. It's believed that these spirits still watch over the current Jastai, guiding them. It's also often believed that these spirits can speak through certain storytellers, the exceptionally old ones who take on an almost shaman-like role in some groups of Jastai.

The Dragon Gods are considered to be Ancestor Spirits. The Jastai still have stories regarding how each Dragon God came to become an Ancestor Spirit and what they were like as a Jastai. Of course, some of these gods have multiple stories. This is explained by the Jastai as the Dragon Gods being a derivative of what is known as the "Cycle Bound".

The Cycle Bound

Cycle Bound Jastai are Jastai who managed to free themselves from the reincarnation cycle and then decided that they didn't actually mind it and were perfectly fine staying as a part of this cycle. Cycle Bound Jastai are said to retain the memories of their past lives, and regardless of their death in their current life, can leave the cycle any time they please to join the other Ancestor Spirits. Similarly, they can return at any time. This gives the Cycle Bound a kind of deity-like status in the Jastai community.

The Dragon Gods are spoken of as though they are (or more accurately were) Cycle Bound Jastai who stopped reincarnating after the Bleeding, at least according to the Jastai themselves. They explain that this is how so many different stories can exist about the Dragon Gods all at the same time. Some Jastai, depending on their other beliefs, will either see the Cycle Bound as intrinsically stronger or subservient to the Mistlords. Again, this depends on how the Jastai in question views the Mistlords themselves.

Cycle Bound Jastai are hard to tell apart from normal Jastai, especially while they're younger. They don't actually start to remember their past lives until they've become a full adult, and even then something needs to actually trigger it for them to remember. It's said that the more a Cycle Bound remembers about a past life, the more their eyes will start to lose their natural luminescence and instead start to look more like liquid. Instead of glowing, the eyes of a Cycle Bound who'd come to fully remember what they are will churn and shift, almost looking molten. The eyes, while predominantly still being a symbol for how they last died, may also display flecks of color which are symbolic to how they died in other lives after becoming Cycle Bound.

While Cycle Bound are treated with a diety like status in the Jastai community, aside from remembering their past lives they aren't actually all that special. They can't remember what the afterlife is like nor do they remember making any kind of agreement to become Cycle Bound. Their only memories are the lives they lived before the current one, and only till the point where they become 'Cycle Bound'. Most Cycle Bound are also haunted by terrible nightmares they'd rather not repeat and tend to go insane. Most Cycle Bound will die to insanity or suicide at some point, though it isn't really common knowledge thanks to the fact it's so hard to tell who's a Cycle Bound and few make it far enough into maturity to start showing signs of it.

• Players cannot start off as a Cycle Bound, though it is possible to discover yourself to be a Cycle Bound through roleplay it'll take time to discover this and the knowledge will come with serious consequences.

Reproduction, Aging, and Death

Romance

Jastai are extremely romantic in their relationships. There's a strong emphasis on wooing your partner and this can take anywhere between weeks, months, or even years. Part of this wooing process does involve sparring matches, though nothing exceptionally dangerous. Two Jastai must prove themselves to be equal to one another for the relationship to properly work. While it's possible for Jastai of different strengths to have a long and healthy romance, it's comparatively rare and can lead to a lot of discomfort for both in the long run, especially if one is often relying on the other.

Romance can exist between a Jastai and a member of a different race, though it takes effort and a little bit of consideration. A bit part of that is that Jastai doesn't reproduce in a 'traditional' manner and because of that while they have genitals they don't ever really use them for anything other than waste removal. Pregnancy for the Jastai is considering to be a very bad thing. In addition, there's also the problem that more often than not the Jastai is going to be the stronger of the two, so again, refer to the paragraph above.

Another thing that often doesn't translate well in certain cultures is the idea of polygamy. Due to the nature of the Jastai, having multiple partners is pretty common. Relationships are more about romance than anything. The emotional attachment. Children, of course, need to be produced, but it's easy for a Jastai to pick a suitably strong partner, complete the ritual, and never see that other Jastai again. Picking a partner for life is an emotional commitment, which is why they don't always settle down with a single partner. They believe that it's possible to love more than one person. Truly love and wish to support them. Which is why a Jastai will probably end up with multiple partners who have multiple partners and some of those partners might also be the partners of the original Jastai and while it might seem like a mess to anyone looking from the outside in, it creates a steadfast support network that doesn't fall apart easily thanks to the cultural ideals of the Jastai. There's no such thing as jealousy and often these partners end up either belonging all to the same tribe or creating their own tribe, so the network of connections remains steadfast without the same kind of risks other races might have in a polygamous relationship.

The Ritual

Child 'birth' for the Jastai is probably one of the weirdest things about them. Which is... saying something. The Ritual as it's called often starts with two partners. While more can partake in the Ritual it often puts the resulting children at risk due to how the genetics of it all works. These two partners can be any gender or race. As long as they have blood (or something akin to it) the ritual should still work.

An old, giant, cast-iron pot is retrieved and the two partners are to bleed into the pot. Again, this works with more than two partners but it puts the children at genetic risk for anamoly. The same thing works with a single Jastai. Possible, but remarkably dangerous for the child.

The cast-iron pot then has a lid put on it and it places somewhere where it can be constantly exposed to the element(s) of the parent Jastai. Constantly burning flames, submerged in ice water, take your pick. This causes some difficulty for certain Jastai as their element is harder to find (electricity for one) but parents and other members of the tribe can use their own elements, which helps build a need for a tribe when it comes to Jastai with rarer elements.

After three days of 'brewing', the pot is left to sit for another six. In total, it should take about nine days.

It's uncertain how this process actually works. Is it magic? Does a Mistlord have a hand in it? A Dragon God? No one is entirely sure, but somehow at the end of nine days when the top of the pot is removed, the parents will find a number of very small pebble looking things. The number will always be equivalent to the amount of blood placed into the pot. Since these 'pebbles' are usually very small there are often a great number. Few will ever actually grow up though.

These pebbles are then taken care of (kept with a constant supply of their element) by one or both parents depending on the relationships the two share. In a couple of months, these pebble eggs will grow larger and larger, absorbing their patron element until after three-five months a baby Jastai will break the shell. It's possible for half-breed Jastai to exist but they're prone to complications and death during the hatching. In addition, two males completing the ritual will have a 25% death rate since the children that end up with two y chromosomes will die. In a partnership with two females, the resulting children will always be female due to a lack of y chromosomes.

Scientists are baffled as to how exactly this process works but all attempts to study what happens in the pot have always led to either the death of the baby Jastai or worryingly enough the deaths of the scientists.

Group Child Rearing

For a Jastai that doesn't live on its own produces children, it isn't their job alone to take care of it. The Jastai as a tribe raises any children produced. This is to help lessen the impact of one or both parents facing an early death. In addition, the large family dynamic helps to increase the bond between the members of the tribe as well as the children themselves.

The child will already be fairly self-sufficient by the time it 'hatches'. A newly hatched Jastai already has more motor control than a newborn child. While still unable to protect itself it has enough of a mental capacity to recognize dangers and hide. Within a week the Jastai will have the instinctual ability to defend itself on part with that of a very young animal. It only takes a couple of months of interaction or education with a sapient species for the child to adapt and start to grow intellectually.

Jastai grow faster than your average race and will reach full maturity at age 13. Jastai die the most often between the age of 13 and 20. Even if a Jastai reaches full maturity at age 13, they aren't considered educated adults until 20 at which point they're given the blessing by the rest of their tribe to have children and receive the same rights as the other adult members. Jastai that live on their own get a different experience as they'll only have one parent. In this case, they tend to be more animal-like and antisocial as their parent is prone to dying when they're young and leaving them on their own. Close friends become a surrogate 'tribe' until the Jastai is 13 at which point they treat themselves like a full adult and physically they look enough like one that they can pull off the illusion of being one.

Old Age As A Bad Thing

As mentioned earlier, old age among the Jastai is seen as a negative due to the fact it becomes more difficult to escape the rebirth cycle. That being said, they're widely respected by younger Jastai, even the ones without tribes.

Language

Common

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Elathee

A language exclusive to the Jastai, also occasionally called the elemental tongue. Each of the six tribes had their own version of Elathee. While different tribes could understand one another, the different versions could be considered similar to a dialect or an accent. Certain words don't transfer well, but generally knowing one tribe's version of Elathee will allow understanding for the others.